NEW BOOTS AND COMPROMISES

Rip It Up, Issue 70, 1 May 1983, Page 8

NEW BOOTS AND COMPROMISES

It's not the sort of thing covered by the Census but it's a safe be tit tMfpfl Wellington has more; punks and skins per head of population than any other centre. Bands more or less fitting the category Riot 111, First XV, Unrestful Movements have come out of the city and it recently hosted the Golden Showers festival {whichf featured bands from three cities. .. "The support in Wellington is just growing every week," says Gerald Dwyer, co-organiser of Golden Showers. "There are underground,bands starting all the time. Apart from bands like Flesh D-Vice (Dwyer's own band). and Aftershock,, there are new bands like Destructive Adolescents and Suicide Pact. They're countless." This isn't just 1977 punk trailing on, y'understand. This is the new Punk. V . "It's so big in Britain now.. Much bigger than it was in 1977. It's just that it's not at the forefront of the media any more," Dwyer explains. Along with Riot Ill's Void, Dwyer has been organising dances for local bands to play at for some months. Golden Showers was the biggest venture yet, with costs of about SISOO to be recouped. It broke even. There was a little bit of trouble there, mainly discussions between Auckland and Wellington ; punks on who was tougher. But nothing like the violence that has been a problem for the city's punk scene for so long. The answer lies in part with the security. Void 'and' Dwyer/have hired the same security guards for every dance.. The ; guards don't wear uniforms and they have gotten to know the punters. "They don't take any shit and they don't usually get any either, Dwyer adds. There has been little trouble at any of the gigs but it is still hard to find venues. "And even when you do find a good venue there's always a handful of people who do fuck it up for the next time. One mindless idiot smashes a toilet or smashes someone over and ! everyone . gets the blame. "There's only a handful of louts here. They're not even into the music. They just come along to beat up some young punk and it's

the punks who get the blame." The punks are young. They range in age from early teens to early twenties,' according to Dwyer. Many are coming in from the suburbs to play in bands, go to gigs - or more likely just hang around Manners Mall. You don't get into pubs with boots or studs or a dodgy haircut, even if you are old enough. . "It's really ‘exciting to watch some of these young bands, who are only about 15 or 16, get up on stage and play flat out for 20 minutes. And the next time they get up they're playing for half an hour and they're a bit tighter. It's good to watch the progression." He tips Aftershock as the best of the new young bands: .'They're so young they don't realise how good they are." - Will Void and Dwyer (aka Capital Chaos Promotions) be working towards a regular venue then?"I don't think a regular venue works. The whole idea'of punk music is spontaneity, something different and not falling into a -regular thing. I think one-offs are better, every two or three weeks." He admits there probably isn't the audience to keep a regular venue in the black, "but there, is definitely something happening because we're getting more and more people each time we play". So what about the possibility of record labels, fanzines? ' ■ "I'd like to see a fanzine come out. I'd do something myself but I haven't got the time at the moment, just trying to get gigs organised. . "Jayrem Records have been helpful with us and Unrestful Movements. They're really openminded, so other bands will be able to : go along to Jayrem and talk to Jim Moss. The possibility of an independent label is at least a few months away, I think. I want to see what happens over the winter." He's looking forward to the winter. Things should develop. Bands like Aftershock may be up to touring standard, there will be more records ;out. Unrestful Movements' second EP is 'out already, Flesh D-Vice have their first record out soon. Regardless of subjective evaluations of the music it can't be denied that there is an energy in the capital's punk scene and it's growing. If people like Dwyer and Void can give it cohesiveness it must inevitably produce something that will cross the "punks only" barrier and be accepted as an important part of New Zealand music. But maybe that doesn't really matter. "Energetic, adrenalin music, that's all we're into. Having a good time." I can relate to that. Can't you? Russell Brown