The Hyde Park / Regents Park Bombs

THE HYDE PARK / REGENT PARK BOMBS

'Horror is a figment of our reality - Reality is a figment of our horror.' So declared Annie Anxiety on the sleeve of her Barbed Wire Halo single. Nothing could be as real as an IRA bomb, however, and nothing could be more real than two IRA bombs going off at the same time and on Tuesday 20th July 1982, the horror of that particular reality arrived.

As members of the Queen's Household Cavalry rode through Hyde Park in London, a nail bomb planted in a nearby car was detonated causing instant death, carnage and devastation. Four soldiers and seven Cavalry horses died and a further twenty-seven people were injured, seventeen of them civilians. Mangled bodies, dead horses, severed limbs and blood was everywhere.

Less than two hours later over at Regents Park, a second bomb hidden beneath a bandstand was detonated just as the Royal Green Jackets Band were playing to an appreciative audience. Six band members were killed and a further twenty-four injured, many of them extremely seriously. Here also, blood was everywhere with children being splattered with bits of the bandsmen's bodies along with fragments of mangled musical instruments.

On claiming responsibility for the bombings the IRA issued a statement neatly echoing Thatcher's sentiments regarding the Falklands: 'The Irish people have sovereign and national rights which no Task or occupational force can put down.'

Whilst all news reports on the Falklands war had been heavily sanitised and all details of the carnage there censored, the horrific violence of the IRA's action was reported on and displayed in full across the television and newspapers. Whilst support for the Falklands war had been actively encouraged and depicted as honourable and heroic, the IRA's action was outrightly condemned and depicted as criminal.

Setting aside all questions of semantics, whether it be abroad or at home on the streets of London it was clear that all war was fucked. And as Crass were so persistently stating: 'Fight war not wars. Destroy power not people. 1, 2, 3, 4 - WE DON'T WANT YOUR FUCKING WAR!'

How could anyone disagree with this?

Crass Zines

CRASS ZINES

Far easier to pigeon-hole than many of the bands emerging during the early Eighties was a type of fanzine being produced on an extraordinarily large scale given the catch-all name 'Crass zine'. With the dawning of Punk in 1977 came also the rise of the Punk fanzine but it was really only with the birth and rise of Crass that the fanzine medium came to full fruition.

Spearheaded by Mark Perry's Sniffin' Glue zine, the fanzines of the Seventies blazed with an enthusiasm that the mainstream music press could in no way match. Little wonder then that some of those fanzine writers of that first wave including Paul Morley, Jon Savage and even Garry Bushell were quickly signed up by the mainstream music papers to become original and highly influential journalists.

The now iconic reproduction of three guitar chords along with the instruction 'This is a chord, this is another, this is a third. Now form a band,' was an example of the kind of inspiring statement that only a fanzine could adequately make though an even more vital statement being made was in the physical form and appearance of the fanzines themselves.

Crudely and cheaply designed using pens, typewriters, scissors, glue, and access to a photocopier; fanzines presented themselves as examples of a method of communication that was accessible to absolutely anyone and everyone. Fanzines were perfect vehicles for self-expression and creativity where there could be if so desired no censorship, no editing, and no pandering to trends.

Individuals and groups being interviewed could be quoted verbatim and in so doing a sense of honesty and truthfulness created that was suspiciously lacking in the mainstream press. The argument then fell as to whether one hundred zines with a circulation of one thousand was one hundred times better than one magazine or newspaper with a circulation of one hundred thousand. For Crass and many others it was a no-brainer.

Crass were of the not unsubstantiated opinion that the mainstream music papers were inherently corrupt so were therefore extremely hesitant and often absolutely adamant that they wouldn't grant interviews to any of them. Apart from publicising and promoting tours and record releases the music press served no real purpose and was simply not needed. Crass would instead, however, always grant interviews to fanzines. Such was the popularity of Crass that any mention of them on the cover of any publication practically guaranteed saleability which for the music press was a problem but for fanzine culture was a godsend.

Here was one of the most important and popular bands in the country - in music business terms shifting nearly a quarter of a million units of their own releases and a further fifty thousand copies of other releases on their label - giving interviews exclusively to fanzines, most (initially, at least) with often the tiniest of circulations.

When Crass donated the song Rival Tribal Rebel Revel as a free flexi-disc to Toxic Grafity zine, demand was such that over ten thousand copies were ultimately printed. The only real way for any of the mainstream music papers to get the name 'Crass' on their covers was by featuring a review of a Crass gig, a review of a latest Crass album release, or by publishing an interview concocted of interviews stolen from a variety of fanzines.

This devotion to and support of the independent press caused an absolute explosion in the production of fanzines. So, with the exclusives on Crass along with additional interviews with such fellow travellers as Poison Girls, Flux Of Pink Indians and Dirt plus articles on the arms race, vegetarianism and anarchism, etc, the 'Crass zine' came into being.

Moreover, these zines were missives from the Punk underground. Open examples of networking within the Punk kingdom. Autonomous broadcasts where ideas were discussed and transferred whilst connecting and grappling with reality.

Subhumans - Religious Wars

SUBHUMANS - RELIGIOUS WARS

And in the game of labelling and categorising, where exactly did Subhumans fit in? Though not a 'Crass band' as such, were they even an Anarcho Punk band or just a straightahead Punk rock band, or something else altogether? This was the stuff that would give many a music journalist a headache though whatever Subhumans might be it was doing nothing to inhibit the Spiderleg label pumping out their records, the next of which being another four-track EP entitled Religious Wars.

Upping the tempo from their last release and returning to their original frantic best, Dick Lucas still seemed to be struggling with a depressed outlook as in the track Love Is: "Love is a bastard, it tears you apart... it fucks you up... it makes you cry. And everything just gets you down down."

Far better though still with a pessimistic title was the track It's Gonna Get Worse (I'm Telling You), containing such truisms as: "Always rising unemployment, always debates on nuclear war. Do you think any government gives a shit what we stand for? You can blame the fucking Tories, every government's the same. They don't believe in the public good, just in their financial gain."

No-one could accuse Subhumans of resting on their laurels, of being non-productive or of not going for it. Though not manifesting itself fully in the records, the same youthful exuberance that was so apparent in their Demolition War EP was still there within the band but only fully showing itself during their live performances.

Subhumans were still very much firm favourites to watch and to keep a close eye on.

Amebix - Who's The Enemy

AMEBIX - WHO'S THE ENEMY

Yet another band defying to be categorised was Amebix, who despite having been featured on Crass Records' Bullshit Detector compilation LP could no more be defined as a 'Crass band' than they could be defined as being a 'Flux band' for having their début 7" single released on Spiderleg Records.

Entitled Who's The Enemy, the four-track EP saw Amebix striving to create their own individual sound, passing noisily through a Killing Joke sphere of influence. The dark, almost pagan-like apocalyptic imagery of the cover art complimented the sound well, creating an overall sense of 'otherness' about the record.

The stand-out track, entitled No Gods No Masters, with it's simple refrain of "Your god is your chain. Reject your god, reject your system. Do you really want your freedom?" would become the banner under which they would play and forever more be known. At that time, however, nobody could have predicted the huge influence Amebix would one day have upon other bands.

The Cravats - Rub Me Out

THE CRAVATS - RUB ME OUT

An aspect of Rudimentary Peni causing them to stand out from the pack was their willingness to experiment with the Punk rock form and of course, this same 'experimental' description could also be said about Crass and likewise the Crass Records label. Whilst the Crass audience would greedily and very happily lap up the more conventional Punk (or should that be Anarcho Punk?) as played by Flux Of Pink Indians, Dirt, and Conflict; the Crass record label was choosing to not play it safe with releases of that particular style but to deviate and release records by more 'experimental' bands. A fine example of this being The Cravats, whose 7" single Rub Me Out was the next release on Crass Records.

Firm favourites of John Peel and having six singles and an LP under their belts already, The Cravats had come into contact with Crass via their mutual connection with the Small Wonder record label. A lot of bands would have dearly loved to have a record released on the Crass label not only for the promise of being brought to the attention of a large audience but for the kudos of being associated with a band of such integrity as Crass. Why The Cravats should be favoured over so many others didn't really make sense at first until realising that precisely because it didn't make sense was all the more reason for it to happen.

With their angular, jarring rhythms laced with free-flowing saxophone and shouty, abstract vocals; though not overtly political The Cravats were touching upon an essence of freedom that was almost impossible to define.

If Punk was ever anything to do with free expression then by definition The Cravats were a Punk band. If by appearing on Crass Records defined a band as being a 'Crass band', then by definition The Cravats were a Crass band. In one fell swoop, however, Rub Me Out by The Cravats was destroying any and all attempts to label, pigeon-hole and contain.

The Cravats were non-conformist and slyly brilliant.

Rub Me Out was a spanner in the works.

Rudimentary Peni - Farce

RUDIMENTARY PENI - FARCE

As well as in such matters as support for the Greenham Common protesters, rejection of the Cruise missile plan, and the forging of links between alternative cultures there was much to be grateful to for Crass, not least their continual mission to bring to the attention of a wide audience a diverse range of unknown bands and artists. One such band being Rudimentary Peni, whose EP entitled Farce was the next release on Crass Records.

Having such a memorable name, Rudimentary Peni easily caught the attention of anyone perusing the gig listings in the music press. Though mentioned very rarely, the name in itself was enough to arouse curiosity. Who exactly were Rudimentary Peni? Where were they from? What did they sound like? What did they want? Thanks to Crass and the release of Farce on their label, answers of a sort were provided though paradoxically it also created an even further air of mystery about the band.

Rudimentary Peni consisted of just three people: Jon Greville on drums, Grant Matthews on bass and writing, and Nick Blinko on guitar, vocals and drawings. The Farce EP itself consisted of eleven intense, short blasts of unique hardcore Punk rock songs that left most listeners if not confused, then wanting to know and hear more.

With the vocals delivered in a near-hysterical scream, the lyrics revealed a fierce if somewhat disturbing intelligence. In the track The Bile Ball, for example, there is no beating about the bush as the point of the song is arrived at immediately and very directly in a Discharge-like haiku: "A stagnant pool of bile contains as much interest as the bible. And is much less harmful. And is much more helpful. And is much more reverend. And is much more irreverent."

In the track Cosmetic Plague, however, the lyrics are much more contemplative though still screamed in a maniacal manner: "Being honest is no means of survival, avoid your inner feelings like the plague. This is what it takes to comply with the images this structure will accommodate. But things aren't what they seem when they're partially hidden behind walls of pretence built for peace of mind. The barriers between us are forever maintained by our acceptance of the roles others choose to define. In a world of competition life's portrayed as a contest where we're forced to live by making gains at other's expense. But no-one's really gaining when perpetual conflict's the result of our relationships based on pretence. We don't need this cultural cosmetic division, it upholds the self-interest on which the system feeds. A deconditioned consciousness of mutual respect is the only way to cure this cosmetic disease."

The Exploited and Fuck A Mod this was not.

In all of the other nine tracks on the record equally interesting and provocative thoughts are delivered, many dwelling upon anti-religious imagery, as in "Sorry, God, there's no coffins just bloody jellies," (from Bloody Jellies), "Death has begun and Jesus loves no-one," (from Zero Again), and "In the eyes of the Lord, we're authority's servants. In the eyes of the Lord, everyone's a servant," (from Sacrifice).

Just to underline the band's atheist stance, the sleeve notes on the record's cover expounded further upon the same theme: 'Is it only a coincidence that Jesus is said to have only chosen male disciples? What place are women given in all this shit? Mary is glorified only in the typical female role of the subservient and dutiful mother - even though she is said to be a virgin as well. Can you really respect this oppressive bollocks? Christianity is shit. It breeds on the irrational and superstitious nature of the human mind yet still, everyday, the State smiles upon the indoctrination of young children with this superstitious crap. Fuck Christianity and all the shit that goes with it.'

Quite apart from the brilliant music and the extraordinary lyrics, the other outstanding aspect of Farce was Nick Blinko's intricate pen and ink drawings festooning the Crass-style wraparound cover. Depicting a variety of macabre, nightmarish figures in absolute fine and intricate detail, the drawings suggested if not a touch of autism then at least a pretty troubled mind.

The year previously, Rudimentary Peni had released their self-titled, début EP on their own Outer Himalayan Records label and on the strength of Farce, people actively sought it out, to be awarded with a further eleven songs of hardcore Punk oddness.

Though less political than Farce, the record still contained the same distinct Rudimentary Peni characteristics such as the breakneck speed of the music, twisted vocals, nightmare drawings and an overall sense of other worldliness quite befitting of the name 'Outer Himalayan'.

On a musical level, Rudimentary Peni would prove to be a major influence upon and inspiration to a whole swathe of bands all around the world though for some reason in particular to hardcore Punk bands from small, obscure towns in deepest, darkest America.