DSC-GB - ABORTIVE ADVENTURES IN DIGITAL HARDCORE a true and authentic account of a minor footnote to musical history by 'Odges

DSC-GB was a short-lived hardcore act set up just before his split from Blaggers ITA by musician Reema 'Odges, and the novelist Stewart Home.

Home and 'Odges had first fleetingly met in the murky cesspit of London anarcho politics in the mid-80's. They hooked up again in the early-90's when they met at a mutual friend's exhibition at Copy Art in Kings Cross. Realising that they both lived in the same part of East London, and sharing a fascination for the dark side of the skinhead cult, the two became firm friends.

Home, author of cult classics such as Pure Mania, Red London and Cunt, had recorded a very rough track several years previously in which the chorus from the surf-classic 'Wipe Out' was juxtaposed with white power vocals from the likes of Skrewdriver and Brutal Attack. The track was recorded in the style of Culturecide: a collage of sounds lacking any pretension to musical and rhythmic cohesion.

Hearing about this track, 'Odges suggested the two re-record it; but this time as a dance track. The opportunity to do so did not arise for some time because Home had downed-tools at the beginning of 1990, and was engaged in the international 'Art Strike' until the end of 1992*. Despite the efforts of prominent Brit-art sensationalists (who continued to make, exhibit, sell and discuss their work for the duration of the strike), or perhaps because of them, the years 1990-1993 subsequently became known as "The Years Without Art". The end of these three grey and barren years of cultural inactivity were followed by frenetic activity. The end of the strike was celebrated on New Years Day 1993, when, in a whiskey-fuelled frenzy, most of the text of Red London spurted out of Home.

'Odges, who had not been involved in the Art Strike, decided to leave EMI bootboy-dance-band Blaggers ITA shortly after completing a tour with the Manic Street Preachers. He left just before 'Abandon Ship' was released in the summer of '93. The day after leaving the Blaggers, the formation of DSC-GB was formally announced in the form of a communique published in NME and Melody maker.

DSC-GB (Demolish Serious Culture - GB) recorded several tracks in the Summer of 1993. The first was tentativly titled 'Surf Nazis Must Die'. It began with the sound of screeching brakes, followed by a high speed car crash. The breakbeat from the Fat Boys version of 'Wipe Out' was underlaid with a fat-filtered 808 kick, and various vocal samples were mashed into the mix. The demented sources of these vocals ranged from Blood and Honour Fuhrer Ian Stewart, to Malcolm X,

As the track came together, 'Odges and Home struggled to control the demons that emerged from the dark alchemic clouds enveloping the DSC-GB project. The demons struck on Yom Kippur, when Ian Stewart of nazi band Skrewdriver, whose "white power" chants formed part of the chorus of the song, died in a road accident. The brakes failed in the car he was travelling in, wiping him, and his comrades, out.

With a tip of the hat to Troma films, the completed track was retitled 'Surf Nazi Goes Nutzoid'. It was accepted for release by punk label Words of Warning (the long-time home of Blaggers ITA) and was to be backed by the track 'Silicon Princess of Porn'. The latter was recorded live for the single at the opening night of 'Club Humanoid' in Kardamena, Kos.

However, the split from Blaggers ITA and the aftermath of the Art Strike took its toll, and the tracks were never released. DSC-GB ceased to be in early 1994.

Other tracks recorded by the duo include Wankaholic, Boycott Stockhausen (a protest against the racist remarks made by the so-called avant-garde composer) and Ketamine Frenzy (which pre-empted the hardcore 'K'raze by half a decade). These, too, remain unreleased.

Since the demise of DSC-GB, Home has gone on to become a record-breaking author; entering the record books in 1999 by being the first author in the world to publish a book called "Cunt".

* For more information on the Art Strike, see 'The Art Strike Papers' edited by James Mannox and published by AK Press in 1991.

An alternative history of DSC-GB was allegedly once on the web at the 'Skrewed' site.

You can, however, find Stewart Home's circa 1998 account of DSC-GB and related matters on this site.

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