Victimize - Where did the money go? EP

Label: Last Year's Youth; Year: 2004; Format: Vinyl 7"

Victimize were one of the very few early Welsh punk acts and this EP released a decade ago packs in both of the two official releases from '79 and '80. This reissue comes in a nice 8-page booklet summing up an interesting band history, and some nice old flyers and posters are reprinted therein too. As for the music I for one conclude that only the second single, here on the B-Side, is really worth a listen. 'Where did the money go?' and 'Innocence', an adaptation of John Cooper Clarke's 'Innocent' are great KBD smashers, underproduced but delivered with high energy, anger and conviction. The funny thing about both of those tracks is that apparently none of the original band members recorded these, but some local musicians posed as the original members. Go figure....As for the first single, which makes up the A-Side on this EP, I must say I am not convinced at all. Both songs are drawn out, and even though they are not horrible per se, it seems like at the time the band didn't know whether they wanted to be a punk rock band, or play early '70s rock. Do yourselves a favor and don't spend a fortune on an original copy of  Baby Buyer/Hi-Rising Failure as it's not worth it, at least me thinks so. Get this one cheap, especially worth for the B-Side!

Paranoia - Dead Man's Dreams/Man in Black 7"

Label: Rot Records; Year: 1984; Format: Vinyl 7"

Hard to imagine how this band from Stoke-On-Trent ended up on Rot Records in the riotous early '80s, as it certainly did not fit into a roster of bands such as Riot Squad, English Dogs or the Varukers. Paranoia stand out as they sounded nothing like the aforementioned bands at all, and quite frankly could have probably become a well known act had they signed to a label that was catering to goth bands in those days. The two songs on this 7" are both outstanding goth-punk with female vocals, and anybody that is seeking out a truly underrated band should get their hands on a copy of this 7-incher. Both songs are mid-tempo with lots of hooks and melodies appealing to both, punks and goths, and I remember hearing one of the songs for the first time when I bought a copy of Rot Records' - End of an Era 2-LP compilation as the label was folding. Even in my much younger years yearning for fast and furious music I dug the wonderful sounds of Paranoia. A true gem!

UK Decay - The Black 45 EP

Label: Plastic Records; Year: 1980; Format: Vinyl EP

UK Decay are one of the best examples for a band that managed to cross from one genre to another one as they were spearheading a movement that would become to be known as goth in the early '80s. This outstanding 4-song EP released in January 1980 is still steeped deeply in their punk rock roots, but each song already hints at what was to come and was proof of the immense talent this band had/has to offer. The song arrangements are intelligent, well thought through and executed with such craftsmanship that even though over 30 years have passed since the release of this EP, these tracks stand the test of the time and have become timeless hits. This is definitely a classic, and one that can still easily be obtained so no reason to miss out here!

Disorder - Air Raid/Law and Disorder 7"

Label: Punk Rock (Fan Club); Year: ?; Format: Vinyl 7"

This little platter was originally released in 1980 on Ace Records, and the band was hailing from Sunderland, and should not be confused with the certainly better known act going by the same name from Bristol. This fan club press from about 2000 does the job though, as who would want to shell out big bucks for an original. Both tracks found on this scorcher are absolute winners, with Air Raid being the faster and louder, whereas Law and Disorder is equally good, just slower but somehow meaner and growing on you very quickly. Not much else really needs to be said except that everyone who is into early UK punk rock needs to own this, one way or another.

John King: Human Punk

Publisher: Jonathan Cape/Random House; Year: 2000; Format: Book

If you like punk rock, and would like nothing more than see it through the eyes of someone who was there in 1977 but wasn't a fashion victim but in it for the music and the laugh, then do yourself a favor and try tracking down a copy of this novel published in 2000. This book will make you laugh and cry at the same time, but above all it will lead you to appreciate John King's street language, telling it how it is, or in this case, was. It is the story of Joe, a fifteen year old kid in Slough, a satellite town outside of London. Together with his mates he develops a love for punk rock, stale lager, girls in PVC skirts and chinese takeaway. One day though Joe and his best mate Smiles fall victim to a group of local lads who see them as easy pray, and nothing is ever the same as it was. In the next two parts of the novel Joe talks about all the years since that crucial night in 1977, and goes through life and growing up in a satellite town, the rise of Thatcher, the demise of jobs, his own traveling to Hong Kong and the eventual return to Slough and an England that has changed since the heydays of punk rock. There is always a good portion of music thrown in there, and the book should appeal to people into punk rock as well as readers interested in how British society and attitudes have changed from the '70s onwards. Highly recommended!