Anarchy Rating

All reviews are scored out of a total of five Anarchy symbol's. A score of three is given to something that is a typical example of its style with nothing too outstanding or bad about it.

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Safe European Home

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 […]

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Do-It-Yourself Takeaway

I’m a curry-holic. Curries are cheap, tasty, comforting and, made properly, some of the most nutritious food known to vegankind. Over the years I’ve learned how to make some pretty good dishes. Nowadays I feel confident enough with spices to generally not use cookbook recipes as anything more than a starting point. These two recipes are quick and easy enough for anyone to have a go at. There may be quite a few different spices included but you can substitute pretty much whatever you have to hand if you’re adventurous […]

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Excess All Areas

I like to fool myself into believing that I’ve got my finger on the pulse, sonically speaking. But, to be honest, underneath it all I’m aware of just how much self-deception is going on. The fact of the matter is that there are simply too many bands making too many good tunes (and a lot more making shit ones) for any human to keep up with (although the chimps might have a better chance). However, that doesn’t stop me getting a buzz the first time I come across a mob […]

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Hot Off The Presses

Just a quickie…Punk Torrents will be open for registration from sometime around teatime today until Sunday eve. It’s free, it’s friendly and it’s full of moist musical morsels.

And thanks to Burke for this email:

I just wanted to say thanks for posting this Culture Shock LP. I havent heard this in probably 12 years but has always been a record that I’ve been very fond of, although I unfortunately never owned it nor did I ever find it to buy.

Anyway, just wanted to drop you a note to […]

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A Bit Of Housekeeping

Over the next few days (or, more likely, months), I intend to take front and back photos of the covers of all of my albums and singles uploaded here. I’m also going to take one of the label, whichever side is more interesting. Then I’m going to edit and resize the cover pics so that they’ll fit in a standard CD case, and the label so it will fit on a CD label. Then I’ll zip and upload them somewhere convenient. Which means that you’ll soon be able to download […]

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Won’t Somebody Please Think Of The Children?!

On a slightly-different-but-still-related tack to the post directly below, we had another international sports-and-socialising tournament over the August bank holiday earlier this year to celebrate our club’s 15th birthday. Over a thousand people turned up for a weekend of ball-related madness, musical shenanigans and the freak show known as ‘Shame Academy’.

My personal responsibility this time round was to get a team of young(ish) Lithuanians that I’d stumbled across over here. The total cost to bring 15 of ’em to Devon from Vilnius was about £1500 so, armed with my […]

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(Sub)human Evolution

Internal Riot cover

Subhumans – Internal Riot
Bluurg Records

More than twenty years on from their last studio release, the boys from Wessex have at last managed to drag their arses from the primordial punk slime to give us what we’ve all been waiting for. This record is, without doubt, their finest release to date. It’s like they’ve dissected everything that’s gone before, removed anything surplus to requirements and spliced the remaining material together again, capturing […]

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Smoky Cider Casserole

A recipe perfect for the winter months (with a small glass of cider into the bargain). Serves 3-4 depending on how hungry you are.

  • 1 block (approx 200g) smoked tofu, cubed and marinated in shoyu or tamari for a few hours
  • 250ml dry cider (I’d recommend Westons Strong Organic Cider)
  • 1 tin (approx 400g) tomatoes, liquidised
  • 1 tin (approx 400g) baked beans
  • 2 medium onions (red if available), halved and thickly sliced lengthways
  • 2 medium carrots, thickly sliced
  • 4 sticks celery, thickly sliced
  • 4 medium potatoes, quartered
  • 200g mushrooms, […]

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Try Before You Buy

Reviews of music here at OPND will now include a free downloadable track from the release, so that you can get a feel for the flavour of the whole thing. I’ll do my best to select a track that sums up the overall vibe (if that’s possible), notwithstanding my own subjectivity. If you like the noise, just follow the link and buy the record 🙂

I’ve added tracks to all of the reviews I’ve done to date, so just click on ‘Reviews – Noise’ in the column on the left […]

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Foxy Has Left The Building

I read this today:

PAUL FOX OF THE RUTS DIES AGED 56

Legendary guitarist, Paul Fox, died at home in Uxbridge at 3AM this morning.

Over the years Paul has performed and recorded with many of the worlds greatest musicians but he will mainly be remembered for his revolutionary punk/dub reggae fusion guitar playing with influential punk band The Ruts.

Paul had been in semi retirement for several years but went back out on the road again in 2006 playing the Ruts music with Foxys Ruts which featured his […]

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