Album Notes

March 1981, Russel (DUCKY) Payne, his brother Ronnie and Gary Tier - all Cardiff Skins - along with Martin Brennan, a valley Skin, form an Oi! band. After tossing a few names around, including FORCED OPPRESSION, they decide that THE OPPRESSED fits the bill. So it was that with not much ability and a ton of enthusiasm the boys set out to have a ball. With the departure of Ronnie from THE OPPRESSED, Ducky, Gary and Brennan eventually turn up on Roddy Moreno's doorstep and make him an offer he can't refuse. With Roddy as second guitarist and his brother Dom on bass, this line up lasted about a year. Brennan and Gary had decided to leave so Roddy took over vocals and found Lee Jenkins to take care of drumming. This line up lasted about 2 years and recorded nearly everything issued in the eighties. Almost all their gigs ended in a ruck (boys will be boys) and eventually they got fed up with the whole thing. They did get together in the studio with Juan Garcia - a punk from near Cardiff - on drums, recorded 3 cover versions but played no gigs. So that was it for the eighties.

After the split in '84, Roddy Moreno spent the next 6 years setting up and running Oi! Records and Ska Records labels, helped to establish S.H.A.R.P and in 1987/8, put together The Rude Boys with his brothers Dom and Adrian (R.I.P) and 3 sax players. By the end of the eighties the Rude Boys had fallen apart and the labels were struggling. There was a baby (THE Oi! BOY) on the way so Roddy had to give up on music and get a job.

"I put The Oppressed back together in 1994 after some Fascist shite had been putting up C'18 (Niggers Out) stickers in my area. I tore off the stickers and thought 'fuck this' and set out to use the band's profile to Fight Fascism again. For the next 2 years me, Dom and Adrian recorded some Anti-Fascist records including the benefit E-P 'FUCK FASCISM'. We played a few local 'Shows for the Boys' including our farewell gig with the Warriors which was filmed for the THEY THINK IT'S ALL OVER - IT IS NOW video. Although this was our farewell gig we received an offer we couldn't refuse, to play the Camden Irish Center for ANTI-FASCIST ACTION (Oct' 5th 1996). The Business had a gig wrecked by C'18 because they wouldn't have C'18 provide security. The Fascists then announced that no Oi! bands could play London without C'18 security. The lads from A-F-A said 'FUCK THAT' and arranged a concert for us. Floyd was now in the band on guitar and this was his one and only gig with us. The Stage Bottles had come from Germany to support us. It was a top night. Just like back in '81, no trouble at all. It was one of our best gigs and, not surprisingly, C'18 became invisible men".

1998 saw THE OPPRESSED back together with a new drummer (YAN) to do some more recording. Now it's 2004 and they're back in rehearsals. The latest line up is still Roddy, Dom and Floyd, with Tony Kizmus (ex-Societys Rejects) on drums. As one of the only long-standing true skinhead bands, THE OPPRESSED have stayed the course through thick and thin. Always loyal to their roots. Never pandering to the bullshit of the mainstream music industry. One-off live dates in Germany, Belgium, Italy, and Canada have been organized for the band in 2005.