Under the Westway: 1979 Portobello Punks

Under the Westway: 1979 Portobello Punks

From Cassette Culture by Cassette Culture & DIY Music

January 26, 2026 · 27 min · Season 2 · Episode 3

About this episode

This episode explores the emergence of F*ck Off Records and its impact on the punk scene in late-70s Portobello Road.

Emerging from the squats, free gigs and improvised studios of late-70’s Portobello Road, F*ck Off Records operated at the volatile intersection of hippie idealism and punk DIY. Active between 1979 and 1982, the label released copied-to-order cassettes alongside a small number of vinyl EPs and LPs with music by Alternative TV, The 012, Danny & The Dressmakers, Here & Now, The Instant Automatons, The Androids Of Mu and their many collaborators. Founded by Kif Kif Le Batteur and Jonathan Barnett in a period when Portobello was dense with creative possibility: vacant houses, squatted venues, free festivals and heaps of talent. We join Jonathan Barnett to trace the roots of the label through the influences of Sniffin’ Glue and Mark Perry to Here & Now’s free-music ethos and open minded approach to supporting others. Central to the label’s emergence was Street Level Studios, a low-cost recording space that allowed bands to record without compromise, and the cassette as a format that made duplication, circulation and autonomy possible. Hosted by Martin Franklin. Theme music “This Is Concrete” by The Happy Citizen KIF KIF We would like to…

People in this episode

Host: Martin Franklin

Guest: Jonathan Barnett

Topics covered

  • punk music
  • DIY culture
  • Portobello Road
  • cassette tapes
  • music history
  • independent labels

Keywords

  • F*ck Off Records
  • Portobello Punks
  • DIY music
  • Street Level Studios
  • cassette culture
  • punk history
  • Kif Kif Le Batteur

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: F*ck Off Records, Street Level Studios

Books & works: This Is Concrete

Places: Portobello Road

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