Author: shaun tenzenmen
You make a mess then you leave
Look After Yourself – 29th January 1993
Carefully watch each step you take
This could be the last mistake you make
Look after yourself as you walk away
You may not be welcome back someday
Grass Greener – 23rd January 1993
It’s clear this town isn’t mine
I’ve been feeling it for a while
Every corner holds an angry face
Every friend, a sarcastic smile
So, I’m leaving this black hole town
That’s no good for my soul to play in
And I’ll find grass greener yonder
That’s where I’m intending laying
15th Sep 2024 – It seems in my mind that I already knew I needed to move on.
Patient Man – 14th January 1993
Just waiting at my window
Looking for that sign
That tiny bit of inspiration
Waiting to be mine
Off I fly at new tangents
New perspectives and ideas
A flurry of activity
Fighting back my fears
Rave The Whale – 13th January 1993
Past caring, passed caring
Eyes popping, flashing lights
Ecstasy takes you away
Passing on future nights
Save the world, someone
Before there’s nothing left to save
Stop the music, please
Educate the rave
8th Sep 2024 – As the alternative to the alternative, punks turned into ravers and the passionate resistance to the ills of society was forgotten for the bliss of entertainment. I hated it.
Butterfly From Caterpillar – 7th January 1993
Your ambition is to own a house
Mine is to walk on my hands
Your ambition is to own a car
While I’m still practising handstands
Your ambition is for home appliances
Mine is to say hello to everyone
Your ambition is a pension fund
Mine is to fly right ’round the sun
Your ambition is….
7th Sep 2024 – Highlighting differences between my friend’s and my thinking at this time. My eyes were still wide with joy for the world and I sooner or later found my way to having a house, car, appliances and a pension anyway. I never actually made it to be able to walk on my hands though. But that wasn’t the point, really.

Lovely Noise – 4th January 1993
From where did that noise emanate
I want to hear the scratch and scrape
Smashing, hissing, piercing screech
Screaming out to breach the peace
That lovely lovely noisy sound
A brand new love I’ve found
7th Sep 2024 – I had become immersed in noise recordings after checking out Boredoms and Ruins and delving deeper into the Japanese Noise scene. This led me to some interesting places and also my very own limited edition release noise LP and the introduction of the name tenzenmen.
Maple Syrup – 29th December 1992
Tried it on a recommendation
Waited in anticipation
Hands trembling in trepidation
Waiting for the taste sensation
A maple syrup investigation
7th Sep 2024 – It seems a little odd to me that I would have been 25 years old before trying maple syrup but those were different and simpler times.
Coarse and gutteral one syllable Anglo-Saxon with Mr Cynical – 25th December 1992
I picked up that excuse for toilet paper S.T.E. Bulletin, the other day + was so fuckin’ furious that I wrote to the bastards and they, being the nice boys that they are (P-fucking-C + you know what that stands for don’t you, Pig Conspiracy), wanted me to contribute a column. Guess I must’ve impressed with my charm.
First off, that fucking Danny Zuko, get a fuckin’ life you miserable fuckin’ fuckwit. The last place you want to go to meet or make friends is at a fuckin’ gig. They’re all nicey-nicey boys these days. Not like the good old days of ’82, when punks knew what punk meant + that was Anarchy, Chaos + Fags. Those fuckers these days spike their hair with hair gel – we used to just grab hold of some live wires, ‘cos it was cheaper + not supporting some fascist company like Boots.
I hope Danny, for your sake, you’re not one of these long hair types, ‘cos if you are + I see you at the next gig, I’m gonna cut all your fuckin’ hair off + set light to it, like that fuckin’ hippie Hendrix set light to his guitar. I fuckin’ cannot stand all this rehashed 60’s hippie shit. about peace + love. I bet you take drugs too? We just used to bang our heads on the pavement ’til we were senseless. It was cheaper + we knew we weren’t contributing to the destruction of the rainforests.
In fact, I don’t think you should bother going to any gigs at all, you’re such a sad bastard, that it would be a good idea if we all just forgot about you altogether, whoever you are:
The gigs I’ve been to lately have been so shit. Badly organised + badly run but I come to them more + more, ‘cos I like to laugh at those so-called ‘scenesters’, who think everything’s great + just wonderful in their own little world. Fuck that.
The only good thing that came out at one gig, was the shit I had in the toilets there before I went home. Who is that Selina thing? Jeez, another long-haired type I notice. Typical.
I bet both Rich + Rob (from their articles) have long hair too (or know someone with long hair). Judging by what they wrote, they sound like a bunch of hippy girls, who’ve never had a decent shag in their lives (unlike some of us).
That Rob was nearly right with some of the things he said but then said that things weren’t gloomy in the future! Oh yes, they fuckin’ are mate + I’m probably the most optimistic person you’re ever likely to meet. Things are so shit that I’m not going to even bother writing anything else but like my favourite actor said – I’LL BE BACK!
25th Jan 2024 – Reading this today cracks me up. Danny Zuko was Steve Burgess’ pseudonym and of course, I loved dearly everyone I mentioned here. Mr Cynical was an easily exploitable stereotype that I don’t think I could quite capture again these days.
Sickie – 19th December 1992
Out on the piss, late-night disco dancing
Mixing drinks with handstand performances
Making love and falling into dreams
We’ll just see what the morning brings
4th Sep 2024 – A true story, no doubt.

