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The Disrupters formed in late 1980. Originally influenced by the early punk bands of the late 70s (The Sex Pistols, The Ramones, The Clash etc) the band was eventually drawn to the anarchist scene.

The Disrupters

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Biography

The Disrupters were an anarchist punk band who formed in Norwich in late 1980.

They received an early boost when Crass included an early demo version of their song “Napalm” on their first “Bullshit Detector” LP and in 1981 the band entered their local Whitehouse Studios to record their first real recording session.

Initially The Disrupters had a few problems finding the right combo of band members, some of whom were musically inept, but from 1983 they settled with founder members “Bangkok” Steve Hansell and Kevin Wymer plus Paul Greener, Steve Hough and Prem Nick.

Things came to a head in 1988 with Steve initiating the breakup by quitting to concentrate on other things and the rest of the band followed suit.

In 2005, Overground Records released the retrospective album Gas The Punx featuring the best of the band’s vinyl back catalogue plus some unreleased studio tracks from 1986.

The Disrupters reformed in 2007 with original members Steve, Wymer and Nick plus new guitarist Steve Hardy (Saigon Kiss/Deep Decay) and Mash (Saigon Kiss) on bass. Wymer had been filling in time playing with punk/metal band Saigon Kiss whilst Steve fronted the Ramones cover band version of the New York Scumhaters.

Early gigs with this new version of the band included a supporting slot on the bill at Steve Ignorant’s controversial “Feeding Of The 5000” weekend at London’s Shepherds Bush Empire playing to a full house of 2000 people. Wymer left shortly after Feeding Of The 5000 and was replaced by Rob Hedge.

The band decided to try writing some new material, concerned that they otherwise might be regarded as a “punk nostalgia” act. During the following two years they concentrated on writing a new studio album, punctuated by more sporadic gigs around the UK.

During the winter of early 2010 they entered Ashwood Studio in Norwich and recorded 15 brand new tracks that became the Generation Retard album which was released bon February 7, 2011.

Hedge left the band shortly before the release of Generation Retard and has been replaced by Johnny Scumhater. Mash also left the band in May 2011 for personal reasons and was replaced on bass by Steve Contempt (Contempt, Hotwired).

The Disrupters eventually ground to an abrupt, drink-fuelled halt onstage at the Gypsy Rose in Dublin in November 2011.

Disrupters @ Wipeout Music

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