by Johnny Loftus
Originally issued in 1981, Punks Not Dead was the Exploited's first full-length album. They'd issued singles like &Army Life& and &Exploited Barmy Army& previously, and those were re-recorded for what was hailed and/or reviled as a jagged, messy, and more aggressive reaction to the punk &establishment& of the time. The mix of hate and love toward the Exploited was fine by vocalist Wattie Buchan and his revolving cast of bandmembers -- they just wanted a reaction, to get people to really listen. Tracks like &S.P.G.,& &Out of Control,& and &I Believe in Anarchy& were mush-mouthed dynamos of chanting, ranting, and ragged song structure, early templates of the U.S. hardcore scene to come.