I think we’ve been waiting a new Conflict album for a very long time and here it is!
What do I think?
This Much Remains is a fantastic album from start to finish and I don’t say that lightly either!
This is on par with the Ungovernable Force without a doubt and it’s great to see Conflict take those elements and create something special in 2025! I would go as far to say this is the album that will give many people a kick up the arse to fight back against a system so cruel and wrong!
As I said Conflict have matured as a band but you still get some of that shouty Conflict with The Conclusion Exclusion, Cut The Crap (Which also features the late Benjamin Zephaniah and my favourite track on the album), Shut The Fuck Up and A Mothers Milk!
The rest of the album varies in styles but in a good way especially the dub elements that add something extra to the songs. The Impossible Soul, That Other Song and Concluded show this!
Its great to see Conflict pay homage to the past but also living in the present day and that’s why this album will win you over!
Musically there’s no compromise whatsoever!
Colin and Fiona deliver the songs in style with a back line that has got to be one of the best in the business. Gav on guitars and Fran on bass compliment each other in a magical way. Stoo keeps everything together with some fantastic drumming – No wonder he plays for so many bands.
Lyrically Conflict are still as angry as ever and why not?
The world is in a fucking mess and something has to give!
Production wise this album is faultless and while there’s been the odd grumble about the cover I wouldn’t let that put you off!
My final words are let’s make this album the catalyst for change and for people to stand up to the madness we see in 2025!
Out now is R.O.I. is the brilliant second album from Lo-Fi D.I.Y. punkers Aerial Salad. Opening the album is the kick ass Rottin’ n Shakin’ and if that isn’t good enough for the ear lugs then check out the rest of the album with tracks such as Tied To Pieces Of Paper, MDRN LVN, They All Lied To Me, Big Business and D’You Like Flowers, Son.
Thirteen tracks in all and not one sounding like the other. Such a powerhouse of an album that I’ve enjoyed noising up the neighbours with and I don’t sat that lightly. This is an album packed with tunes, riffs and integrity!
Noel Gallagher says rock n roll is a closed door for new bands but Manchester keeps churning out great bands and Aerial Salad are certainly amongst them!
If you’re looking for an interesting band Aerial Salad really do need checking out! Creativity is heard throughout this album so don’t do yourselves a disservice and miss out on one of the best albums I’ve heard this year! 9/10
I always wondered what happened to Criminal Damage as I discovered them on a No Future compilation called A Country Fit For Heroes Vol 2 back in the day! They were one of the better bands on the compilation and it was a shame I couldn’t track them down but in the 80’s it was hard working keeping track of bands. On discovering Criminal Damage had reformed I had to run an interview with them. Steve Damage the vocalist answers all the questions.
First off who’s survived in the band from the 1982 line-up?
Sadly Chris the original singer passed away a few years ago. Spud was/is reportedly in and out of prison, so initially Tez the drummer and Keef the guitarist were on board, after a few rehearsals though Tez just couldn’t commit, so our mate Brad joined , Brad previously played with South London loonies The Blood .
I always wondered what happened to you guys since the No Future compilation. So what happened to the band and have any of you played in bands since then?
No Future made all the right noises but some bad habits, prison and then Tez’s hand got severed and it all pretty much fell apart from there. By the time Tez could play drums again, the band and No Future records were over. UK Punk was in pretty poor shape by the late 80’s and like a lot of old punks and Skinheads they drifted into US hardcore, thrash metal and bad hair. They both played in Virus together for couple of years. Tez kept playing in numerous local bands until recently, Hateball were probably the best known .
I presume you’ve played the Skinhead Reunion, Rebellion and a Punk Festival in Scotland but are there any other shows planned?
We were due to play all those festivals last year but after Tez left we just weren’t ready in time. Thankfully all these festivals are run by brilliant people and we’ve been invited back to play all of them this year. It will be an absolute fucking honour to play those shows. We’ve had some exciting offers, we’re currently looking at Europe, West Coast America and possibly Canada too but we’ll see how that works out .
What has the feedback been regards you guys reforming?
Fuck me , just fucking unbelievable, utterly staggering . We honestly had no idea how far round the world, one track Criminal crew had travelled and how many people loved it . Our brothers The Chisel covered it and they weren’t even born when it was released !! As soon as we had a presence on social media and people could contact us it just came pouring in. Last October when we released, Punk fucking rock EP our first new material in 40 years the reaction was beyond anything we ever expected. The day it was released I sat up until 4 o’clock in the fucking morning replying to every single message, it brought a fucking lump to my throat, it was just so humbling .
You have an EP released so where can our readers pick up a copy?
Punk fucking rock EP is 5 brand new tracks of UK82 Punk/Oi and a reworking of Kicked to shit from the original 1982 demo. It’s available to download on all platforms and CD’s are available from Bandcamp and Subcultz .
Turn it off turn it down EP is 3 more new tracks and is released for download on all platforms on 1/3/2024. It’s like buses you wait 40 years and 2 turn up at once !!
Where do you get the inspiration / ideas for your songs?
Just life I guess, Blood in blood out is about fighting, Breed is about is football, 80’s terrace culture, Long live life I wrote about going to my mates funeral and listening to all the heartfelt speeches and peoples outpouring of grief. If they’d only shared those feelings with the deceased when she was alive it would have transformed her life. I learned a hard lesson that day, to value and love the people that matter to me, none of us here forever and it hurts when they’re gone. Women, life and liberty is about the injustice and inequality women suffer, Turn it off turn it down is about battering your neighbour for playing shit music too loud, No more is inspired by my old Skinhead mate Tim taking his own life, the figures for male suicide are fucking shocking .
How do the modern days compare to the eighties? My first thought is lack of violence at gigs and a better sound!
The music was fucking brilliant back then but venues were largely dark, violent, lawless places. For years football and music was senselessly violent, we thrived on the confrontation and the tense atmosphere, it was so exciting, proper loved it. It was a unique period in British history, a fucking brilliant time to be a teenager and I’m pleased I was part of it. Its hugely different these days and I guess it’s lost its edge at bit but I’m too fucking old for that shit now. I’ve taken my wife, daughter and even the fucking dog to the Skinhead reunion and that’s a nice thing . It would have been a fucking bloodbath back in the day .
So now you’ve released an EP are there any plans for a full album to be released?
Our second EP , Turn it off , turn it down is available to download on all platforms on 1/3/2024, CD’s will follow . We’re still proudly , completely DIY without a label for the moment . Our mates at Subcultz and their infrastructure have helped us enormously with shifting Punk Fucking Rock CD’s. We’re just flat out concentrating on rehearsing the set at the moment but yes we’re still actively writing and hopefully that will happen
So what does the future hold for Criminal Damage?
This is our last chance to give the band a fitting epitaph or a new beginning, we’re proper so fucking over excited about making music, our life wouldn’t be the same without it
Anything you’d like to add?
I’m dyslexic as fuck so this has been hard graft writing this but thank you for asking us for the interview, it’s been an honour and privilege to be included, thank you. Keep in touch with us on all our social media sites.
Thanks to Steve Damage for doing the interview. Please be sure to check out the new material as the new songs are brilliant with no compromise at all! Coming to a town/city near you!
Monday night and I set off to Birmingham to see Los Fastidios but it came close to not happening as the rail service was in chaos! Eventually by sheer fluke I made it to the venue and headed off to the bar which pleased me as the drinks prices were reasonable for a venue.
Subside is a great venue and for all you old times this used to be the legendary Barrel Organ where I saw many bands in the eighties and early nineties. Still is a cracking venue with a great sound and friendly staff!
I met up with Elisa and Enrico of Los Fastidios and we sorted an interview which will be on line as soon as possible. Technical issues have caused a slight delay!
Soon it was time for the first band to hit the stage and a strange choice to open up for a Ska / Punk band. This local Birmingham band were a metal / hardcore crossover. Nothing original but they were pretty good. The vocalist was all over the place but was restricted by his lead to the mic. Personally I thought he’d be better off with a cordless mic!
Second band up were Angry Itch. I’d seen their name here and there but never heard anything by them! As soon as they started I was pleasantly surprised by their catchy street punk rock n roll sound. A band that I need to see more and add their releases to my music collection.
For 30 minutes Angry Itch captured the local crowd and people were soon bouncing about. I don’t blame them. I’d have gotten up myself but sadly I’d trodden on a plug earlier which left me in agony for the rest of the night!
If you’ve not heard Angry Itch before so check them out. They’re on of the best bands to come out of Birmingham in a long time!
Soon it was time for Los Fastidios to hit the stage and they didn’t waste any time.
They started off with their intro and then headed into great songs such a ‘Monkeys’, ‘Toneremo Ancora’, ‘Where Are You Now?’ and ‘Radio Babylon’ and the audience were soon lapping up these punk and ska tracks.
Soon Elisa hit the stage and the band upped their game to sheer perfection.
For a Monday night seeing this Italian band was an amazing experience. I can’t believe this was the first time I’d seen Los Fastidios as Trev Hagl had introduced me to the band’s music in the mid-90’s.
Sadly I had to miss a third of their set as the train service was getting worse but I was left buzzing from experiencing this great band live for the first time!
Its fair to say Los Fastidios are the best band I’ve seen this year!
Street Voice UK 