Top Tens: Colin's Top Ten Albums Not Pressed On Vinyl

A few weeks ago you might have seen a post on this website where our buddy Chris, who is also an Instagram celebrity known as Vinyl.Systems, told us ten albums he would love to see pressed onto vinyl. This, of course, got me thinking about ten album that I wish were pressed on the wax so this is what you’re about to read.

Like Chris, I figured I could give a brief history of my vinyl collecting story. I’ve always been a big collector of things. When I get an idea in my head, I often get quite locked on and obsessed by it. I used to have a ridiculous collection of DVDs. At one point my tiny box room at my mum’s looked like a tiny Blockbusters. When I started to get into punk music in the early 2000s, I started to buy CDs. At the time vinyl records weren’t anywhere near as popular as they are now and neither of the two music shops in Colchester even stocked vinyl records. After about ten years of seemingly buying every single CD I could get my hands on I amassed a collection of well over 1000. It was a bit silly, particularly because I barely listened to them. It must have been around 2014, when I noticed that more people were beginning to buy vinyl again. Initially I fought against the urge to get involved because I knew what I was like when it came to starting collections. Other than knowing how obsessed I get when starting collections, I was also aware of the space issues, the fact I didn’t own a turntable and I didn’t want to re-buy a load of music once again. Then I met my partner, Emma. She had started her own record collection. I have a distinct memory of the first time I visited her flat and checking out her record collection. I remember loving the extra detail in the artwork and the whole process of putting a record on. It felt like so much more of an event than playing a CD or digital music. This was probably the moment where my resolve and resistance about starting my own collection failed. And, good gosh, it failed in a big way. My collection grew very quickly and it continues to grow at a rate that is probably not smart. At the time of writing this, mine and Emma’s combined collection has 660 items. I’m sure by the time you’re reading this, it will have grown even more though.

This year I set myself a bit of a new year’s resolution/challenge to listen to our collection more and to post a different record each day on my Instagram page. The posting on Instagram is basically a way to hold myself accountable to keep doing it. If you want to follow my progress my Instagram handle is ColinsPRW. While doing this challenge, I’ve really fallen in love with listening to complete albums again and it’s made me listen to some albums that I’ve not listened to in years. I’ve also realised that most albums have a different memory attached to them. I’ll get a record off the shelf, usually picked by using the Discogs app’s shaky shaky feature, and I’ll instantly remember where I brought it, whether it’s from a gig, a record shop, a fair, on a holiday, something I took a punt on – all sorts of great memories. It’s nice to see Colin’s Punk Rock World thanked in the sleeve notes from some of the DIY bands we’ve helped and made friends with. Basically, I really like vinyl records and I love adding to our collection. I also love ordering them properly on the shelves – alphabetically by band and then chronologically in case you were wondering. Anyway, here are ten that I’d love to see pressed so I can add them to my collection.

Disclaimer: These are ten albums that aren’t pressed on vinyl as far as I’m aware. If they are, please let me know so I can track them down and add to the collection.

Disclaimer number two: I could have easily picked ten albums from the late 90s early 2000s era of UK punk rock as not a lot of those albums got vinyl releases. For the sake of variety, I decided to just stick with three from that era though. I’d also love to see King Prawn – Got The Thirst get a vinyl pressing, though. And the entire Captain Everything! discography.

Aerial Salad – Roach

Aerial Salad’s debut album Roach put the Manchester punks on a lot of people’s radars before Dirt Mall began to give them more attention from the entire alternative scene. With Dirt Mall and Salad’s more recent singles, they seem to be stepping further and further away from the Roach sound so I don’t know how likely a vinyl run of the album will ever be. I’d love to see it though.

Allister – Dead Ends And Girlfriends

Allister’s second album, Last Stop Suburbia, is one of my favourite pop punk albums of all time. I’m also very keen on their debut Dead Ends And Girlfriends which came out in 1999. Sixteen tracks in just thirty-two minutes says a lot of what to expect from the album. It’s certainly not as polished as Last Stop Suburbia but it’s got hooks for days as well as a wonderful cover of I Want It That Way by the Backstreet Boys. Some of the songs from the album got a vinyl release thanks to a best of vinyl that came out a couple of years ago but I’d much prefer the whole album with the original versions.

Chewing On Tinfoil – Get Rich Or Try Dyin’

In the past few years Chewie have released their most recent album and EP, Marrowbone Lane and Moving The Goalposts, on vinyl so here’s hoping they also find the time and – probably more importantly, money – to release their debut, Get Rich Or Try Dyin’, as well. Over the years Chewie have moved away from the ska sounds on this album. I believe the band have been working on a new album so I can’t expect getting this released on wax is anywhere near the top of their band “to do” list, but hopefully one day it’ll happen.

The Exhausts – Leave The Suburbs!

After we published Chris’ list, Tommy from The Exhausts said he would have loved to get Leave The Suburbs released on vinyl. I agreed wholeheartedly. That’s why I put it on this list. The Exhausts were a three piece based in London who played scrappy pop punk. In 2015 they released their final album Leave The Suburbs! and I absolutely fell in love with it. Ten of the catchiest pop tracks about the struggles of being in your twenties you’re ever likely to hear with some superb dual vocals.

Fletcher – My Revenge

London’s Fletcher are the first of my three picks from the early 2000s UK punk rock scene. The band only released one full length album while they were together but what an album – it was amazing. Listening back to My Revenge today, almost twenty years after it was originally released, I can’t help but think it was ten years before it’s time. It features twelve brilliantly crafted melodic gruff punk bangers that if they were released in 2013 would have been huge in the scene.

Jesse James – Punk Soul Brothers

I was absolutely obsessed with Jesse James back in the day. As one of my favourite bands when I first discovered the world of UK punk rock, I listened to Punk Soul Brothers so much that I had to buy a second copy. It was one of those albums where I could sing along to every word and probably still could now twenty years later. The album brilliantly combines punk rock and soul music with a great brass section and ridiculously catchy tunes that will find a home in your brain for absolutely ages. I could have happily picked all three Jesse James albums for this list but chose Punk Soul Brothers because it was the first I heard.

The Johnstones – Word Is Bond

In my essay of an introduction I talked about how music is like a time stamp for memories. You can remember what you were listening to at certain points in your life. This is why The Johnstones – Word Is Bond has a place on this list. The Johnstones were a ska punk band from Canada who released three albums through the brilliant Stomp Records. In the summer of 2010, I broke my leg which meant I spent a lot of time on my own at home. I listened to The Johnstones so much during that summer, I can’t help but feel as if the upbeat, fun, not taking themselves at all seriously nature of their music really helped me not get depressed. I’ll fully admit that a lot of the content on the album probably wouldn’t go down well in the more PC world that we live in today but these songs helped me a lot and I’d love to own it on vinyl.

Just Say Nay – Maximum Effort

Maximum Effort by Just Say Nay is one of the best ska punk albums released anywhere in the world during the past ten years and it’s an absolute catastrophe that it never got released on vinyl. The South London/Kent nine piece released this damn near perfect album in 2019 and it should’ve catapulted them to the very top of the ska punk tree. Combining all things ska, punk, reggae and gypsy-punk and getting stunning results, Maximum Effort is a lot of fun but it’s also full of thoughtful, poignant and smart lyrics and some top notch musicianship. It also features the epic Kuromouri – an eight minute long masterpiece that needs to be heard by everyone. Unfortunately the band decided to call it a day in November of 2021 so the likelihood of a Maximum Effort vinyl release is oh so low but I can dream.

[Spunge] – Too Little Too Late

Of course [Spunge] would be on this list. I’ve spoken about how [Spunge] are my gateway band to punk rock so many times you’re probably bored of it now. I don’t think I’ll ever feel like our vinyl collection is complete until I get the album that started it all for me on vinyl though. The Story So Far was the first [Spunge] album I ever heard and bought and I still absolutely adore it. It’s another where I could easily recite every single word even twenty years later. I do happen to have a Jump On Demand 7” single that the band released in the build up to the album that I found whilst crate digging on holiday in Japan but I NEED Too Little Too late too. Also this year is the album’s twenty year anniversary, so how about an album show at some point too?

Tens – Tens

I would guess that for regular readers of CPRW, Tens are the band you are least familiar with. They are a three piece punk rock band from Chicago. They released their only full length in 2016. I was fortunate enough to be sent an early copy thanks to the fact I do CPRW. Start a music blog folks – sometimes people send you really cool things to listen to! I really enjoyed the album. I’m a big fan of the melodic punk, gruff vocals, a big sing-along style and Tens (also the album title) is packed with it. I was also lucky enough to be able to attend The Fest in Gainesville in 2016 – Tens played and it was one of my favourite sets of the entire weekend. This album would sound great on vinyl.

There’s my list. If you enjoyed it let us know and maybe another member of the team could write their own list and we could make this a series. And, as I said previously, if one of the albums mentioned has been released without me knowing, please send me links so I can buy it!

This top ten was written by Colin Clark.

Gig Review: [Spunge] "Room For Abuse 20+1 Years Anniversary Tour" at New Cross Inn, London 11/10/21

After three fun and fantastic (but long) days in New Cross for Till The Fest, Emma and I decided to hang out in South London for one more day. This was for what was kind of an unofficial after party for the weekend at the New Cross Inn. Following on the previous nights seeing The Filaments, Sonic Boom Six and Lightyear, it was now time to see another legendary UK ska punk band in the form of [Spunge]. The band had been on a country wide tour celebrating the twentieth plus one year anniversary of their second album, Room For Abuse. As [Spunge] are one of my all time favourite bands I had to suck it up and go for a fourth gig in four days to see it.

New Cross Inn favourites Codename Colin were the band chosen to open the gig. We arrived at the venue about fifteen minutes before the band were due to start and were pleasantly surprised by how many people were already at the venue. It did look as if it was mostly people who weren’t at the festival all weekend so there was plenty of people who didn’t feel like they were about to collapse. If there was ever a band to inject some energy into a crowd early it’s Codename Colin. It didn’t take long for the band to get the crowd invested into the set. The band’s high energy poppy ska punk never fails to put a smile on my face. The band know full well that their job is to get the crowd warmed up for the main event later in the evening and they excel at this. Favourites such as Losing Touch, Kelly’s Missing, Escape From Everything, Little Things and Friday The 19th all get run outs and by the end of the set they’ve managed to coerce a sizeable crowd down the front for a dance. Class as always from Codename Colin.

Next up were tour support Slagerij. Slagerij are a three piece who have been going for ages now. They don’t get to London very often so this was a rare chance to see them live. Slagerij, much like [Spunge], are a ska punk band that doesn’t feature horns, instead relying on bouncy, upbeat rhythms to encourage the crowd to get their knees up. I always enjoy a band that has more than one lead singer, something that Slagerij possess. The vocals contrast each other nicely allowing for some great variety in the set. The majority of the set is full of high energy songs which have the guitarist and bassist hopping around the stage, I’m sure the drummer would too if they didn’t need to be behind the kit throughout the set. On the times they did slow things down they did so with plenty of charm and wit. It’s quite clear that Slagerij are all about having as much fun as possible and the band do an excellent job portraying that. I had fun watching them too though I was a little disappointed that they didn’t play Can’t Stop A Nation – such a good song. They will be back at NXI in April next year in support of another ska punk legend – Whitmore. I look forward to seeing them again.

Next it was time for [Spunge]. By the time they took to the stage our legs were really struggling after such a long weekend, how did we used to do this? Of the band’s first three albums, Room For Abuse is probably the one I listened to the least growing up and I feel like it’s one they don’t play as many songs from live. This album show was a chance to see some songs for the first and potentially the last time ever live. Songs like Second Rate (where Al did the male and female vocal parts) and Rockabilly never get played live and it was awesome to see it. The problem with album shows is that they don’t leave much room for surprises – if you know the album, which I assume the majority of the people in the room did, then you know what’s coming next. This didn’t stop the crowd from having the most wonderful time though. There were so many people down the front skanking and moshing, having a delightful time. As ever, the between song banter between Jarv and Al entertained me, talking to each other in a way that only people who have been in a band for twenty plus years can. I believe the band had been hard at work rehearsing the set four times a week for a few months before the tour and it really paid off as they were super tight. Lesser bands would have just been a bit sloppy on some of the deep cuts but [Spunge] really put the effort in to put together a brilliant set, proving to me what a great band they are. Despite my exhaustion, I thoroughly enjoyed myself and we were even treated to a two song encore of Kicking Pigeons (where they were belatedly joined on stage by a trumpet wielding Snowy from Codename Colin) and Skanking Song, which they apparently played as I mentioned to Paul Be Sharp that I was initially glad they wouldn’t be playing it as my legs couldn’t take it.

[Spunge] are a super special band to me and it was quite a moment to see Room For Abuse in full. The Story So Far turns twenty years old next year and I assume they’ll be out on tour to play that in full next. I’ll see you back at NXI.

This review was written by Colin Clark. Photos also by Colin.

Gig Review: Slam Dunk Festival 2021, South, Hatfield House 5/9/21

Slam Dunk 2021 actually happened and I have to say immediately it was one of the most fun days I’ve had in years. My attendance, since this edition of the festival was first announced back in 2019, was most likely not going to happen. It originally clashed with another festival I had tickets for (Bristol Booze Cruise), then a lot of the bands I was most keen to see had to drop out and with the ones that did remain, I was super sceptical about them coming over. Booze Cruise, along with every other event, got cancelled or postponed because of that bloody worldwide pandemic so that clash went away. As the festival’s new date began to get closer, I began to get more of an itch to attend the festival but I continued to hold out on getting a ticket until the last possible moment. That moment being when I knew that some of the overseas bands that were booked were in the country but that they were also allowed out of the airport. I was also waiting to hear back from Slam Dunk about a press pass but sadly that didn’t happen (hey, Slam Dunk, next year yeah?).

The day of the festival arrived and I had to set out early. I live in Bedfordshire, not far from Hatfield House where Slam Dunk takes place at all. But because of having to get all sorts of connecting trains at different points, my journey was far more complicated than it should have been. Why is it that trains only go up and down and not across around these parts? I also wanted to make sure to get to the festival site with enough time to get through the ticket area with plenty of time to get to the Punk In Drublic stage for the opening band. As the build up for the festival grew there had been a lot of drama on the festival social media posts about tickets not being sent out and kids getting stressed and confused about the COVID-19 protocols that would allow you access to the festival site. I expected getting in to take longer than usual. This couldn’t have been further from the truth. After meeting up with my friends we strolled up to the gate and basically walked straight through. To be completely honest, I was a bit concerned that the chap who checked my COVID passport barely looked at it at all – I hope the rest of the people working the gate were more thorough!

To start the day we made our way to the Punk In Drublic stage which was returning to Slam Dunk for the second year. I have memories of the first Punk In Drublic stage at Slam Dunk being opened by California’s The Bombpops and them playing to a huge crowd. Unfortunately the crowd that greeted Sweden’s The Baboon Show wasn’t quite so big but that didn’t stop the rock ’n’ roll foursome putting on a big show to start the day. They played a blend of heavy rock and punk that I think would have sounded great in an indoor setting but perhaps didn’t translate as well on a sunny, outdoor stage. It was a spirited performance though with the band clearly masters at working a crowd. I assume that the band were new to the majority of people in attendance and I’m certain that they came away as new fans of The Baboon Show. They’ll be back next year for a tour with the legendary Descendents.

Next we made the journey over to the Key Club stage for the Popes Of Chillitown. Regular readers of CPRW will know of our love of the Popes. We’ve been watching them live for years and it was amazing to see them get the chance to play at a festival like Slam Dunk. As they only had a thirty minute set it meant that the band could only squeeze in about five songs. This didn’t stop them from putting on one hell of a show for the massive crowd that had gathered to see them. These guys have spent years on the road in the UK and have clearly earned a massive fan base along the way. I always think that the band are at their very best when they’re on stage and, despite the early start, they brought all of the energy to Slam Dunk. During their opening song they had the crowd dancing enthusiastically. Popes frontman Matt/‘Tarzan’ was at his frantic best, jumping all over the stage along with getting down to the crowd and singing with them. Seeing these guys playing this festival and absolutely smashing it shows why the festival should take more chances on the so-called smaller stage and allow them to showcase what a talented place the UK DIY scene is. Congrats to the Popes on this exceptional performance.

After Popes we made the trek back to the Punk In Drublic stage where Buster Shuffle had already begun their set. The South London based ska band were a late addition to Slam Dunk, replacing Texan folk punks Days N Daze who sadly had to drop out at the last minute due to issues with travel. Buster Shuffle felt like a perfect addition given the warm sunny day. Their upbeat ska/two tone was made for sunny days in a field and I had a lovely time watching them. Despite some issues with their piano early on, the band powered through to deliver a slick set. I’m not overly familiar with the band but it’s the type of music where you can have a great time regardless and it seemed that Buster Shuffle managed to get the sizable crowd moving throughout their time on stage.

Following on from Buster Shuffle were a pair of UK punk rock legends. First was Snuff. Snuff seem to have been one of the most active bands on the touring scene since gig restrictions have been lifted so were well practiced for their set. This was my first time seeing them since Dan from Spoilers had the joined the band on bass and they had a three piece brass section especially for the occasion which was nice as well. Snuff very much fit the bill of a no nonsense punk rock band, storming through their set with minimal banter between songs but when they do stop for a chat it’s always very entertaining. Personally, I prefer Snuff when they play their more cockney sing-along songs, songs like Arsehole and Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads went down a treat along with a really fun cover of The Merrymen’s Feeling Hot Hot Hot. All punk bands should be covering Calypso music on hot and sunny days. Snuff were a lot of fun as always.

UK skacore heroes Capdown were next to take the stage and you could feel the anticipation and excitement throughout the crowd. Capdown are arguably the most influential bands of their era so this extremely rare chance to see them play live was one you couldn’t miss. It’s been a few years since Capdown played any type of show but as soon as they took to the Punk In Drublic stage it was like they had never been away. Lead singer and saxophonist Jake Sims-Fielding was a ball of energy, bouncing around the stage whilst screaming out the lyrics to the opening tracks. What struck me quickly was how good the sound was for the band. I’ve often found outdoor gigs to not have the best sound but that could not be said on this stage. Capdown sounded massive. As you would have expected, the band stormed through all the favourites, each track getting a bigger reaction than the last. Personally I loved hearing Cousin Cleotis, Pound For The Sound, An A-Political Stand Of Reasons and, of course, Ska Wars. There’s always a real concern that this could be the last Capdown show whenever they play but if this was the last (I really hope it wasn’t) then it was a hell of a way to end it.

Next we made our way to the main stage to see Creeper. I don’t think I’ve seen Creeper since they headlined the opening day of the very first Manchester Punk Festival back in 2015. At the time they had only released their debut EP. Very few would have predicted the absolute behemoth of a band they have become since then. Their most recent EP, American Noir, debuted in the UK charts at number 13 which is absolutely insane for an independent punk rock band. It was now 3 o’clock in the afternoon and the sun was beaming down relentlessly. It was a little strange seeing a band who have such a spooky aesthetic playing in the bright sunshine rather than a dimly lit club but it didn’t stop Creeper from putting on a big set. Frontman Will Ghould is a wonderful performer and even from my vantage point, towards the back of the biggest crowd I’d been in at the point of the day, I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. During their nine song set, they played a great mixture of old and new songs. I was pleasantly surprised that they played VCR off of the debut EP alongside the newer stuff. Another highlight was when Hannah came out from behind the keyboards to perform a brilliant duet of Misery with Will. Creeper really showed why they are so highly thought of within the UK alternative scene.

Up next on the agenda was the Key Club stage for the super special surprise guests. Except they weren’t a surprise for us as the Leeds leg of Slam Dunk had happened the day before and it was already revealed the day before as UK pop rock heartthrobs McFly. I’d seen a lot of people had been disappointed that it hadn’t been Neck Deep as the secret guests but I was actually quite happy to see McFly playing and it seemed like a lot of people in Hatfield felt the same. I feel like McFly were a gateway band for a lot of people as they entered the world of guitar-based music. I went along as I figured when else would I ever get the opportunity to see them – I certainly wouldn’t buy a ticket for their own gig. Though to be honest I’m not sure I can really count this as seeing them. By the time I arrived at the stage, the crowd was so full it wasn’t really possible to get a good vantage point and all I could see was the one person running to the front of the stage and playing McFly songs. Could’ve been anyone. The kids at the front that I could see however seemed like they really enjoyed themselves and that was nice.

Following straight on from McFly were A. A are almost twenty five year veterans of the UK rock scene but somehow this was my first ever time seeing them. Obviously they’re best known for their big hits Nothing and Starbucks but they have a big catalogue of fantastic rock tunes to work from. Despite being one of the hottest days ever recorded (maybe an exaggeration), frontman Jason Perry took to the stage dressed like he was about to hit the slopes. I’ve been told on previous tours he dressed as a Deliveroo rider, complete with the bag – I guess the man enjoys dressing up. I absolutely loved A’s set. From start to finish it was an incredible amount of fun and it was great to see how many passionate fans the band still has after all these years. From making playful jibes towards McFly, to releasing a small confetti cannon and encouraging the crowd to do a walking circle pit, Jason had the crowd in the palm of his hands throughout. The aforementioned Starbucks and Nothing (which closed the set) got the biggest reactions from the crowd but my personal favourite track was Old Folks. A were potentially my highlight of the entire day and the next time they play a venue local to me I will be making every effort to go and see them again.

On my preview of Slam Dunk Festival I published a few weeks ago I mentioned that I’d like to see both Anti-Flag and [Spunge]. Unfortunately for me they clashed. What a bummer. I decided I would see [Spunge]. To be honest, I absolutely love Anti-Flag but [Spunge] are the band that started this whole punk and ska adventure I find myself in so there was no big dilemma really. Plus, on a really sunny day like it was, it’s only right to go and dance to some ska. I was very pleased to see that I wasn’t alone in my thought process as [Spunge] also drew a massive crowd. Before the set Paul Smith of Be Sharp Promotions and I speculated on if it would be best of set or if they would play a load of songs from Room For Abuse in preparation for the upcoming tour. It turned out to be a best of set and the band just played banger after banger. It’s always amazing to see [Spunge] bring so much joy to so many people and, from the opening moments of Ego to the final beats of Kicking Pigeons, the crowd were having the time of their lives. Along with all the old favourites, the band squeezed in a performance of their newest song Just Sayings. Over the last couple of years [Spunge] have been drip feeding us a few new singles so I wonder if that means a brand new album is on the way? I really hope so. I can’t wait to see them on their Room For Abuse Tour in October.

With [Spunge]’s triumphant set complete we made our way to back to the Punk In Drublic stage for the final three acts of the day. First was Chicago’s Alkaline Trio, making their first appearance in the UK (aside from the day before) in years. I think it’s fair to say that Trio were a lot of people’s most anticipated band of the day. From the moment that the band began to play openers Private Eye and We’ve Had Enough the crowd embarked in a huge sing-along. Unfortunately the band had some issues with their bass cabinet during the opening songs so had to take a short break to fix it. During this drummer Derek Grant treated the crowd to a short drum solo. It was a nice treat seeing one of the best drummers in the world perform such a solo. From then on Trio played a storming set featuring songs from their entire back catalogue. Much like Creeper – who I saw running through the crowd, excited to see their heroes – Trio have a bit of a spooky demeanour so it was a bit strange to see them play in the bright sunshine. I did feel like it took a little bit away from the set on a whole as some of the imagery that the songs provoke are quite gloomy but that didn’t prevent the crowd from having a great time. I was a little disappointed that they didn’t play Stupid Kid or Radio but I did enjoy hearing Every Thug Needs A Lady, Mercy Me, Armageddon, Warbrain and This Could Be Love for the first time in years. We’re looking forward to them returning for a UK tour with Taking Back Sunday next year.

Two bands left and it was time to admit that I was starting to struggle. I decided to take myself away from the group to find something to eat, get a drink and have a little bit of a sit by myself before the penultimate act of the day started their set. So I did. After finding food and drink I found myself a spot to sit and replenish my energy levels. It was a much needed piece of restbite and was quite nice just to do a bit of people watching and take in the events of the day. It really did feel fantastic to be back in that environment again.

After eating, I decided I better head to the toilet before meeting back up with my group. Frank Turner And The Sleeping Souls were just starting their set and I noticed quite a few people sprinting across the site to see them. Frank Turner is one of the most beloved performers in the country but I must admit that I was surprised to see just what a great reception he got on the Punk In Drublic stage. I arrived at the stage about halfway through the set. It turns out that I timed it perfectly as the band were just starting Photosynthesis, one of the songs that introduced me to Frank Turner many years ago. Following this Frank performed his version of the NOFX classic Linoleum. This was one of the highlights for me as NOFX early this year retired the song and it always earns a big sing-along. Especially in this type of crowd. It was extra amusing as NOFX were on the side of the stage watching before their set. This was my first time seeing Frank and the band in about four years and I was reminded why I used to enjoy seeing them so much. The final four tracks completed a great performance – Try This At Home, Recovery, I Still Believe and Four Simple Words ensured that they finished with a bang and got the crowd ready for what was to come.

It was finally time for the last band of the day, the legendary NOFX. As ever, I was hoping they would play The Decline (still haven’t seen it live) but unfortunately they did not. I’ve always found NOFX a little hit or miss live so I was interested to see what it would be this time. To my delight it was a hit. Starting out with Backstage Passport before jumping into Dinosaurs Will Die was the perfect beginning, really getting the crowd amped up. It had been a long and really hot day so you could have forgiven the crowd for being a little lethargic. This definitely didn’t seem to be the case. We were hanging out towards the back of the crowd but from my vantage point it very much seemed as if the pit was going wild. Between tracks there was the customary NOFX “banter”, including asking a parent why they’ve brought their child to see them before explaining what snowballing is to them. From there they played What’s The Matter With Parents Today? A song I recently rediscovered a love for after listening to Pump Up The Valuum for our album club podcast series. There was a great moment when Frank Turner joined the band on stage to sing NOFX’s version of The Ballad Of Me And My Friends. This was my second time seeing Frank sing with NOFX while they play one of his songs after seeing them do Glory Hallelujah a few years ago. Looking back at the setlist, it seems that they didn’t play a few of their traditional big hitters such as The Separation Of Church and Skate, Bob and, of course, the retired Linoleum. I did expect them to play Linewleum but sadly they didn’t. We did get to hear I Love You More Than You Hate Me from Single Album though. Looking at setlist.fm it appears that the band played a set featuring tracks from thirteen of their albums which was nice to see. My personal highlights were Leave It Alone, Radio, Eat The Meek, Franco-Unamerican (partly due to my pal Toby’s dancing) and the finale Kill All The White Men. NOFX closed the day with a massive punk rock party that left everyone leaving feeling great.

As I said way back at the start of writing this review I left buying a ticket to the festival until the very last minute. Gosh I’m glad that I did. After the last eighteen months of mostly being indoors and not seeing anyone this day was needed far more than I realised. It was a moment of forgetting all of the horrible things that have happened all over the world recently and a chance to remember what life was like before. The bands were all fantastic but to be back in a environment with friends and like minded folk who are all in good spirits was the best feeling. I had such an amazing time and I really didn’t want to go home. Massive thanks to the Slam Dunk and Punk In Drublic crews for defying the odds and somehow making this festival happen despite everything that was thrown at them. What a day!

This review was written by Colin Clark.

Top Tens: Colin's Top Ten Influences With Explanations

I'm sure we've all by now seen the trend on Facebook of being nominated to share your ten biggest musical influences without saying why. I got nominated and I did this. Problem was though I really enjoy talking about music and the acts that have influenced me. So that's what this top ten is. Me running through my ten biggest influences and explaining them. Talking about music is good.

Lightyear – Call Of The Weasel Clan

On the surface, ska punk legends Lightyear are a fun ska punk band that never take themselves seriously but, when you take the time to listen to the lyrics, they actually touch on a lot of subjects that are super relatable. Call Of The Weasel Clan was released in 2001 and amazingly it still sounds as relevant today as it would have back then. And it's still a lot of fun!

Fletcher – My Revenge

I don't think I really realised how much my musical tastes were influenced by former London punk rockers Fletcher until many years later when I re-found them. My Revenge was originally released in 2003 and is full of melodic and what today would be classed as "gruff punk" bangers. That "gruff punk" sound has become my go to genre when I want to find a new band and the majority of my favourite albums from the past fews years would probably fall under that banner. Fletcher's Lee now lives in Canada and fronts a new band named Lee Resistant & The Lost who are great. Check them out.

The Bouncing Souls – How I Spent My Summer Vacation

I don't think there are many punk bands more universally loved than The Bouncing Souls. They, and How I Spent My Summer Vacation, taught me more than any other album that what punk rock is really about is doing things with your friends, being true to yourself and having a great time whilst doing it.

Great Cynics – Don't Need Much

After initially getting into punk rock through bands such as [Spunge], 4ft Fingers, Lightyear, Uncle Brian and Jesse James, I eventually fell into the trend that many people do and began to exclusively listen to bands from America. Then I somehow heard Don't Need Much by a UK band named Great Cynics and I loved it. Through this album, I went on to discover Apologies, I Have None, Bangers, ONSIND, Muncie Girls and loads more. It sent me down the path of DIY punk rock that I love so much now.

ONSIND – Dissatisfactions

Dissatisfactions is probably the first time I truly took in any political messages from music. I heard bands like Anti-Flag and NOFX sing about politics previously but it never really hit home with me until I heard this album from a duo from Durham named ONSIND. The stripped back acoustic nature of the album really caught my imagination and moved me in a way that no other album had at the time. I learnt a lot from this album.

Wank For Peace – Fail Forward

Wank For Peace were a French melodic hardcore band who recently reformed under the new name Tiny Voices. Wank For Peace were the band that ignited my passion for checking out punk rock from mainland Europe. There's an incredible amount of amazing bands in Europe that not enough people in the UK are checking out when they really should be.

Less Than Jake – Losing Streak/Hello Rockview

Ska is a big love of mine and that mostly stems from Less Than Jake. The first CD of theirs I ever owned was the Losing Streak/Hello Rockview double CD. I played that album to death for years and never ever got bored of it. The band, and very very few other ska bands, have never managed to top these two albums. Less Than Jake are still going strong to this day and it's the songs from these two albums that always get the biggest reactions whenever I see them live.

Against Me! – Reinventing Axl Rose

I was slow to get onboard with Against Me! for ages, they just didn't click with me and then I heard We Laugh At Danger (And Break All The Rules) and I got it. Previously I didn't enjoy the rougher, rawer sound of punk rock at all but Reinventing Axl Rose opened my mind to a whole new world of punk rock. It feels like there's such passion in these songs that I don't feel you get with a slicker, more produced album.

[Spunge] – The Story So Far

[Spunge] were not only my gateway into UK punk rock but my gateway to underground punk rock all over the world. I remember being a bit of an indie kid as a teenage because that's what my best friends enjoyed but never properly connected with it. Then one evening I was listening to Steve Lamaq on Radio One and Roots by [Spunge] came on and that pretty much changed my life forever (hopefully for the better). [Spunge] pretty much played a big part in me being the person who I am today.

Davey Dynamite – Holy Shit

Holy Shit by Davey Dynamite is, in my humble opinion, the greatest album ever made. It's full of such passion and energy. It tackles important subjects in a way that really makes you think. It's full of ear worms and moments where you'll find yourself singing along with all the gusto that you can manage. No other album ever has moved me in the way that Holy Shit has. For me, this album should be the blue print for every punk rock album. More than just being incredible though, it not only shaped a lot of my political beliefs but it made passionate about standing for what I belief in and gave me the confidence to call people out if I believed they are acting in a way that isn't right.

This top ten was written by Colin Clark.