Old Punks Never Die!

A couple of mates of mine, Beardy Rob (aka Robert) and Ratty (aka Richard) are doing a great (and knackering just to think about) thing - they're cycling from Land's End to John O' Groats (about 1000 miles) to raise money for the Mines Advisory Group. For those who don't know, MAG works to clear land mines and other weapons from areas of conflict so that people don't get blown to bits, as well as working closely with communities in the affected areas:

MAG moves into current and former conflict zones to clear the remnants of those conflicts, enabling recovery and assisting the development of affected populations. MAG consults with local communities and works to lessen the threat of death and injury, while releasing reclaimed and safe land and other vital resources back to the local population, helping countries to rebuild and develop their social and economic potential.

Beardy Rob is a Turbojugend fiend, responsible for all manner of camp leather-and-denim madness, and Ratty is the semi-retired guitarist from legendary-in-their-own-lunchtimes Bristol hardcore loons The Herb Garden. They're funding the trip themselves and all the sponsorship money they raise will go straight to MAG to help them continue their invaluable campaigns.

I've given away a lot of free music here and it's rare that I ask for something in return but, on this occasion, I'm asking anyone who reads this to give up a couple of pints and throw a few quid into the bucket for this worthy cause. If you can't make an online donation, drop me an email and I'll sort something out with you. You've only got to give up a beer to do your bit, others literally put their lives on the line to carry out this vital work.

Innocent people shouldn't have stumps where their arms and legs should be just because others decide to go to war.

Image © Sean Sutton/MAG

Artist: Amebix
Title: Monolith
Source: Studio master
Bitrate: 256kbs
Running time (h:m:s): 00:44:04
Size (mb): 85.8
Label: Moshpit Tragedy
Year: 1987 (re-released 2008)

This band should need no introduction. As the official Godfathers Of Crust™ before the term was even coined (credit for that goes to Hellbastard with their 'Ripper Crust' demo), they were personally responsible for adding the dark and crushing edge to the punk scene that many of us have come to love. They also had a pretty good sense of humour for such a miserable bunch of bastards.

This was their last full-length studio release and was, in part, responsible for the ultimate demise of the band soon afterwards. While 'Arise!' will always be their greatest triumph (at least for this Old Punk), 'Monolith' saw the band stretching their own boundaries to create something that, whilst still distinctly Amebix, showed just how much they had to offer.

So what's the deal with the re-issue? Well, from what I can gather, the band got fucked over quite a bit by the label that originally released it and ended up out of pocket (which didn't have much in them to start with). In true punk fashion, they've teamed up with Moshpit Tragedy Records to make it available again. And the deal is pretty good. Moshpit Tragedy operate a sliding scale payment system for all of the bands on their label. This ranges from free to a maximum of $10 Canadian. This particular download comes with very classy DIY CD sleeve and insert artwork that includes lyrics and a few words from The Baron.

I've stumped up the ten bucks (about a fiver in proper money) and grabbed it. I've always rated this band as one of the greats and I'm more than happy to show my appreciation for what they're doing with this. Head over to Moshpit Tragedy and pay (or not, as you see fit) your respects too.

While you're there, you'd be daft not to check out all of the other fine troubadours touting their tasty wares.

One final thing: The Baron has recently jammed with his bro' (Stig - original guitarist) and Roy Mayorga (drummer from Nausea, amongst others) as a consequence of putting together an Amebix DVD. It all seemed to go rather swimmingly, and there is a possibility that a new phoenix may arise from the old ashes. The DVD, including the new recordings, is due out later this year. I, for one, am almost wetting myself in anticipation. This sounds like it will be much more than just a reunion re-hashing past glories (although a bit of that would be most welcome here).

OP's opinion: @@@@@

Not so long ago, it seemed that you couldn't turn on the news without seeing some story or another about the Zapatista rebellion in Chiapas, Mexico. The media darlings couldn't get enough of the enigmatic Subcommandante Marcos and his stylishly sexy balaclava-and-pipe combo. But, as is the way with the corporate press, they soon became bored with their latest 'discovery' and moved on, quickly forgetting the people and the story.

However, for the indigenous people of Chiapas, the story is very much far from over and their struggle for dignity and autonomy against the Mexican state continues. For them, this is not a cheap thrill story that can be instantly discarded once the excitement wears off. It is one of necessity and, sometimes, it carries a very heavy price indeed.

But, despite the forces that they face, the Zapatista communities have not surrendered. Far from it in fact - their efforts to reach out and engage with oppressed people the world over demonstrate just how much liberty means to them. They recognise that strength lies in unity and solidarity, and that victory in Chiapas is just the start not the end.

Since the uprising began, links have been formed between the Zapatista communities and their supporters from around the world. One of the UK support groups, KIPTIK, has been working with the communities since 2000. Volunteers provide practical support in four main areas - water, health, media and arts. The water projects are their primary focus - mortality rates and poor health are greatly reduced when a community has access to clean fresh water and so it tends to be what they ask for first. KIPTIK try to use the most appropriate technology for the construction, and leave local people with the skills needed to maintain it once they have gone.

So what's my point?

It's actually a really simple one. It costs about £4000 to provide something that we take for granted to 300 people. To help raise money that literally saves lives, KIPTIK have produced a calendar for the year ahead. It's a high-quality piece of work and, as well as info about the communities and KIPTIK's work, there are 12 striking images from the communities included.

The calendar only costs £7 including postage* from the Edinburgh Chiapas Solidarity Group, and you can order online from their website. Not only will you get a year's worth of calendar but you'll also have the satisfaction of knowing that you've helped kick another brick out of the wall of power.

And all from the comfort of your armchair, a luxury that some others don't have.

*UK only - if you want one and you're from elsewhere, let me know and I'll get back to you.

Want to broaden your musical horizons, for free, and in the process support artists who actively encourage you to hear their music? Then you could do worse than pay a visit to the 001 Collective and use your torrent software with the full blessing of the musicians found there. It's early days at the moment but there are new tunes being added regularly as word gets around, and the blog also takes you off in interesting directions. If nothing else, it's worth checking out for the amusingly absurd (yet accurate) genre descriptions chosen by many of the acts - anyone wanting to catch some 'twee ukelele catpop' and 'freak folk' before they become mainstream movements should go there pronto!

I'm reproducing their mission statement in full below, because it puts it all far more eloquently than I could manage:

There is a revolution happening. You may not know it's happening; but you've heard of it. Napster, p2p, Oink; these were all signs of the changing climate, steps in the right direction. Major Record Labels are quickly becoming relics, dinosaurs of the old world, led by men who follow no equations. Distribution is now in the hands of the internet; people can download a hundred albums in the time it takes them to drive to the store and buy one. The internet is the future, and this is the time of a major change in the entertainment industry.

The good majority of artists don't make a living off of their music. Everyone knows the gap: they either live in excess or in obsolescence. As history has shown, any gap this large will be fixed with time. The entertainment industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. Twenty dollars for a CD, or a movie? Very little of this goes to the actual artist; most goes towards a bloated industry to pay for the massive manpower involved in such products. That was the old world, when it was impossible for an artist to have mass public consumption of their work without significant money and effort. But this is the new world. Through the internet an artist can reach millions of people. And through the internet the people can find obscure artists and download anything they want for free.

We dream of an age where artists don't create out of greed, but out of love; a golden age of the arts not seen by any time in history. Sales and promotion don't generate income, fans do. And artists who climb a human pyramid to live in luxury are finding that they have an ever dwindling number of fans to step over.

The future is coming, and artists have to make a choice. They can dream of making it big and live in a mansion, they can compromise their art to market it, and they can profit excessively from their fans to stay on top. Or they can change to reflect the times. They can allow fans to download their albums for free, and still have the option of selling a hard-copy. They can sell merchandise. They can go on tour. They can adopt the business model of Chinese artists. They can accept that nobody should be making millions of dollars doing something they don't even consider work.

This is a revolution, and there is no question of who will win. There is no amount of money or political maneuvering that can save the enemy. All that is required for victory is time. And in time, the people will prevail. The battles fought by the people and the lives ruined by the record industries will not be in vain, every man and woman who has been thrown in jail or fined thousands of dollars will see justice done. This is the new world, and the brink of a golden age. Embrace it!

This is a bit late notice but I think it's a worthwhile story…

Workers at the Bike Systems GmbH bike factory in Thuringian Nordhausen, Germany, have followed the lead of their Argentinian comrades and occupied their factory (unfortunately, there are no reports of them having shot the bosses first). The occupation was in response to a long-term running down of the factory by the owner followed by a swift filing for bankruptcy, with allegations of underhand dealings to cash in on the whole affair. Knowing that there was a demand for the bikes they made and aware of the boss class' connivance, the workers responded in time-honoured fashion.

In order to take things to the next level, the workers are planning to produce the Strike-Bike, a gloriously red n' black-coloured machine for getting around town. They need to get around 1800 paid orders for the bike by the 2nd October (tomorrow!) to make the operation financially viable. Costs for individual customers in Germany are €275 inclusive of all charges. Wholesale prices are also available. If you're outside of Germany and want one, they'll happily negotiate international shipping with you.

If they don't hit their target, all orders will be refunded in full. So if you need a bike in the next 24 hours or so, you know where to go!

UPDATE: 2nd October - a press conference at the factory today revealed that over 1300 orders have been placed with the rest expected imminently, and production will recommence at the end of October. All hail the workers soviets!

Dead Police Story Music is a DIY anarcho label based in Ottawa, Canada, another malevolently-governed part of North America. To highlight the dirty pies that Canuckian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has his fingers in, DPS have released a benefit CD to raise awareness and funds for the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan and the Canada - Haiti Action Network.

30 bands from across the land of the loon have contributed a track each to the project. There's also a 60-page booklet covering a wide spectrum of political discourse accompanying the disc. At only $8 (that's Canadian not Yankee) including postage if you live in the country, and only a couple of dollars more if you don't, it won't break the bank balance. But it will give you a great collection of music and an education all in one handy package and the satisfaction of knowing that you're helping undermine everything that you hate.

I've just received a mailout asking me to promote a benefit CD, something I'm more than happy to do. It has been released to raise vital funds for a young man in Russia who was the victim of a brutal racist attack. Alem Assefa suffered serious brain injury after being beaten by boneheads for being black.

The good news is he is making a slow recovery. But the nature of his injuries mean that he is in need of expensive medical treatment, to ensure that he has the best chance of making as full a recovery as possible. Alem and his family are not rich by any means. But they have friends, good friends, who don't stand idly by when their mates are in need.

To this end, they have released the 'Planet Of Friends' compilation CD. Featuring 43 songs by 27 bands, this is a work of global unity and solidarity and a big 'FUCK YOU' to fascist scum. The CD is only $11 post paid in the US ($13 world). I've ordered my copy today. Please take a moment and try and do the same. Even if you can't afford $13, you can throw a couple of quid in the virtual bucket.

I've received the following via a friend from the A.N.S.W.E.R. coalition. If you can take any action whatsoever to support their aims, please do.

Dear Friend and Supporter of Justice,

Last week, the Bush Administration—which pretends to be fighting a “war on terrorism”—allowed the release from prison of the leading self-confessed terrorist in the Americas, Luis Posada Carriles. The release of Posada, wanted in Venezuela for organizing the bombing of a plane in 1976, which killed all 73 persons on board, has created a wave of outrage in Latin America and around the world. Quoting Bush’s hypocritical words back to him on April 19, the day of Posada’s release, a Cuban youth leader said, “If you harbor a terrorist, you are a terrorist.”

On May 11, 2007, Posada is scheduled to return to El Paso, Texas for a trial on minor immigration charges. The Bush “Justice” Department, headed by Alberto Gonzales, has refused to bring charges of terrorist activity—including murder—against Posada despite the existence of mountains of evidence against him. Bush and Gonzales have refused to extradite Posada to Venezuela, despite a legally binding extradition treaty that country has had with the United States for more than 80 years.

We, too, will be in El Paso on May 11. Together with people from across the Southwest and beyond, we will be there to demand justice for Posada’s victims and his extradition to Venezuela to stand trial for his horrific crimes. We are asking for your support in organizing a demonstration and press conference outside the courthouse in El Paso and in other cities across the country on that day. We must raise thousands of dollars to organize transportation to the El Paso demonstration, including for the families of victims of Posada’s murderous acts over the years. Their suffering has not ended and their voices must be heard.

The bombing of the Cubana Airlines plane on its way from Caracas to Havana, was far from Posada’s only terrorist act. In a 1998 New York Times interview, Posada admitted organizing and paying for a series of bombings of tourist hotels in Havana. One person, an Italian tourist named Livio Di Celmo, was killed and dozens wounded. In November 2000, Posada organized an assassination attempt against Cuban President Fidel Castro when he was visiting the University of Panama. The plan, which was thwarted by Cuban security services, called for blowing up—using 33 pounds of C-4 plastic explosives—a packed auditorium filled with 2,000 students while Castro was speaking. The death toll would have likely been in the hundreds. After a short prison term, Posada and his cohorts were pardoned by U.S.-dependent Panamanian president, Mireya Moscoso, on her last day in office.

At the same time Posada walks free, the Cuban Five—five men whose mission was to stop terrorist attacks emanating from Miami against their homeland—remain locked away, three of them serving life sentences in U.S. prisons. Nothing could highlight more clearly the injustice suffered by these five men than the release of the arch-terrorist Posada. The freeing of Posada is a declaration by the Bush administration of its intent to continue the 48-year undeclared war against the small neighboring country of Cuba.

We are appealing to you to join and support the campaign for justice on May 11 and beyond. Please click here to make a much needed donation today.

Yours for Justice,

Ramsey Clark, Gloria La Riva, Cynthia McKinney

To see the most recent list of May 11 protests, click on this link:

A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition

Email the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition
National Office in Washington DC: 202-544-3389
New York City: 212-694-8720
Los Angeles: 323-464-1636
San Francisco: 415-821-6545
Chicago: 773-463-0311
Seattle: 206-568-1661

Happy International Workers Day. In 1887, five anarchists were murdered by the American state for nothing more than helping workers to organise. Today marks the day when we celebrate their struggle. Their deaths will never be forgotten and remind us why we must never forgive. In the words of August Spies, one of the martyrs:

The time will come when our silence will be more powerful than the voices you strangle today.

So relax, fiddle your time sheet, skive, slack, phone in sick, throw a spanner in the works, stand together and reclaim your life. It's YOUR day, do what you can to remind yourself that, if we keep fighting, keep struggling, keep loving and raging, life could be like this every day.

Arise, ye workers from your slumber,
Arise, ye prisoners of want.
For reason in revolt now thunders,
and at last ends the age of cant!
Away with all your superstitions,
Servile masses, arise, arise!
We'll change henceforth the old tradition,
And spurn the dust to win the prize!
So comrades, come rally,
And the last fight let us face.
The Internationale,
Unites the human race.
So comrades, come rally,
And the last fight let us face.
The Internationale,
Unites the human race.

No more deluded by reaction,
On tyrants only we'll make war!
The soldiers too will take strike action,
They'll break ranks and fight no more!
And if those cannibals keep trying,
To sacrifice us to their pride,
They soon shall hear the bullets flying,
We'll shoot the generals on our own side.
So comrades, come rally,
And the last fight let us face.
The Internationale,
Unites the human race.
So comrades, come rally,
And the last fight let us face.
The Internationale,
Unites the human race.

No saviour from on high delivers,
No faith have we in prince or peer.
Our own right hand the chains must shiver,
Chains of hatred, greed and fear.
E'er the thieves will out with their booty,
And to all give a happier lot.
Each at his forge must do their duty,
And we'll strike the iron while it's hot.
So comrades, come rally,
And the last fight let us face.
The Internationale,
Unites the human race.
So comrades, come rally,
And the last fight let us face.
The Internationale,
Unites the human race.