Old Firm Casuals - The Rabble

Old Firm Casuals - The Rabble (US)
from the EP "Army Of One" (2011)

The Black Marias, Old Fashioned Ideas and Project 9 - Live Review

Förfest till Pretty Shitty Kjell 4 at China Station, Handen, Stockholm, March 28 2013

The Black Marias (UK), Old Fashoined Ideas (Swe) and Project 9 (Swe)

The Place

There was a lot to chose from last night like Tinner (D-Beat), Real Big Fish (US-Ska).

But I chose an event in a suburb far, far away. Handen at a Chinese restaurant.
Handen isn´t a punk nowheresland and Im not unfamiliar with the suburb because both the Punk place “Gula Villan” is placed there as well as the legendary Ultrahuset was there as well when it was a chaotic CBGBs of Sweden in the 80ies.

The event is an unofficial start up concert to the Oi! Festival Pretty Shitty Kjell 4 by the clubs Klubb Antisocial and Club Disorder. I had to travel an hour with subway´s and commuters train to get there. And to get it even more exciting you have to get yourself down a graffiti sprayed stairway made of concrete and tiles, It reminds me of an era that is gone, when Swedish suburbs looked like this, a bit like they look like in English crime stories. A perfect mood setting for some serious Oi! Music, not least when someone bombed the walls with Jamaica ska club posters. Am I in “This is England” the Swedish remake, haha? Walking down the staircase I was entering a time warp, I was back in time, I wish the extra kilos I carry around was removed by the time machine as well, but it wasn´t buggering enough.


The restaurant was full with skins and some punks with studded leatherjackets. The beer was by Swedish standards cheep. But the most obvious feeling that night, is a certain tension that proceeds PRK4 tomorrow.  People are here to wait for tomorrow. Except me that fucked it up and lost opportunities to get tickets for PSK not once but several times now (Am I the biggest cunt then? Possibly).

The Crowd

The crowd were mostly skins of various ages and styles, from different parts of Sweden and from other countries as well. Some punks with GBH and Casualties on their patched jackets and torn pants.
The skins stand quiet and watch the bands, the punks are in front and, from time to time, steering up rather a violent moshpit that makes the organizers sweat a bit over their equipment. And for a while I wondered if the light rig would be knocked over and falling down. But that was worries in vain, nothing got trashed. But the alcohol took its toll and in the end the crowd is as exhausted as drunk.

The Bands

Project 9

First out was P9, A Swedish Oi! Band that , It is the band that made me choose this event before the others. And the first few bars made me wonder why, the sound was terrible in the beginning, a crappy hung over rehearsal studio sound. No other genres would got away with it than Oi! and Hard Core. I accept it as a part of Oi!, Even the stars at Fridays and Saturdays PSK have sounded terrible both on records and live. But the soundman got it better during the set, I guess he have been happier. The PA system seemed to be the problem, which is something all bands suffered from during the night. The vocals are so distorted during the P9 gig that it´s hard to figure out what the singer was saying or singing.
The band itself did deliver a pretty much standard constellation of Oi! Songs and I didn´t see them having a huge hit in their set. The very charismatic singer lead his bunch of skins and mohawk punks into an enjoyable concert, where his way of using his rhythmic singing, and chorus chants were the satisfaction. He was very charismatic and that found its way out in the crowd and on me as well. It was no surprise they sounds a bit like Lowlifes (They share many members) but are even better. It is the same call and response in the songs that is Lowlifes strength. And last night P9 mastered it. This is Oi!. But I think, despite of the PA system shortcomings, that they could vary the guitars a bit, to get an extra punch.  They finished with a Swedish cover of 4 skins “Evil”, “Elak” which was funny.   

After the concert Jonas the singer from Gatans Lag claimed, infront of me and the by then sweaty and exhausted singer, that the singer of P9 (I didn´t catch his name right) was the most charismatic in the genre, which was wrong, Jonas himself holds that title, but have in many ways to look out now, haha.


Old Fashioned Ideas

Old Fashioned Ideas will strike you down with it´s heavy sound, not least with that enormous voice of the singer.That was almost the case last night. The Southern Swedes are here to conquer the capital, at least our taste in bands, that you can tell, and why not. With their distorted and a big sound they sounds like Motörhead goes Oi! With all the limitations the Oi! genre brings to it in speed, songs variation and musical skills, that is not said in a bad way. Sound wise this is the highlight of the night. The songs were catchy, they got the best sound all night and the voice of the singer Per is dominating the whole neighbourhood.

 There is a connection between the OFI and the next band, the Black Marias, because the split 7inch record. And the next band should be just fine…

The Black Marias

Last in line is what should be the main, band the English band, The Black Marias. But they didn´t really live up to that. The PA didn´t give them the mighty sound they would have needed to sound like the main band. The singer really tried his best and even if he is charismatic got a good voice and manners from a man of the world, it didn´t gave them the boost they should have to knock the other bands off stage. The alcohol exhausted crowd had not too much left to answer with. The Alcohol Liberation Front, the bunch of Cunt´s, Black Marias didn´t got any help from the Alcohol. And I don´t know if that affect the bands performance, but a few songs into their set they starts to sound sloppy, untight and unfocused.  Possibly did they suffer a bit from the sound equipment didn´t give them a break. The singer tries real hard but the plane won´t fly, his voice manage to break the boundaries the PA holds for a while, but in the end, it´s doomed. I don´t came here with the intention of being a grumpy cunt, but I felt it coming along with the things that didn´t click. It is entertaining when they lash out on everybody, themselves and anyone as being Cunts, and so does the crowd feel as well from telling of their reactions. At records it sounds fine, but not here. At their best they are quite good but the unfocused parts are a letdown. Their new unpublished songs was hard to relate to etc. On the other hand the Minority Report is a really good song where they are good both in performance and the hit quality of the song.

But mostly what was wrong was that, I think, everybody had Cock Sparrer, Infa Riot, Gatans Lag, Agent Bulldogg in their minds thas night. You can tell that everything is a slow countdown to PSK . I left in a hurry to take the one hour trip home. To the other part of Stockholm, while doing so I left “This is England, the Swedish edition” behind to be back in the real world the “trista förorten”, where “we live in the Suburbs 7 days a week”.  On my way home I discovered that I probably blown my visit to PSK4 to hell, bloody buggering Hell!

Worth the money?

180Skr is the double I pay for a concert like this in Stockholm and it wasn´t twice as good as them, opposite I say. But with the cheep beer prices and the general feeling of it all I would say yes. Did I regret going here in favor to Pussy a GoGo or Debaser? No!
The clubs Klubb Antisocial and Club Disorder are walking a different path then the most Stockholm punk clubs, but I think they enriches the scene and that can´t be wrong.  And I think it is good to get my lard ass going outside my circles, like a China restaurant in a Swedish suburb that time warped me to the 1980is this is England.

Vänsternäven - Ge mig högre lön

(Charged) G.B.H. - City Baby Attacked by Rats

Charged GBH - City Baby Attacked By Rats
From the album with the same name (1982)

Fast punk from back in the days.

Bad Assets - Wasted Generation

Oi! from Detroit (US),
Bad Assets - Wasted Generation
(2Oi2)

From their Debute Album The Spirit of Detroit

Order CD here

Tom Robinson Band Vs The Business

The clever theft.  

I remeber it at it was yesterday. when Tom Robinson band released the Power in the darkness,With its smash hit 2,4,6,8 Mototway. It was a kind of rock with a punky wibe. It was labeled as punk or rather New Wave. It was the first time I heard the chant chorus that I later would hear in Sham 69 and likes chorus. But the best song from the Album was however Up against the wall.
Punk was becomming the new trend, espesially under the new name New Wave that was muck more sellable. Tom Robinson was by some "real" working class kids considered as a trendy wanker. Not least that he was telling he was gay in an era you didn´t do that.

A few years later the working class, the low educated London east end bands came along as a second or a third wave of Brittish bands. Tom Robinson was an easy target, gay as he was. The Business* was aiming their frustration at bands as TRB among others. And it was done with a song stealing the Up against the wall riff.
Surburbian rebels was as catchy as the original, up against the wall. By listening to the lyrics you understand its about the reds, trendy wankers and TRB. I wonder how the hell they got away with it. I mean, its an obvious theft. But very clever done. So I guess it both an tribute to a good song as well as it is a critisism against the one that wrote it originally. If you leave out the childish complaining against TRB its an exelent song. So I guess its why they got away with it.



*The Business was from South London but the whole Oi! movement was bundled as east end cockneys.

Oi! Oi! Oi! a few different.

English, Spannish(?), Japanese and Irish American. When Gary Bushell, the English separatist once crowned an entire genre after the classic Cockney Reject song, I doubt he knew what an avalanche he started. 

This is Oi!...not a fashion!

Oi! from all over the globe, Europen, Asian, Australian,
north and south American bands 

find it here

This is oi!....not a fashion!

CD Reviews, Mimikry, The Dräperz, The Lowlifes and Nitad

Mimikry - Monster
Best songs; Monster, Inte ens du
2012  Krypton Records/ Sound Pollution

The opening track, Monster, that also are the title track is at first a bit too commercial and soft for my taste. But after a few minutes I accept it as a hit song, In fact I convert from my first impression, it is a smashing good song.

The lyric are personal on the verge to self centerism. But I can live with that because of the strong chorus and the Playfulness with the words.
I blogged it before, in their worst moments they sound a bit like Nordman, at their best like Bad Religion. This is no exception on this Monster record. In Inte ens du they combine what I mean. The Bad Religion like chorus gives me shivers down my spine. All songs have strong and catchy melodies which makes even dull tracks like Utan Dig at least listenable.

The sound is professional and heavy. Mimikry is one of the bands that can keep it both fast and heavy. No wonder why the drummer is called Heavy (sorry a bad joke). The guitars, the bass and the drums gives the singer Hjalle a sound armada from which he can go  on a self reflecting journey on any open sea.  

The cover art; Mimikry have had some of the history of punks uglier covers. So this a step forward. But I can´t help it, it looks a bit too professional so it lacks a bit of that punky feeling.


Should you buy this record? Yes, if you into a more mainstream sounding punk or rock.

The Dräperz – Välkommen till Råby (Welcome to Raby)
Best song; Välkommen till Råby
2012 D.I.Y. records

The Dräperz 4 song EP Välkommen till Råby is a speedy, fast and furious EP. You seen it before, you heard it before but still it´s good, it´s getting me in a good mood.

The cover art is a classic cut out letters placed over a fade out photograph of Råby centrum (a dreaded suburb of the City of Västerås). But for this record it is so right. As many of today´s Swedish bands they mix Swedish and English lyrics. The in Swedish sung Välkommen till Råby could easily fit on an old Asta Kask EP. The sound is raw, its fast and both angry, resigned and ironic. It stand out in a fresh way. In fact at the moment I can say I find the Råby song one of the best released up to date in 2012.

The sound is not perfect but fair enough to match the good songs. The songs are tight and fairly fast. The other songs, Dräperz, No Future, The End don´t reach the heights of Välkommen till Råby. That even in the bass intro makes its mark as a modern classic Swedish punk song.


Should you buy this record? Yes, Yes, YES! Every Swedish punk should have one.

The Lowlifes - TV Addiction
Best songs; TV Addiction, Violence
2012 Club Underground

Thin k 1982 and the rise of Oi! There you have The Lowlifes but 30 years later. It´s sounds both as an Oi! nostalgia band, crust like and hard core. By the look of the band members the Oi! Influences seems strong. But this band is tighter in their playing than their presumed role models, but lack the older bands strong and catchy melodies. If I should associate it with a classic record I have to say it´s a better sounding version of GBH´s City Baby Attacked by rats.

The record is pretty fair, not the best and definitely not the worst. The music is tight and fast. I like the aggression in the playing but the fast tempo is in the long run the weakest link. They ever ongoing speedy music makes it all sound a bit the same in the end. The best is when the chorus is sung by all in the band as answer to the claims of the singer as in TV Addiction, du är and Violence. The Last is one of the strongest on the record even if I like the opening tracks Career Dreams and Det Brinner as well.

The Cover art, well it´s not a masterpiece, in fact it´s so non-communicating I would not give shit by this record in a record shop. Now I bought it at the concert. But still the cover doesn´t give the music the push “Buy Me” it is supposed to.

The sound is far more better than the older Oi! Records, but according to today´s standards it has a bit more to climb, to reach the height of the perfect punk sound. Possible it could be done in the mixing, but also the guitar sound could be a bit more processed if I may say so.

The Lowlifes mix lyrics in Swedish and English and are very angry. But I don´t really get what they are angry with. Like so many fast punk bands it´s like they angry out in the thin air. It´s part of the genres, but I really would like to have something to hook it up on. Unlike many Swedish  contemporary collegues these guys are no victims, they are angry and they will tell you. And that can´t be wrong.

Should you buy this record? Definitely if you into fast punk and Oi!

Nitad – Rastlös och vild ( transl. Restless and Wild)
Best songs; Rastlös och vild
2012 Morningwood Records

Watch out here comes the sonic tank brigade, slowly rolling and now they are speeding up! Run for your life or least your ears. The new Nitad CD Rastlös och vild isn´t something for the weak of heart or your grandpa to have as car music. It is quite painful to listen to. It´s like a roaring thunder coming at you with razor sharp edges (how is that possible, a thunder to have edges?). The Swedish Hard Core band Nitad really don’t want to be called Hard Core, mostly because they pick influences from other genres. On this record you could hear that, live it´s harder. They have understood that the fast and slow tunes, in combination, makes it more dynamic and makes all songs not sound the same. Otherwise the singing style, or primal scream like song (not the band, the psychology meaning of the word) don´t allow too much variation of the songs. That is a sign of intelligence, an intelligence that hide behind the hard and aggressive surface.

It´s painful for your ears, totally unpolished on the verge to amateurish sometimes, which I believe they are not. It´s supposed to sound this way. The way the singers voice don’t fit with the roaring thunder in the background makes it both interesting and annoying. Possible another mixing would made me like it a bit more. I probably got this wrong anyway. To me it reminds me of old late eighties bands like Big Black and Tad, but so much faster, harder and noisy. It like they found all the buttons on the mixer that made it unsmooth. These guys wanna hurt you ears seriously so run, run like hell otherwise you will end up there.

The lyrics are furious and simple. Instead of play some songs in Swedish and some in English they mix in the songs, and even made up their own Swenglish sentences like, Fuck Hela Världen, which makes it funny in all the dark misery they sing about.
I didn´t like the cover art at first, mainly I got association to any puberty punk band that wanna say fuck you to the parents, but it fits the record in it´s insanity. The psychedelic black and white comic art made by someone that seems like spent his days in a psychiatric ward is very significant for the record at large. This is not that is supposed to be easy to like, you have to earn it.

Should you buy this record? If you ever wanna brag about a record you own to prove that you into bad ass music for real, this would probably be one of them.

Pretty Shitty Kjell 3, Oi! the Event festival

Upcoming event in Stockholm.

As many said about it, its a hell of a line up.

The event is sold out, so I wont be there, was a bit slow this time.