The 1980's was a period when many were worried about the threat of nuclear war and the campaign for nuclear disarmament(CND)probably had their largest ever membership. The peace camps at Greenham & Upper Heyford were symbols of the struggle for a safer world.Antisect, who were a collection of Anarcho/pacifist's were involved in the campaign. We visited Greenham and Heyford and even got arrested on occasion for acts of non violent direct action. The war on war was not going away...... The Album "In darkness....there is no choice" was recorded at Southern and released 1983. Produced by Colin "Coal Bunker" (Flux of Pink Indians), and it reached No. 4 in the indie charts. This was followed by the single " Out from the void".

.                    Email interview with the singer from AntiSect.  Interview done by J.Lee on 2002
1)Do you think Antisect is more well known now compared to the old days when
Antisect were active.
No, we were well known just after the release of In Darnkess.. I think in about 1983 we had the chance to be
fairly well known if we had continued to work as hard as we did. We gigged our asses off for a long time
because as a group that was what we enjoyed, in fact we lived for it.  The album was received well and we
should have produced more material of the same quality. But shit happpens. Wink and I left the band. The guys
carried on for a couple of years and the musical direction changed.I was surprised at the amount of people
who visited the website and sent emails, who are pretty young and werent even born when we were still a
band.

2)Did the drug problem break up the band? Were drugs a big problem in the punk scene in the 80's. Did alot of
band members have drug habits?
Drug problems did not break up the band. In fact with the exception of one member, we were not really into
drugs. I read a piece in MRR after I left the band in 1985 stating that I had died from a drugs overdose.
Obvious bullshit and none of the band had drug habits. That is one of the eternal myths of all time. We were
not a fucking druggie band. We may have tampered a bit like most do but we did not have habits. Im not sure
where this bullshit came from.

3)In Antisect what were your best and worst memories?
The best moment for me was leaving the studio after 5 days and knowing that the album was finished and all
being happy with the final result. The next few months of gigging were the best days of my life as the crowds
were brilliant.  The worst was leaving the band, I'd had enough. There were no fallings out or arguments or
any of that shit. Id just decided that I needed to do something else.Id been with the band since I was sixteen
and I felt the need to move on and do other things.

4)If you can go to the past and change anything what would it be?
If I could change anything if would be the thing called fear in all of us. Fear of each other, the things that make
man turn against man. There is something in our nature that always keeps us at arms length. How else could
we do the things that we do to each other?  On a personal level id like to have seen the Clash live as I think
they were one of the most originial and influentual punk bands, despite the fact they signed to a big label.

5)Do you still consider yourself a pacifist and are any of the other members still involved in any peace groups
similar to CND?
I have to admit that I would not consider myself a pacifist, purely because I would take steps to defend myself
and my family should the need arise. But I am still totally opposed to hate, bigotry agrression &war. I was a
member of the peace pledge union for a couple of years. This organisation is totally opposed to violence and
the use of war. True pacifists who renounce all forms of violence, I wish I could be that way but Im not.

6)How has your beliefs changed since the old days?
Not a lot. Im a bit older &wiser and know that we aint gonna change the world. We just have to try to be
tolerant and get along. Look at the differnces between the worlds we live in. Compare your own life to a
starving person in Africa or some poor bastard in Afganhistan. Were the fucking lucky ones.

7)A lot of UK anarcho vegetarian punk bands go back to eating meat after a
few years. Why is this?
I don't know. But Im no longer a vegetarian. Id had emails from vegetarian groups who say that some of our
material (Torture &Abused/The worlds biggest runt) influenced them. I say to all that at that time in my life I
felt so strong about the abuse of animals that I felt I needed to write about it. I feel a bit of a hyprocite now,
but I aint gonna lie to anyone and pretend that I don't eat meat.

8)What has changed in the punk scene compared to the old days?
The punk scene in the UK is still going strong. Obviously it will probably never be as it was, but there are still a
lot of people, old and new, who follow it. I think the holidays in the sun festivalsare a great idea. A lot of bands
reform only to play at these events, but its still a great way for people to meet up and listen to some great
bands.

9)What does punk mean to you and do you still consider yourself a punk
rocker?
I was fifteen years old when I went to see the UK Subs in Northampton and it changed my life. The music, the
clothes, the total vibe - fucking brilliant. The very fact that we were saying fuck to the establishment and we
were gonna change the world. I was born a punk and will die a punk.

10)Since you are older now how do you see life.. Do you think things can still change and be influenced by
your actions?
I think that were all responsible for our own actions and that we should treat others in the ways we like to be
treated ourselves. Its no that hard to influence people, but its difficult to be tolerant towards others, but
NOT impossible

11)What do you do for a living now? Do any of the members have a family?
I played bass in a few local bands up until a couple of yrs. ago. John B. formed a band called Splitpigs. I write
the odd music review for local Indie bands but now work in an office as a partsspecialist. I have 2 daughters
and a son. John Bryson has 2 daughters. Im not sure about the other members as we kinda lost touch

12)What makes you happy and what do you do for fun?
Being with my family is the only thing that truly matters.
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