photos by Jason House

Oi! is a melodic type of punk-rock which originated in Britain around 1980 and has since spread throughout the world. The forefathers of Oi! (Sham 69, Menace, The Lurkers, Slaughter And The Dogs, Cockney Rejects, Cock Sparrer, Angelic Upstarts, etc.) played what some of the smarter press of the time dubbed, "real-punk" (i.e. punk-rock with a message/theme of "social realism"). A lot of the press who courted the original wave of punk-rock, wholly ignored or wrote-off what was soon to be called Oi! as "thug-rock," and thus insured unfair treatment of the genre right from the get-go.

Around 1980, bands like the 4-Skins (East London), Infa Riot (North London), The Last Resort (Herne Bay), Red Alert (Sunderland), The Business (South London) and Blitz (Manchester) began to pop-up all across Great Britain. This phenomenon of strikingly similar-minded, yet unrelated bands was quickly clumped together as "Oi!" by Sounds journalist Gary Bushell, taking the name from the classic Cockney Rejects song, "Oi! Oi! Oi!" Bushell not only gave Oi! its name, he compiled and gave the world the first Oi! compilation, "Oi! The Album" (released by EMI injunction with Sounds magazine). "Oi! The Album" -- though not a truly stellar record or even completely representative of the Oi! genre of the time -- set the precedent for the compilation as an important part of the Oi! movement, as witnessed by the release of countless Oi!-focused compilations world-wide ever since its release. Musically, Oi! is generally distinguished by anthemic melodies, terrace-style backing vocals and a pace/tempo more suitable for pogoing and singing along, than slam-dancing and stage-diving. Together with ska and reggae, Oi! forms the musical focus of the traditional skinhead subculture, and together with hardcore and classic punk-rock, it forms the musical focus of the punk subculture. [FAQ for skinheads]

Oi! punks The Business kicked off a US tour at Mercury Lounge in NYC on Friday night (9/2). Pictures from that NYC show continue below...

Continue reading "The Business brought the skinheads to Mercury Lounge (pics)"

Murphy's Law @ the Khyber in Philly (via)

Three men who showed up in full Nazi regalia to a hardcore punk show at an Old City [Philadelphia] bar Friday night were attacked by as many as 50 people on the streets after leaving the venue, according to witnesses and club management.

The headlining band at the Khyber that night was Murphy's Law, led by front man Jimmy G, who formerly went by the moniker Jimmy Gestapo.

In an e-mail to the Daily News, Jimmy G confirmed that some guys had showed up to the concert in "full Nazi field dress."

"And they did get their asses kicked," he wrote. "Again."

Khyber owner Stephen Simons, who was not at the show, said he had been told that the crowd inside "largely ignored and mocked" the three men. But after they exited the club, on 2nd Street near Chestnut, they were attacked by a group of up to 50 people, he said. "I guess being on 2nd Street in SS uniforms on a Friday night is a way to incite a semi-riot," Simons said. [Philadelphia Daily News] (via)

Philebrity points out that there was "a gay-themed DJ night" going on upstairs at the same club too. Awesome.

Murphy's Law will celebrate Jimmy Gestapo's birthday once again on a Rocks Off Concert Cruse this year. Tickets for the August 12th NYC boat show are on sale.

No pictures of the actual incident, but one night after Philly, the band played at Ralph's Diner in Worcester, Mass. Jimmy discussed the incident on stage. And though some people are saying maybe the nazis didn't get beat up, Jimmy says they were bloody (and that he warned them). Video of that below...

Continue reading "nazis (may have) got their asses kicked @ a Philly Murphy's Law show"

Gelatin's dad, bottom left of the picture

gelatin posted this on November 9th, 2008 @ 2:12:06 pm

So, I met up with my dad at the Dirty Dog Saloon [in Austin, TX] before the [fun fun fun] fest. I didn't get a chance to eat anything, and we decided we'd have a couple of drinks and then go get some food. Well, about 8 pints later and I still hadn't eaten and it was time to go to the fest.

My dad didn't buy a ticket, so he hopped the fence and somehow didn't get busted. I almost immediately lost him in the crowd. And many hours later when I eventually found him, he was totally wasted and missing a shoe. Apparently, a "skinhead" had pushed him into the mosh pit. My dad didn't take kindly to that so he poured his beer over the dude's head and they got into a fist fight. I guess the cops pulled my dad off the dude and that's when he lost his shoe.

Somehow the cops decided my dad was an innocent victim in all of it and they let him back into the fest, even though he didn't have a wristband. After the fest we couldn't remember where he parked so we walked to my friend's car which was really really far away, and I guess the walk really fucked up my dad's foot.

We finally found his car, but for some reason he had brought a gas-powered generator with him, and it had tipped over in the car (which was a rental). So the car just overwhelmingly reeks of gasoline. However, he insisted he'd be fine and was just gonna sleep in the car for a while. And I left with my friends.

He called me this morning and somehow made it home. Still with only one shoe.

While searching for my dad I ran into Teebro, and The Dead Milkmen were every bit as terrific as I hoped they'd be. I think I've had enough my dad for a while. [gelatin]

I never thought I would find out who the man I saw almost die in the pit during Integrity's set at Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin on Saturday was. I also never thought I would find out how the fight started. Somehow, not only did I find a message board with a description of the incident (see above), the whole thread is amazingly dedicated to this man who "gelatin" claims is her/his dad.

I noticed the fight when, all a sudden, all of the scariest members of the pit acknowledged knowing each other by packing together with their eyes locked on this guy (gelatin's dad), and with their faces clearly reading "kill". I was really scared for their target. Now I understand why they were so pissed off.

On a related note, when I saw gelatin's dad (I realize stereotyping is not good), my first thought was, "this guy paid to come to this festival?". I now know the answer to that question. And speaking of sterotyping, it is unconfirmed whether these guys actually consider themselves "skinheads" (You'll notice gelatin also put "skinheads" in quotes), but it worked for the title, and I'm sure they're very nice guys normally..... More pictures of the attack below...

Continue reading "when 'skinheads' attack (during Integrity @ Fun Fun Fun Fest)"

Rooftop Garden not approved?

Angry Neighbors?

This is the spectacle that awaited Mr. Heather and I as we strolled down Banker Street last Saturday afternoon. If my memory serves me correctly the time was 3:30 or 4:00 p.m. One tends to muddy such matters when she sees a bunch of skinheads in a fistfight. And that is exactly what I saw. A fistfight. In the middle of the street. At 3:30 or 4:00 in the afternoon.

Wishing to get the 411 about this incident I asked my fabulous colleague, neighbor and former proprietress of 11222 about this incident. She has the dubious honor of having this establishment as a neighbor.

Miss H: Last weekend Mr. H and I walked by there (Studio B) when Grand Theft Auto had their party last weekend. We had the pleasure of watching a bunch of skinheads get into a fight.

11222: I got to watch all of that from my window. The police were called. The trash generated on the street when it was done was unprecedented. [newyorkshitt.com]

That's just the beginning of the anti-Studio B post. It eventually gets to the part about the Rooftop Garden (Firemashall Bill shout-out included).