jeudi 10 juillet 2014

Skunk Rock meeting - 1981



JMIFTY-SEVEN ^H ASSORTED herberts M packed into thé itl- publicised New Punk conférence in thé Conway Hall, Holborn, last Sunday- Mot exactly thé storming of thé Bastille but none thé less a small positive step lowards uniting thé diverse factions of eighties pogoramists. There they sat, a hairdresser's nightmare of flaming pinks, crops, spikes and wigs (sorry Tom) — from Cardiff young speed-freaks thé Partisans, from Bristol bondaged last rockers Vice Squad, ail thé way from Wearside a weary and scurvy-infected Olga Toydoll, and up from Herne Bay cvclopîc skin hero Roi of Last Resort. Sadly other provincial faves like Blitz, thé Strike, thé Upstarts, thé Exploited et al were either brassic or touring, but London was well-represented in thé shape of various 4-Skins, Lee of Infa-Riot, and delegates from Oockwork Rebel, thé Business, Angela Rippons Bum, Splodge, Combat 84, thé Affected, thé Docs, Twisted Moralities, TDA, thé Gonads. thé Bomb, thé Élite and thé Urban Dissidents — a véritable xeroxland jamboree. First off on thé subject of gigs, delegates proffered a variety of sympathetic local venues which Business manager Laurie Prior (WHUFC & Bar) is currently investigating with a view to organising more Punk/Oi Festivals round thé country, and establishing a permanent London punk venue where out of town bands can be sure of a gig. Meanwhile Lee Wilson is working on a Wood Green venue which could well become thé Roxy of '81. And it iwas felt that bands should stav in as much touch as possible and try and arrange gig 'swaps' with each other around thé country. Gary Hitchcock (4-Skins manager) bemoaned thé 'trouble' tag attached !o Oi bands when bands like thé 4-Skins/Strîke/Business etc had never had a whiff of same. Hoxton Tom reckoned benefit gigs were one way of clearing thé band's names while helping causes they believed in. He recommended thé Prîsoners Rights Organisation and volunteered to work with them towards organising a festival. Laurie Prror undertook to contact Anti-Unemployment Organisations as thé fight against thé dole queues was a cause we ail supported even if he/we didn't agrée with thé politics of many of those involved in those organisations. Mark of Barnet's Clockwork Rebel claimed that much of thé supposed antagonism between skins and punks was down to "widespread misunder-standings" and "things were definitely improving." Later Chris of Combat 84 advocated thé propagation of Skunk Rock (Skinhead and punk) while Bekt of Vice Squad reckoned that skins and punks got un just fine in Bristol, though Shane of same criticised 'Strength Thru OiYTbo rîsky — Street Ed) as being "too skinhead oriented". I agrée to an extent and invited Vice Squad io co-star on thé third Oi album 'Carry On Oi' ïo redress thé balance. It'll be thé définitive punk/skin/herbert mix coming out on Secret Records in September and I await their answer eagerly. Gez Lowry was delegated in his absence (oniy thé trusty Charlton-orientated On The Waterfront 'zine had turned up) to co-ordinate a national network of sympathetic 'zines. Sadly after a while everything dissolved into a private conflabs — only dodgy incident being îhe snidey activîties of a mysterious and shady looking moustachio'd geezer passing amongst thé ranks claiming to represent Secret Records [Secret hâve disowned him and so should you). General conclusion seemed io be that punks and skins should work together against thé comrnon enemies, kids in every locality should put on their own gigs, form their own labels (or work with trustworthy independents), start their own fanzines, and work with good local causes if there are any — in other words, be active, keep things happening and don't give up thé ftght! And next time we hâve a Conférence it'll be a bit better organised. Honest. GARRYBUSHELL



JMIFTY-SEVEN ^H ASSORTED herberts M packed into thé itl- publicised New Punk conférence in thé Conway Hall, Holborn, last Sunday- Mot exactly thé storming of thé Bastille but none thé less a small positive step lowards uniting thé diverse factions of eighties pogoramists. There they sat, a hairdresser's nightmare of flaming pinks, crops, spikes and wigs (sorry Tom) — from Cardiff young speed-freaks thé Partisans, from Bristol bondaged last rockers Vice Squad, ail thé way from Wearside a weary and scurvy-infected Olga Toydoll, and up from Herne Bay cvclopîc skin hero Roi of Last Resort. Sadly other provincial faves like Blitz, thé Strike, thé Upstarts, thé Exploited et al were either brassic or touring, but London was well-represented in thé shape of various 4-Skins, Lee of Infa-Riot, and delegates from Oockwork Rebel, thé Business, Angela Rippons Bum, Splodge, Combat 84, thé Affected, thé Docs, Twisted Moralities, TDA, thé Gonads. thé Bomb, thé Élite and thé Urban Dissidents — a véritable xeroxland jamboree. First off on thé subject of gigs, delegates proffered a variety of sympathetic local venues which Business manager Laurie Prior (WHUFC & Bar) is currently investigating with a view to organising more Punk/Oi Festivals round thé country, and establishing a permanent London punk venue where out of town bands can be sure of a gig. Meanwhile Lee Wilson is working on a Wood Green venue which could well become thé Roxy of '81. And it iwas felt that bands should stav in as much touch as possible and try and arrange gig 'swaps' with each other around thé country. Gary Hitchcock (4-Skins manager) bemoaned thé 'trouble' tag attached !o Oi bands when bands like thé 4-Skins/Strîke/Business etc had never had a whiff of same. Hoxton Tom reckoned benefit gigs were one way of clearing thé band's names while helping causes they believed in. He recommended thé Prîsoners Rights Organisation and volunteered to work with them towards organising a festival. Laurie Prror undertook to contact Anti-Unemployment Organisations as thé fight against thé dole queues was a cause we ail supported even if he/we didn't agrée with thé politics of many of those involved in those organisations. Mark of Barnet's Clockwork Rebel claimed that much of thé supposed antagonism between skins and punks was down to "widespread misunder-standings" and "things were definitely improving." Later Chris of Combat 84 advocated thé propagation of Skunk Rock (Skinhead and punk) while Bekt of Vice Squad reckoned that skins and punks got un just fine in Bristol, though Shane of same criticised 'Strength Thru OiYTbo rîsky — Street Ed) as being "too skinhead oriented". I agrée to an extent and invited Vice Squad io co-star on thé third Oi album 'Carry On Oi' ïo redress thé balance. It'll be thé définitive punk/skin/herbert mix coming out on Secret Records in September and I await their answer eagerly. Gez Lowry was delegated in his absence (oniy thé trusty Charlton-orientated On The Waterfront 'zine had turned up) to co-ordinate a national network of sympathetic 'zines. Sadly after a while everything dissolved into a private conflabs — only dodgy incident being îhe snidey activîties of a mysterious and shady looking moustachio'd geezer passing amongst thé ranks claiming to represent Secret Records [Secret hâve disowned him and so should you). General conclusion seemed io be that punks and skins should work together against thé comrnon enemies, kids in every locality should put on their own gigs, form their own labels (or work with trustworthy independents), start their own fanzines, and work with good local causes if there are any — in other words, be active, keep things happening and don't give up thé ftght! And next time we hâve a Conférence it'll be a bit better organised. Honest. GARRYBUSHELL



à

Aucun commentaire:

Enregistrer un commentaire