THE RESTARTS (UK)
Street Punk from London
The Restarts, formed in 1995, are a tight three piece, multi-genre punk outfit based in East London. They play thrashy, anarcho, power chord punk laced with Ska breaks and pogo inducing basslines earning them a loyal following of punk lovers of all ages.
The Restarts have been hammering their way through the squats of Europe and DIY house shows across North America with reckless abandon. They lend amplification to unheard voices, playing benefit gigs for various social causes and keeping the DIY spirit of punk rock alive and well.
Their years of hard graft is recognised by them being requested to play along side such heavy weights as Steve Ignorant's Crass, Jello Biafra & GSM, Millions of Dead Cops, The Casualties, Star Fucking Hipsters and The Subhumans.
After several tours over Europe, the US, Canada, Australia and South Asia and over 9 releases the Restarts have found themselves playing a small part in a large world wide network of DIY Punk Rock. They are punks first, musicians second. They feel the social importance of Punk Rock takes priority over the "marketability" of a rehashed trend.
In 2019 they published a split 7" with the Subhumans and their new album "Uprising".
Reviews
Die RESTARTS spielen vor einem total vollen Saal. Kieran, der Sänger schreit seine wütenden Punktexte in die Menge. Die RESTARTS machen Punk mit klarer politischer Ansage weil: 'there are a lot of assholes out there'. Sie spielen immer noch so zornig, wie Anfang der 90er in den besetzten Häusern."
- Useless Fanzine, Live Review, Rebellion Festival 2012
Gewürzt mit einer ordentlichen Prise Streetpunk strotzen die Songs vor Rebellion und Aggression. Der Sound ist rau, grob, melodisch und sehr eingängig. RESTARTS sind weder müde noch leiser geworden... Diese Hoffnung ist Antrieb. RESTARTS geben mit diesem Album Mut, den eigenen Weg weiter zu gehen, und das ist mehr, als viele Bands heutzutage schaffen."
- Wahrschauer
"The Restarts first crawled out of the North London Squat scene nearly a decade ago. Serial dole scroungers the lot of them, they named their band after the dreaded 'back to work' interviews and set about touting their stroppy four-chord punk to spiky-haired audiences around the world. Yelling out barbed diatribes against the state over chunky metal guitars, they've slowly but surely clawed their way to the top of the underground pile."
- Terrorizer
"This is dance in the basement, spanner in the works, back porch drinking, bomb in the police station punk!!! I never knew Steve Ignorant had pregnancy-inducing sex with all of POISON IDEA, but this is some cute baby they had. Oh, also good people. They played at a house in West Oakland last month, and rocked us with energy and astounded us with their good manners!"
- Maximum Rock'n'Roll
"Abrasive yet catchy UK punk with raw vocals and plenty of chorus sing a longs. The razor blade throated lead vocalist give this plenty of raw edge while through most of it the music has a much more uplifting energy to it... Oddly enough, it seems rare to come across the bands that play straight forward old-style punk rock and so this is a refreshing cause they've been at it for like a decade. Cheers guys. Good catchy shit."
- Slug and lettuce
"I've seen them play many times in London and always rated them pretty highly as a live band but never really got to hear their stuff on record yet. Things have changed now as I got a copy of their latest album. It seems I've been missing out on something very big. This album is the dogs bollocks! This goes right into my top 20 albums of all time I reckon. 12 songs of punk rock how it should be played."
- London Punks.co.uk
"I caught the mighty RESTARTS at Brum punx picnic & they rocked the house down w/ their abrasive punk rock... Raging punk rock w/ honest social commentary shows that THE RESTARTS are one class act!... As usual THE RESTARTS win another battle of the bands."
- Punk shocker, Newcastle Fanzine
"With ex members of Coitus, Armed and Hammered, and Assrash UK, it was no surprise that the RESTARTS kick-ass!! All three members share the vocals and each deliver them powerfully... These guys plan to tour the US this summer!...I can't wait."
- Profane Existence
Upcoming shows
No shows booked at the moment.
Band
- Kieran – Bass, Vocals
- Robin – Guitar, Vocals
- Jeremy – Drums
Discography
- 2019 – Uprising, CD/LP, Pirates Press Records
- 2013 – A Sickness of Mind, CD/LP, No Label Records
- 2009 – Mobocracy, The Restarts/Zero Tolerance Split CD, No Label Records
- 2007 – Outsider CD, Dirty Faces Records
- 2004 – System Error LP, Active Distribution
- 2003 – Actively Seeking Work 1996-1998 LP, Active Distribution
- 2002 – Slumworld CD/LP, Active Distribution
- 1999 – Your World, The Restarts/Zero Tolerance split 7″, Magilla Guerilla Records
- 1998 – State Rape, The Restarts/Zero Tolerance split LP, Rejected Records
- 1998 – Legacy of Bigotry, The Restarts/Left For Dead split EP, Dead Records
- 1997 – Just Gets Worse EP, Blind Destruction Records
- 1997 – Frustration EP, Blind Destruction Records
- 1996 – Job Club Demo tape, self released
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CITIZEN FISH (UK)
Anarcho Punk / Ska
Since 1989 Citizen Fish has been touring the world: turning gatherings, benefits, and social gigs into an international never-ending weekend. They have created a blend of punk, ska, and straight up rock'n'roll that appeals to the sing-a-long music fans and even the "muso" musician types that typically dismiss punks as not being able to play their instruments.
But it's not so much the fact that these dudes are the most talented musicians in England, it's what they say and how they say it. In a fun loving, all inclusive way, Citizen Fish (and their previous outfits Culture Shock and the legendary Subhumans) have brought working class radical politics to generations of questioning minds. Leaving aside the typical screaming rants of boring political punk bands, the Fish offer a hopeful, danceable alternative.
Whereas other bands have fans, admirers, and flavor-of-the-month teenyboppers hoarding to their concerts, Citizen Fish have established an open and always growing family. The idealistic unifying tone of Dick's lyrics, coupled with the catchy driving riffs of the band, allow the Fish to appeal to a wide variety of folks.
Familiar dancing faces in every town, beers and vegetarian meals, and local activists filling the gig halls with information, ideas, and inspiration for positive change is what Citizen Fish are all about.
Reviews
"Its scary how much a sound this rare and aged can suddenly be dragged kicking and screaming into modern relevance.
CITIZEN FISH are a wonder of nature, they should not be able to inspire these feelings, being as they are 'just a punk band...'"
- Subba-Cultcha.com
"There is nothing diluted about Citizen Fish’s musically delivery – As expected of a band with such an extensive history they have got better with age; the Fish now deliver some of the finest ska-punk around, each separate ingredient would in its own right be regarded as exemplary – the blending of full on hardcore with jaunty brass-fuelled ska is joyous; the brass is warm, subtle even, it doesn’t, like many other ska releases overpower the music – this at times is even soulful!"
- LouderThanWar.com
"Referenzklasse in diesem Sektor sind und bleiben OPERATION IVY und CITIZEN FISH, und die simple Regel ist: Mach es mit deiner Band so gut wie die – oder lass es bleiben... 'Goods' ist das achte Album der 1989/90 gegründeten Band, deren markanten Frontmann Dick Lucas man vorher schon bei SUBHUMANS und CULTURE SHOCK singen hören konnte. Die klassische Schlagzeug-Gitarre-Bass-Besetzung wird um Posaune und Trompete ergänzt, der Offbeat ist immer wieder, aber nicht konstant zu hören, die Wechsel zu treibenden Punk-Parts sind sehr geschmeidig, und die Bläserparts sitzen perfekt... Die große Stärke von allen Bands, denen Dick Lucas seine Stimme verlieh, waren schon immer die Texte, und das ist hier nicht anders. Keine wohlfeilen Plattitüden, sondern smarte, politische Analysen, das zielgerichtete Hinterfragen von (Fehl-)Entwicklungen in der Szene wie der Gesellschaft allgemein"
- Ox fanzine
"As a whole, this album fucking rules. I didn’t expect anything less from these dudes, as most things they’ve released have been SKAtastically entertaining."
- PunkWorldNews.com
"Their set was energetic, skilfully imposing with its Ska rhythms, jabbing beat and suitably refreshing lyrics. Led by Dick Lucas, the band turned back time, beyond their early 1990 humble beginnings, to the late 1970’s, early 80’s message of non-conformity and free thinking acceptance. The post-punk phase may be all but consigned to certain bands, which regretfully don’t get the air play they deserve, however this fusion of Ska/punk/rock was very well received and immensely enjoyable... The tracks were pulsating and intense and Dick Lucas bounced and weaved throughout it all. Songs such as Habit, Back to Square One, the brilliantly observed HD Riot and Human Conditioner were simply excellent."
- Liverpool Sound and Vision
"As with his other band the Subhumans, Lucas adds political rants and social commentary into Citizen Fish at every opportunity – often blaming the introduction of television as the result in the decline of human development, however whereby the awesome Subhumans are a straight to the point punk outfit Citizen Fish are more uplifting with their horn section and ska-influences making you feel the need to dance along as they blasted through songs drawn heavily from their 2011 release “Goods” as well as earlier recordings. The venue at around one hundred capacity was rammed and although it was stupidly hot the condensation dripping off the walls added to the atmosphere, after all this was good old fashioned ska-punk at its finest and Citizen Fish had the crowd literally bouncing as you felt the floor vibrate underneath."
- Mr Teeth Reviews
P.R.O.B.L.E.M.S. (US)
Garage / Punk Rock
"The members of this group are or have been in Defiance, Dead Moon, Resist, Detestation, Pierced Arrows, Severed Head Of State... and about every band to ever come from Portland, but you shouldn't pick up this rad little two-song picture disc because of what these folks have done in the past. P.R.O.B.L.E.M.S. stands on it's own merits. The band plays well crafted hardcore punk with a fast and dirty rock'n'roll swagger." - Maximum Rock'n'Roll
The P.R.O.B.L.E.M.S. from Portland, Oregon are a 5 piece Rock’n’Roll/Punkasfuck/Hardcore Monster which consists of several punkrock veterans out of Portland. Members have managed to do some mischief in bands like Pierced Arrows, Defiance, Detestation, or current bands like Don’t and Hellshock. That should give you a general idea of what this band is all about. Powerful Punk’n’Roll with sleazy guitars, a tight rhythm section and a frantic singer with just the right amount of snottines.
After several tours in the US, Europe and Mexico and a handful of vinyl and cd releases, they made a name for themselves as a prominent presence not only in Portland's thriving Punk/Garage Rock/Underground music scene.
After nearly 80 European shows in 2015 and 2016 the P.R.O.B.L.E.M.S. will come back to Europe in fall 2017 with a new singer, their new single “Enemy Spy” and the brand new LP "Doomtown Shakes"!
Reviews
"Featuring Kelly Halliburton - drummer of the post *DEAD MOON* PIERCED ARROWS -on bass and original POISON IDEA drummer Dean Johnson, this is a powerful blast of Rock'n'Roll fury that few bands actually achieve... If, to paraphrase THE JACK SAINTS, Rock'n'Roll saved your life but is now trying to kill you, or if you just simply love the jet-fuel-infused sounds of THE NEW BOMB TURKS, THE HELLACOPTERS, or Ass-Cobra-era TURBONEGRO, not to mention the aforementioned CANDY SNATCHERS, JACK SAINTS and MOTORHEAD, you're gonna need this 7" right now, this second, chop chop, what are you waiting for?... PS - I've just played this 7" over and over about 20 times while writing this and I’m not sick of it yet. That's good music."
- The Big Takeover Magazine
"So the members of this group have been in PIERCED ARROWS, POISON IDEA, RESIST, DEFIANCE, DETESTATION, SEVERED HEAD OF STATE, and about every band to ever come from Portland, but you shouldn't pick up this rad little two-song picture disc because of what these folks have done in the past. P.R.O.B.L.E.M.S. stands on it's own merits. The band plays well crafted hardcore punk with a fast and dirty rock'n'roll swagger. I'm pretty sure this band has only released two other EP's of the same format in limited quantities, so you may have to fight some collector douche bag for a copy, but it is worth it."
- Maximum Rock'n'Roll
"This is P.R.O.B.L.E.M.S.' fourth EP. It is non-stop barreling punk like the shit that the bands that they played in prior did. Punk oozes out of this single in that fast dirty rock'n'roll sound that bands like the HELLACOPTERS perfected. But the subject matter comes from lived experience: 'Why do I sit around in the cold, cold rain?' has to be about Portland. These are the things I know is pretty obvious. NEW BOMB TURKS meets TURBONEGRO. And limited pressing, self-released, clear see-through vinyl and you have a record that is going to be a collectors' item by next month."
- Equalizing Distort
"If the standard for overdrive is: MANOWAR plays on 10, MOTORHEAD kills yer lawn when they move in next door, and SPINAL TAP plays on 11, then this record was recorded at 30 or 40. I think Stan Wright's Buzz Or Howl studio was probably reduced to a smoking pile of rubble in the ground, declared 'toxic' by uniformed federal employees after P.R.O.B.L.E.M.S.'s Apr 2011 session for this album... There's just 9 songs, but there only NEEDS to be 9 songs on this record. This is a set I'd like to see this band do, in this order."
- Sonic Recollections Records
"Wundervoll: Diese 7" kommt so retro daher, dass mir das beinahe Tränen in die Augen treibt: Plastiktüte, darin ein mittig gefaltetes, kopiertes Stück Papier, darin die Single. So werden Punkrock-Singles seit 2000 Jahren gemacht, so muss das sein – wer braucht da irgendwelchen Digitalschrott? Limitiert auf 300 Stück, und fuck, das ist das Traurige an der heutigen Zeit: Früher hatten solche kleinen Meisterwerke die zehnfache Auflage – und heute finden sich weltweit gerade noch 300 Leute, die so einen exzellenten Geschmack teilen? So was macht mir Angst ... Tombstone, das ist das DEAD MOON-Label, entsprechend sind die Aufnahmen hier auch 'nur' mono, gemastert hat Fred Cole selbst, und die fünf Männer, die sich P.R.O.B.L.E.M.S. nennen, spielten auch schon bei solch Portland-Autoritäten wie POISON IDEA, PIERCED ARROWS, BURNING LEATHER und RESIST. Entsprechend klingt es dann auch: dreckiger Hardcore-Punk mit der Intensität eines aufgescheuchten Wespennestes, dem man seine Gene klar anhört."
- Ox fanzine
"Geboten wurde schneller, rauer Punk-Rock, der allerdings über jenes gewisse Etwas verfügte, das auch Bands wie ZEKE, ELECTRIC FRANKENSTEIN, die frühen NEW BOMB TURKS oder NINE POUND HAMMER ausmacht und keinen der Besucher unberührt ließ."
- Rockstage-Riot-RheinMain.de
"WOW!! Mal wieder eine All-Star Band aus Portland und vor allem endlich mal eine, die die großen Namen nicht braucht, sondern durch Qualität überzeugt! Nach einigen beachtenswerten EP´s ist das hier die erste LP der Problems. Deren Mitglieder sind bzw. waren unter anderem bei 'Pierced Arrows', 'Poison Idea', 'Resist', 'Defiance', 'Detestation' und 'Severed Head of state' aktiv, unter anderem ist hier Tausendsassa Kelly am Start. Ganz wunderbarer Sound an der Schnittstelle zwischen Punkrock und Hardcore, Killermelodien, super Schlagzeug, sehr geiler und packender Gesang, hier stimmt einfach alles und die Platte ist eine Granate!"
- Twisted Chords
"Laut aufgedreht ein echtes Fest... Offensichtlich auf dem DEAD MOON-eigenen Label erschienen, limitiert auf 300 Exemplare."
- Plastic Bomb, (Gotta Get Away From You 7“)
IDESTROY (UK)
Punk Rock
Since bursting on the scene in 2016 with their debut EP "Vanity Loves Me" IDestroy have seen their infectious brand of punk rock grow from sweaty DIY hometown shows in Bristol, to packed out venues across the UK and Europe.
Their first show outside of their hometown was at Anfi Rock Sound Festival, Spain. They were invited back a year later to perform on the main stage.
Their latest EP release "Pure Joy of Life" has seen them receive bucket loads of support from the likes of Kerrang! & BBC Introducing. Their music video for lead single "Lemons" premiered at Team Rock, whilst Louder Than War claimed “’Lemons’ would be a Top Ten chart-smash in a parallel universe where the Internet Never Happened.”
The trio recently played a two week UK tour as main support for steam punk legends "The Men That Will not Be Blamed For Nothing" before heading off to Germany for a two week headline tour of their own.
It’s no secret that IDestroy love to play live and throw every last drop of energy into doing so. In their short time together they have nearly 200 gigs under their belt. From big stages such as Bristol Pride and Rebellion Festival to acoustic sessions for BBC introducing, Sofar Sounds and Glastonbury Festival, proving there’s not a single thing that can faze them.
IDestroy are now working on their debut album, set for release in 2019. It guarantees to be a hell of a lot of fun and most importantly, loud!
Reviews
"IDestroy really have delivered the goods with their second EP, an explosion of riotous energy that makes you want to get up and throw something, or possibly yourself, across the room."
- Kerrang! Magazine
“Pure Joy of Life should propel them into the next level - radio, TV, festivals and stardom.”
- Louder Than War
"They’re fun, and angry, and angry, and fun, and loud and raucous."
- Freq Magazine
“Punk has never been delivered in quite the way IDestroy do it, it's great to hear old influences and inspirations being taken to fresh new places. I thoroughly enjoyed this party with their punk.”
- MetalTalk