Reviews
Gig Reviews
The Witchwood - Ashton-under-Lyne 25/08/05
This was my second visit to the Witchwood in less than two weeks. Only two bands were playing but both bands were well worth getting there to watch.
First up were Churchill, an oi band in the classic mould. The band have been playing as many gigs as they can and although practice makes perfect, it is on stage where it really matters. I have seen them many times this year and it is obvious with the band playing a lot of gigs this year that it has helped them.
In my opinion they are every bit as good as some of the well known oi bands, some who are solely living on past glories. Churchill are here right now and not a relic from the past.
They exude aggression and their songs are anthemic. 'Bullshit' and 'Steaming In' always get the crowd joining in the chorus but 'Forgotten Heroes' and 'Oxblood Red' really are oi classics.
They got a good response from the saddly small crowd who were there. I think now is the time for the band to get in the studio and record a full length album.
Next up were Dogsflesh from Middlesboro who got back together after a twenty year lay off. They certainly aren't living off past glories. They have recently earned support slots with bands such as UK Subs, GBH and Abrasive Wheels by what they do on stage.
Their music for the unintiated is influenced by Discharge and English Dogs but the band do have a sound of their own. The band are all excellent musicians but in John their singer they have a real asset. He uses every inch of the stage and really gives it 100 per cent as you can see in the photos in the gallery.
They played what I thought was a good set and the crowd really seemed to like them, but talking to Rob their guitarist after the gig he said they have played much better. If they can come up with more new songs that are as good as 'Mad Punx And Psycho Skins' and 'Fast Livin' Boy' they will soon be up there with punks elite.
I myself think that despite the bands short time back together they are rapidly rising the ranks and it certainly won't surprise me if they get asked to do a big tour with one of the bands that we all have in our CD collections.
-- Tim Davies (Punk4Life) --
Punk4life All Dayer (Thatched House, Stockport 11-06-05)
Well this was easily the biggest gig I have put on so far under the Punk4life name. An all day gig with twelve bands playing.
The next band to play were The Likes, an amiable threesome from Manchester. Although these guys are still young, they have got quite a few gigs under their belts. They were a bit different to most of the bands on the gig but that is why I wanted them to play. Variety is the spice of life and I think when twelve bands are on one gig you need some diversity. I thought they were a good band who will improve with every gig they do and they have youth on their side. I will be checking them out again myself soon.
Next were Suspicious Stains who are from Rochdale. Although I have seen 'The Stains' many times live over the years I think they are a vastly improved band. They really have come on in leaps and bounds.I think now that now they are getting consistantly better they will be attracting more gigs and hopefully more fans. I really enjoyed their set as seemed to be the case with the crowd.
After Suspicious Stains came Boredom, an old school punk band from Blackburn. I had listened to a CD by them a few weeks before which I thought was very good and asked them if they could play the gig at short notice. I have always favoured bands with two guitarists as it seems to give them an edge. They didn't let me down and played a good set of classic old school punk. Their singer Dani really gets into it (as you can see from the photos) and musically they were excellent. Old school punk is the best in my book and Boredom interpreted it well.
Backdated were next on and I had been waiting to see them for a while despite hearing very mixed reports about their previous gigs. I won't beat about the bush I'll just say it like it is. They were awful and if practice makes perfect then these guys must practice annually. They were very unproffessional in their approach with Kev their singer (who is a nice guy offstage) actually shouting out 'We're the best band on today'. They won't endear themselves to any crowd saying stuff like that and I think Kev should have replaced the word best with worst. They looked desperately short of practice and need to get their act together sooner than later.
Dogsflesh came next a band hailing from Middlesboro. I took a chance with putting them on and I was rewarded with an excellent set of quality traditional old school punk. These guys who have been around quite a while have recently reformed, but they certainly haven't lost their touch. 'Mad Punx And Psycho Skins' is a classic and their whole set seemed to go down well with the crowd there as well as me. These guys are being rewarded for their endeavours with good gigs with bands like Anti Nowhere League and GBH but it has been earned by what they do on stage. One of the best bands on the day.
-- Tim Davies (Punk4Life) --
Liberty's In Town - Middlesbrough
Liberty's in Town is a fine place to be indeed on any Friday night, but tonight is very special, and for what reason are we all gathered here.
Well it's the return of the much missed 'Dogsflesh'.
There was a fine crowd tonight, if a little small, but what the concert lacks in punters it makes up for in atmosphere.
The integrity and humanity behind this band really is what Punk should be about and so with great anticipation, Dogsflesh grace the stage for the first time in over 20 years. They open up with Fast Livin Boy, which really grabs the audiences attention and still sounds as fresh today as 20 years ago, this is followed by the songs 'Dogsflesh, Will To Die, the blazing fury of Mad Punx & Psycho Skins, Riot, XBB and then the first of one of the new songs called Fleet Street. This is followed by my old fave, Soldier Boy and then another new song titled Yesterdays News.
If you aint heard Dogsflesh, the two covers that they played, Dead Cities by the Exploited and Sick Boy by GBH, give their sound away. But it is their sound that we had all come to listen to and the set continues with Last Renegades, Out My Head and another new song called The Penalty Is Death, if I wasn't on crutches I would have been jumpin around like a nutcase.
I'd told our Glen how good they were and they lived up to their reputation, he was well impressed.
So to the final song and a fitting epitaph, Bloody Road To Death, a great way to end the night as the fans staggered out of the door into the chilly night bringing them back down to earth.
Tonight Dogsflesh made a skip load of noise and welcome back lads, but where was 'Fight The System'?
-- Rob (Codeye Fanzine) --
CD Reviews
Bloody Road To Death EP
Dogsflesh were formed in 1982 and after a long layoff they are back, and back with a vengeance. After recently playing on the Punk4life all dayer I was really impressed with them. They have slotted back into the old school groove like they've never been away. This four track EP 'Bloody Road To Death' has definate influences by Discharge and is excellent. Fast as fuck and hard as nails this is what I call punk, not some pale immitation which is called punk because we are told it is.
'Fast Livin' Boy', 'Out My Head', and the title track 'Bloody Road To Death' are all great songs but they are topped by 'Mad Punx & Psycho Skins' which is widely recognised as the bands anthem. If you like your punk fast as fuck and where the drummer needs to be on a drip after a gig, this is for you.
-- Tim Davies (Punk4Life) --
