V.A. - Bad Compilation Tapes – BCT 01 - First Strike (U$A) (1983)

what a small world this is; I just talked with Chris from Bad Compilation Tapes recently. I like when the 'network' still exists. It's amazing how much easier it was to talk to people and shit BEFORE the internet.

 

LOL that's actually true.

 

I went on a snail mail spree of finding old physical addresses of punks and mailing zines and see what happens. Chris from B.C.T. responded; a few others have as well. Not as many as I thought; either they are too cool for me, or not very punk. I mean how does one ignore actual mail!!! I think I became punk just for the mail, lol, SEriously, punks are by and large freaks and nerds with no friends, I became punk to be friends with these people and have fun and shit. Things seem different; I know that I am old, but the world is so fucking anti-social; shouldn't punks be more social? at least with one another! I mean if someone is making a zine with gluesticks and sending it with stamps; its not spam or poser shit. I dunno dude, makes me sad, but then some weirdo will send me 10 cd's of themselves playing FEAR covers dressed as a gorilla, and its all ok again.

 

Yeah, I'd be chuffed to receive a real letter again. It was so exciting receiving letters from punks from all over the world and most people and bands actually wrote back and were actually happy to answer interviews. Even big bands like Dead Kennedys and GBH. I've still got most of those letters, mostly hand-written stuff. Also being in a band myself back in the day I also received lots of interviews and interest from people and I was thankful for every one of them. Sometimes it was just not possible to answer every one of them but I was still happy to receive them and read every letter.

Yeah, it just made you feel accepted. It doesn't matter your background or whatever, there was unity among the street punks I rolled with for a long time (but also just generally at gigs, punk gatherings and stuff). Even though there were the occasional fights and squabbles (mostly about girls), everyone fought their own fights and then it was over. And even though there was some friction between the different punk "factions" sometimes, we mostly tried to get along. Well, except for one big incident but that's another story. Anyway to get back to the plot, yeah those were different times. The internet has made it mundane in a way. It's not really special anymore to get emails or messages. I think it's become to big and overwhelming. But you're right, they should at least respond to actual mail, for fuck's sake!