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Andy Xport - Anarcho-Punk Gtrrr Maestro Still Turning 'Em On

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Man's Hate Productions I.S.C. Tape Series

Anarcho-punk guitar maestro Andy Xport was one of the stalwarts of the underground tape scene of the 1980s, and is now proving a wow with a new audience on MySpace.

Originally out of Peterborough, Cambs, Andy first made an impact on the music scene, with pal Jon Hindle (vocals, guitars, bass, mandolin, flutes) and the mysterious Livingston Seagull (drum machines), as part of The A.P.F Brigade, who were active from 1977 to 1984, and had their track, 'Anarchist Attack', featured on the legendary 'Bullshit Detector' LP in 1980, which was released by those seminal anarcho-punkers Crass. With The A.P.F. (APF = Animal/Anarchy, Peace & Freedom) Brigade the young Andi Export (as his name was spelt then) was showing his musical flair, supplying vocals and featuring on guitars, bass, and percussion, and also experimenting with tapes.
The combo released several cassettes, with 'Live Brigade' being their first release, which was recorded in Hindle's garage (though they weren't really a garage band!). This release was unusual in that each copy was individually recorded.

In the mid-1980s, Andy's solo Man's Hate project was launched, and he was now known as Andi Xport. It was Man's Hate, as Man's Hate Productions, which produced the ISC Compilation Tapes, of which more anon. Andy's solo material showed off his skills as a multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, bass, keyboards, and percussion, and having a moving vocal style, which complemented the subject matter of his songs. Man's Hate sound was like power pop meets punk, with catchy tunes, and very thought-provoking lyrics condemning animal cruelty, environmental destruction, and man's inhumanity generally. Notable songs included 'Men And Women On Horses With Dogs (featuring American drummer Fenner Castner, who guested on several Man's Hate songs)', 'Ding Dong Avon Calling', and 'Porton Down Torture Down'. The Man's Hate songs were also interesting because of Andy's method of playing the guitar, and his preferring a method of playing "with my thumb over the top, like the good Reverend Jack Wilcox showed me",
which gives a guitarist more fluidity than the sometimes ponderous A-G chord sequences.

Also in the mid-'80s, Andy launched his respected International Sound Communication (I.S.C.) Tapes, which featured all sounds under the sun, from all around the world. Among the artists featured on the compilations were Blyth Power, Thatcher On Acid, Donald Campau, Lord Litter, and the then unknown Chumbawamba, with their early classic, 'Shovelling Shit'. Personally I remember Andy having thousands of tapes under his bed, because he just didn't have room anywhere else for 'em! In all there were 15 compilations put together in just a few years.

I met Andy for the first time in 1986, and we worked on stuff for Man's Hate/The Peace & Freedom Band. We co-wrote 'Peace & Freedom Band', 'Nature', and '30th Century', which were recorded in Andy's bedroom, and these tracks are featured on the new Man's Hate 'Looking Back At Anger' compilation album. These tracks were originally on the 1988 Peace & Freedom Band album, 'Life', which was polished up and finished at chez Xport. Andy also co-wrote and produced the Peace & Freedom Band thrash send-up 'War-r-r-r', and played all the instruments.


Andy Xport certainly had, and still has, admirable ethical credentials, and easily survived my cynical examinations early on. You couldn't catch him out. Once when seeing a jacket of his suspiciously looking like leather, he replied, when challenged, that it was a wax jacket. Still unconvinced, I later found out that, yes, there was such a thing as a wax jacket. Andy also knew some interesting characters, like the unforgettable Nailz (and I never even met him), on the run from the South African army and who walked around Peterborough in obscene T-shirts! The triumvirate of me, Xport, and fellow Peace & Freedom Band member Andy Bruce, also had a fun day out in London in 1986, meeting ultra Bohemian Ralf/Gypsy, with my mother saying I looked like "a scared rabbit" when I got home. We were basically good boys from good homes, you see. Nice subversives, if you like. Rebelling against injustice is something Andy Xport continues to do, and I'd recommend you buy his Man's Hate compilation album - only he's giving it away free!

- Paul Rance/booksmusicfilmstv.com.

Andy Xport Graphic

Paul Rance on some recent Andy Xport Songs

Ma*onna Bought My Babies
Accomplished music, in a song attacking the latest accessory for the rich and famous.

He's Armless
Short and sweet attack on the arms trade. Perky, with a good joke at the beginning!
(More info on the arms trade in London: http://www.dsei.org)

Bite Back
Very catchy, with challenging lyrics.

Consume
Now this does sound steam driven!
A cover of a Cress song.

Gods On Our Side
Like an old-style raucous punk number.

Brave Neu World
Wow! Electro meets electric blues. I think it's the best thing he's ever done musically. Catchy as hell.


Andy Xport He's Armless Video

Andy Xport - Still Shakin' The Bush Boss! (Man's Hate Productions/CD)
Free Download - Winzip Version, 65mb
Free Download - Rar Version, 65mb

Andy Xport - 'Still Shakin' The Bush Boss!' CD Cover
For larger cover image, click here!

"Take your chip and shove it up your ass" - 'Brave Neu World'

Frankenangel's ultra sublime cover (it's right up there with 'Sgt. Pepper'!) means that the music inside has a lot to live up to, but it's glorious. A glorious kicking is given to that cold, unfeeling monolith that is the Establishment, and the music is as good if not better than when Andy's last album 'Turning Pleasantly Numb' came out in '89.

This is an internetised Andy Xport, utilising snippets from comedian Mark Thomas, conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, and The Ramones, plus covering 'Consume' by Cress, and, if I'm correct, Andy's first love song is on here, 'Kisses Never Lie', with lyrics by Tim Eldridge. Lots of snippets of dreadful people talking garbage, from 'war hero' prince harry to tony bliar doing a 'funny' turn with Catherine Tate. The only weakness of this album is the dreadful people - I'd rather not hear these idiots. They've said enough already, though they do their best to hoist themselves by their own petards here!

Best tracks are 'Widow Six Seven' and 'Royal Fellowship Of Death', which both have a great driving guitar rhythm, and 'Widow Six Seven' has a fabulous spatial sound halfway through. 'Brave Neu World' is the most inventive song on the album, appropriately robotic as it's about Big Brother creeping into our society, especially with ID cards. Pretty much everything is covered here - global warming/animal cruelty ('Bite Back' - a catchy grower, which I was humming cutting the hedge!), celebs buying babies ('Madonna Bought My Babies'), the arms trade ('He's Armless'), the hypocrisy and divisiveness of religion ('God's On Our Side Not Yours'), the sheep-like consumer society ('Consume'), lying world leaders desperate to get their hands on Iraqi oil ('Sexed Up'), and using the internet to fight back ('Internet Warriors'). 'Better Class Of Yob' is a wistful, autobiographical finale, that maybe takes a bit longer than some of the others to grab you, but I found myself singing that one over and over to myself in Spalding town centre, but then I've never really stopped singing Andy Xport songs. Like Angelo Gravity, Andy just writes songs that stay in your head.

Andy Xport has always had the ability to write catchy, sometimes witty songs about not necessarily cheery subjects, and his trademark has always been lively tunes combined with his poignant vocals. You look at the lyrics, and you are expecting hardcore punk or death metal! But this is a tuneful collection of counter culture songs - 21st Century style. The full colour accompanying lyric sheet is also impressive, with some amusing, disturbing artwork, photos and snippets. The noble Man's Hate monkey (time for a T-shirt) makes an appearance on the CD label.

- Paul Rance/booksmusicfilmstv.com.


  • 2008
  • Andy Xport - Still Shakin' The Bush Boss! Track Listing (CD album) (Recorded between 2006-2008)
  1. Widow six seven
  2. Brave neu world
  3. Madonna bought my babies
  4. Bite back
  5. Consume
  6. He's armless
  7. Sexed up
  8. Royal fellowship of death
  9. God's on our side not yours
  10. Internet warriors
  11. Kisses never lie
  12. Better class of yob
  • Andy Xport: Guitars, Vocals, Keyboard, Synth, Bass, Drums, Samples.
  • Robert Marriott: 2nd Vocal on 'Consume'; Penny Rimbaud: Drums on 'Consume'; Ramones: "Gabba gabba we accept you one of us" on 'Royal Fellowship Of Death'; Alex Jones: Voice on 'Royal Fellowship Of Death'; Mark Thomas: Joke on 'He's Armless'.
  • All songs written by Andy Xport, except 'Consume' - lyrics and music by Cress, and 'Kisses Never Lie' lyrics written by Tim Eldridge. First verse lyrics of 'Bite Back' were written by Roland Windsor Vincent.

Man's Hate Reviews & Track Listings

Demo (Cassette)

Four tracks containing excellent emotive titles:- 'Men And Women On Horses With Dogs', 'President Botha Kills Children As Well', 'Dewhurst The Master Bastard (butcher)' and 'A Dog's Tale'.

Powerful stuff to be sure, but not thrash punk; straight to the point lyrically. Fox-hunting, meat-eating racists would hate it, but for the rest of us, bon appetit.

- Paul Rance, Peace & Freedom, No. 4, Summer/Autumn 1986


Suffer In Silence (Cassette)

Mr. Straight in potent form. 'Overdose' is a high-energy humdinger, while 'Burn The Flag' shows a Mantovani influence, with some gossamer guitar. 'Suffer In Silence' winds things up - strong tune and words, if a little over-long. Never get a lift from this guy if you've got a weak heart...

- Paul Rance, Peace & Freedom, No. 4, Summer/Autumn 1986


Love Me (Cassette)

21 revolutionary trax in just 60 mins. Some natty guitar lines from Peterborough's Hendrix, with some Rottenesque words betwixt.

- Paul Rance, Peace & Freedom, Vol. 5, No. 1, Summer 1987
 

Man's Hate - 'Love Me' Cover

  • 1985
  • Man's Hate - Love Me (C60 cassette album)
  1. Love me
  2. Stop the city
  3. Human waste
  4. Fantasy
  5. Old men in drag
  6. Prophets of doom
  7. Rich man
  8. Men with hats
  9. Nothing to me
  • Andy Xport: Guitars and Vocals.
  • Fenner Castner: Drums and percussion.
  • All songs written and performed by Man's Hate.
  • Recorded Live on basic cassette decks using sound on sound method.

Turning Pleasantly Numb (Cassette)

Andy thunders along on his 1,000cc, no easy riders here! 'Frying Tonight' contains the usual catchy guitar riffs, and vocals bursting out. The expertly produced 'Plane Crash' has some stunning effects. While 'Rocket to the Moon' is a slower, melodic track that is performed perfectly. '2009' has a delicate, uplifting quality to it.

- Andy Bruce, Peace & Freedom, Vol. 6, No. 2, Summer 1989

  • 1989
  • Man's Hate - Turning Pleasantly Numb Track Listing (C60 cassette album)
  1. New song
  2. Got myself
  3. Freedom of speech
  4. Helpless
  5. Frying tonight
  6. Let them be
  7. Plane crash
  8. Rocket to the moon
  9. Carousel
  10. 2009
  11. Cruel operation
  • Stuff bashed: Vocals, Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Synthesizer, Drum Machines, Rex 50, Tapes, Recorded on a Yamaha MT1X Multitracker.
  • All songs written and performed by Andy Xport.

Raiders of the Stolen Hearts (Cassette)

Great album, and one of the best indie releases I've heard. Well-produced, but too much snob appeal is given to that side of music - it's the quality of songs that really count and these are great. Lot of depth, good tunes, fine playing.

- Paul Rance, Peace & Freedom, Vol. 5, No. 1, Summer 1987

1987 Man's Hate - Raiders of the stolen hearts (C60 cassette album)

Track Listing
Men and women on horses with dogs
Dewhurst the master bastard
A dogs tale
Avon cosmetics
I try to
Farming diary
President botha kills children as well
Raiders of the stolen hearts
Cheap cheep
Behind bars
Life burned alive
Trees with leaves
Royal blood

  • Stuff bashed: Vocals, Electric and acoustic guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Synthesizer, Drum machines, Rex 50, Tapes, Recorded on a Yamaha MT1X Multitracker.
  • All songs written and performed by Man's Hate.
  • Fenner Castner played drums on tracks 1 and 4


Forward Into the Abyss (Cassette)

Some more diamonds from the one-man legend, Anders Xport. Hard to believe this band isn't really die ein groupe mannen. The songs are strong and tuneful without falling into the bland category. The lyrics, socially aware, I hope that is still not too unhip to say so? The playing leaves a lot of pro's pluckings behind in the S. Quo G, C, G7 chord book... It doesn't really need good vocals to successfully put over something when everything is so strong elsewhere, but this contains vocals of quality, too. "Porton Down", "The Struggle", "Murder Most Fowl", "Suburbia" and "Hobo" are memorabilia for years to come.

- Paul Rance, Peace & Freedom, Vol. 5, No. 3, Spring/Summer 1988


Consume - Man's Hate
Featuring: Rob Marriott: Vocal; Andy Xport: Guitars, Bass, Vocal; Penny Rimbaud: Drums.

2007
Brave Neu World
Sexed Up
Internet Warriors
Better Class of Yob
Nazi Thugs on Crack
Frying Tonight

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