pompeypunks: the comeback

relaunch

in 2007, before most of us had heard of facebook, pompeypunks.co.uk started gathering stories, photos and memories of portsmouth's punk community. hundreds of you sent memories and photos to the site.

the second version of the site was then held to ransom for thousands of pounds by its american host and inevitably destroyed, some of it was salvageable, but needs piecing back together. the first site was also salvageable but only to two levels deep.

meanwhile the facebook group gave us a way to continue to communicate, as many had reconnected after years of being apart. this version of the site is the beginnings of curating all the disparate posts and publications that are spread all over the internet (and photos still in people's attics, computers and phones). it is launching with all the facebook posts we have made over the past 16 years.

gradually we will see all the published assets that have ended up at the bottom of a timeline or buried deep in other sites, reappear.

2027 is the 20th anniversary of the birth of the first site, we're building up to a great comeback year, there are many things planned and we hope you will get involved with the continued enthusiasm you have in the past, this site wouldn't be what it is without your continued support and contributions, thank you.

For Mike

this relaunched site is dedicated to mike malignant. he has been our inspiration, losing him has been devastating. mike was one of the first of us to use social media to record how the pompeypunks crashed onto the scene, he was part of its creation and documentation, he continued to show up, supporting us all in everything we did, adding his special sprinkle of chaos and love, keeping the scene alive and vibrant.

we hope to be able to portray just what it was like to know him and be part of a scene so unpredictable and exciting that you just had to join in.

the first site (2007) was dedicated to louis goodchild who also died tragically, we launched it in his name, he never saw it but andy lavander told him it was being made. we don't have andy anymore either, the many people we have lost along the way will never be forgotten, they continue to inspire us, we hope this site goes some way to ensure their legacy lives on.