Pansy Division

Pansy Division – I Really Wanted You

Lots of melodies, lots of attitude and lots of sense of humour, too!

Jerk Ward

“Jerk Ward were four hyper teen agents hell-bent on igniting the most fleshstripping, bonebreaking early-80s style hardcore possible." Randy Long & Kev Smith (Jerk Ward)

Jerk Ward

“After watching the really crappy pogo-punk Sidney BC band 'the Commodes', Randy, Steve, and John started practicing in John's basement in downtown Sidney, because they knew they could do better! They played their first live show at the ages of 12-13 years old at the OAP Hall in September 1983 with Dischord recording artists Scream. Shortly after the first show Julian from East Sooke joined the band and played bass. With the help of the NEOS they learned how to tune their instruments and accelerate into the turbo Porsche of local hardcore.” KFTH

Jerk Ward – I Love The Girls

More info here.  

Scrawl

“The songs were unlike anything that had come out of the punk scene yet. They alternated between lazier, folksier tunes, and little bursts of low-fi aggression, with the vocals also covering that range. What was remarkable about the lyrics, though it shouldn't have been, was how much of a woman's perspective they brought to the table in an utterly matter-of-fact way. The song 'Slut' was refreshing compared to the tired male punk songs of the same title, with the lyrics 'Where's my gratification?' repeated over and over throughout. For once, most of the lyrics of a punk band's songs were about everyday things seen through women's eyes.” George Hurchalla (Going Underground)

Scrawl in a promotional shot

“They were fantastic, taking everything you love about punk rock – loud, simple, exuberant – without all the stuff you hated about punk rock – too much angst / too self-righteous. They were hilarious and the songwriting was simple but extremely memorable.” Sue Harshe (Scrawl)

Scrawl – Sad

By the way, Sue Harshe played bass in a hardcore band called No Amerika! before joining Scrawl. If you have any info, please get in touch.

Skin Disease

“This was apparently Chumbawamba taking the piss out of Oi! in contributing 'I'm Thick' to Back On The Streets." Vernon Joynson (Up Yours!)


Skin Disease – I'm Thick

Marine Girls

Marine Girls – A Place In The Sun

“I still think it's about the most heart-warming minimal pop I've ever heard.” The Legend!

Siege

Siege – Conform

“Plastic Surgery”

One of my favourite songs ever.

Adam & The Ants – Plastic Surgery

Watch the video here, and more info here.

Fuck Off Records – Weird Noise EP

“The Sell-Outs, The 012, The Door + The Window, and The Instant Automatons recorded at home on 4 track and 2 track tape machines. Danny + the Dressmakers get that unique 'Dressmakers white noise' effect with 3rd generation cassette recordings. Whole thing got together by Kif Kif, Nag, Bendle and Protag and dedicated to the Street Level organisation. 60p maximum price.” Discogs

The Door & The Window – Number One Entertainer


The Instant Automatons – Electronic Music


Danny & The Dressmakers – Don't Make Another Bass Guitar Mr. Rickenbacher

The Rejects

“We formed in my freshman year in high school… Mark and Denise Rubinstein and I were all in 'stage band' (a sort of jazz big band thing in school) together. We decided to form a punk band since we already played together… we all listened to the Ramones and went to see them at The Armadillo World Headquarters in Austin. We played our first gig at a place in San Antonio called 'The Friendly Spot' — an outdoor bar in the King William District just south of downtown San Antonio. We continued to play several gigs there and began to build a following. We then approached Raul's in Austin… after seeing the Ramones at Armadillo World Headquarters we met some bands and people that got us an audition at Raul's. Our parents came and drove us to Austin and had to stay at the gigs at Raul's because we were all under age. I was 16, Mark R. was 15 and Denise was 17. We opened for the Big Boys, the Dicks, Sharon Tate's Baby, the Offenders, Delta 72 and other bands I can't remember.” Mark of The Rejects (Break My Face)

“Their drummer was last spotted playing piano with the San Antonio Symphony. Their guitar player was last spotted playing lap steel guitar in country bands.” Taco City Rockers

"Special thanks to Gary Davenport, Mark Champion, Linda Weatherfold, Barry Gavin and Gary Smith for all their help and patience… also thanx to our parents for all their help and MONEY." Back To School credits

The Rejects – You Haven't Done Your Share Until The Job Is Finished

Glueams

“The Glueams were one of the first Punkbands from Bern. Reaching their peak in 1979, releasing two singles and recording the third and last one in the same year.” Swiss Punk

Glueams – Strassen

Shit S.A.

Shit S.A. were a group from Barcelona. They started out in the early 80s, being one of the first local punk bands. The band managed to appear in international compilations like P.E.A.C.E./War from the States and Life is a joke from Germany.

Shit S.A. poster

“We are not interested in attracting an audience by our ideas or our image, just by our noise.” Shit S.A. (N.D.F. special issue, 1984)


Shit S.A. – Abortos
Get it here.

More info here.

Nomeansno

Nomeansno – Rich guns

“Not knowing any guitar players at the time who were into what we were doing, Rob decided the only way we would be able to play our own music live would be as a two-piece, drums and bass. At the time it seemed like such a risky and potentially embarrassing thing to do, but I reluctantly agreed. Rob then proceeded to write songs specifically for that arrangement. This ultimately became our trademark – we could be different without really trying. We had no name, but Rob spotted the anti-rape slogan ‘no means no’ spraypainted on a garage somewhere in Vancouver and thought ‘that's the name for us’. Now with a name and a live set, it was time to join the fray, put something out and get in on a local gig.” John Wright

No Cover

“No Cover were never a popular band – not even with the few friends we had!” Mark Dobson

“We were never a true Punk band but believed in the Punk ethos and we are proud to admit that our single was recorded 5 years to the day after the Television Personalities recorded their anthem ‘Part Time Punks’.” Steve Pearn

No Cover: Mick Cook, Frank “Neville” Worthington, Mark Dobson, Steve “Agar” Pearn

“We didn't get many sleeves done – there wasn't any need – no one wanted to buy the single. Over half the unsold copies were stored at my mum's house until the 1990's when she threw them all out during a ‘spring clean’!” Mark Dobson

“Gigs – we never played anywhere famous or with anyone famous – when we started we couldn't get gigs because we were all too young – by the end we couldn't get gigs because of our reputation…” Mark Dobson

No Cover, 1982

“At that time the only audiences up here were Skinhead/Thrash-Punk – and they hated us! We used to wind them up and it invariably ended in violence! It got to the point that we were scared of going on stage in case we got beat up!” Mark Dobson

“And that was No Cover – the one thing we took seriously was vandalism. We would paint ‘No Cover’ on a bus shelter in emulsion one night and go back the next to go over it in gloss! Musically we were shite but our graffiti stood the test of time – some of it is still there 18 years on!” Mark Dobson