Jsntgm 014 SICK56 – Recipe for Disaster CD

1. It’s Your Call 02:56
2. What’s Wrong With The Truth 03:37
3. What Kind Of Life 03:08
4. Recipe For Disaster 02:48
5. Half A Chance 02:49
6. What Do You Know 03:12
7. In The Red 02:44
8. Ticken Away 02:56
9. For The Nation 02:15
10. Out For The Night 03:11
11. No Accident 03:21
12. Fall From Grace 02:36

SICK56 first album in 2001 achieved critical acclaim in the UK punk scene.
Formed our of ex members of One Way System and The Pink Torpedoes.

released April 23, 2001

Written and arranged by SICK56.
Recorded at Shireshead Studios 2001.
Engineeer Mick Armistead

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REVIEWS

Runnin Feart #10 Feb 2004
This is more like it! Some good ol’ UK82 punk rock with great sing-a-long chorus and excellent melodic tunes. I’m definately lookin’ forward to hearin more stuff by this band. Punk as fuck!

Everything Falls Apart #3 Jan 2004
In you face guitars and shouty anthemic sing alongs. Street punk of the heavy and competently played variety.
“Don’t Givce Your Money To The Government, They’ll Piss It Down The Drain” Lyrics like that are fairly typical. In places it does have a bit of Motorhead feel (What Kind Of Life in particular) which can’t be a bad thing. Proper punk this owden, not the namby pamby stuff I listen to.

Water Into Beer #7 Jan 2004
File Under : English Punk Rock. Good lyrics about fucked up people and plenty of fuck authority / the system stuff. If you like Dog Shit Sandwich, External Menace or One Man Stand you will like these. Good old punk rock. Luke B

Gadgie #9 Dec 2003
First impression of this ‘ere package is how well it’s put together – colour booklet and a top notch, crisp production job. Musically however, it’s nothing amazing. Clean cut punk rock right out of the UK SUBS / CONTEMPT book of punk rock songs with a bit of EXPLOITED chucked in to the vocals. Good solid, four blokes playing punk rock. Nowt else.

Punk Shocker #11 2004
Powerfull full on “old school” punk rock like fellow north westerners Blitz / One Way System, but they’re rather naive, contradictory & poorly thought out “I don’t like the government” lyrics. $$$

Big Cheese Magazine – March 2004 – Issue #49
Delia Smith Just Got Here Arse Kicked – Rated XXXX
This excellent album has actually been out for some time now, but the equally excellent Blackpool label JSNTGM (Just Say No To Government Music – if you didn’t know) is giving it a late push for any ill-informed stragglers who may have been missing out. With original One Way System guitarist Craig Halliday on guitar, the UK 82 influence is a given, but SICK56 give what can, these days, be a tired sound, an almighty kick up the arse. The crisp production (by the band themselves) helps enormously, but spirit and attitude are the ingredients (sorry!) that make “Recipe For Disaster” a testy dish, both hot and cold. –

LowCut Magazine
English Oi punk which should appeal to fans of The Business and Exploited. Lotsa social discontent and angst are mixed with catchy gruff sing along choruses. 12 beerdrinkin’ anthems of fast streetpunk mayhem, not terrible original but Sick 56 does a pretty good job. These blokes should stay clear of trying to rap though (“Half A Chance”), mixing punk and rap is so 80’s, and NOT in a good way. All in all a decent release.

Ripping Thrash
This was quite a surprise, these lot seem to be gigging quite a lot all of a sudden, and listening to this CD you wouldn’t think they were a new band,UK 80s influenced punk rock in the GBH vein etc, given the treatment here, full on powerful sound and so sounding fresh and energetic, they sound like they have been playing for years,Worth checking out for sure. JSNTGM / P O BOX 1025 / BLACKPOOL / FY3 0FA.

Slug & Lettuce #76 Summer 2003 – Beth
Old school punk from England in the vein of the Varukers, old GBH & Discharge. I grew up on Brit Punk just like this, so it always has a spot in my heart. This band is a pleasent surprise. So much of this style is just so over done and over the top, and then generally very poorly recorded. It’s nice to hear something political but with the old style too. Very cool. –

Skrutt – Official Homepage – Swedish Webzine
Sick 56 have I never heard of and they really make me happy. In typical English style they give us a style of punk which bands like Exploited/GBH/Adicts have done before and you who knows me really know that I love this style of music. This is raw in a normal doze and the choirs are there they must be and Sick 56 should be bigger than they are today if the world would be justice. But of course have they surely some defects but as I see I cant find any. It´s nice with people and bands who don´t be ashamed for their influences and they show them open. (EIGHT)

Riot77 #6 Oct 2003
Andy Higgins has been scouting the streets of the northwest again to come up with another top-notch release for his label that already boasts a string of strong acts. From Blackpool and with ex members of The Pink Torpedoes in their ranks, SICK56 are the real deal punk band. The way punk used to sound when no one, only the hardcore scruffers were interested in making this sort of music. It sounds a lot like the more recent stuff the UK SUBS put out, along the lines of their “Riot”album. You can hear the british accent shine through the rough n’ ready backing music. A tad like No Idea at times, but definately on to something original here. The lyrics hit the spot, pointing out the obvious that sadly most people who run things remain ignorant to. Pissed off with having no money, no faith in the legal system and an overall feeling of being fed up are the sunjects that are most tackled.For true punks who remember the spirit of what this music really signified.

LowCut Magazine
English Oi punk which should appeal to fans of The Business and Exploited. Lotsa social discontent and angst are mixed with catchy gruff sing along choruses. 12 beerdrinkin’ anthems of fast streetpunk mayhem, not terrible original but Sick 56 does a pretty good job. These blokes should stay clear of trying to rap though (“Half A Chance”), mixing punk and rap is so 80’s, and NOT in a good way. All in all a decent release.

www.anarchopunk.co.uk – May 2003 Reviews
I have to be honest, with the exception of the 4 Letter Word stuff I’ve always thought that JSNTGM releases were good but just lacking… something. Don’t get me wrong, I like the stuff and play a lot of it to death but it just leaves me wanting.. something. Then, they go and send me the SICK56 cd. 12 tracks of gravelly vocals, chugga chugga punk rock. Not there usual sort of thing at all. I love it. Vocals remind me a bit of Assert but don’t take that to mean they sound anything like em. The singer just has that Lemmy’ish quality about him. I was going to list a standout track but I can honestly say this is one of the most consistant releases I’ve heard in a while. Get this on and turn it up to 11!

tommyhough.com
From the Bikini Atoll H-bomb blast on the cover you know Sick 56’s latest Recipe for Disaster isn’t going to bother with niceties like melody or diplomacy or even subtlety, this is full-on riff-punk salad for the liberal-minded, and though the football chants and ukNige’s vocals won’t tell you anything you didn’t already know (war is bad, we’re all doomed, politicians are craven self-serving creeps), this is still twelve tracks of fierce English punk by way of Anthrax and Motorhead that your girlfriend will hate and will keep you awake for at least 30 minutes on any major highway. Meat and potatoes for sure, but wouldn’t you rather have your meat and potatoes wrapped in thinking man’s anarchy with a Union Jack bib? Smash the state.

Barbie’s Dead #11
Wot a bloody cracker! I had to prise this off the CD player as it had been on non stop. No pissin about basic and powerful punk in your face rock. All the stuff on this label is mighty impressive and I am yet to hear an album of weakness. On the sleave it says “file under English punk rock” and that is wot it is. At it’s best. A mixture of the SUBS and the Exploited I would say and 12 blastin political and sing a long songs that you need to add to your collection. Nothing groundbreaking, totally original or even new BUT this is still quality and I love it. Sing a long in the fuckin bath, on the bog, cooking tea, painting the wall, hoovering or wotever. JSNTGM Recs. See the ads.

Real Art Magazine – Russian Webzine
12 real punk-Oi! hymns from England! Made in the best traditions of Britain Oi! I am sure – you’ve been waiting for a long time for something like that with some influences of UK Subs in the times of “Another Kind Of Blues”. The texts are very political and are worthy to occur as the slogans on antigovernment and anti-war demonstrations. Their energetic is crazy from the very beginning of the album till the end. I think that such labels as TKO or Beer City would hang for the right to release such kind of bands. P. S.: I want to mention the brilliant quality of the recording and the excellent musical skills of playing which are not so often in this musical style (it treats both to the rhythm section and to the guitar players).

Maximum Rock & Roll #243 Aug 03 (AD)
Good hard punk rock from England. It has an old school feel, influenced I’m sure by all the Riot City / No Future bands of the 80’s. This has great heavy production that brings out the drums real nice, and is pretty slickly packaged, so your getting quality for your punk rock dollar. The lyrics are political without the sloganeering, and deal as much with everyday life as the government. If you like your punk hard and heavy with a British flavour (and who doesn’t?) then check this out. (AD)

Everlong # 4
The SICK56 album is more like it, driving political 80s street punk, tuneful with some spot on lyrics especially on the title track with the line “we need oil so lets start a war”. Don’t buy this if you’re into romantic love songs, “Out For The Night” is the complete opposite slagging off whining unfaithful blokes. Some quality stuff, featuring Criag Halliday, ex-one way system and it’s only £8.00.

i-94 Bar : Australian Webzine – Clark Paul
In the world of SICK56, it’s still 1977, England’s on the brink of anarchy, and the dole queues are overflowing into streets filled with rubbish, but they continue to fight the good fight anyway. A quarter-century ago, bands like this were a dime a dozen, but it ain’t 1977 anymore and I’m all out of pocket change. Nonetheless, after a few listens, SICK56’s tradition-steeped, amplified ruckus latches on like a fungus and their cholesterol-laden riffs gain a certain heroic appeal for persistence, if nothing else.

SICK56’s record company, JSNTGM, is an acronym for “Just Say No To Government Music,” and it’s primarily the British government these street urchins, comprised of ex-members of One Way System and Pink Torpedos, hunker down and rail against on 12 songs filled with dirt and hurt. UKNige barks like a smog-belching pit bull and mates Craig Halliday (lead guitar), Mark Booth (drums), and Tom Roberts (bass) adhere to a keep-it-simple-stupid philosophy, bringing the noise to an unkempt boil behind him.

“What’s Wrong With The Truth” actually features a scuzzy attempt at a reggae riff and a few semi-fluid lead breaks, Nige pissing and moaning about taxes over the whole mess. Robust yet ragtag brainshakers like “For The Nation,” “No Accident,” and “It’s Your Call” all contain a healthy dose of 100-proof limey rage, drink-sodden spirit, and the ghosts of UK Subs, The Exploited, and a hundred faceless Oi bands.

It’s with no small degree of surprise then that SICK56 end this scrappy grimefest with “Fall From Grace,” filled with honest-to-goodness pop hooks. Just so there’s no confusion though, do what the back cover says and “File Under – English Punk Rock.” – Clark Paul

CR-Entertainment : Swiss Webzine
Uhh, not really my piece of cake. British sing a long street Punk with stereotype leftish lyrics sung in a voice that reminds me of drunk football hooligans. Guitars go “chuga chuga chuga” from start to end; song titles are as follows: Recipe for Disaster / Out for the Night / What kind of Life. I guess you get the picture.

Razorcake – Jimmy Alvarado
Self-proclaimed “English Punk Rock,” meaning it sounds like yer average American “street punk” with an accent. -Jimmy Alvarado – 5/21/2003 5:14:00 PM

Cod Eye #12: Fanzine
File Under English Punk Rock’ – reminds me of early UK SUBS, featuring ex members of One Way System and The Pink Torpedoes, SICK56 are more than capable of leading the way in the street punk scene. 12 tracks of fast melodic punk, with great meaningful lyrics. Best release to date for JSNTGM Records.

Suspect Device #40: Fanzine
I can’t recall hearing SICK56 before young Andy at JSNTGM in sunny Blackpool sent me this CD. If you can imagine a cross between the Exploited as they were on the ‘Troops Of Tomorrow’ LP and the English Dogs on the ‘Mad Punk’ 12″ then that should give you direction that SICK56 are coming from musically. Lyrically they make straight forward political points that are simple but effective. In short SICK56 are among those up and coming bands leading the charge to the front of the seemingly re-invigorated UK punk scene. This is good stuff and for the small sum of eight quid including post this twelve track, ‘no expense spared’ CD could be on your stereo being played very loud!.

Mass Movement #14: Fanzine (TIM)
Good old fashioned, solid, smack you round the back of the head Punk Rock! Bands like SICK56 are a dying breed these days with this core and that core and I for one cherish them and their ilk whenever I come across em! You know what your gonna get and they deliver it in spades and this warms the cockles of my heart every time I play it! Smart release by a smart band. Time to check em out live methinks… TIM

In It On It #15: Fanzine
More straight ahead punk rock folks! But I ain’t moaning. Sweary, sweaty, shouty tunes are fine by me. Street lyrics, street attitudes and street music and a little bit catchy too. It’s actually a bit of a grower this one. The lyrics are pretty basic – but the sentiments are bang on.

Total Annihilation Distribution – E-zine & Fanzine
This is fucking great “where these guys sprang from I’ve no idea “but from the pictures on the cover they look like they’ve certainly been around and seen some action! “I don’t know if any of the band members have been in old punk bands or whatever – not that it matters “but this is a fucking class collection of polished street punk anthems that certainly hit the spot!! “Think classic UK SUBS meets OXYMORON,did I meantion that this is fucking great??,come on lads “play some gigs over this way!!

Part Time Punk #7
This is the kind of excellent modern Punk Rock which sends Ged Throwback running away to his huge collection of Batfish Boys bootlegs and pleasant dreams of the Skeletal family! SICK56’s roots in One Way System show through, but the approach is looking forward to the future rather than back in the 80’s. I thought that this was a really good debut, a little bit lacking in variety but all the same a solid enough effort.

Blackpool Rox ll : Fanzine (AH)
Well they are on the cover, and the talk of the town. People are now walking the length and breadth of Britain sporting their new SICK56 t-shirts…let the momentum continue I say. Far be it from me however, to tell you how good they are, you will have to go and see them live to believe it. This debut album is getting massive plaudits up and down the country, and over in the USA and Europe too. All the gig reviews are up on the bands website www.sick56.org and the label site www.jsntgm.com. Gutsy, gravely, melodic, tuneful…. the adjectives stream forth like a stream of punk rock consciousness. Buy it now. (10/10) Track of the month… In The Red – SICK56

Blitzkrieg Bop Iss 4 : Fanzine
This was an aftershow performance by Preston’s ‘SICK56’, most of the audience left after The Dead Pets but should’ve stuck around. SICK56 are very hardcore, very tight and very good really. Intense performance, no Yankie pop punk is this! And yes of course they’re all over 25, but it just goes to show you the teenies haven’t copywrited energy. They had two guitars power chording through a 40 minute set. I caught a few song titles, ‘For The Nation’ which they started with, ‘It’s Your Call’ and ‘In The Red’ nearest comparisons I’d say musically would be GBH maybe? I liked em anyway!

Punk & Oi In The UK : May 03 Review : Beaker
I knew it would be only a matter of time before I had to review a band we’d played with, so here goes. Sick 56 hail from Blackpool, land of candy floss, donkeys and Saturday night glassings. This is one of the best punk releases from a UK band in ages. Its straight forward, no nonsense, balls to the wall punk that doesn’t pretend to be something it isn’t. You get the feeling if they came from across the big pond, people would be raving on about them. Very impressive debut, and I do mean that, and aren’t just saying it in case we play with them again!
Reviewed By Beaker …LowLife UK

Keepschtumm Issue 6 : Punk Rock Fanzine
Recipe For Disaster is the debut LP from SICK56, and a bloody fine one it is too. Twelve tracks of socio-politico punk, sounding ever so slightly like the UK SUBS, with a hardcore edge. Subject matter is just what you would expect – dealing with anti-government issues, middle eastern politics and gun crime too name but a few. There are so many stand out tracks here, obvious ones are, “What’s Wrong With The Truth”, “what Kind Of Life”, title track “Recipe For Disaster”, “What Do You Know”, “For The Nation”… etc. etc.
Altogether “Recipe” is a polished piece of work and a credit to these four guys, who are just as good live as in the studio, always giving there all. Soon we should see SICK56 reaching further, cos this is too good to be left on the shelf.

Inside Knowledge – Carel Groenen.
Ok, a band I never heard of, but with this sort of layout (it looks really great) the expectations were very high. Sick56 are from England and this is their first full length. They play punk in a way that can be best described as a mixture between The Exploited and The UK Subs. Sometimes heavy punk riffs but also some Oi! influences. The twelve song on this album are punk rock in the eighties style with a firm political stance and not that bad to listen to, but I think that going to a live gig (with a beer in my hand) gives me more satisfaction because on the album after a couple songs, it all sounds the same. Check out http://www.sick56.org for more information about these punks. Carel Groenen.

Summer Of Hate
Don’t remember hearing about this band before so maybe they’re new and this is their first release? The members look old enough to drink with Charlie Harper anyway, so there’s probably some punk history here. SICK 56 sound very British, which is a good thing in this day and age when most UK bands try to sound like their American peers who in turn are copying the old British bands. This CD sometimes sound like the later day VARUKERS albums only somewhat slower and less aggressive. If you’re a UK SUBS fan you might like this. There’s just a touch of metal in some parts here and there that I could have done without. The lyrics centre around government spending in about one third of the songs. Someone doesn’t like to pay his taxes here. Then there’s songs about anything from annoying people to the state of the world. Nothing unique, nothing embarrassing. It’s easy to recognise the frustration that inspired Out For The Night, the best song on this along with Fall From Grace. There’s always some old drunk who won’t leave you alone in the pub. The lead vocals, done by one of the two guitarists, are really good. Sounds a bit like Gavin Whyte of the original ONE WAY SYSTEM at times. This music is somewhere in that territory too, though not as fast and raw. My pet complaint of ”not enough guitar in the mix” applies here. The twin guitars aren’t half as loud as the snare and bass drums, which is a shame really, as some of the songs are pretty good. Especially the opening track It’s Your Call, plus In The Red, No Accidents and the two mentioned above. I would probably like this band live, with a more rough and ready sounding mix. That said, this isn’t a bad record at all. The cover says ”File Under English Punk Rock”, which sums it up pretty good really.

KKK Kerrang Review April 19 2003 – RAE ALEXANDRA
Energetic and political punk debut from Blackpool quartet SICK56 MAKE the kind of punk rock that makes you want to run around in circles, beer in hand, shouting with your fist in the air. These 12 songs are each anthemic, hard-edged and endlessly energetic, and they all have a refreshingly British flavour. An added bonus to it all are the political lyrics – many of which are eerily timely in the current climate. ´Don´t give your money to the government´, they shout on “What´s Wrong With The Truth”, “You don´t know what it´s for / They´ll buy another army and start another war´
´Recipe For Disaster´ would benefit from a few more changes of pace, but if you like your punk rough ´n´ ready with an old school ´80´s feel, this is the one for you.

HAGL 20th Anniversary Issue
New Blackpool band with 2 ex Pink Torpedoes, a new bloke and the original One Way System guitarist. Heavy and powerful punk like The Wern’t (before they turned weird) with spot on lyrics about Nerdy Voiced Gobshite Britain. The best song on here is the upbeat ska/reggae/punk number “What’s Wrong With The Truth” which is one of the best songs I’ve ever heard, matching a great tune with great lyrics (“Don’t give your money to the government / We all get taxed to hell / I don’t know where the last lot is / And they ain’t gonna tell. Don’t give your money to the government / You don’t know what it’s for / They’ll buy another army and start another war”) What Kind Of Life is another belter with it’s brilliant chorus. The CD starts to get predictable and a bit tuneless half way through, but in this ever increasing circle of thick Oi bands, crybaby Emo and the childish racket of HC, it’s good to see a band with some CREDIBILITY emerge…. (7/10)

Full Moon Fanzine – FVH
It only takes a couple of seconds into the first song, “It’s Your Call”, to realise that the drummer, Mark Booth, knows his shit. This guy is right on the mark, separating all four limbs at once. The rhythms he pounds out aren’t particularly complicated, but you try playing them! Hang on to this one, guys! That’s not to say any of the others are any less talented, I just notice stand-out drummers more. “Recipe For Disaster” is an album to file alongside your Exploited and U.K. Subs albums; old-school punk played with enthusiasm and energy. It’s a bit heavy on the politics for my tastes, but then, most hardcore punk bands are. What gets them bonus points in my book is name checking ‘Orkney Dark Island’ in their thanks list. These boys have taste! Seriously, if you like Exploited-style punk, this is for you.

www.trashcompactor.de – Pep
File under – English Punk Rock it says on the cover. And this is exactly what you get. No pop band that swapped keyboards for guitars, this is punk of the old style! SICK56 remind me of the good old days when punk bands still looked like punks. No hairspray, no make-up, but lots of real sweat. Their music sounds like a blend of The Varukers and the legendary UK Subs combined with the power of the Action Swingers. 12 songs full of anger and power. SICK56 are the voice for all the people who voted for the Labour Party and got cheated. In some songs, they directly attack the British government. “Don´t give your money to the government […] they´ll buy another army and start another war.” This baby was recorded in 2002, I wonder if the band knew how prophetic they were when they wrote this song. Tony Blair is going to war and I don´t think anybody expects him to be re-elected (if is re-elected I´ll have to change this review ). But SICK56 will still be there (hopefully) and delight the world with their outspoken political view and loads of kicks in the face.

www.punk-information.com
Imagine Punk’s Not Dead/Troops of Tomorrow era Exploited with a sprinkling of Angelic Upstarts thrown in and you’ll have a good idea of where Sick56 is coming from. These are 12 mid to upper tempo tunes that will take you back to 1982 again. I happen to enjoy music from that era quite a bit so it fills nicely into my collection. The last song on the album, Fall From Grace, breaks from the formula somewhat and throws in some poppier melody, great leads and some whoa oh’s. That turned out to be my favorite song but the entire collection is solid from top to bottom.

Vic Gilmore (PUNKFM) – Gig Review
“4king Top stuff…. Nice to see PUNK played with the correct spirit, you’ll do for me! “

Punk & Oi In The UK – Album of the month. Ian
“Brilliant debut album from this band from the Blackpool area. Ex members of One Way System and Pink Torpedoes. Fast early 80’s style, political (not anarchist) punk. “What Kind of Life” reminds me of the Exploited’s “Alternative” on the chorus at least and although the One Way System connection is pretty obvious they’ve got a sound of their own, and I’m sure we’re going to hear a lot more from them. Album of the month. Ian “