Generic – Join The Conspiracy [Cass] (1985, Not On Label)

Released in 1985, 'Join the Conspiracy' was the first cassette by Newcastle upon Tyne hardcore outfit Generic, capturing the band at the very beginning of their short but influential run. Self-released in true DIY fashion, the tape emerged from the thriving network of punk collectives, fanzines and independent spaces that kept the British underground scene alive during the mid-1980s. Rather than waiting for label support, Generic followed the established punk ethic of doing everything themselves, from recording and distribution to artwork and accompanying printed material. 

 
Generic had formed from the ashes of earlier Tyneside punk activity, with guitarist Micky McGuinness and drummer David "Sned" S. joining forces with vocalist Michael "Wizz" Wise and bassist Terry Phipps, who would later go on to play with H.D.Q. The members were heavily involved in the local Gateshead Music Collective, and their influences stretched beyond straightforward UK punk. While the speed and intensity of American hardcore bands played a major role in shaping their sound, they were equally interested in more experimental groups such as Flipper, Swans and Sonic Youth. That combination gave Generic a style that was aggressive and urgent but also slightly more adventurous than many of their contemporaries. 

 
The cassette featured eight tracks, including "Never Forget," "Cracked," "Caught Like A Rat," "Same Again," "Coca-Killer," "Loser," "Civilised?" and "Time To Jump." Recorded in May 1985 at Desert Sounds in Felling, the sessions were completed with minimal resources and a great deal of determination. According to McGuinness, much of the material was recorded live with very little opportunity for multiple takes, preserving the raw energy of the band's live performances. The songs reflected the frustrations and political concerns of the period, tackling subjects ranging from media manipulation and social alienation to anti-drug themes and broader dissatisfaction with the state of British society under the Thatcher years.

 
Although it was a modest cassette release, 'Join the Conspiracy' received attention beyond the North East punk scene. Reviewing it in Maximum Rocknroll, Tim Yohannan described the recording as "wall-to-wall, highly produced, powerfully delivered, and tightly played stop-and-go thrash," also noting the post-punk touches in the guitar work and the inclusion of the band's mini-zine, Rancid Humanity. The review helped spread Generic's name internationally through the extensive tape-trading and fanzine networks that connected punk communities across the globe. 

 
The cassette stands as an excellent snapshot of British hardcore in 1985, a moment when bands were pushing punk into faster and more politically charged territory while remaining rooted in collective action and self-sufficiency. For Generic, 'Join the Conspiracy' marked the starting point of a career that would lead to releases such as the '...Free South Africa' EP and the split LP with Electro Hippies. Several of the songs from the tape would eventually reappear years later on the 1992 split 10-inch with Pleasant Valley Children, introducing a new generation of listeners to some of the band's earliest material. 

 
More than four decades later, 'Join the Conspiracy' still carries the spirit of mid-80s DIY hardcore: passionate, politically engaged and created by a group of friends who believed that if the mainstream wasn't interested, they could build their own alternative. That's exactly what Generic did, leaving behind a small but memorable piece of the British punk underground. 

 
 

 

Label: Not On Label (Generic Self-released) – none 

Format: Cassette, Single Sided 

Country: UK 

Released: 1985 

Style: Hardcore Punk 

 

Tracklist:  

A1 Never Forget / Cracked 

A2 Caught Like A Rat 

A3 Same Again 

A4 Coca-Killer 

A5 Loser 

A6 Civilised? 

A7 Time To Jump 

A8 From The Ashes 

 

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