Motorhead - Pussies & Beer - Rock N Roll Tour LP

Label: Fan Club; Year: 199?; Format: Vinyl LP

So, ladies and gentlemen here is the fiftieth entry on this blogspot, and my intention was to celebrate that with an entry of Motorhead, my favorite band. I didn't want to bore you with an entry of one of their regular albums though, and believe me those will follow in the future, but instead I opted for something more special for your amusement. What we've got here is a bootleg LP of a show Motorhead played in November 1987 (Line-Up: Lemmy-Wurzel-Phil Campbell-Phil 'Animal' Taylor) at the Fryshuset in Stockholm/Sweden. If anyone can fill me in who came up with the outstanding artwork for this LP, I would be very grateful. I have tried finding information pertaining to this particular bootleg online, but to no avail. Judging by the fact that the LP was not included in 1994's Collector's Guide to Motorhead, I would assume that the record came out no sooner than the mid '1990s. Anyway, that's all collector scum talk, let's get to the bare basics here. Eleven songs are to be found on this platter, and if one looks at the song titles it just seems weird to not see certain song titles, but considering this was taken from their 1987 tour let's not forget that they of course had a far smaller repertoire to chose from. Still, all their classic albums were out by that point and so it should come as no surprise to find certain all time classics on this live recording, which for a bootleg actually boasts very decent sound quality including great comments by Lemmy between the songs. Hey, you can't go wrong with the artwork, Motorhead's timeless classics, and drunken Swedes shouting "Lemmy, Lemmy, Lemmy.." on top of their lungs.

The Humpers - My Machine LP

Label: Slusaj Najglasnije; Year: 1990; Format: Vinyl LP

Many people out there are probably familiar with the Humpers' output on Epitaph Records, due to said labels' international distribution deals and high sales volumes. Before being signed to one of the best known labels in punk rock, the Humpers' beginnings were far more modest though, and after The Suicide Kings' break-up (pre-Humpers '80s band) the band got together in 1990, and in the same year recorded this magnificent piece of a debut full length for the underground Croatian record label Slusaj Najglasnije (Listen Loudest). In fact, the bands' second full length from 1991 entitled "War is Hell" was released on a cassette on the same label as well, and then again as a CD-R in the early '2000s after people in the war-torn regions of the former Yugoslavia were able to start new lives. At some point I will also review the 2nd album, for sure. Now back to the origins of this album, the Humpers' debut, which contains twelve songs recorded live in one day, resulting in a true garage sounding production which only adds to the greatness of this album, and will most definitely kick your ass. All songs are just pure dirty and unfiltered punk'n'roll hits, filled with great guitar leads and hooks, and of course Scott Drake's incomparable vocals. Anybody out there reading this that is interested in the early stages of this bands' output should try getting a copy of this killer album even though it has become rare and hard to get. Even better, some label should really reissue this as I am sure many more people would just love to hear this one!

Los Violadores - s/t LP

Label: Fanclub; Year: 199?; Format: Vinyl LP

First and foremost, let me tell you that this full length has been officially reissued two years ago by Spanish label Beat Generation so there is absolutely no need to hunt down a copy of this counterfeit release which came out about fifteen years ago when I had obtained it. It's a good thing that many of those releases that were first bootlegged in the '90s are now slowly but surely seeing the light of official reissues, becoming accessible to old and new punk aficionados alike. And even though I do not support or particularly like counterfeit releases, in many cases it is, or at least was the easiest and cheapest way to hear certain releases that one has nearly no chance of landing an original copy of. Before I bore you to death about that issue though, you will probably have guessed why you need to check out the reissue of this outstanding release, because let me tell you, it is an extraordinary good punk rock record, and does not contain a single daft song, nope. Los Violadores started life in 1980 and there is an excellent write up about the history of this Argentinian band that I found online, so please feel free to click on the link provided at the end of this review. As for the twelve songs found on this platter I could write an entire book worth of praise, not kidding you. Why this LP does not appear on all these countless lists of best ever punk rock LPs really baffles me as honestly it should be plastered all over the place. If people were looking to the United States or the U.K. in 1983, when this LP was originally released, then they found mostly raging hardcore punk on one continent, or the relatively boring sounds of countless UK82 bands on the other side of the Atlantic. One only needed to have an open mind and venture south to Argentina where Los Violadores were from. If you like your punk rock fast, yet tuneful, filled with melodic hooks and a loud and caring bass guitar, then this LP will satisfy your punk rock needs 150%. Think of D.O.A. at their very best, or New York's Kraut, Finland's Lama, and so on, you get the picture. Plus let me tell you, Spanish is a great language, and it works well for punk rock, doesn't it? The band continued to release more records since the early '80s, and even as recent as 2009, but from what I have heard they really became far more mainstream in the '80s already, and only their 2nd LP is still worth a listen. Still, it's about this release here which should be in everybody's collection!

Band History: http://www.shit-fi.com/articles/LosVioladores

Slobodna Europa - Pakaren LP

Label: Opus; Year: 1991; Format: Vinyl LP

Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia, and at one point this rich in history city was situated in Czechoslovakia, which was before the split, and the subsequent formation of the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. Bratislava always had a small and active punk rock scene, even way before communism ended as a result of the velvet revolution in 1989. The earliest punk rock acts from Bratislava were Extip and Zona A, and Slobodna Europa developed out of those two bands when some members of Zona A left the band, and decided to form a new band around the charismatic singer Whisky. "Pakaren" is the bands's first full length album, and was released in 1991 when publishing music became possible in post-communism  CSSR. I was born in Bratislava, hence I always had a keen interest in the punk rock history of my hometown, but by no means does one have to have such close ties to the place in order to appreciate this album. Sixteen songs were packed on to this release and there is not a single song I do not like, which means something for a full length. All songs represent a great mix of early Rolling Stones, Sex Pistols, and Ramones influenced songs, paired with a good dose of the bands' own style including Slovak lyrics.  The result is a great album celebrating Sex, Drugs & Rock'N'Roll in the best way possible, meaning that yes, some of the songs lyrically deal with substances that might numb you, but so what, it's a punk rock record, and some cliches are unavoidable. It is the music that is the absolute winner here, and the songs immediately grow on you, no matter whether is is the upbeat ones, or the more melancholic ones, as they all possess a way to draw you in through great song writing, such as the inclusion of a saxophone in some songs. Slobodna Europa is still going strong to this day, and has released three more albums in the meantime, developing musically and also lyrically. As often though, it is the first release that gets talked about the most, which is no different in this case. Should you have a chance to grab a copy of this record then don't hesitate if you don't want to miss out on eastern European punk'n'roll history!

V/A - Es Chaos is die Botschaft! Es Wurschtun es! Austrian Punk Scene 78-84 LP

Label: Luziprak Records; Year: 1997; Format: Vinyl LP

Seventeen years ago Vienna/Austria based Luziprak Records released this excellent collection of Austrian punk/hardcore punk recorded in the late '70s and early '80s. Since the release of this compilation LP the world of collector scum has seen reissues by bands such as Schund, Chuzpe, or Dead Nittels to name a few. Never the less, the importance of this piece of vinyl can not be understated, as it was the first time for many of us interested in international punk rock to being introduced to the sounds of mainly Vienna based bands from the golden age of punk and hardcore punk. I couldn't point to a single weak track on this platter and the tracks vary from raw basement recordings of female fronted hardcore punk act Schund to the Ramones influenced Kleenex Aktiv to the simply amazing '77 punk of Chuzpe. You get seventeen punk/hardcore punk smashers here, including a great cover and an insert with band histories (in German), from a country that is not exactly known for much punk rock export and to this day will always be remembered for Falco, without doubt the biggest Austrian pop export ever. In 2010 Luziprak issued a second installment of this series, which I unfortunately don't own and have not heard to this day. 

Disper-Azione - Sempre Immutata Fede EP

Label: Chaos Produzioni; Year: 1985; Format: Vinyl 7"

Fans of international hardcore punk from the '80s will widely agree that Italy had one of the best, most active and highly interesting hardcore scenes back in the heyday of said musical genre. Everybody will be familiar with bands such as Negazione, Raw Power or CCM, but amongst those internationally well known and established acts there was an even greater amount of lesser known acts such as Disper-Azione, whom hailed from provincial town Como in the Lombardy part of Italy, not that far from the Swiss/Italian border. A long time ago I remember owning Disper-Azione's 1st LP, and for some reason I don't have it in the best of memories and must have parted with it at some point. Well, all I can say is that if the LP sounded anything like this EP, then I must have been a real dumb-ass to have done so. This seven song EP is filled with energy, and your typical chaotic but musically highly skilled italian hardcore punk the way many of us just love so much, and can never get enough of. In 1985 many bands in the United States started to sound metal and the whole crossover scene was exploding, which not all hardcore punks appreciated. Instead of giving up on it, one only had to look across the ocean, as Europe was full with bands such as Disper-Azione, sticking to true DIY hardcore punk with zero metal. A minor classic, and to my knowledge not reissued to this day....

Wasted Youth - I'll remember you/My friends are dead 7"

Label: Bridge House Records; Year: 1980; Format: Vinyl 7"

Let me start off by telling you that these east London blokes should not be confused with the L.A. band going by the same name. Since this is the only release I have by this band, and can't even remember how it got into my hands, I had to do a bit research in regards to the history of this band, and learned that these guys started out in post-punk 1979. Apparently the band members were previously in bands ranging from power pop to hard rock, but with Wasted Youth settled on creating an interesting mixture of dark, psychedelic sounds predating goth rock and fitting well into what is widely considered as post-punk. I especially like "My friends are dead", a goth/post-punk hit with fantastic song arrangements and good production. When it comes to the label this was released on, one could fill many pages on the history and importance of the Bridge House in the Canning Town area of east London. This place established itself as a pub, rock venue and record label at the same time, and interestingly enough also served as the stepping stone to the careers of bands such as Iron Maiden or Depeche Mode. I might as well get more of Wasted Youth's back catalog at some point as the history and the sound alike are intriguing.

Ulster - M-19 EP

Label: ABC Records; Year: 1995; Format: Vinyl 7"

You want noise? Alright, I got noise for your ears here in the most distorted and primitive way one can only imagine. But let me put things into context here before this review starts to sound like I am bashing this release, or the band. Quite the contrary because Ulster were one of the earliest bands to emerge out of Brazil, in particular out of the ABC industrial complex in Sao Paulo. The excellent KFTH website informed me that the band started as a reaction to high unemployment and socio-economical problems in their ABC area of Sao Paulo, and channelled all their anger and frustration into a visual and sonic attack. The tracks on this EP were originally all recorded during demo sessions in 1982, and as hinted above resulted in songs that will make your ears bleed. This is hardcore punk at its most primitive, but taking into consideration the circumstances and the environment these guys came from, one should quickly realize that the band did not have the same technological opportunities as bands in Europe or America, and as a result of that you get a very raw but honest sounding time document. Further to the extreme music, Ulster were aggressive and provocative in their approach of getting their message of anti-government lyrics across. The whole package of this EP tells the story of real urban struggle, and a violent three chord reaction to it. When it comes to the recorded music then this might not be top notch, but at the end of the day this is a fantastic time document from a scene that was just starting to explode at the time of these recordings.

The Spastics - Cherry Pop/I wanna be a cop 7"

Label: Rip Off Records; Year: 1996; Format: Vinyl 7"

Greg Lowery's Rip Off Records started as a label promoting his own band, the Rip Offs, and like minded bands playing a similar style of primitive and snotty garage punk'n'roll. In the early to late '90s he was known to release singles by bands such as the Registrators, Rip Offs, and others such as the Spastics whom were from San Francisco and came out of the ashes of the equally great Spoiled Brats. On this one sided little platter you get two great garage punk hits that can't be beaten when it comes to snottiness and a 100% pogo factor. I don't suppose I need to really add anything more as this will appeal to anyone into 77 punk with a good dose of garage punk thrown in there. Greg's label continued to be active until the latter stages of the '2000s but in my opinion lost the magic of its early days once he started to release full lengths and no longer such modern day classics as this one here.

V/A - Messthetics # 103 - DIY '77-81, Midlands, Part 1

Label: Hyped To Death; Year: 2007; Format: CD

Fans and collectors of obscure DIY punk and post-punk bands from the UK and North America will be familiar with Chuck Warner's Hyped To Death website and compilation CDs. Chuck has put an incredible amount of time and love into his little DIY empire, enabling many of us to hear the most obscure sounds of times past. This particular compilation deals with bands from the Midlands part of the UK and as Chuck put it in the CD; between 1977 and 1983 literally hundreds of bands released their own records and cassettes throughout the UK. As one can only assume, some were more talented musicians, whereas others weren't, but didn't lack anything when it comes to drive and true DIY spirit. The songs compiled on this CD sum up what was just said, offering hidden gems such as the Prefects "Things in General", or The Shapes "I saw Batman in the launderette", whereas other songs are rudimentary to the bone without lacking originality and charisma. Overall you get over twenty songs on this Messthetics volume, a great booklet with tons of information about the bands and the times where everything seemed possible. Not many people can own all the originals found on these compilations, hence I see no reason to not stocking up on these. Essential stuff!

Donna Gaines - A Misfit's Manifesto; The Spiritual Journey of a Rock & Roll Heart

Publisher: Villard Books; Year: 2003; Format: Book

I don't even know where to start with a review for this book as it is 380 pages long, and it has taken me a good while to get through it. Many books occupying my book shelves were bought a long time ago, but I am only getting to them in recent days and months, one by one. I wouldn't even remember where I got this memoir by Donna Gaines, but that's not the point here. In my honest opinion, this book could have easily been just 250 pages long, and it would have packed everything of interest in, which would have helped with the flow of this memoir. Instead I must say that in parts this is a difficult book to get through, but in the end it's definitely worth to read from cover to cover. Dr. Gaines is a well known sociologist and cultural examiner, and her memoir really covers her entire life with its many ups and downs up until publication of this book. The early part of the book covering her childhood and jewish upbringing in Rockaway Beach is for the most part interesting and educational, especially if one wants to gain knowledge how that particular part of Queens was developing back in the '50s and '60s, really fascinating. Donna was from her childhood onward a music fanatic, and early on she developed a real love for doo wop, later to be replaced by the likes of Frank Zappa. It should come as no surprise that one of the most interesting parts of the book, at least for me, is the part when Donna moved out to Long Island and started dating a member of legendary punk'n'roll act The Slugs. That's where I really got into this book, and enjoyed every single bit of it. Other bands that get quite a bit of mentioning due to also being from Long Island include Corpse Grinders, Nihilistics, Sea Monster and a few others. Her stories from Slugland, as she referred to the band members and extended family members and fans, are often hilarious, funny and definitely rock'n'roll. One musician Donna really admired was Johnny Thunders, and good ole' Johnny is being celebrated in many pages throughout the book. The Ramones get mentioned a lot too, but it isn't until very late in the book that Donna actually gets to meet Joey, Johnny and the rest of the gang. 'Life in the Post-Ramones empire of NYC' is another great chapter covering Donna's friendship with Joey Ramone, up until his tragic death. Really touching, sweet and an absolute highlight of this book. In between all these musical anecdotes there is a lot of ground covered that pertains to personal issues Donna was getting through, such as fighting alcoholism, drug overdoses in her circle of friends, and above all also many issues related to her blood family. Many of these parts are not always interesting, often too detailed and messy to get through, but as I said, in the end it's all worth it. All in all this should appeal to New Yorkers, as they would be the ones understanding the finesses the best. As someone that has moved to this city not that long ago, I didn't experience difficulties understanding the geographical aspects of the stories, but would have probably appreciated it even more had I been brought up here. In conclusion I must say that if you decide to pick up this book, be patient, but rest assured that you can learn a good lesson about life and human beings, amongst some entertaining rock'n'roll stories.

Lost Kids - Bla Bla LP

Label: Medley Records; Year: 1980; Format: Vinyl LP

I am glad that King Diamond is not the only musical export Denmark was able to produce, otherwise this Scandinavian country would not be even on the map, at least the one I am looking at on my wall. The ever growing fan base of KBD punk will of course be familiar with the "Cola Freak" EP by Lost Kids, but I would assume that not that many people have given this LP a proper chance. While it is true that a good third of the seventeen songs to be found on this LP are either silly pop or new wave, the ten other songs are still ass kicking punk rock smashers in the cola freak fashion with those awesome dual male/female vocals, clicking in anywhere between one and two minutes to keep your adrenalin flowing. I remember owning Bla Bla 2 as well, which moved even further away from the punk roots, and only had maybe a handful of good songs to bolster. Quite the contrary is the case here with the majority of the songs still being refreshing Dansk Punk!

Nog Watt - Fear EP

Label: Revenge Records; Year: 1985; Format: 7"Vinyl

Before I go on to say anything about this particular release I would like to ask why in the heck has this not been reissued yet? God, it's 2014 and nearly thirty years have passed since the release of this absolute classic from the Netherlands. These four women from Amsterdam just knew how to write angry and pissed off politically minded hardcore punk tracks, through and through. While the majority of the six songs on this EP are fast, and well executed, it is in my opinion the title song "Fear" that wins the title of the stand out track, a mid-tempo, mean and gloomy song, just plain perfect. I honestly haven't listened to this little platter in a good while, but when putting it on today I just held my breath, and realized how lucky I am to be still able to enjoy this sort of music. A superb release that should be made available again for a new generation!

Update June 2022: Eight years have passed since my original post and while reviewing the reissues of the two Rutto EPs from Finland I discovered that Final Doomsday Records has reissued this classic in 2021. Hurry up before it's too late!!!

Rejectors - Thoughts of War EP

Label: Fartz Records; Year: 1982; Format: Vinyl 7"

There is really not all that much that I intend on saying about this EP other than the fact that the Rejectors, who were from Seattle/WA, played politically-minded fast and furious hardcore punk that was typical for Reagan-era acts of this kind. This EP was recored in early '82 and delivers 9 angry numbers that are hard to distinguish from one another, yet will still convince anyone into early '80s US hardcore punk. The band went on to record a split-LP with much better known Seattle act The Accused a year after this EP was released. Good stuff!

Horrorcomic - I don't mind/England 77 7"

Label: Fan Club; Year: 200?; Format: Vinyl 7"

What we've got here is a bootleg pressing of an incredibly rare, and incredibly good 7" that was originally released on Lightning Records in 1978. Horrorcomic are a bit of a mystery when it comes to their band history, and in the past it has been said that the band actually recorded these tracks as '60s R&B act Downliners Sect in disguise. I could not find any information backing this up, but rather found facts that before becoming Horrorcomic, these fine gentlemen were active as the Crackers since the early '70s, and released a pretty good glam influenced 7" in 1975 with "Judy, Judy, Judy" on it. Since they didn't see any future in continuing playing that type of sound, they jumped on the punk wagon, and as a result of that released three 7"s, with the last one having been withdrawn and resulting to be the rarest of all of them as only a handful were pressed. The one herein reviewed was the middle one, and often viewed as their best one. Both tracks are stomping '77 punk hits at their very best with choruses and chords that will definitely get you out of your armchair to pogo around like crazy. The singer, Roger Rep aka Roger Semor, is an executive of the Sanctuary Records company and therefore it should be of no surprise that a compilation CD of the entire Horrorcomic catalogue was released on said label a few years back.