Orrin DeForest - Harshcore CS
A band of near mythical status Gateshead's O.D.F. blasted onto the North East's harshcore scene in 1998 and were gone in a flash three years later; their 2001 split album with Newcastle's Jazzfinger the only remaining recorded output. Featuring the talents of Pete Burn (Marzuraan; R.Y.N.) and Rob Woodcock (Marzuraan; Tide Of Iron; Fret!; Platemaker et al) and remastered by Graham Thompson (Ballpeen et al), this re-issue of long-lost recordings, captured in 1998 and 2000, is a welcome reminder of the unconstrained liberating spirit of UK harshcore and a missing link in North East England's rich hardcore punk lineage.
"Back in Bradford 1998 - My mate Bri used to drive bands around in his transit, he was taking American band Catharsis around the UK and offered me a lift up the road to their Toon gig and general hanging out. I do enjoy a road trip and the Catharsis guys were a good laugh and a good band. We found ourselves in a part of Gateshead I didn't know so well and at the house of (for years I thought it was Robs house , but it turns out it was Tony's) ODF members , who were putting the gig on / playing . Funny, edgy, obnoxious little fuckers who don't give a fuck what you think, as cheese as it sounds they reminded me of myself some 20 years before.
I'd left Toon in '88, there were better things going on down in Yorkshire and this was a rare trip up the road for me and was interesting to see what was goin' on. ODF were astonishing, chaotic, different, unsafe, loved it. I asked them to do a track for a noise compilation I was making round then, when it came to the booklet artwork they hadn't done anything, collared em at their Bradford 1 in12 gig, picked up an old envelope up off the floor and they scribbled various inanities on the spot, handed it over, job done.
2000 - I'd moved over to Leeds, it was a lovely Summer and the ODF lads took the bus down bringing their recording and the Jazzfinger split side. I was one of the very few people around with a DAT machine at the time and we eq'd it with an old eq unit , probably this was the last pre-digital thing I did. After we strolled over to the Packhorse where Polaris were playing , it was a typical LS6 Summers evening of those times and Rob especially really liked Leeds. I don't think Steve was there on this occasion but he certainly made an impact in Leeds later on. It's rare in life to meet people with who you have an unspoken connection with, and who just 'get it' y'know. Big up ODF."
- Sned, 2021
Cruel Nature Records