Show #192 - Neil Crud on Louder Than War Radio

 

Still buzzing from last week’s gig madness and with another wild weekend on the horizon — Spam Javelin are hitting The Skerries in Bangor this Saturday with Prey (Manchester) and Thumbsucker (Leicester) — it felt right to pack this week’s show with energy, noise, and a few exclusive treats.

And yeah, after last week’s croak-fest, the voice is still holding together (just). Let’s get into it…

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We kicked things off in gloriously cynical fashion with mclusky and Unpopular Parts of a Pig — because really, who better to set the tone? They’ve got that perfect balance of sneer and smirk, and they’ve been everywhere recently, even dragging Mitraille onstage in Belgium this week. Speaking of which, those Belgian bruisers followed straight after with Fuck You I’m Going on Tour, off EP IV, which sounds exactly as unhinged as the title suggests.

Then we jumped into Kläpträp and Not a Crime, a raw slice from the Sea Punx Benefit sessions — recorded alongside their upcoming album and still carrying that saltwater sting.

TV Face continued their unstoppable run with Get What We’re Given (from Wolf Rents Bark), proving again why Lancaster’s finest are quietly (and loudly) one of the most inventive punk trios around.

Things got darker and heavier with Grim Harvest – Ossuary, a perfect soundtrack for October’s descent into longer nights and shorter patience. Beyond Perception cut straight through that fog with To The Point — title says it all really.

No Choice dropped The Orator, a brand new and exclusive blast from the Welsh veterans, still raging with purpose after all these years. Hackjob followed with Hexbridge Youth Crew, fresh from a cracking review by Nathan Brown on Louder Than War. Then Bite Back stormed in with Bad Blood, another LTW-review (cheers Phil Newall) from their Dance of Death LP — and a happy birthday shout to vocalist Hocky!

Stuntface kept the exclusives rolling with Million of You, a track that both reflects and throbs. There’s something so comforting about hearing that unmistakable Stuntface roar back through the airwaves.

Moletrap’s Rhagofn brought a darker, Welsh-language edge to the mix before we swerved back to the skate-punk corner with Phinius Gage – Wrong Direction, a welcome blast from the present that sounds razor-sharp.

Celavi, fresh off The Great Escape Festival and featured in Metal Hammer this week, brought sleek menace and bilingual bite with Sori.

Then came Intercourse with The Ballad of Max Wright — from the eco-conscious How I Fell In Love With The Void, pressed on green-powered bio vinyl that cuts CO₂ emissions by 90%. Punk that’s angry and sustainable — who knew?

From there, the tone turned reflective (sort of). Thumbsucker doubled up with Last Words and Imperfect Organism — both tracks as spiky and uncomfortable as they are strangely moving. Their sound owes a nod to Rudimentary Peni, so naturally I followed that thread with Art of Burning Water’s snarling cover of Rotten To The Core, taken from their 2017 split LP with Containment.

Schkeuditzer Kreuz reappeared with Trips and Trepidation, still touring Europe and still impossible to ignore, before Angerland demanded we Commit a Madness.

Finally, we closed on a future cult classic: Citric Dummies – I Can’t Relate, from their upcoming split LP with Turnstile (out October 17th). Perfect ending — disaffected, snotty, and catchy as hell.

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Playlist – Show 192

• mclusky – Unpopular Parts of a Pig

• Mitraille – Fuck You I’m Going on Tour

• Kläpträp – Not a Crime

• TV Face – Get What We’re Given

• Grim Harvest – Ossuary

• Beyond Perception – To The Point

• No Choice – The Orator

• Hackjob – Hexbridge Youth Crew

• Bite Back – Bad Blood

• Stuntface – Million of You

• Moletrap – Rhagofn

• Phinius Gage – Wrong Direction

• Celavi – Sori

• Intercourse – The Ballad of Max Wright

• Thumbsucker – Last Words

• Thumbsucker – Imperfect Organism

• Art Of Burning Water – Rotten To The Core

• Schkeuditzer Kreuz – Trips and Trepidation

• Angerland – Commit A Madness

• Citric Dummies – I Can’t Relate

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Another episode wrapped, voice hanging by a thread, ears still ringing, though wholly blessed by fucking ace new headphones — just how it should be.
Catch me this Saturday at The Skerries, Bangor, with Spam Javelin, Prey and Thumbsucker — it’s going to be loud, messy and completely worth it.

Sons Of Selina - Jam Tomorrow (Foundation)

Sons Of Selina - Jam Tomorrow

Asimov has a lot to answer for...!
This is the Hidden track on 'Fire In The Hole' album - released 1999 on Delerium Records (re-issued 2010 on Cherry Red).

Song lyrics are based around Isaac Asimov's Foundation universe - which has been adapted into a series on Apple TV. 

Check out the series, read the books, buy the music!

Myself and Robin had become truly bookwormed in Isaac Asmiov's Foundation - we probably read the books at least three times - and there were a lot of books (particularly enjoyed the Robot series). 

Sons Of Selina's lyrical content didn't follow any path or agenda - we wrote whatever popped up at the time. Asimov's books were a particular influence and this song, plus Terminus, Kalgan and Climb were based on the Foundation universe (others ranged from social politics to utter nonsense!).
Incidentally, in all the 18 novels there's no mention of any of the characters being stung £100 for parking slightly over a white line outside The Range - things like this really boil my piss. Things like this should bring Empires down - The parking company responsible for the car park outside The Range in Bangor, Gwynedd, is UK Parking Control Ltd (UKPC) - or CUNTS for short. Absolute muggers, charlatans and definitely No.1 on my hitlist when the revolution comes.

(Anyway, back to my non-reality...) I've just binge watched series one of AppleTV's take on Foundation - hence I put their trailer to our music - I like the angle they have taken, without losing the fabric of the original story. Looking forward to watching series two (probably in three sessions!).

Oh, BTW - Just had my bi-annual statement from Cherry Red Records - a whopping £21 - I'll send you a postcard.

Show #191 - Neil Crud On Louder Than War Radio

 

First things first – apologies for the croaky voice this week. Two Spam Javelin gigs across the weekend left my throat sounding like sandpaper dragged over barbed wire. But the show must go on – and if anything, a but of Barry White only adds lurve to the hour.

This week’s playlist unfolded like a fever dream set in the 1990s. We started in the shadow of the past with Baltimore Gun Club – 1993, stumbled into Slutever – 1994, and found ourselves tangled up in Wobbly Hearts – 1995. A time capsule of angst, distortion, magic mushrooms and the need to find that someone you love..

From there, things turned darker. Prey reminded us we’re all just an Obedient Dog in someone else’s world, while Bite Back surveyed the mess around us and called it what it is – a Crazy World.

But resistance is always at hand. 77 SPEARS spat defiance with The Only Person You’re Fooling Is Yourself, and Stuntface barked out the reminder that Life Is Loud (fuckin' love that song). That energy roared on into Scotch Funeral’s tidal surge Sŵn Y Môr and Thumbsucker’s fragile yet fierce Imperfect Organism.

The middle of the show hit with a mix of swagger and menace: Viva Kinevils – Rocktober swaggered into October File – Crawl, while Two Tonne Machete slammed down the traps and Mitraille – Road Rage floored the accelerator. Somewhere in the chaos, Class whispered their own quiet truth – Too Scared To Care.

Flowers wilted under the lo-fi distortion of Soup Activists – Typical Flowers, while Mouser tore the whole thing down with their scathing To Hell With The New Nazis (courtesy of Dammit Records).

By then, it was time for some twisted philosophy. Future Of The Left chimed in with the unforgettable You Need Satan More Than He Needs You, and Awkland – Internecine pulled us further into the gloom with their internecine warfare of sound. Finally, Gintis closed the show with their gloriously titled Philosophical Transactions Of A Disappointed Physicist – the sound of resignation wrapped in melody and science beautifully set to song. And it's 21 today! (Wow!)

The Playlist – Show 191

• Baltimore Gun Club – 1993

• Slutever – 1994

• Wobbly Hearts – 1995

• Prey – Obedient Dog

• Bite Back – Crazy World

• 77 SPEARS – The Only Person You’re Fooling Is Yourself

• Stuntface – Life Is Loud

• Scotch Funeral – Sŵn Y Môr

• Thumbsucker – Imperfect Organism

• Viva Kinevils – Rocktober

• October File – Crawl

• Two Tonne Machete – Trap

• Mitraille – Road Rage

• Class – Too Scared To Care

• Soup Activists – Typical Flowers

• Mouser – To Hell With The New Nazis

• Future Of The Left – You Need Satan More Than He Needs You

• Awkland – Internecine

• Gintis – Philosophical Transactions Of A Disappointed Physicist

Thailand Day 2

Jet lagged and running on very little sleep, we dragged ourselves out of bed and checked out of the hotel at noon. The Bangkok smog and heat hit us immediately — 28°C with heavy humidity — but that was part of the city’s charm (so I've been told).

Declan spent a month in this country last year, and he text and suggested we head to Banglamphu Market, so we set off on foot. Not long into our walk, we were approached by the inevitable tuk-tuk driver. With a big smile and the usual line — “Hello my friend, where are you from?” — he tried to strike up a deal. We knew his game but decided to play along when he suggested visiting a Buddhist temple.

Once inside the souped up tuk-tuk, the script continued. Another man appeared at the temple, pretending he was on his way to his daughter’s wedding. He chatted away about how suits in Bangkok were the best in the world, made for Armani, and how we could get great deals if we wanted. Tim saw him for who he was right away and cut him off; me, I thought he was just being chatty. It was classic theatre — entertaining in its own way, but definitely a hustle.

The driver then tried steering us towards a Clothes shop, we politely, but steadfastly refused. Then on to the so-called Tourist Information Centre, a well-worn trick designed to funnel tourists into overpriced tours and shops. Recognising the scam, we again politely refused to play along and instead paid him a modest 50 baht for the ride.

Later, Tim suggested something far more authentic: watching a Muay Thai boxing tournament. Earlier in the day we had passed the arena, so it felt like fate. We bought tickets (not cheap), found a nearby hotel, and headed to the fight.

The atmosphere was electric. The drums, the chants, the raw energy of the crowd — it was an unforgettable experience. The tournament was brutal, beautiful, mesmerising and absolutely exhilarating. We left the arena drunk and exhausted but buzzing. (Beer was £5 a pint - VERY expensive for Thailand).

I realised I had booked the wrong hotel, it was a good half an hour walk away. And walk we did! That's no bother - it was simply fate that the mistaken booking was situated on Khaosan Road - the world-famous, vibrant, and bustling street, widely known as the "Backpacker Capital of the World." Though it is only a short street, it is the epicenter of budget travel, offering a unique blend of nightlife, shopping, and a distinct, carefree international atmosphere.

We checked in, stashed our passport in the celing in the bathroom (no safe in the room) and then continued our quest to drink silly amounts of beer (now £1.95 a pint), eat street food, watch music, watch people of all creeds, colours, sexes, and species and soak up the absolutely mental atmosphere. Before we knew it the night had gone and it was daylight!

Thailand Day 1

Mally kindly took me to the Llandudno Junction at 6:15 a.m. in return for borrowing my car for the week. I met Tim, and together we took the train to Manchester Airport. By noon, we were on our flight to Mumbai.

The flight was long, though I managed to sleep quite a bit, albeit intermittently. I couldn’t help feeling self-conscious about my smelly trainers tucked underneath the seat in front of me, but I decided they deserved one last hurrah—they’ve served me well, and besides, it was a long flight.

Our plane landed about an hour late, leaving us roughly ninety minutes to make our transfer. Unfortunately, the Indian immigration process was a nightmare. The officials seemed to have absolutely no clue how to do their jobs, and had we not pushed and cajoled our way to the front of the queue, I fear we’d still be standing there today.

We just managed to catch our onward flight to Bangkok, and thankfully immigration there was far more efficient—automated and straightforward. After clearing it, we negotiated our way onto the train and randomly picked an area to explore.

That decision dropped us in a more residential part of town. We wandered through people’s backyards and along narrow alleyways, edging past an open sewer. Not the most picturesque welcome. At that point, I’d had enough. We flagged down a taxi, haggled with the driver, and ended up dropped right in the middle of Bangkok’s city centre, not quite where we intended when we used the description 'nightlife' to him.

Welcome to Bangkok! This was the swankier part of town, a world away from the alleys we had just trudged through. We finally walked into a proper hotel, booked ourselves a room for about £25, and, in need of a beer, headed out into the night. The area is considered very high-end and is sometimes described as Bangkok's "Ginza." It features luxury condos, high-end hotels, and sophisticated shopping precincts, so 'a pub' was gonna be pretty hard to find. 

Thankfully, I had downloaded the Saily eSim, which is an absolute must for travellers. Google told us The Beer Republic was a short walk away. By Thai standards, a pint of Leffe wasn't cheap - £3 - Ha ha, look at me, almost complaining about paying a mere £3 for a delicious pint of Leffe Blond!! It was so nice that Tim and I ordered it a further five times along with some incredible local cuisine. All the while The Chocolate Cosmos played their indie covers to aid digestion (particularly enjoyed The Cure's Boys Don't Cry). Drunk, we headed back to the hotel having not slept properly for 36 hours.

The Chocolate Cosmos

Show #188 - Neil Crud On Louder Than War Radio

 

Some shows take on a life of their own, and this week’s felt like one big, noisy story unraveling through the speakers.

It began with TV Face, reminding us to Get What We’re Given – a timely mantra when the world insists on throwing curveballs. From there, old-school Teesside hardcore crew Dogsflesh marched in lockstep with their March Of The Damned, dragging us into darker territory where nothing is promised and everything is contested.

The Unknowns might have Lost Me, but that’s half the fun of radio – you’re not supposed to know exactly where you’re going, particularly when you lose your shownotes. By the time Vast Slug crawled in with the brilliantly titled I Look Forward To Reading All About Myself In Your Suicide Note, things had already become beautifully unhinged.

The brutality continued with Times of Desperation, who left us Skinned Alive, and The Skive, who dragged us back to reality with the rough-and-ready supermarket bargain bin brilliance of Bargain. Just when you thought you could breathe, Son Capsun was up there, a Sniper On The Roof Of Tesco, aiming barbs at the mundanity of suburban life.

The middle of the set went global. AM checked in to ask Co tam słychać?, before PESD prowled like Hieny and Polish punk legends Armia growled To Moja Zemsta. It felt like a whole Eastern Bloc uprising pressed into three quick punches.

Hearing Tests reminded us what it’s like to face down a Bully, then Derwyddon Dr Gonzo gave us a surreal ska detour with Chaviach. By the time Mr Huw took us through Ein Budreddi (our filth, our grime), my heart was sufficiently warmed and throbbing.

Punitive Damage then baptised us in flames with Baptism Of Fire, which felt like the perfect lead-in to Schkeuditzer Kreuz, who demanded we Keep Dancing even as the walls shook and the floor melted beneath our feet.

The endgame came thick and fast: Takers & Users served up Bombscare, Exaust ripped open an Open Wound, and GURT rolled in with the sludgy stomp of Sludge Puppies. And to sign it all off? J Pump & The Bulldozers flattened the night beautifully with No.1 Auto.

What a ride.

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The Playlist – Show 188

• TV Face – Get What We’re Given

• Dogsflesh – March Of The Damned

• The Unknowns – Lost Me

• Vast Slug – I Look Forward To Reading All About Myself In Your Suicide Note

• Times of Desperation – Skinned Alive

• The Skive – Bargain

• Son Capsun – Sniper On The Roof Of Tesco

• AM – Co tam słychać?

• PESD – Hieny

• Armia – To Moja Zemsta

• Hearing Tests – Bully

• Derwyddon Dr Gonzo – Chaviach

• Mr Huw – Ein Budreddi

• Punitive Damage – Baptism Of Fire

• Schkeuditzer Kreuz – Keep Dancing

• Takers & Users – Bombscare

• Exaust – Open Wound

• GURT – Sludge Puppies

• J Pump & The Bulldozers – No.1 Auto

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Next week I’ll be away travelling, so Martin from Noises From The Bottom Left Corner will be stepping in for me. He’s got impeccable taste and a knack for spinning chaos into gold, so tune in and give him your ears. I’ll be back the week after, hopefully in one piece.

Live gigs live sheet

This is my personal archive of the live sets I’ve seen over the years – pieced together from memory and old diaries. Some gigs were life-changing, some epiphanic, many unforgettable… and a few I’d probably rather not remember. But every single one has left its mark – not least in the form of my raging tinnitus.

For many of these shows (though not all), you can find reviews over on the link2wales site.

First gig I ever saw were The Jam, supported by The Vapors at Deeside Leisure Centre in 1979

The list itself lives in a constantly updated spreadsheet – every time I log another band I’ve seen, it grows.

Dive in, explore, enjoy – and maybe you’ll spot a few you were at too.

Neil Crud - Bands Seen