Tuesday 5 August 2014

Armed Force - Popstar

Another little rare gem from the Bruce Rhodes collection, so leave a big thanks for Bruce for sharing this one. All we know about this one is whats on the cover:

Lynda---- Vocals
Muppet--- Vocals
Aki ------ Guitar
Jim ----- Guitar
Colin ---- Bass
Norman - Drums

Recorded in Cargo Studio in Rochdale on 13-8-1979

I think this may even be a challenge for 45 Revolutions and Worthless Trash (but they could prove me wrong), but does anyone know any more about this band?

What we do know, is that both tracks are excellent, the more you play them the more they grow on you. The stand out track for me is the a-side 'Popstar' with a simple catchy repetitive riff and Lynda's vocals (I can't here Muppet on this one). The b-side 'Attack' is not far behind, again a repetitive catchy riff and this time 'Muppet' singing.

Band: Armed Force
Label: Rock Enrole Now (I think)
Year: 1979
Tracks:
1. Popstar
2. Attack

Ripped from Bruce's glorious scratched vinyl:

12 comments:

JamesTrash said...

Armed Force were from Manchester and you're correct this was released in 1979. This is quite well known as it was comp'd on a couple of bootlegs in the late 90's/early 00's. The side with Lynda singing is the pick for me.

Vocalist Paul 'Muppet' Smart was later in the bands Brigade and Yukio Tani.

Was guitarist Aki the same bloke who was in The Hoax and Emergency? ...could be, but then maybe not?

Punkzer0 said...

Hi James, thanks for the info. One day I will find a song that you and Steve don't know anything about :-)

All the best, Gary

45 Revolutions said...

That'd be The Stereotypes!

Imposs1904 said...

Excellent. Thanks again for the wonderful music that I'm just discovering for the first time.

Got to disagree with the bloke above. The track 'Attack' edges it for me.

Punkzer0 said...

Who are the Stereotypes?

Punkzer0 said...

Hi darren thanks for your comment, much appreciated. Its good th see we've all got different tastes, which means theres usually sometimes for everyone.

45 Revolutions said...

The Stereotypes is the pain in my arse, the sharp pointy stick in my eye: one EP, two known copies, no info. There are a handful of other '45 Revolutions' acts which are still a total mystery (The Walkers, The Politicians, Hamilton... etc) but The Stereotypes take the biscuit.

Anyone?

zenpunk said...

@james d> no,its a different aki to the one who played on the hoax ep,who i knew breifley when i was younger.
muppet also happened to work at virgin records in manchester and had a house full of records,my mates brother phil played drums for brigade and they used to practice in the house where i ended up living later,he had also drummed for a band called protest who had a track on one of the no future compilations.

Andy T said...

Thanks for this, nice to hear it again. A band from Rochdale I used to sing in 'Reputations in Jeopardy' used to do lots of gigs in and around Manchester with Armed Force and another great band called the Hamsters. My favourite Armed Force song was called 'Illiterate Homosapiens' with it's chorus of 'Don't take the piss, it isn't very nice, we're illiterate homosapiens'

Cheers for now, Andy T

Punkzer0 said...

Hi andy T, thanks for the comment and the extra info, its much appreciated.

I guess its worth asking, so you have any recordings of your band or any of the others you mentioned?

Punkzer0 said...

Hi Zenpunk thanks for the comment and the extra info.

Andy T said...

Hi Gary, No unfortunately I don't have any recording. Although Reputations in Jeopardy had a track on Bullshit Detector Volume 1 and I had a single out on Crass records. There is a live set of mine on the Kill Your Pet Puppy wesite to download. Alternatively email me at >andy.thorley@hotmail.co.uk< and I'll send you a disc with some stuff on. I can also send you the Tanz der Youth peel session if you like ? Cheers Andy T