VARIOUS – Cease & Resist – Sonic Subversion & Anarcho Punk In The UK 1979-1986 (Repress) – 2LP – Vinyl [SEP 20]

2LP – Black Vinyl (2024 Repress). Comes with a 6 page fold out poster on one side with detailed sleeve notes, recollections and essays on the other side.

Anarcho Punk was the one sub-genre of Punk that emerged in isolation from the rock and roll establishment. During its pioneering days of the early 1980s it thrived in opposition to the music industry, existing as a fiercely underground alternative to the bands, labels and venues of the commercialised mainstream punk scene. It continues to do so.

The major differentiation between the Anarcho punk acts and the more traditional punk outfits was that for the former, albeit often more due to musical limitation than intent, the message was more important than the music. Standard song structures were often dispersed with in favour of a relentless lyrical polemic accompanied by a similarly uncompromising aural assault. As the scene grew, so did the diversity of records that emerged under the Anarcho punk umbrella: from D & V (drums & vocals) to the proto-EBM synth-pop of Belfasts one-man Hit Parade and the Dadaist Beefheart hybrid of The Cravats. In later days the two biggest acts of the scene, Flux of Pink Indians and Crass themselves, both released LPs which had more in common with improv Jazz than hardcore punk.

In 2023, that message remains as uncompromising as ever. This is a double vinyl retrospective compilation of some of the most radical music ever made, a musical force that changed lives. Covering the years 1979 – 86 and including classic tracks from Crass, Poison Girls, Flux Of Pink Indians, The Mob, Zounds, Annie Anxiety, The Ex, ATV plus 10 more, all newly remastered by iconic Punk mastering engineer Daniel Husayn. It has been lovingly compiled by JD Twitch and Anarcho legend Chris Low and was ten years in the making. There are also a couple of previously unreleased mixes included. It comes as a high quality double vinyl pressing, and has a full colour sleeve with back and front images designed by the legendary Gee Vaucher. It also comes with a 6 page fold out poster on one side with detailed sleeve notes, recollections and essays on the other side.

The compilation is a fundraiser for Faslane Peace Camp. Not so far from Glasgow Faslane Naval Base is home to Britain’s abhorrent Trident nuclear missiles. The camp has been there, protesting since 1982 and is still active to this day.

Tracklist:

A1. Zounds– Can’t Cheat Karma [02:43]
A2. Honey Bane– Girl on the Run [03:59]
A3. Crass– Bloody Revolutions [06:45]
A4. Annie Anxiety– Hello Horror [05:40]

B1. Flux of Pink Indians– Tube Disasters [04:07]
B2. Andy T– Death is Big Business [01:29]
B3. Poison Girls– Underbitch [04:18]
B4. Alternative– Anti-Christ [04:41]
B5. The Cravats– Rub Me Out [05:47]

C1. The Apostles– Mob Violence (unreleased studio version) [04:13]
C2. Lack of Knowledge– We’re Looking for People [04:03]
C3. Hit Parade– Here’s What You Find in Any Prison [03:08]
C4. Hagar The Womb– Idolisation [02:48]
C5. Alternative TV– The Force is Blind [03:48]

D1. Chumbawamba– Revolution [04:46]
D2. The Ex– Aye Carmela [03:13]
D3. D&V– Conscious (Pilot) [02:58]
D4. The Mob– No Doves Fly Here (unreleased studio version) [06:20]