ASYLUM - Raw noise, UK punk tradition ! (UK - D-Beat HardCore Punk - Interview with Beano).

Hello ! Can you introduce yourself and tell us how it all began for you - your encounter with this musical universe, what appealed to you, what fascinated you and what made you want to get into music? 
In my closing years at high school I had the desire to be on stage, not quite ‘harmonical the best’ but more of a performer. My last year at school the influence of ‘punk’ moved into my life. I performed in a few bands and in 1981 I met up with fellows members Dave Manning, Chris Slater and Kevin Hammond. Our idea was to be as noisey and powerful, energetic as possible and the influence of our heroes Discharge … but less musical !!!!
Into Slates garage we worked on Fuzz and Distortion and a solid beat .. (which incidentally changed every gig !!!)
So we got it all together and spent two years travelling up and down the country supporting bands , having fun and hoping for a break.
Our first and only tour was called ‘Death of Music - Birth of Noise’
Unfortunately promises weren’t kept, people were skint, Hammy the drummer was missing practices and gigs (luckily Baz Burgess was a friend and filled in) and it all basically went ‘tits up’ and in late 82 the band split .
Asylum for a short while became Political Asylum which featured Oddy on Bass and Baz Burgess on drums before they moved onto Broken Bones.

Tell me about the band... How you met - the current line-up - past experiences - and above all - WHY the need to form THIS band?
And that was it until 2020 and a meeting with Slate on the back of Clint Chapman wanting to help Asylum put out their one and only demos onto vinyl with ‘Demo Tapes’
So we decided to recruit and has luck happened we found Jan ‘YanTree’ Shaw.
Jan, also known as “Yan Tree”, is a writer, artist, and figure rooted in the Leeds punk and anarchist scenes of the late 1970s and early 1980s. His writings, particularly on squatting and punk culture, have been featured on platforms like The Hermetic Library Blog. He recounts experiences from his school teenage years in Leeds, detailing his early engagement with punk aesthetics and the challenges faced within the educational system.
We struggled as we have always done to find a drummer … over the years we reckon we’ve had 12 at least … so after a couple of false dawns it was Dave Bridgewood, he is the drumming legend whose been with Discharge since 2006. Dave’s drumming style is characterized by the aggressive, relentless D-beat rhythm that Discharge pioneered — a sound that has influenced countless punk, metal, and hardcore bands worldwide. His tenure has helped maintain the band’s raw energy and political edge, ensuring their continued relevance in the punk scene.
This enabled us to spend 2025 gigging up and down the country and to put together our latest and final CD Asylum – "The Resurgence" ! 

Describe your sound and explain why I should listen to YOUR band at all cost ?
You need to have the love of noise , just noise and aggressive vocals …
In a MRR recent review we were typically branded tuneless, disorganised and primitive chaos .. a description that only fuels the energy that oozes through each original performance. No two performances are the same , no two tracks will sound the same, horrible noise will remain … not for the toe tapping purists .. but for energy loving noise addicts …

Lyrical and musical inspirations/influences ? How important are the lyrics for you ? Are there any specific messages or thoughts you try to develop and share through your lyrics ? 
Inspirations – For me it has to be Discharge, a lot goes from my interactions with them on a personal front, top performers and great humans .. Slate always was a lover of the Cockney Rejects and no travelling to a gig would not get a blast of ‘Bad man’. 
Lyrics all wrote about anti-war or anti-establishment... The idea behind the lyrics was short and sharp, the sound to produce energy and all directed towards live appearances and interaction with the crowd, get it fast, furious and chaotic and somehow we could describe Asylum as they wanted to be known.  
Two from the early 80s "Is This The Price" and "Police Brutality" were both about real life. The first being about a homeless person who when I was signing on daily (as the homeless in the 80s had to do) I would see him just carrying old carrier bags and dishevelled …  I found out he was from the local YMCA … Crawling around the gutters in your rags .. Carrying your life in two plastic bags...
Police Brutality … well without incriminating myself … I said to a sargeant at Stoke Police Station, you’ve got now on me … He said being a punk is your crime … Hence the opening line … And 4 to 1 in a F***** Cell Kicking fuck you’ve gone to hell .. I say no more … Life …. 

About the band's discography... Imagine someone who doesn't know your band at all and wants to get interested in.. Which release would you recommend to start with, and why? 
The raw Asylum "Is this the Price" EP from the 80s to "The Resurgence" will show the changes over 40 years ..

About your latest release ? 
The latest "The Resurgence" was recorded in typical Asylum fashion, in Slates lock up, using free software and help from Bones (Discharge) .. Cost of nothing …
It was all banged together and sent over to Black Konflik records for distribution ….

Your most insane dream with the band would be ?
A stable line up ----- Any drummers out there ?? Please Please !!

Your BEST & WORST concert - as a band - and why ? 
The first … a live performance on a bandstand … the police pulled the plug but we got some good press … The last at the Underground was brilliant, so tight and fun supporting Discharge, good crowd …

Next live-appearance(s) ?
Finding it hard, cancelled a few as Discharge and Dave come first … he gets paid with Discharge !!!

Some words on your local scene - bands you're friends with and you'd like to name ? 
One only DISCHARGE !

Last word is yours.. 
Many thanks for letting us share our fun and games with you … Asylum Boys We Are - Asylum Boys Never Die ! Any drummers out there who want to be part of our noise ???