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Last summer, skate rock legends JFA came through for a three gig tour taking in London, Bristol and Rebellion Festival in Blackpool and some skate missions squeezed in between gig time. The pre-Dean Lane Hardcore Funday Bristol gig in particular saw connections made in the way that so often happens with proper grass roots, DIY events, with the guys clearly stoked on the Bristol scene and on Dean Lane Skatepark when I interviewed them before the gig that night. The local vibe of hardcore punk, concrete worship and DIY perfectly chimed with the band’s outlook, while the park itself had Brian claiming that he could spend years sessioning its downhill curves.
The result of this meeting of kindred spirits is the Dean Lane Hardcore Funday three way split EP, which sees Jodie Fosters Army join Bristolian hardcore bands Rash Decision and the Broken Bones Gentleman’s Club in a melting pot of ripping hardcore punk.
Things kick off with JFA’s three cuts, with no punches pulled speed wise; live versions of ‘No More Excuses’, ‘Skateboard’ and ‘We Know You Suck’ are all powered through at a rate of cider-fuelled knots. While not recorded at last year’s Stag and Hounds gig, this should give you some idea of what you missed if you weren’t there, with a sound as rough as weathered Bristol ‘crete and as tight as the turret; the curved QP which looms over the rest of Dean Lane’s transitions. Seeing a band with the power of JFA playing in the corner of a tiny pub in Bristol is something else – a visceral experience imprinted on the brains of everyone there, at last those not too far gone into booze consumption…
Rash Decision follow on from this onslaught of an introduction ably; starting matters with a song entitled ‘XErnestXBorgnineX’ is a recipe for success in my books. Thrash influenced hardcore with a drummer who will musically punch you through the wall and into the next room and vocals approaching ‘badger’s arse’ levels of rough, they power through three songs in under three minutes just like a proper old school hardcore band should.
The Broken Bones Gentlemen’s Club finish things up with one song that’s almost as long as Rash Decision’s three, but just as viciously raging. Not only does this EP come with seven tracks of full speed hardcore to get you hyped, but the pull out artwork featuring both a collage of previous Dean Lane Hardcore Funday flyers and one of numerous photos from the event deserves special mention in itself! Basically this is a must for fans of hardcore punk, skate rock or Bristol skateboarding in general. Get it, drink booze and coffee whilst listening to it, go out and fucking skate!
