Beki Bondage - The Unbereaved EP

The Unbereaved is a 2023 five-track solo EP by Beki Bondage, the iconic frontwoman and songwriter of the British punk band Vice Squad. Marking her first release of original solo material in over 30 years, the project was written, recorded, and produced alongside Vice Squad guitarist Paul Rooney. Moving beyond traditional punk boundaries, the EP features heavy tribal drums, sweet harmonies, and darker sonic atmospheres while tackling intense thematic subjects like grief, displacement, and socio-political crises.

Beki Bondage - Cold Turkey

"Cold Turkey" is a 2000 solo studio album and title track by British punk icon Beki Bondage, best known as the sharp-voiced leader of the pioneering UK82 punk band Vice Squad. Stepping away from her usual original punk-rock songwriting, Bondage used this project to pay homage to her diverse musical influences. The album is a collection of high-energy cover versions spanning decades of rock, pop, and soul history. From reinventing Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix to putting a heavy punk spin on Marvin Gaye and Dusty Springfield, the record showcases her vocal versatility while maintaining her signature gritty edge.

The title track itself is a roaring, aggressive reimagining of John Lennon’s gritty 1969 masterpiece. Bondage strips away the bluesy psychedelia of the original Plastic Ono Band version, replacing it with a wall of distorted guitars and driving punk rhythms that match the desperate intensity of the lyrics. Originally released at the turn of the millennium, the track and its parent album remain a unique footnote in her extensive discography, illustrating how classic songwriting can be successfully injected with raw punk attitude.

Beki & The Bombshells - Demo '89

Demo '89 (also circulated as part of the Frenzy demo series) is a pivotal underground cassette release by Beki & The Bombshells, the post-Vice Squad rock/punk outfit fronted by iconic British singer Beki Bondage. Formed in 1986 alongside guitarist Paul Rooney, the band utilized this 1989 demo to capture a sonic transition away from traditional UK82 street punk toward a heavier, more polished hard rock and power-pop sound. Operating strictly under a fiercely independent, DIY ethos to maintain full creative ownership, the tape features raw but highly melodic studio sessions that showcased Bondage's evolving, aggressive vocal range. Though these tracks never received a widespread major-label release, the 1989 recordings remain highly regarded by collectors on platforms like Discogs as hidden rock classics that eventually paved the way for Beki and Rooney to permanently reform Vice Squad in the late 1990s.

Beki & The Bombshells - Demo '88

Demo '88 is a rare, self-released cassette tape by Beki & The Bombshells, a late-1980s project fronted by Rebecca Bond (better known as Beki Bondage, the lead singer of the iconic English punk band Vice Squad). Recorded during the hiatus of Vice Squad, this limited-run demo serves as an important bridge between her early 1980s street-punk roots and her later alternative rock endeavors. Because it was produced in very small quantities to secure label interest and sell at live gigs, the tape remains a highly sought-after collector's item for punk rock historians and fans tracking her broader discography.

Beki Bondage - Don't Turn Away 7" + 12"

Released in 1985 on Communiqué Records, "Don't Turn Away" is a solo vinyl single by British punk icon Beki Bondage (credited simply as Beki), representing a distinct sonic departure from her aggressive UK82 street punk roots with Vice Squad. The release was distributed across multiple formats, featuring the standard B-side track "Dolphins" on the 7" edition (LITTLE 2) and an extended, electronic-tinged "Metal Mix" on the 12" edition (12 LITTLE 2). Reflecting the experimental trends of the mid-1980s alternative scene, the single combined her signature powerful vocals with synth-pop and new wave arrangements, and it remains a sought-after collector's item today, particularly the limited-edition 12" picture disc variant.

Ligotage - Forgive & Forget (Live)

Ligotage was a short-lived British post-punk and glam rock band formed in 1983, most notable for being fronted by Beki Bondage following her departure from the famous punk group Vice Squad. Moving away from her traditional, raw street-punk origins, the project explored a more commercial, radio-friendly sound that blended hard rock, alternative metal, and glam influences. The band's lineup was rounded out by experienced musicians from prominent contemporary punk acts like Chelsea and the UK Subs, creating a supergroup of sorts within the UK punk scene.

The band's definitive musical statement came in the form of their sole full-length album, Forgive & Forget, released via Picasso Records on 1 October 1984. Although presented and structured like a standard studio LP, the 12-track album was actually captured entirely live during a performance at London's iconic Marquee Club on 27 August 1984. Alongside driving original tracks like "Crime and Passion," the record features energetic covers of Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made for Walking" and Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze." Failing to gain commercial traction, the band dissolved shortly after the album's release.

Ligotage - Crime And Passion 7" + 12"

"Crime and Passion" is the definitive 1984 new wave single by the UK band Ligotage, fronted by former Vice Squad vocalist Beki Bondage. Released via EMI, the standard 7" format introduces the driving, post-punk title track backed by the synth-tinged B-side "Vanity." The expanded 12" maxi-single elevates the release for club play, pairing the same A-side with an extended tracklist that adds the rare, moody cut "Execution" alongside "Vanity."

Vice Squad - Stand Strong Stand Proud

Back in the dark days of 1982, much of my time was taken up with listening to the makers of what was known at the time as 'hardcore punk'. It was all about fast, loud guitar rock music with a political message of anarchy and war. All very heavy. Bands such as Discharge, GBH and One Way System come to mind. Vice Squad were cut from the same cloth. Vice Squad could produce good music, and indeed this album entered the top 40 charts of the time. Thankfully the second album Stand Strong Stand Proud was a marked improvement. Of course, it’s sod’s law that it didn’t fare as well as the dodgy debut in the UK charts, but in every other way, it was superior. Better songs, better playing, better sound and you could actually hear the vocals properly too. Not exactly a great record, but a good one. Out Of Reach, a smart enough single which trailed the album just about made the Top 75, but this was to be the high watermark for the band. The anthemic title track was another good single, but missed the chart completely.
Stand Strong Stand Proud, despite several throwaway numbers, clashes with social malignancies like vivisection (“Humane”), political passivism (“Freedom Begins At Home”), and the steady erosion of punk values (“Out Of Reach”) with power and complete credibility. In addition, Beki’s point of view provides a welcome contrast to the typical male-dominance in modern-day hardcore. Of the other material ‘’Cheap’’ sounds a bit like the pop-punk of C86 four years early, perhaps the Shop Assistants in a bad mood and ‘’No Right To Reply’’ is agreeably fast and riffy. The band cover Bowie’s doomy ‘’Saviour Machine’’ quite well and ‘’Rock “N” Roll Massacre’’ combines powerful guitar work with a song about pop music fatalities including Jimi and Sid. There are a couple of offerings that fly by without leaving much impression, but the album ends strongly with the neat mid-pace stomp of ‘’Deathwish’’ and strong anti-war song ‘’Propaganda’’.
Highly recommended.

Vice Squad - No Cause For Concern

No Cause for Concern is the influential debut studio album by the British punk rock band Vice Squad, released in 1981 through Zonophone Records. Fronted by the iconic Beki Bondage, the album stands as a foundational pillars of the UK82 movement, which revitalised British punk with faster tempos, harsher guitar tones, and a raw street-punk attitude. The release was a commercial success for an independent-leaning act, peaking at No. 32 on the UK Albums Chart and cementing the Bristol-based band at the forefront of the second-wave punk scene.

Musically, the album features a relentless barrage of aggressive, fast-paced tracks driven by sharp socio-political commentary on youth culture, commercial exploitation, and urban disillusionment. Its tracklist includes notable anthems like "Young Blood" and "Angry Youth," alongside a chaotic, high-speed cover of Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are a-Changin'." While early pressings famously displayed the logo of Riot City Records—the independent label co-founded by the band—the album's major-label backing helped broadcast Vice Squad's signature DIY energy to a mainstream audience, securing its legacy as a definitive artifact of early 1980s street punk.

Vice Squad - Last Rockers 7"EP + Resurrection 7"EP

Last Rockers E.P. (1981)

Released in January 1981, Last Rockers served as Vice Squad’s explosive introduction to the world and remains one of the defining anthems of the UK82 punk movement. Fronted by teenage vocalist Beki Bondage, the Bristol-based band delivered a raw, driving sound that perfectly bridged the gap between classic 1977 punk and the heavier, faster street-punk wave. The title track’s dark, apocalyptic narrative resonated deeply with youth facing economic and social anxiety in Thatcher-era Britain. Accompanied by the tracks "Living on Dreams" and "Latex Love," the debut was a massive independent success, spending nearly 40 weeks on the UK Indie Chart and peaking at number seven. Its Triumph catapulted the band to national prominence, making them the flagship act for the legendary Riot City Records label.

Resurrection E.P. (1981)

Capitalising on their rapid momentum, Vice Squad released the Resurrection E.P. later that same year, further cementing their status at the forefront of the underground scene. The three-track record showcased a tighter, more ferocious musical attack, driven by aggressive guitar work and Bondage's distinctive, commanding vocals. The title track "Resurrection" combined fierce energy with a highly memorable hook, while the B-sides "Young Blood" and "Humane" tackled themes of youth alienation and social critique. The single out-performed their debut on the independent charts, climbing all the way to number four and catching the attention of major label EMI, who signed the band shortly after. Together with Last Rockers, this release established Vice Squad as a vital, influential force in second-wave British punk history.

Bad Religion - The Process Of Belief

The Process of Belief is the twelfth studio album by American punk rock band Bad Religion, released on January 22, 2002, through Epitaph Records. The album is widely celebrated by fans and critics as a major "return to form," revitalising the band's signature fast, aggressive, and highly melodic hardcore punk sound after a period of major-label experimentation. This record marked the official return of founding guitarist and co-songwriter Brett Gurewitz after a seven-year hiatus, reuniting him with frontman Greg Graffin. It also introduced powerhouse drummer Brooks Wackerman, whose precise, hyperspeed drumming injected a fresh energy that redefined their rhythm section into a dense, driving triple-guitar assault.

The album is remarkably cohesive, clocking in at just under 37 minutes across 14 tracks and debuted at number 49 on the Billboard 200. It features standout singles like "Sorrow" (the album's biggest hit single, heavily inspired by the biblical story of Job) and "Broken", alongside fan-favourite political anthems regarding climate change like "Kyoto Now!". Reviewers from outlets like AllMusic praised its stellar production and aggressive hooks, while fans frequently rank it among their best 21st-century output alongside classics like Suffer and No Control.

Bad Religion - Stranger Than Fiction (Deluxe Edition)

Stranger Than Fiction (Deluxe Edition Remastered) is the expanded reissue of the seminal eighth studio album by the American punk rock band Bad Religion. Originally released on 30 August 1994, the record marked the band's major-label debut with Atlantic Records and stands as their most commercially successful release, earning Gold certifications in both the United States and Canada. The album is a definitive high point in melodic hardcore, seamlessly blending the raw, fast-paced energy of their early roots with sophisticated harmonies and frontman Greg Graffin’s intellectually charged, socially critical lyricism. It is highly celebrated for spawning alternative rock radio hits like "Infected" and the iconic re-recorded version of "21st Century (Digital Boy)."

This deluxe edition offers the definitive listening experience by expanding the original 15-song tracklist to an 18-track collection with a total runtime of approximately 45 minutes. The reissue brings together rare, highly sought-after material that was previously exclusive to international pressings and vinyl B-sides, specifically the fast-templed tracks "News From The Front," "Markovian Process," and "Leaders And Followers." Featuring notable guest appearances from punk legends like Tim Armstrong of Rancid and Wayne Kramer of the MC5, the remastered edition preserves the crisp, aggressive production of the 1994 original while updating it for modern high-fidelity streaming platforms and vinyl reissues.

Bonzo Goes To Washington - 5 Minutes 12''

"5 Minutes" is a satirical 1984 avant-garde funk 12" single released by the one-off supergroup Bonzo Goes To Washington, which featured Jerry Harrison (Talking Heads), Bootsy Collins, and producer Daniel Lazerus. The track heavily samples a leaked, controversial microphone soundcheck by US President Ronald Reagan, who joked, "My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes." Released on Sleeping Bag Records, the electronic dance track loops and stutters Reagan's voice over a heavy funk bassline, while the band name itself mocks the President by referencing his 1951 film Bedtime for Bonzo.

The Bangles - All Over The Place

While the Bangles would later embrace a radio-friendly pop production style (and enjoy attendant commercial success) that separated them from their early peers, they were the only figures from the L.A. paisley underground scene who would go on to become genuine multi-platinum rock stars, and while their first full-length album, 1984's All Over the Place, showed that some of their rough edges were already being buffed away, of their major-label output it's the record that most openly embraces the folk-rock and garage rock influences that fuelled their earliest music. Vicki Peterson's lead guitar and the band's stellar harmonies are the vehicles that drive these 11 songs, and if producer David Kahne was already pushing the group in a more commercially ambitious direction, there's no disguising the psychedelic guitar figures on "Dover Beach" or the Byrds-meets-Raiders jangle of "Tell Me," and the choice of the Merry-Go-Round's "Live" as a cover is especially telling. All Over the Place is also the Bangles' most unified full-length album; Susanna Hoffs hadn't yet been singled out as the star of the show, and the round-robin lead vocals, stellar harmonies, and tight, concise arrangements make them sound like a real-deal rock band, and the set's gentle but insistent sway from British Invasion-styled rock and West Coast pop feels natural, unforced, and effective. And when drummer Debbie Peterson and bassist Michael Steele feel like rocking out, the Bangles generate a lot more heat than they're usually given credit for, most notably on "Silent Treatment." The Bangles' second full album, Different Light, would sell a lot more copies, but All Over the Place is easily their best and most satisfying LP.

Burning Brides - Fall Of The Plastic Empire

Burning Brides' debut is the kind of album usually distinguished by the neologism "heavy rock"; it's too fast and too melodic to be lumped in with "stoner metal" or "post-grunge," for instance, and too sludgy to be called straight-up "hard rock." Whatever you want to call this album, the band seems to derive great delight in revisiting a visceral, guitar-heavy sound that was, at one time, so prevalent that it didn't really need its own subgenre, whether you were referring to classic '90s albums by the Pixies; early Sonic Youth; Bleach-era Nirvana; or slab-rock by old-school vets like the Stooges, AC/DC, and Black Sabbath. One reason for this may be the fact that its heavy guitar sound was recorded while reverberating off the walls of a room with a high, 30-foot ceiling, which makes for a very "live" feel. Unfortunately, Fall of the Plastic Empire -- co-produced by guitarist/vocalist Dimitri Coats and Brian Mctear (Matt Pond PA, Mazarin) -- too often tends to replicate the repetitive, dumbed-down sound favoured by so many of their somewhat deservedly unsung contemporaries, like those bands on Sub Pop's roster (Nebula, for example). "If I'm a Man" is probably the best overall track here, though just about every song is propelled along by the kind of ham-fisted hammerhead riffs that cause the fingers of headbanging metal kids everywhere to curl up in a devil-horns salute.

Johanna's House Of Glamour - Farewell Street

A weirdly arty but rather appealing little album, the full-length debut by Rhode Island trio Johanna's House of Glamour is an intriguing blend of Goth stylings, the shoegazer aesthetic of bands like the Cocteau Twins and Downy Mildew, and most interestingly, a strong echo of '70s progressive rockers Slapp Happy. Laura Darrow's dolorous voice and idiosyncratic phrasing are more than a little reminiscent of Slapp Happy/Henry Cow singer Dagmar Krause, and multi-instrumentalists Daniel Darrow and Bruce MacLeod create a serene yet mysterious musical bed filled with subtle synthesizers, keening electric guitars that sound like Robert Fripp in an atypically mellow mood, and intriguingly strange sounds buried deep in the mix. The lengthy songs unfold slowly, favouring undulating atmospheres over memorable melodies. The placid albeit vaguely foreboding sound strongly recalls that of This Mortal Coil, especially on the hushed cover of T. Rex's "Cosmic Dancer," sung by Daniel Darrow. It might take a few listens to really get into Farewell Street, but its well-worth the effort.