Anti-Cimex Archive

Here's a translation of an article penned by Kawakami (of Disclose) that appeared in Crust War zine #5 around 1998 or 1999. The article preceded an interview with Jonsson translated from Sika Äpärä zine #3. I've been meaning to publish this interview here for a while, but it's actually not very interesting, as it consists mostly of inside jokes. One highlight, though, is Jonsson saying that he considers the Pixies to be as important as Discharge! Anyway, this introductory article, by Kawakami, is remarkable for the amount of information it contains, considering that it preceded any online detective work and, to my knowledge, none of this information had appeared previously in English in zines. Therefore, Kawakami had to overcome at least two language barriers in the process of compiling it. I assume he obtained most of the info from the interview that accompanied this article and from Mats B., who was releasing and mastering Disclose recordings around this time. Although some of the information included here has since been debunked, no one has yet, to my knowledge, refuted the claim that up to three recordings beyond the 7" and planned 2nd 7" (released on the picture LP) exist. Unfortunately, no one has turned up these demos either. Thanks to Zach Howard for the translation (which I edited slightly), and eternal thanks to Kawakami. RIP.

I previously wrote about a test pressing of "Raped Ass," which sold on eBay for $590 in May 2006.

Now, a heretofore unseen (by me) sleeve variation accompanied by a test pressing with a different center label appears for sale, courtesy of Mats Bodenmalm. Wonders never cease.

Over recent years, and especially over the recent days, I have received more questions about the clear-vinyl variation of "Raped Ass" than any others. A copy of it recently sold on the Swedish online auction site Tradera for 2032 kr, or approximately $289, which led to a flurry of e-mails to me and blog postings online. Actually, the occasion led to me hearing from an old friend, Christoffer, to whom I hadn't spoken in several years. I will attempt to give all the information available about this record, with the caveat that there is a good deal of conflicting information out there.

The vinyl facts: the record has the same matrix as the typical versions of "Raped Ass," clear vinyl, with one blank blue label and one blank white label. The sleeve is what's interesting.

Here is a flyer for what must have been one of the greatest gigs of 1986, at Birkagården, with Anti-Cimex, Mob 47, Agoni, and Disarm. Just pause and savor that line-up for a moment. Mob 47 were blazingly fast then; recordings from around this time appear on their 2xCD, reviewed elsewhere on this site. Disarm may have been somewhat less great than earlier in their career but probably still awesome. The short-lived Agoni were likely at their peak, before shifting directions and becoming a metal band. And Anti-Cimex in 1986 were brutal, drunk, and in the process of inventing metallic käng, which would become a dominant style of Swedish hardcore in the ensuing years. 

Yet another test pressing post... As much as test pressings bore me, as I've mentioned, there is something to be said for collecting test pressings from the era when they were strictly utilitarian, before they were collectibles unto themselves. So: here's a photo of the test pressing of "Anarkist Attack," sent to me by a reader, Robin Wiberg. The story is that only 5 of these were made way back in 1982. I distinctly remember one of them auctioned on eBay quite a few years ago (I'd guess around 2001), which was won by a collector in California who specializes in test pressings.

Yet another Anti-Cimex test pressing from the vaults of Mats B. was auctioned on eBay. For punks of a certain generation (ie, mine), the Distortion Records reissue of the 2nd and 3rd Anti-Cimex EPs on a single 12", around the same time as the 12" version of the Shitlickers EP/unreleased EP, was more-or-less life-altering. I may be exaggerating somewhat, but for many of us, these releases were the first opportunity to absorb these legendary records. Although I do specifically remember the first time I heard Discharge (and, admittedly, I recall thinking "What's the big deal?"), I can't say I remember the first time I heard Anti-Cimex. But the odd, red-brick-colored vinyl of this release nevertheless became a prized possession, and even though it wasn't long until I had begun my pathological search for all pressing variations of the two original EPs, this particular reissue holds a special place in my heart. But not special enough for me to shell out $72 for a test pressing of it—the winning bid on this auction.

I previously posted about a gig in Naantali, Finland, where Anti-Cimex played with Vaurio (October 6, 1984). I had reported that this gig was the only one the band played in Finland in the early years. But I seem to have forgotten that this other poster was in my files. It lists two other gigs: one on the 5th in Turku and one on the 7th in Saari (I think), near the aptly named Punkaharju. Does anyone remember these gigs? Totally killer line-up here: Crude SS, Varaus, and Bedrövlerz, among others. The depressive brutality of these bands' take on hardcore combined with gallons of Finnish homebrew makes me think the punks must've experienced legendary hangovers when, or if, they ever sobered up. Hey, while we're at it: is it true Bedrövlerz recorded a cassette after their split with Asocial?

Collecting test pressings is boring. Collecting test pressings of great bands' later records (even if still great) is soporific. But someone whose portfolio hasn't been affected by the economic crisis shelled out $133.50 to be the proud owner of one of the five test pressings of the "Absolut" LP by Anti-Cimex. No metal, no funk, no death, just a lot of cash. The main selling points were that the previous owner was one Mats B. and it includes some weird insert/t-shirt order form. Watching what Mats has been unloading on eBay over the past couple months has been quite interesting, but I have yet to be blown away. Here's hoping he trots out something beyond giga-bonzer status soon (ahem...Shitlickers rehearsal tape...ahem).

In opposition to the top-down, hierarchical model of infotainment peddled to the masses by Shit-Fi, here are some crowd-sourced scans of interviews with Anti-Cimex. Turns out this interview in Sub #7 was later published in Sika Äpärä #2. I had intended to post these myself, as the Leader (etc), but now there's no need. Thanks to Tony for not insulting my laziness in his post. Thanks also to whoever sold that issue of Sub to me way back when. If only I instead had bought a time machine on eBay, I would've known that eventually it would turn up on teh internetz courtesy of a real punx. Other uses for time machine: sniffing glue at an Anti-Cimex gig in 1982, convincing Anti-Cimex to break up in 1984 after "VOAB", stealing master tape of Shitlickers 7" and pressing it as a 4xLP. The idioty. The idioty.

Tomas Jonsson, singer of Anti-Cimex, penned a brief autobiography of the band in the Raped Ass fanzine, which accompanied the first volume of the cassette compilation of the same name, which he and a member of Tatuerade Snutkukar released. Interestingly, Anti-Cimex did not appear on this cassette (or on the second volume). You can view the fanzine here. The Cimex piece is on the second, third, and fourth pages. Note the great photos of the band.