UK Subs - The Singles 1978 - 1982 LP

Label: Abstract Sounds Ltd.; Year: 1991; Format: Vinyl LP

It was just a few days ago that Charlie Harper (born David Charles Perez) turned 78 years young. That's unbelievable considering that Charlie has been on the road performing with the Subs since 1977. I thought it was only fitting to spin one of the Subs releases from my record shelf. At first I thought about the "Another Kind of Blues" Album but I'll do that some other time. I instead opted for this compilation of their eight classic 7" EPs put out a bit over thirty years ago. At one point I had all the EPs in my collection as well, but quite frankly I really enjoyed listening to these classic tunes today in one go only having to lift my ass once flipping the sides. The UK Subs are next to Motorhead the band I have seen the most times live on stage. From the many times in Switzerland to the few times in London to the last two times I saw them in Southern California overall I always had a great time. Unlike some die-hard Subs fans I wouldn't go as far as saying that the UK Subs always delivered as Charlie had so many line-up changes throughout the decades that only true archivists of the band can provide you with that info. To me the line-up with Gibbs/Garratt always delivered and never disappointed. The tracks on this LP are taken from the classic EPs the band released from 1978 until 1982 and what you get here are true classics that are performed by the band to this day as these songs just never get boring. What one tends to forget these days is how big the UK Subs actually were around 79/80. Copies of "Tomorrow's Girls", "She's Not There" or "Warhead" sold in the tens of thousands, something well known bands can dream of today. It's hard to pick a favorite here as these 23 songs all excel in one way or another. I even like Keep on Running (Till You Burn) from 1981 where the band definitely toyed with the New Romantic look and sound. I also always loved "She's Not There", a great cover version of the Zombies track from 1965. The rest is history as they say because songs like Warhead, Stranglehold, Kicks, I live in a Car etc. are part of the UK Subs and punk rock history, period and end of. 

Back Cover of the LP: 

Original Poster from the 2000 Gig at the Sedel Club in Lucerne/Switzerland. That night the band played pretty much with the line-up seen on the poster bar the drummer. The picture is from the early '80s originally. This was probably my favorite gig seeing the band as they were on top form and played all the hits as if it were 1980 all over again. 

Honkas - S/T EP

Label: Static Shock Musik; Year: 2019; Format: 7" EP

Another great reissue from the house of Static Shock in Berlin. Just like the Harnrohrer EP this little platter was originally released in 1982 as well, also on Pogar Records as 002. Honkas formed in 1980 in the city of Wolfsburg (Volkswagen anyone?) and were named after the rather infamous serial killer Fritz Honka. The ueberhit on this gem of an EP is "Fur Fritz", a killer track that also landed on one of the Bloodstains Across Germany Bootleg Comps. This is an interesting EP as it is hard to describe the style but it stands the test of time thanks to its raw DIY Punk charm. The vocals and the guitars are at times frantic and all over the place but never really out of place and add a lot of character. It does not come as a surprise that singer Max Mueller had relocated to Berlin in 1982 where he later formed Camping Sex and Mutter and is also the brother of Wolfgang Mueller of Die Toedliche Doris fame. The artsy and edgy approach to music was already there with the Honkas and was just the beginning for him. Also, I'd be very interested to learn how many copies Pogar at the time distributed to Fresh in the UK, Vote Vasko in Finland or Importacoes Carnaby in Brazil as these fine institutions were listed as distributors back then. I hope Iffi of Static Shock Musik will keep reissuing more of the Pogar Catalogue, such as the Marplots Ep....Sehr gut!

Harnrohrer - S/T EP

Label: Static Shock Musik; Year: 2019; Format: 7" EP

It was about time someone reissued this early '80s German gem as Harnrohrer are not only criminally underrated but most likely just not very well known outside of Germany. They hailed from the small city of Freiburg Im Breisgau in South Germany, a place I am very familiar with having visited on numerous occasions when still living in Europe. Originally this killer EP was released on Berlin's Pogar Records as 001 in 1982 and all four tracks are filled with great guitar hooks, fitting choruses and simply fantastic song arrangements in a real catchy way. Since this came out in 1982 and the trend in Germany was to sound like Discharge I can assure you it's nothing like that. This is more akin to '77 Punk and the production of Music Lab producer Harris Johns is top notch as well. It is a real shame these guys didn't release more material as this is Pogo-Punk at its very best. Grosse Klasse!

Discharge - Hear Nothing See Nothing Say Nothing LP 

Label: Clay Records; Year: 1982; Format: Vinyl LP

It was yesterday forty years ago that this LP was released hence I thought it was a great idea to give this classic a spin. Discharge formed in Stoke-On-Trent in 1977 but sounded nothing like the wall of sound they would become famous for. According to their own words they kind of figured out their sound by just playing faster and harder and eventually created a style that would influence countless bands around the world and across genres. Of course by the time this LP was released Mike Stone of Clay Records has already released several of the infamous and classic Discharge EP's. Still and without doubt it can be said that this LP catapulted Discharge into a league on their own and leather studded punks in the squats of Berlin or in the rubbles of Sao Paolo took note and started to create their own wall of noise. One can have a million and one records on their shelves but let's be honest how many of them stand the test of their time? This one here has turned forty and will be celebrated equally another forty years down the road provided the human race has not eradicated itself. Free Speech For The Dumb! 

Jerry A. Lang - Black Heart Fades Blue Volumes 1-3 Books

Volume 1

Publisher: Rare Bird Books; Year: 2022; Format: Book

Don't ask me why Jerry A's memoir was published in three parts but in the end I liked the idea as each Volume has its beginning and end while leading up to the next chapter in Jerry's life so to speak. A neat move by the publisher that worked pretty well if you ask me. Alright, so if you are asking yourself who the hell Jerry A is then think Poison Idea and Kings of Punk and you'll figure it out. For the losers reading my crappy little blog I have the feeling most of you will be familiar with the crazy Portland based outfit. Volume 1 deals mainly with Jerry's upbringing in Montana and Oregon which must have been hell judging from what I have read. Still, out of everything bad and miserable comes something good and while Jerry suffered immensely at the hands of his parents he eventually found his way in life with music always having played a big role from a very young age. 

Volume 2 

Publisher: Rare Bird Books; Year: 2022; Format: Book

As you can see from the cover of Volume 2 this middle volume takes you back in time to the Portland, Oregon of the '80s and '90s and into the drug- and alcohol fueled world of Poison Idea. I was lucky enough to see Poison Idea twice during the '90s and Jerry's account of how crazy things were just reaffirms what I always thought it must have been like in mind. What I did not know is how deep the drugs ran and dictated Jerry's life. Addiction is a nasty thing and many of us know or knew someone that has struggled through it, or maybe even died of it. While some of this volume is of great interest to people like myself who are always hungry for music history please do not expect a record by record account of Poison Idea's vast back catalogue. It is really Jerry's personal journey through time, and drugs and music played a major role, that's for sure. 

Volume 3 

Publisher: Rare Bird Books; Year: 2022; Format: Book

The last volume in this three-part memoir brings us all the way into the current time, well pre pandemic that is when Jerry finished writing this. If you follow Jerry's Facebook page you will have come to the conclusion that he had found happiness and is leading a much quieter life now, away from touring and partying. This volume focuses on Jerry's journey to said point and deals with a lot of pain while realizing that the only way going forward in life is a life with as little drugs as possible. It is in this volume where we learn about the sad details of Jerry's best friend and former Poison Idea guitarist Tom Roberts (RIP) and many more heartbreaking stories. Still, the end is a happy one, and I for one am immensely happy for Jerry to have found a way out of the world of drugs and addiction. Maybe there will be a Volume 4 at some point and we shall stay tuned.

V/A - SOUTHERN BLUES (Roots of Rock N' Roll Vol. 11) 2-LP

Label: Savoy Records; Year: 1981; Format: Double-LP

Blues is a form of music I have learned to appreciate increasingly over the years. Whenever I can I pick up Blues records without being all that knowledgable about the artists. But over time I have learnt more and more about certain artists and styles of blues which to be fair could take you a lifetime to learn about. On this wonderful Double-LP compilation I was of course familiar with John Lee Hooker but then again who isn't if you are remotely interested in the history of music in general. John Lee Hooker contributes to a whole side on this 2-LP and his tracks were recorded in Detroit in 1948. They are all quite rudimentary and representative of what was to come in the future. All the other artists on this compilation I was not familiar with at all and was positively surprised with. The styles differ from the raw blues of John Lee Hooker with just his guitar to a more upbeat jazzy style performed by bands supporting the main artist. Little Boy Fuller and Ralph Willis stand out to me and they split the Side B of Record 1. Their contributions were recorded in New York in 1948 and are just amazing to be listening to all these years later. Side C and D on the other record don't disappoint either and make this highly recommended if you want to dig into Blues from a non-connoisseur vantage point like myself.