LABEL REVIEWS
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Gob 1 The Outcasts - Vive Lyon!
Louder Than War review 26th March 2011.
These days were all accustomed to differing musical genres and sub-genres, we get metal, death metal, speed metal, black metal, punk, anarcho-punk, techno punk the list goes on; another genre is often created by geography ”Remember all those compilations ”Avon Calling ”The Bristol Compilation’, “Sent From Coventry’ etc and who (despite trying) could forget Madchester? Another such geographic genre was Northern Ireland punk, and it’s to this area that the newly formed Spit Records has been set up to service.
Spit is the brainchild of Sean O’Neill, the respected author of the definitive N. Ireland punk bible ”It makes You Want To Spit!’ the aim of the label is simple; to release as many previously unreleased late 70’s and early 80’s recordings by N. Irelands punk and new wave bands as practically possible.
N. Ireland punk developed its own unique identity ”don’t forget the nascent punks of Belfast in 1977/78 had bigger things to worry about than if your T-shirt was from Sex or Boy, ”the troubles’ were an every day occurrence, and certainly prevented or at least scared off the mainland based bands from heading over there. As such N. Ireland punk was not as influenced by the sound of The Clash, Pistols etc the sound they created was primitive, basic rock ”n’ roll mixed with strong melodies and equally strong lyrics often based on the bands experiences during those politically fraught times.
The Outcasts ”Vive Lyon!’ is the labels first release; and a timely one at that as The Outcasts have reformed with the intention of playing literally a handful of dates throughout 2011. The CD as the title indicates, draws its material from two recordings of The Outcasts playing at The West Side Club, Lyon, France between Jan 1983 and Sept 1984. Quite how The Outcasts ended up playing regularly in all areas of France is detailed in the extensive 24 page sleeve booklet which features contributions from surviving members and previously unseen photographs etc.
What we get in total are 14 tracks of the band captured at perhaps their most proficient period, hence ”The Cops Are Coming’ an interesting tale concerning killing a girlfriend and then sleeping with the corpse, and ”Mania’ initially released a few years earlier and both sound particularly powerful, and clearly benefit from the band becoming musically more accomplished; we also get ”Gangland Warfare’ which was previously available as a B-side on the bands solitary chart entry, thankfully we don’t get the A-side, a cover of The Glitter Bands ”Angel Face’ also notably absent is their best known track ”Self Conscious Over You’.
The time period between the gigs is significant, but for some reason is not presented chronologically, tracks 1-9 coming from September 1984 ”a period in which the band themselves admit they were looking for new directions which included covering The Stooges ”1969?, tracks 10-14 are culled from January 1983 and are more of a traditional ”punk’ sound, they are faster, more instant and certainly show the band at their peak. The album is literally a snapshot, it captures a time period, and essentially a time before The Outcasts frankly lost their way.
The Outcasts were an important band, as evidenced by the fact that practically their entire back catalogue has been re-issued on CD ”seek out the Captain Oi! CD re-issue of their first album ”Self Conscious Over You’ initially released on the legendary Good Vibrations Records.
The very geography that helped shaped their sound however also contributed to their demise; despite the attention being on Good Vibrations brought them, despite the patronage of both John Peel and Janice Long, and the support from record labels such as Anagram (UK), New Rose (Fr) The Outcasts were reluctant to leave N. Ireland, they turned down a lucrative initial record deal as it would have involved relocation to London; home was N. Ireland and their motivation was to entertain the local punks, the band was an escape from the sectarianism that wrought havoc on their communities. Sadly that meant that the remainder of the world were not exposed to the band. Hopefully this release will go some of the way to address that.
It’s a live album, recorded some 27yrs ago, however all the tracks have been re-mastered, and transfer well onto CD; its limited to just 1000 copies, with the accompanying excellent booklet it’s a decent package, and hopefully is an early indicator of the level of care that Spit Records are going to put into each subsequent release. The label website suggests future releases by Rudi, Protex and The Moondogs, if that’s the case then Spit Records is a venture to keep an eye on and perhaps the success of the label will encourage a reprint of the book to accompany the releases; we can hope.
Gob 2 Shellshock Rockers CD Compilation
Record Collector Magazine review 20th June 2012
Readers may remember that, way back in 2003, we reviewed the excellent book ItMakes You Want To Spit, which chronicled the story of Northern Ireland’s understandably difficult, but certainly vibrant, early punk scene. Recently, one of its co-authors, Sean O’Neill, launched the Spit imprint with the intention of putting out previously unreleased material by those early bands, beginning with a collection from The Outcasts. This second release delivers four tracks each from six of the lesser-known names from the late 70s and early 80s, namely The Androids, Ex-Producers, Shock Treatment, White Noise, The Co-ordinates and Acme. All of them share that curiously distinctive lo-fi tunefulness that Irish bands of the time seemed to have, so this collection – with sleevenotes contributed by band members – is a treat.
Forced to choose, the stand-out tracks are The Androids’ New York Dolls tribute Lipstick Heroes, The Co-ordinates’ jaunty We’re Only Monsters, Ex-Producers’ plaintive, 60s-ish Never Before Never Again, Shock Treatment’s taut, jerky Future Plans, and Acme’s closer, the bittersweet Bad News.
We look forward to more.
Gob 3 Shellshock Rockers Vol ll CD Compilation
Record Collector review 13th August 2013
This second compilation of rare early Northern Ireland punk from the Spit imprint, run by Sean O’Neill, co-author of the excellent NI punk tome It Makes You Want To Spit!, is a worthy follow-up to its predecessor. Bringing together 20 tracks from eight bands – all but two of them previously unreleased demos – it covers a wider timespan, 1978-85, charting the Northern Ireland punk sound as it moved from the “traditional”, slightly shambolic but tuneful Good Vibrations style into post-punk territory.
Shock Treatment’s excellent, mod-tastic Big Check Shirts and poignant Mystery Man first appeared on a 7” single on their own DAB imprint in 1981, and are here followed by doomy demo track Troubled Minds. Meanwhile, Ask Mother’s Twinkle has a nice garagey feel to it and When You Gonna Smell My Sweet Skin? takes on NY sleaze, while Ex-Producers’ Last Year’ and 'Another Night' hark back to that old-school NI vibe.
Elsewhere, neat and new wave-like, The Lids come up with an anthem on Helicopter; Xposers’ nick The Vibrators’ Troops Of Tomorrow riff for their own Nazi Time; The Icons’ Follow The Crowd zooms past in a blaze of distortion. Some well-executed goth rock courtesy of Doomed Youth & Clive Culbertson rounds off a fine set.
Gob 4 Victim - Empty Men 7” Single.
Louder Than War review 16th September 2014
Born in Belfast, based in Manchester, 70s punks Victim reissue their early demos on a 7?. Louder Than War’s Amy Britton reviews.
The decision of bands to release early demos, many years into an established career, can be a bit of a curates egg – sometimes an important part of their own history that’s not really necessary for anybody else to hear, but sometimes a vital and exciting listen in their own right ; as well as an intriguing ear into a bands early flowering. In the case of Victim, their decision to put forward a limited edition vinyl of their early demos on Spit Records (a venture founded by Sean O’Neill, author of the definitive book on punk in Northern Ireland, It Makes You Want To Spit!) has most definitely proved to be the latter.
The three early tracks put out on this vinyl are raw, but also so instant and vial that they sound like a band fully formed, not finding their feet. Lead track “Empty Men” rips into a blast of searing punk energy, still infused with the suggestion of melody that would go on to very much define Victim as a band. With a smattering of subtly traditional Irish sound cutting through the spiky punk, Empty Men is a relatable tale about (according to Spit Records) “those people we all know who bullshit about everything and know nothing!), before moving onto the equally visceral piece of real-life storytelling “The Bus.”
This release has been validated even further by Victims musically successful recent comeback, showing a band who had matured and developed a darker and moodier sound than the power-pop of “Strange Thing By Night” and “Why are Fire Engines Red?” that they are best known for. Its one thing to return to your past for material to fill some spaces when your own ideas have run out; but another to still be showing a capacity for creative output and acknowledging your past at the same time; which enables the listener to hear the full scope of your career.
Something worth noting in Victims biography when listening to these demos is that they are a Belfast punk band who relocated to Manchester in 1979, and both cities find a way of leaving their mark on these early recordings. Much of the Belfast punk scene (particularly that associated with the Good Vibrations label, which issued some of Victims most successful singles) is defined by pop sensibility, a warmth and melody, almost political in its refusal to be political as the city was ripped apart by the Troubles, whereas the emerging Manchester scene was intellectual, and uncompromising in its sound. These records fall into both these categories – some key Manchester music history even unfolds as the unmistakable rhythmic drumming sound of Mike Joyce in his pre-Smiths career, back then a member of Victim, is stamped all over the closer “Another Weird Dream” which does actually tackle the Troubles in Ireland. It was the only time Victim did this and its enough – this concise and powerful track really does say it all.
But, in spite of this, Victim was back then and always very much will be driven and defined by two people, frontman Joe Moody and bass player Wes Graham. The two consistent members of the band, they are master craftsmen at carving out impeccable pieces of punk. And, is “Empty Men/The Bus/Another Weird Dream ,” is anything to go by, they always were…
This 7" vinyl is STRICTLY LIMITED to just 300 hand numbered copies, so don’t hang about!
Gob 5 - Shock Treatment 21 - The Days Of The Buckshee Bounce Are Nearly Over. CD Album.
Record Collector magazine review 9th September 2014.
Formed in 1978 by singer Barry McIlheney and bassist David ‘Basil’ McCausland, Belfast punks Shock Treatment went through the customary line-up changes before settling on Davy Treatment and Paul Kelly to fill the bass and drum roles, respectively. Signing to Good Vibrations, they recorded a single, Belfast Telegraph/I Like It Like That, which went unreleased for financial reasons, though the A-side would appear on the various-artists Room To Move EP in 1980. Shock Treatment finally issued their own standalone single, Big Check Shirts/Mystery Man, in 1981, on their own DAB imprint. It picked up decent reviews in the inkies and gained airplay both locally and on John Peel’s show – but then the group split in 1982.
Davy Treatment is the re-christened group’s sole original member these days, but re-recording original Shock Treatment songs, along with adding a few new songs, effectively makes this their debut album. Big Check Shirts emerges as fabulously perky pop-punk, tailor-made for the Good Vibrations imprint, while the updated Belfast Telegraph 21 is built around a military snare pattern and meanders broodingly through swathes of keyboard-driven psychedelia. New song Beautifool Fool is in a similar vein.
Gob 6 Ex- Producers - Newer Wave 79 7” EP
Riot 77 Fanzine review February 2017
This is a real catch here for Spit Records out of Belfast. The classic “Newer Wave 79” by The Ex-Producers finally gets issued on 7-inch. Hard to believe it’s taken this long, but there you go. For me ‘Newer Wave 79” was the highlight of the ‘Belfast Edition of the BBC Something Else show’. Experiencing The Ex-Producers rip though a live take of the track stood on equal ground to big guns RUDI and S.L.F.
Spit Records have lovingly assembled this four track 7-inch which alongside the title number also includes ‘P-Check’ on the A Side with a couple of unreleased tracks from the same session taking up the B side of this record. Quite simply, this is timeless Northern Irish punk - what more do you need?
Gob 7 RUDI - The Cloak Of Darkness EP 7” Single.
Riot 77 Fanzine review February 2017.
Four previously unreleased tracks from Belfast’s Rudi. From the later period of the group, this 7-inch features versions of ‘Crimson’, Tigerland’, ‘When I Was Dead’ and ‘Bewerewolf’ ; songs which fans will already be familiar with in alternative versions. On first listen this keyboard laden take of ‘Crimson’ irked me a little but with the benefit of time I must say it’s grown on me. ‘Crimson’ is one of the only songs Rudi ever wrote that addressed the political situation in the North (albeit in a somewhat ambiguous manner). The three remaining tracks more in-line sonically with what you’d expect from this ear of the group and in factI’m fairly positive I’ve heard these versions on bootleg format, bit I could be wrong. Nonetheless, a nice scoop for Rudi diehards!
Gob 8 The Doubt - Contrast Disorder EP 7” Single.
Fear & Loathing Fanzine review December 2015
Reissue of a rare and highly collectable EP from this rather obscure Northern Irish band. Once you hear the record, you’ll wonder why they aren’t better known. It’s classic melodic punk much in the same style as Rudi or Protex, although with a character all of its’ own. The band actually split-up before this EP was recorded, but two of the members decided to record and release four of their songs for posterity.
As a result, only 500 copies were originally released on their own Solo label, not even with a picture sleeve, but still commanding heavy prices on the collector markets. This reissue makes it available again, back to its’ original sound quality plus, for the first time, together with a picture sleeve and insert ! Forget all the collector nonsense, you need to get this record for one simple reason – it’s great !
Gob 9 Confrontation Time - Next Stop Fame CD album
Vive Le Rock review July 2016
Northern Irish label Spit Records have done a sterling job over the past years, bringing us reissues and new material from original NI punk outfits like Rudi, The Outcasts, Ex - Producers and Victim, as well as two fine compilations.
Here however, they strike out in a new direction, with the debut album from new outfit Confrontation Time. Well, it’s a new band, but one suspects that the protagonists may have been around the punk block a few times. However, they let the songs speak for themselves ; mid-paced. Lo-fi, tuneful songs in the great Good Vibrations tradition, albeit with a more slickly mannered delivery. ‘She’s Security Conscious’ has a great hook and an effective refrain, while ‘Spacewasters’ is a swaggering, R&B-infused piece, but ‘Love and a Bulletproof Vest’ is more feisty in a SLF way. An impressive debut.
Gob 10 The Tights - Lost 1978 Demos 7” EP
Fear & Loathing Fanzine review June 2017
The Tights were a short-lived punk band from Worcester who are mostly remembered for their two singles, ‘Bad Hearts’ and ‘Howard Hughes’, which were the first two releases on Cherry Red records. Existing from 1977-79, they received a good response and support from John Peel, but split before releasing any further records (although the band did reform and release an album of new recordings in 2004.) These tracks come from a series of demos recorded in their early days. The quality is rather raw but captures the charm and attitude of the band at a naïve but exciting stage in their development. Anyone that’s a fan of the original singles will need to hear this EP, so order a copy soon. It’s limited to only 300 copies, so don’t miss out !
Gob 11 Ed Banger & The Nosebleeds 7” Single
Fear & Loathing Fanzine review June 2017
The return of Ed garrets (original Nosebleed, responsible for the classic ‘Ain’t Been To No Music School’ and sometime vocalist for Slaughter And The Dogs) with two new tracks that recall the spirit of the original single whilst being delivered in a much more musical fashion.
They may not have been to a music school, but after 40 years they ought to know what they’re doing ! At the same time, they keep it simple, playing two punky tunes that keep things basic but remain as catchy as measles. ‘Annihilation’ is a real stomper, owing as much to original Seventies street glam as much as punk, while ‘Euthanasia’ is a slower, more involved affair. Good stuff, a fine single in its’ own right and not just because of their previous history.
Gob 14 The Sussed - Don’t Swim On The East Coast 7” EP
scatalogik.com review 24th October 2017
When Don’t Swim On The East Coast EP by The Sussed was originally released, local punk singles were a rarity. Although several impresarios in Northern Ireland had the enthusiasm to build somewhat of an infrastructure around their tribes of punk bands, it never really happened here. Instead, a glut of (inspired and uninspired in equal measure) “new wave” singles sniffed around for crumbs in the wake of the Boomtown Rats’ international success. As a result, the few punk singles of the time – Threat, Strange Movements and The Sussed – have become fairly weighty collectors items. Of these, The Sussed 7” is particularly illusive, with a print run of just 500 in 1981. It goes for stupid money in the rare occasion it appears on Discogs.
The band started in 1978 in an era that nurtured an embryonic U2 and their evil twin, Virgin Prunes, gigs at the Dandelion Market and other elements of punk folklore. Their dubious history includes support slots to U2, a graffiti campaign on busses and bank notes, and a certain billboard poster prank in 1982. More importantly, they have the great fortune of being one of the very few bands from the era with watchable footage – a studio performance for pirate TV station Channel D in 1981.
In terms of access to the recordings themselves, this is a long overdue and expanded reissue by Spit Records on the 36th anniversary of the original release. It contains the original A&B sides – DON’T SWIM ON THE EAST COAST & I WANNA CONFORM plus previously unreleased extras I’VE GOT RABIES and DROWNING IN BED. Spit Records have shown unerring vivacity as archivists down to the minutest of detail, so I’m kind of surprised and a little disappointed that there’s no sleeve notes here. It’s fairly obvious from his contribution to the Hope Publications ‘In Concert’ book earlier this year that Rory Stokes likes to wax lyrical about the band, so it couldn’t have been a major undertaking to place this in its deserved historic context.
These tracks are remastered, or as remastered as they could be, and the EP works best when taken as a snapshot of its place in time. DON’T SWIM ON THE EAST COAST was a clever idea, and a humorous way to address lingering threat posed by toxic gunge from Windscale Works in North Cumbria (later Sellafield). At this point in punk, most bands would have gone for a screaming rant. Sonically, the synth intro and interludes keep it blissfully amateur. The original B-side, I WANNA CONFORM, has more in common with Northern Ireland bands of the time than anything from Dublin but suffers misfortunes of youthful enthusiasm over inspiration.
The Sussed made later recordings and there’s a couple on Youtube amongst a slew of other bands also called The Sussed. Included on the reissue are I’VE GOT RABIES and DROWNING IN BED from a March 1983 session. I’VE GOT RABIES is brazen, charming and typical of the sort of track Soul Jazz Records dig up for their PUNK 45 series. Again, DROWNING IN BED, borrows heavily from the Northern Ireland late 70s pop-punk and it can’t be any coincidence that the backbone riff is something familiar from the Undertones, even if pointing out riff larceny in old punk rock is somewhat petty! These additional tracks are a curiosity but don’t really suggest any progress from exactly 2 years earlier when the tracks for the original single were recorded.
The Sussed were clearly victims of their own age – As a 1977-78 release, this 7” would have been comfortable in the company of singles by the Vipers and Rudi etc. but to be releasing elementary punk in 1981 when bands inspired by punk were either commercialising, or plying something much more underground, seems like a case of being too late for what they were aiming at.
In its favour, DON’T SWIM ON THE EAST COAST is one of very few of the era that managed to make it to vinyl, and for this brief period before the reissue of 300 sell out, it’s satisfying to have access to some of the band’s recorded output. It is also a fitting irony the original single banner “This is not a collector’s Item”, has been replaced by “Limited edition – pink vinyl”. For where it sits historically, it simply sounds too innocent for something released this side of the papal visit.
Gob 15 The Starjets - The 1979 Belfast Demo Sessions 7” single.
Riot 77 Fanzine review Issue 21.
Contrary to popular opinion, I quite like Epic Records versions of these songs that appeared on ‘God Bless The Starjets’ LP. The fact that ‘Any Danger Love’ never received a 7-inch release is, however, one of Punk’s great crimes, given that the song ranks up there with the best of ’79. As the title alludes, both these cuts come from a demo session and are expectedly rougher to the versions we’ve become accustomed to. The Starjets were generally considered more Power Pop than Punk and that’s what I loved about them. There’s a certain allure in hearing bands play from the heart, rather than what might be par for the course at the time.
The harmonies come from Cheap Trick and The Beach Boys while the guitars have a Shelley/Diggle attack going on. Despite the fact that these versions won’t replace the originals, I’ll always welcome anything from The Starjets on my turntable and this 45 is no exception.
Gob 16 Shock Treatment - Belfast Telegraph 7” Single
Riot 77 Fanzine review Issue 21.
Finally a 7-inch release for Shock Treatment’s ‘Belfast Telegraph’. Paired up with ‘I Like It Like That’, both recordings date from 1979. The A-side was intended for release on Good Vibrations, but never came to pass. My only other copy of the song came by way of Anagram Records ‘Good Vibrations : The Punk Singles Collection’ anthology from 1984. The liner notes from that compilation told me the song was intended for release on another compilation entitled ‘Belfast On A Thin Wire’ and when that fell through the band instead self-released a 7-inch “Big Check Shirts’ which overlooked the song entirely.
Whatever the back story, the important thing is that both these songs are now available on 7-inch format and those who appreciate the Good Vibes resonance will want a copy. Barry McIIheney’s vocals have a tough, urgent fell and the slight jangle in the guitar sound give these recordings that classic late 70’s Punk allure.
Gob 21 Not Another Phlegmin' PuNk Compilation! - Best of Spit Records CD
Vive Le Rock! Magazine Review - Issue 63.
Despite the unwieldy title, this compilation from Irish label Spit Records is really rather splendid. Oddly, we begin with the taut and tense ‘Howard Hughes’ by Worcester band The Tights, the first band to sign to Cherry Red Records, and you can also find Manchester’s Ed Banger & The Nosebleeds’ clattering beauty ‘Annihilation’ and Dublin’s The Sussed’s ‘I’ve Got Rabies’ but this is mostly Northern Irish punk-pop perfection all the way.
26 tracks here, and not one duffer, but among the best are Starjets’ strident but tuneful ‘War Stories’ and ‘Run With The Pack’, White Noise’s chilling ‘Spidermen’, The Outcasts’ splenetic ‘Winter’. Acme’s cheerfully chirpy ‘Bad News’ and RUDI’s charmingly chiming 1981 demo track ‘Crimson’. The Co-Ordinates’ ‘We’re Only Monsters’ is great fun. Confrontation Time’s ‘Long Way Down’ tears along breathlessly. And their closing track ‘Designer Dummie’ is perkily infectious.
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