Antisect

26.4.85 at Zaal Obsed, Hasselt, Belgium, photo by Serge Harvent.

       Antisect were a huge influence on the crust movement, and like Amebix, Anti-System, Decadence Within, Sacrilege and Civilised Society, mixed elements of punk with metal for the better. The band began life in 1981 in Daventry as a four-piece to play a thrash like, hardcore punk mix, but with lyrics containing anarchist tendencies. The first lineup was Pete 'Lippy' Lyons on guitar, Pete Boyce on vocals, Pete 'Polly' Paluskiewics on drums and Renusze 'Wink' Rokicki on bass.

     They didn't really fit in as 'punk's because they were into Motorhead, and didn't find the second wave of punk too inspiring(Killing Joke also had an influence on them). It wasn't until they listened to Crass that the politics behind 'Anarcho Punk'  began to sink in and influence their lyrics.

     During the beginning of 1982, Antisect played their first gig as a support band for The Barkers in Preston. Afterwards, three demos were recorded that gave a small glimpse as to what kind of sound they had live. They then got a big break supporting Discharge, but they became very uncomfortable playing mainstream venues, as they saw how the big business men were exploiting the bands for profit. Slowly they began to realize that the world was starting to crumble around their home and war seemed inevitable between the British and the Americans, so they became activist and began attending protests that involved direct action. Some members also became vegans and began supporting the Animal Liberation front by sabotaging hunters and doing other acts of direct action to help stop animal cruelty.

     Choosing this lifestyle also meant that they had to deal with the police force. Several members were arrested and tried in court on more than one occasion. The band continued and expanded into a six-piece, adding two more vocalists named Richard Hill, and Caroline Wallis, and they also relocated to Northampton.

May 1983 in Leeds, photo by Jenny Plaits.

     
      They then got the attention of Flux of Pink Indians after playing a gig with them during the Summer of 1982, at the Greyhound in London. Flux of Pink Indians approached the band and offered to release an L.P. for them on their Spiderleg label. The band went into the studio began working on the album, which took weeks to finish(they wrote a bunch of new material and used some tracks from the demos, but made big changes to them).

     The brilliant 'In Darkness, there is no Choice' was committed to tape at Southern during September of 1983, and was released on January 14th, 1984. Originally, the album was supposed to sound a lot more heavier, but Colin from Flux of Pink Indians toned it down a bit. A short U.K. tour followed with Crucifix and a reformed Dirt.(MDC too, but it didn't happen).

May 1983 in Leeds, photo by Kiwi Kim Mullan.

     One fond memory of the band was a 'bring a toy' benefit they played for single parents where all these punks in crazy clothes and hair showed up with teddy bears and stuffed rabbits in their hands. A big promoter then asked them if they could tour in America, but they declined, being fully aware of how big business ruin punk for profit.

     The tour ended in 1984, and Antisect then lost bassist Wink and vocalist Rich, replacing them with Tom Lowe from the Varukers and John Bryson. Several more gigs followed all over the United Kingdom such as a couple of dates in Italy. Antisect were now shaping into what would help influence the Crust scene, since their clothe were getting more and more dirty, and their spiky hair began turning into dreadlocks. Afterwards, the remaining vocalist Pete made his announcement that he was leaving, just as they were about to start a U.K. tour, which infuriated the band.

       The band carried on as a three-piece, with Pete (Lippy) and John doing the vocals, even though they couldn't remember all the lyrics. Unfortunately, the band became known for their heavy drug use, and the police would often visit the band and arrest certain members. The band also began to realize that a lot of people within the scene were becoming hypocrites, and this disillusioned the band. They also found out that one of their roadies was burrowing money from their promoter to buy himself drugs.

     In early 1986, Antisect released their 'Out from the Void' single on the Endangered Musik label. They were later approached by Motorhate to release another LP, but 'Out from the Void' would become the bands last release so the L.P. was never finished. Antisect was pushed more into the 'metal side' and began to slowly detach from the 'political punk' side.

26.4.85 at Zaal Obsed, Hasselt, Belgium, photo by Serge Harvent.

      Their last line-up was when John was replaced on bass by Lawrence Windle, who was the former bassist for The X-Cretas and Anthrax(U.K. Anthrax, not the metal one), and additional vocalist Tim Andrews was added. Unfortunately, as work on the second album was nearing completion, the band declined to sign a tight 30-page contract from some big time promoter, so the L.P. was done for good.

     Soon after, the band woke up one morning to find out that all their gear had been stolen out of their van. They had to burrow equipment, and they later moved into a giant punk squat in Hackney full of crazy people and drug dealers. Several gigs were played in the summer, and the band also ran into Amebix a couple of times.

26.4.85 at Zaal Obsed, Hasselt, Belgium, photo by Serge Harvent.

     After several events of police brutality aftermath, the band noticed that people were giving up on fighting back against the system, and the remaining members felt that they were starting to feel the same way. This led the band ultimately splitting up.

Some members continued to play in different bands, but have all long since disbanded. Several promoters have tried contacting the remaining members to get them back together and start touring again(they were offered a lot of money), but the money involved does not seem to interest them, and they don't want to reform just for nostalgia.

"They(The Eternal Myth and Paradox)"


Who are these people who believe they have the right
The knowledge and the wisdom to impose their barbaric way
of life
Upon you and I and others in this world
Which itself belongs to all of us or haven't they fucking
heard

Who are these people who support the cause of war
And use their false morality and label it as law
Who are all these people who change happiness to pain
 And turn the suffering of one into another's so called gain

Who are these people who wreak starvation and disease
And who are these people who build their system based on
greed
Who are these people who create aggression, fear and hate
 And then use them as tools to keep all others in their place

We have created all greed and all hate
For we are as one and do so must all take the blame
We are pleading for heaven whilst accepting this hell
We're asking for liberty whilst repressing ourselves
We are controlled by outsiders to whom we pledge our
support

By our silence and acceptance we too are at fault
We sit and we suffer, and worse believe it's okay
Or we scream till we die but it won't go away
We may advocate peaceful or armed revolutions
But all we create are more institutions
To bind us and blind us, and tell us we're free
To restrict and confine us within normality,
Well freedom is internal or haven't you sussed
To possess freedom of mind is the first forward thrust
And normal, what's normal? but a lie and a con
And the most over populated prison where nobody belongs
The thought police are with us, they have been for years
They've standardized values with their weapon of fear Fear
of being pointed at of not blending with the crowd
Well we'll state we're individuals but never too loud
We're frightened and scared of the extent of our plight
And we hide in the darkness when presented with light,
We've polluted and poisoned and mistreated this land
We've tamed all the animals but failed to tame "man"
We eliminate symptoms rather than the cause
We are all the disease but we are also the cure
The rich and the poor and the weak and the strong
The black and the white and the old and the young
For givers and takers and daughter's and son's
For good against evil our work has begun
We must all stand together to rid this world of war
And of want and of suffering, so open your door
To harmony to unity to equality to sharing
Start breathing start feeling start living start caring
We can reach new horizons of trust and respect,
We can live hand in hand and let peace take effect,
We can open our hearts to compassion and love
We can open the cage that imprisons the dove
We can open our minds to be alive and be free
We can take down our barriers and reveal the true we

There is not them
And us.
There's only
You and me


"The World's Biggest Runt"


An animal has a heart, and flesh that's precious
(But obviously more to "man" than animal)
An animal is a live. It has a body, a mind
And is it forever and ever to be abused by "man" kind
At peace in its field but when human comes near
It cowers and trembles with fear
It can sense that at some point in its life
"Man" will lead it to fate with the blade of "his" knife
"Eat your pet puppy? What a cruel thing to say."
 But lead a lamb to its slaughter and of course that's okay
The blood soaked death house to the well gr(k)illed meat
What right do you offer for the life that you steal?
Meat at the restaurant...medium or rare?
How did it get there? Too few really care
Animal for breakfast. Animal for tea.
Animal for supper. "Well who cares?" (We)
Picture the family. Knives in their hands
All waiting for Mummy to produce the dead lamb
Expectant and hungry to chew on it's flesh
Little Sue doesn't like meat. But 'Mummy knows best'
She'll tell Sue of protein because that's all that she sees
Mummy's unaware of blood and heart disease
There's millions starving because there's meat on the table
but try and tell Mummy and she'll dismiss it as fable
Animals in cosmetics. Animals to eat
Animals fill stomachs. But a life is not meat
Animals imprisoned and engaged for our pleasure
Used and abused as mere toys for our leisure
Destroyed and tortured in "mans" laboratory
Humiliated and stripped or all dignity
Dissected and burned and poisoned to death
And what is the reason? So one may add to ones "wealth"
Animals for clothing animals for meals
But what right do you offer for the lives that you steal?
Animals to shoot at animals to hunt
Definition of human.......................

We completely denounce the barbaric belief that to
slaughter so called
lesser species for profit
should be viable and morally acceptable to take the life of
any living creature
we see as being totally unacceptable. Deeming ourselves as
the most intelligent species
we appear to have reached the conclusion that all other
species are expendable.
The archaic way of thinking has led to both the extinction
and near extinction of hundreds of species of animal during
our short time on earth.
What we are faced with is a complete reassessment of our
whole moral standards.
Not only do we use animals to achieve our own ends.
We also seem to believe that it is our natural right to do so



"A Midnight Summer's Dream"


A vision...
For perhaps we may yet enjoy the freedom or clear waters.
We may yet see, and acknowledge, the true warmth of the
sun,
Listen, and hear the sound of natures music,
And walk, barefoot, once more upon the surface of mother
earth.
Strong...wild...and free.
A sense of security.
Truth.
The bosom of life, is that of animal and flower, and of woman
and man.
Unity, harmony, and spirit.
Tears of happiness replace those of pain.
For all, and eternity,
Dream on...
Dream on, and breath...new life.
We fly...one the wings, of hope.

Where spiral thoughts enduring flow
Within all numerous images of the wistful mind.
And subtle tinted variations of colour become all so clear
Turns to vapour, and rises, become rain, all divinity falls
Then becomes spring, brook, river, the constant changes
Anew, thus freshly flows anew forever on
, Like the echo enhanced with a sound,
Like the song of a thousand voices
Raindrops shed manifest tears of joy
upon the lamenting petals of the evergreen
The tenacious entwining of branches,
Through the shade of the sallow wood
Sparkle verdant prismatic colourations in the absorbent sun
That sets to rise upon another refluent day
And to feel steadfast, the bosom of life
In the air that passes, is that of animal and flower
And that of woman and man
And every fruit and pleasure tastes
Is that of sweetness
"The pure," so pure essence of growth
Flourished upon fertile ground,
And to see the serenity of souls
In rural pastures that feed the living land,
Fester radiant smiles of harmonious spirits.
A compassionate sky opens to breath countless existence
"All emotions grasp swiftly"
Above and below the seasons pass by
All windsome delusions flicker, distant, and so far
Rustling leaves drift, where shallows streams linger,
Pathed with cobble stones...so smooth...
So smooth from the trickling flow of cleanliness.
I hear a soft breeze passing now.
The sounds mingles with that of perpetual beauty
But silently fades within the depths
Of a midsummer night's dream.


"Channel Zero"


We call it television. it could be used as the greatest form of mass communication of knowledge that exists in the present day. however, what we see on our screens is merely a very acute reflection of the path that mankind has taken in "his" short ad somewhat erratic existence. Is it not ironic that the knowledge and technology that brought forth this marvelous invention could not be put to further use in the field of eliminating some of the struggles that stand before the progression of humanity for example learning to live in true cohesion with our environment, and ridding ourselves of the burdens of poverty, inequality and freed. Like many other "advancements" in the practice of human science, television has been put to use in a wholly regressive way. Far from enhancing the qualities of life. Its possible benefits have been largely overlooked. What we are left with is the mirror image of our own shallow and pretentious little "worlds". We laugh, we cry, we feel hatred, we feel love, as we absorb ourselves within the characters portrayed on the screen whereas if we were to take a step sideways, we might recognize the characters as being several shades of ourselves television to most, is regarded as a primary source of entertainment, rather than one of many possible forms of education or enlightenment. We allow ourselves to switch our own minds off, and we plug into that of another. On the whole, television does nothing that put into perspective our own shortcomings.

Turn away from the cathode ray and face reality...
A world of greed, pretence, and fear and misery
The focal point of view in the means for our escape,
And until we realize this problem, the show remains the
same.



"Yet They Still Ignore"


"It's a shame about the third world.
They're starving at our feet."
"Are you sure you're quite alright now George?"
"Have you had enough to eat?"
"There's lots and lots of stew left.
It's over there on the shelf."
"Are you sure you've had enough now?"
"Well you can always help yourself."
(Yet they still ignore...)
Woolworth's have got a sale one
"How about a treat?"
Says hubby to 'the wife
As they're walking down the street
They've got so much to choose from
That they don't know what to get.
Maybe an electric toothbrush
Or another cutlery set...
(And still the minutes tick away
Another hour off another day
Silence as the world is blind
To the agonies of humankind
People starve all over the world
The voice of inequality but few have heard
Some they laugh whilst others cry
Some gain 'wealth' others die.) ...
They'll buy a brand new toilet seat
That'll match the nice new loo
"Have you got a red one?"
"Oh well we'll paint the bathroom blue.
How about one of these?
I'm not quite sure what it's for.
But we've got a couple one the mantelpiece,
And I'd really like one more."
(Yet they still ignore...)
"How about a nice big joint?
Aunt Lucy's coming to dinner."
"Oh look George it's a 'chuckie roast'
It's got to be a winner
They'll lavish it with mint sauce,
Finish off with apple pie,
Then they'll sit in front of the big square screen
And let their conscience die
(And yet they'll still ignore...)


"Tortured and Abused"


I am an animal strapped to a chair
Nobody helps me because nobody cares
Humanity injects me and injects me again
Why am I subjected to this unbearable pain
Why..........Why must I die

I am an animal fed with disease
Forever I yearn for the joy of release
Throughout our existence we've been abused and confused
I wish they would destroy me I've got nothing to lose
Why..........Why must I die

I am an animal with wires in my head
Sometimes I think that I would be better off dead
Humanity is allowed to kill me or damage my brain
Why am I subjected to this unbearable pain
Why..........Why must I die

I am an animal is life so unfair
They've stolen my innocence and replaced it with fear
They've poisoned my bloodstream and tortured my mind
Why am I punished when I have committed no crime
Why..........Why must I die



"Education of Indoctrination"


Poor little Jimmy, it's first day at school
He doesn't know the answer so he's told he's the fool
"Stand by the corner you stupid little boy,
Our question must be answered or we'll take away your
toys."
Teacher's got his views on the way you've got to be
(You may have your own opinion as long as you don't
disagree with me)
Teacher knows what's best, remember teacher's always right
The teacher is this system and this system rules your life
Defiant little fucker he won't wear the uniform
So headmaster gets the cane out to ensure that he
conforms
Everybody else must wear the shirt and tie they say
If you insist on being different, we'll have you taken away
Poor little Jimmy they've forced him to obey
He doesn't like school so he's absent for a day
One day grows to two days and then it's for a week
Teacher contacts Mummy. She says, "I've given him all I
can"
All Jimmy wants is freedom but she doesn't understand
All her life she was told that if she didn't tow the line
She would end up just like Daddy and Daddy is doing time
Meanwhile little Jimmy's confused he's in despair
Mummy says she loves him as he's taken into care
She can't hold back the tears as she waves her son goodbye
Poor Jimmy's disillusioned, and he too breaks down and cries
Poor little child. They've forced him to obey
He wouldn't wear the uniform so they've had him locked
away
Teacher knows what's best for you, teachers always right
Teacher is this system and this system rules your life


"In Darkness"


Gazing out through the bars of sanction and right.
Enclosed in your prisons of anonymous life.
Offering but glimpses of who you can be.
Alive with no vision yet pretending to see.

Come out of your cupboards you boys and you girls.
Come out and play, it's time to unfurl.
Take off your masks and lay down your shields,
Without your deceit you could make living real.

Abandoning reasons you substitute death
In others in darkness and thus your fate.
Accepting the path that failure has spawned,
Pathetic, frightened, you're sold to the norm.

Living the illusion of pretending you care.
Revolving in spirals locked in despair.
You refuse to acknowledge the strength of your will.
You'll suck us down with you as you slide down the hill.


"Heresy"


What is your purpose?
Who is your god ?
Who owns your mind ?
What path do you follow?
For whom do you speak?
Which mask do you wear?
Who draws your line?
What is your weakness?
Where lies your love?
What are your dreams?
Where are your standards?
What keeps you going?
How large is your prison?
What breeds your hate?
Where do you hide?
Where are your strengths?
What are your nightmares?
When do you cry?
 How high are your walls?
What is your weapon?
How far can you see?
What is your truth?
Where are your values?
What brings you joy?
For whom do you bleed?
Which way do you turn?
Who carries your burden?
How large is your prison?
How deep is your search?
How is your slave?
How bright is your flame?
Where is your future?
What do you offer?
What are you barriers?
Who owns your mind?
What is your shield?
What do you steal?
What is your justice?
Who is your martyr?
Where is your corner?
What is your liberty?
What is your peace?
What is your purpose?
Where lies your faith?
Why was your past?
Who do you oppress?
Why do you care?
What is your bondage?
What do you use?
Who high are your walls?
Where is your reason?
Where is your enemy?
Who much can you take?
What is your wisdom?
What breeds your hate?
For whom did you suffer?
What is your scapegoat?
What do you argue?
Why is your fear?
What is your cause?
What is your answer?
How long have you got?
What is the time?
It's the time for change!


"The Buck stops Here"


Is life better than death
If so, then surely peace must be better than war
If suffering is something that nobody wants
Why should it escalate more
Are we really so afraid we have to close our eyes
And ignore that these things exist
Some of us believe that it's more important
To feed the banker before the poor
And some are not quite sure just what they want
But they're positive that they want more
Conflict in the name of peace
As we declare war again and again
Seems to be that the politics of power
Are brutal murder equals material gain
Why are we content to ride the wave
Whilst forgetting about the storm
And why must the hand that delivers the child
Seek to strangle the unborn
Rich, stinking, parasite
Wealth in wallet but none in mine
Divorced from want and oblivious to
The unfortunates of humankind...
And meanwhile, half a world away
A baby cries, dying of hunger,
It's tiny body ravaged by disease,
An old man falls to his knees
Embracing a blood stained corpse that once carried life
The battering corpse of his wife
A grief stricken mother turns silently from a window
As she waits for her son who'll never return
Another victim of another cause
Obscenity...war
In the playground wide eyed children play war games
Whilst on the other side of the street real war continues
guns and bombs as toys
Or the real mccoy
Men pointing rifles out of armored cars
Creates tension, causes bloodshed
And we fool ourselves, as some of us believe that this is
peace
A grain of rice a day
Keeps malnutrition at bay...(bollocks)
Most so called aid to the third world
Comes in the form of weapons
We'll I'm sorry mate but something's gone wrong
If we seriously believe that guns and bombs preserve life
Seems to us that the opposite is true
Weapons create wealth only for the arms dealers
Is it really okay to make profit out of death
Civilization? We're but a fucking joke
We're never find peace unless we find ourselves
But it's late and it's getting very dark outside

When we are confronted with obstacles in our path towards
a more compassionate and wholesome way of life. Too often
we pass the blame on to someone or something else. We do
this in order to remove the burden from ourselves. And thus
we distort the problem rather than solve it. The ends we
reach for cannot be achieved unless we find in ourselves
what we desire to see throughout the world. An awareness
of what we are doing, and where it is leading us, is the first
major stage and found our own way through it, can we
further our own personal progress. it is then, that we may
reflect on what we see, and, if necessary, make efforts to
change ourselves.

When we have learnt to recognize the strength that lays
within each and every one of us, the foundations for a truly
harmonious world will have been laid. When we have learnt
to use this strength to it's full advantage, when we have
learnt to share it with those who have not yet found it
within themselves, we may then, and only then, begin to
really set forth on the path towards a peaceful coexistence
for all to share.

Together we can change the world, but time is running out
and the buck stops with you.


"Out from the Void Part 1"(also known as "Your standards, Your Law")


Clawing your way up the walls
Holding the key but never finding the door
 Locked on the inside you remain
Struggling to break from the ties
Almost there but you still compromise
Joining hands but your own at midnight

Sucked in by the flow of the tide
Whatever the circles it's the easier ride
But in doing so you sacrifice yourself
Fear of being out on your own
Fear of setting foot in the great unknown
Binds you to captivity you create you chains

Freedom is not out of reach
But one must learn before one may teach
That liberation is dependent upon your honesty
Whatever you desire to do
Whatever you want whatever is you
Live by your standards your law

Your standards your law
Your standards your law
Your standards your law
Your standards your law
Your standards your law
Your standards your law
Your standards your law
Your standards your law

Listen and try to understand
The peelings within these lines
Our strengths our hopes our anger
 Our will to stay alive

Desperate to communicate
The Beauty of our dreams
Wanting but never knowing
If our message is received


"Out From the Void Part II"(also known as "Accept the Darkness")


Caught in the web of the shit you create
Seen it before yet you still take the bait
Hope
Future
Poisoned by fear

Secure in the vacuum that sits in your mind
Too fucking frightened to see what's outside
Hope
Future
Poisoned by fear

Down in the depths of the void you remain
Breaking the rules but still playing the game
Hope
Future
Poisoned by fear

Anguish
Screaming
Tears shed make whirlpools in rivers of blood
Alone in the crossfire
Fear tearing at you heart
Close your eyes
Nothing is seen
Except darkness

Desperately you cling
To your illusions of security pound in layers of "wealth"
Turning away form the carnage
But you'll never escape
'Cos it's real
Close your eyes
Nothing is seen
Accept the darkness


Soon to come Downloads:

Most of these are in a different computer so I'll just upload what I have on me right now for the moment.

First Demo
http://www.box.net/shared/9p6x38m0y3zy3i5qoz0d
Second Demo
http://www.box.net/shared/5ofols68dk6hdcfaushu
Live in Coventry 1982
http://www.box.net/shared/g9r4vofymolrxhct7863
Live at the Sherwood Community Centre, Nottingham 11/13/1982
http://www.box.net/shared/0dlxr08j7q53if861c7g
Live in Nottinghag 9/4/1983
http://www.box.net/shared/nz2qsfz5g2762nj9vf5s
In Darkness, There is no Choice 1983
http://www.box.net/shared/cljm1si0rty4648jbu2g
live at The Richmond, Brighton, UK, on 2nd February 1984(live version of "In Darkness, there is no Choice")
http://www.box.net/shared/c0ion22s2sqzkf9fsmqg
Live at the Station 6-10-84 Show 1
http://www.box.net/shared/seudy2deariv4nhpor6s
Live at the Station 6-10-84 Show 2
http://www.box.net/shared/h5ntbdt4mob4944qoyno
Hallo There, How's Life?(live 1984)
http://www.box.net/shared/y7h8yp3prjvpl18e7kpv
Antisect Live at the Bunker 8/3/85
http://www.box.net/shared/c2m0ari58ph5j87gou7c
Out from the Void 7" 1986
http://www.box.net/shared/ivz2ctmz1jsegj3dnm1q
Live in Leeds from 02/04/1986
http://www.box.net/shared/df56j09qf9fogrbbfvzx
Peace is Better than a Place in History(Side A live 31/11/82 , Side B live 29/03/1987)
http://www.box.net/shared/1rpgrhbnhinf6p577n2d
Live in Norwich 1987

http://www.box.net/shared/1658fc4ypc9idveq1b7z