*Over The Top And Six Foot Under – 21st January 1985

Wild child, well out of order
People couldn’t afford her
Over the top, loaded to the hilt
She destroyed everything you built
Built you up, pushed you down
No one pushed her around
Wild child met her maker
Paid a visit to the undertaker


The Week That Was

Record of the week: Wasted Youth – Gone Midnight, Flux of Pink Indians – The Fucking Cunts Treat Us Like Pricks

21st January 1985
M: Took me ages to get to work. Chain kept coming off. Rung 3 Cross, get a service on Wednesday. Morning passed pretty quickly.
A: Afternoon passed pretty quickly too. Went long way home. Should be going to Ferndown with Dandy and Vicky. Hope Dandy gets the message.
E: Went to Ferndown. Bought some fags but left them at the Sports Centre. Saw Eric Coombes who is doing ok after his accident on Friday.
7

22nd January 1985
M: Couldn’t go in on bike so mum had to take me in. Got very pissed off after only a while. Feel like crying.
A: Afternoon got a little better but not much. It’s been a bad day all round.
E: Even the evening. Went to Shirl’s, talked with Dandy, Beki and Shirl. I don’t think Dandy wants to get the message.
3

23rd January 1985
M: Got bus to Wimborne. Got bus to Poole. Went to college. Wasn’t too bad. Went to Sloop at lunchtime and beat some bloke at pool.
A: Mr Andrews – our YTS bloke – was in college so me and Ian gave him shit. Saw Wayne on bus back – had a laugh.
E: Went down Youth Club. Played free pool all night. Fell asleep.
7

24th January 1985
M: Didn’t get up til 8. Feeling really tired. Had a laugh unloading fibreglass over in the yard. Martin (?) went to hospital about his arm.
A: Didn’t do much this afternoon – I want to move around departments. Janeen’s back and on a fucking full wage.
E: Went to Matt’s because I thought Dandy would be there. Had a laugh on his synth.
6

25th January 1985
M: Feeling pretty good today. Ian’s got an interview in Southampton. Doing lots of work. Bought a donkey jacket.
A: Didn’t do much again this afternoon – we’re just too good. Went for job interview at J.T. Lowe’s. Came home.
E: Went to Y.C. Fixed the pool table so we could get it free. Eraserhead tonight.
8

26th January 1985
M: Went to town. Got bus to Poole. Went to snooker club with Scott and Bennett. Scott’s friend Richard came along. Played a bit of snooker.
A: Went back to Richard’s in the back of his van and he’s a mental driver. Took a trials bike to the heath. I went on the back which was fucking excellent. Walked back to Wimborne.
E: Toni took me down Bournemouth. Gig was shit. Left with Paul and others. Went to nightclub where Bernice was. Got lift back.
8

27th January 1985
M: Got up at 10. Couldn’t piss around at Matt’s cos it’s Sunday. Came back, got bored. Rung Dandy who said she didn’t want to go see Frankie.
A: Cancelled tickets for Frankie. Pissed around on drums. Took dog. Stayed in and got cheesed off. Thinking about last night. Punk sucks.
E: Had a bath.
4

*The Week That Was – 29th October 1984

Record of the week: MDC – Chicken Squawk 7″

31st October 1984
Start work Monday. Pissed off with people thinking they’re hard by drinking.

1st November 1984
Went to London with Paul, Alex and Charlie. Youth Brigade were stuck in Poland. Got MDC and MRRs.

2nd November 1984
Don’t want to do Youth Club anymore. See Wednesday.

3rd November 1984
Jasper did fireworks.

4th November 1984
Lost Cherrees was today. Went down but didn’t go in cos it cost too much.

*The Week That Was – 8th October 1984

Record of the week: Black Flag – Keep It In The Family 12″

12th October 1984
Hinton Martell Youth Club. Murray and Graeme went down as well as B + B.

13th October 1984
Bennett came round. Gave me £10 to get fireworks. But I spent it. Bought Cult Maniax LP, UK Decay 7″, KUKL LP, Black Flag 12″

14th October 1984
Went to Wareham. Got my records back off Paul. He might come round next Saturday.

*The Week That Was – 1st October 1984

Record of the week: Conflict (live)

1st October 1984
No word from Jeremy at all. Walked into town and got school bus back. Had a game of Spotlight. Dandy came down. Went home. Got drunk. Gave Vicki some earrings.

2nd October 1984
Finally wrote SHE’S SO BEAUTIFUL… Got in touch with Jez. He reckons there’s another gig on Friday. Rang Simon. Practice should be next Monday. Conflict Sunday. Busy weekend ahead – I hope.

3rd October 1984
Friday’s gig could be in Hamworthy. Rang Paul. Rang Justin. Rang Jez. Broke a string on Jez’s bass. Started drawing on wall again.

4th October 1984
Tomorrow’s gig is in Hamworthy. Justin may go. Can’t get Jez and he’s being very vague – in love with Fog maybe?

5th October 1984
Went to Poole. Gig wasn’t on. Went down youth club.

7th October 1984
Went to see Conflict. Fuckin’ good. Nice blokes to talk to as well.

*The Week That Was – 6th February 1984

Record of the week: DOA – Bloodied But Unbowed

6th February 1984
Knackered. Physics was alright. Maths was totally shit. Lunchtime was boring. I was depressed by now. Social Studies made it worse. As did H.E. Bus home was alright. Hill Street Blues was good – cheer me up. Chucked Andy out of the group.

7th February 1984
R.E. – no teacher. P.S.C.E. – Jim’s shit. Maths – shit. B. Studies – shit. English – good, right piss around. P.E. – basketball – quite a laugh. Told Simon about Andy – no practice Sunday. Grange Hill was good. Went out on bike, down the road and round about. Looks like a good film on later ‘Visions of Death’. Football on instead.

8th February 1984
H.E. – made some bread. Physics – did a mock practical – quite good. Spent 80p on sweets. R.E. was ok. English was ok. B. Studies was boring. Maths was shit. Went out on my ped again. Didn’t do much else really at all at all at all at all at all….

9th February 1984
Art – Ok. P.E. – slaughtered Chesh at badminton. Social Studies – not bad. Business Studies – cut my thumb on a typewriter. English – ok. Fuck all to do at home at the moment. Reading Paul’s fanzine at the mo’. Ped just ran out of petrol or something.

10th February 1984
Did my English exam today – don’t think I did too well. English was a laugh. About 30 of us got caught smoking today. Burdet was lippy to Brooke and has got to see Crud. H.E. – boring. Maths – shit. Played football at lunch – good laugh. Art was ok. Business Studies was ok. Physics was alright. Jim’s decided to go vegetarian. Quite an eventful day so far. Watching telly now – well, there’s not much else to do.

11th February 1984
Got up at 8.15. Went to Poole. Saw Burd. Saw Lisa, Justin etc. Got some vivisection posters. Bought DOA LP. Met Paul around 3.20 and didn’t do much. Went to Arts Centre with Fish, Gilly and Paul. Quite a laugh. Came back home – played records, watched telly. Watched the horror movie – was fuckin’ shit. Talked til about 2.30.

12th February 1984
Woke up 10.30. Played records. Played darts and cards with Paul. Didn’t do a lot. Took dog for a walk. Took Paul back to Wareham. Not a lot on telly tonight. Read book most of the night. Couldn’t stay up for Sgt Bilko.

*The Week That Was – 30th January 1984

Record of the week: Aheads -Minuteman, Self Abuse – Batman (Live)
Song of the month – Confessions Of Sin – Loose (Live)

30th January 1984
Didn’t do much today. Physics was quite good – writing for the Bloodstains. Maths was shit. Social Studies was depressing as usual. H.E. was boring – god what am I gonna do? Rung Justin and Paul – had a chat. Hill Street Blues is on again. Nearly finished my book. Got letter from Zoe.

31st January 1984
Not a lot happened today – boring eh? Patchet had a go at me and Kas (?) in R.E. PSCE was boring. Maths was shit, what’s new? B. Studies – yet (?). English was interesting. Had the Bloodstains book taken by Mr King. P.E. was alright. Doing a tape of the Clash for Liz at the moment. Grange Hill was interesting, Glenroy having a go and sticking up for the poor. Had a bath and here I am. Alas, Smith and Jones is on tonight, it was pretty good. Not a lot else.

1st February 1984
Had a bit of fun today. H.E. made a Lemon Delight which we all scoffed. Physics – I took some incense in and Haywire thought it was dope and nearly took me to the Head of Year. Nearly got caught smoking with Vince by Clarke. R.E. did nothing. English – wrote some more Bloodstains. Business Studies – watched a rainbow. Maths was shit. Hell Comes To Your House Part II has been released. Now I’m here and that’s the end. Finished Time Enough For Love.

2nd February 1984
Didn’t do a lot in Art. Slaughtered Chesh in squash. Got bored in Social Studies. Business Studies was boring. English was alright. Saw Mandy Richardson get stuck in a bin. Nicked Liz’s scarf. Might be buying a moped tonight. See you later. Did buy it – it’s jolly cool. Amanda rang – so I told about the gigs. Managed to scrounge a day off school next Thursday to go and see Conflict and 15 other groups down Bournemouth. Started The Satanist.

3rd February 1984
Did fuck all in English. H.E. was boring. Maths was shit. Art was alright. B. Studies was boring. Physics was ace. Heyward wanted volunteers for detention so me and Rat got it. Mine’s next Thursday when I won’t be there. Chris Frost came round and we went round on it. Went down to the chippie and had an accident with it. Went down Hinton Martell, then the club. Bought some fags, saw Carly then came back. Not a lot else.

4th February 1984
Went into Poole. Was with Lisa – Siomn’s girlfriend, til we met Simon. Saw Snowy – the tramp. Then caught the coach to Ilminster – was a laugh. The pub there wouldn’t let us in but everyone managed to get a drink. The gig was good. Self Abuse were their usual self. Breakout were good. We left at 11.30, got back to Paul’s about 1 and watched some videos. Had some of the most silly conversations ever. Andy was getting on everyone’s nerves and I’m thinking of chucking him out of the group.

5th February 1984
Got up at 11.00. Found out last night that the Conflict gig is off. Came back at 12.30, got to Wimborne about 1.10 then came back. Borrowed a load of fanzines off Paul including Flipside. Had a bath. Had a wank. And now I’m here. Fuckin’ knackered. Cat slept on my bed til 1.45 am then decided he wanted to get out.

*The Week That Was – 16th January 1984

Record of the week: Confessions of Sin – Loose (Live)

16th January 1984
Pissing down today – difficult to have a fag in school. Made an omelette in H.E. Then made about 15 pancakes cos there was nothing else to do. Chatted to Paul. Final episode of The Prisoner is on tonight – bloody silly it was.

17th January 1984
Elfie got football off the roof. Just had some fun singing along to Social Distortion. Not a lot happened tonight. Not a lot happened today really. Got some ice cream. My mum made an appointment to get my hair cut on Thursday. Did get a letter from Zoe.

18th January 1984
Misfits have got a new LP out £7.50 called Earth AD. Faith have got a new LP as well called Subject To Change. Don’t know whether to stay and watch Butcher or go back to Paul’s on Saturday. Andy reckons it’s being filmed. Nothing else much.

19th January 1984
Got caught being with smokers today. Walked down to Wimborne and got me haircut after school. Mum picked me up after talking to Gibby at parents’ evening – usual shit. Good art lesson today – didn’t do much.

20th January 1984
Another good art lesson today – painted T-shirt. Good H.E. lesson as well. Just rung Andy but he’s not in so I’ll ring tomorrow. Looking forward to gig tomorrow.

21st January 1984
Went down with Jez, Rupert and Kristian to Bournemouth. Found Andy. Did this and that. Went to Dave’s (Self Abuse) – help shift gear in. Me and Dave Parsons and Rut were dancing to Idiom Tribe. Then came Confessions Of Sin who were absolutely fucking amazing. Then came Self Abuse who were ace. Then Butcher (who no one danced to). Was going to go to the Mad Are Sane party but stayed at this kid’s but 3 to a room. Went to sleep at 5.

22nd January 1984
Got up at 9. Had breakfast in Fortes (?). I went up to Triangle. Had to wait one hour for a bus. Got back, met Hayley, Ajax etc. Told them about a good video so they got it and we went to Sharon’s (Fear No Evil) it was fuckin’ ace. Went up to Simon’s. Baldy was there. Smoked some pot and came back smelling bad.

*The Week That Was – 9th January 1984

Record of the week: Youth Brigade – Sound and Fury

9th January 1984
Did virtually next to nothing. Managed some maths homework. Not looking forward to tomorrow much as we’re starting school again. Reading and playing darts mainly.

10th January 1984
School again. Went to Wimborne at 7. Got some fags. Went to Simon’s – no one there. Saw Thoms. Met Jim and Ches at Ches’s place. His grandad didn’t like the look of me. Went to Safeways and talked. Lee came along. Dynamo packed in so had to ride back home with no lights getting off every time a car came along. Got back at 10.20.

11th January 1984
School was pretty naff today. Had it’s good points I suppose. Justin said we can’t practice at the place Simon said cos it’s booked up again. Maybe at Herbert Carter or round here somewhere. I couldn’t get hold of Paul about 21st gig. Andy trying to get a coach to Taunton for the Subhumans Feb 4th.

12th January 1984
Thinking about someone called Liz Jameson (?). Me and Vince scrounged another 41p today – spending all our money tomorrow.
Just had a disconcerting call from Paul about Andy. Apparently he reckons I can’t sing and is saying things behind my back. Paul isn’t doing Damaged with him anymore. He’s starting another and wants me to help.

13th January 1984
Not much happened today. Relieved there’s no school tomorrow. Me and Vince spent our money. I’ve got to save as much as possible for 21st. Cat’s pissing around in here at the moment. No practice Sunday. Getting Youth Brigade tomorrow.

14th January 1984
Played football against Purbeck – drew 2-2. Had a laugh on the coach. Went to Poole and got pretty bored. Saw Rupert. Bought the Youth Brigade LP – fuckin’ brilliant. Finishing crucifixion painting. Not a lot else happening at the moment.

15th January 1984
Sharon, Mungo and Kim came up and wanted me to go round to see them – piss off. Woke up 12.30. Had a bath. Played Youth Brigade LP. Trying to get both tape recorders to record but they won’t. Good film on tonight – The Carey Treatment, 2nd part of Battlestar Galactica with Satan in it.

Was actually named Lucifer and no doubt a bad guy but not particularly connected with any religious image.

The Week That Was – 15th April 1979

Record of the week; Supertramp – The Logical Song
Highest Entry: Bee Gees – Love You Inside Out – 25

7th Mar 2022 – The twisty bendy Logical Song shows my early interest in prog-ish music. The sound of this song made me happy. I like music that challenges but that also makes me laugh with excitement. So, not much into the Bee Gees at the time. I do have their early albums to check out as they were apparently much different to their popular hits around this time.

15th April 1979
Going up North today
2p

7th Mar 2022 – I don’t recall driving back up North with Jean at any time and can only think we took the National Express, though I don’t have any memory of travelling with her on the bus either.

I do believe it was on this bus journey that, on the way to London, there was a mouthy brat further up the bus, a boy probably around my age. He was leaning over the back of his seat, retelling a movie he saw recently about a skydiver whose parachute had failed. People found him standing upright in a field, held upright by his bones having split through his feet and shoved like stakes into the ground.

I also believe it was on this trip that we were waiting at Victoria Bus Station in the evening and I bravely went off for a walk around the outside of the building and coming towards me in the opposite direction was the spitting image of Sid Vicious, in a grey woollen poncho. I guess many punks at the time copied his image and I’m not certain if I was aware that he had already died.

16th April 1979
Playing cards with Paul til 2:30am

7th Mar 2022 – Paul had lodged in our house in Whitehaven for as long as I can remember. He probably lived there right up until mum sold it a few years later. It was a four-bedroom, three-storey, end-of-terrace house with a garden. Maybe I mentioned it already. 20 Hugh Street, Bransty. I asked mum how much she sold it for and I couldn’t believe it was only 13,000 pounds! The north of England was definitely in a different freaking financial hemisphere compared with the south.

Anyway, Paul (and George, a canny Scot) entertained me despite our age difference, he was probably around his early to mid-twenties at this time. Our card game of choice was Hunt The Cunt, more commonly known as something like Chase The Queen, I forget now because we always just called it by its nastier name.

This was the hill my mum had to drag me up a couple times a week when she went shopping in town where the only supermarket was.
The typical back alley of British terraced houses where kids could and would get up to as much mischief as possible. It was quite daring to go into allies where we didn’t live or know anyone. This particular alley was where I first tried and failed to ride a pushbike that was far too big for me.
20 Hugh Street as it is now (2022). They’ve got a new door and have walled off the garden. The path also looks like it has been tarmacked whereas in my time it was just dirt and perfect for games of marbles. And gone is the old traditional green lamp post that used to have arms near the top. Was it just to stop kids from throwing tyres over it? Cos it didn’t work!

17th April 1979
Quite good day!

7th Mar 2022 – I had lost pretty much all traces of my northern accent by now but it was a kind of comforting sound to me, like a return to home, to something far away but familiar. I think these days were quite good because there was no school and I probably badgered my mum into generously buying things that I wanted.

18th April 1979
Quite good day again!

19th April 1979
1. Art Garfunkel – Bright Eyes
2. Racey – Some Girls
3. Squeeze – Cool for Cats
4. Jacksons – Shake Your Body
5. Milk and Honey – Hallelujah

7th Mar 2022 – The Squeeze song is classic, they had some great singles, I should probably check out their albums. I dig the Jacksons early stuff these days too. Not into any Michael Jackson though. Ever.

20th April 1979
Hi! Mum
Gave mum a tape measure
2p

7th Mar 2022 – Mum’s birthday and no doubt she had to give me the money to buy her her own present! She probably had to go and buy it too! Well, at least she got what she wanted

21st April 1979
2
Bolton 2-3 Ipswich
2p 2p

7th Mar 2022 – 2 – more long-forgotten secret codes.