Assassins Of Hope – Slow Motion Suicide – 1982

Adesso Niente / Prisoner Of Law / Anarcho Syndicalism / Nothing On Me / Victims / Rejection / Spastic Disco / Kiss Your Ass Goodbye / Paranoia / Society’s Cynics / Conditioned Lives / Cartoon War / Dickie Davies / Ballad Of The Boyne

A rough old cassette release by Assassins Of Hope is uploaded tonight, the only official release that the band sold at gigs.

The text below is courtesy of Nuzz, nuzzprowlinwolf.blogspot.com and the photographs are courtesy of Mikey P.

One band missing from Ian Glaspers excellent The Day The Country Died are THE ASSASSINS OF HOPE. The year 1981 the place London, the music anarcho-punk. This is their only recording and it is rougher than a badgers arse, but great with it. Their musical influences ranged from; The Clash, The Mob through to Theatre Of Hate and Del Shannon, not that you’d know it listening to Slowmotion Suicide. Other influences included the punk scene, the angry brigade, seeing the Anarchy centre at Wapping work and a disillusionment with being on the football terraces. Somewhere along the line they lost their two singers; Peat Protest, Chantal and the Hope.

They found a new singer, and another guitarist and became THE ASSASSINS; musically they changed but lyrically and ideologically they remained the same and you could hear more of their influences in their sound The Ruts spring to mind. They recorded one demo and also a planned single Hell is for Heroes, which was never released. Not only were they a great band in both guises but they were top people. I remember going with ’em (when they were the assassins)to a gig in Oldham where they were supporting The Varukers. The band, the equipment and friends all crammed in the back of some box truck with no windows. They when’t down like a lead balloon with the mohawks. Then there was the time they supported Mercenary Skank and a punk theatre group, also not forgetting a gig they did with The Stingrays.

7 comments
  1. Chris
    Chris
    November 19, 2007 at 12:37 am

    Great band! I used to have a cool T-Shirt of the cover to this. Hope Leon and Mike are well wherever they are.

  2. Mark(Vegas)Palmer
    Mark(Vegas)Palmer
    January 28, 2008 at 9:10 pm

    Mikes doing fine,living with his mrs and kids in hastings spoke via e-mail the other day.i think leons ok too

  3. tim
    tim
    January 28, 2008 at 10:47 pm

    Yeah Chris, I had that Tshirt too! I interviewed the Assasins for a short lived fanzine I done in 82/83, think I spoke to leon he was a nice bloke.

  4. Chris
    Chris
    January 29, 2008 at 4:34 am

    Actually, there’s a pic of Andy in his Assassins shirt up on the Apostles myspace page.

    I took a couple of Mike & Leon recording that demo Andy played guitar on too. Will try to look them out and get ’em to you along with a copy.

  5. Brian
    Brian
    February 7, 2008 at 2:33 am

    Does anybody have a recording of Leon’s band after the Assassins.

    I went to school with the guitarist, by the name of Lawrence, and I think the band’s name was Swine.

    Had a tape years and years ago and it rocked.

    Cheers

  6. Shea
    Shea
    February 15, 2008 at 3:39 am

    Leon’s playing bass in our band Refuse/All now and yes, he’s a lovely bloke and a damn good bassist too.

    I’m going to put up a biog of Assassins of Hope and his other bands soon on the Refuse/All website, so any pics would be welcome. I’ve got most of the recordings they did as AOH, Assassins and Swine, if you email me at shearefuse@hotmail.co.uk I’ll pass any messages on and see if Leon’s okay to pass on any recordings.

    Check out http://www.refuseall.co.uk or http://www.myspace.com/refusealllondon if you want to hear what he’s up to now. We’re doing a gig with the Restarts and Social Parasites at the Fighting Cocks, 56 Old London Rd, Kingston, KT2 6QA tonight, Friday 15th February 2008 if you’re interested.

    Cheers, Shea Refuse.

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