Fatal Blow Interview

ALM. Hi, can you give us a brief of the Fatal Blow story and current line-up please? Did you start as a side project of The Oppressed or was it born just after Roddy Moreno’s farewell announcement? 

Cobley. When I was in The Oppressed, I was writing a number of songs and Roddy suggested recording them as a side project, we came up with the name Fatal Blow, named after The Oppressed's 2nd album. When Roddy called it a day, due to to health reasons, Kizmus and I decided to carry on playing together and turn Fatal Blow into a full time band. 

The current line-up is Cobley, Guitar and Vocals; Nidge, Bass and Vocals; and Kizmus on Drums. 

ALM. According to the credits of your Hope Not Hate record, Roddy Moreno played in some songs apart from appearing on the cover. What exactly was his involvement (writing, singing, playing…) and what musical differences did you find between The Oppressed and Fatal Blow? 

Cobley. I did all the writing and when I had enough money, we would go into Morefront studio in Cardiff and record a few songs at a time. Roddy played rhythm guitar and we all did backing vocals. I played all the Bass and Lead guitar. For me I saw Fatal Blow as a natural progression to The Oppressed, same Ideals and a strong antifascist agenda. 

ALM. How long have you spent preparing the songs of the Hope Not Hate CD? Are you happy with the final result? You recorded Hope Not Hate in Cardiff but I think that it was mixed by American producers, no? 

Cobley. The album was written and recorded 2 songs at time over a two year period. It was all written by me, we would book the studio, the first hour I would show the boys the songs and then we would record them. Once we had enough songs I contacted a few friends I made during my time in The Oppressed, and Patryk from Violent Society loved the songs and wanted to release the album. I am very happy with the end result which captured the band at this period. Although I do feel the current line up is a much better band and the songs are now written as a band. 

ALM. How did you end up recording for Violated Records? Did you get any other offers from Uk labels or from European companies? I really thought you would end up recording with the likes of Mad Butcher, Insurgence, Aggrobeat and similar… 

Cobley. Aggrobeat were the first to release our stuff, we released a split 7 inch single with Oi Polloi which has sold mainly in Europe. 

ALM. Can you explain to us what the “Hero To Zero” and “Nation Of Hate” songs are about? I saw you covering “Warriors” of The Blitz; Do you do other covers when playing live (apart from The Oppressed ones)? 

Cobley. “Hero To Zero” was a song that written about bands like Skrewdriver who had a Punk and Skinhead following in the 70's, but then showed their real colors later on by turning full on right wing. "Nation of Hate" is what I feel Donald Trump is turning the US into. When someone wants to build borders and walls it's time to take action. 

All the boys in the band love old school Oi! music and we do the odd cover for fun, It's mainly song's we love. 

Nidge. We do a great cover of Rear Gunners "We Don’t Want No Nazi Skins"! Our mate Simon uses a stopwatch every time we rehearse that song to see if we play it quicker than the last one! But we don't! 

ALM. I think that all of you are “veterans” on the scene; can you explain to us when and how you got involved in the skinhead movement and what were your first records and concerts? What other bands have you been playing with? 

Cobley. I first got into the scene as a young teen, following all the Two Tone bands, and then getting into Oi! and Punk. I've been an Oppressed fan right from the beginning, so when Roddy asked me to join the band. It was the easiest answer I have ever given. 

Nidge. I am lucky to have an older brother with very diverse musical tastes. One day he was listening to a brand new album he bought by collecting tokens from Sounds magazine. The record was Oi The album! Also around the same time I remember watching Top of the Pops (music tv show) when I heard "Gangsters" by The Specials and was instantly hooked to the Ska sound! It wasn't long before I was saving my pocket money and buying Madness, Bad Manners, Cockney Rejects LP's and begging my parents for Dr Marten boots and Sta Prest trousers! 

ALM. How have the gigs been that you have played lately (I mean, the response of the people, etc)? I see that you are going to play in Germany, any other plans for playing in other countries or in the USA? What about in Spain/Catalonia/Basque Country? 

Cobley. We have had a really good response and people who have bought the CD have been really positive. We have been asked to play the USA which is still in the talking stages, but the boys are more than up for playing and spreading the Antifascist word. 

Nidge. I personally think the gigs couldn't have gone any better. Being the new guy it's difficult, but we've had such good feedback from bands we've played with and the crowd that it makes the next one even better and it goes from strength to strength. 

ALM. Can you give us now a Top Ten of your favourite Classic bands (70’s-80’s) and of the Present ones (90’s to nowadays): 

Cobley. I like all the early 77 Punk bands, UK82 and early Oi! bands . New bands I like Giuda, Cynide Pills, Takers and Users, United Bottles and Bishops Green. 

Nidge. In no particular order: The Business, Blitz, Angelic Upstarts, Cockney Rejects, The Damned, Abrasive Wheels, Cock Sparrer, Sham 69, The Partisans, The Opressed. 

Present days in no particular order: Curb Stomp, The Civilains, The Prowlers, Bishop Green, Stage Bottles, Fatal Blow, Dropkick Murphys, United Bottles, Street Dogs, Emergency. 

ALM. Short opinions about: 

- John Lydon: 

Cobley. Someone who got me into Punk 

Nidge. He was a force of nature in the early days but reality TV and butter adverts have ruined his reputation. 

- Gary Bushell: 

Cobley. He championed Punk when the music papers said it was dead. 

Nidge. He tried to fool people he had no idea the Strength Thru Oi! Album was a play on words; he knew what he was doing. 

- The Macc Lads: 

Cobley. I never heard them, not my kind of thing to be honest. 

Nidge. Great music spoilt by homophobic, xenophobic and outdated lyrical ideas. 

- The Templars: 

Cobley. Didn't they do Skrewdriver cover versions? 

Nidge. If you mean the band, a bit naive maybe, covering Skrewdriver songs but quoting Anti fascist slogans during interviews. I haven’t heard a lot by them. 

- Soul Crew: 

Cobley. Big influence in my teens, bit to old these day's lol. 

Nidge. As a card carrying Cardiff City supporter I can honestly say they're lovely lads! 

- Nicky Crane: 

Cobley. Sad mixed up Man full of hate. 

Nidge. I don't think of him much at all! 

- Condemned 84: 

Cobley. Hero to Zero. 

Nidge. I never listen to them. 

- Independence of Wales: 

Cobley. We sadly haven't got the infrastructure to be Independent. 

Nidge. Mixed views as I don't think we have the infrastructure to self govern successfully. 

- Brexit: 

Cobley. Bad move for us as a nation, No Borders. 

Nidge. We live in a democracy and a democratic process occurred and we have to live with the consequences. 

- Jeremy Corbin: 

Cobley. For the many, not the few. 

Nidge. To be honest, I don't know enough about his policies to give an honest opinion. 

- Anti-Fascist Action: 

Cobley. True Heroes, keeping the streets safe for everyone. 

Nidge. Easy, must continue and get stronger each day! 

ALM. Any future plans of recording or what else will you be doing? Thanks. 

Cobley. The band is at its best, with some really strong songs coming from all three members of the band. We are heading back into studio at the end of the month, to record the follow up to Hope Not Hate with gigs coming up in Germany, Poland, and Dublin. Fatal Blow: "Sometimes Anti-social, Always Anti-fascist!” 

Nidge. We're going into the studio end of October to record the follow up to Hope not Hate. Watch this space. 

- Fatal Blow Facebook

Sin Dios (Reason To Believe Zine)

Aquí tenéis una entrevista a los madrileños Sin Dios que salió publicada en inglés en un fanzine anarco-punk de Leeds (Uk) llamado Reason To Believe a comienzos de los años 2000 (2002 o 2003 calculo). La entrevista la hizo Paco Mus (La Vida Es Un Mus) y no sé si salió en su día en castellano en algún otro zine del estado. 

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Máximo Volumen (Maximum Rocknroll Zine)

Aquí tenéis el scan de una entrevista a los Máximo Volumen perteneciente al nº 354 del fanzine americano Maximum Rocknroll (noviembre 2012). Está en inglés y salió un tiempo después de que se reeditara la demo del grupo en vinilo. 

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Chelsea: gira estatal + entrevistas escaneadas

Aprovechando que esta semana los Chelsea darán comienzo a una extensa gira por el estado, aparte de poneros los datos de cada concierto, he escaneado para la ocasión sendas entrevistas/reportajes a Gene October (vocalista) y James Stevenson (guitarrista) recuperadas de la revista inglesa Vive Le Rock, y del extinto fanzine americano Loud Fast Rules. Los Chelsea tienen nuevo disco bajo el brazo titulado Mission Impossible (Westworld 2017). No te los pierdas que sus clásicos no faltarán seguro!!

- Fechas y lugares de la gira: 

J 21/09 A WAMBA BULUBA CLUB (MARULA CAFE-BCN) con The Meet Up.

V 22/09 CARPA LAS PEÑAS (LOGROÑO).

S 23/09 LAS ARMAS (ZARAGOZA).

D 24/09 GRUTA 77 (MADRID) con Klobber.

L 25/09 SALA PLANTA BAJA (GRANADA).

M 26/09 16 TONELADAS (VALENCIA).

X 27/09 NEBULA (PAMPLONA).

J 28/09 SATELITE T (BILBAO).

V 29/09 DOKA (DONOSTI).

S 30/09 L´ALTERNATIVA - (GIRONA).

- Entrevistas escaneadas: 

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- Vive Le Rock Magazine nº 28, junio/julio de 2015:

- Loud Fast Rules Fanzine nº 6, primavera de 2007:

- Chelsea Facebook

- Chelsea Página Web

The (Newtown) Neurotics (House Of Dolls Magazine)

Entrevista a The Neurotics (ex Newtons Neurotics) en la revista House Of Dolls (nº 9, Agosto/Septiembre 1988).

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Bull Brigade Interview (English Version)

ALM. Hi guys, can you tell us the current line-up of the band and if some members have side projects. Why so many changes in your line-up????

Bull Brigade. After the new album Vita Libertà we have decided to add a second guitar, Remo, a boy that we have known for many years. Instead, the change of drummer was necessary because of the intense live activity that has hooked us for all of 2016. Because of the intense live activity the old drummer decided to leave us… and Mark arrived, a guy who we had known for many years and was immediately settled with the band perfectly.

ALM. Vita Libertá was released last year by different labels from different countries. How has it been accepted outside Italy and how did you meet Potencial HxC from Madrid?

Bull Brigade. We have tried to promote the album with a tour that we arranged independently, playing in many European capitals and in many other cities. The CD is going very well, we have almost reached the 1500 copies and even the vinyl is nearly sold out. We have always dreamed of making a record with Potencial HC and Fire and Flames Records... and finally we succeeded. We have known Fernando for many years, and in 5 minutes we reached the agreement.

ALM. I think there is an evident Motorhead influence on the Viva Libertá album, but what other bands (old, new…) influence you?

Bull Brigade. In our run of musical growth we have been influenced by many groups of the Turin’s HC scene… On this last record I think we listened to a lot of bands like The Bones or Turbonegro.

ALM. Can you explain to us the current legal situation of the people named on the “PSM” song (prison, etc) and what is the story behind the song?

Bull Brigade. We did “PSM” together with the artist ABAN from Lecce. At that time we had many mutual friends who were in prison, for several reasons. From here the idea of ​​communicating through music with our feelings came about. PSM is “più sbirri morti” (more cops dead), is our dream for life every day.

ALM. How is the current punk-Oi scene in Torino and what bands would you recommend to us from your town? Were there any Oi bands in Torino in the 80’s? 

Bull Brigade. The style of music that is played in Turin is not really comparable with the kind of music of classic Oi! I think there are a lot of hardcore influences; in any case we can definitely recommend the Gavroche, the Banda del Rione and S-Contro. In the 80's various bands were active in the City ... the most popular (at national level) were the Rough.

ALM. And how is Torino about social activism and squatting? Can you tell us something about the CSO Askatasuna and how it became named in the Basque language? 

Bull Brigade. In Turin there are still numerous squats, despite recent years of great repression. Askatasuna is one of the spaces that we frequent most often ... it is a social centre squatted by militants of the autonomy-reds area. The name in Basque language means “Freedom”, I think it is a tribute to the experience of political and armed struggle of the Basque separatists.

ALM. I know that in some places of Italy the fascists have some “relevant” presence. How is the situation with the nazis in your area? Are there any problems with the fence sitter skins in your Town? 

Bull Brigade. In Turin we have never had any major problems with the extreme right... however in recent years, as in the rest of Italy and Europe, there are situations that are becoming problematic.

ALM. How many times have you played in the Spanish State? What bands do you like from there and are you friends with any of them? 

Bull Brigade. We played several times in Madrid, Galicia and the Basque country... only once in Sabadell, near Barcelona. We have a big friendship with Non Servium and normally with all the bands of the Madrid scene… we are also good friends with the Suspenders.

ALM. Can you tell me how you got involved in the Collin McQuillan’s tribute? Apart from the London show, did the Bull Brigade share the stage with Runnin’Riot in other places?

Bull Brigade. In London we happened to play only once with the Runnin’Riot. To be honest, there were only a few drinks and nothing more between us. But when it was proposed to participate in the tribute we accepted immediately with great honour.

ALM. Short opinions about: 

- Banda Bassotti: great band.

- Antonella “KK”: who???

- Nanni Balestrini: ❤

- One book: Q (Luther Blisset).

- The 4 Skins: great band.

- Three bands you would like to share the stage with: Turbonegro.

- Erode: ❤

- Favorites fanzines: Barricata Zine (Paris).

- Referendum result (4/12/16): what?

ALM. Last words. Thanks! 

Bull Brigade. Ciao e grazie a tutti … Oi!

https://bullbrigade.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/bullbrigade/

http://www.bullbrigade.com

Uk Subs - ANL: entrevistas escaneadas

Aquí tenéis escaneadas dos entrevistas que me fotocopié en su día de los grupos Uk Subs y Antinowhere League. La de los ANL está claro que pertenece a la revista Popular 1 porque así lo especifican en las preguntas. La de los Uk Subs no recuerdo ahora mismo de dónde la saqué, aunque podría ser que fuera también de un Popular 1. Lo que sí que puedo confirmar es que ambas salieron publicadas en los años 80. La de los Uk Subs podría ser del año 1981 ya que hablan de su actuación en la sala Rock Ola de Madrid, mientras que la de los ANL podría ser del 1983, cuando la banda hizo dos fechas en Euskadi, concretamente en la sala Autódromo de Lasarte con los Odio como teloneros. Las fotos que acompañan los scans las he sacado del grupo de facebook del Rock-Ola 1980-85 y del blog del fotógrafo F. Catalina.

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Uk Subs

Como algunos guiris me han pedido por facebook que la tradujera, aquí os pongo la foto con la traducción libre al inglés que me ha salido (gracias a Elektroduende por su inestimable ayuda).

English version

Antinowhere League

Fear and Loathing Fanzine Interview

ALM. Hi Andy, can you tell us a brief history of the Fear and Loathing Fanzine (why, when, if you are doing it alone, etc). 

Andy. The first Fear & Loathing was published in 1989. Before this, I had been contributing to another fanzine called Grim Humour (since 1983) but by that point, GH was getting more into 'experimental' music. I needed a new outlet for the stuff I was writing about punk or hardcore bands, as they didn't really fit-in with GH anymore. Since then, I've pretty-much produced FNL on my own, just because it makes it easier to run it on my own schedule rather than having to rely on other people getting things done on time

ALM. I think all the interviews are done by dictation machine which give better results than e-mail interviews (although it is harder to write down onto paper). How do you arrange interviews with the bands (through bands, booking agents, etc? Have you found problems e.g. bands not showing up, etc?

Andy. Yes, I agree, it's much better to do face-to-face interviews rather than by email, just because it usually ends up as a natural conversation rather than just question-answer-question-answer... Most bands or people are happy to talk about what they have done or are doing, so as long as you can find a way to get in touch with them, it's rarely a problem (and nowadays, with the internet, that's usually a lot easier.) I have sometimes had problems with managers or agents thinking that their 'artist' is too important to speak to a fanzine, but I don't think any band has ever turned down an interview request when I've asked them directly.

ALM. What interviews are you most proud of and which ones are the most disappointing of all that you have done? Have you had any problems while interviewing someone from a band (they didn’t like questions, they weren’t motivated enough, etc)?

Andy. Most interviews are fun, because I try to interview people that I'm interested in, so it's always cool to talk to them and ask about what they're doing, or why they're doing it. I'm a fan, so I like to find out things like that! Sometimes, a band may not have very much to say for themselves, or maybe they are on a busy tour so they're tired when I talk to them, but usually people are happy that someone is interested in what they're doing. The only time I had a really bad experience was when I tried to interview Nick Cave for GH in 1984. When I asked if he would do an interview (after a sound check) he agreed but asked me to come back an hour later as he was just going to eat. I returned as planned but he eventually turned up two hours later and his mood had changed completely. The interview went really badly - I would ask a question and he would just say 'yes' or 'no' and obviously didn't want to talk anymore. I think certain substances may have been involved...

ALM. Seeing all the cover issues of Fear and Loathing Fanzine, I can see the 22nd issue that you announced the farewell… Why did you want to finish with the zine and why did you then continue with it?

Andy. At that time, I used to make an 'end-of-year' mini-issue that just got sent-out to a few people. I always tried to write it on New Year’s day (as there was usually nothing else to do) and I'd just list my favourite gigs and records of the previous year, or write whatever was on my mind. For some reason, on that particular day, I was in a bad mood, so that's what I wrote. I'm sure I meant it at the time but I quickly changed my mind. That's the beauty of writing your own fanzine... you can change your mind whenever you want and there's no-one else involved to tell you otherwise!

ALM. You started when there was no internet, when do you remember hearing for the first time in your life the word “Internet” and do you remember the first time that you used it (for porn, news, music, etc?

Andy. I think I first started hearing about the internet and email from American bands, who all suddenly seemed to have access back at home. But in the UK, it was only just starting to become available to a wider market. At first, most people here only used it at work! I have to admit, I'm not a big fan of computers / technology, so I probably got interested in it pretty late. On one occasion, I went to Amsterdam to see The Descendents (1997?) and a friend took me to an internet cafe to check a website about another gig. That was probably the first time I realised that it could be really useful on a punk rock level.

ALM. If “Video killed the radio start” the internet is finishing the magazines and newspapers… Do you think that internet is killing the fanzines? You have started to put some content on your web site, do you think that it is possible for the internet and paper fanzines to coexist or do you think that sooner or later all or most of zines will be on-line?

Andy. I think a lot of people still prefer reading magazines rather than reading the same interviews or articles online. One of the things I've always liked is buying a fanzine at a gig and being able to read it on the way home. So I don't think the internet is directly 'killing' fanzines. However, the internet has indirectly lead to many small, independent record or book shops closing down, and they were the places that would sell fanzines for you. Also, in recent years, printing costs have increased a great deal, and postal costs are getting horribly expensive. To send one fanzine to America, for example, now costs almost twice as much as the fanzine itself ! So, unfortunately, not as many people will buy the fanzines by mail anymore. That's one of the main reasons why I started the website,so that people in other countries can still read the interviews and reviews even if they can't buy the magazine. But I've always intended to continue having a printed version of the fanzine as well, just because I prefer real fanzines to webpages (and fortunately, enough people seem to feel the same way, so I can cover the costs!).

ALM. The layout of the Fear and Loathing Fanzine is quite simple. Have you ever thought to improve the design or even to put in coloured pics? For me it is ok like that, however, I’m half blind so, why don’t you at least put the questions in bold? 

Andy. I'd love to be able to have colour pictures in the fanzine, but the printing would cost so much more. But I really should try and make the layout a bit more interesting... Good point. I think my biggest problem is lack of time... it can take so long just to transcribe and edit an interview that I don't have enough spare time to concentrate on the layout. Not that I'm unhappy with the way it is, but you should always try to improve things as you go along.

ALM. What are your favorites fanzines from now and the past and from the Uk and abroad?

Andy. At the moment, I always enjoy Failsafe from Nottingham and 4 Minute Warning from Blackpool. Over the years, there are almost too many to mention... Panache was great fun, Vague was always interesting, That Girl (from San Francisco - the same writer, Kelli, also published other zines with different names, but they were always good stuff), Skate Muties From The 5th Dimension, Smashed Hits, Vision On...

ALM. Although you covered all types of punk (old school, anarcho, Oi, hard core, etc), I think you started covering a lot of American Hard Core/Punk bands rather than Uk Punk. It is because you prefer USA punk to Uk punk? Are there any styles inside of punk that you like less than others?

Andy. I think that was just because a lot of good American bands were coming to the UK around that time and there didn't seem to be as many interesting UK bands around. It wasn't deliberate on my part, that's just how it was for me at that time. I'm happy to listen to any great music, regardless of where it comes from. 

ALM. What do you think about American punk called “Happy Punk”or the likes of Green Day, Offspring, etc? Do you think it was positive that bands like Bad Religion, No FX (basically Epithaph Records bands) got big in the 90’s? I remember a lot of punks calling them “commercial”, “sell out”, “trendy punk”, etc….

Andy. Charles Bukowski said, 'There's nothing wrong with selling something as long as it's good enough to sell.' If a band is good, you can't blame them for getting popular or successful. Fugazi became very popular, but did it on their own terms and kept their credibility. In the case of Green Day, for example, they always wrote great pop songs and never said that they wouldn't sign to a big label or go on MTV, so I have no problem with the success they achieved. I might not listen to their records now, but that's just down to my taste. However, there were some bands who were happy to go back on what they had previously said in interviews as soon as they got a chance to make more money. But of course, if a band becomes hypocrites, you don't have to carry on supporting them. It's not worth getting upset about it - just ignore the phonies and carry on with your own stuff.

 

ALM. Can you tell us how did you get involved in Punk? What were your first bands, concerts and fanzines?

Andy. I was 11 years old in 1976 so I wasn't going to gigs, but I started reading about 'Punk Rock' in newspapers and hearing some of the records on the radio. To be honest, I really found out about Punk Rock from Top Of The Pops, as did most of the people who were my age. That was the only way you were going to get to see bands like The Stranglers, The Adverts or the Sex Pistols if you were just a young kid, especially if you weren't living in London. So, that's not the cool thing to say, but it's true. At first, I just liked the energy of the music, but gradually i found out more about the 'politics' and ideas behind the different bands and started to get into that as well. I did see a few local bands playing over the next few years, but my first 'proper' gig was The Stranglers in 1980. Ever since then, I've been hooked on live music.

ALM. Do you listen to any bands that are NOT singing in English? What do you know about Spanish bands or Spanish scene?

Andy. I do try to listen to bands who sing in different languages, but it can be difficult when you don't know what they're singing about. And even if you have a translation, it can be difficult because it may miss out the sense of humour or sarcasm etc. The only Spanish band I'm really familiar with at the moment is Suzi y Los Quattro (who are more Ramones-style, powerpop).

 

ALM. What are on your opinions on the best books about punk that you have read (autobiographies, essays, guides, etc)?

Andy. It's difficult to say because every book is going to come from the writer's opinion. That's why some books concentrate on the whole Malcolm McLaren / Art School angle, while others just concentrate on the politics or just the music. All of these things were part of it, but not all of it. One of the books I recently read which I really enjoyed was Unknown Pleasures by Peter Hook. He tells his story of Joy Division in such a down-to-earth style that it captures the reality of being in a (punk) band without getting caught up in all the myths. Also, Viv Albertines' biography, Clothes, Music, Boys, is a really great book (even though I was never a big fan of The Slits). 

ALM. Brief opinions about: 

- The current Misfits: I thought The Misfits were great when they first returned, with Michael Graves on vocals and Doyle on guitar. That line-up were great live and made some good records, but when they disintergrated, it seemed to just become the Jerry Only band, with different musicians every time they tour. Neither the gigs or the records have been that great since then. However, since you sent me this question, it's been announced that there's going to be some reunion gigs in America with Glenn Danzig, Jerry Only and Doyle... I think that might be interesting, but I bet it will be expensive!

- The Exploited: I was never a fan of them and I haven't heard anything in recent years to change my mind.

- Dead Kennedys affaire (Biafra vs the rest of members): It's a pity that it means that we will probably never see Biafra play with the original guys again. I don't know all the details of the case, but it's a shame that it had to go to Court to be resolved. 

- Stiff Little Fingers vs XSLF: Again, I don't know all the reasons, but as Henry Cluney was one of the founding members of the band and co-wrote so many of their great songs, he has every right to play them (especially as he also has Jim Reilly in the band.) Someone should knock all of their heads together and get it resolved!

- Vive Le Rock Magazine: I'm glad it's there. It's the only mainstream magazine that's trying to cover punk / rock'n'roll, so it's a good alternative to either NME ar Mojo... We could all find faults in parts of it, but at the end of the day, I'd much rather that you can go into WH Smiths and buy a music magazine that features Johnny Moped instead of U2!

- Rebellion Festival: I've never been to Rebellion, so I can't really comment, apart from the fact that they have encouraged some great bands to play again, and others to tour in the UK for the first time.

- USA hard core bands with Oi influences (Agnostic Front, Cro-Mags, etc): Good for them... as long as they make some good music of their own, that's great.

- Straight Edge: Ian Mackaye wrote the original song about himself and then other people decided to create a 'movement'. I think that punk was always about individuals and your own personal choices, so if people want to be straight edge, that's fine, as long as you don't try to force your choices on other people. 

- Pansy Division: I thought their early records were great, good tunes and (mostly) funny lyrics. But as they became a more serious band, I didn't really enjoy what they were doing anymore.

- Toy Dolls: Olga seems to be a really nice bloke, and they're a great live band.

- Conflict: At one point, Conflict were one of the best live bands around, and their records were great. Nowadays, with Colin as the only remaining member in the band, it's a totally different thing and I haven't been impressed when I've seen them. That being said, there are obviously people at their gigs who never saw the origin al band and who will still be inspired by the songs and lyrics, so I think that's a good thing.

ALM. Last words, future plans, etc…

Andy. There's a new printed version of the fanzine (#74) out now (May 2016) featuring interviews with Johnny Moped, The Vibrators, Penetration, Richie Ramone and the Hollywood Brats. Details available on the website!

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- andyfnl@talktalk.net

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Riot 77 Fanzine Interview

ALM. Hi, I see that Riot 77 is only coming out once a year lately. Does it depend if you get all the content/interviews on time or because more issues would be too much work?

R 77. When I started work on the fanzine in 1999 I had a loose intention to publish two issues per year. It seemed sustainable and manageable when offset against other commitments in my life. That said, I didn't want to get too hung up on deadlines and wind up publishing something for the sake of making that deadline. The crucial aspect for me is that each issue comes out once I'm happy with it and feel there is sufficient content there to warrant publication. I don't force anything and only interview subjects I have a legitimate interest in. A consequence of this can sometimes be that publishing dates are pushed back a little further than I would like. I do feel, for better or worse, that I've set a certain standard with the fanzine and aim to make each issue an improvement on the last. This takes time. 

ALM. Most of the bands that appear in Riot 77 fanzine are old (from the 70/80’s) plus some of the 90’s as well but there are not too many contemporary or new bands. How do you decide the content of each issue and what criteria do you follow to decide who is going to be on the front cover? Have you ever been short of interviews?

R 77. It's not something I take into account at all and like to believe the fanzine transcends all that. You can't put a sell-by date on good music or ideas. I would never decide to run an interview on the basis of age, gender, race, sexual orientation, nationality, etc. I'm aware that other fanzines do consider such quotas, but for me it would feel conceited and restrictive. I look for a number of things in interviewees before I approach them. I don't necessarily need to agree with their point of view; in fact it’s probably more interesting if I don't. But there does need to be something there that arouses interest in me and sets them apart from the flock. It's not enough to simply be fanatical about a band as this doesn't have much bearing on whether or not they will make for good interview material. Some of my favorite bands don't have a whole lot to say outside of what's already in their songs and music and that's fine, but I don't think I need to include an interview with them in the fanzine. I've covered a wide spectrum over the years including Christians (Wanda Jackson, JD Wilkes), Communists (Mensi, Roddy Moreno), Israelites (Dick Manitoba), Imperialists (Ramones, Vandals), Queer (Kid Congo, Christy Road), Unionists (Rudi, The Outcasts) yet this wasn't what motivated me to include them. Punk Rock by its nature is a broad church and I'm not that interested in “subcultures of subcultures”. If somebody has an interesting story to tell and I can identify with them on a certain level then I'm curious to find out more and this ultimately will direct my decisions on who to include.

As far as the covers goes, I shoot most of the photos in the fanzine myself and have done so since day one, so ideally I get a strong interview with a nice photo to accompany it and that will likely decide the cover. Sometimes I do struggle to fit the two together and if you look at the cover of issue #4 for example it’s a shot of The Spitzz just because I loved how that photo turned out when I developed it and thought it would make a great cover, despite no interview of the band contained within. My favorite cover is probably #16 with Eric Davidson from the New Bomb Turks. It was shot in the bathroom of Bar Great Harry in Brooklyn and to me exudes Punk Rock. I still love it and Eric knew exactly how to position himself in front of a camera. Turned out the interview with him is pretty good too! I'm also fond of the Glen E Friedman cover from issue #15. Can't say I've ever been short of interviews. 

ALM. Do you have plans to reissue past R77 issues or even collect them in a book? What about putting all the numbers available to read on the internet? Will we see some day a Riot 77 Facebook or Twitter or website?

R 77. No, I do one print run and one print run only. Once they're gone, they're gone. The idea of publishing an anthology of sorts is interesting and something I've seen done quite well with other fanzines, though these tend to be larger-scale publications like Bomp!, Punk Planet, Razorcake, Seconds etc. Who knows! 

I'm not the Internet's biggest sympathizer and rarely use it for research etc. I think certain sections of people would be surprised by just how much isn't available on line. It’s more interesting for me to trawl back through old copies of fanzines from years past as a means to retrieve information, as it’s generally this kind of stuff that leads to questions bands haven't been asked many times over. 

I'm not on Facebook or Twitter (though the fanzine does have a page, moderated by a European distributor). I always found it weird how MaximumRocknRoll and others who've consistently advocated an anti-major label and anti-corporate stance were so quick to embrace Twitter and Facebook. I don't see how the business practices of Zuckerberg are any greater than those of Murdoch. I kind of hoped Punk would come up with an alternative to Facebook/Twitter in the same way it did to major labels, distributors, promoters and chain stores. 

ALM. I remember reading some concert reviews from different places (Canada, London…) apart from Ireland. Is it difficult to see some bands in Dublin? How do you arrange interviews with the bands (through bands, booking agents, etc? Have you found problems eg bands not showing up, not being motivated, etc.

R 77. These days most bands tend to include Dublin on their itinerary at some point, though it wasn't always that way. I do try and get away as often as time permits. Since the '90's I've been going over to the States three or four times a year, primarily for gigs and record shopping, but I've always liked the American counterculture generally and enjoy spending time there. Since I was a kid and started reading entry level stuff by Nelson Algren, Bukowski, Henry Miller, Burroughs etc. the lifestyles portrayed in these books seemed to fit with a soundtrack of Punk Rock, Bebop, Rockabilly and Soul music from the country. These days unfortunately, just like everywhere else, there is so much gentrification going on there, (not just in the urban areas, but also in many of the smaller towns) that it feels like a different place to what I used to know. There's still cool stuff happening, but you gotta dig deeper and deeper each time. 

I've built up a reliable network of contacts down the years which generally allows me access to (almost) any band I am interested in. It's nice to review and interview on foreign soil; it gives a different perspective on things. There've been a few situations where people haven't been motivated, but probably not as many as you might think. I found that used to happen more when bands had entire days of press lined up by their agents, putting themselves on autopilot as a result. For that reason I now try to avoid scenarios where other interviews are scheduled to take place on the same day. I like to interview everybody face to face, but in the event that it isn't impossible I'll resort to a phone interview as a second preference. Darren Russell is the only person I can recall not turning up to a prearranged interview. 

ALM. Which bands haven’t appeared yet on the zine you would like to interview? Are there some old school NI Punk bands that still haven’t been interviewed in your zine (I think at least the most well-known have appeared)?

R 77. As far as Northern Irish Punk goes I'd like to do something with Protex and perhaps Ex-Producers some time. Elsewhere I've had a lifelong interest in interviewing Iggy Pop and Debbie Harry, though I suspect it would be difficult to cover any new ground with either of them and I'm also not so sure it would work in a fanzine context. Outside of that I don't think too far ahead in terms of who I'd like to include, but at the moment Thee Midniters, Alice Bag, Walter Lure, Johnny Moped and the Flamin' Groovies are all on the shortlist. 

ALM. I like Ruefrex and all that I have read about them have said that they weren’t just a sectarian band and they even received attacks from people because of their religious background. I think that you don’t really agree with that opinion, do you? What do you think about this band, both musically and their beliefs?

R 77. I'm not sure what to make of the Ruefrex to be honest. I always found “Wild Colonial Boy” irksome; the lyrics do seem to exert a certain sectarian bias. I interpret them as anti-Republican and condemning those in the Unites States for fund-raising on behalf of the civil rights movement in Ireland. The north of Ireland at the time was an apartheid state, where equal access to jobs, housing, policing, political representation etc. did not apply. Parallels could be drawn between the situation up there and those facing similar fates in the Basque Country, Palestine, South Africa etc. I don't accept the Ruefrex view that Protestant culture was under threat as a consequence of the civil rights campaign; it was simply a case of those with the upper hand refusing to relinquish power. 

On a wider point, I believe it was a cop-out for northern Irish Punk bands to say they were neutral and remain on the sidelines during the conflict – there comes a time when sitting on the fence is not an option and this was one such time. Punk Rock should have been at the forefront of the struggle in the same way it was with Thatcherism and the Miners Strike, Reaganomics and South African Apartheid. Interestingly it took British Punk bands like Angelic Upstarts and Blaggers ITA to do what the northern Punk bands should have been doing. 

ALM. I love Stiff Little Fingers and I like Jim Reilly and Henry Cluney too, but I can’t really understand why they started XSLF… What do you think about XSLF, Henry Cluney and the way he got sacked from SLF after his well-known animosity with Jake Burns?

R 77. I still haven't seen XSLF, despite them playing Dublin on more than a handful of occasions. The dates have always clashed with other commitments. I've heard consistently positive reports on their gigs though and would like to see for myself. Jim Reilly was my favorite S.L.F. drummer and you can't really go wrong with the first three LPs, so I imagine they must be worth seeing at least once. I don't know the full detail of the Henry Cluney/Jake Burns fallout, only what I've heard from third parties. Jake does tend to get a hard time for his relations with people and I'm not sure it’s entirely warranted. I still go see the current line-up of S.L.F. with Ali McMordie back in the band and their live show is powerful. 

ALM. I agreed with your opinion about right wing bands like Condemned 84 and the likes, but I was very surprised to read an interview of Sheer Terror in your last issue (It was very interesting though). I already knew about the “odd” American context (black skins or Jewish people listening to RAC, etc) and in England nazi boneheads have even been seen in ska gigs. What do you think about the whole right wing skinhead scene and that they are calling themselves “non political”? Is there the same problem in Dublin or Ireland?

R 77. I don't buy it for a second. I've seen some of these bands live and there is little doubt who they align themselves with. It's lowest common denominator thinking and ironically saying you're “non-political” is about the most political statement you could make. It means you're not prepared to stand up or speak out when you see something wrong. Apathy is the worst of all and we certainly have our fair share of “non political” skinheads in Dublin, though nothing like you would encounter in England. Grey-zone bands like Frankie Flame, The Business and the Cockney Rejects have played here but always left their Union Jack at home! The likes of Condemned 84, Combat 84, Section 5 etc. have never come over and it’s unlikely they'd have much support if they did. Angelic Upstarts, The Oppressed, Red Alert, Redskins, Los Fastidios, Stage Bottles and others always garnered sizable support when they played in Ireland, which gives some indication of the climate here I think.

I had some prior knowledge of Paulie Bearer's history before interviewing him, but I think he defended his position quite well in that regard. It was a time and place in New York and a lot of it I think went over their heads. I'm not sure American skinheads fully appreciate the context of a lot of the early 80's RAC element in Britain and for many of them it is just about the music and sloganeering. America generally is a lot less politicized than Europe when it comes to skinhead music (at least on the surface). 

As an aside, it always intrigued me how Minor Threat could justify “Guilty Of Being White” whereas had Sheer Terror or Agnostic Front penned such a song, people would have been up in arms over it. The fact that Mackaye still defends it today speaks volumes. Have you ever read the 3-way interview in Maximumrocknroll between him, Dave Dictor and Vic Bondi from the 1980's where they discuss race relations? It's quite the eye-opener. 

ALM. What do you know about the punk scene of the Spain State/Catalonia/Basque Country? Do you like any bands from there? Are you interested in other NON ENGLISH punk bands (French, Italian, etc).

R 77. I listen to quite a lot of Basque Punk and Radical Rock and have an interest in the BNLM/ETA. I like early to mid 80's French Punk too, particularly the bands who sang in their own language, like Snix, Camera Silens and Skinkorps. Later on I thought the Combat Rock label put out some good records and today UVPR is building a steady roster of solid releases. We got a lot of the Mad Butcher/KOB releases over here from Germany/Italy and I liked the political angle of both labels, not to mention some killer music down the years. I'm always on the lookout for foreign language fanzines as well, despite not being able to read them. Cheri Bibi fanzine is a particular favorite - there's something about the approach and layout of it that always strikes me. 

ALM. Brief opinions about these bands:

- Cock Sparrer: Old favorites. Politically ambiguous at times, but musically difficult to beat. 

- The current Misfits: I've seen Jerry Only's version of The Misifts a bunch of times and would be lying if I said they weren't fun. 

- The Redskins: The antidote to Thatcher's Britain in Punk terms. “Keep On Keeping On” never gets old. 

- The Old Firm Casuals: Lars gets a hard time from the skinheads, but I think he's a great songwriter and puts out better Oi! records than half of the bands under that banner today. 

- John Lydon: Enjoyed his books. A contrarian who can become a little overbearing at times, but in small doses I like the guy. 

- The Exploited: When Punk became a caricature of itself. Always considered The Exploited more of a Thrash band than a Punk band. 

- Toy Dolls: Who doesn't like the Toy Dolls? 

- Crass: Never liked Crass. There's something to be said for the sentiment, but its how you articulate it that counts. Dogmatic ranting isn't always the best way to reach people and with so much of their music being unlistenable, it really didn't help matters. Penny Rimbaud's spoken word is awful too. 

- The current Dead Kennedy's: I only seen them once with Brandon Cruz from Dr Know on vocals. You can't argue with the DK's songbook, but without Jello it's not quite the same. 

- Anti-Flag: Anti-capitalism for beginners … and nothing wrong with that! 

- The Wolfe Tones: Ooh Ah - Up The RA! 

ALM. A non musical question. When I visited Belfast and I went to see the mural walls, I saw one dedicated to two Protestants who fought in the Spanish Civil War on the Republican side against the National side. I read that from the Irish Republicanism there was a bit of “reluctance” at first to support Spanish Republicans because all of the news about “killer reds burning churches, raping nuns, etc”. After some time, that changed when they realised what there was behind each side and what the Spanish Church stood for. Do you know something about the Irish volunteers that fought in the Spanish Civil War against the fascists? How was or how have the relations been between the socialists groups in Ireland referring to the Catholic Church?

R 77. It was split; the Church officially sided with Franco and a few hundred Irish men joined the International Brigade – with a small number of dissident Catholic and Protestant priests amongst their ranks! Recruitment on the Republican side was largely handled by the Communist Party of Ireland and included many IRA volunteers. The likes of Peadair O'Donnell, Frank Ryan and Bob Doyle are commemorated today for the role they played in the Spanish Civil War.

The others, being on the wrong side of history, are not so keen on honoring their legacy! Those who backed Franco can be traced to the current ruling party in Ireland (Fine Gael), which was born out of 1930's Fascism (Blueshirts). 

ALM. Last words. Thank you.

R 77. Viva La Quince Brigada! 

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