Bournemouth punks Self Abuse formed in 1982 and split two years later after a string of reasonablyattended gigs on the second/thirdwave punk circuit. Here, we’re offered pretty much everything they ever recorded, which is, as you’d expect, a mash of enthusiastic UK Subs-esque chantalong ruffpunkery, lyrically direct but bereft of insight, melded with the odd splash of Peter & The Test Tube Babies-ish raucous laddishness.
Counting John Peel among their fans, Self Abuse’s debut EP, (I Didn’t Wanna Be A) Soldier actually reached No 1 in Sounds’ indie chart on its 1984 release (and No 3 in Melody Maker’s equivalent). Previously, to hear that EP, someone on eBay would take your wallet to town and give your bank manager something of a heart attack.
Duly satisfied with their efforts, Self Abuse split in ’84 via an illadvised dalliance with a keyboard player. Basic stuff, the historical import of which is, at best, minimal. Their hearts were in the right place but, musically, there’s everything you’d expect in a rather pointless exercise overall.
