*End Of Year List 1983 – 31st December 1983

Singles of 83
Conflict – To A Nation Of Animal Lovers
Conflict – The Serenade Is Dead

All-Time Single
Theatre of Hate – Legion/Original Sin

LPs of 83
MDC – Millions of Dead Cops
VA – Son of Oi!
Kraut – An Adjustment To Society
Black Flag – Everything Went Black
VA – Rat Music For Rat People

All-Time LP
Black Flag – Damaged

Tracks of 83
MDC – American Achievements
Newtown Neurotics/Attila – Mindless Violence/Andy’s A Corporatist
Red Alert – Industrial Slide
Social Distortion – Moral Threat
Conflict – Berkshire Cunt

All-Time Track
Theatre of Hate – Legion

Gigs of 83
Subhumans/Self Abuse/Parasites – 11th June
Endangered Species/Paradox – 12th June
Butcher/Confessions of Sin/Admass/Shock To The System/Self Abuse – 18th June
Cult Maniax/Screaming Dead/Butcher/Self Abuse – 26th Nov

*The Week That Was – 25th December 1983

25th December 1983
Well, it’s Christmas. The cat slept with me. Forgot to make my mum a cup of tea – was so tired as I didn’t get to sleep til 2.
Had 2 and a half bottles of Merrydown so was very merry all day.
Zoe called me and talked for one and a half hours.
Cat slept with me again.
Social Distortion – Mommy’s Little Monster
Minor Threat – Out of Step
MDC – Multi Death Corporations
Menstrual Cycles – Skin/Punx

26th December 1983
See next diary

28th December 1983
Carrie’s on

Forward Engagements
6th January 1984 – Subhumans/Self Abuse/(maybe us)

SATAN’S CHILDREN SONGS
Lyrics:
BE DAMNED
DECAY
ENTER THE PIT
POLYTECHNIC SONG
IT DOESN’T MATTER HOW MANY REAGANS YOU SHOOT
YOU”RE THE DEVIL NOW
DOGSHIT DANGER
GAS MASK DANCE
BAUHAUS
SATAN’S CHILDREN
ABBATOIRS
GOD AND LIGHT
DICKHEADS ANONYMOUS
DULCE ET DECORUM EST
HALLSBALLS

Music and Lyrics:
DOCTOR MARTEN BOOTS
POLYTECHNIC SONG
LOUIE LOUIE
SATAN’S CHILDREN
ABBATOIRS

Practices: 1

21 Dec 1983
Jan 83 – Simon sacked from Species
Jun 83 – Species split
Me, Justin, Simon got together and the idea born – Violent Rubbish
Justin’s friend Paul Reid said he may be interested in playing guitar
Aug 83 – Justin, Simon, Paul and Rick had a practice while I was on holiday.
Sep 83 – Kenty persuaded Paul to leave
2nd Butcher gig at Capones – got Andy to be our guitarist
Oct 83 – Had a practice at Herbert Carter
Nov 83 – Tried to play at Cult Maniax gig – Andy had diabetes attack – changed name to Satan’s Children
Dec 83 – Gig planned with Subhumans and Self Abuse – Jan
Cliff may be joining

*The Week That Was – 18th December 1983

Record of the week: Crucifix – Dehumanization, Kraut – An Adjustment To Society

18th December 1983
Pissed off with Justin cos we should’ve had a practice
Got pretty bored instead

19th December 1983
Started off bad – ended up alright – nothing special

20th December 1983
Found out Disorder is not on – bloody typical – depressed.
Watched Rollerball – pretty violent, pretty crap

21st December 1983
Finish school – thank god
Go to see Disorder, Amebix, Admass, Manic, Dead Popstars
Silly day at school – bit of a laugh
Watching the Fog tonight – not James Herbert – good fucking film

22nd December 1983
Records came thru’ post – can’t see them tho’ until Christmas (looked at them tho’ haha)
Got letter from Zoe
Not a bad day but nothing special
Carol singers came round so I put on Chaos UK

23rd December 2023
Finished reading ‘The Book of Shadows’
Got to clean the yard – ‘my contribution to Christmas’ – Grandad
Started reading ‘The Fog’
Listening to Kraut all day

24th December 2023
Intend to get pissed in Poole – did slightly
Nearly got in a fight – all the trendy nouveau wankers were enjoying themselves.
Had a chat with the blokes in Our Price.
May this be my last Christmas.

Just a matter of time, how when and where – 17th December 1983

Me and Thoms pissed around in Poole
‘The Devil Rides Out’ was on – ok
Crucifix – Dehumanization
Apostles – Rising From The Ashes

10th Mar 2023 – Thoms! Who was he? I’ll ask Rupert. I think he will remember. ‘pissed around’ – not exactly detailed but in my mind this phrase indicates that it was some kind of useless fun.
Reading the plot online of The Devil Rides Out doesn’t trigger any memories either. Sometimes I consider rewatching some of these old movies I used to enjoy but the pleasure is not so much in the movie but the nostalgia it brings. There are not many movies that really stand the test of time. Entertainment has no depth.
I was thinking about the Apostles and Six Minute War the other day because I was playing guitar and understanding that I will never be a great player but back in the early 80s bands like those mentioned were terrible players too. Maybe not players but their ideas (probably limited by skills) were dull and boring. But that was the essence of punk rock – anyone can do it and they did. That doesn’t necessarily mean it stands the test of time except, as above about movies, it is just for nostalgia.

Cult Maniax, Screaming Dead, Butcher, Self Abuse – Capones, Bournemouth – 26th November 1983

The Cult Maniax bass player was so drunk he had to play slumped in his chair, often also with his girlfriend on his lap. A dedication to alcohol, that was a key part of the UK punk scene at the time.

I found Butcher a little bit one-dimensional after a while but loved Self Abuse. Shock To The System were my favourites though. They just had something a little special that separated them from the rest. I was soon to make friends with them.

These flyer photos were posted by Rut to a concert website

The Week That Was – 15th May 1983

ON AND OFF WEEK

Record of the week: Conflict LP, Flex Your Head LP, Minutemen

20th May 1983
Fuckin almost dying for the weekend
at last !?

7th Mar 2023 – There are no more entries until the 17th of December. I think the Conflict LP was It’s Time To See Who’s Who and the Minutemen record would have been The Bean Spill EP, with this fantastic centre label (below).