Suburban Lawns - S/T LP

Label: Superior Viaduct: Year: 2021; Format: Vinyl LP

If someone had played me this record say back in '87 when I was thrashing to bands like Rattus, E.N.T or Inferno I am one hundred percent sure I would have just shaken my head while laughing out loud by discrediting it as cheesy new wave. New Wave it certainly is but this originally in 1981 released album on I.R.S is the kind of New Wave I have over the years come to appreciate. It's edgy, angular, punky and asks a lot of questions. I love reading about the early Southern California punk scene and I must have come across Suburban Lawns on many occasions but for some reason the band never stuck with me until I was at my local record store not too long ago and the proprietor played the record over the speakers. Now this isn't the first time I am saying that but a good record store owner knows his customers so I sure as hell like that. The songs caught my attention and I asked who that was and when I was told Suburban Lawns it clicked in the sense that I have heard the name many times but it just wasn't on my radar so to speak. Suburban Lawns started out in 1978 in Long Beach, CA and according to the excellent liner notes their earliest shows were with The Reactionaries (pre-Minutemen) as well as the Alley Cats. Their first two singles were self-released and "Gidget Goes To Hell" is worth looking up on Youtube as it's not just a great song but the video itself is something else. The band played the usual Los Angeles area underground clubs and by 1981 they have caught the attention of a bigger label leading up to this LP on I.R.S. The liner notes describe the album as "quintessential Reagan-era new wave/punk" and I couldn't agree more. No song is really like the other as the vocal duties switch back and forth between the members leading to a really varied and interesting album that never gets boring. It's clear that the band was tired of the beach and technology encroaching on life in every aspect and songs like "Computer Date" amazingly foreshadow modern day society years ahead of time. I think you're getting the picture here as this isn't your happy New Wave band playing songs to please everybody but rather a group of intellectuals taking new wave in a more sophisticated, artsy and intriguing direction. One band member, Su Tissue, has supposedly vanished completely after the band fell apart in 1983 and to this day nobody seems to know where she is. This record certainly deserves to be examined over and over as it is full of interesting details, musically as well as lyrically. Highly recommended! 

Steve Ignorant with Steve Pottinger - The Rest is Propaganda

Publisher: Dimlo Productions Norfolk (3rd Edition); Year: 2020; Format: Softcover Book

I was very excited to finally get to read this book as it's been a bit of a journey to finally get to that. First I missed out on the first two editions and was definitely not going to pay some outrageous prices for a book. Then at the very beginning of the covid-19 pandemic when we all (well, most of us) sat on our asses no matter where in the world we were I shot a brief message to Steve on FB asking whether the book will ever be available again. Steve's reply came quick and not long thereafter the third pressing became available as Steve was already in the process to have a third edition being printed. This time around I acted promptly and ordered it immediately, but due to the pound being somewhat high at the time and the postage outrageously expensive I had the book mailed to a dear friend in London. Two years after that my friend from London visited Chicago and mailed the book to me here in Buffalo and I swore to myself that when done reading I will immediately write a review as I can't stand writing these reviews having read a book years ago. So, here we go and I just finished the book last week and to tell you the truth I haven't laughed so hard in some time. You'd think reading about Steve's life and Crass in particular there wouldn't be much to laugh about, but that's entirely not true. First and foremost this book is about Stephen Williams aka Steve Ignorant, and not Crass. Sure, Crass play a role in the book and the book is divided into three parts; BC, DC and AC (before, during and after Crass). Steve was born in late 1957 in Newcastle-under-Lyme in the West-Midlands but spent most of his life in Dagenham, East London, and was partly raised by his grandparents. Dagenham plays a big part in the early parts of the book and takes the reader back to the days where the pub played an integral part of everybody's life and where life was simple and revolved around the community where one lived. From the very beginning of the book Steve has a way of telling stories with such detail and a great sense of humor that sometimes one can almost feel like being taken back in time. I myself spent some years in East London - way after Crass and all - but nevertheless with me having worked at Southern Records during the time the band was preparing for the Shepherd's Bush "Feeding of the 5000" gigs in 2007 I was able to relate to a lot Steve has to say. It is pretty clear that those years in Dagenham before Steve moved into Dial House were in many ways formative years and have shaped the person he has become in many ways. In the book's introductions Steve sets out that it is not about Crass hence don't expect a detailed history about the band. Instead what I really like about the Crass part in the book is the very beginnings of the band, the bond between Penny and Steve and the hilarious stories revolving around the first few gigs. I also love Steve's honesty about the band's own failures by creating a stifling environment eventually leading to the demise of the band in 1984. The years after Crass are without doubt no less interesting than the years leading up to Crass as Steve struggles finding his way after years of touring and a structured life within said group. What I find fascinating about Steve is his ability to reinvent himself and to take on life no matter how desperate things might seem. As Steve puts it in the introduction it's about his journey to become the lead singer in Crass and the life thereafter. And let me be clear it's a journey filled with great stories, which at times are told in a refreshingly somewhat non-PC way. I can only imagine that the Punk-PC-Police had some cringe moments reading this book but that's life. If you want to learn about true friendship, some horrible aspects of the DIY touring circus, growing up and surviving East London, Schwartzeneggar, and above all who Steve Ignorant really is then do yourself a favor and grab a copy of this book as you will not regret it for a minute. Cheers for the laughs Steve! 

Steve in front of Shepherd's Bush Empire in 2007. Source: steveignorant.com

Jakkpot - "Just One Fix", "You Ain't Shit" and "3,2,1 Go" 7" Singles

Label: American Punk Records; Year: 1995; Format: 7" 45 RPM Single

Many years ago I parted with most of my '90s records and included were some of the Jakkpot 7"s. Luckily a few years ago on a trip to the West Coast I found the first three of their total of six singles at a store in Orange County and spent a whole twelve bucks on them. The funny thing is that with the knowledge of hindsight the '90s produced some excellent records, especially on 45s. There sure as hell was an abundance of releases coming out during that decade including a million and one horrible pop punk, emo or crust records, but buried underneath all that garbage were releases by bands like Jakkpot from Baltimore, Maryland. The first single was put out by the band themselves on their American Punk Records label and both tracks are equally strong with "Insomnia" being the winner for me. The band started out in '91 and was according to an interview in Germany's 3rd Generation Nation fanzine somewhat of an 'All Star' line-up of Baltimore's who's who when it comes to old school punk rock. A winner!

Label: American Punk Records; Year: 1996; Format: 7" 45RPM Single

On their second single Jakkpot continue where they left off and deliver yet again a mean and in your face punk rock smasher in the form of "You Ain't Shit". On the B-Side they top it off with a great cover version of DC's Black Market Baby hit "Nobody Wanted Us". I have the slight suspicion that Jakkpot chose that song for a reason and interestingly enough Keith Campbell of Black Market Baby joined Jakkpot for their later singles. A match made in heaven me thinks! 

Label: Junk Records; Year: 1996; Format: 7" 45RPM Single

Out of the three singles I currently have this is probably their best even though they are all fantastic and worth having. "3,2,1 Go" and "Burnin' in 77" are just two perfect songs where the band delivers their brand of high octane punk'n'roll influenced equally by 77 Punk, Garage Punk and 'Feel The Darkness' era Poison Idea. While the songs are fast and furious they never lack melody and it must be said that these guys must have listened to a lot of good records throughout their young years as I can hear AC/DC, Motorhead, Dead Boys and Candy Snatchers to name just a few influences. The funny thing about records is that people are often after the super rare and expensive ones while the gems are sitting in the bins to be had for a few bucks. Do yourself a favor and pick up anything by Jakkpot as you won't regret it. I for one will make sure I get the three remaining singles for myself and shall review them at some point in the future. 

Rude A, Singer of Jakkpot on the Cover of Germany's excellent 3rd Generation Nation Fanzine from 2000

The Clash - Clash in Hamburg LP 

Label: No Rock Stars (Unofficial); Year: 20??; Format: Vinyl LP

By 1980 the Clash have blossomed from a relatively small unknown unit from London having played a huge part in the punk explosion of 1977 to a well-oiled Rock'N'Roll machine touring not just the UK but also the European continent. In hindsight they certainly did not change the world but Joe Strummer and the gang certainly changed the lives of thousands of teenagers in the late seventies and early eighties. With success a band gains a lot of new fans and loses some of the old faithful. This bootleg LP of the Clash playing in Hamburg, Germany on May 19 in 1980 was originally released in 1980 and at some point in the 00's the version you are seeing herein came out as a "boot of a boot" so to speak. What I find most interesting about this record and the gig itself is not the music contained on vinyl. First and foremost I am not the biggest Clash fan myself and quite frankly despite the sound quality on this record being quite decent I must say that to me it's just a good rock'n'roll performance, nothing more and nothing less. But with the punk scene getting more and more politicized the Clash gig at the Markthalle has a special place in punk rock history and therefore I decided to translate Rudi Krawall's personal account of that night from German to English as per his piece for the excellent "Keine Zukunft War Gestern" book published many years ago: 

"The best gig I have ever seen, and since then I am the biggest Clash Fan ever. The band was accused of having sold out by having signed to CBS and gradually changing their style of music. The venue was stormed by an angry mob that night but the Clash didn't give in despite a riot, blood and emotions flying high. 

The anger that spilled over that night was not spontaneous and neither a coincidence but rather a result of a gradual built-up. I recall a gig with some local bands in a youth centre nearby Hamburg (Shalom in Norderstedt) and if I am not mistaken Scrubby Kids, Slime, Razors and Kotzbrocken played said night. 

Anyway, someone from the crowd grabbed the mic between the bands and started to shout about the upcoming Clash gig at the Markthalle, and that we should all boycott the show. The main reason was that the ticket price of Deutsch Mark 17 or 18 was way too high compared to other international Punk acts having played Hamburg with ticket prices being somewhere between Deutsch Mark 9 and 12. And on top of that the Crass song "Punk is Dead" was mentioned as well and the fact that the Clash being on a major label were nothing short of money grabbing "revolutionaries". 

A plan was agreed that night that we would all meet in front of the venue in order to prevent anyone from entering the Markthalle. On the night of the gig I arrived on time in front of the venue and a mob of around 70-80 punks had gathered in front of the entrance as planned. More and more kids started to arrive with their tickets in their hands but the punk mob resisted and prevented them from entering. Of course at some point the Security folks realized something was not right and intervened so the kids could get in. It was at the moment when the boycotting mob realized that their tactic was failing when they just started to push against the Security people of which there were maybe six. At that point the boycotting mob grew maybe to about 150 and after having overcome the Security said mob just stormed the Markthalle up the stairs and quickly inside. Some people that arrived a bit late that night got in for free as the Security guys just didn't feel like to bother anymore to avoid more confrontation. "Storming" of gigs became fashionable after the Clash gig and reoccurrences were frequent but never again with such a big following. 

When The Clash finally entered the stage that night the atmosphere was already quite heated. On the one hand you had the kids that paid full price for their tickets in order to see the band, and on the other hand you had the punks that stormed the venue to try to disrupt or stop the band from performing. The Clash figured out quickly what was up and played their songs professionally as if nothing was happening. A lot of the punks kept pushing towards the front of the stage and kept shouting "Punk is Dead" in between songs. The Clash were not bothered by that and kept playing even after some of the punks started throwing stuff at the band or spat at them. 

At some point it seemed that the situation was calming down despite the sound quality getting poorer by the minute as some of the punks managed to twist some of the cables on the stage. With the band still continuing to perform despite everything going on more and more punks gained respect for the band and stopped the harassment until Joe Strummer decided to lift his guitar and smash it against the head of one of the punks up front that kept shouting abuse at him. That obviously caused a major stir and I remember some punks climbing up the stage only to be wrestled by the band's roadies. Thereafter the band played a few more songs and the show came to a quick end. After the gig I stood outside the Markthalle with some of the Barmbeker Punks and we noticed two cop cars pulling up. After the police entered the venue they came out about five minutes later with Joe Strummer handcuffed in their company. Two of my friends came up with a quick improvised version of "Police and Thieves" for good ole' Joe and the whole story was all over the tabloid newspapers the next morning."

"I hate" Clash badge. Source: "Keine Zukunft War Gestern" book 2008

With so much of the Clash' history having been covered in books, magazines and what not relatively little coverage has been given to the gigs the band played in Mainland Europe hence despite the music on this bootleg not being the highlight me thinks this is an interesting little anecdote from decades ago. And remember Punk is Dead! 

Rudi Krawall's Original Text in German. Source: "Keine Zukunft War Gestern" book 2008

Photos and Ticket from the Clash Markthalle Gig. Source: "Hamburg Calling" book 2020

AK-47 - The Badge Means You Suck LP

Label: Splattered Records; Year: 2022; Format: Vinyl LP

AK-47 from Houston, Texas are one of those bands that many of us into obscure worldwide punk rock must have discovered through a Killed By Death compilation LP. I don't recall when I heard "The Badge Means You Suck" for the first time but it certainly has been a good while hence the band has fallen off my punk radar until a well written 2021 Texas Monthly article about the band's history and their fascinating connection to police brutality and killings from the past and present subsequently revived my interest in the band (Link to article at the end of this entry). It's only fitting that just a few days ago I visited my local record shop and found a copy of the already hard to find official reissue of the band's material collected on a Full-Length. While the two songs from the originally in 1980 released 7" are the ones many of us are after on vinyl I must say that the remaining eight songs are just as intriguing and good. The true gems on this record are the six songs that the band recorded in 1981 and put up on bandcamp in 2021 as "Singularities". These six songs previously unreleased on vinyl highlight the development of the band after the demise of their original singer and are in my opinion worth every penny spent on this LP. With the addition of Penny Smith on vocal duties it is widely believed that the band really found its style and peaked during that time. Songs like "Isaacs Social Disease" or "Brain on a Pillow" to name just two of the six take the band in all kinds of musical directions without ever losing their Art-Punk roots. Mix angular post-punk with some hard rock and new wave and you get an idea as to how those six songs sound like, and trust me you will not be disappointed. Two more songs recorded actually in recent times are to be found on this wonderful record, with one of them - Trumpelstilstkin - being proof that these Texans haven't lost their art of social commentary in the modern day and age. Get a copy of this record while you can! 

Link to the Article in Texas Monthly:

https://www.texasmonthly.com/arts-entertainment/houston-punk-bands-protest-anthem-still-resonates-forty-years-after-release/

Alice Bag - Violence Girl (East L.A. Rage to Hollywood Stage, A Chicana Punk Story) 

Publisher: Feral House; Year: 2011; Format: Softcover Book

If you are struggling with an idea what to gift your loved one or a good friend then let me tell you a book always works, just ask my wife. In all fairness though I should be ashamed of myself for reviewing Alice Bag's book now approaching 2023 whereas it was published in 2011, right around the time I started this blog. I must be one of the world's best procrastinators but better late than never I suppose. Alice Bag (nee Alicia Armendariz) was born in the late 1950's and reached probably the perfect age by the time the punk rock explosion hit the City of Angels. Let me be clear though that while this book definitely deals a lot with the early LA punk scene seen through the lenses of Alice it is by no means a book just about that. And that is one of the main reasons why I would say it belongs in the Top 10 of the many punk rock autobiographies having been written in the last decade and some. Alice is a truly gifted writer and this book is just rich of stories from her interesting life having been brought up in East Los Angeles to Mexican-born parents who migrated to the United States. In that sense Alice was not just an outsider in the greater society when punk rock hit, but also an outsider within the caucasian dominated subculture itself. She is the survivor of domestic violence against her mother with a father whom Alice referred to as a "monster", but she is also proud of her heritage and explains in details what it was like to grow up as a Chicana in East LA. Music played a role in Alice's life before punk rock and Elton John, David Bowie and the English Disco were a big deal not just for Alice but many others that would soon find out about a music style much rawer and much more open to people with less talent. Don't worry as the book does eventually take you on a wild ride through the early days of punk rock in Los Angeles and of course The Bags play a vital role in all those stories told. I have read this book years ago and just reread the chapter when The Bags played a show with Rhino 39 in San Diego and how some of the people along with Black Randy took a trip across the border to Mexico the following day turning into a wild adventure. This book is probably one of those that at some point in the future I will read again cover to cover as it is just so well-written and packed with not just fascinating anecdotes but real inspiration from page 1. Last but not least Alice became a teacher and even spent some time in Nicaragua helping out children in that part of the world. She's also somebody that has managed to stay interesting and true to herself up to this day while still performing music and as far as I know now living in Mexico maintaining a blog about the many interesting and fascinating aspects of living there. One of my all time favorite books, period. 

V/A - Nightmare Vol, 1 EP

Label: Unknown (Unofficial Release); Year: 1997; Format: 33 RPM EP

In August of 1997 I visited Tokyo for two weeks and judging by the little flyer for Peace Punk distribution I am certain I had gotten this little introduction to Punk and Hardcore from the Philippines in Japan. Since not too long ago I reviewed the Chinese Punk Compilation EP I felt like I give this little platter a spin as it's been a while since I heard this the last time and I was in the mood to explore my horizon further when it comes to the history of hardcore punk from Asia. The Philippines should be considered as a highly intriguing and interesting place when it comes to hardcore punk due to the fact that a scene started to flourish there as early as 1981, that is according to two online sources with one of them being "A Short History of the Hardcore Punk Underground in the Philippines" on bandcamp which I can recommend if you just want to get your teeth into the subject matter. Provided this boot was released back in '97 before the internet exploded I would think that the EP really helped to spread the sound of hardcore punk from the Philippines to the point that over the years since the interest in bands from the small island must have spiked judging by some of the official reissues of bands contained on this EP. On Side A we get to hear two songs by Betrayed, initially started by four high school friends in Queens, NY in 1980, off of their originally in 1986 issued cassette on Twisted Red Cross, run by Tommy Tanchanco of Third World Chaos fame. Betrayed were equally influenced by US Hardcore and more traditional UK Punk as the two songs on this EP prove, including a great cover version of The Damned's "Love Song". On to R.D.A. with three fast and furious songs off of their 1987 cassette on Twisted Red Cross. Think of Stark Raving Mad or Impulse Manslaughter as an influence for R.D.A. while  I couldn't find any further info relating to them. On Side B we first get three songs by I.O.V. (Intoxication of Violence) which as the rest of Side B are definitely more in the UK82 vein in my opinion. Next up are Philippine Violators with just one song from their '87 cassette "At Large". Next to Third World Chaos they might very well be the best known band outside the Philippines, at least I seem to remember hearing about them over the years and the song is killer. Last but not least are Urban Bandits with one song from the originally in 1985 released "Independence Day" cassette, and in my opinion "Hoy" is the best track on this EP, just a brutally executed hardcore punk smasher that could have just as well come out of the UK, Brazil or Finland. If you find all of this interesting and would like to find out about all these bands and the diverse '80s hardcore punk scenes from the Philippines then the good news is that there are now more official reissues available with the bad news being that they are not exactly easily available outside the Philippines. I will need to dig deeper as this EP is for the most part really great and got me hungry for more. 

Rare Peel - Discs 1-4 

Label: Fan Club (Unofficial Release); Year: 2010; Format: 4 x 45RPM EP

In true bootlegger fashion this release does not come without hick ups as for instance Disc 1 and Disc 2 contain a sticker mix-up between the Crabs and the Cortinas and the four EPs also don't run on 33RPM but on 45RPM. That put aside I really have no clue why the person behind this bootleg decided to put this out in a cheap 7" box containing four EPs instead of just slapping it onto one LP and maybe put more love into the booklet which seems to have been assembled from various other official releases or stuff found online. Either way I remember buying this when I was still living in London and apparently it's limited to 416 copies but who knows whether that is true. In all fairness something like this deserves a proper official release but that's a discussion for another rainy day. So what you get on these four separate EPs are Peel Sessions from four different bands from the years '77 and '78. While the Drones, Cortinas and Models are probably known to everybody into early UK punk the Crabs might be an exception even to some true aficionado of '77 punk. The band formed in Great Yarmouth in East Anglia as early as 1974 under the names Cosmic Love and Teezer and is known to have supported many well known acts such as Sham 69, X-Ray Spex or the Jam to name a few. The four songs recorded for John Peel in 1978 are a mixed bag in my opinion although none of the tracks are poor per se. "Victim" and "Don't want your love" are the two stand out tracks for me though as they are strong upbeat '77 punk smashers the way we love them while the other two tracks are more mid-tempo and in a way lost in no-man's land between punk rock and R&B. 

The Cortinas from Bristol are probably best known for their two excellent singles on Step Forward Records and the four John Peel Sessions songs are from the same time period with "Defiant Pose" and "Television Families" also appearing on those releases. Since I don't have any of the band's early output (shame on me) I can't really compare the versions but the Cortinas EP from this set is my favorite one as all four tracks are simply superb and hard-hitting tracks in the way that they are aggressive yet still melodic, something I think a lot of the later punk rock bands took away from bands like the Cortinas. The other two tracks from the Cortinas session are "Having It (Have it with you)" and my absolute favorite "Further Education". If my research is correct than seek out the MK1 LP which collects the Peel Session songs and other early material by the band as well. The Drones from Manchester are probably best known for their hit "Bone Idol" or my all time favorite "Lookalikes" but according to Mick Middles in the excellent "no more heroes" book by Alex Ogg the band was not popular at all in their home city. Still "Movement" and "The Change" are solid tracks from their Peel Session and highlight their strong musicianship and roots in R&B. 

Last but not least we get four tracks from The Models who were Marco Pirroni's short lived band best known for their excellent single on Step Forward which shall be reviewed here at some point in the future. While those two songs will be known to many of you and were also part of the Peel Sessions I don't think that "Censorship" and "Brainwash" are of equal quality to round off their disc but they are definitely not bad tracks and still above average. All in all don't be paying some outrageous amount if you find this for sale as again a release like this one deserves much more love and dedication. 

Trashcan Darlings - Gore Gore Boys & Splatter Pussies 10"

Label: Eastside Records; Year: 2000; Format: 10" Vinyl EP

Since it is Halloween Season I thought it would be an ideal time to pull out this beauty of a 10" record by the Norwegian band Trashcan Darlings. Back in the late '90s/early '00s my friend Alain and I were organizing gigs in Zurich/Switzerland and somehow the people behind the Eastside Records label from Germany contacted us if we were interested to book these Oslo guys in Zurich, and so we did. At the end of March in 2001 (see flyer) we booked them at Hohlstrasse which at the time was a semi-squatted/semi-legally occupied house with a really cool basement where shows were happening once in a while. The basement was full of great metal work with sharp objects sticking out all over the place and a capacity of maybe one hundred people. To this day I remember the Trashcan Darling show very vividly as the Oslo bunch put on a fantastic show in front of a sweaty and crazy crowd and yes, they looked just like in the pictures with make-up and all glamed up. The 10" released on Eastside Records is nothing short of a classic glam punk record backed by a really decent production job. As quite often is the case with musicians from Northern European Countries they are excellent at their instruments, and that is definitely the case with the Trashcan Darlings. Five outstanding originals and one funtastic live cover version of Funtime are to be found on this red splatter ten inch and no song is to disappoint you. Whether you like your glamed up punk'n'roll slower such as in "She's A Fuck around" or the incredibly catchy "Angel Lost" or at a faster pace like in "Electro Shock Rock" I think these guys just perfectly mixed glam rock and 77 punk by putting it through an Oslo based blender with a nice touch of good ole Norwegian Punk'N'Roll. The band existed from 1995 through 2008 and released quite a few records during their career. Definitely worth checking out if this is your cup of tea! 

 

Rattus - Hilipili Records 7"s Reissues on Hoehnie Records

Label: Hoehnie Records; Year: 2008; Format: 45RPM Single

When I discovered Rattus from the small town of Vilpulla in Finland it was through their brutal hardcore punk assault on the Ratcage LP back around 1987 as a friend of mine had a copy of said record and we were just in awe of the sheer brutality of that LP. But more about the Ratcage record when I get to it in the future. Before Rattus ever produced a slew of classic records throughout the first period of the '80s they started out as a somewhat classic '77 punk outfit and in 1980 self-released on Hilipili Records the first single with Khomeini-Rock and Muotipunk being equally strong late '70s influenced punk rock numbers. Think of really early Angelic Upstarts or Buzzcocks before they released records on majors and you get a good idea how this one sounds sung in Finnish. Come to think of it probably the first time I heard these really early recordings was on the GTA Taalta Tullan Kuolema CD which had come out in 1996. If you don't want to shell out hundreds of dollars for an original grab one of the few copies around of this Hoehnie Reissue!

Label: Hoehnie Records; Year: 2008; Format: 33RPM EP

Unlike their first output the second Hilipili 7" came in form of the Fucking Disco EP in 1981 with five tracks representing the band in somewhat of a transitional period. No longer are the tracks just straight forward late '70s punk but other styles are distinctively to be heard. The opener "Sietamaton" and my favorite song on this platter "Taalta Tullan Kuolema" are definitely songs in the '70s punk vein but the band does not shy away from Reggae and Post-Punk influences on the other two main tracks with the last "Stop Start" just being a thirty-seven second joke song. Quite a number of years ago I interviewed Rattus for a German fanzine and I recall that the band was at a difficult cross-point after having released this 2nd record. With the '70s punk sound having died out the band was close to throwing in the towel until they heard Minor Threat from across the pond and the rest is history as one would say. I leave you with an existential question from the back cover of this EP then... 

The Misfits - Static Age LP

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

Back in 1997 when this lost LP by the Misfits was released I was very much in the known about its release and the hype surrounding it but for some reason - and this has happened in more than one instance - I chose not to buy a copy only to come to regret it as the record would turn from scarce to very rare. Luckily just a few weeks back now in the year 2022 and unbelievably already a quarter of a century after its release I was lucky to find a first pressing for a very reasonable price at a local dealer. Turns out that patience pays off even for people lacking hair and at times a brain. "Static Age" was recorded in the early days of 1978 and was financed by Mercury Records in a 30 hours free recording session. Mercury was planning to release the recorded material but eventually after months of not getting back to the band decided to drop the project as sale numbers for the release of Pere Ubu's "Modern Dance" were low and the label decided against any further punk rock related releases. It sure as hell is a shame the LP didn't come out in 1978 as I am not the only one to think that had that happened it would be included in every list of the greatest and most essential punk rock LPs of the early days. In 'This Music leaves Stains - The Complete Story of the Misfits" author James Greene Jr. states that "the record might have been counted as one of the last great gasps of Punk Rock's founding East Coast wave alongside the Ramones 'Road To Ruin', the Talking Heads' 'More Songs about Building and Food' and the Dead Boys' 'Young Loud and Snotty'. In the same book Mike Stax notes that on "Static Age" the Misfits had not quite fallen into the formula yet and that the records that came later, like "Walk Among Us" weren't as pure. In 1993 Jerry Only theorized that had the record come out back then everything would have moved up five years and the Misfits would have been the forerunners of the new scene. Well, that might have very well been the case but as history often shows us not everything goes according to plan hence better late than never the LP came out in 1997 and has been rather successful me thinks. I think those words by Stax and Greene sum it up perfectly. Listening to the LP today having heard most of the songs over and over in one form or another throughout the decades I still couldn't help to feel in awe as the record is like a "Best Of" would be for many bands, that's just how great it is. The songwriting is simply put incredible and shows how well rehearsed the band was already at that point. All seventeen songs are a perfect mix of early punk rock paired with a healthy dose of pop infusion on top of Glenn's voice and outlandish lyrics resulting in nothing else than seventeen hits. We are 138!!! 

Punishment Of Luxury - "Puppet Life", "Engine of Excess" and "Secrets" Singles

Label: Small Wonder Records; Year: 1978; Format: 45 RPM Single

What can be said about Punishment of Luxury or also known as Punilux? Well, actually quite a lot as they certainly are a highly interesting bunch hailing from the North East of England, Newcastle to be exact. When I decided to spin the three singles I have I wanted to find out more about these fellows so I naturally reached to Alex Ogg's bible 'no more heroes' only to find out that Punilux were not included in said book. Hmm, I suppose they didn't quite make the punk cut and to be honest it is understandable as Punilux were truly not a punk band per se but incorporated aspects of punk rock into their sound and look. Luckily I also own Mario Panciera's '45 Revolutions' which is an absolute goldmine for information as you intranet geeks will surely know. Punilux were formed in 1975 by two members with theatre company backgrounds. The theatrical aspect is something that is quite unique to Punilux and plays a big part of their sound and visuals. Fittingly the band released their first single 'Puppet Life' on East London's Small Wonder Records where many interesting bands found their home and an opportunity to be heard. Both of the songs on this single are pure gold with influences ranging from psychedelic rock, glam rock and 77 punk to be heard on both songs. They were referred to as theatrical punk or art punk but call it what you want they were talented and drew from different influences equally important to them. Savage Pencil reviewing the single for Sounds back in the day wrote: "This U.K. band look and sound like your worst paranoia come to life. Punilux toy and claw at your brain with a tune that won't let go, filling your sleepless nights with fevered dreams of insanity. On top of all that it's the best British single I've heard in weeks." I couldn't agree more. 

Label: United Artists Records; Year: 1979; Format: 45 RPM Single

Just like many other small and independent English bands of the time Punilux searched for a major label deal and were eventually picked up by United Artists. Originally 'Jellyfish' was supposed to be the A-Side for their first release on UA but last minute it was dropped for 'Engine of Excess'. Gary Bushell wrote for Sounds that the band was pointless, safe and something for dated people which I suppose is true coming from someone who likes to surround himself with football hooligans. But that's not the point here as in my opinion this single is just as good as the first one on Small Wonder. Both songs continue in the weird, humorous and arty tradition of theatrical punk with 'Jellyfish' being somewhat of Punilux's stand out track. A good friend of mine back in Europe used to play this a lot when DJ-ing after gigs and it is not surprising that a lot of people were turned off as it's just not everybody's cake. Back in the day the release was received lukewarm and the sales weren't all that great either. It is a shame as it just proves that no matter what decade we are talking about most people love to just give a band a certain label and sound without going too deep. Punilux were so much more than plain punk, that's for sure. 

Label: United Artists Records; Year: 1979; Format: 45 RPM Single

Punilux's second single for UA was released in 1979 as well and is an interesting one in the sense that the two songs are quite different from each other. 'Secrets' is described by Mario Panciera as a lackluster song reminiscent of early '70s Prog Rock. Sure he is not miles off with the description but in my opinion the song does grow on you and still has elements of the weird and arty craft known to Punilux. But let's not dwell too long on the A-Side as the other side offers 'Brainbomb', a smasher on a whole different level. This is a fast and furious song mixing elements of 2nd wave punk rock and the emerging sound of NWOBHM to give you an idea, just a perfect song. Punilux disbanded twice and returned to perform in 2007 when I moved to London for some time. I saw them at a small venue in London in 2008 or 09 and they sure as hell did not disappoint. This won't be the one and only Punilux entry to this blog so stay tuned and if you haven't discovered the band yet just remember it's never too late. 

bahnhof - February 82 EP

Label: No Plan Records; Year: 2015; Format: 7" EP

Thanks to No Plan Records the world gets to hear the vinyl version of these extremely rare recordings of Italian band bahnhof, whom if I am not mistaken hailed from the Northern Metropolis of Milan. This 4-song EP was originally released as a tape back in 1982 and at some point in the '90s I actually heard it for the first time as a friend of mine had or hopefully still has the original tape. Funny enough those four songs were recorded at Vimodrone in Milan on September 16 of 1982, almost exactly forty years ago to this day and they definitely hold up well. Not all that much information exists about the band except that they started out in 1979 and disbanded in 1984 after their singer Carlo had a terrible motorcycle accident unable to continue with music. Musically all four songs are killer and well produced. The band drew heavily from 77-79 UK punk acts such as Angelic Upstarts, The Clash or Ruts to name a few hence what you get is anthemic and melodic yet powerful in your face punk rock at its best. Stand out track for me is 'February 82' about a girl the band knew that committed suicide after dabbling with heroin, but there is no track on this that will let you down. Punk fantastico! 

Peroxide - Heart Disease 10"

 

Label: Backstreet Records; Year: 200?; Format: 10" Vinyl

Firstly I never understood why a lot of the Rave Up and in this case Backstreet Records (Sublabel) releases are done so cheaply. For a release of an obscure band it would have come very handy to include an insert with some band info and photos but all we get is a few sentences on the back cover and two photos. It's really a shame. On top of that the vinyl on this release is so thin you would think you're holding paper in your hands. Well, at least with this release the live recordings are not a waste of vinyl and plastic as they are actually really worth having been put on record. Peroxide were one of many New York City based bands in the late '70s and played somewhat of a mixture between typical NY Junk Rock, Powerpop and Glam Rock. Back in 1979 they released just one Single on Shock Rock with Heart Disease being backed by Christine on Side-B. Both tracks are on this 10" and while Heart Disease is an upbeat Punky Powerpop track with keyboards very much to my liking Christine is a tack too New Wave for me but not bad either. Aside the one live track from Max's Kansas City recorded in 1979 there are also three tracks from CBGB's from the same year and they are convincing and more ass kicking. Also good are the three unreleased demo tracks and an Acetate with Jerry Nolan on drums. 'Fool From Start Shouln't Have' might very well be the best track on the entire record, just a great Heartbreaker influenced song. This isn't a record that you need to own but all in all it is quite enjoyable and worth tracking down if New York Dolls, Heartbreakers et all are your thing. 

the Blitzz - So Free and Go Now Single Reissues

Label: Sing Sing Records; Year: 2011; Format: 7" Single

The NYC based Sing Sing Record label (long-time defunct) reissued some great stuff about a decade ago and I was buying up everything in the very beginning but lost track after some time surely missing out on some goodies. In terms of information or any historical facts little to nothing can be found about the Blitzz from Holland. Apparently they released two singles back in '78 and that was it. Both came out originally on EMI-Holland and must have been widely available. So what you get with these two singles is not some KBD-type muzika but two well produced singles that are actually both very enjoyable. 'So Free' draws equally from glam rock, pub rock and power pop and is in my opinion just a great pop song whereas 'Degeneration' is probably the most '77 punk influenced song on either of the two singles. Think the Vibrators or the Boys and you'll get the general idea. I've seen comments on the Killed By Death website about these singles and they vary from good stuff to absolutely awful, but I sure as hell like them both hence on to the next one. 

Label: Sing Sing Records; Year: 2011; Format: 7" Single

The 'Second Single' is just as good as the first one ladies and gentlemen. 'Go Now' is definitely a power pop track with a tendency to be a bit on the cheesy side yet still delivered with enough conviction and drive hence it would be wrong to discredit it. 'You got what you want' on the other hand is a truly fantastic power pop song with a strong '77 punk influence, just a smasher of a track worth alone your hard earned money. As I had mentioned above I really don't know anything about this band so if anyone out there in the vast galactic of the intranet has any stories about these guys rocking out in their dutch klompen shoes then please go ahead and share them with the rest of us. 

Antler Joe and the Accidents - go commercial EP

Label: Feral Kid Records; Year: 2022; Format: 7" Vinyl EP

First and foremost nice to see that a Buffalo based label was involved in making this reissue of this rare Florida punk gem possible. I certainly do not remember having come across this band so when I saw some talk about it online it caught my attention and I listened to Dogshit on Youtube and instantly liked it. Little is known about Antler Joe but breakmyface.com has some info relating to the band so hop on there and read the full story, albeit brief. What you get on this originally in 1981 on Killer Sheep Records released EP are three heavily New York influenced punk rock songs which all rock in their own way. 300 copies were pressed back in the day hence needless to say it's rare as hell so hurry up and grab this reissue before it's too late yet again. In above mentioned link on breakmyface singer John elaborates on his regreting of the addition of a saxophone on 'Who needs a woman'. I absolutely disagree as I think it suits the song and is not out of place at all. X-Ray Spex have successfully done so before these guys, and I think if executed well it adds to the music. Alright, apologies for losing myself here a little bit in the world of saxophones in punk rock but if that's not your thing then don't worry as the other two tracks have none of it and are equally great. For 1981 this Fort Myers band probably sounded a bit lagging in time but I personally like that as they weren't from a big metropolitan area chasing the next trend which would have been hardcore punk at the time. If the NY Dolls or Heartbreakers are your cup of tea then you'll love this record, and if not you'll still love this record. Now go commercial and buy it!

V/A - Streets LP 

Label: Beggars Banquet; Year: 1977; Format: Vinyl LP

On the back cover of this Compilation the following statement is eternalized: 1977 was the year that the music came out of the concert halls and onto the streets; when independent labels sprang out of the woodwork to feed new tastes: when rock music once again became about energy and fun; when the majors' boardrooms lost control. Suddenly we could do anything. - Well apparently Beggars Banquet wasn't completely true to those words as one of the best tracks on this generally rather good Compilation is "isgodaman" by the Snivelling Shits, who on this record are called Arthur Comics as the Beggars folks decided against the word "shit" on the record sleeve. Punk? Anyhow that is a question for another rainy day as I am here to let you know that out of the seventeen tracks to be found on this platter only about three to four are shitty new wave tracks while the rest varies from decent to great. Especially strong on this record is the Mancunian fraction with Slaughter and the Dogs, The Nosebleeds and The Drones. "Lookalikes" by the Drones is one of my all time faves from the 1977 school of punk rock, just a real smasher. Other great songs are by lesser known acts such as "Disastermovie" by The Exile from Scotland or "19" by the French act The Dogs. With a record like this one I was wondering how it would hold up as I sure as heck have not played it in a long time, but I must say that for the most part I still enjoy it as the songs still sound fresh and energetic to my ears thanks to the bands having had their own sound and style before the copycats flooded the market. Beggars Banquet went on to become a much bigger label once Gary Numan became a hit and they sure as hell jumped on the bandwagon when punk hit the streets in the U.K, but so be it. Most of the songs for this LP were licensed from other labels and many of you might have them on singles, but it's still nice to listen to these hits one after another. Let's pogo! 

The Pits - "Introducing My New High" and "Belief in Ruins" Rapid Pulse Singles 

Label: Rapid Pulse Records; Year: 2001; Format: 7" Single

For this blog an entry from 2001/2002 is new so to speak as unfortunately the loser typing this entry sold most of the '90s and early '00s records a long time ago. Many are not missed while some are, and some have luckily never left the collection. Very little to nothing is known about the Pits from Sunderland in the North East of the UK. I remember reading about them in the brilliant 3rd Generation Nation Fanzine from Germany all those years back and that's all the exposure they got I suppose. They certainly deserved more but most likely never made it much farther than beyond the local pub scene. Still, they managed to release some brilliant records of which two ended up on vinyl on the American label Rapid Pulse, which back then kind of specialized in '77 style punk and powerpop releases. The two tracks on this single are both mid tempo and anthemic in a very typical old school UK punk fashion. The band certainly reminds me of the Professionals and the likes hence if that's your cup of tea you'll love this one! 

Label: Rapid Pulse Records; Year: 2002; Format: 7" Single

While the above reviewed single is great and worth getting, I shall proclaim that this one is the better one and every loser with no life whatsoever reading these lines needs to get this one. Both tracks are upbeat '77 punk smashers with "Your Violence is Sinister" being one of my all time Pits favorites. The production on this single is also cleaner and louder, and I repeat myself if you like your punk rock anthemic with great hooks and choruses then you should give these Sunderland lads a chance. The band also released two CDs and a Mini CD which I shall review at some point in the future as well. The drummer also played in Red London for some time but considering how little Sunderland is that shouldn't come as a surprise, right? It's too early in the day to have an ale but this goes down well with some booze. Cheers!