In The Lab / The News At Ten / Automatic Image / Fascist In The High Street / The Fearful Darkness (original tape)
In The Lab / The News At Ten / Automatic Image / Fascist In The High Street / The Fearful Darkness (digitally remastered version)
A great quality tape lent to me by Chris Low from the seemingly bottomless pit that is his tape archive, the photographs are from the personal collection of Chris Low and Mikey P.
Recorded after the departure of Chantelle, Jozie and Peat Protest, this session recorded at Recession Studios featured Andy Martin of The Apostles on vocals and lead guitar. Ivan strummed along, Leon plucked the bass and Mike thrashed the skins.
After this recording The Assassins Of Hope shortened the band name to simply The Assassins.
Text below supplied by Andy Martin, the original tape recording was kindly digitally remastered by Luc Tran of UNIT. Thanks to both of them.
The Assassins Of Hope? The simple fact is that I have absolutely no memory of ever recording anything with that group, my presence on this recording is stranger still as Ivan was the only member of the band who didn’t utterly detest me!
Quite how I was enlisted to help the band record these five tracks is a profound mystery to me. There was no love lost between us; Leon in particular made his opinion of me public in various fanzines – I suspect his socialist political beliefs were offended since I never disguised my own fascist sympathies at the time, despite being stridently opposed to racism; this was probably the only common factor in our political ideals. Stating all that, Leon was first person I ever met who was totally into The Jam, it was he who introduced me to the works of that band.
This tape sounds like it was recorded on a decent quality portastudio yet I have no recollection of the actual session. I can’t tell you exactly where it was recorded although it would most likely have been at Recessions Studios, Ponsford Road in Hackney, on one of those better quality cassette portastudio devices.
“Come back Chantelle, all is forgiven” is a reference to one of the original singers in the group – she absolutely loathed and despised me while I held her in nothing but complete contempt. I have never been able to tolerate communists and I found the company of wealthy, spoiled teenagers profoundly irritating. Since these people were both communists and from wealthy privileged families then contretemps were inevitable. Why are so few working class people drawn to maxism? Perhaps because communism has little of real substance to offer us, whereas the sons and daughters of the rich can afford to indulge their political fantasies.
To be fair, they must have found my own working class consciousness little more than prejudice (or even jealously) and after all, we cannot be held responsible for the social circumstances into which we are born. I never had any problems with Ivan, however, so I assume I wasn’t a complete bigot.
My guitar playing on this session isn’t quite so abysmal although I still sing like a strangled parakeet.
The final two tracks will be oddly familiar to anyone who has heard the sixth Apostles album ‘The Other Operation’. I used the bass guitar lines, guitar chords and melodies for the track ‘A World We Never Made’.
Thanks Penguin for getting these recordings to me, apologies that my memory on the studio session is somewhat hazy.
The debut cassette release ‘Slowmotion Suicide’ is available to listen to on the site HERE
A live performance recorded at Centro Iberico is available to listen to on this site HERE
derek_r
December 25, 2010 at 4:28 pmHi Leon,
Yes that is fine we can meet up next year. I contacted the owner of the website so that he can hopefully put us in touch with each other. I’m wary of putting an email address on webpages due to spam.
leon
December 28, 2010 at 11:18 amok Derek that is cool< i UNDERSTAND ABOUT NOT PUTTING YOUR E MAIL ADDRESS UP ( sorry. not shouting just hit the wrong button there )
Hope to hear from you soon
Leon
Chantal AOH
February 6, 2011 at 6:56 pmHiya Derek
Good to hear that you are still about. Go on give us your email! You can always delete stuff you don’t want? Email me? c*****@live.co.uk I hardly ever check them anyway.
Love Chantal xxx
derek_r
February 7, 2011 at 11:03 pmI emailed you chantal, i’ll meet leon soon.
derek
Penguin • Post Author •
February 7, 2011 at 11:58 pmChantal now that Derek has contacted you I have crocked your email address so you do not get phished…a technical term btw.
Josie AoH
March 10, 2011 at 12:25 pmHi Leon, Chantal, Mike, Ivan….& Palmer!
How is every one? Look at us – all grown up & decent folk!
Is Chantal still with Mike?!
derek_r
March 10, 2011 at 3:05 pmWe’re grown up now, don’t know if we would all fit into the decent category.
Mike and Chantal live in areas far apart.
Can’t remember if i ever met you Josie.
Met Leon a few days ago in Portsmouth and we had a good chat about the old days, and how it was amazing we survived the violent times of the 1980s and 1990s.
I think I had worse luck than most, got threatened with knives two or three times and a gun all in the space of a year.
I seem to have run into fascists fairly regular.
I live a quiet life now.
Josie AoH
March 10, 2011 at 3:44 pmDerek, did I know you by another name perhaps? Reading comments earlier about Chantal & I – I hope it wasnt me who physically threatened you! I think we were more gobby than physical…!
Where were you from Derek?
derek_r
March 11, 2011 at 4:29 pmi am scottish, very tall, and was friends with mike and chantal, i saw them a lot in 84 and 85, and now and then later on in the 1990s. i only had one name, no nickname.
you were probably friends with mike and chantal before i got to know them i guess.
no, the only people threatening me were neo nazis, at concerts, or walking home late at night.
london i find incredibly dangerous as a place, yet my own home city of glasgow has a worse reputation, i don’t find any hassle in glasgow.
leon
March 13, 2011 at 6:03 pmHI Josie
It is great to hear from you. How are you ? Been up to much in the last quarter of a century or so ?
To be honest Im not sure if I’m even all grown up not alone respectable . Lets say 30 years older but none the bloody wiser.
Mike lives in Hastings now . I am still in East London .Chantal is down Taunton way and Ivan is in Japan. Infact Oxo lives in Sendai which bore the brunt of the earthquake / tsunami but thankfully I have heard he and his family are OK but at the moment i have no way of contacting him. Peat is in Stevenage and I have met him a few times in recent years and am meeting with him at an SLF gig in London in a couple of weeks.
Hope you are well and happy Josie
Leon
chantal AOH
March 14, 2011 at 1:20 pmHi Josie
Been trying to track you down so good to hear from you. Me and Mike had a son together, Ozzy he’s 21 now. We split up but are still good friends and our two families spent Xmas together last year.
You seemed to just disappear? Are we talking?
Josie AoH
March 14, 2011 at 4:39 pmLeon & Chantal,
I’ll answer you both! How nice to hear from you both but not sure about the quarter century thing Leon!! Say hello to Peat when you see him. Why did you split with Mike, Chantal?!! Sorry..I am a bit nosey. Did I just disappear? I cant remember the circumstances around my leaving London & yes, I hope we’re talking!!! Like I said, I cant remember leaving!!!
I live in Northamptonshire now. 30 years….I can remember the people & days better than I can remember last week.
Chantal AOH
March 16, 2011 at 6:53 pmHi Josie
Will have to catch up somewhere more private? Try Face book, there’s quite a selection of photo’s of you from the old days! X
Penguin • Post Author •
March 16, 2011 at 8:37 pmChantelle, Palmer, Leon and Josie. I just sent you all the same email so you all have each others details if you want a private natter.
leon
March 16, 2011 at 11:47 pmthanks Penguin
MAW
April 14, 2011 at 1:26 pmLeon …. I want to send you an email …how can I get your email address ?
martin
September 2, 2011 at 6:32 pmHi mike, leon, chantelle and josie!
found this forum by accident and glad to hear everyones all doing good. i’m the martin (too many martins on here!) who used to be with josie in 1981 / 1982ish but blew that because of my stupidity and selfishness, so i really hope you’re doing well josie!
i lived in the petherton road squat which is where i first met mike, chantelle, josie etc, then various other squats over the years including the notorious 281 victoria park road for a year or so. i’m keeping this short for now as its my first post, but have plenty to chat about if anyones interested? great to read all the old lot are ok!
cheers!
chantal AOH
September 3, 2011 at 9:06 pmBRAIN DAMAGE!! You are alive and well? XXX Palmer and Tufty have made contact… we should have a reunion? Hope you are ok? Much Love xxxx
chantal AOH
September 3, 2011 at 9:07 pmP.S what ever happened to Nig?
martin bd
September 4, 2011 at 8:23 pmhi chantelle!!
great to hear from you! yes i’m alive and well. must be at least 15 – 20 years since i saw you last…crazy how times gone by. i live just north of london and have been a motorbike courier / despatch rider for the last 15 years or so, only “normal” job i can handle. i still go to gigs every now and then, mostly metal stuff. glad you’re still in contact with mike, leon etc, and even josie recently from what i’ve read on this forum (i wonder how she’s been all these years, good hopefully.) the reunion you mentioned would def be a good idea if we could all get it together some time, especially as everyone seems to live so far apart now.
i lost contact with nig and the others from harrow many years ago, i think we drifted apart in lifestyles long before that anyway. really good to hear from you chantelle, and hope lifes treating you good. much love too! xxx
martin bd
September 4, 2011 at 8:30 pmp.s.
was really good to see a few old photos of you all in the assassins of hope days on this site, been searching for more as i’m sure there must be.
Val n Martin
September 5, 2011 at 10:57 pmHiya Martin
Good to read on hear that you are still well . We are Val n Martin who used to squat with you all at 66 Colvester Cres. We’ve been asking after you for a while wondering what happend to you . Last time we saw you our lad was only about 2 n now he’s 23 yes how time flys with have two girls as well . Are you on Face Book would be great to catch up but can’t really put email n stuff on here . You take care Luv Val n Martin x
ps we are still in touch with a few of the old mates .
martin bd
September 5, 2011 at 11:48 pmHey val & martin!!!
how are you doing? i stumbled across this site and saw you had been on it a while ago, so thought i’d give it a go. i saw your profile on facebook, so joined and contacted you as a friend request? no answer yet though. if i manage to get on facebook properly i’ll give you both my email address. cant believe how long its been since we’ve all seen each other, and your son is 23 now! you two were about that age when we all lived together in those lovely squats!
i’m suprised i got a reply from anyone yet as some of these posts are months apart, so really glad you spotted my message! i’ve often thought about you two and how you both are doing, i think we all got on really well and had some great times considering colvester cres was pretty run down at the time!
apart from the both of you, i’ve only heard from chantal so far, not sure if you’ll remember her. when i first moved into a squat in petherton road in islington london, chantal, her partner at the time mike, and josie all became good friends of mine.
i saw you photo on facebook val, and you’ve hardly changed! slightly more gothic looking thesedays? i searched for a pic of martin but no luck! show yourself martin!
great to hear from you both and i’ll keep checking this site and facebook to keep in touch with you both.
you two take care, loads of luv, martin.
Val n Martin
September 6, 2011 at 7:16 pmHiya Martin
I have added you as a friend on face book but martins not on it . It was manners that told me you were on here as he knew we were looking for you so its thanx to him. Really lovely to be back in touch with you . I will suggest Clare n Marnie and some others as friends on Face book as they are on mine too. Now get some photos on face book :o) Hope to now keep in touch . What a great site this is to find old mates. luv Val n Martin
martin (braindamage)
September 7, 2011 at 7:33 pmthanks for that val!
pmsl11
October 2, 2011 at 10:21 pmHey Josie, sounds like Braindamage is still burning a flame for you…after all this time!!!!!
martin (braindamage)
October 4, 2011 at 9:42 pmHow very dare you! lol. who art thou pmsl11?
pmsl11
October 4, 2011 at 10:07 pmlol. It’s funny how you@re more interested in me than responding to my comment. Is she likely to be interested after all this time, and especially if you were that selfish and stupid?
pmsl11
October 4, 2011 at 10:17 pmAnd, of course, as she’s married with kids.
martin (braindamage)
October 4, 2011 at 10:58 pmi’m more interested in you as i might know you from years back, 25 – 30 years! the same length of time since i last saw the other assassins members, which is also the reason i didnt respond to your comment as you might have thought i would, as it seemed just a light hearted remark about “holding a candle”, if thats the case then i must also hold a candle for about 12 other old friends on this site. just good to know how friends from many years ago are doing well, so i think you misunderstood my previous messages. still none the wiser who you are though, must be an old friend / face from the islington and hackney squats?
martin (braindamage)
October 4, 2011 at 11:10 pmand yes i know she is settled down for many years with kids, so are most of my old mates i’ve recently been in contact with through this site, myself included! so not sure what you meant by your last comments.
Josie
October 5, 2011 at 5:24 pmHey martin! I’m here!
xxxxx
Penguin • Post Author •
October 5, 2011 at 6:53 pmMartin R that is the real Josie btw in case you think it was PMSL11 mucking about. I will send you Josies private email and Josie your private email if you both wish me too. It will save you chatting on this thread…