The Rivals - First Ever Sessions CD review

The Rivals, First Ever Session 78 & Demos. 1977 Records (link)

Having had a very worn out tape of The Rivals for years, i was looking forward to getting this CD. The previous CD "If Only" puts together all the best known Rivals tracks and has been in my player for ages so was really excited when this dropped thru the letter box.

So what we have is a collection of twelve tracks which show The Rivals at their best and rawest. the first seven tracks compromise the Session 78 part of this CD compilation.
Two Of the tracks, live favourites Bastard Blues and American Faces are vastly different versions than appeared on "If Only". Paul singing Bastard Blues instead of Mark, with a sneering dont care attitude that epitomised what punk was all about. Superb.
The CD opens with Outward Bound and its long instrumental begining which was quite novel for a punk band at the time. Marks unique guitar style cutting thru most of the track and quite an excellent intro showing what good musicians The Rivals realy were
Waiting For The Dead was a title i didn't know but soon realised that it had a different title on the tape i had where it was called Good Friends. Next the aforementioned American Faces swiftly followed by Evil Place which i feel was missing from If Only.
Following Bastard Blues is Saturdays Anthem with its huge triple guitar onslaught at the begining and dual vocal throughout followed swiftly by Never Sixteen, teenage angst spread all over it.
The next 5 tracks are from the original demo tape the exceedingly rare Fatal Strips cassette. The track listing here is slightly misleading as track eleven is listed on the cover as Hideaway (the correct title) but listed on the CD as Happy Days (and listed on my tape as Just A Game).
The wonderfully childish Schooldays is on here complete with hilariously childish intro as is the equally childish Roll Over Mary Whitehouse.
Essential listening and nice to hear the tracks without the tape hiss, wow and flutter

I dont know if this CD is available in the Uk or even Europe - my copy came from Japan with a free Rivals badge of the front cover.

Bloody expensive for 32 minutes but a must have for any Rivals fans out there.

Note to The Rivals.
If there are any more unearthed Rivals gems you may want to get out there please dont opt for a Japan only release. Get in touch and im sure we can do something.

Live Rivals would be excellent

First Record Label release

We have started a record label to help promote mainly Kent bands and help them get their noise out there by releasing CDs and at a later date vinyl onto the ears of the already bored public. Our first release is by one of  Herne Bays finest, The Warriors. Their new album "Never Forgive, Never Forget"  is a cracker and available to preorder at the website. Where you will find more info and other CDs of Kent bands. If you want your CD added - then get in touch

URBAN FALLOUT RECORDS

Foreboding Ether – Beyond Conjecture. Pre-release review.

What was I expecting? Being as this isn't the style of music I listen to through choice I wasn't really expecting much - boring riffs, inane lyrics, “same as every other band logo”, sub standard guitarist playing as loud and as fast as they can and a vocalist that knows all of one range – groooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwl
So the sleeve shows the “same as every other band logo” but you can actually read what it says for a change. I thought “oh shit, here we go, I'm going to hate this”

“Fore20” hit my speakers and I sat up and paid attention – this wasn't what I was expecting, structured, melodic riffs, machine gun drums which build the song up quite nicely and then the vocals – grrrrrrrrrr – no. O.k some growl then another vocalist nicely pitched at a different range, one high, one low. F.E. have two vocalist for those that don't know and for what shouldn't work, actually does, rather well.

“Deadline” Massive riffage from the start and lyrics that seem to be about the troubles the band have been through to get where they have, so far. Breaking the mould - oh yes – to quote F.E in their own lyrics, “Feels better to write about something you care about, No-one can relate to a zombie invasion". I totally agree.



Having seen F.E live and various viewings of the track on YouTube, I was dying to hear what they had done to “Tuna Bhuna” and wasn't let down, it's more brutal now than its ever been. Remember children, its not about Tuna and its not about Bhuna and I will seriously need new speakers if I turn this up any louder.

“Conscious Altered” The duelling vocal comes into its own here, again over a massive riff that deserves to be heard LOUD and intelligent lyrics that deal with the realities of life, yes, I said intelligent lyrics, which seems to be something lacking in a lot of bands these days.

“House Of Cards” and “OD” -aaaarrrrrrrrrrgh my ears are starting to bleed – how much more of this can I take. Two more tracks obviously. This E.P gets better as it goes along. I'm not going to bore you with more breakdowns of tunes that need to be heard. So hassle the shit out of the band and get this out.



So this is supposed to be progressive death metal is it ? – what absolute bollocks – This is Beyond Conjecture, this is Foreboding Ether's new E.P and it sits quite nicely in it's own little niche thank you very much.
Call it what you want, but this debut CD is THE heaviest release I have heard from any Thanet band EVER – From the opening punishment of Fore20 to the fade on OD this E.P doesn't let up. Nearly 28 minutes of pure riffage that doesn't disappoint. Whether you are a fan of this style of music or not, I suggest that you give this a listen to see what can really be done with a bit of thought.
Get these fuckers on Download or Sonisphere – They deserve it.

Preorder the new CD here http://forebodingether.bigcartel.com/

Margate's Hidden Youth Culture

Writer and former Margate resident Iain Aitch, is collecting and collating information, memories, stories, photos, memorabilia about youth culture in Margate entitled "Margate's Hidden Youth Culture" for an exhibition in Margate later in the year at the Turner Centre.
If you were a Skinhead, Mod, Scooterist, Punk, Rocker, Soul Boy, Biker, Casual, Bootboy or whatever and have a Facebook account,head over here https://www.facebook.com/margateyouthculture, like the page and add your memories to it. There is some good stuff already there but more is needed.
Share your history to make history.

The Warriors - We Are Not The Enemy -EP

Kent Streetpunk band The Warriors have just released 3 brand new tracks on Reverbnation. They are - We Are Not The Enemy, Suburban Shithole and Internet Bullies.
All 3 tracks along with the "England" MP3 are available for $1.30, £0.79 or 90euro each dowloadable from The Warriors Revernation Page here or thru the player below where you can listen to all for tracks plus King Of The Rude Boys which is their tribute to the now sadly deceased Judge Dread.

Trivia note: Judge Dread collapsed and died onstage at the Penny Theatre in Canterbury on Friday 13th 1998 both Ska Shack DJ Toast & Warriors singer Saxby were witness to the passing of a legend.

On with the tunes: All 3 new tracks are excellent and Internet Bullies sounds like it could become a live favourite - give em all a listen and if you got the cash download em. All proceeds from this CD will go towards a Limited Edition 7 track CD which will only be available at gigs but we will have a couple to give away.

Don't forget They will be playing at the Bollox To The Wedding gig on 29th April at the Westcoast Bar in Marget

Surgery Without Research - Woman Beater (Video)

Surgery Without Research - Woman Beater - Video made by Urban Fallout with images borrowed from the internet.
Stop Violence Against Women - An important message in a brutal song - Contains images and words that some may find upsetting or disturbing. You have been warned.

This track is available on the Factory Life 6 track CD -contact the band or Deathstill Records to obtain one dirt cheap





Another SWR track called Squaddie is available on our first Podcast - A Bunch Of Kents Vol 1 - Click here

A Bunch Of Kents - Volume 2 - Podcast

So we made it to the second one. Again we have unreleased, rare and demo tracks from various Kent Punk / Alt bands. We have put some of the younger bands on this one as some of them are kicking up quite a storm and deserve to be heard by more people.
We have exclusive tracks from The Commited, The Filthy Stay Puft Marshmellow Men, The Warriors and The Half Wits and a track from an album released yesterday 14th Feb by The Anarchist Pogo Party - top stuff - If any Kent punk / alt band want a track on the next podcast please get in contact.

Please Download this and pass it on

Track Listing (demo / live tracks noted)
(Download link below or click post title)

1. Liberty - Diluted Rebellion
2. The Commited - Last Night Out (Demo)
3. The Slugs - Resist The Pressure (Demo)
4. The Half Wits - Misfits Anthem (Unreleased Demo)
5. Atavistic - Common Ground
6. Take Courage - Dear Hungry Heart
7. The Submission - Im Lazy
8. Loose Cannons - Irish Wrist Watch (Demo)
9. 7 Day Conspiracy - Waiting To Lose
10. The Warriors - Pay To Play (Unreleased)
11. The Filthy Stay Puft Marshmallow Men - How To Kill A Hooker (Unreleased)
12. Belinda Carbuncle - Son Of A Wanking Monk
13. Criminal Brainstorm - Lurex Lucy
14. Xcretas - Who Is Mad
15. Babies 3 - The Message
16. Monarch - Old Timer (Demo)
17. The Anarchist Pogo Party - Mass Debate

Download

Another podcast coming soon - If you have any tracks you want included or got something to say about the Kent punk/alt scene in general then please get in contact.
If anyone has any better or alternative versions of any of the tracks here, then again contact us coz we would like to feature them in the podcasts.

Again a massive thanks to John Wood (Jesus Fix and others) Daz Champ (The Commited)
Jay Heasman (The Filthys) and all The Half Wits for being them and apologies for calling you The Nit Wits

Anthrax - Welcome - The Red Lion Gravesend (Video)

Recorded live at The Red Lion, Gravesend on 29th January 2011.
Video and still taken by The Welsh Tart & put together by Urban Fallout.
All other images come from Anthrax MySpace

Welcome is the second track on One Last Drop CD single

This was the welcome return home to The Red Lion in Gravesend for Kent Anarcho band Anthrax after a triumphant night at The Winter Of Discontent.




This gig was also the last gig of reformed Sheerness band - The Commited who had played thier last gig before they originally split with Anthrax at this venue in 84/85 - see "Dictated Life " video for the first song they ever wrote played at the last show.