‘I’d rather go hungry than eat that shit.’
Came an American drawl as he walked passed Burger King in Las Vegas International Airport. Maybe some attitudes are changing in the US of A but that lone voice doesn’t speak for the 209 million people whose diet makes them walking miracles.
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It’s not often I get really, really excited about a band. Yes I love music; it’s my life and soul – an obsession bordering on neurosis. From an 11 year old buying The Jam’s ‘When You’re Young’ 7″ single and having to play it at my cousin’s house because we were too poor to afford a record player to releasing LPs with my own band and running my own label.
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A community radio station was set up in Rhyl last year to cater for the populace of the town & surrounding area. Through the extraordinary efforts of a few hard working people, this brainchild has proved successful in cutting through all the ridiculous red tape that the Broadcasting Authority put potential stations through. SHORE FM RADIO MORFA will be granted their full broadcasting licence on 106.6FM.
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Letter to the press – edited version published in Daily Post
I have to vent my anger and disgust over the manner in which the Events Arena ‘Rockfest’ was abruptly brought to an end, and also in the way it was advertised. Firstly, the council, especially Councillor David Davies, took great pride in pulling the plug before the three more established bands were due to play. On questioning the aforementioned councillor of the implications of his actions so far as the band’s efforts and people who had travelled from other areas to see the headlining bands were concerned, I was given a priggish reply as his colleagues gloated in self satisfaction.
A council approved event carries council responsibilities so I call upon anyone who was left out of pocket as a direct result of the council’s action to write to them with a claim for expenses. And should a miracle happen and you actually recieve any money, then I recommend that it is donated to Shelter, the charity for the homeless people of North Wales, which is, after all, why we agreed to play at the event in the first place. I must also point the finger at the organisers of the event. Apart from the production manager, Noel Kershaw, who executed his part with tireless professionalism, I found the advertising very unusual indeed! The only posters I found were at The Savoy Bistro and my local Chinese Chippy! If you don’t advertise, how are people going to know? Coverage from the local media was also disappointingly minimal.
Maybe there is a lesson to be learned from last Saturday’s farce: Never use council property and don’t trust people who make posters that look like car boot sale advertisements!
Neil Crud’s column published in Second Avenue fanzine – issue 4
When I see that the government are closing down hospitals and dismantling the health service, and on the same breath, splenetically deny that they are doing so, then I see them squeeze the living daylights out of this country and tell us we’ve never had it so good, it makes me want to go out and riot in the streets. A fat lot of good that would do, I’d end up in prison, brandished the scourge of society and nothing will have changed. But it’s not just The Government, it’s local government; the councils; organisations which are so badly run that I’m flabbergasted how on earth these people were elected in the first place. There should be a code of conduct that prevents councils treating ordinary folk like bits of dust which can be swept under a rug. I’m talking about RED TAPE; “Look Sir! You can’t claim a rent rebate because you didn’t send your form back in time.” “But I was only sent it yesterday.” “No I’m sorry Sir, rules are rules.” Things like that make me violently sick.
When I see the state of the world, I see that religion plays a huge part in it’s sad and pathetic state. If a person chooses to believe in a faith then that’s entirely up to he or she. The problem lies with those who try to (and do) implement religion to control and govern. In the dark days when barbarism ruled, the few more intelligent soon learnt that killing thousands of the tribes of people resulted in endless massacre, so why not put the fear of the unknown into them? After all, man has worshipped ‘gods’ throughout history, so why not worship one god through ‘God’s interpreters’? Vicars, Ayatollahs, Evangelists, Popes, Archbishops etc. are all the descendants of this Big Plan. The only thing that went wrong was that too many people had the same idea, so they pitched battles against each other. So as the normal ‘tribal wars’ continued and have done so to the present day over land rights, a new cause to fight for emerged: Religion. “Hey my God is better that your God.”
In one way ‘the fear of God’ did keep the populations in line to an extent, it at least kept the in-house squabblings down, I use the the term in the wake of the James Bulger case, a 16 year old being tortured for a week before being burnt to death and a mother being stabbed to death in front of her 2 year old son. 30 years ago when the church held a tighter grip over society, cases like this were rare, they still occurred but not on a daily basis like today. Having said that, in 1939 the clergy were there praying for the armies of their respective countries as they raped and pillaged their way through nations.
Published in Macher fanzine – issue 8
NOW that CRUD and 4Q are near enough fond memories what has replaced them? Macher, in the way of being informative – as far as the Welsh scene is concerned continues to keep in touch, and a-ha PYW DALL have emerged amongst a hail of controversy. I’m in no way stating that Macher or Pyw Dall are Crud/4Q clones (far from it) both are original in their own right. What I’m getting at is that it’s great to see someone else stir shit as Dave did on Ian (stewed to the) Gill’s show stating honest views on Crosville buses among other things.
As well as this, reactions are being stirred in a second rate Welsh magazine called Sothach. Y’know the type I mean, a publication that feels high enough to criticise individuals on a personal basis, when all they’re doing is generating publicity for the people they slag off, there’s no such thing as bad publicity.
My wife arrived home the other day and said: “Neil, I’ve got some news, we’re going to hear the pitter patter of tiny feet.’
“Oh, are you pregnant ?’ I replied.”No, I’ve got crabs.’
See you in number nine, in the meantime keep taking the tablets.
Love and sticky white stuff,
CRUD’S Top 10 playlist.
l. All You Need Is Crud-Beatles
2. Addicted to Crud-Robert Palmer
3. Can’t Buy Me Crud-Beatles
4. Let Crud Rule-Lenny Kravitz.
5. One Crud-Bob Marley
6. I Should Be So Cruddie-Kylie Minogue
7. What Time Is Crud-KLF
8. Groovy Kind Of Crud-Phil Collins
9. Dawns Y Crudiau-Yr Anhrefn
l0. Should Crud Stay Or Should Crud Go-The Clash.
