Compilation tapes and pressing vinyl with Suspect Device

In keeping with their punk-rock, do it yourself, underground roots those boys over at Suspect Device are bringing out another compilation cassette very soon. Packed with some of their favourite tracks, Tony & Gaz insist you all get tape decks and listen, as this supports their superb article on compilation tapes in the latest issue of SD zine. It takes us back to when this was one of the only ways to find out about new bands, and reminds us of several passages from their superb book, ‘Running at the edge of their world: The Suspect Device fanzine story’.

With that in mind, here’s an interesting excerpt from that superb read…

Suspect Device number 21 coincided with us starting SD Records. It had been something we’d been talking about after seeing how well our tapes had been received, and so initially we discussed doing a compilation album.  

This was just before Steve (Burgess, THIRST guitarist) died,  so we decided the first SD Records release would be a 7”EP by THIRST!, with any profits going to Steve’s wife and daughters. We backed up the two songs we’d written about Steve, with a couple from the demo that Steve had played on, he had wanted THIRST! to put a 7” out so even though he wasn’t with us any more we could have him on the record. 

Sean Forbes was a huge help in helping us get it this record cut and pressed. He’d written a piece on how to put a record out, that we’d printed in the zine, but he went above and beyond and offered to show us the ropes and came with us to Porkys in London’s Shaftsbury Avenue to get the record cut, and then over to Mayking in Battersea to deliver the lacquers and arrange the pressing.

Sean: “The year is 1994 and Tony who was part of the Suspect Device fanzine gets in touch by letter. It’s the 90’s everything is done by letter. They want to make a 7” for former guitarist of Thirst! and friend Steve Burgess who passed away. I know fuck all about 99% of things in life but the one thing I do know about is how to make a record. In the 90’s it’s still a mystery to many and as Rugger Bugger Discs had already released a heap load of average and over appreciated records, they asked if I could help. Being the hostess with the leastest I go the full hog and take them first to Porky’s in Shaftesbury Avenue in the West End. The place is where 90% of people cut their records. George from Porky’s is a legend and having him etch Porky prime cut on your run out groove is like a seal of excellence. George always pretended he was into the music - click his fingers, nodded, squealed and then turned the volume up. You came away feeling great, even though really you had no idea what he did. Basically he just made your record sound louder.

Later that year, 1994, Gaz had the idea of doing another mini Xmas issue, it was a rush but we finished it on December 9th. We gave away another gift, we put a bubblegum, a kids temporary tattoo and a balloon in a paper bag and gave it away with the mini issue.

The issue is actually pretty good, we called it issue SD#21 3/4, David was press ganged into contributing his usual high quality stuff, there’s an interview with MTA from Brighton, Mike Head and Lloyd Chambers did a tour report of their week following Jawbreaker round the UK and they helped us with the Jawbreaker interview at the Joiners gig. The back page is a reprint of an Animal Aid flyer about having a cruelty free Christmas. The cover was, once again, Xmas wrapping paper. There were always gigs around Xmas, and we’d always have a stall, so the Xmas issues were generally meant for these gigs, although we did, obviously, sell them via mail too.

Before we got another issue out we were busy on other things. After seeing J Church several times by this point, and because of their friendship with Sean Forbes, we asked if we could release a split 7” featuring J Church and War Tyler. Of course, both bands were happy to donate songs, so we went through the process again.

When we got the records back from the pressing plant, we had the job of folding the wrap around sleeves. The J Church side was pretty much all black, and the ink made my fingers black, so I had to keep constantly washing my hands to stop me getting black fingerprints everywhere. I’d done a couple of hundred of these sleeves in one day, and that night I woke up with a really itchy face and head. I went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror and didn’t recognise the reflection. My face had swollen up, and my head had lumps all over it. I’d had a reaction to the black ink. Thankfully it hadn’t affected my throat, so I could breath, but I couldn’t really eat or drink very well because my lips had swollen up. I had to get medical help and was prescribed some drugs which made me feel a bit woozy. I made sure I wore gloves to do the rest of the sleeve folding. However, since that day I haven’t been able to comfortably wear most black t-shirts as they aggravate my skin, and some print still makes me feel itchy and the smell gives me a headache and makes me sneeze.

You can grab a copy of ‘Running at the edge of their world: The Suspect Device fanzine story’ from your local book or records store, online resellers, or direct from Earth Island Books, here. Or failing that, Tony & Gaz will probably cellotape one to their new compilation cassette and send it through the post using soaped stamps along with their excellent fanzine!