‘VARIOUS ARTISTS’ ‘GROW YOUR OWN RECORDS FEST’ – THE PIG, HASTINGS 8.11.25
A beautiful, bright and sunny November day finds me walking a mile to a local Hastings music venue and pub, The Pig, for a day of anarcho-punk. After last year’s joint Grow Your Own Records / Property of the Lost festival, this year Grow Your Own Records took exclusive control of the event with all bands playing taken from their own selection of recording artists.
After attending quite a bit of last year’s offering until leaving early, due to a double booking, to see Peter Hook and the Light at the De La Warr Pavilion, as soon as I saw there was to be a follow up, I thankfully purchased a ticket early for this sold-out event at the bargain price of £13 plus a 10% booking fee with a goodie bag included. With ten bands playing over 8 hours and just 15 minutes between sets the organisational skills of Gary Budd and Steph Summer from Anthrax is going to be tested to the hilt with John Bownas on sound and lighting duties needing to have his wits about him as only just this morning he had been called in to rebuild the PA system which had been damaged by DJs last night, so not a great start.
There’s a late kick off to proceedings as the music doesn’t get underway until 3.07pm, so the timetable has already been blown out of the water but like the pint of Murphy’s I have purchased ‘I’m not bitter’ about the delay and have been soaking up the friendly atmosphere and had an early gander at the tempting merch stand.
West London punks and disgruntled football fans, Proud City Fathers open the afternoon proceedings, and their high-octane set is hopefully the shape of things to come. There is a drum malfunction early doors but that’s soon overcome as Proud City Fathers speed through their 14-song set in their half hour slot, and it would have been 15 if it wasn’t for the technical issue. They have a sense of humour which is probably needed if you support QPR and ‘Inadequate’ is dedicated to their defence, and nor is ‘SRA’ a song about toothpaste. ‘Rebellious Youth’ calls out the Rebellion regulars who pay a few hundred quid to attend a punk festival as not being very rebellious, at which point I retract into my shell having attended three out of the past four years, though I have been on reviewing duty on each of those occasions. ‘Veneer’ is the standout song for me with a short guitar intro before all hell lets loose for a relentless 90 seconds of street punk/Oi. ‘C*nt’ is also a cracker with a hint of sped up Killing Joke in the delivery. The “5 minutes left” card is shown to the band to which lead singer cheekily announces, “We have 15 minutes left.” They still manage to squeeze in two songs ending the set with ‘Mass Deception’ and we are reminded with the wise words that “never have so many been fooled by so few.”
proudcityfathers1.bandcamp.com
The multi-talented Ancient Lights are up next, as vocalist Alex doesn’t just sing, but he also designed the elaborate logo that adorns the festival posters, I got one free in my goodie bag, and the t-shirts available for a very reasonable £15. Joining Alex in the band are Mark F on bass, Mark T on guitar, and PJ on drums. Describing themselves as “Peacepunk” there is nothing peaceful about the noise they make, but it’s all about the message conveyed in their lyrics. It is obvious that Alex is passionate about getting this across and none more so than when performing ‘Seen But Absent’ which is about neurodivergence and the struggles it can pose, which strikes a chord with the audience and a large slice of empathy is directed towards Alex. Moments like this make you realise that you are in a safe space which is one of the key factors behind Grow Your Own Records and their all-encompassing inclusivity.
My favourite song of the set is ‘A Forbidding Squall’ taken from the ‘Spite Wall’ EP released in March 2024, about the disgusting prejudice towards immigrants. The recorded version has a brief introduction similar to ‘Neu Smell’ which we don’t get today, but PJ excels on drums with the two Marks kicking in shortly after before Alex’s gruff vocals top off a sub two-minute masterclass in Anarcho punk and show that the genre is far from dead. This is the first time I have seen the band play live and are definitely on my list to see again if their new material is anything to go by. They treat us to the title track from their upcoming debut album ‘Reclamation’, which will have a Crass style record sleeve poster, and takes influence from the likes of Crass, Rudimentary Peni, Bauhaus and Motorhead, so I’m already sold on it. This band are definitely worth a listen.
ancientlightspunx.bandcamp.com
With Ancient Lights finishing at 16:17 we are virtually back on track time wise, and the next band Left For Dead are ready to go at 16:30 but there are only a handful of people in the room. This requires sound and light engineer John Bownas to put himself in the running for next year’s Town Crier as he goes into the crowded bar and bellows that the next band are about to start and the room soon fills up before they get underway at 16:34. Left For Dead are Simon Sharp on vocals and guitar, Trystan O’Connell on bass, and Michael on drums who is 53 today.
The band have been about for 30 years and there are obvious eighties punk influences with their no-nonsense style, but also some metal guitar as you may expect from Simon sporting a Black Sabbath baseball cap. Opening with the singalong ‘Punk Rock In My Head’ they soon have the audience onboard. The political stance for today is further cemented with ‘Ain’t No Better Than Me’ going out to all the ‘patriots’ putting up flags on lamp posts in their quest to divide communities. Ending the set with the still relevant anti-fascist song ‘Eugene Terreblanche Has F*cked Off’ and even though he’s 15 years dead it’s a sad indictment of the times that we live in.
Anthrax, including the organisers of this fantastic event Oskar (Gary Budd) on vocals and Steph Summer on guitar, play the pre tea/supper/dinner slot depending on where you hail from, with a full half hour afterwards to get some food before the evening session begins. If it was my choice then Anthrax would be much higher up the pecking order but lead singer Gary is not so self-indulgent as to be the headliner and sneaks in at a lowly fourth of the ten bands on show today. It’s a sure sign that we are all growing old together when you have a lead singer with his specs perched on his head so he can read the lyrics on his song sheet just in case he can’t remember them, but Gary impresses himself by remembering the words to the opening song ‘We Stood Alone Together’, which sets the tone nicely. The lyrics hit hard in ‘Beg Society’ from the 2021 album ‘Serfs Out’ and Gary’s delivery is spot on as he spouts “care and compassion are no longer in fashion” in a song about the sad state of our society.
It was warm outside and it’s really hotting up indoors with the band in full flow and whilst I’m looking away it’s commented by a band member that he feels sweatier than (Prince) Andrew! For us old skool Anarcho punks you have to be hard pressed to beat classics from the early 80s such as ‘Capitalism Is Cannibalism’ and ‘They’ve Got It All Wrong’, but it’s great to hear newer tracks such as ‘Dirty Bomb’ being delivered with the same verve and conviction of the early material. The added bonus in the goodie bag is a CD single of ‘One Last Drop’ which is definitely up there as a highlight of this evening’s set. Time flies when you’re enjoying yourself and their superb set overruns due to demand from the crowd and probably an ambitious setlist to fill their 35-minute slot but I’m not complaining though it has cut my intended eating time to a more wolfing down time.
I’m looking forward to seeing Zombie Met Girl again having caught them at last year’s corresponding event, and also at a free ‘Punk Rock at The Carlisle’ gig which is held monthly should you ever be at a loose end in Hastings, but hunger gets the better of me and my consumption of a huge falafel wrap takes longer than anticipated. Disappointingly this results in my only catching the last three songs of their set, ‘Monkey House’, ‘Black Rabbit’, and ‘Soul Disco’, but needless to say, these song performances are as entertaining as ever.
Lead vocalist Nick Danger is a great frontman who reminds me of a cross between Iggy Pop and Lux Interior with musical and stage influences from both, though thankfully he does stay fully clothed! My word of advice is “Don’t be like Andy” and make sure you have eaten should you ever get the opportunity to catch this band as you will not be disappointed. Zombie Met Girl is: Nick Danger (vocals), Frazer Horton (guitar), Tim Cross (bass), and Steve Ford (drums).
Since catching Rites Of Hadda for the first time at Rebellion in 2024 I have been mesmerised by their performances. Maybe it is because lead singer Wasp is so good-looking with me having been mistaken for him by four women at last year’s event! Wasp unashamedly plugs the new album from the outset as after a delay it is available for the first time at the merch stand today, though some fool left it too late to purchase one of the limited copies available. They kick off the set with the opening track from the new album ‘Is Ross Woodward A F*ggot?’ Wasp warns us early on that his bra has burst so we could be in for an eyeful later on in the show. All eyes are on Wasp, but I am also taken in by Simon whose saxophone is an integral part to the band’s chaotic sound and apart from Wasp’s theatricals makes Rites Of Hadda standout.
Wasp jokingly tells us mid-set that he is somewhat disappointed with the tepid response from the crowd to all the effort put in as I’m sure he expects a standing ovation, but that is saved for the end of the set. Wasp has the perfect analogy of the day as the love in the room is like a happy family and describes it like an anarchist’s wedding where no-one gets married. The last song ‘The Ending Ritual’ is a highlight as usual with the descent into chaos as Wasp downs/spills two pints of lager holding the glasses at least one foot above his mouth, which results in an almighty burp when giving his speech at the end of the song, which wouldn’t go amiss at a proper Anarchist’s wedding. I for one won’t be attending any helpline that Wasp alludes to for these who have returned to see them play live before and have inexplicably come back for more as this band as always are a highlight of any show they play, and you can sense the trepidation of any band that has to follow them.
The unlucky incumbents of the post Rites Of Hadda slot are Amass who have made the longest journey travelling all the way down from the north-east and they certainly make their jaunt worthwhile in my eyes. Instantly noticing the Motorhead t-shirt being sported by the guitarist gives me a hint about what’s about to occur and I’m not wrong as it is fast and furious. Made up of current and ex members of Alternative, The System, War All The Time, Embittered and many others, though names are not readily available for the band members, so I am happy to be educated if anyone out there knows. There is a lot of Anarcho experience on the small stage and not enough room for all six members with the bassist sloping off to the left side to make room for everyone else whilst the male vocalist spends a large amount of time prowling around the pit. He is unfortunately beset by a few microphone problems just to keep John Bownas on his toes, but luckily his partner in crime is on the ball and she fills in more than adequately and if it wasn’t obvious then you wouldn’t have known.
The dual male-female vocals are usually a winner in my eyes with Casual Nausea being a prime example of this and Amass are right up there in my estimation based on tonight’s set. ‘Gamekeepers Gallows’ goes out to all the hunt saboteurs and animal activists in the audience and encourages people to make a stand against this barbaric ‘sport’, whilst ‘Eton Mess’ is about class inequality and the need to redress the balance. We are told that ‘Consume More Shit’ is about the urge to buy stuff we don’t really need but conversely, the band has merch for sale outside! So, you get the gist of what Amass is all about and their opinions typify the festival theme. Again this is another band that I will be keeping on my radar.
Omega Tribe is the band that I have most been looking forward to seeing as the one and only time I saw them play live was at the Zig Zag Club squat on December 18th, 1982. Having split in 1988, they came back briefly in 1995, but it wasn’t until 2016 that they reformed properly. They are now original member Hugh Vivian on guitar and vocals, joined by Rav Dano on bass replacing original member Daryl Hardcastle who sadly passed away last year, and Emma Page on drums since 2022.
Hugh announces that tonight’s set is going to be taken from their new album ‘Power Pop Punk Rock’ which is a near perfect description of their new material. It is more melodic pop, but it has power and a noticeable punk rock message with ‘Anti-Government Forces’ being a particular favourite of mine. If someone had asked me if I would be summoning the ‘Goddess’ of love at today’s event then I would have laughed in their face but that is what Hugh has us doing and some of us even clap our hands in unison, which kind of sums up the respect and love in the room for one and all throughout the day. The singalong that is ‘Essential Workers’ goes out to all those wonderful people out there doing great work, and Hugh makes the rightful claim that what he is doing is of the same ilk as he would go mad if he didn’t do it and to be fair without live music I think a lot of us would go the same way and it is essential to good mental health. My obvious highlight though is being whisked back to the Zig Zag Club in 1982 as Hugh bursts into ‘Is This A Future’ taken from their classic debut EP ‘Angry Songs’ which was an Anarcho-Punk favourite of mine, to end a thoroughly enjoyable set.
The penultimate band of the festival is the wonderful Brighton based Hagar The Womb. Definitely one of my favourites on the bill and always guaranteed to entertain. The last time I reviewed the Hags, lead singers Ruth and Karen gave the crowd regular Fitbit steps updates but tonight they weren’t mentioned though both had smart watches of some description on their wrists. Whilst waiting for drummer Chris to sort out technical issues, the poor man had not slept after returning from DJing in Barcelona (hopefully he didn’t damage their PA system!). Karen started off the typical Hagar The Womb crowd interaction by telling us that she wasn’t wearing her control pants, or any mascara so she had rubbish eyes. I can’t imagine getting that sort of social interaction from watching Celine Dion. I have to commend Ruth on her wardrobe as she is wearing the must have fashion garment of the day as she is sporting a quality Hello Kitty Palestinian top.
Despite a couple of early technical difficulties, they are ignored by the crowd as early as the second song ‘Idolisation’ taken from their debut EP ‘The Word Of The Womb’ released in 1984, making up for the omission from last year’s set when they ran out time. It is refreshing to hear bands from back in the day recording new material and the Hags are no different as they play ‘Sinking Feeling’ a song about mental health and in particular anxiety. ‘Life Of Lies’ is executed almost perfectly even if Karen does complain about there being too many words! I’m amazed to have gotten this far without mentioning the inimitable Mitch who is on stage right with his Dulwich Hamlet football scarf and wearing his usual discreet suit, but he didn’t venture into the audience today and did get rather tetchy when he ran out of alcohol towards the end of the set. Karen points out “We exist to make other bands look good” but if the truth be known I love them for all the rawness which they still have all these years later.
I must apologise to Eastfield but by the time they hit the stage I am flagging and for the first time I am leant on a table to the side rather than being at the forefront of the action. The love in the room from Grow Your Own Records has been gushing all day which is a testament to the label, and founder member, singer/guitarist Jessi gives his account of how over almost 30 years, they have never had a manager or record label, nor had they considered either until meeting with the Grow Your Own Records family 18 months ago. The rest of the band is made up of Trina Vodkapunk on vocals, original member Bambi on bass and backing vocals, along with Bill on drums.
The incredibly catchy extended version of ‘Rugeley Crimestoppers’, about the controversial scheme to grass up people for any crime no matter how petty, is the earworm of the day and has the crowd singing along which miraculously lifts my weary body, raising my energy levels as I suddenly feel rejuvenated by this masterpiece and I have to say that I thoroughly enjoy the rest of their set. There’s time for a last “free Palestine” and “f*ck the flag shaggers” before the band leave the stage and the festival is over.
It has to be said that today has been a rip-roaring success with heaps of love in the room and not a cross word to be heard apart from lyrics against authority, those in power, and the ignorant people in society. I don’t recall seeing The Pig so busy in a long time so a big thank you goes to the organisers and hosts. Roll on next year’s event when hopefully the world will be a better place.
growyourownrecords.bandcamp.com
