40 years of love & h8... but why tattoo a football?!?

"WORKING CLASS SKINS" Issue No. # 09 (fee = ?!?; circa 2,50 Euro)

Okay, here we do have the issue no. # 09 of the german 'Skinhead Zine' (actual this is the subtitle of this fanzine) called "WORKING CLASS SKINS". I always liked this fanzines, even it has turned to some widely open to the (maybe very) right wing stuff over the last issues. I mean, being so called unpolitical and not-left at all and political incorrect, that's one thing and all good and fine. But when you propagate this, then okay, actual you don't need to be something like a political left wing guy to be a good and clever guy. But when you're talking in interviews about stuff you can't agree upon in political things, like maybe Red Skin zines (for example the zine called "COMMIE BASTARD"), but then writing adulations 'bout R.A.C./W.P. stuff like FAUSTRECHT (german R.A.C./W.P. band) records, writing how 'tough' you are because you are going to concerts dressed in VENGEANCE shirts, it leaves some sort of a bitter taste and also some questions open. At least to me. And by the way, that's not politically left, okay, but that's also not that unpolitical at all and especially is this not political incorrect, it's rather political correct just from the other political border, if you know what I mean. Think for a moment about it.

But okay, now to this issue that's lying here in front of me. It has a strong view on American Oi! (what's always a good thing) and also the Hardcore guys could find some interesting stuff in it. We do get interviews with great bands like the Old School New York Hardcore band FED UP!, with the Skinhead Rock band OFFENSIVE WEAPON (also from the Big Apple), with the glorious American Oi!/Streetpunk band THE INCITED from Delaware, with BRASSIC from California (Skinhead Rock & Roll), with the traditional Skinhead Reggae band THE VALKYRIANS, and with some german underground so called Skinhead Rock & Roll band called LOST & FOUND that you don't have to know at all. Especially FED UP!, OFFENSIVE WEAPON, THE INCITED and THE VALKYRIANS caught my attention. LOST & FOUND, hm, I don't really need stuff like that. And BRASSIC, hm, I don't really know what is there all behind. Talking 'bout being patriotic. Okay. Not my cup of tea that much at all, but okay. Talking 'bout being nationalistic. Okay... things start to get a little bit dodgy and shady. Talking 'bout hating SHARP's. Okay... things getting more and more dodgy and shady. Talking 'bout releasing on the german (extreme) right wing record label "Oi! ain't Red Records" (by the way, who said this, and when? Ah, and just because Oi! ain't red, it's also not brown!), it's getting even more shady. Much more they aren't saying in this interview here, so that it's all maybe not that sleazy at all, maybe it just leaves room for (mis-) interpretations. But when you read in other interviews that they are seeming to stuck deep down in this whole White Power subhuman scumbag scene and that they seem to think it's a great and a Skinhead thing to raise your right arm at concerts to cheer to your buddys, it's all already another thing, and then there are definitely no questions left open and then there is also definitely no space left for any possible (mis-) interpretation. You want to read that other interview? Okay, then go and look here: http://gloryrac.blogspot.com/2009/09/brassic-interview.html But okay, when you're wearing VENGEANCE shirts and listening to FAUSTRECHT records, hm, then this might not be anything special or precarious to you... So, okay enough said to this topic, back to the current issue of this zine here.

Like I said, some really good bands in it, but the interviews are mostly all very superficial, they carry not that much informations, and it seems like the questions are all very standardised and, yes, they all stay very much only on the surface of things. It's all not that exciting at all, and that's a pity, and especially that's not the "WORKING CLASS SKINS" standard. This issue has circa 41 pages, and you won't find that much informations on the single pages, apart from the interviews with THE INCITED and with BRASSIC. I hope that the next issue will be going more in the details, will be going much deeper again!!! Beside the interviews we just get some very few fanzine reviews and a lot of record reviews. Ah, and I've forgotten the interview with the guy who is doing the "WAX & VIOLENCE" discographies. But, okay, it also stays very much on the surface of things. Hm, I think that's pretty much the content of this issue, rounded up by some gig/concert reviews and some words to the introduction. It comes with a very nice cover drawing (good job!), in a very clean (read: too clean) CPU lay out (black/white), and is all done in german language. Honestly this issue was a dissapointment to me (despite some vey good bands) and if you ask me, then you don't have to call it your own. I hope the issue no. # 10 will be a move back to the old strength of this zine, and maybe it will give some answers to some open question. Issue no.# 10 is already out and also already ordered, so keep your eyes open.

(http://www.myspace.com/wcsfanzine)