THE 4 SKINS レコード& CD

Review: The year 1982 can definitely be regarded as a vital one for the working-class Oi-punk movement. One that saw the release of debut full-lengths from the likes of the abrasive Blitz, and the somewhat underappreciated The 4 Skins, who were endlessly plagued by a myriad of line-up shifts. By the time their second full-length, A Fistful of...4-Skins arrived, the group were already onto line-up number four (no pun intended), and this time period is where the 'Five More Years' 7" single rears its skinhead from. Topped with the anthemic opening track from the album, and tailed with the CD reissue bonus cut, 'On The Streets', this sampler/taster/snapshot/teaser/whatever else you'd like to consider it, serves as a perfect piece of oi-punk memorabilia and entry point for those who don't mind doing some of their homework in reverse. These recordings are also notable for being some of the sole studio pieces from The Last Resort vocalist, Roi Pearce, who would serve with the skins for only the one full-length, and subsequent From Chaos To 1984 live album released the following year as swansong.