RIP Colin Jerwood - SE London punk legend

Colin Jerwood, lead singer with South London anarcho-punk band Conflict, has died.  At their 1980s peak they were very influential in the punk scene and famously once played a huge gig at Brixton Academy in 1987 ('The gathering of the 5000') which ended with 52 arrests and fighting with the police in the streets outside.

I believe that Colin was born in 1962 in Nettleton Road in New Cross, but was living in the Coldharbour Estate in  Eltham in the early days of the band and as an anarchist punk having to deal with violent racist skinheads. The band played out across South London and beyond - I saw them in mid-1980s at Thames Poly and at the Old Kent Road ambulance station squat - and put on a regular punk night in the crypt of St Pauls Church in Deptford. Later in the 1980s Colin was involved with putting on acid house parties at the Harp Club in New Cross, and in 1994 at the same location (now called the Venue) recorded their live album 'Conflict in the Venue'. Through their Mortarhate record label they put out stuff by other punk bands including New Cross favourites Hagar the Womb.

Conflict announce the start of 'The Centre' on Mondays at St Pauls Church SE8 (think this must have been late 1985/early 1986)

1986 gig at the Crypt with Potential Threat, Unknown Colours, Mentacide and Under the Gun

Colin played one of his last gigs with Conflict at the New Cross Inn in November 2024

According to Mark Wallis from Liberty (another SE London anarcho-punk band) "In the early days, Colin was an anarchist living on an estate in Eltham [the estate] with John and Paco, surrounded by NF skinheads

MDC and Flipper - American Punk at the New Cross Inn

Not one but two classic American  punk bands with roots in the 1980s  coming up at the New Cross Inn next month.  August 1st sees the appearance of MDC - initials that over the years have stood variously for Millions of Death Cops, Multi Death Corporation and Millions of Damned Christians among other things. In their early years they were active in Rock Against Reagan and released the classic 'John Wayne was a Nazi'. My personal favourite lyric of theirs, from their track Selfish Sh*t is 'Socialism for the rich, Capitalism for the rest of you' which often comes to mind when I hear about already wealthy people receiving freebies like the Oscars Gift Bag

Supports on the night include Left For Dead and Spider

Tickets £12, details on facebook

Then a week later  on Sunday 7th August, Flipper are playing.  Starting out in San Francisco, they were a big influence on Nirvana among many other bands. The line up on this tour includes founding guitarist Ted Falconi and founding drummer Steve DePace, with bassist and vocals from some time member Mike Watt (also bassist with the Minutemen).

Tickets £20, details on facebook

[update the Flipper gig did not take place this time as the tour was postponed due to Covid]

New Lewisham 1977 Mural (and the Clifton Rise toilets)

A new mural was unveiled last month at Goldsmiths commemorating the August 1977 'Battle of Lewisham' when anti-fascists mobilised to oppose a march by the far right National Front from New Cross to Lewisham. Designed by Ted Low in collaboration with local community groups, the mural is a montage of images from photographs taken on the day - including the 'All Lewisham Campaign Against Racism and Fascism' banner and clashes in New Cross Road and Lewisham town centre.

At the centre of the mural, holding a megaphone, is Darcus Howe. At that time editor of Brixton-based Race Today magazine, he was to play an important role in the movement after the New Cross Fire a few years later in 1981. The image comes from a photograph by Syd Shelton showing Darcus Howe standing on top of the public toilets on Clifton Rise.

Another photo taken around the same time facing in the other direction shows the crowd on New Cross Road, with New Cross Inn behind the speaker and across the road the site of what is now The Word Bookshop on corner of Laurie Grove (somebody in front row holding up a cassette recorder - would be great if tape of speeches still exists!).

The toilets get a mention in an Irish Times (13/8/1977) report on preparations for the demonstration : 'A public convenience in Clifton Rise, Deptford is to be used as a cell-block if there is widespread violence, the attendant, Mr Ron Edwards, has been told. Right-wingers would be led to the Gentlemen and Left-wingers to the Ladies'. The same report mentioned that 'For the first time police will have the use of special riot gear, heavy duty plastic shields and helmets'. The mural includes an image of the riot shields in use in Lewisham town centre, their first deployment in the UK outside of Northern Ireland. But with thousands of anti-fascists blockading Clifton Rise, any plans to use the toilets (if true) must have been abandoned.

The mural launch at Goldsmiths on 26 October 2019 also included a reception with reggae DJ set from Tessa Pollitt, former bassist with The Slits. 

There were a view veterans from 1977 present, including photographer Homer Sykes whose work is also featured in the mural. A collection of his photographs from the day has been been published by Cafe Royal Books.

According to the radical philosopher Alain Badiou, a feature of a historically significant Event is that it inspires a kind of 'fidelity' amongst those inspired by it, a loyalty to its purposes that is ongoing rather than a historical memory of a frozen past. Lewisham '77 has certainly inspired such fidelity, with a series of local events to mark its 30th anniversary (in 2007) and 40th anniversary (in 2017) explicitly relating the 1977 demonstration to contemporary struggles against racism and the far right.

Dr John Price, Head of the Department of History at Goldsmiths, said: “This vivid public artwork, commemorating an important event in the history of anti-fascism and anti-racism in the UK, will stand as a permanent reminder of what can be achieved when communities come together to resist and oppose bigotry in all its forms. The Battle of Lewisham was south London’s Battle of Cable Street and it is fitting that both events are now marked with commemorative plaques and major pieces of public art.” The mural is displayed on the side of the Goldsmith library on Lewisham Way.

There's lots about Lewisham 1977 on this blog, my main reflections on it are in an article I wrote for Datacide magazine: Lewisham '77: myth and anti-fascist history. For everything else at Transpontine scroll through here

MDC - radical US hardcore veterans at New Cross Inn

US hardcore punk band MDC are playing at the New Cross Inn on 10 August 2015, supported by In Evil Hour, Choking Susan and The Decline.

The band started out as pioneering  Texas punk band The Stains in the late 1970s, with their best known track 'John Wayne was a Nazi'.  They then became 'Millions of Dead Cops', releasing their debut album under this name in 1982.  Later they became known as 'Multi Death Corporation' releasing material in the UK on Crass Records..

I had their Crass records EP back in the day, and the line that has stuck with me - from the track 'Selfish Sh*t' - is 'Socialism for the Rich, Capitalism for the Rest of You'. I now know that they didn't invent it ('Socialism for the Rich, Capitalism for the Poor' is a long standing meme), but I always think of it when I hear about the wealthy enjoying free hospitality while many others struggle to get by.

New Cross Independent Label Fair

'Let's celebrate summer and sunshine one of the longest days of the year! On Saturday the 20th of June we're calling out to all you record collectors and music enthusiasts. New Cross Inn transforms for ONE DAY ONLY bringing you a handful of London's finest independent music labels.

Expect a wide variety of musical genres, some of the freshest vinyl LP's, 45's, tapes, CD's, fanzines and exclusive merchandise whilst also getting the chance to chat with the friendly label staff. Guest DJ performances from Dom Servini & Scrimshire (WahWah45's)Tom Central (KeepUp! Records) & Charo (WotNot / HoxtonFM).

Starts 12pm –5pm. Free Entry. Indoors / Outdoor seating for sunshine boozing. Cocktails & Cheap Beer all day. Featuring:

Accidental Records
MïLK
Mukatsuku Records
NXRecords
Rocket Girl
Slowfoot Records
Spotty Vinyl Records
squareglass
Unwork Records
Upset The Rhythm - http://www.upsettherhythm.co.uk/
Wah Wah 45s
WotNot - http://music.wotnot.tv/

After all the daytime excitement, from 7pm twe're putting together a great line up of live music.

Performances from:
Slowcoaches
Tense Men
Gloss Rejection
Ruiners

Follow the link below for more info on the evening event:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1591081154482265/

New Cross in Time Out

If you haven't picked up this week's Time Out London, look out for its 'Great bits of London' feature on New Cross with its strapline of 'creativity, cheap thrills and chicken shops in the south-east student belt'. Written by Goldsmiths student Andy Hill it accurately characterises local pubs/bars New Cross House, New Cross Inn, Hobgoblin, LP Bar and Amersham Arms. Foodwise Cummin Up, London Particular and Chinwag get a mention, with a recommendation too of a walk to the top of Telegraph Hill to look over London. Other readers recommend Smokey Jerky, No 178, Little Nan's, Birdie Num Num's, the Royal Albert and the Venue - 'you're not a south-easterner if you haven't had the Big V experience'. 

Can't Kill What's Inside

Next Saturday 30 August, London-based Polish anti-fascists Dywizjon 161 (Division 161) are putting on a gig at the New Cross Inn. 'Can't Kill What's Inside' features :

- 210 - 'antifascist hardcore from Russia' - http://210hxc.bandcamp.com/ ; https://www.facebook.com/210hxc

PERMA WAR - punk from London - https://permawar.bandcamp.com/

BLEACH - https://www.facebook.com/bleachthrash

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SH9H63vMQeY

Tickets: £6 at the door, all money raised going towards PARTIZAN MINSK FC.

Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/773657615988104/?fref=ts

Music Monday: Rhiannon the Nightmare

Rhiannon the Nightmare's 'country punk  blues' are an established feature of the New Cross music scene as befits an outfit 'Raised in the deep south east by the New Cross delta on canned lager, chewing tobacco and heartache'.

They've recently recorded a song celebrating Little Nan's Bar at the Bunker Club (46 Deptford Broadway),with a video shot of course in said bar.

Little Nan's Bar in the video (Rhiannon in the centre)

Next Saturday 15 February they are playing a Rocklands Valentine's weekend 'mini fest' at the New Cross Inn, with the full line up:

Rhiannon The Nightmare "New Cross meets Nashville" (Pulse Arts). Meets PJ Harvey. https://www.facebook.com/rhiannonthenightmaremusic CuT : Space punk with fantastic psychadelic pop sensibilities.http://www.cut.uk.com/ Mourning Birds: Medway mad way gutter punk blues. https://facebook.com/mourningbirds Richey Ostrowski, the front man/guitarist of 16 Hole Boots, compared to a young Julian Cope. Post punk newer wave in the gutter – but with eyes fixed firmly on the kerb. http://16holeboots.bandcamp.com/ The Freewheelin' Troubadour: ArtBeat poet and all round inspirational motivator. Hear. Believe. https://facebook.com/thefreewheelintroubadour Jean Genie's Massive Hugs - Gorgeously crafted songs fuse folky pop n bluesy rock. The Panda Power queen is is always a blossoming star turn whatever she turns her multi talents turn to. https://facebook.com/jeangeniesmassivehugs Aeromancy Experimental adventures in alt rock. A new EP is in the wings! @AeromancyBand https://www.facebook.com/Aeromancy.UK 5pm start, £3 after 7pm or Free Entry NUS/NHS/OK badge. After party bar til 2am. 20% off drinks Noon-8pm!

Music Monday: Cat Bear Tree

Cat Bear Tree are an up and coming South London all-girl trio, featuring Zoe Konez (guitar/vocals), Claudia Mansaray (bass/vocals) and Sarah Smith (drums/vocals).  They describe their sound as 'angular, harmony-driven, indie punk-pop' with impeccable reference points including Sleater-Kinney, Warpaint and Pretty Girls Make Graves. Their energy really reminds me of the old New Cross/Angular Recordings scene (was that really nearly ten years ago?) when the likes of The Swear, The Violets, Art Brut (and later The Long Blondes) were playing out at the Paradise Bar (now Royal Albert) and other local venues.

They are based around the Camberwell area, and have played out at local venues including the New Cross Inn, The Windmill (Brixton), Cavendish Arms (Stockwell) and just last week The White Lion in Streatham. And of course they have done the obligatory Heygate Estate photo-shoot!

The band have an EP out soon, and have already had a track played by Tom Robinson on BBC 6 Music. So catch them quick... might not be playing in pubs too much longer. You can listen to some more at http://catbeartree.amazingtunes.com/  and check out their facebook page (they also tweet @catbeartree).
 

 

Update 6 February: Cat Bear Tree are playing at the Freedom: Pussy Riot Punk Prayer Commemoration Concert at the Hoxton Bar and Kitchen on 24 February, along with Midal Fall, Au Palais and Skinny Girl Diet: 'On 21 February 2012, members of the Russian punk band Pussy Riot performed a "punk prayer" in a Moscow church for which they were arrested, detained for several months and eventually sentenced on 17 August 2012 to 2 years imprisonment. With two of the three members remaining imprisoned (Nadezhda “Nadya” Tolokonnikova and Maria “Masha“ Alyokhina), SHATTERJAPAN and POPULAR have collaborated to bring you a whole evening of entertainment, including people from the international music, film and political worlds, to commemorate the 1 year anniversary of the punk prayer performance and to celebrate freedom of expression'.

New Year in New Cross

Plenty to do in New Cross on New Year's Eve. The New Cross House and Amersham Arms are both having parties with late opening and free admission, the latter with Simon Obee of New Cross Bags fame DJing and promising - or threatening according to your taste - lots of Fleetwood Mac (oops they got the date wrong in flyer!). There's also a Deadly Rhythm party in the back room, but that's already sold out.

The New Cross Inn has lots of bands playing including  Soul Delirious, Valve Control, The Hotelles, Giant Burger, Omar, Pusca and The Only Sun 8:00pm to 8:30pm. £6 in advance, £8 on door with concessions for regulars. Further details here.

The Royal Albert is charging £5 in.

At the Bunker Club (46 Deptford Broadway), Breton and Deptford Army are putting on a party, £5 before midnight, £7 after, open until 4 am (facebook details here).

Of course there's a New Year's Eve party at the Venue in New Cross Road, with the spirit of Michael Jackson appearing - £15 in advance, £20 on door, cheap drinks and guaranteed hangover.

Or for a free all ages event you could just walk up to the top of Telegraph Hill where hundreds of people will gather as usual in the top park (Kitto Road SE14) to count in the New Year and watch the fireworks go off across London. Weather forecast is for rain earlier in the day, but dry by midnight - although no doubt muddy in the park.

(Brockley Central has a few other ideas from further afield)

South London Pub News: Good and Bad

More bad news on the pub front with the closure of Lewisham's only gay bar, a threat to close a good pub in Catford, and Greenwich Council refusing permission to open a decent new pub in Woolwich, among other things. Good news is that all of these have resulted in people campaigning, with a possibility of making some real progress in some case.

Two8Six

Two8Six, Lewisham's only gay pub, is boarded up. More than a hundred people attended a public meeting to oppose the closure last month  (26 Oct) at Lewisham Town Hall, organised by Lewisham LGBTQ+ Community Involvement Group. According to Pink News (1 Nov. 2012):

'Hundreds of residents in the London Borough of Lewisham are fighting to restore a popular gay pub. The Two8Six venue, on Lewisham High Street, was recently shut after the offshore property firm, Mendoza Limited and their management company Golfrate Limited, forced the closure of the pub by sending in bailiffs and changing the locks. At an LGBT community meeting last week, Stephen Thompson, the former licensee of Two8Six, said: “[Golfrate] are claiming that they took this action because I owed them rent when in reality it was because I refused to surrender the upper floors of the building and evict my staff from their homes... This pub has been closed, not because it isn’t profitable, but because an offshore property developer with no connection or concern for Lewisham, wants to make money out of the land value of the pub and placed unreasonable demands on my business including raising the rent from £38k to £60k.”'

photo by Ewan-M at Flickr

Catford Bridge Tavern

Hundreds of people have filed objections to planning permission for a plan to close the popular Catford Bridge Tavern, SE6 (formerly the Copperfield) and replace it with a supermarket. The plan highlights the complexity of who makes decisions about the future of pubs. The pub is run by Antic, who have a Tenancy at Will  from Punch Taverns, who lease it from DVS Property Ltd. The latter have submitted the planning application to Lewisham Council.

A Lewisham Council report earlier this year reported that the number of pubs in Lewisham fell to 92 in 2011 from 145 in 2001.

The Woolwich

Meanwhile in Woolwich, local blogs such as 853 have been campaigning against the decision of Greenwich Council to refuse planning permission for Antic (who run Royal Albert in New Cross as well as Catford Bridge Tavern) to open a new pub, The Woolwich, in the town centre.  A revised planning application has been submitted and early signs are that it may have more success.

Brixton: George IV and Hootenanny

In Brixton campaigns are being waged in relation to two of my old locals from when I lived over there. Over 100 people attended a public meeting about plans to replace the George IV pub on Brixton Hill with a Tesco Express. The once popular music pub played host to early Basement Jaxx nights, not to mention me dancing to Northern Soul, but has been empty for a while. A couple of weeks ago the building was squatted by opponents of the plan.

A petition has also been launched (signed by 2500 people so far) against restrictive licensing conditions at Hootenanny on Effra Road. The music and drinking venue opens until 3 am, but are being told they cannot admit anybody until after 11 pm.  The owners say that they may have to close unless these restrictions are lifted. The venue has been a late night place for decades, in its previous incarnations as the Hobgoblin and George Canning.

Ivy House

Some good news in relation to another pub and music venue, the Ivy House in Nunhead. The pub closed earlier this year and had been put up for auction last month by the property developer who bought the building from its previous owners, Enterprise Inns. However, campaigners have successfully lobbied Southwark Council to have the building listed as an  'asset of community value' under the new Localism Act. This doesn't mean the pub has definitely been saved, but it will make it harder for the building to be used for other purposes as 'The fact that it is on the list will be treated as a 'material consideration' for planning purposes. This means that it should be taken into account by the Council in deciding a planning application (including for change of use) or an appeal against a planning decision' (see article by campaigner Tessa Blunden in The Guardian). If nothing else the decision buys time for campaigners to come up with alternative plans to get the place up and running again.

New Cross Inn

The New Cross Inn (SE14) is up for sale. Christie + Co  state that it 'has been instructed to obtain bids for a substantial freehold investment in London. The New Cross Inn is a distinctive building with Victorian features including a domed turret and arched windows. It is in a prominent position between New Cross and New Cross Gate stations.The investment is split into two distinct businesses and has recently undergone an overhaul with capital expenditure of £80,000. There is a ground floor and basement live music bar with a 10-year free-of-tie lease and a current rental income of £36,000. The upper floors are presently operated as a hostel with 80 beds, a 10-year lease and a rental income of £60,000. Christie + Co is inviting bids for the freehold investment with a guide of £1,200,000'.   There doesn't appear to any immediate any direct threat to the pub's future, but longer term that may depend on the interests and intentions of whoever ends up buying the building.

Musical Youth at New Cross Inn

'Musical Youth' are playing at the New Cross Inn on Saturday 8th September, still musical if no longer particularly youthful. Back in the early 1980s they had a huge international hit with 'Pass the Dutchie', but made a couple of anthems with some other good tunes.

The band were originally from Birmingham, but Pass the Dutchie was actually produced/mixed in the Old Kent Road at The Workhouse studio (488 Old Kent Road) on the site of what is now the Asda supermarket.

I Ludicrous at New Cross Inn

Coming up this Friday 20th July at the New Cross Inn, the first London gig this year by I Ludicrous. The Crystal Palace-supporting indie outfit started out in the  mid-1980s with a sardonic comic style similar to Half Man Half Biscuit or The Fall. 

Their biggest 'hit' was John Peel favourite 'Preposterous tales' ('I once saw the Palace score four goals away from home'). They also did what The Great Wen has suggested may be the greatest football song of all time, We Stand Around (you can watch a whole documentary about them too)

Also on the bill on Friday are Now, Matt Finucane  and Marshall Milk.

Music Monday: Ren Spits at Magpies

Ren Spits at Magpies is a Peckham-based acoustic singer whose sweet sounding tunes disguise a spiky feminist/anarchist/punky intent. She is to be found strumming and singing on the radical benefit gig circuit, and indeed she is playing at the New Cross Inn next month as part of an International Women's Day event (of which more below). She's on facebook and has a tumblr site which also documents her art student activities.






The (slightly early) International Women's Day gig is on 7th March at the New Cross Inn and will be a benefit for Women's Aid put on by Rudegirl Reckless. As well as Ren Spits at Magpies, performers will include:

- Perkie: 'acoustic folky piano awesomeness'

- Effort: 'liberated noise with swelling harmonies battling frantic guitar riffs and heart-bursting drums'.

- Colour Me Wednesday: 'DIY ska and punk from West London'

- Jezabellezza: 'Manchester's very own pink-haired piano player'-

- Frances Salter: 'Folk/acoustic rock'.

£4 on the door towards Women's Aid. Check the event out here:

Edit/Select

Edit/Select are an energetic young SE London band. I saw them a few weeks ago at the Toe Jam Christmas party at the Bussey Building in Peckham and they were pretty good (Toe Jam is a club night that the band help promote, it started out at the New Cross Inn). Now they are looking for a new bassist:

'We are an indie / punk / reggae / ska / pop rock band. We have played venues such as IndigO2, Barfly, Scala, Dingwalls, Goldsmiths SU, Astoria 2, etc. We have supported Art Brut, Toploader, The Holloways and more. We regularly go on tours in Holland as we have a buzzing following out there and a lot of contacts. Currently making an album too!

We are looking for a bass player who is enthusiastic, experienced, someone who is up for having fun and really wants to make a go of this. Must be willing to work with image too! If this sounds good to you then drop me a reply!'

If you are interested you can contact them via their facebook page.

Here they are with their track Your Fire, the video seemingly filmed in the Old Police Station (Amersham Vale, SE14). Warning to would-be bassists - this was a couple of years ago and they've got more musically sophisticated, maybe bit more Vampire Weekend, bit less Hard Fi. So you will need to be good!