One of my favorite Gary Oldman roles is from the late-‘80s, when he and his wife at the time played a middle class couple whose marriage is torn apart by her hubby’s hooliganism. The Firm (1989), not to be confused with the unrelated Tom Cruise film some five years later, was part of a BBC series of television films called Screen Two, which aired from 1985 to 2002. This particular episode from Season 5 found its way to a larger audience thanks to widely circulated YouTube rips and has since been reissued in an authoritative Blu-Ray edition that purports to be the Director’s Cut (I’ve yet to see it). Alan Clarke, died in 1990 shortly after leading this effort, but not before he directed another hooligan classic that further cemented the burgeoning genre: Made in Britain (1983).

As a big fan of the movie, I’ve always wanted to do a tribute to it. I picked up on a lot of the same attitude I’ve seen in the sludge metal scene and my original vision was to make it an all-UK cast of doom-sludge metal and hardcore bands. As I looked into the heavy music of the era, I found myself suddenly struck with a second vision: to create a tribute that would encompass period acts like Cockney Rejects, Motörhead, Sham 69, The Jam, and others, throwing in a little Mod influence and definitely some industrial (Clock DVA, Throbbing Gristle, and Godflesh were going to fit in there somewhere). For now, the harsher vision has won out, but I may yet be persuaded to do a reprise sometime later.

Another challenge I had was excising audio clips that would tell the story of The Firm, as so many moments significant to the story happen in action sequences or by a mere look – not so much in words. For those intimate with the narrative, you will notice I’ve chosen to zero in on particular themes, while not delving into others. All-in-all, I hope you’ll enjoy this unique telling of the age old story of comradery, rivalry, and revenge, music by Conan, Iron Monkey, Orange Goblin, Kurokuma, Limb, Sea Bastard, Hogslayer, Gurt, Dopefight, Diesel King, Fukpig, A Horse Called War, Chubby Thunderous Bad Kush Masters, Let It Die, War Wolf, Spaztik Munkey, and Coma Wall.

PLAYLIST

I. LET’S DO IT (00:05)
Iron Monkey - Crown of Electrodes (00:25)

II. HOOLIGANS (04:44)
Orange Goblin - Swords of Fire (05:34)

III. GET BLOODED FIRST (10:08)
Diesel King - War Song (12;00)

IV. OLD CHURCH BOYS (16:58)
Gurt - Battlepants (17:19)

V. LEAVE YOU IN PIECES (21:33)
Fukpig - Bad Fucking Dickhead (23:04)

VI. MY CAR! (27:06)
A Horse Called War - Son and Heir of a Mongrel Bitch (27:31)

VII. DO SOMETHING (36:39)
Kurokuma - Dark Triad (37:55)

VIII. THE PHONE CALL (45:51)
Chubby Thunderous Bad Kush Masters - Gawdless (47:04)

IX. KID’S STUFF (49:17)
Let It Die - The Hourglass (50:20)

X. I MAKE A BAD ENEMY (52:49)
Limb - Truth Be Damned (53:26)

XI. THE MAN’S AN ANIMAL(58:07)
Dopefight - Leviathan’s Burp (59:11)

XII. YETI…! (1:03:02)
Fukpig - Docile Subjects (1:03:46)

XIII. BEXIE…! (1:05:20)
War Wolf - Old Knives (1:05:56)

XIV. GET OUT (1:08:08)
Spaztik Munkey - Lascivious Wode (1:09:16)

XV. LET’S HAVE YA! (1:17:38)
Sea Bastard - Sea Bastard (1:18:17)

XVI. PEER PRESSURE (1:29:30)
Hogslayer - War Cries (1:30:31)

XVII. IT’S CHRISTMAS, BOYS (1:35:16)
Limb - Survival Knife (1:36:27)

XVIII. THE LAST BRAWL(1:40:54)
Coma Wall - Cutter’s Choice (Undersmile cover)(1:41:42)

XIX. NOT IN VAIN (1:49:24)
Conan - Eternal Silent Legend (1:51:53)

If you dig the music, please show the bands some love! Let’s keep the heavy underground strong together. And definitely seek out the movie The Firm and give it some love.

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