Joel Heyes - Vocals, Guitar, Programming John Kind - Guitar, Vocals, Synths, Programming
Influences
Killing Joke, Nine Inch Nails, Black Flag, New Model Army, Covenant, The Clash, The Mission, Depeche Mode, Project Pitchfork, Ministry, The Sisters of Mercy, VNV Nation, Rico, Orgy, Consolidated, PWEI, Sheep on Drugs, Conflict, Manic Street Preachers, Skinny Puppy, Discharge, KMFDM, Big Black, Suicide, Atari Teenage Riot, Godflesh
1 Slavs To The Rhythm
2 Line In The Sand
3 Smoke and Mirrors
4 Total Kazakhstan
5 Exit Plan
6 Unholy Lands
'Intervention' (September 18th 2006)
1 Strike First Strike Hard
2 There Is No Going Back
3 Room 101
4 For Your Protection
5 Sufferation
6 England
7 US/UK
8 Social Democrat
9 60 Million Guns
'60 Million Guns' (March 2006)
1 60 Million Guns (Single Mix)
2 60 Million Guns (Radio Kabul Mix)
3 60 Million Guns (Relative Life Mix by Bunnyboy)
460 Million Guns (One Nation Under A Boot Mix)
'England' /'State Violence State Control' (September
2005)
1 England
2 State Violence State Control
'Action Directe' EP (February 2005)
1 Better Dead Than Red
2 Spirit of 89
3 Official Hooligans
'Counterculture' (May 2004)
1 Kul'turnost'
2 Playing With Monsters (Part One)
3 Zealots
4 Dissidenti
5 Plastic Fatherland
6 Europe Is My Homeland
7 Compatriot Games
8 Playing With Monsters (Part Two)
9 Oktober
10 Cossack Song
11 Hinterland
12 Counterculture
13 Imperious Minds
14 Nemesis
Oktober'/'Compatriot Games' (June 2003)
1. Oktober
2. Oktober (Synthetic remix)
3. Compatriot Games
4. Compatriot Games ('Tjorny Aryol' mix by K-Nitrate)
'Bloc Rocking Beats' (March 2002)
1. Anthem of Youth
2. Left March
3. Dancefloor Putsch
4. Faith and Steel
5. Russians
6. Home (Redux)
7. Left March (Kronstadt)
8. Bloc Rocking Beats
'Cognitive Dissidents' (March 2001)
1. Defiance I
2. Bullet
3. Kicking Love
4. Gattaca
5. Anti
6. Ibiza Bombs
7. Home
8. Lie Freedom
9. Hope
10. Kinetic
11. Insurrect
12. Defiance II
this is the entry in the encyclopaedia sovietica for action directe:
"action directe: a group of staunch comrades from leeds, england. although their political commitment is not in question, they have often veered off from socialist realism to more decadent bohemian art forms. constant supervision is recommended.
their official story begins in 2000, when after several years struggling in the mire of futility they released their official debut, the 'legitimate military targets' ep, and the 'songs from the revolutionary era' cassette-ep. the line-up at the time was joel heyes on polemics and praticalities and phil hanlon on bass. after some concerted live performances the band released the 'cognitive dissidents' album in march 2001 (working title - 'the west yorkshire book of the dead'), which had it's thrillingly militant moments. the band's useful combination of guitar and vocal aggression with noisy slamtastic beats caused a stir in the feculent pond of UK industrial-goth.
in october 2001 the band recruited paul kirov on guitar duties, simply in order to make their own lives more difficult (although it's easy to be wise in hindsight). this line-up, facilitated by phil switching bass for keyboards, made the daringly patchy 'bloc rocking beats' ep in april 2002, which saw a more developed gothic element. the band gigged and their performance at the whitby gothic weekend that month was a moderate success. then very little happened for a while, as a split in the band's politburo prevented any song getting through committee. the band released the 'oktober'/'compatriot games' double-a sided single in may 2003 in order to make a v.a.t. claim. the band's performances at camden underworld and leeds josephs well in july 2003 were memorable more for the fisticuffs than the fireworks and the band had to reluctantly relieve paul kirov of his duties.
heyes and hanlon then recruited scott 'rodders' preston on git-box and they produced the high-minded and groovy 'counterculture' cd in may 2004 (working title - 'more goth techno bollocks volume two'). with it's broad musical scope and daring use of tunes the release proved very popular amongst friends and strangers alike, and after several great gigs the band performed at infest 2004, where they were a moderate success. they topped that by playing every toilet in the nation that wasn't padlocked before the end of the year.
2005 saw the line-up literally give away the three-track back-to-basics industrial punk 'action directe' ep in february, which proved so popular the band were in danger of becoming popular. rodders left by the back door at this point and the band co-opted john kind (also of leeds alt-rockers xi) into the ranks initially as a stand-in, but then as a shoe-in. martin walker of blitzkrieg and paradox uk fame joined for two months and then also left. in the midst of that the band lobbed out another two-track budget single, 'england'/'state violence state control', which saw john make his debut. soon the band recruited finnish military historian spider on extra guitars and the band were finally up to full strength, releasing the universally adored 'sixty million guns' single in february 2006. this line-up held together to record the epoch-defining third album 'intervention' (working title - 'roter stern') which was released in september 2006, before political, musical and financial differences saw spider quit and phil be quitted.
the battle continues...
NOTE FOR POTENTIAL MYSPACE FRIENDS:
NO PORN!
NO FASCISM!
NO HAWKERS!
Action Directe - 'Vanguard' Available Now's Friend Space (Top 16)
Action Directe - 'Vanguard' Available Now has 257 friends.
LAST EVENT WE’RE PUTTING ON FOR A FEW MONTHS…Features…BELLVILLE- Luscious Lilting Gypsy Jazz!! JAMES BROWNE- Boogie Piano Riot!!! And the return of COMPETITION TIME and a whole heap of nonsense!!!! PACKHORSE FRIDAY 27th NOV.Woodhouse Lane opp. Library Pub
PLUS SAT 6th NOV. we’re in WETHERBY, At the St JAMES CHURCH CRYPT With TOM ATTAH, RUBY CORSET, and more…
Greetings Sinners,As part of their on-going quest to rid the world of ennui and other French philosophical maladies, THE DEVIL’S JUKEBOX are rolling out the ragtime red carpet and humping it ‘till the weave gets pilled, THIS FRIDAY 23rd OCTOBER, at THE PACKHORSE supported by English Music Hall Maestros BISCUIT HEAD and the BISCUIT BADGERS-expect ukulele, tuba and a sense of the absurd akin to Vivian Stanshall’s Bonzo Dog Band, featuring Dino Casino, not to be missed.PLUS the frankly quite splendidTOM ATTAH- expect stompin’, raw delta sounds from the kick-ass king of Shipley!
Also, for those who are interested, ‘Righteous!’ is back, end of November, DR B.
Aloha Sinners, FRIDAY 23rd Oct. the PACKHORSE, LEEDS, Woodhouse Lane
THE DEVIL’S JUKEBOX- Raucous Ragtime! BISCUIT HEAD and the Biscuit Badgers- Bonzo-esque English Music-Hall with Ukulele and Tuba!! TOM ATTAH-The Authentic King of the Sheffield Delta Stomp!!!
26th Sept - Uni of Cumbria, Lancaster
campus 27th Sept - Uni of Cumbria, Penrith campus 1st
Oct - The Dry Bar, Manchester 3rd Oct - Uni of Cumbria,
Ambleside campus 10th Oct - The Park Hotel,
Lancaster 24th Oct - Fuel, Manchester 30th Oct - The
Yorkshire House, Lancaster 21st Nov - Carpe Diem,
Leeds
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Yes Suavesters, it’s that time again. Thursday 3rd September at SELA Bar for the very hottest in sleazy ragtime, dirty jazz, and unspeakably torrid blues, plus the best in 30’s Americana, 40’s Swing and 50’s rockabilly, jump and wail!
All this and a top live act every month for only £2!
>Check Lightfire Promotions myspace for all your local gig news…
Also, for those who are interested, ‘Righteous!’ is back, end of November, DR B.
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