Flux Of Pink Indians - Strive to Survive / Neu Smell 7"

Flux Of Pink Indians were probably one of the most ignored punk bands in history. They released countless albums during the 1980s and were hugely responsible for the continuation and growth of hardcore punk, yet receive nearly no recognition. Strive to Survive was their first full length and stands as the most accurate portrayal of this weirdly intriguing band.

Their name most likely turned off legions of punk followers, because it just sounds nothing like a punk band's name. Despite that, this band was probably more punk than half the bands they shared their scene with in England during the 1980s.

Seconds into Strive to Survive you'll notice striking similarities to numerous bands, most of which came after this group had already disbanded making Strive to Survive a pretty interesting listen.

All of the tracks on this album are classic examples of 80's punk rock, so it's hard to pick the best. "T.V. Dinners" is as great a march song as they come, however, and "Charity Hilarity" stands out as being one of the best tracks this band has to offer. The rest of the album really rings of the same tune, but that was okay during punk's heyday because it never sounded rehashed or forced. Even if it was forced, the band did a great job of concealing it and Strive to Survive is one of the best punk albums of all time because of that.

The Fucking Cunts Treat Us Like Pricks

Originally released as a double album on Flux Of pink Indian’s own Spiderleg Records in 1984 as the follow-up to their storming debut, Strive to Survive Causing Least Suffering Possible. The album was banned by several major retailers including HMV due to its sexually explicit title and cover art (you don’t say!). The album's lyrical content concerned violence between men and women, based on the experiences of a band member who had been sexually assaulted. The title was a Dada-style ploy to get attention for this social message.

The album featured artwork by Crass guitarist Andy Palmer reaching number two on the UK Indie Chart, spending fifteen weeks on the chart in total. It was later reissued in 1986 on band member Derek Birkett's own One Little Indian label. In an interview from 1984 the band said “...the reaction to The Fucking Cunts Treat Us Like Pricks has actually distanced us from punk rock, because most punks, in Britain at least, haven't liked it. But judging from letters and people we've come into contact with, people who aren't into punk have really liked it.

We'd never put out anything that we didn't feel was up to scratch, musically or lyrically. I think that record is amazing. There are a lot of people who don't like that record because it's not based in rock and roll.”