One Way System: The Punk Legacy of Jerusalem (1982-1997) 🎸

One Way System -
18 Jerusalem

Not so much a compilation as a potted history of the career of North West England's premier punk outfit from 1982 to 1997. One Way System first lit up the second wave punk revolution with their fresh faced, no nonsense sound in the early eighties, when Oi! and skinhead culture had all but rejected the original punk ethic. One Way System managed to bridge the gap. They had the hardcore in your face, balls out attitude of their peers, but their songs had that cynical twist and melodic appeal of the seventies. They looked the part too. But unlike so many around them the System's feet remained firmly on the ground. These boys not only loved punk but they also respected music and made a point of it by creating tight, memorable and satisfyingly tuneful songs that paid dues to both the seventies punk phenomenon and authentic pop music, without losing any credibility.

The line up might have changed along the way but the music never deteriorated. From the front cover of Sounds to the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles the System remained sharp and impressive, their natural aggression and un-faulting professionalism sealing their reputation as one of the most exciting bands on the international punk circuit. The 'comeback' gig at the 1996 Holidays In The Sun festival only proved that One Way System are still a force to be reckoned with. Losing none of their brash glory, if anything, the years had been extremely kind... One Way System were back and nothing now could stop them. A year later they were taking Japan by storm.

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