This is the sixth part, about 7 August, of my report about the Rebellion Festival 2022 in Blackpool, England. It is the sequel to my Part 5, on 6 August.
It is more extensive than my report as published at Punktuation.
Sunday 7 August was the last day of the Rebellion punk festival in Blackpool.
Backstreet Abortions logo
For me, it started with the band Backstreet Abortions. Their logo, a bloody coathanger, showed what happens when abortion bans may kill women.
Their red-haired female singer sang in a high, loud voice. Their drummer had a CBGB T-shirt on. Their bassist wore an Exploited T-shirt.
Here is their music.
Then, Riviera Kid, four men from Margate, England.
Then, Dee Skusting and the Rodents from the USA. I knew them from their single, shared with Maid of Ace as a supplement to Safety Pin zine. That promised something, and they did not disappoint, seeing them from the front row.
Singer/guitarist Dee had a Circle Jerks T-shirt on. The bassist wore a They Live T-shirt.
During their last song, Maid of Ace singer Alison sang along. Her hair was half purple, half blonde. Other Maid of Ace members were in the audience, Drummer Abby with a Sod Off T-shirt on.
Then, to Jeff Turner aka Stinky Turner of the Cockney Rejects, interviwed at the Literary stage.
I have written about the Cockney Rejects ever since 1978 in my Pin fanzine. But I had never yet seen them live. The Empress Ballroom on 6 August, the Rebellion night before, was my first time. And they surely didn’t disappoint at all!
In I’m Not A Fool, Jeff Turner’s moves proved that he had not forgotten that he had started as a boxer.
Here they are with Oi! Oi! Oi!
Back to Jeff on the 7 August Literary stage.
When they started, the Cockney Rejects had close links to football fans. That later became looser as violence around football matches increased, Jeff said.
He said that the Cockney Rejects always got along well with other bands. ‘Charlie Harper is great!’ After the interview, I talked with him about Small Wonder Records, where both the Cockney Rejects and Crass first records were on. ‘Steve Ignorant is a great man!’
Next on the Literary stage, Billy Bragg. He said that he did not immediately understand punk, ‘When I first heard the first Damned LP, I thought that it was played at the wrong speed.’ Then, Billy Bragg heard Carl Palmer of Emerson, Lake Palmer say that ‘progressive rock’ music in Europe was becoming purely European, purified from American influences. Billy interpreted that as a dog whistle way of saying Get rid of Black influences. To oppose that, Billy got more interested in punk.
Then, live music. After earlier hearing the Avengers’ singer Penelope Houston in the Women In Punk panel, now onstage in the Empress Ballroom.
The Avengers’ last song was The American Way.
The next interview at the Literary stage was with Squeeze. Not a punk band, but they were called punk in the USA because they rose at the same time. By that standard, they were the second UK punk playing in the USA after the Sex Pistols in early 1978.
Stay tuned for my next Rebellion report blog post, with Ruts DC, Stiff Little Fingers, UK Sub Alvin Gibbs, and more!
Cheap 'n' Nasty 