| Two outspoken streetpunk sites were silenced in 2001 due to various reasons caused through tossers in their own scenes. And like Kontrol's demise (see below) Gangland had to abandon sites. Strange how sites can become victims of their own popularity. The punk scene seems to have it's fair share of wankers here and there, mainly due to back stabbing, infighting etc. Anyway here's Gangland's and Kontrol's reasons for quitting which I think makes for a valid read and lesson! |
| LAST GANG IN TOWN As many of you irate readers and Gangland Faithful have noticed, the site has not been updated since May. Pretty soon I'll be beating the record held by skinheads.net for site neglect. Sadly, this stint away has made me realize I no longer have the time or energy to devote to keeping this web site current. Instead of doing what so many other sites do and offer half-ass content at the expense of the reader, I'm going to pull the plug. If people want copies of any of the text found on Gangland, just email me and I'll send out transcripts. I have to say it has been a long and interesting trip. Starting out 3 years ago as a none too illustrious Angelfire page who's primary interest was to blatantly talk shit and spotlight our crew exploits in a fashion never done before, we soon found ourselves adding content other than pictures and bad language. The site quickly turned into a full-fledged web zine with news content, editorials, and rants all topped off with a big helping of dry humor. Sadly it seems we were just beginning to hit our stride and up the level of professionalism. Our site averaged almost 2000 hits daily, was a source of fresh information and news, and our message board was a meeting ground for local, national and international scenes. I'm sure a lot of people with no lives and too much time for gossip, shit talking, accusations and eating will be glad to see us gone. But the decision to take this page down has nothing to do with the fact people of extreme girth and tiny intellect have noting better to do than leave foul anonymous messages on the Bitch Board, or deride me with hate mail. That was all part of the fun. To all of you dirty, vegan, idealistic, fuck-wads who think they've won some sort of battle. Realise that just because this page is down, people aren't going to like you, your ideals, or your stench anymore than they already do. Tolerance for crust, and PC ideals will never be a punk virtue. I also have to say I have become very disenchanted with the punk rock scene of late. It seems people would rather have their egos stroked and force people to worship their fat-asses as punk rock gods versus helping out friends and showing new kids the ropes. Also, too many punk rockers have been taking advantage of the good graces of skinheads. I remember when I was first getting into the scene in the early/mid nineties. In Chicago there was no streetpunk scene, every new kid getting involved with Oi! and streetpunk was a skinhead. With the exception of a handful of kids Chicago was all crust and emo. Attempting to live in the spirit of the early 80's British Oi! scene our group of skinheads decided to hang out with and ally ourselves with the small group of punk rockers. This managed to fuck every relationship we had with any other skinhead in the City of Chicago who regarded all punks as dirty and worthless. But, instead of ducking out we stuck by the punks and had their backs at every turn, even when it meant fighting people we probably shouldn't have been fighting and getting into situations we should have avoided. Eventually one of the fatter punks thought our protection gave them license to shit talk anyone they felt like, and in turn more people decided they didn't like them and we were obligated to have their backs. Eventually with the help of this website and an overall resurgence of streetpunk, the scene in Chicago began to change. The skinhead population went on a steep decline and the streetpunk scene grew. The sad part of all this was a few of the punks began to get a bit big for their britches and let their jealousy of skinheads get to them and they ended up making a few piss poor decisions, like striking off on their own, talking shit behind their friends backs and trying to start anti-skinhead sentiments in the punk rock community. This was just as well because a few of them had come out as openly racist. The funny part is, every fight the punks got in since without us has led to them getting their asses kicked. The punks let just about anybody with a mohawk into their crew because the idea was quantity before quality. Unfortunately that lack of quality has left '77 with two members and no friends in the skinhead community. Even Cris D the founder of '77 left in disgust and stopped being a punk rocker. Just remember fatty, Cris and I built this scene and without us you pussy losers would never have the reputation you do today. Just so everyone knows, '77 is fair game, and CMS does not have their backs anymore. Just because you force 14 yr. olds to kiss your ass in order to raise your self-esteem doesn't make you any better a person then when we used to make you drink our piss and you would willingly suck dog dick and lick cat ass. Anywho, hopefully this little story can be a warning to those of you out there who are too busy thinking you're king shit and worrying about your hair instead of your friends. The sad part is I've seen this scenario play out over and over across the US. There are too many egos and no one has done shit to deserve them. Just because you throw on a studded jacket and charge your hair doesn't make you fucking great all of the sudden. It's too easy to get decked out and fuck shit up. You should really be more concerned with your friends and never forget what they've sacrificed for you. Cos if you don't. A.) selling out your friends always comes back 10 fold, and B.) if it wasn't for skinheads there would never have been and Oi! scene for you "streetpunks" to get into. Thank God it's sooo hip to be into '77 punk these days and you can leave the Oi! and UK82 to the skins. Enough with the gloom and doom. Here's a few people I'd like to thank, that have either helped with the site, content, advertising, links, free music, constructive criticisms and been down for the scene no matter what. Mikey, Scrappy, Cris D, Jon, Ron, Damion, Royce, Chance, George, CMS SLC Frim, Pissed On Arrival, Last Warning, the Fire Ultras, Sheldon and realskinheads.net, Anthony and unitedskins.com, Pete and Pure Impact, Pab and Man Made Hell, Rebecca and Punk and Oi! in the UK, Alex and Pure Punk For Raw People zine, A.J. and the Last Resort Shop, Jake and Charged Records, Steve Smith and Red Alert, Andy Lealand and the Partisans, Con Larkin and Major Accident, Phil Hendriks and the Stiffs, Kev Parker and Condemned 84, Mike B, JR, Iain Panic, Freddy and Old Glory, Andy and Hated and Proud, Adam and Counterattack, Bill the Photographer, The SCAR boys and Fair City Skins, River City Firm, the skins and a handful of punks in SLC, NYC, Tampa, Orlando, St. Louis, Minneapolis, Cleveland, LA, SF, Las Vegas, DC, Boston, Philly, Atlanta, and wherever else we have friends and people have been cool to us when we visited. I'll be keeping the Bitch Board up for indefinetly. Derek - September 6th 2001 OUT OF KONTROL Due to several severe threats against my family by an ignorant moron - Kontrol! Site is now indefinately closed. The Con's of running Kontrol! have finally outweighed the Pro's due to the actions of one narrow-minded, foolish, idiotic minion!!! Unfortunately, the police - and I'm not talking Sting & Co. - were involved due to the serious nature of this unsavory matter. After much advice (and not wanting to air my gears in a public court) I've decided not to continue with my initial complaint, so charges againt this fool won't be pursued in this instance. This, in no way, lessons the SERIOUSNESS of the low-life, scum-of-the-earth behaviour of a certain individual who engineered this pointless "Cyber-Aggro" towards Kontrol (and lest not forget my family!) and I would urge anybody who knows who I'm talking about to avoid ANY contact with this baffoon. One moment he pretends to be an ally and a friend, the next, when things don't quite go to his way of thinking, he will use any means (BLACKMAIL, LIES, or BULLSHIT!) at his disposal to get his own way. Go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UNGOVERNABLEFORCE and I'm sure you'll see what I mean. For someone who CLAIMS to be anti-fascist, he uses pretty damn nazi-style means to get his own way. Maybe those messages on the board were true after all?? Thanks to all who have been involved or help out over the 8 years Kontrol! ran, you know who you are, and hopefully once I've mustered up some enthusiasm the site will go back on line. In the mean time I'm sure the talented Mr. B&Q will be bringing you streaming a/v entertainment, unbiased reviews and indepth interviews and all the other bullshit Kontrol gave you for jack shit.... Stuart - Kontrol!....April 2001 |
