Punk Territory: Great Britain 1979-1982

This is for Dead Wretched. Recently, one member of that band in a polite and decidedly unpunk manner requested another blogger take down his post of their single, in light of their up-coming re-issue. Rather than jeopardize the sales of any one's re-issue (sadly, one of my favourite words in the English language), I won't post the single either. Instead, I'll offer up this long-out-of-print bootleg, which, along with a boat load of what's called UK '82 punk, just so happens to include the mysteriously wonderful, "No Hope for the the Wretched" by Dead Wretched.




In the early eighties "No Hope for the the Wretched" appeared, uncredited, cheek-by-jowl with Demob's "No Room For You"(see here) on a very formative mix tape. So this volume of Punk Territory seemed so apt to me, containing, as it does, both of those obscurities. At first listen, "No Hope For You" sounds mighty dour (and if there was one thing UK '82 excelled at, it was Dourness). And yet, it's got a perfectly baited hook that reels you in. Then, after snaring you, it releases you with a start, saying, "Despair not oh wretched one, you need only sing along".

Much of the rest of this comp fits squarely with UK '82, of which American super-punk Felix Von Havoc says, "Early 80's UK punk was catchy as hell; it has sing-a-long choruses and hooky riffs". He's right but while lots of these bands aimed for a punkified Motorhead roar, their recording budgets left them with tinny guitars that bled right into the cymbals in the mix. Still, there be highlights here, including Pseudo Exsistors' "Coming Up for Air" the Fun 4's disturbing pop-punk song, "Singing in the Shower" and Defiant Pose's Stiff Little Fingers-ish "Someone Else's War". Meanwhile, the not-without-their-charms Fits, "Listen to Me" kinda encapsulates everything that became cliched about UK '82.





Since I have a limited and fitful connection to this highly specific sub-genre, I'd like to entreat MRML readers to add their voice to this post by relating clever anecdotes, sordid gossip or other musical minutiae in the COMMENTS section.


Download Punk Territory Great Britain 1979-1982 CD