Varaus - 1/2 LP

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

What better way is there to spend the afternoon reviving this somewhat dormant blog of mine while the wind is blasting arctic air at god knows how many miles per hour in god forsaken Buffalo, NY. And thanks to Tangerine Orange Herbal Tea made by Zinger the whole experience reached another level by not only keeping me warm but reminding me that I am a somewhat old fart sipping on tea while sat in a recliner. But, let's go back to the year 1997 while I was traveling in sunny California and walked into a record store called Vinyl Fetish in Hollywood, Los Angeles. There, to my big surprise, I came across a copy of the 2nd pressing of the original self-released Varaus 1/2 LP from 1983, and you wouldn't believe it that I paid somewhere close to forty dollars only. Yep, no kidding. I imagine it was one of the owners who rang up my lucky ass while saying: "I know this is super rare and I could ask for much more, but who in the hell would buy it?" Well, I did, but about ten years later in dire need for cash I sold it on eBay to somebody in Australia if I am not mistaken, and the chap definitely shelled out much more than what I had paid. It just goes to show you how much '80s Finnish Hardcore Punk has grown in popularity over the years, and rightfully so, even though Instagram and Facebook definitely play a big role, but so be it. Hence I consider myself pretty lucky again to be an owner of this 2022 reissue as even this one is hard to come by nowadays proving that it's just one of those records that will always be hard to come by not because it's so great, but because it is so hard to get. But, on to the record itself, which again was self-released by the band back in 1982 (1st pressing). Unfortunately there is very little to nothing to be found about Varaus on the intranet so the only information I gathered is from Discogs where I learned that the band hailed from the town of Hyryla, somewhere quite south in Suomi-Finland. The fact that the original first two pressings fetch such incredible amounts of money does irritate me somewhat as musically speaking this is not one of the classic great Finnish Hardcore records, at least not in my opinion. Fact is that the band in the spirit of the time must have thought that the songs were good enough to press onto vinyl even though in all fairness it does sound like a practice tape and nothing more. That doesn't mean it's horrible, but the band definitely lacked in tightness and song-writing, which they made up for a lot in spirit. Don't get me wrong as I do think it's an excellent document from a forgotten time when guys and girls in spiked leather jackets tramped to gigs in terrible weather to trash out to bands like Varaus, hence if you like rudimentary Discharge style Finnish Hardcore you will dig this, just don't expect the heights of records by better known compatriots of Varaus. I was sad to learn that two members of Varaus, Hande Pussinen and Jone Vaarala, are no longer with us hence may they rest in peace. 

Insert from the Larmattacke repress (probably same as the original) and a band photo stolen from the band's discogs page. 

Interterror - Sublevacion LP

Label: Tonto Records; Year: 2001; Format: Vinyl LP

About time I do another entry as summer is dragging along and is soon coming to an end, which quite frankly I don't mind. For fans of international punk rock like myself I have a nugget in form of Interterror, a band that probably not too many out there will be familiar with and definitely deserving of wider recognition. It's a real shame I don't understand Spanish as the Sublevacion LP from 2001 comes with a 16-page booklet containing a lengthy interview with bassist Xavi Garcia, also known as "El Enano Infiltrado" (the infiltrated dwarf), the founding member of Valencia's punk rockers Interterror. So, in that sense I had to look elsewhere for information about the band as the info sheet in English that came with the LP is only about 500 words long. Through Discogs I was directed to a Spanish blog where one can find a pretty detailed band history, again in Spanish only (link at the end of this entry). I was under the impression that in this day and age it's easy to translate just about anything but apparently not until I eventually copied the text into an email enabling me to translate it through Google translator. Not that I am overly impressed with the translation but it is something and better than nothing. Interterror formed as early as 1980 but things didn't really starting to take shape until late in 1981 when Xavi was able to add Victor on drums, Guillermo on vocals and Miguel on guitar. The band recorded their 1st demo in 1982 containing four songs that would eventually be reissued a few years ago on Radikal 1977 Records. Side A on this LP contains the entire 1982 master tape which led to the release of Interterror's 12" back in 1985, a record that was quite well received in Spain at the time, well at least in punk circles. Side B on this LP contains the entire live set recorded at Club Zeleste in Barcelona on June 30th of 1983. This specific LP was made possible through the detective work of David at Tonto Records who after several years of searching was finally able to establish contact with Xavi. Through Xavi the band's producer Toni Pep Rodrigues Selles was brought into the fold as well and the archival work began leading eventually to this release back in 2001. If I am not mistaken this was the first reissue of Interterror's material so the subsequent reissues that have come out since then were most likely all the result of an increased interest in the band considering that this LP was also released in Mexico on CD. And in all fairness it should come as no surprise that after all those years Interterror is getting some international recognition for the songs they recorded decades ago. Did I tell you I love Spanish Punk? As with a lot of early '80s bands from Spain Interterror's sound can best be described as aggressive yet melodic straight forward punk rock carried by a singer full of conviction, a loud and dominant bass sound, and last but not least an irresistible guitar sound reminiscent of bands like Cockney Rejects, D.O.A or Argentina's Los Violadores. Tracks like "Problemas de estado" or "1984, el fin del mundo ya esta aqui" are just two examples why Interterror's songs should be heard by more people outside the Spanish speaking world. To be honest the live recording on the flip side isn't the greatest, but it's not bad either. More importantly it's of great historic value as the band rarely played outside of their hometown of Valencia and the band members themselves didn't even have a copy of the tape from back in the day. As is common these days Interterror's music can be found on several music platforms on the intranet, so do yourself a favor and discover this lost gem of a band from the golden era of punk rock. For all you vinyl freaks get your hands on anything you can find! Adios Lili Marleen!

Link to the band's history in Spanish: http://no80s-gruposnacionales.blogspot.com/2008/08/interterror.html

V/A - The End of an Era (The Best of Rot Records) 2-LP

Label: Rot Records; Year: 1988; Format: Vinyl 2-LP

Rot Records was started in late '83 by members of Mansfield band Riot Squad and my assumption is that first and foremost the goal was to release their own music as the first three Rot Releases were Riot Squad EP's, all classics in my opinion. The label went on to release an array of interesting and diverse releases from bands such as Paranoia (see blog entry for review of their LP), Resistance 77, Varukers, English Dogs etc.. In my opinion Rot Records sought out the bands that were maybe being ignored by labels such as No Future or Riot City but were equally good as the bands on said labels. In that sense Rot Records filled a gap and had quite a few of their releases played on Radio One, such as in the case of East London Act Animal Farm who were scheduled to support New Model Army on their tour only for it to be canceled last minute. The label was also in the right place at the right time to pick up the highly talented English Dogs and releasing their excellent "To The Ends Of The Earth" 12" but ultimately losing the band to Under One Flag Records. It is needless to say that Rot Records had a good run and released a slew of under appreciated minor indie hits, but by 1988 it was all over with and the label came to an end. I remember vividly that it was in that year when I picked up my copy of this 32 track Double LP at Jama Rico Records in Zurich, Switzerland. As you can see on the photo of the back cover I even marked which tracks I liked more or less, but that was in 1988 when I was first and foremost into faster hardcore punk stuff. Yesterday I sat down to listen to all four sides and loved each and every track leading me to the conclusion that Rot's catalogue has aged rather well. While thirty five years ago for the most part I enjoyed bands like Riot Squad, Varukers, Oi Polloi, Rattus et al yesterday I made a mental note to myself that I must dig deeper into the catalogues of bands such as Reality from East Anglia, Butcher from posh coastal town Bournemouth, Picture Frame Seduction, Cult Maniax as well as above mentioned Animal Farm. Said bands have all a unique style on their own and deserve more attention in the wider sense. The truth of the matter is that most of the Rot releases have become very collectible and expensive to buy but some of the material has been reissued. I am always shocked to see the prices on Discogs and for how much these records go for, it's pure insanity. I suppose that over the decades more and more people all over the world have caught up to these records pushing up prices. My guess is that many of you folks out there don't mind streaming music and I am pretty sure you can find this Double-LP online as I highly recommend it if you are not so familiar with Rot's catalogue. Whether you like UK82 punk, more melodic '77 punk inspired '80s punk rock or Metal influenced hardcore punk you'll find plenty of it on this collection. Last but not least I think Rot Records should be more in the conversation when recollecting early '80s UK punk history as they sure as hell released some forgotten gems. Cheers!

Schund - S/T LP

Label: Hoehnie Records; Year: 2003; Format: Vinyl LP

Fans of worldwide KBD Punk will most likely be familiar with Schund from Vienna, Austria, a band that existed for just a brief period of time and managed to self-release an EP in 1982, limited to just 500 copies. There weren't too many punk rock acts from Austria, and years ago I reviewed "Es Chaos is die Botschaft! on this blog, a great compilation of early Austrian punk and hardcore punk. Before I sat down to listen to this LP tonight I read a lengthy interview with Schund's singer Doris over the weekend and discovered some highly interesting facts about the band and the history of early '80s punk in Vienna (link to the interview in German at the end of this entry). I for instance didn't know that Doris was actually not from Vienna, but instead hailed from Braunschweig in Germany. Doris was into music at an early age and at some point heard about this new wild trend from England called punk rock. In 1979 she got to visit London through a chapter of the Youth Red Cross which organized a bus trip to England's capital. Doris really wanted to see punks in real life and through a funny coincidence at the hotel where she and her group were staying she met Kodak, a punk from Vienna who was also visiting London buying punk records and clothes to bring back to Austria. The two of them became eventually a couple and after Kodak had visited Doris in Braunschweig Doris picked up and left for Vienna after she finished school. Her and Kodak lived with his parents for a little while before finding a home at GaGa, an alternative centre on Vienna's Gassergasse 1, maybe comparable to Copenhagen's Christiana. There she met Bobby, Stefan and Harry who have been jamming for some time and were looking for a female singer. Doris was in their opinion perfect as she spoke high German without a Vienne's dialect.

Reproduction of 'Das Kleine Massenblatt', an independent Publication from Vienna. This particular issue deals with the history of GaGa. 

After having hooked up with the three guys at GaGa Schund was born and kicked off with full steam. Musically the band was influenced by Slime from Germany as per Doris but to be honest it is hard to define Schund's sound as it is definitely not '77 Punk but neither Hardcore Punk. Back in the early '80s, and especially in more remote scenes such as Vienna, bands still developed their own sound and in that sense I'd say Schund stood out to a degree but were unfortunately never able to record properly in a studio. The four songs off of their EP and six other songs that are on the "Studio-Side" on this LP were all recorded by Kodak in the band's rehearsal room and mixed at his home. While the sound quality is not great by any means there is a charm to these songs that one cannot resist. The lyrics are very typical for the time period and for bands from German speaking countries dealing with police oppression, weekend punks, beer & pogo and generally speaking shoving everything up the lame society's ass. The "Live-Side" is interesingly enough almost better than the Studio side with eight tracks having been recorded at the Popodrom in 1982 where Schund participated at a band contest. The story goes that during Schund's fifteen minutes of fame some chairs and table flew in their direction and that the soundman was freaking out wanting to stop the band immediately from playing. Apparently a lot of people did like their set and most likely also some of the excitement as the band came in 3rd place. If crude and raw early '80s punk is your thing you will love this record despite the somewhat rudimentary sound quality. The songs could have only have been recorded during a very intense and unique period in our history and Vienna is amongst the cities that have changed drastically since then. Schund are part of Vienna's cultural past as much as Falco in my opinion, hence do yourself a favor and track down a copy of this LP if you can. Es wurschtln es!

Interview with Doris in German Part 1: http://www.hoehnie-records.de/extra/schund/index.htm

Interview with Doris in German Part 2: http://www.hoehnie-records.de/extra/schund/index2.htm

Hated - 4 Song EP and Pressure/Stereotyped 7" Single Reissues

Label: Meat House Productions; Year: 2021; Format: 45RPM 7" EP

If you are like me and love the early Southern California sound of bands like T.S.O.L, Agent Orange, Adolescents, Shattered Faith et al then you are in for a treat with Hated who hailed from Huntington Beach and released three 7"s in the very early '80s. As it goes with those records they cost in the hundreds and are collector items and unfortunately not to be heard by the vast majority of us punk record nerds. Luckily Meat House Productions has finally made these gems available again for everyone to be able to buy for a few bucks and that's just what the world needed. I sure as hell have come across Hated, but whether it was this Hated or another one, I really don't recall. The band really doesn't get much mentioned in all the books and documentaries on Southern California punk history that are out there now while they really should be up there with the likes I name dropped earlier on. Originally released on the band's own Stress Records in 1982 the four songs are nothing short of superb and had they been produced better and especially louder the record would be even better as it already is. Angst-ridden vocals combined with the typical surf music influenced punk guitar sound of Southern California and an equally aggressive yet melodic bass and drum sound are all the ingredients a perfect record needs and they are to be found in abundance on all four songs. My personal favorite is "Enemy", but in all fairness I could pick any of them. Brilliant EP!

Label: Meat House Productions; Year: 2021; Format: 45RPM Single

I don't know which of these two records came out first in 1982 but just like the 4 Song EP this two song single containing 'Pressure' and 'Stereotyped' is an absolute scorcher. Interestingly across the front cover from left to right the letters read in German "ich kann ihn nicht leiden", meaning I cannot stand him. Who the band was referring to is unknown to me but considering Hated were part of the early '80s hardcore punk contingent from Huntington Beach I imagine they had lots of enemies in the general population by just looking somewhat different from the rest. Hard to think that these days just about anyone walking down the Huntington Beach pier looks somewhat punky, well slightly exaggerated but not that far off from the truth me thinks. In comparison to the 4 song EP the two songs on this single are better produced and while they are stylistically very similar I cannot help to hear a bit more of an Angry Samoans vibe in both songs. Maybe I should mention that bass player Chalmer Lumary went on to join Vandals and I am not one hundred percent sure whether another member, Joe Wood, is the same person that would go on to front the second incarnation of T.S.O.L and married Jack Grisham's sister. Maybe someone out there knows? Hopefully I can find a copy of the reissue of the band's first record from 1981 and from what I saw on the Hated official FB page a new record is to come out on Puke'N'Vomit as well. Unfortunately Hated's singer Steve Reehl aka Steve Real passed away last year, RIP. Get these reissues while they last!

Cuckoos Nest Poster and Live Shot stolen from the band's FB page.

Crow - Who Killed Dove? EP

Label: Prank Recors; Year: 2022; Format: 33 1/3 7" EP

Judging by some of my more recent entries one might conclude that I have lost the plot and gone Soft Rock. Ladies and gentlemen, wrong. I certainly couldn't listen to stuff like Crow on a daily basis, for that I just feel too old, but I sure as hell still feel the need to up the ante more often than not and blast a true '80s Japanese Hardcore Punk gem for instance. It's a good thing some of us stay interested in the past forever and when prompted just re-activate some old information stored away in the the most remote area of the brain, like in my case. Crow from Osaka are a band that have been on my radar for many years but with Japanese records having sky rocketed in value over the decades there is little to no hope of owning an original of many of those records I would love to hear and own. On top of that little did I know that Prank Records was actually still active hence a big cheers to Ken for putting this one out and making it available again for a few bucks in its original artwork. I wish I could tell you more about the band, but then again maybe I'd just waste your precious time so never mind. What matters most is that you get four raw, dark and crusty D-Beat smashers that were originally released in 1985 on the band's own Crow Records and that they certainly don't disappoint. Personally I prefer Side II with both, 'Last Chaos' and 'Who Killed Dove' being outstanding Discharge influenced rippers that will destroy your candle light dinner with your significant other in no time. The lyrics are simple, dark and considering they were written nearly forty years ago one could argue prophetic when it comes to the state of our planet and humanity. Grab yourself a copy and play loud!

Slapshot - Back On The Map Mini-LP 

Label: Taang Records; Year: 1986; Format: 33 1/3 12" EP

On my daily bus commute heading home this afternoon I thought I better get my lazy ass up and write up a blog entry tonight. Several records came to mind, but then I thought we are in the midst of the Stanley Cup Final hence Slapshot would be the perfect fit after all they wish their beloved Boston Bruins had not exited the play-offs in the first round after outplaying the entire league in the regular season by a mile. If you are reading this and happen to be an ice-hockey fan like myself then let me tell you that the Vegas vs. Florida final has not grabbed my interest whatsoever as I don't believe in hockey under palm trees, but to be fair to both teams they deserve to be where they are. On to music though now and a classic record that belongs in every record collection, something that must be said. Back in 1986 Crossover was in full swing and while said sub genre without a doubt gifted us some great records there were a lot of lame bands that the world has forgotten about a long time ago. Out of the remnants of Last Rights, Negative FX and DYS came Slapshot in 1985 and while they stayed true to their classic Boston Style Hardcore Punk they definitely threw in a good measure of UK Oi Punk in the vein of Blitz, Business et al. The seven songs contained on this Mini-LP are all simply fantastic melodic yet aggressive songs that on top of that were recorded 24 Tracks which makes a huge difference, and which I wish a lot of bands had done back in the day. Shoot that puck hard and stay out of the penalty box!

Treblinka - Ihmisyyden Taideteos? EP

Label: Hataapu Records; Year: 1988; Format: 331/3 7" EP

Back in 1988 I remember having this EP on a tape after having bought it to play this over my friend's cheap little cassette player terrorizing the unassuming citizens of suburban Zurich, Switzerland. Saturdays or Sundays we'd buy a few beers and sit on a bench mostly by the train station blasting loud hardcore punk from around the world, but quite often from Finland as we both loved bands from the dark northern country. I haven't listened to this one in decades but somehow yesterday while on my lunch it popped up somewhere online and I figured why not pulling it out of my 7" boxes today to review it for my blog. It's a great little platter and it's a shame that Treblinka from the city of Vaasa on Finland's west coast didn't release more records as this is their one and only release except for songs they contributed for the Waasa Comp. EP as well as the Stop Vivisection Comp. LP. I guess one could say that they were one of the short lived bands that spearheaded the next generation of great Finnish Hardcore Punk bands. It must be said that by the late '80s the classic Finnish hardcore punk sound changed stylistically somewhat as well hence other influences having seeped into the worldwide punk scenes over the years were absorbed and more predominant. Still, the Finnish language is so unique that records from Suomi have always fascinated me and this EP is no exception. All eight songs are strong and there is no filler to be found on this EP. Influenced by UK bands such as Anti-Sect, Amebix or Hellbastard I would say that Treblinka's sound was slightly metallic, yet at the same time melodic and played very tight. The echoey vocals combined with a sharp back up unit lead by a loud bass guitar are forever enshrined in my memory as the sound of good times way back. Definitely a gem from the land of a thousand lakes. 

Solger - S/T EP

Label: Bag Of Hammers; Year: 1995; Format: 33RMP 7" EP

After my previous review of the "We're not here to entertain" book I was in the mood to put something on that would match the contents of the book and came up with Solger from Seattle, WA. I'd probably go as far as saying that they are the soundtrack to the book as they are not a big name in terms of US hardcore punk and they came from somewhat of an outlier city away from trendier and more hip places on the West Coast, at least until Grunge hit... There isn't a ton of information on the intranet when it comes to these guys but do check out the link at the end of this review with an informative interview with Kyle of Solger. When researching Solger I was reminded as to how many great bands originally hailed from Seattle, for instance the Lewd who relocated to San Francisco or love em' or hate them The Mentors who moved to sunny California as well. Solger was a very short lived band having released an ultra rare EP back in 1981. In 1995 Seattle's Bag Of Hammers reissued the EP and a few years later Empty Records released a CD/LP with the EP and some extra tracks. Five raw hardcore punk tracks influenced by the Germs and Black Flag can be found on the EP with "Dead Soldier" being the winner in my opinion. It is not a great record by any means but as is often the case with records like this one it's the stories leading up to the release and what came after that's really fascinating. Simply put the guys in Solger were fed up with the more artsy approach to punk rock in their city and wanted to create an ugly and raw sound calling it hardcore punk. They definitely succeeded at that and don't get me wrong despite the poor sound quality the EP is enjoyable in its own way and supposedly sounding better than the original thanks to some cleaning up in a studio. It's interesting to read that at least one of the Mudhoney guys was at the Black Flag show when Solger opened up and was blown away. The same goes for Blain of Fartz/the Accused. What I am hinting at here is that Solger may not have been the most prolific band but they certainly left a mark that led to bigger things in hardcore punk and other forms of underground rock. Definitely an interesting piece of US hardcore punk history from the West Coast worth checking out. 

Interview with Kyle of Solger and band history: http://www.dementlieu.com/users/obik/arc/solger/index.html#basics

Kevin Mattson - We're Not Here To Entertain (Punk Rock, Ronald Reagan, and The Real Culture War of 1980s America)

Publisher: Oxford University Press; Year: 2020; Format: Hardcover Book

Let me tell you that between last night and this morning I spent probably two to three hours preparing for this entry as Kevin Mattson's book not only deserves that, but literally requires that in terms of the depth of his book. Mattson's book was published in the middle of the pandemic and I remember being instantly drawn to it. At the time I also listened to the New Books Network podcast interview (see link at the bottom) with the author and knew that I had to get the book immediately, which I did. I read it a while ago and last night I re-read bits and pieces of certain chapters on top of listening to above mentioned podcast again as well. I think by now you get the drift that Mattson's book is packed with information and with that I mean historical facts that are the result of probably hundreds of hours of research the author has put into for this tome. I am of the firm belief that more books such as this one need to be published in order for us fans of '80s hardcore punk, scholars and curious minded people out there to be able to gain a better understanding as to what really happened across America between 1979 and 1985 to be specific about the years Kevin covers for his book. I didn't grow up in America, so to this day after having lived here for something over a decade now, I still learn a lot about cultural history, and for that this book is just significant. It is important to point out that Kevin Mattson is a Professor of U.S. cultural and intellectual history at a University in Ohio and was an active participant of the early '80s Washington D.C. hardcore punk scene, as well as being one of the cofounders of Positive Force in 1985. When we think of punk books then most of the time oral histories come to mind and an endless amount of books have been published in such way, some more interesting than others. This book is a very different proposition in the sense that Mattson succeeds to juxtapose the punk rock world versus the 'Entertainer In Chief' Ronald Reagan highlighting in detailed chapters how the death of the 1st wave of punk rock and the record industry opened up the doors for an energized and politically minded youth across the U.S. to take matters into their own hands to counter the mainstream culture and the advent of MTV. What's outstanding about Mattson's approach and research into this matter is the inclusion of film, art, poetry, fanzines and other forms of communication that helped to spread DIY culture outside of the cultural epicenters on either Coast. Vic Bondi of Articles of Faith sums up the book as follows: "Firmly establishes American hardcore in the politics of the moment and the economics of the music industry at the time. An essential read for anyone wanting to understand the cultural history of the 1980s." I couldn't agree more with the statement and will have to revisit the book again soon to dig deeper into certain sections of it to learn more, and more. Highly recommended! 

New Books Network Podcast Link: https://newbooksnetwork.com/were-not-here-to-entertain-1

V/A - I've Got An Attitude Problem EP

Label(s): BC Tapes & Records and Loony Tunes Records; Year: 1987; Format: 33RPM 7" EP

Back in 1987 the world seemed to be just absolutely fine. I was in the midst of discovering exciting and new sounds from around the world and bands as the ones found on this little EP ruled my little suburban world of Zurich, Switzerland. Beer, friends, gigs and thrashing in a park to the noises coming out of a cheap tape recorder was all that was needed to make me happy, that's how simple life was for a teenager like myself back then. Thirty six years later on another continent and feeling somewhat older I can still appreciate good old '80s Hardcore from Europe, which dominates this EP released as a collaboration between San Diego based BC Tapes & Records and UK label Loony Tunes Records. Seven bands from six different countries are represented and take you on a noisy ride with Side B being the winner for me. Sweden's Mob 47 actually provide two exclusive tracks for this release and as to be expected they deliver the goods in typical fashion. The real winner though are Quod Massacre from Beograd, Ex-Yugoslavia bringing you a really well crafted, melodic yet rough hardcore punk gem reminiscent of bands like HDQ or Frites Modern. Speaking of Holland Funeral Oration round off Side B with two ultra fast thrashers delivered with quality as good as Gouda cheese. Don't get me wrong, Side A is also good with Italian power horses Wretched and Raw Power pulling their weight while Boston's Psycho and UK's Satanic Malfunctions don't disappoint either. If you like myself grew up with these type of bands this will be very familiar territory for you, but should you not be as familiar with these bands pick this one up as it generally doesn't go anywhere near silly money and is a nice introduction to international '80s Hardcore Punk. 

Kafka Prosess - One Day Son All This Will Be Yourz (Split w/ Disorder) and Ingen Fattige, Ingen Rike LPs

Label: Disorder Records; Year: 1986; Format: Vinyl LP

My introduction to Hardcore Punk from Norway arrived via a Mix-Tape in 1987 that a friend of mine made for me. The bands I remember being on said tape were Malinheads, HDQ, Rattus, Bluttat and a whole lot more, but more importantly one of my favorite tracks on the tape was "Mentalt Ute Av Balanse" by Kafka Prosess. Said song I will forever associate with the arrival of a cold fall breeze and with me blasting it through my walk man riding my bike to god knows where. It brings back memories of gigs from that time, of people going wild to the loud blasts of European Hardcore and togetherness through a common spirit. When it comes to Hardcore Punk from the European North then bands from Finland and Sweden definitely top the list while Norwegian bands tend to be sadly overlooked. I wasn't any different and it wasn't until I learned about Kafka Prosess and shortly after So Much Hate that I realized that I should probably pay more attention to what was coming out of Norge. It must be said though that Norway never gifted us with the amount of records the other two countries did, and on top of that they tended to be hard to get in Central Europe where I was living at the time. The Kafka Prosess/Disorder Split was an easy find though as I was visiting London in late '87 if I remember correctly and found a copy of the Split at the Tower Records right next to Piccadilly Circus setting me back a whole 3.99 in UK Sterling, no more than the bands had asked for (see sticker on my copy pictured above). But who gives a damn about a sticker hence let's move to the music on this record. The six songs on the Kafka Prosess side of the record are without doubt some of my favorite tracks when it comes to '80s Hardcore from Europe. The Norwegian bands had a very unique and different approach to the sound compared to their comrades from Sweden or Finland. A heavy Discharge influence can be heard in many bands from Sweden or Finland but not so much with the Norwegians. Kafka Prosess came out of the ashes of Svart Framtid and Bannlyst and played a relatively melodic style of Hardcore Punk, equally influenced by bands such as HDQ, Instigators and/or "Lo Spirito.." era Negazione. All songs are well structured with great hooks, changes in tempo and brilliant backing vocals. Out of the six songs I couldn't really tell you which one I like the most as they are all European Hardcore Punk master pieces in their own way. As for Disorder I can attest that I have never been a big fan of this Bristol outfit but they are quite an important part of '80s UK Punk history and shouldn't be frowned upon. As a matter of fact they struck up a friendship with Kafka Prosess and ended up moving to Oslo in the Mid-80s for some time and this Split surely was a collaboration as a result of that. I must say though, and much to my surprise, that at least to a degree I enjoyed listening to their chaotic and hectic songs today as I remember being rather turned off by their contribution to this Split, at least musically. Their songs don't even come close to the quality of Kafka's but in their own way they are a good laugh and delivered in typical Disorder style, if you know what I mean. Kafka Prosess disbanded in 1987 and singer Gunnar went on to form So Much Hate, a band I saw live and will write about at another time here, so stay tuned. 

Label: Skuld Releases; Year: 2000; Format: Vinyl LP

Thanks to people like Kleister who ran Skuld Releases until his death in 2015 (RIP) bands like Kafka Prosess get to be heard by people who missed them back in the day. I picked up a copy of "Ingen Fattige, Ingen Rike" when it came out as it collects all Studio Tracks Kafka have ever recorded aside from the tracks for the Split w/ Disorder (see above). It shouldn't come as a surprise that those tracks are equally strong as the band was just a force to be reckoned with. Kafka Prosess were a truly integral part of a blossoming European Hardcore Punk scene during their existence from 1984 through 1987 and have contributed to Tape Compilations, toured twice in Germany and at least once in the UK while also running the important X-Port Plater label. The song quality on some of the songs on this record is sadly not up to the standard of the Split LP songs, but it sure as hell doesn't take anything away from the quality of the songs. Apparently there are also tracks to be found on here that were originally planned to come out as an EP, something that never came to fruition due to the bands break-up. As mentioned above Gunnar went on to form So Much Hate and many other bands thereafter his relocation to Karlsruhe, Germany while one of the guitar players, Nils, joined Raga Rockers, a relatively big name in Norway. Get this one even if you already have the Split-LP. 

Fuck-Ups - FU82 EP

Label: PukeN'Vomit; Year: 2023; Format: 33RPM 7" EP

About time this piece of wax has been reissued as it's only been forty years since this came out originally in 1982. According to everything I have read about the band's reputation S.F. Punks at the time were really split as to whether they liked or sincerely disliked the Fuck-Ups. In the Boulware/Tudor book "Gimme Something Better" about punk and hardcore in the Bay Area I remembered that a nice little chapter is dedicated to Bob Noxious and the Fuck-Ups which I happily revisited for this review. Back in the early '80s San Francisco and many other major cities in North America and beyond attracted young people for multiple reasons. The streets were filled with excitement, life was much cheaper than these days and one could squeeze out a living by scamming the government and pan handling during the day. The punk scenes absorbed some of those colorful characters and I mean that in a positive way. Dave Dictor of MDC claims in the above mentioned book that "The Biafra-Tim Yohannan world really didn't know what it was like to live that way." The song "White Boy" didn't sit well with the more educated and politically correct part of the S.F. punk scene and Dictor further explains; "Sometimes they have a racial attitude but it's not deep. It was like, you get jumped by people coming back from the soup kitchen or some girl gets threatened in an alley, and something get ingrained in you, this tough thing. The Food stamp workers weren't much more sympathetic - 'You're a white kid from the suburbs. Why don't you go home to your momma and finish your college and get a real job?' Dictor concludes "We had to deal with prejudice on that level". But no worries this entry is not going to end up being just about the circumstances of life on the streets in the Mission District of S.F at the time but also about the record itself. If you like your punk mean, nihilistic, pissed-off and obnoxious then this EP will definitely be up your alley. I personally love the record as amongst the six songs you'll find both, the fast and abrasive tracks as well as the slower and in a sense artier yet still very fucked up songs. It's hardcore punk the way it was meant to be and that is never a bad thing. The Fuck-Ups had three back up singers which went by the name of the Fuckettes. Two of them were originally from France and Leslie explains the main reason for becoming involved with the Fuck-Ups: "We grew up in a nice little house outside of Paris and went to a terrible nun school for 12 years. My parents uprooted us and moved us to the States when I was almost 18. We became the Fuckettes because the Fuck-Ups were playing the Sound of Music in the Tenderloin. You had to be 21 to get in the show, unless you were in the band. So we did backup vocals on one song." You may argue that some of the stuff the Fuck-Ups came up with went too far and isn't funny but so be it, punk was meant to piss people off and not to be taken so seriously. Grab a copy before you'll have to wait another forty freakin' years. 

Photo Source: 'Gimme Something Better' by Jack Boulware and Silke Tudor

Keith Morris with Jim Ruland - My Damage (The Story Of A Punk Rock Survivor)

Publisher: Da Capo Press; Year: 2016; Format: Hardcover Book

It's not surprising that I remember more about the circumstances as to when and how I bought this book instead of the contents. Back in 2017 when I was still living in Brooklyn I recall taking the R Train on a sunny Sunday afternoon from Bay Ridge where my wife and I lived at that time to lower Manhattan where the big Strand Book Store is located to this day. I spotted Keith Morris' book was priced at $11.95 instead of the $25.00 list price and I sure as hell didn't think twice picking up a copy. Later said afternoon I sat outside in Union Square Park and read several of the short chapters of this great book and a few days later I was done with it. Some time ago I reviewed Jim Ruland's "Corporate Rock Sucks" book, another really fascinating book, but before Jim got to write that he spent quite some time with one of the founding members of the Southern California punk and hardcore sound, Keith Morris. According to a Decibel interview Jim and Keith would drive around in a car and visit places pertinent to the rich punk and hardcore history of Los Angeles and its surrounding areas in order to coax memories out of Keith. The book takes the readers on a wild ride from Keith's childhood days in his hometown of Hermosa Beach in the South Bay to him fronting Black Flag and Circle Jerks all the way to the days of OFF!. One thing's for sure and that is that Keith does not hold back one single bit about his own life and how happy he is to be still alive after having gone sober in 1988. We further learn how Keith's dad was a thug having been kicked out of Inglewood High for kidnapping the principal and how Keith got exposed to music at an early age when seeing Arthur Lee and Love perform at a matinee show in the South Bay. What most of us probably didn't know is that at one point in his life Keith worked as an A&R for Richard Branson's V2 label, an experience Keith has some salty words to tell you about. It truly is everything you would expect from a man that has lived an interesting and fast life. The book was apparently the result of Keith and Brendan Mullen (RIP) having become good friends over the years and Brendan pushing Keith to write about his life. A good thing he did as this is without a doubt one of the better autobiographies and comes highly recommended. 

Keith and a few beers. Photo by Spot (RIP). 

A more recent photo of Keith ;-)

The Freeze - Rabid Reaction LP

Label: Taang Records; Year; 2021; Format: Vinyl LP

I am certain everyone can relate to the dilemma I have tonight. After having come home from work I decided to spin the originally in 1985 released second Freeze album "Rabid Reaction" after not having heard it in ages. As much as I love the Freeze this record does not convince me to the fullest though, and that's a bummer. But, one thing after another. Back in the early '90s I bought the first two Freeze albums on Modern Method and absolutely loved "Land of the Lost". I certainly never held "Rabid Reaction" in the same regard, but it would be hard for anybody to follow up with an equal to "Land of the Lost". At some point I stupidly parted with both albums as I needed the money and got the CD collecting both albums. At some point I thought I would really want to get both back on vinyl, reissue or not. So, not too long ago I got my fingers on a Taang copy of Rabid Reaction and I am a little torn. Don't get me wrong, it's a good record and most likely a record that whenever I will listen to again I will like more as it is more layered and is one of those record that grows on you the more you listen to it. In that sense it doesn't offer the same instant gratification of the first LP but it certainly is still a Freeze album and that stands for high quality. The ten songs are a departure from the faster first album and hint as to what was to come in years to come in the long career of this Cape Cod band. The songs are rockier, more melodic and in some ways more experimental. A perfect example for that would be the version of "Trouble if you hide" found on this LP compared to the one the band recorded for the classic 1982 Comp. LP "This is Boston, Not L.A.". What you get here is not as fast and furious but a more rounded and structured song performed at a lower speed level with more hooks and melody. The lyrics are as always critical of American society and the ten songs are over with in twenty-five minutes. Not as great as the first one, but still a must! 

Gauze - 面を洗って出直して来  12" 

Label: XXX Records; Year: 1997; Format: 45RPM 12" Mini-LP

During the Mid-90s I lived for a longer period of time in Toronto, Canada and at the time Japanese Hardcore, and in particular Gauze were quite the hype in the underground hardcore punk community. It must have been in 1996 when the band actually came over to North America and played San Francisco, Minneapolis and maybe Chicago, I am really not sure anymore. What I am 100% sure about is that I was not able to go to any of those shows and was as to be expected quite disappointed, especially after hearing what friends of mine that attended the shows reported back. Fast forward to 1997 and I was about to leave Toronto to move back to Switzerland, where I was living permanently at that time. Before doing so though there was a little bit of an extravaganza to be experienced as through a room mate that worked in the airline industry I was able to obtain a really cheap flight ticket to Osaka, Japan from Vancouver, Canada. So, in July of '97 I boarded a flight from Toronto to Vancouver and for several weeks travelled the US West Coast up and down. After having returned to Vancouver I continued my trip to Osaka and from then took a bus to Tokyo. By the time I arrived in the Japanese megalopolis it was August and it was just brutally hot and humid. Originally I intended to travel the country for a week but due to the literally inhumane hot weather I remained in Tokyo for two weeks and took in anything and everything I could, especially when it comes to seeing bands. I remember very well that I was to leave when my friend Shinji told me that Gauze were to play at the Antiknock Club in Shinjuku. Without hesitating for a second I extended my stay to witness that and never looked back. If someone asks me what's the best Hardcore show I have ever seen then 9 out of 10 times my answer is Gauze at Antiknock. It truly is hard to put the experience into words as it is in many ways indescribable but I will never forget the intensity and sheer furiosity of said gig from the second the band entered the small stage. It was simply wild and really a once in a lifetime experience I shall never forget and cherish for the rest of my life. After the gig and thanks to Shinji's interpreting I was able to chat with Hiko and Momorin of Gauze and must have told them that I was a bit disappointed that they did not have any vinyl copies of their just released fourth album for sale. Hiko told me not to worry and that he would send me a copy to Switzerland after I have scribbled my address on some flyer lying around. One day back in Switzerland after having left Tokyo and spending a little bit of time in Toronto I received a little package from Japan with a copy of the vinyl and a nice note from Hiko (see photo). I remember being floored and over the moon as I was expecting they would send me a CD which would have been just as nice. Throughout the many years of record buying and trading I parted with some records I should never have, but this one is priceless and will never leave my house as it is truly attached to very special memories.

Wait, I nearly forgot I have a job to do here and need to review said Gauze record as well instead of reliving the glorious past. Well, it was just last night when I visited my favorite local underground record shop here in Buffalo to pick up some records and was talking to the ever so nice proprietor about music. With him being a big Gauze fan as well he mentioned that this is his favorite Gauze record. To this day I still don't know the English title for the 1997 released 12" but it really doesn't matter. Every time Gauze are an experience and sitting down today listening to this record I was yet again simply in awe. Only Gauze can create such utter chaos yet at the same time remain in full control of the speed levels to steer their short and brutal sonic attacks from one track to the next. The ten tracks on this Mini-LP feel at times like one track, such intense they are, and each in their own way. After about twenty minutes you will probably feel somewhat relieved it's over as you are gasping for air in the knowledge that you just experienced an extraordinary listening session by a band that will be dearly missed by many. Gauze broke up in Fall of 2022 but their records and memories shall live on. This is my 150th entry for the blog, cheers for reading! 

Vorkriegsjugend - Live im Quartier Latin, Berlin, 30.04.1984 LP

Label: Stonz Musikversorgung; Year: 2022; Format: 45RPM Vinyl LP

I must say I was looking forward getting this record delivered straight outta Berlin from Iffi as for now it's the only VKJ record I own. Long gone are the golden days of punk rock record hunting where I used to have their LP and the New Face version of their Double-EP, but maybe somebody will finally reissue their old catalogue or I will get lucky again and find those records somewhere out there in the wild. Even more shocking though is the fact that this record which only came out about three months ago is already sought after. And here I was thinking I'll write up a little review so the few losers reading this blog can maybe get off of their asses and get a copy. Well, if you can, snap it up as it's a good one. Some people may very well be turned off by Vorkriegsjugend since about ten years ago their singer Klaus Hicker was arrested in Thailand for alleged sexual abuse on underage children, definitely not something anyone wants to be associated with. Nevertheless even such a sad and serious stain in the band's history cannot take anything away from what the band had achieved in the relatively short timespan between 1982 and 1985. Interestingly enough the band that absolutely stood for Squat Hardcore Punk Made in Berlin consisted of members whom all moved to Berlin from the South of Germany, mainly Bavaria. Their Double-7" on Pogar Records from '83 and their '84 LP on Zorro are to this day regarded as milestones in German Hardcore Punk, and rightfully so. It is rarely the case that I even buy live records or actually enjoy them as quite frankly too often live records just don't deliver. Quartier Latin was a well-loved club on Potsdamer Strasse 96 and was known to host a lot of Folk, Blues and Jazz gigs, but in April of 1984 Vorkriegsjugend opened up for the UK82 stalwarts One Way System and English Dogs at said club and a soundboard copy of VKJ's set was circulated amongst friends of the band and I would assume in tape-trading circles. It wasn't until 2022 when it was pressed onto vinyl for the first time and I repeat myself I am glad I snapped up a copy as it's well worth to have capturing the band at the height of their short-lived career with their second line-up including a second guitarist. Songs like "Wir sind die Ratten", "Heute Spass, Morgen Tod" or one of my personal favorites "Die Pest" are just timeless German Hardcore Punk classics. The sound quality on this record is better than I had anticipated and the LP comes with a nice fold out poster. Sehr gut! 

Update May 4, 2023: A 2nd pressing of this record has just been released. Get your greedy hands on a copy! 

Public Disgrace - Toxteth EP

Label: Probe Plus; Year: 1982; Format: 7" Vinyl EP

In July of 1981 a big riot erupted in the inner-city area of Toxteth in Liverpool as a result of ongoing tensions between the local police and the black community. Considering the size of the city of Liverpool and its musical history one would think that quite a few punk rock acts have sprung up on Merseyside, but to be fair that never was the case. It would be fair to assume that Public Disgrace, one of the few punk bands from Liverpool, were a direct response to said riots and in 1982 the band released their one and only record in the form of a three-song EP put out by Probe Plus. Geoff Davies who started Probe Plus in an office above the record store Probe was an enthusiastic music fan giving unsigned bands a chance to be heard and quite frankly while this EP is by no means a milestone within the UK82 genre, it is nevertheless still a decent record with somewhat of a charm. The three songs are very rudimentary attempts at sounding like the Exploited, but every band has to start somewhere. Not sure what direction these lads took after the release of this EP but needless to say the band didn't last long. Reviewing this EP for the newly started MRR Tim Yohannan wrote in 1982 that "In 64', Liverpool ruled, not anymore. Boring". Point taken but a bit more background wouldn't have hurt, Sir. Unlike the band Probe Plus took off over the years and achieved quite a few indie hits with a number of bands, including Half Man Half Biscuits. Personally, I cherish releases like this one so for the UK82 die-hards out there give this one a chance. 

Olho Seco - Os Primeiros Dias Mini-LP

Label: New Face Records; Year: 1995; Format: Vinyl Mini-LP

Olho Seco formed in 1980 in the Brazilian metropolis of Sao Paulo. To many, including myself, they became known through the MRR Compilation "Welcome To 1984" for which they contributed "Nada", a perfect crude and brutal '80s hardcore punk track. They slowly gained an international fanbase through their EP released on German label Pogar in 1984 and from then on things started to take shape with more releases and an increasingly worldwide following. Before that though, the band recorded their first demo tape in 1981 and New Face originally pressed that onto vinyl in 1988 with a slightly different track list from the 1995 version I have. The seven tracks on this Mini-LP are with the exception of the last two tracks actually quite well produced for a demo and present the band in their heyday. I would say that the tracks sound somewhat more punk rock oriented compared to their later material but the brutal execution of the songs is definitely already part of the band's DNA. Speaking of "Nada", you can actually find a different version of said classic on this record and quite frankly I prefer this version over the later one. If you are a fan of international '80s Hardcore Punk then this is definitely worthwhile tracking down and from what I saw still to be had for not much money. 

Early photo of Olho Seco with the source unknown as it is from a Facebook page.

Frites Modern - Veel, Vet, Goor En Duur LP

Label: Boy Bensdorp Platen; Year: 1984; Format: Vinyl LP

Sometimes you can't help but to miss the good ole' days of record hunting. I got my copy of this Dutch classic back in 1991 for $1.99 at the Record Peddler in Toronto on Yonge Street during my first longer spell of living in T.O. during the '90s. Unfortunately those sort of finds just don't happen anymore these days, mainly thanks to the intranet. But, let me just move on with the record as it is one of the best when it comes to European and Dutch hardcore punk. Frites Modern formed in Amsterdam in 1981 when singer/guitar player Arjan Boonacker left legendary punk act Trockener Kecks. Frites Modern contributed to the "Als Je Haar Maar Goed Zit" Compilation LP in 1982 before self-releasing the 6-Met Cassette in 1983, which has somewhat recently been reissued as a 10" and I definitely need to get. In 1984 the band released their one and only full-length and on so many levels it is just a true classic. First and foremost what strikes me as extraordinary and definitely not something that happened very often is the fact that Frites Modern were a trio yet their sound is so powerful you would think they consisted of five members. All, and I mean really all songs are well crafted, tuneful and for the most part mid-tempo punk rock smashers. There are two to three fast US hardcore influenced songs but the band never loses themselves in playing fast without melody. The other thing that strikes me is how well produced this record is just adding to the power of the songs. Maximum RockNRoll was pushing Frites Modern hard and it is no wonder they were included on the famous "Welcome to 1984" Compilation LP where I must have discovered them myself. Luckily the LP has been reissued a few years back so should you not be a lucky owner of an original copy you have absolutely no excuse not to grab a copy before they're all gone. Whether your thing is '80s hardcore or you are stuck in 1977 this record definitely ticks all the right boxes for everyone to love it. A true gem! 

Flyer stolen from the excellent Frites Modern website at www.fritesmodern.nl