Founded in 2024, Violent Disorder is an Oi! band comprised of Sean Muttaqi (Vegan Reich, Pressure, Blood Money), Patrick "Rat" Poole (Statement, The Apostles, Riot/Clone, Collision Course), and Sina (Clique).
"I’ve been friends with Rat for 40 years," Muttaqi tells No Echo from his home in Southern California about his connection to the UK-based Poole. "Some people in the hardcore scene may know of him as the originator of vegan straight edge, but we met years before from our involvement in the anarchist movement and tape trading scene that grew out of the Bullshit Detector comps on Crass Records.
"He also played in legendary UK Anarcho punk bands Riot/Clone and The Apostles (who Garry Bushell had invited to be on the original Oi! comps but turned it down) as well as currently being in Scottish UK82 act Collision Course."
With credentials like that, it's no surprise Muttaqi joined forces with Poole. "We long talked about doing music together but it just never happened," says the veteran musician who founded Uprising Records in 1994, releasing music by the likes of Fall Out Boy, 7 Angels 7 Plagues, McRad, and Racetraitor in the years since.
But back to his collaboration with Poole. "During the pandemic we found ourselves talking quite abit online, and once things started opening up and it was possible to travel again, I started getting back over to the UK and working with him on the new band.
"We chose to work with Sina from Clique for drum duties as not only is he an amazing hardcore drummer, but also has a thorough understandings of the various sub-genre styles within punk/Oi! He is really able to strike the right balance between authenticity, and honoring the original style, while giving it just enough of a modern feel to make it abit more interesting and energetic."
Violent Disorder made its debut via a 2-song release fittingly called Skinhead Worldwide. "I grew up around Rastas and was heavily into reggae as a youth," explains Muttaqi when asked why he chose to focus on the Jamaican origins of the Skinhead movement. "That made me very receptive to the original two-tone scene, which led me to discovering Skinhead and Oi! even before getting involved in the local punk and hardcore scene.
"Discovering Bad Brains really helped cement the connection between all of this for me, and as time went on, reggae became my primary focus in adulthood. It was important for me to expose the influence Jamaican music and culture had not just on the Skinhead movement, but also by extension, punk and hardcore, etc."
If you own Skinhead Worldwide on vinyl, you might have noticed an etching on the run off groove that reads “Dave Stein Forever…Forever Dave Stein." If you aren't familiar with that name, Stein was a beloved member of the hardcore community who passed away in 2023, and was beautifully eulogized bty Freddy Alva in this No Echo piece.
"Me and Dave were best friends since the mid-'80s," Muttaqi explains. "Our fanatical love of reggae and our veganism were too huge areas we bonded on. Hardly a day didn’t go by when we weren’t speaking to each on the phone (which used to be enabled by phone dialers - which is a whole story into itself for those who knew Dave back then).
"At every step of the way for my career as a musician or label owner, Dave was always there for me. And I know for many in the NYHC scene it was the same way. In fact, I don’t think NYHC would have been the same without him. His influence can never be underestimated. Just the best person I’ve ever known.
"We wanted to honor Dave on that first record for what he meant. And with this new record coming out two days before his two year death anniversary, always want to take the opportunity to promote his legacy. such a great example of someone staying positive through adversity, helping his friends, and the scene to the very end."
As he explains, Violent Disorder finds Muttaqi going back to some of his earliest musical roots. "My first band in 1981 was an Oi! band. And my other current band, Blood Money (that preceded Violent Disorder), is a melodic Oi! band. Apart from reggae, Oi! has always been my favorite music.
"Rat's entry into punk was at a similar time and he was equally influenced by Oi! And UK82 in his foundational years. It just made sense to honor Oi!’s influence (bands like Blitz Sham 69) on us when doing this new group together."
Violent Disorder seems to have struck a nerve with its maiden offering. "We moved around 500 copies of our first 7 inch which is really good for a new bands first release (in this genre) in the modern era."
That brings us to United Front, Violent Disorder's brand new record. While Skinhead Worldwide focused on the 1960s Jamaican origins of the Skinhead movement, United Front takes listeners on an intense trip back in time through '70s and '80s Britain. Here's how Muttaqi breaks it all down:
"Street battles against the National Front in Lewisham. The story of anti-fascist street fighter Martin Lux (famous for his attack on boneheads who had tried to disrupt the infamous Crass gig at Conway Hall). A message of Punk, Skin and Rasta Unity. A look into the unique time and place where the confluence of punk rock, Oi!, reggae and 2 Tone created one of the most vibrant music scenes to ever exist. One where Jah Shaka’s Sound System ruled the dancehalls, and Rock Against Racism was the rally cry of a generation."
The vinyl version of United Front will begin shipping in late September, but No Echo has an early stream of the EP below. The 5-track collection features guest vocal appearances by members of Conflict, Oi Polloi, Badterms, and The Apostles:
Though United Front is barely out yet, Muttaqi is already forging ahead with his next Violent Disorder-related project. "I was actually just in Scotland recording a Celtic Green Brigade anthem along with another track centered around the UK government's attempted prosecution of Kneecap’s Mo Chara and attack on free speech, etc.
"These tracks will be available digitally in September (with a limited run 7 or 10 inch to follow). We also have another 12 inch EP and full length LP being finished up."
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United Front is available for pre-order via Uprising Records.
Violent Disorder on social media: Instagram
Tagged: clique, pressure, statement, vegan reich, violent disorder
