'RUNNING AT THE EDGE OF THEIR WORLD : The Suspect Device Fanzine Story' - by Tony and Gaz Suspect

'RUNNING AT THE EDGE OF THEIR WORLD : The Suspect Device Fanzine Story' - by Tony and Gaz Suspect

Penned by Suspect Device originators Gaz and Tony Suspect as the South Coast zine reaches its 40th year.

There's practically nothing left to be said about the 1976/77 London Punk scene , much more interesting to me is the way that the music developed in other towns and cities all over the UK in the years that followed. The early part of the book does an excellent job of setting the scene of UK Punk being accessed by kids just a little bit too young for 1977 and away from the city’s bright lights. Although as the nearest city was Southampton, those lights weren’t exactly beaming.

The 1st issue of Suspect Device arrived back in 1985 when Punk seen as being in the doldrums by the music press. SD breathed vital new life into the local scene and began the process of bringing a disparate band of people together into a formidable whole.

They give their different perspectives on each issue. Their sometimes contrasting viewpoints add a great deal of depth and chart the peaks and troughs of both their Punk and personal lives. Others are on hand to help at various stages to take up the story, Steve Ignorant of Crass, Rich Levene of gig collective STE , Sean Forbes of Rough Trade/Wat Tyler, Nath Haywire, broadening the tale and standing out from only being a summary of South Coast Punk 1984- 2024.

The real warmth that is a mark of the personalities of both Gaz and Tony. It won’t surprise anyone who knows them to see that there’s plenty of self-deprecating humour too. It’s neat that often we switch gear here, going from personal reminiscence to interviews, to hilarious stories of gigging mishaps, from highs to lows.

It's about Punk Rock, but also fundamentally about friendships that have endured – if you’re not rooting for Gaz and Tony by halfway through, you must have a hard heart indeed. But it is also a cracking, vital read, a guide to brilliant bands that have slipped through the cracks and filled with writing that captures all the excitement of witnessing maximum Punk blasted out in a small venue, its best environment."

Ian Canty

275 pages | Earth Island Books

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