Post by kidder on Jan 7, 2007 21:17:38 GMT 1
News
Hot Off The Press
Jan 6: Our pals The Blood have produced their first major work of the 21st Century. Recorded on 10th December (International Human Rights Day), their new song Kill The Pimps challenges the apathetic position of modern states that turn a blind eye to Human Trafficking: a brutal sex-slave trade where each year an estimated 700,000 women are smuggled, against their will, into other countries to be used as prostitutes. To our shame, the UK has so far refused to sign up to the European Council’s Convention to take Action against Human Trafficking. For more information on how you can find a way to help stop this modern day sex-slave trade go to www.amnesty.org.uk. or www.unicef.org.uk. It’s 25 years now since the band’s first controversial hit single and The Blood have lost none of their threatening attitude towards complacency and placid mediocrity. Kill The Pimps is an attack at a modern world that accepts the brutal barbarism of young women being raped day and night. The song asks you to take a moment to think about the possibility that the horrific reality of human trafficking might one day happen to one of your own beautiful children.
To hear The Blood’s new work Kill The Pimps go to www.myspace.com/theblood. Human Trafficking is a systematic crime against humanity: You have not got to buy the song – just listen to it; feel the pain and horror of it, and compel yourself to do something about it … NOW!
Jan 5: The Cockney Rejects today issued this challenge to the Towers of London: There must be a lot of people thoroughly pissed off with the fake bullshit being put about by those posh twats 'The showers of London'. Back in April they contacted us to try and blag on to the recording of 'Bubbles', pretending to be West Ham supporters to bolster their phoney 'hardman' image. Not surprisingly, we told them where to go. Now they pop up everywhere claiming to be the 'new' Cockney Rejects, with chief twat Donny Tourettes (crap name also) currently in the big brother house giving it large, putting it about that he's the new Jeff Turner, etc. Well, here's how it is. G&R records are prepared to sponsor a bout between him and Mr. Turner at West Ham boxing club or any venue he chooses, to raise money for charity (The St. Johns ambulance being the obvious choice, as they will have the job of scraping him off the floor when it's over). If any of you, our fine supporters would like to see this phoney put his money where his big mouth is and get his due come-uppance at Jeff's hands, please feel free to call or email national newspapers, Endomol productions or channel 4 and make it happen. LET'S GET IT ON!!!!
Jan 2: Band record demo of blinding new song 'Free The Stone'. We're back in the studio on 13th Jan working on new album.
Dec 31st: Gal and Stinky Turner attend the Pranksters New Year Bash (Burwash chapter). No-one can recall too much about.
Dec 29th: A glorious day for Pranksters everywhere as the new King Mong Tony Van Frater made the long trip south to Kent to greet his followers. Tone (known to the initiated as the Sven-Jolly of the brotherhood) graced the Portrait pub in Sidcup with his presence. Pranksters in attendance included Mick Geggus, Steve Whale, Gal, Terry Hayes, Carla Russell, and Skully of G&R records. Exciting new developments include a Bridge House compilation on G&R later next year, the star-studded Rejects album launch party next March, a new football single and one more big name oi band contributing a track to the new Kings Of Street Punk album. (Details to follow).
The party adjourned to Chinese Tim’s who laid on a fine festive board in honour of the Mongster. Wild talk of a follow-up to the Rejects film called ‘Curry On Up The Gonads’ should not be discounted. The script is already in development and stranger things have happened. As the night proceeded, two half-decent but noisy slapperettes wandered in, drawn like magnets to the feast of manly good looks around the table. One claimed to know Gal “from that beauty therapy place”. Mistaken identity…or secret shame? At midnight Tim, Sidcup’s answer to Confucius – Confused - invited the Mong and his party to “have one drink and then you go.” They did, leaving the by now drop dead gorgeous slapperettes in capable South London hands. Apologies for absence ranged from the inexcusable - Dave Lee ("in panto at Canterbury, tickets still available"), to the unlikely - Fatty Lol (“in the studio”), which frankly is up there with Hoxton Tom ("head cold") and Batttttty ("the dog ate me homework.") More acceptable apologies came from Dave Courtney (dirty deeds, general dodge-pottery), Mick Pugh ("on it all day, mate"), Andre ("in New York") and Charlie Drake ("dead"). Even Hayesy made it, despite running out of petrol and then buying a cheap, petrol station fuel container that leaked. Odds on the Badoes recording a version of 'There's A Hole In My Bucket' have shortened considerably.
Dec 28th: Liberty, a clarification: Gal and Libs first spoke about her recording with the Gonads' ahem, hit machine in the summer of 2006. Gal and Clyde have since written two songs for her, The Devil’s Own Daughter (an absolute corker) and Drink Till I’m Skint. Later and completely separately, G&R Records discussed releasing a single with Liberty. So she now has two recording sessions on offer. We don’t believe they are mutually exclusive. Libs can record what she likes with who she likes. We’re just setting the record straight because we don’t want to tread on any toes here. Not with our corns. Whatever, we wish her well.
Dec 25th: A Merry Christmas to all our readers (Sid and Doris Bondage of Basildon). Seriously, our thoughts are with our lads in Iraq and Afghanistan. The wrong war, the wrong place, for a wrong government. Come home soon.
Dec 24th: RIP Charlie Drake, the last of the great slapstick comics. Born Charles Springall in South London, Charlie found fame as TV’s The Worker. His catchphrase was “Hallo my darlings” and he had a hit with ‘My Boomerang Won’t Come Back’. His comic timing was legendary; and even more remarkable when you know how much he drank, womanised and took speed. (In many ways, he was the first Gonad.) So it's a wonder he lasted so long. Goodbye our darling Charlie.
Dec 23rd: Iron Maiden ended their latest tour with a blinding two hour show at Earls Court. The band was joined on vocals by Gal Gonad and Terry Hayes. Unfortunately Maiden didn’t realise this as they were on stage at the time and Gal and Tel were in block H blitzed on Carlsberg Extra.
Dec 20th: It has come to our attention that one of Clyde’s relatives is a scrap metal dealer whose favourite weekend pastime was to put on chain mail and fight dogs, sometimes two at a time. In light of this revelation (and following advice from our solicitor Tim Idd of Lost, Bottle & Runne) this news page withdraws the threat to expose Clyde’s alleged secret shame. Happy Christmas to all scrapyard ruckers everywhere.
Dec 18th: The Gonads are set to record a joint e.p. with Italian band Klasse Kriminale. Bello! Hopefully it will be released by the excitingly named Havin' A Laugh Records (wot? No say?). Possible tracks include new songs ‘Closing Time Pin-Up’,'Wat Tyler's On The March', 'Five F...in' Hours To Fulham', 'Pox Factor' and ‘Charlie Stubbs Is Innocent’. Or we'll rustle something up about barmaids.
Dec 17th: To Sidcup, home of the brave, for an exclusive play-back of the new Oi album. Strike a light, it’s strong. In terms of songs and production it knocks Oi-The Album into a cocked hat. Stand-out tracks include the new 4-Skins number ‘Glory Days’, our own ‘Alconaut 2006’ (with Paul Haslin on drums)and the Orgasm Guerrillas demolition of ‘Watchtower’ (with supernova guitar breaks from guesting O-Grilla Mick Geggus) but we promise you hand on hearts there ain’t a weak number here. What a line-up. There’s Rancid, the Rejects, the East End Badoes. ‘Valhallaballoo’ sounds like the New Cross Dolls, courtesy guitar from Tony Van Mong. And the new Postman opus will have the late great John Peel spinning in his tin. It’s Syd Barrett meets Sid Vicious on roofies and laxatives for a fight to the death and a pinch of snuff. Producer Mickey Geggus has done a blinding job. He’s just waiting for the two GBH tracks and the album, provisionally called The Kings Of Street-Punk will be finished. So why the bleeding hell have we gotta wait till next summer for it? (We should point that the Gonads have no financial stake in G&R Records, but we wish them well. Our own Soitenly label should get round to launching something or the other next year, Waistrel permitting.)
Later the Oi Organising Committee convened in a shady Chislehurst boozer popular with the criminal classes, retired spies and barmaid connoisseurs to discuss, among other things, the launch party for the new Cockney Rejects album next March and the possible arrival of a new street-rock, ska and oi magazine. Exciting.
Dec 16th: Should we tell you some shocking gossip about Clyde Ward? We love Clyde dearly. He’s like a brother to us all, a father to some, and we are loyal unto death etc, but gossip this funny is rarely suppressed for long. Clyde mate, you’ll need to do some SERIOUS round buying to keep your secret shame under wraps. You have till Friday. Nuff said.
Dec 15: We are the Mods? Maybe not. Famous faces assembling in Bethnal Green for a Mod renewal reunion booze-up included Sir Edward of Piller, Lord Oxo of Tom, Gary out of the Scene and Tony Feedback of Upstarts/Long Tall Shorty and Joe Public fame. What? No Cindy Jackson?
Dec 14: Captain Oi emails from his Tuscany retreat to say the Greatest Hits & Rarities album is "still in the schedule but has no release date". Hmm. What odds the new album is out before that is?
Dec 13th: To the Jolly Pranksters’ Christmas Knees-up. What a turn-out! Old oi-oi faces from years ago joined the merry throng, including half of the original Tuckers’ Ruckers, Garry Johnson with his minder Jamie O'Keefe, Bovril Bob, Tiffany, Parrothead, Si Spanner, Lucy Lastic and Cardinal Jesushate. Due to an “administrative error” on behalf of Spider Mike the PA was cheap but unusable, meaning the O-Grillas couldn’t play; but the Gonads did a fine acoustic set, including Pink Tent, Beachcomber, I Lost My Love (To A UK Sub), Havin’ A Bit and Oi Christmas. Gal came back on for his now traditional a capella version of A Mother’s Lament, a live rendition of which will definitely be on the next album. Also in attendance, Cockney novelist Garry Jackson, whose gripping new book Till Death Us Do Part (about a family torn apart by infidelity) is now available via www.NewBreedBooks.co.uk. Spider closed the night with a rousing speech, saying: “And gentlemen in England now-a-bed shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here, And hold their man-hoods cheap whiles any speaks that drank with us upon Saint Gonad's day.” (This is believed to be a reference to absent pranksters: Terence Hayes, Peter Frederick Way, Fattius Lol, Lord and Lady Waistrel aka Baroness Batttttty, and Michael D. Geggus).
Dec 12th: Lenny Lurch, of Lubbock, Texas, emails asking when Captain Oi plans to release the Gonads ‘Live Double’ album on CD, not to mention the long mooted ‘Greatest Hits & Rarities’ compilation. Good question. Perhaps when the good Captain has finished lighting his cigars with £50 notes and barbecuing the souls of the poor, he’ll get round to telling us.
Dec 12th: Up-date from G&R records: the new Cockney Rejects album is now expected in March 2007; the excellent new street-punk compilation featuring us, the Rejects, 4-Skins etc, is expected May/June. Incidentally G&R Records is located by a waterway on the Isle of Dogs. Rumours that all enemies of Oi will be issued with concrete boots and helped in to the swim by the label’s A&R consultants, Mssrs Sid The Lip and Claret Clarence, should be treated with extreme seriousness.
PS: Oi West Ham, noooo! Hands off Curbs! Can we have our manager back please?
Dec 11: Jenny Torrid a no-show two weeks on the trot. Nothing changes. Get yer skates on, toots.
Dec 10th: Any band wanting Gal to play their tracks on his January total rock radio show must supply a note giving permission to play. The show will be available as a pod-cast. Details to follow.
Dec 9: Gal and Stinky Turner both feature in tonight’s Radio Two punk documentary with Steve Lamacq. Afterwards Spider Mike issued a statement that the Gonads are "Loud, proud and oi, and will remain so till we die. No surrender, no sell-out, no kidding."
Dec 6: Oi Oi update. Mickey Geggus goes to Newcastle next week for the final mixing of the new Oi album, including Gonads classics Alconaut 2006 and Valhallaballoo.
Dec 5: Our old pal Max Splodge is popping up as a solo turn on most of the Bad Manners' Christmas tour dates. Also on the bill: Foxy's Ruts, The Fat Macc Lads (tribute), Ed Tudorpole and John Otway. Should be a corker.
Dec 2: to Essex for a low-key BolloX to the X-Factor party. Various Gonadettes, Pranksters, psycho-billies and refuseniks poured in to a pub hall outside Romford for the do. Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne and the absurd Lulu Walsh were righteously denounced by a DJ once known as Jerry Harris. His excellent sounds ranged from Trojan reggae to Rancid, via the usual Gonads, Rejects, UFO, Purple Hearts, moonska etc. Later, effigies of the three clowns, whose narrow vision has helped to crucify popular music in this country, were burnt to mass cheers. Come the revolution, it'll be the real thing...
By the way, check out swagga on myspace, interesting new fun with old ska…
PS. We are nominating January 13th 2007 as National Up Yours Day. Even if you don’t smoke (and none of us do) you are urged to light up and to stub out your cheroots on the lawns of MPs, vicars, national newspaper editors and other nanny state fanatics. Then treat yourself to a fine selection of pies, washed down with unhealthy quantities of alcohol.
Dec 1: Gal bumps in to Terry Murphy at the frozen seafood section of Costco’s in Thurrock (rock n roll – phew!); turns out the ex-guv’nor of the Bridge House, Canning Town, is writing a book about the legendary East London venue. It will be published next year by good old Cass Pennant. Gal, inevitably, was recruited to write an intro…. (Rumours that the Mighty Murf's reference to certain photographs taken in the Bridge cellar involving Gal and a woman we'll refer to only as Miss X - although her real name is Sandra Bigg of Lee, Sarf London - was influential in this decision are spurious and un-called-for.)
Hot Off The Press
Jan 6: Our pals The Blood have produced their first major work of the 21st Century. Recorded on 10th December (International Human Rights Day), their new song Kill The Pimps challenges the apathetic position of modern states that turn a blind eye to Human Trafficking: a brutal sex-slave trade where each year an estimated 700,000 women are smuggled, against their will, into other countries to be used as prostitutes. To our shame, the UK has so far refused to sign up to the European Council’s Convention to take Action against Human Trafficking. For more information on how you can find a way to help stop this modern day sex-slave trade go to www.amnesty.org.uk. or www.unicef.org.uk. It’s 25 years now since the band’s first controversial hit single and The Blood have lost none of their threatening attitude towards complacency and placid mediocrity. Kill The Pimps is an attack at a modern world that accepts the brutal barbarism of young women being raped day and night. The song asks you to take a moment to think about the possibility that the horrific reality of human trafficking might one day happen to one of your own beautiful children.
To hear The Blood’s new work Kill The Pimps go to www.myspace.com/theblood. Human Trafficking is a systematic crime against humanity: You have not got to buy the song – just listen to it; feel the pain and horror of it, and compel yourself to do something about it … NOW!
Jan 5: The Cockney Rejects today issued this challenge to the Towers of London: There must be a lot of people thoroughly pissed off with the fake bullshit being put about by those posh twats 'The showers of London'. Back in April they contacted us to try and blag on to the recording of 'Bubbles', pretending to be West Ham supporters to bolster their phoney 'hardman' image. Not surprisingly, we told them where to go. Now they pop up everywhere claiming to be the 'new' Cockney Rejects, with chief twat Donny Tourettes (crap name also) currently in the big brother house giving it large, putting it about that he's the new Jeff Turner, etc. Well, here's how it is. G&R records are prepared to sponsor a bout between him and Mr. Turner at West Ham boxing club or any venue he chooses, to raise money for charity (The St. Johns ambulance being the obvious choice, as they will have the job of scraping him off the floor when it's over). If any of you, our fine supporters would like to see this phoney put his money where his big mouth is and get his due come-uppance at Jeff's hands, please feel free to call or email national newspapers, Endomol productions or channel 4 and make it happen. LET'S GET IT ON!!!!
Jan 2: Band record demo of blinding new song 'Free The Stone'. We're back in the studio on 13th Jan working on new album.
Dec 31st: Gal and Stinky Turner attend the Pranksters New Year Bash (Burwash chapter). No-one can recall too much about.
Dec 29th: A glorious day for Pranksters everywhere as the new King Mong Tony Van Frater made the long trip south to Kent to greet his followers. Tone (known to the initiated as the Sven-Jolly of the brotherhood) graced the Portrait pub in Sidcup with his presence. Pranksters in attendance included Mick Geggus, Steve Whale, Gal, Terry Hayes, Carla Russell, and Skully of G&R records. Exciting new developments include a Bridge House compilation on G&R later next year, the star-studded Rejects album launch party next March, a new football single and one more big name oi band contributing a track to the new Kings Of Street Punk album. (Details to follow).
The party adjourned to Chinese Tim’s who laid on a fine festive board in honour of the Mongster. Wild talk of a follow-up to the Rejects film called ‘Curry On Up The Gonads’ should not be discounted. The script is already in development and stranger things have happened. As the night proceeded, two half-decent but noisy slapperettes wandered in, drawn like magnets to the feast of manly good looks around the table. One claimed to know Gal “from that beauty therapy place”. Mistaken identity…or secret shame? At midnight Tim, Sidcup’s answer to Confucius – Confused - invited the Mong and his party to “have one drink and then you go.” They did, leaving the by now drop dead gorgeous slapperettes in capable South London hands. Apologies for absence ranged from the inexcusable - Dave Lee ("in panto at Canterbury, tickets still available"), to the unlikely - Fatty Lol (“in the studio”), which frankly is up there with Hoxton Tom ("head cold") and Batttttty ("the dog ate me homework.") More acceptable apologies came from Dave Courtney (dirty deeds, general dodge-pottery), Mick Pugh ("on it all day, mate"), Andre ("in New York") and Charlie Drake ("dead"). Even Hayesy made it, despite running out of petrol and then buying a cheap, petrol station fuel container that leaked. Odds on the Badoes recording a version of 'There's A Hole In My Bucket' have shortened considerably.
Dec 28th: Liberty, a clarification: Gal and Libs first spoke about her recording with the Gonads' ahem, hit machine in the summer of 2006. Gal and Clyde have since written two songs for her, The Devil’s Own Daughter (an absolute corker) and Drink Till I’m Skint. Later and completely separately, G&R Records discussed releasing a single with Liberty. So she now has two recording sessions on offer. We don’t believe they are mutually exclusive. Libs can record what she likes with who she likes. We’re just setting the record straight because we don’t want to tread on any toes here. Not with our corns. Whatever, we wish her well.
Dec 25th: A Merry Christmas to all our readers (Sid and Doris Bondage of Basildon). Seriously, our thoughts are with our lads in Iraq and Afghanistan. The wrong war, the wrong place, for a wrong government. Come home soon.
Dec 24th: RIP Charlie Drake, the last of the great slapstick comics. Born Charles Springall in South London, Charlie found fame as TV’s The Worker. His catchphrase was “Hallo my darlings” and he had a hit with ‘My Boomerang Won’t Come Back’. His comic timing was legendary; and even more remarkable when you know how much he drank, womanised and took speed. (In many ways, he was the first Gonad.) So it's a wonder he lasted so long. Goodbye our darling Charlie.
Dec 23rd: Iron Maiden ended their latest tour with a blinding two hour show at Earls Court. The band was joined on vocals by Gal Gonad and Terry Hayes. Unfortunately Maiden didn’t realise this as they were on stage at the time and Gal and Tel were in block H blitzed on Carlsberg Extra.
Dec 20th: It has come to our attention that one of Clyde’s relatives is a scrap metal dealer whose favourite weekend pastime was to put on chain mail and fight dogs, sometimes two at a time. In light of this revelation (and following advice from our solicitor Tim Idd of Lost, Bottle & Runne) this news page withdraws the threat to expose Clyde’s alleged secret shame. Happy Christmas to all scrapyard ruckers everywhere.
Dec 18th: The Gonads are set to record a joint e.p. with Italian band Klasse Kriminale. Bello! Hopefully it will be released by the excitingly named Havin' A Laugh Records (wot? No say?). Possible tracks include new songs ‘Closing Time Pin-Up’,'Wat Tyler's On The March', 'Five F...in' Hours To Fulham', 'Pox Factor' and ‘Charlie Stubbs Is Innocent’. Or we'll rustle something up about barmaids.
Dec 17th: To Sidcup, home of the brave, for an exclusive play-back of the new Oi album. Strike a light, it’s strong. In terms of songs and production it knocks Oi-The Album into a cocked hat. Stand-out tracks include the new 4-Skins number ‘Glory Days’, our own ‘Alconaut 2006’ (with Paul Haslin on drums)and the Orgasm Guerrillas demolition of ‘Watchtower’ (with supernova guitar breaks from guesting O-Grilla Mick Geggus) but we promise you hand on hearts there ain’t a weak number here. What a line-up. There’s Rancid, the Rejects, the East End Badoes. ‘Valhallaballoo’ sounds like the New Cross Dolls, courtesy guitar from Tony Van Mong. And the new Postman opus will have the late great John Peel spinning in his tin. It’s Syd Barrett meets Sid Vicious on roofies and laxatives for a fight to the death and a pinch of snuff. Producer Mickey Geggus has done a blinding job. He’s just waiting for the two GBH tracks and the album, provisionally called The Kings Of Street-Punk will be finished. So why the bleeding hell have we gotta wait till next summer for it? (We should point that the Gonads have no financial stake in G&R Records, but we wish them well. Our own Soitenly label should get round to launching something or the other next year, Waistrel permitting.)
Later the Oi Organising Committee convened in a shady Chislehurst boozer popular with the criminal classes, retired spies and barmaid connoisseurs to discuss, among other things, the launch party for the new Cockney Rejects album next March and the possible arrival of a new street-rock, ska and oi magazine. Exciting.
Dec 16th: Should we tell you some shocking gossip about Clyde Ward? We love Clyde dearly. He’s like a brother to us all, a father to some, and we are loyal unto death etc, but gossip this funny is rarely suppressed for long. Clyde mate, you’ll need to do some SERIOUS round buying to keep your secret shame under wraps. You have till Friday. Nuff said.
Dec 15: We are the Mods? Maybe not. Famous faces assembling in Bethnal Green for a Mod renewal reunion booze-up included Sir Edward of Piller, Lord Oxo of Tom, Gary out of the Scene and Tony Feedback of Upstarts/Long Tall Shorty and Joe Public fame. What? No Cindy Jackson?
Dec 14: Captain Oi emails from his Tuscany retreat to say the Greatest Hits & Rarities album is "still in the schedule but has no release date". Hmm. What odds the new album is out before that is?
Dec 13th: To the Jolly Pranksters’ Christmas Knees-up. What a turn-out! Old oi-oi faces from years ago joined the merry throng, including half of the original Tuckers’ Ruckers, Garry Johnson with his minder Jamie O'Keefe, Bovril Bob, Tiffany, Parrothead, Si Spanner, Lucy Lastic and Cardinal Jesushate. Due to an “administrative error” on behalf of Spider Mike the PA was cheap but unusable, meaning the O-Grillas couldn’t play; but the Gonads did a fine acoustic set, including Pink Tent, Beachcomber, I Lost My Love (To A UK Sub), Havin’ A Bit and Oi Christmas. Gal came back on for his now traditional a capella version of A Mother’s Lament, a live rendition of which will definitely be on the next album. Also in attendance, Cockney novelist Garry Jackson, whose gripping new book Till Death Us Do Part (about a family torn apart by infidelity) is now available via www.NewBreedBooks.co.uk. Spider closed the night with a rousing speech, saying: “And gentlemen in England now-a-bed shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here, And hold their man-hoods cheap whiles any speaks that drank with us upon Saint Gonad's day.” (This is believed to be a reference to absent pranksters: Terence Hayes, Peter Frederick Way, Fattius Lol, Lord and Lady Waistrel aka Baroness Batttttty, and Michael D. Geggus).
Dec 12th: Lenny Lurch, of Lubbock, Texas, emails asking when Captain Oi plans to release the Gonads ‘Live Double’ album on CD, not to mention the long mooted ‘Greatest Hits & Rarities’ compilation. Good question. Perhaps when the good Captain has finished lighting his cigars with £50 notes and barbecuing the souls of the poor, he’ll get round to telling us.
Dec 12th: Up-date from G&R records: the new Cockney Rejects album is now expected in March 2007; the excellent new street-punk compilation featuring us, the Rejects, 4-Skins etc, is expected May/June. Incidentally G&R Records is located by a waterway on the Isle of Dogs. Rumours that all enemies of Oi will be issued with concrete boots and helped in to the swim by the label’s A&R consultants, Mssrs Sid The Lip and Claret Clarence, should be treated with extreme seriousness.
PS: Oi West Ham, noooo! Hands off Curbs! Can we have our manager back please?
Dec 11: Jenny Torrid a no-show two weeks on the trot. Nothing changes. Get yer skates on, toots.
Dec 10th: Any band wanting Gal to play their tracks on his January total rock radio show must supply a note giving permission to play. The show will be available as a pod-cast. Details to follow.
Dec 9: Gal and Stinky Turner both feature in tonight’s Radio Two punk documentary with Steve Lamacq. Afterwards Spider Mike issued a statement that the Gonads are "Loud, proud and oi, and will remain so till we die. No surrender, no sell-out, no kidding."
Dec 6: Oi Oi update. Mickey Geggus goes to Newcastle next week for the final mixing of the new Oi album, including Gonads classics Alconaut 2006 and Valhallaballoo.
Dec 5: Our old pal Max Splodge is popping up as a solo turn on most of the Bad Manners' Christmas tour dates. Also on the bill: Foxy's Ruts, The Fat Macc Lads (tribute), Ed Tudorpole and John Otway. Should be a corker.
Dec 2: to Essex for a low-key BolloX to the X-Factor party. Various Gonadettes, Pranksters, psycho-billies and refuseniks poured in to a pub hall outside Romford for the do. Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne and the absurd Lulu Walsh were righteously denounced by a DJ once known as Jerry Harris. His excellent sounds ranged from Trojan reggae to Rancid, via the usual Gonads, Rejects, UFO, Purple Hearts, moonska etc. Later, effigies of the three clowns, whose narrow vision has helped to crucify popular music in this country, were burnt to mass cheers. Come the revolution, it'll be the real thing...
By the way, check out swagga on myspace, interesting new fun with old ska…
PS. We are nominating January 13th 2007 as National Up Yours Day. Even if you don’t smoke (and none of us do) you are urged to light up and to stub out your cheroots on the lawns of MPs, vicars, national newspaper editors and other nanny state fanatics. Then treat yourself to a fine selection of pies, washed down with unhealthy quantities of alcohol.
Dec 1: Gal bumps in to Terry Murphy at the frozen seafood section of Costco’s in Thurrock (rock n roll – phew!); turns out the ex-guv’nor of the Bridge House, Canning Town, is writing a book about the legendary East London venue. It will be published next year by good old Cass Pennant. Gal, inevitably, was recruited to write an intro…. (Rumours that the Mighty Murf's reference to certain photographs taken in the Bridge cellar involving Gal and a woman we'll refer to only as Miss X - although her real name is Sandra Bigg of Lee, Sarf London - was influential in this decision are spurious and un-called-for.)