Bullshit Detector 2

BULLSHIT DETECTOR 2

Much to the delight of critics and music lovers everywhere, proof of the continuing influence of Crass was presented in Bullshit Detector 2, the imaginatively titled sequel to Bullshit Detector. Like it's predecessor, this was once again basically a fanzine in vinyl format consisting of home-made and cheap studio recordings of tracks from a plethora of Crass-inspired bands from around the country.

This time round, not only was the record twice the size (being a double record set) but was twice as good as the original due to the superior quality of the songs. Potentially even, many of the featured bands could easily have been plucked from their local obscurity, escorted to Southern Studios and after being given the Rimbaud production once-over had singles released by them on the Crass label whereupon fame and fortune would surely follow?

In all, 38 different bands and solo artists were featured and whilst some were simply regurgitating Crass song lines, others were finding new and interesting ways to cover the subjects of war, the Bomb and the system. Others were diversifying into new song subject areas such as apartheid, animal abuse, police brutality, alcohol abuse, and Punk introspection. All, however, were seemingly taking the Crass 'message' very much to heart.

One of the big achievements of Bullshit Detector 2 as a whole was in successfully relaying the fact that there was now a genuine Anarcho Punk movement of bands who after taking heed of the example set by Crass, seemed to have no intention of selling out on their ideas. According to the sleeve notes: 'A lot of the bands on this album may not fit the facile image of what the music press tell us Punk's about. In reality Punk is an attitude of mind, a form of protest against an unjust and uncaring society. Punk is concerned with ideas, not last weeks throwaway fashion. The tracks on this album express the 'real Punk spirit' - protest, independence, originality and lack of compromise, even if some of them don't conform to the media idea of what Punk 'should be'.

Through the inspiration of Crass, people were creatively expressing themselves and becoming united in their ideas; and through that unity, strength was being found. Gravitating toward each other, seeing and meeting each other at gigs and at demos, and together raising a loud, collective voice. Alone, these people were possibly misfits to the system but together they were an alternative.

Omega Tribe, The Suspects, Krondstadt Uprising, Deformed, No Label, The Rejected, Polemic Attack, Naked, Toxic Ephex, Anthrax, Metro Youth, Riot Squad, Youth In Asia, Passion Killers, Destructors, Chumbawamba - all unknown bands at the time but some soon to be very well known and very inspirational in their own right.