A punk rock chart from London

An exclusive list of what’s selling at Camden’s All Ages Records

Punk and Camden are inextricably linked and there’s nothing that gentrification or a Disney docuseries on the capital’s North London music hub can do to change that.

Often the focus is on the area’s obvious rich punk history. Its array of music venues did, after all, play host to the likes of the Ramones, Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Stranglers as well as hosting Blondie’s live debut in the UK.

Back in the day, The Clash’s Rehearsals Rehearsals studio could also be found in Camden Market - with the ‘Clash steps’ from their debut album’s cover still attracting many a music fan for photo opportunities.

But it’s not yet ready to be consigned to the history books, and punk continues to be a living breathing thing in London. One of those keeping that fire burning is All Ages Records.

Just a five-minute walk from Camden Town tube station, the shop is London’s first - and only - punk rock and hardcore specialist, and has been since opening its doors in 2003.

“When you walk into All Ages, there is a sense of culture. If you like punk rock, you will find is a sense of belonging here. I’ve plastered the walls with posters, and I’ve made it look as fucking punk rock as possible,” owner Nick Collins told me a couple of years ago when I interviewed him for Punktuation.

And the shop continues to be fucking punk rock. If you can’t get to North London in person, All Ages Records has a webshop (and you can also follow it on Instagram and Facebook).

To give Fire Red Sky readers a glimpse of what’s selling at All Ages Records these days, Nick looked back at his sales over the last year to compile an exclusive punk rock chart of his top 10 best-sellers.

I’m personally pleased to see in there albums he’s recommended to me over the years, including Concrete Cowboys by Buggin', which made my list of 10 great albums from 2023, and the self-titled debut from Diaz Brothers. But the whole list works as a pretty good punk rock primer.

A punk rock top 10

On the one hand, punk is resolutely not about numbers like sales figures, but on the other hand who doesn’t like a good list. So what have fans of punk rock and hardcore have been buying in London?

10. Adolescents - Caesar Salad days

In 10th place in the top 10 is the Adolescents’ 11th album Caesar Salad Days, which was released July 2023. The Californian band are the first of several on the list to have formed in the 1970s and still be going strong. For singer Tony Reflex’s outfit that longevity comes despite several breakups along the way and the 2018 death of founding bassist Steve Soto.

9. Fiddlehead - Death Is Nothing To Us

The Boston post-hardcore band's third album, Death Is Nothing To Us forms the last part in a loose trilogy of albums about grief and depression. The band tackles the heavy subject matter in a life affirming way, mixing hardcore energy with a dash of 90s alternative melodies and a dollop of Revolution Summer style emo passion.

8. Diaz Brothers - S/T

Sunderland’s Diaz Brothers play top quality melodic punk rock in the vein of a harder edged China Drum or a less gritty Leatherface, the latter of which they’ve a connection through their inclusion of ex-members of HDQ, the punk rock band formed by Leatherface guitarist Dicky Hammond. This is their 2020 debut album and they’ve recently been recording its follow-up.

7. Crown Court - Trouble From London

Trouble From London collects everything the London Oi! band recorded from 2014 to 2023, outside of their two full-length records, with 16 tracks of demos, singles, EPs and split releases, including a previously unreleased track recorded during 2015’s The English Disease session.

6. Buggin' - Concrete Cowboys

One of the various albums Nick’s recommended to me over the years and it’s a good one, making my list of 10 great albums from 2023. As I wrote then: The Chicago band are the crest of a wave of talent being released by Flatspot at the moment. Tracks like ‘Poser Bulldozer’ and ‘All Eyes on You’ are furiously fun hardcore punk rock.

5. Cock Sparrer - Hand On Heart

More Oi! this time from the sub-genre’s forefathers Cock Sparrer. The London band formed in 1972 and signed to Decca Records in the post-Pistols boom of 1977 – but didn’t quite live up to the record company’s expectations, though to be fair few of the ’77 punk bands probably did. Nevertheless, 2024's Hand On Heart did become their first album to make the UK Album Chart, where it peaked at number 96.

4. OFF! - Free LSD

The US punk supergroup, led by Keith Morris (ex-Black Flag, Circle Jerks) and Dimitri Coats (ex-Burning Brides), sadly broke up this summer but they left us with their best album to date. As I wrote when I reviewed it for Vive Le Rock magazine in 2022: OFF! keep things tight while stretching themselves into new shapes, incorporating elements of Sun Ra and The Stooges into their modern hardcore melting pot. In contrast to their more straightforward previous albums, the 20 songs of Free LSD provide a muscular, mind-expanding take on hardcore.

3. Black Flag – Damaged

Every punk's favourite smashed-mirror-and-ketchup front cover, Black Flag's 1981 debut full length Damaged remains a key hardcore text as the Californian band's then new singer Henry Rollins turned up its intensity to 11, while still leaning into the goofier songs of 'Six Pack' and 'TV Party'.

2. Descendents - I Don’t Wanna Grow Up

After singer Milo went to college, and drummer Bill Stephenson served time in Black Flag, Californian punks the Descendents reconvened to record their second album. Put out on the Minutemen's New Alliance label, 1985’s I Don't Wanna Grow Up showcased a poppier side of the band with songs like 'Silly Girl' and 'Good Good Things' (covered by Drain on last year's Living Proof – another record on my 10 great albums list).

1. The Chisel - What A Fucking Nightmare

The second album from the English punk band that Maximum Rocknroll called one of the leaders of the New Wave of Oi (N-WOO?). Now signed to Pure Noise, with support slots for Circle Jerks (including a barnstorming gig at Camden’s Electric Ballroom), GBH and The Chats under their belts, What A Fucking Nightmare takes no prisoners. The lead track from the album featured in my first Fighting With The Undertow playlist and I expect the album will be on a fair few best of 2024 lists.

All Ages Records can be found at 27A Pratt Street, Camden Town, London, NW1 0BG. It’s open Monday-Sunday from 11.30am - 6.30pm.

You can also email Nick at shop@allagesrecords.com and visit his online store at allagesrecords.bigcartel.com.