Trapped in a scene: UK hardcore 1985-89

The underground hardcore scene of the mid- to late-1980s was UK punk rock's last significant creative gasp. Emerging from the wreckage of the anarcho-punk scene spawned by the likes of Crass and Conflict, it took its influences from the studs 'n' leather punk bands of the early 1980s such as Discharge and GBH, as well as the nascent American hardcore movement and the emerging metal/punk crossover scene. Filtered through some through fiercely DIY aesthetics, there was a potent movement that spawned such seminal acts as Napalm Death, ENT, the Stupids, and Heresy. With the backing of John Peel and an unwavering work ethic, these bands, and the labels that launched them—such as Earache and Peaceville—pushed musical boundaries into new and previously unexplored avenues of extremity. Ian Glasper digs deeper than anyone has previously dared into a subculture that was as manic, exciting, innovative, and defiant as anything before or since. Constructed upon meticulously gathered firsthand accounts and heaving with exclusive never-before-seen photographs, here is the definitive document on UKHC.