Police Bastard – “It’s Good To HATE” distributed by Cargo – October 6th 2014
“Police Bastard – ‘It’s Good To Hate’ CD and DVD Four new tracks and one cover here and its typical Police Bastard…powerful, inspiring, hardcore punk with passionate vocals (incidentally, when did Stu-Pid grow up and come just plain ‘Pid’?!). If any changes are noticeable since their original incarnation, then it’s probably a bit more metal influenced, with the occasional guitar screech and more Doom-esque growls of anguish, but apart from that its good as ever and especially that ‘Pid’ is back on vocals. The cover is The Mob’s ‘I Wish’ which, after the gentle intro, gets the Bastard treatment and it works too. The DVD has footage of the band live, mainly at Birmingham’s Market Tavern, but also from a European outdoor festival and the Kopi squat. It’s good quality (especially the outdoor one) and really makes me long to catch them live again as the last time was way back when 120 Rats was open (Late 90’s). 7/10.” – Bald Cactus Issue 28 2011
The release contains a CD featuring four new songs and one cover version with an additional DVD containing live footage collected between 2007 and 2010. The record features the work of founding band members Pid and John Doom doing dual vocals together again for the first time in ten years. The gigs and recordings have also seen the return of Chris Crass, who took over on bass from Trogg in 1994. Seano Porno and Mark Badger from Last Under The Sun have picked up the work of guitars and additional vocals and the drummer is Simon James who also plays in Last Under The Sun and formerly of Rivers Edge. The release is dedicated to Trogg, Police Bastard’s first bass player who passed away in 2008. It was because of Trogg and his enthusiasm to do it all again that Police Bastard started writing, rehearsing, recording and touring again.
CD tracks include: The Lie, God Off, Erosion, Born To Die and a cover of I Wish (Originally written by The Mob)
DVD includes: Keep An Active Mind (2007-2008), Police Bastard Live at 25 Jahre AU Festival, Frankfurt, Germany (2008), Police Bastard Live at Kopi, Berlin, Germany (2010).
The CD tracks were Recorded, mixed, produced and mastered by Simon Reeves at Framework Recording Studios, Musoplex. Simon has worked with the likes of Napalm Death, Cathedral, Meathook Seed, and a host of others from The Cubans, Harpies, and The Nightingales. After a nearly 20 year dedication to new and alternative music in all its many forms, he has become a master at capturing ferocious guitars and brutal sounds. The new recordings are by far the best thing the band has produced to date.
The DVD includes “Keep an Active Mind” a film by Iron Man Records, edited by Anthony J. Hughes, documenting a year in the life of Police Bastard with footage from a show the band organised at The Market Tavern, Birmingham 2007, Steve Ignorant’s “Feeding of the 5,000” aftershow party, London 2007 and a tour of Europe in 2008 organised by Alerta Antifascista. The footage includes some live performances and out takes of the band on tour with a budget you can stick under a glass.
The footage of Police Bastard Live at 25 Jahre AU Festival, Frankfurt and Live at Kopi, Berlin, Germany was filmed, edited and directed by Peter Rhead.
Sleeve Artwork was done by Richard Daborn and photographs were taken by Lucy Pryor
“More great stuff from Iron Man in Birmingham…this was a total surprise, cause I’d not even realised that they had got anything new out, I’d seen em a couple of years before at the after party gig following Steve Ignorant’s Feeding of the 5000 gig (they were awesome then!) but assumed as I’d heard/seen nothing since that they’d split. Well a few weeks after getting this they played at the Old Wharf in Birmingham on a Sunday night, and along with Leatherface, I’d say the best band I’ve seen in 2010. This CD again was recorded a good while ago, but the best things are worth waiting for! 5 new tracks of brutal anarcho punk rock at its best! 4 own songs (like the title “God Off”) and a Mob cover (“I Wish”). Great line-up with (Stu)Pid and Jonny Doom together again on vocals, and 2 folk from Last Under The Sun to beef things up. Awesome! Also includes a live DVD as well.” – Steve, Ripping Thrash, Issue 27, 2011
