Artist: Tottenham AK 47's
Title: Don't Call Me Vanilla
Source: Vinyl 12" LP
Bitrate: V0 VBR
Running time (h:m:s): 00:40:29
Size (mb): 82.5
Label: Rugger Bugger Discs (defunct)
Year: 1991
Notes: 1100 copies pressed. Tracks 6-8 should be played / burnt without gaps.
1. Downward Spiral
2. Bastard Restart
3. One Hand
4. Spirit Of Resistance
5. Tiochfaidh Ar La
6. Chillin'
7. God's Man
8. Cop Cars
9. Tottenham Three
1991 was a vintage year. Only a few months before, the whole country and its nan had decided that the Poll Tax was going to be consigned to the dustbin of history, and with it the witch of Downing Street. The year started in jubilant mood, but it was clear that the struggle was far from finished. Having learnt a hard lesson in taking us all on at once, the bosses didn't like our new-found spirit of defiance one bit. The ruling class kept up their attacks on the working class but focused their hatred on a few more easily isolated groups, where they could use their media to demonise and stigmatise – the people of Ireland, the young, the unemployed, the free party ravers and football fans alike were all targets. And the statist left didn't know what to do with our anger except deludingly demand that we voted for another set of bosses who would continue the state's attacks against us.
In such an environment, the Tottenham AK 47's righteous anger found a welcoming embrace in the arms of the underground. Heavy dub-influenced basslines, woven together with intricate guitar work and punctuated with the unexpected sounds of tin whistle, flute and harmonica, provided a fresh framework for their revolutionary attitude. The lyrics were dripping with venom and, despite (or perhaps because of) their apparent simplicity, banged the point home in no uncertain terms. The Poll Tax, the dole office jobsworths, the cops and the middle class SWP losers all tasted their uncensored working class wrath, nicely summed up by the lines 'Don't trust the middle classes, the vicars and priests and left-wing parties…Cop car gets turned right over, community leader tries to calm things down, which side are you on, boy, which side are you on?' from 'Cop Cars'.
Although they only managed to put out this one piece of plastic in their short but inspirational lifetime, it's a piece that's left its mark. As the UK headed towards another summer of urban prole olympics, the AK 47's provided a soundtrack with sage advice. Nearly 20 years later, the times and the specific issues may have changed but the class war rages on, and this record still manages to hit the spot and fan the flames.
OP's opinion: @@@@@
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Good stuff, thank you!
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Glad you're enjoying it
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grrrreat stuff!!
thanx!
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thanks for posting this, i was the ak47s guitarist and unfortunately haven't had a copy of this album for years, now i have and thank you so much, also thanks for putting your time and effort into this site, pure gold!
although that time was very austere, it was also an historic time for anyone involved in the subculture of the day to live through, thanks also for your album write up, it hits the nail on the head!
any ak47s info etc. i can help you with, don't hesitate to e-mail. cheers, tim
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Blimey! I've hooked a genuine rock star
I'm glad I could help you out mate, this record is an absolute gem, one of the ones that I'd definitely grab and save should my house catch on fire (truth be told, I'd probably be stupid enough to try and save the lot – with the possible exception of Celtic Frost's 'Into The Pandemonium', although even that has its moments – by throwing them out of the window before my char-grilled self).
I've just checked out your Myspace page, didn't realise that you'd gone on to be part of such auspicious bands, and I really like the Squid58 sound too. Good summer dancin' tunes
If you're ever passing through Bristol or thereabouts, I'll come and say hello.
If you can be arsed doing a brief 'History Of The AK 47's' (akwiki
) for this site, I'm sure I'm not the only one who'd like to read it – how you got together, the motivation for what you did, good (& bad?) times, where are they now, that kind of thing. Or something completely different, whatever you feel like.
Cheers for the comment, and for the good times.
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Great record, one of my favourites, an unknown gem I found flicking through a mate's collection thinking "I wonder what this sounds like?". I have played it repeatedly, over and over again – that perfect mix of punk and politics. Not too little to be irrelevant, not too much to lose the fun.
I have a live recording circa Irish Centre 1990 with a couple of unreleased tracks. Would like to read a history too.
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cheers for that, i'd be more than happy to do a brief history or answer any questions, what is the best way to do it? as comments here, or as a seperate thing? you are more than welcome to e-mail me.
Bob, the live recording you have is a cassette we put out as a benefit for "tottenham against the poll tax"
we shoplifted the tapes from woolworths, there were only possibly 50 as there are only so many cassettes you can nick! it is a shockingly ropey recording, but interesting none the less.
we used to do a song called "blow it up" which had a generally anti McDonalds/multinational theme, after the tottenham irish centre gig (where this tape was partially recorded) an angry mob did McDonalds in tottenham high road and we were accused of incitement. the rest of the tape was recorded at the peckham dole house.
cheers for your comments,
Tim
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Thanks for this post. These guys are really talented. I especially like Tiochfaidh Ar La. Are they still together and have they crossed over the pond for gigs?
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Hi Nihil
Thanks for the comment – you're right, they are really talented. Unfortunately the band were only around for a short time in the 90's and never made it outside of the UK as far as I know.
Tim is going to send me a biog of the band, so keep your eyes open for it when it appears.
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