My Name is Tim and I Was a Huge Fan of 46 Itchy

I woke up from a dream a month or so ago thinking I wanted to release a 7" vinyl. I told my girlfriend this a couple of days later on a weekend away in Newcastle (she didn't find it too weird as I'm prone to waking up in the middle of the night and shouting weird things at her like "download codes" or "life is like a bus journey" (I think she's still waiting for the end of that analogy, as am I come to think of it)) and she told me that I should wait until I knew if I actually wanted to release anything. But I already had something in the back of my mind that I didn't share with her that day; mostly because I thought it would be an impossible task to bring together and partly because I thought it might be some kind of nostalgia thing with me being back in the North East where I lived for four or so years when I stuttered through university.

There was a ska punk band from Sunderland called 46 Itchy who I absolutely adored. I interviewed Dan, the bass player for the first issue of my fanzine, waterintobeer and went to see them whenever I could. Most of the band have gone onto form or be members of some great punk bands since then; the 46 Itchy family tree includes The Mercury League, Offshore Radio, Former Cell Mates, Broken Few, Leatherface, Pure Graft, Bear Trade and Rivals to name a few.

waterintobeer fanzine issue number 1 as displayed in my toilet

Ska seems a dirty word nowadays however and it's true that it seemed to suit the stupidity, care freeness and general tomfoolery of ones teenage years and I'm not sure that the former members of the band want that particular part of their past bringing up too often, especially not in the form of something you could hold and try to sell. So in the face of not being able to release a split 7" of current bands inhabited by ex-46 Itchy members using the title of this blog (but with the name left blank so that the purchaser could fill their names in themselves with a free gift letter sticker sheet) I thought I'd make a stupid ex-46 Itchy bands box set thing and review some of their records, because, really, you should check them all out. And I guess, it's okay on the internet as anything's that written is as disposable as ska music itself, which, let's face it on the whole was absolutely shite.

I still loved 46 Itchy though and don't (always) skip their songs when they shuffle onto my iPod now and I'd like to celebrate them in some way; and this is that way. A band that brought so much happiness and fun to a (albeit quite small) group of people shouldn't be forgotten just because ska music seems a bit naff now; at the time they did what they did very well and enjoyed themselves when they did it. They're much better at what they do now but as the Bear Trade song says 'Age is a High Price to Pay for Maturity'. And, yeah, I still hold out for a one off reunion.

Anyway, here's a guide to make your own 7" box set; you can change 46 Itchy to any band that you loved in your youth that you know have gone onto form other bands or do what ever you like. It'll make a lovely Christmas present for yourself...

Some tools that you'll need

1. Find yourself a good quality cardboard box. I suggest using a Young'sBrewBuddy box; then you can use the contents to brew your own beer afterwards.

2. Find another, smaller manufactured box so that you can work out your dimensions. I used an Ibuprofen box and copied how that was made and multiplied the dimensions to meet my needs, for a 7" box set the main bit should be around 20cm vertically and horizontally.

3. Draw out where your flaps and stuff are going to go and then cut out the bits you aren't going to need.

4. Cut out the flaps and shape them so that they are easier to fold and will fit together to form your box.

5. Realise you've basically made an empty 7 inch pizza box, but still feel quite proud of it because, y'know, you're Doing It Yourself.

6. Now fold your flaps into place and get ready for the gluing bit.

7. Do the gluing bit. And there you should have it; a box.

8. Now it's time to create your cover, start by plastering old fanzines you didn't know what to do with but didn't really want to throw away as you know how much effort and love go into making them.

9. Realise you have no artistic talent and other than the title you have no idea what should be the central focus point so photocopy the 46 Itchy EP cover and stick that on. Tell yourself off as you really should have printed off the title too.

It looks better in real life

10. Stick the inside back cover on the back and the bands name on the spine of the box just in case you decide to make multiple box sets for other bands' family trees.

And as promised here's some reviews of some of their records as that was really the original point of this blog when it was was first mooted by Mr TomTom, who then didn't do anything. I still hope he'll be getting involved in the near future though.

Bear Trade- Belief is a Graveyard (4 track 7", Everything Sucks Music)

Featuring members of Blocko, The Mingers and 46 Itchy, Bear Trade play gruff melodic hardcore punk somewhere in the vain of The Lawrence Arms. I've somehow managed to miss them every time they've played anywhere near me despite trying to see them, up until they played a matinee gig with Caves in Leeds when I was back home for the weekend. Anyway, I was suitably impressed; they create a huge wall of sound live but you can still hear the melodies and quality song writing. On record their pop sensibilities and intricate guitar work is even greater so you get some lovely tuneful, well produced punk songs to have a little dance to.

PureGraft/ Little League- Split (4 track 7", Specialist Subject Records)

Two songs here from the Graft who play technical fast melodic Propagandhi worshiping punk rock with a bit of Frankie Stubbs inspired lyric writing going on. Maybe. It's good stuff on record but ten times better live; when this band are on form they're impossible not to enjoy, mainly because they look like they're enjoying playing so much themselves.

Rivals- I'm Not An Animal (2 track 7", Tiny Lights Recordings)

Rivals contain a Futurehead and an Itchy; somewhere far away my teenage/ early twenties self is very jealous of me, and probably slightly perturbed. And drunk. Rivals play rock music, at times they sound like a less abrasive, poppier New Bomb Turks, at other times they don't. They always sound good though, and when I say that I mean fucking good. I mean great. Really fucking goodly great.

I think it's obvious I haven't tried reviewing anything properly since waterintobeer disbanded (and I only tried a couple of times then) but you should do yourself a favour and check out these releases. And then maybe you can make a box to put them in.