Sozz - Patrol Car and Law N' Order Singles

Label: Farmer Records; Year: 1979; Format: 7" Single

It's about time to pump some life into this blog, and since the sun has come out here in Buffalo for the first time in some time today my mood is a little better after having suffered through too many grey days when it becomes just too hard to do anything besides going to work. Back in the late '70s punk rock reached the most peculiar places on earth by infecting the local youth with a virus that would have long lasting effects on music and society in general. Switzerland, a beautiful and peaceful country in the middle of Europe, and the country where I lived most of my life, gave the world some wonderful early punk rock 7"s that are sought after around the world. Many of the early Swiss punk acts came from Zurich, but there were some notable exceptions, and Sozz is most certainly one of them. Out of the ashes of No Fun, founded in 1978, came a quartet which consisted of three brothers (Andreas, Ernest and Stefan Maeschi) and hailed from the small village of Bueren an der Aare in the Kanton of Bern. In April of 1979 the band entered the Sunrise Studios in Kirchberg where many early Swiss punk records were recorded resulting in the 'Patrol Car' single with 'Lurch Gang' being the other track. I don't think the first single is as good as the second one, but Patrol Car is a cracking song and provides a hint as to what direction the band was going to take. Influenced heavily by the Clash it is a melodic yet hard stomping song with lyrics depicting problems of urban nature and far removed from the idyllic views of village life, yet unsurprisingly appealing to a bunch of punk rockers literally lost in Heidi-Land. Lurch Gang on the other hand is the weakest song to be found on either of the two singles, but despite sounding disjointed it maintains high levels of that certain charme of late '70s rudimentary punk rock. 

Sozz band photo (Source: Patrol Car 7" fold out cover)

Label: Farmer Records; Year: 1980; Format: 7" Single

Just like with the first single Sozz self-released their second singe on their own Farmer Records after entering the studio in January of 1980. While 'Patrol Car' pre-shadowed the potential the band had, the two tracks on this single are both smashers. 'Law N' Order' is by far my favorite Sozz track and a perfect '77 punk cracker, again not shy of a heavy Clash influence. If melodic and anthemic punk rock is your thing, you will want to hear this song as well as 'All the cops in the streets' on the flipside. I really wish I could write more about Sozz as they are often somewhat forgotten when it comes to early Swiss punk history. Over the years I've gotten to know one of the three brothers, bass player Buzz, to a lesser degree. In the early '90s he opened up a small record shop in Zurich selling mostly punk vinyl and also vintage clothes and I was lucky to find some really great records there but was never able to strike up much of a conversation with the proprietor. It is a shame as I am pretty certain that Sozz were approached to participate in the making of Lurker Grand's great book on early Swiss punk - Hot Love, but turned down not just that, but also subsequent interest in reissuing these two rare examples of great early Swiss punk. You can find their songs on Youtube and if I am not mistaken some of the songs have made it onto some KBD comps, but don't quote me on that. I was lucky in the sense that a friend of mine gifted me these two records years ago, but the hope remains that one day a reissue of sorts will become reality. I should note that out of the ashes of Sozz came Last Romance and especially Hungry For What, a band that gained more international recognitinon and will be reviewed on this blog in the future. Members of Sozz also ended up in Sophisticated Boom Boom and nurtured and released records by the all-female band Chin Chin.

Old gig poster and other Sozz related material. Source: Hot Love (Swiss Punk & Wave 1976-80); Book by Lurker Grand and many others

Ton Steine Scherben 1st LP and Das Schillernde Leben des Nikel Pallat von Ton Steine Scherben Book

Ton Steine Scherben - Warum geht es mir so dreckig? LP

Label: David Volksmund Produktion: Year: 199?; Format: Vinyl LP

A few weeks back I listened to the latest episode of "Und Dann Kam Punk" podcast from Berlin, a podcast dedicated to finding out what brought people to punk rock, young and old. In the case of Nikel Pallat, the interviewee is not directly someone connected to punk rock but nevertheless played an important role in the development of said genre, especially through the distribution of the music (more about that in the book review below). The podcast episode not only prompted me to actually order a copy of Nikel's biography, but to pull out also my copy of the band's first LP, originally released in 1971. Ton Steine Scherben formed 1970 in West-Berlin around their charismatic singer Rio Reiser and famously played along Jimi Hendrix at the Love & Peace Festival on the isle of Fehmarn, situated between Germany and Denmark. After the band has established itself as a powerful and popular live band on Berlin's live circuit by 1971 it was time to record the first LP. It is unbelievable how well this record has aged, lyrically as well as musically. Ton Steine Scherben are considered to be one of the earliest German-language rock bands, if not the earliest. And with Rock I don't mean some watered down soft-rock band, but an ass-kicking, angry and socially aware band cranking out tunes that meant a lot back then, and still do to this day. The band quickly gained a fanbase within West-Berlin's anarcho and squatter circles, no doubt due to their direct anti-capitalist approach as a band. Ton Steine Scherben released their records on their own David Volksmund Produktion label and thanks to Nikel Pallat managed to gain distribution channels throughout West Germany after the band was initially only known mostly in West-Berlin. I would go as far as comparing Ton Steine Scherben to MC5 or London's Third World War in the sense that they were proto-punk before the term was ever coined. They foreshadowed what was to come later in the decade and musically one can hear Ton Steine Scherben in early German punk bands such as The Pack or Big Balls & The Great White Idiot. Lyrically Ton Steine Scherben influenced countless Deutschpunk bands in the '80s and were also covered quite a few times, most famously by Slime from Hamburg. Even though the band sings in German and many of you out there will not understand the lyrics I highly encourage everyone to seek out this and the band's second LP. They are timeless classics and have shaped radical music in Germany in many ways. RIP Rio Reiser (1950-1996)

Nikel Pallat mit Christof Doerr - Das Schillernde Leben Des Nikel Pallat von Ton Steine Scherben

Publisher: Hannibal Verlag; Year: 2023; Format: Softcover book (German language)

I thought it came handy to combine the review of Ton Steine Scherben's first LP with this book, even though it is in German, hence it's not that easily accessible which is a shame as it's a truly great read. As mentioned above I learned about the life of Nikel Pallat and this book through a podcast and how glad I am I did as the book is not just highly entertaining and informative, but above all inspirational. Pallat first heard Ton Steine Scherben when attending the Fehmarn Festival in September of 1970. Interestingly enough for a young man infected with the Rock'N'Roll virus he had a serious background when it comes to his professional life as a Tax Office employee by trade. According to Nikel back in the '60s places like the Tax Office were a haven for Nazis who often ended up in higher positions, being rewarded for war crimes as if World War II never happened. After having experienced Ton Steine Scherben live and having moved to West-Berlin Nikel was determined to not only meet the band, but to get involved. Initially he had sly hopes to become a member as he had written some songs, but that wasn't to be until a later point. Since the guys in Ton Steine Scherben liked Nikel and learned about his background in finances, they figured why not put the man in charge of distributing the band's "Macht Kaputt" single. And this is exactly the point where Nikel's life changed once and for all as fairly quickly it became clear that Ton Steine Scherben had found themselves not just someone who's good with numbers but also capable of managing the band and gradually turning them into a household name for polito-rockers across West-Germany. Nikel is probably most famous for his TV outburst in 1971 wherein during a discussion about Independent Music he sets out to destroy the table with an axe in order to send a radical message (Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN1GEiO1vmI ). Said event marked just the beginning of Nikel's colorful and fascinating career in the independent music scene. After establishing himself as the manager and distributor of Ton Steine Scherben Nikel started Efa (Energie Fuer Alle) in 1983, Germany's first independent record distributor. As mentioned above Nikel did play a significant role in the evolution of punk rock in Germany by bringing labels such as Crass Records or Alternative Tentacle under the umbrella of Efa. Everything comes to an end they say, and so did Efa, but not Nikel's hunger to continue where he left off. Indigo Musikproduktion und Vertriebs GmBH, which exists to this day, is Nikel's home away from home, a record distribution and music production company having succeeded to exist in the age of Spotify, a company Nikel despises by the way. The book is divided into short chapters in which some reflect about Nikel through the voice of a third person. It becomes clear that Nikel is not just a well liked person but someone many look up to as to how to lead a fulfilling life. At 77 years of age Nikel still works full time for/at Indigo and I imagine that will never change. I hope this book gets translated into English at least in order to give Nikel's story more exposure. 

Photos borrowed from the book. The one with the various people in it depicts a scene from the apartment Nikel lived at in West-Berlin with Ton Steine Scherben. 

The Brat - Attitudes LP

Label: Radiation Records; Year: 2023; Format: Vinyl LP

Firstly my apologies to the few regular readers I have for not having posted any new content in a while but that's how it is going to be until December due to a work related exam I am studying for. The good news though is that thanks to the two incompetent and useless political parties running and ruining our lives here in the U$ of A and the avoidance of a government shutdown this blog here gets funded for at least another forty five days. I hope everyone is enjoying the last few warm days before we shall bundle up again as I sure as hell am, and today was a perfect day to put on a recently purchased reissue I have been patiently waiting for some time. East LA's the Brat formed in 1978 when lead guitarist Rudy Medina and his guitarist-nephew Sid Medina met Teresa Covarrubias from Boyle Heights. In the highly recommended and excellent book "We Were Going To Change The World" by Stacy Russo (this will get an extensive review/interview in the near future) Teresa is featured as one of the women having been part of the '70s and '80s Southern California Punk Scene where she goes to explain that despite the widespread belief that Punk Rock was all inclusive she did not think it mirrored the experience the Brat had having felt rather marginalized and isolated from the Hollywood Punk scene on the West Side of LA. Teresa further explores: "I think the first show that we did that was a real concert was probably at Madam Wong's in '78, '79. Actually, it was kind of important. I think John Doe and Exene were there that night, and they really dug the band. I always say that I think they had a lot do to with helping us break that barrier, because I always felt there was a barrier. After Exene and John came and they met us afterwards, they really helped us try to break into the whole scene on the Westside. We opened for X many times, because they requested that we did." But not only did X help the Brat to achieve more exposure, the East Side of LA also got its own venue in the shape of the Vex as a result of Chicano muralist Willie Herron teaming up with Self-Help Graphics founder Sister Karen Boccalero concluding that the space they were using could as well be used to put on shows. The Vex became crucial to the development of the Brat and it must have been at said venue where Tito Larriva of the Plugz discovered the band and liked them so much that he offered to produce and release their 10" on his newly created Fatima Recordz back in 1980. A year later the five song EP titled "Attitude" was reissued as a 12" and thereafter it disappeared into obscurity as many great records have. Fortunately Radiation Records has decided to put out the original five songs that appeared on the first record plus eight more track recorded between 1981 and 1985 on this neatly packaged LP fittingly called "Attitudes". If you have never heard of the Brat you are in for a nice surprise if you like well crafted punk songs with a good dose of pop sentimentality. On top of that I would go as far as saying that the Brat created a unique sound by blending punk rock's energy with influences ranging from pop, new wave, and country music backed with intelligent lyrics tackling political and societal issues. After the release of "Attitude" the band was planning on releasing a further record on a Major Label, but it is to be assumed that the suited men and ladies were not fond of the band's critical lyrics hence by 1985 the band disbanded. If you want to get a taste for the Brat I suggest you listen to my personal favorite track "The Wolf", recorded in 1982 at Santa Barbara Sound, as it can only be described as an incredibly powerful and brilliant song dealing with the hypocrisy we call democracy in this country. It is without a doubt that the Brat were more than talented enough to write excellent punk songs with a pop edge, or pop songs with a punk edge, but as was the case for many of their peers it wasn't meant to happen for them. It is never too late and I can only hope that this excellent reissue reaches new fans of the band as they truly deserve more recognition. Grab a copy while they last! 

Photos borrowed from https://thebrat.net

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

Little Walter - Hate To See You Go LP

Label: Chess Records; Year: 1990; Format: Vinyl LP

Not too long ago I watched the movie Cadillac Records which chronicles the rise of Leonard Chess, a Polish Jewish immigrant in Chicago and famous for having created Chess Records. While I thought that the movie was alright for what it is I did enjoy the actors playing the roles of Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf or Little Walter. This morning I definitely didn't feel like putting on a punk or hardcore record as my head was a bit foggy and god knows what my body has been trying to shake off for some time now, but don't you worry the virus won't jump over the intranet. Good news is though that I was in the mood to listen to some music and I remembered that I have this Little Walter LP on my shelves, an ideal record to relax to without increasing the fogg levels so to speak. Marion Walters Jacobs (Little Walter) was born in Louisiana in 1930 and learned to play the harmonica by the time he was twelve years old. Like many other blues musicians he worked his way up to Chicago through the South by reaching the shores of Lake Michigan in 1947. Walter is for many reasons being regarded as one of the two best and most influential blues harmonica players, the other one being Sonny Boy Williamson. Like so many other of his peers in Chicago Walter played on Maxwell Street before meeting up and joining Muddy Waters' band. It is needless to say that together they created the standard that all Chicago blues bands would be judged by, and rightfully so. I can only imagine how exciting it must have been to hear the newly-electrified harmonica riffs for the first time, but for that you had to be there. The tracks on this originally in 1969 released LP were all recorded between 1952, Walter's first year as a solo artist for Chess, and 1960. Since the songs were recorded over a period spanning several years one would think that they might sound very different only to be reminded that back in the '50s time and trends didn't move as fast as they do today and artists were more likely to stick to what they knew and loved instead of trying to reinvent themselves over and over. One of the best songs on the album is the song "Roller Coaster", a wonderful instrumental, on which a certain Bo Diddley is cited as "probably" having played the guitar. The earliest track ,"Blue Midnight", features Muddy Waters, and is another outstanding track. On most of the tracks Little Walter is accompanied by Willie Dixon on bass and Fred Below on drums and the guitar often played by Robert Lockwood Jr.. You really can't go wrong with this record if you like Chicago blues and/or would like to learn more about it. Little Walter packed in a lot in his short life and died at the age of thirty-eight in 1968. He left behind a lot of great music and for that we should be eternally grateful. 

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!

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.

Human Expression - Love At A Psychedelic Velocity

Label: Mississippi Records & Moi J'Connais Records; Year: 2017; Format: Vinyl LP

The beauty of discovering old music is that there really is no end to it, especially if you open yourself to different genres. As you might have noticed I am open to different genres so depending on my mood I am in I like to specifically buy something suitable. A couple of weeks ago I stopped at the record shop of my choice here in Buffalo and told the proprietor that I was in the mood to buy something that's definitely not punk/hardcore. The nice gentleman pressed the Human Expression LP into my hands and told me that he thinks I'd like it and if not to bring it back. I not just like it, I love it. Human Expression were from Orange County in Southern California and were active for just a brief time period between 1966 and 1967. To be honest I didn't even have to look up their history and knew that they had to be from California as their songs have that very distinct feel to them. Being minors at the time I read that they had a hard time getting gigs, especially on the Sunset Strip. After cutting an acetate with 'Readin' Your Will' the band went on to release three singles on Hollywood-based Accent Records, all of them very sought after and obviously very expensive. Interestingly on their third and last single then unknown Mars Bonfire of the Sparrows and later Steppenwolf offered two songs to Human Expression; the one they took being the excellent 'Sweet child of nothingness' and a certain song they rejected called "Born to be wild". You make your own conclusion as for that one, but I suppose it wasn't meant to be for Human Expression. Still, it's obvious that whether it was back then or over the decades their music has remained popular, and with good reason. Some of their songs have appeared on Comps. such as Pebbles or the famous Nuggets series amongst others and this LP collects to my understanding everything the band has recorded including some songs that have previously not been released, and let me tell you that you're in for a very special treat. All fourteen songs are just mind-blowing in their own way, whether it be the tough garage rock tracks, the slower and moodier psychedelic rock songs, or just simply beautiful singer/songwriter ballads. All I can say is that it is a perfect psychedelic garage rock record you don't want to miss out on, end of. 

 

Little Richard - Here's Little Richard LP

Label: Specialty Records; Year: 1957; Format: Vinyl Stereo LP

Let's face it, if it wasn't for Little Richard, born on Christmas Day in 1935 in Macon, Georgia, I most likely wouldn't be writing about all these exciting records that were released way later then this one here,  dating all the way back to 1957. It all has to start somewhere and when it comes to Rock'N'Roll then Little Richard is often referred to as the "Architect of Rock'N'Roll", and I for one certainly don't think that to be an exaggeration. I got this LP not all that long ago and it's definitely seen better days, but it's tough to come across Little Richard LPs out there in the wild hence I was happy to shell out three bucks for a somewhat beaten up copy which still plays perfectly fine though. And let's be honest here; I am far more excited to buy old records than reissues as the smell and feeling of the old ones just can't be beaten. But back to Little Richard now, who I am sure most of the losers reading this blog will be familiar with, and if not, then I seriously have to ask myself under which stone you were hiding for the last god knows how many decades. I think what fascinates me most about Little Richard is the fact that he was one of the earliest black artists bringing people of all races together, and let's face it back in the roaring fifties that was a big deal as segregation here in the United States was unfortunately a daily thing. I hear the words 'game changer' way too often these days and honestly I really don't like them and never use them, but there are exceptions as to when they can be used and this is one of them. Little Richard transformed popular music and had a huge impact on so many artists and bands that the list would be endless. Lemmy of Motorhead for instance is just one of many who always made sure he mentioned Little Richard when asked about his main influences. The world of Rock'N'Roll, Soul, Funk, Rhythm & Blues and the list goes on was changed once and for all by Richard Penniman and we should all be thankful for that. Oh right, what about the record? Well, all of you will have heard "Tutti Frutti" or "Long Tall Sally" at some point in your life, but the rest of the LP is just as good, if not even better. My favorite is "Rip It Up". Little Richard lived a long life and passed away in the spring of 2020, RIP. Luckily his music lives on forever.  

Hans-A-Plast - S/T LP

Label: Re-Force Records; Year: 2005; Format: Vinyl LP

Timing is everything they say and was also the title to an album by Chris DeBurgh. But don't you worry I am not at the point in my life to review Chris DeBurgh records, at least not yet. Timing is right to review Hans-A-Plast's first LP originally released in 1979 on Lava Records. I have been meaning to pull this one from my shelves for quite some time now as the band has been mentioned so many times on my favorite German speaking podcast "Und Dann Kam Punk" that it basically begged to be reviewed. And so it happened that this week Annette Benjamin who fronted Hans-A-Plast was a guest for said podcast hence everything I wanted to ever know about the Hanover band was answered, or at least most of it (Link to podcast for German speakers at the bottom of this entry). What I found most fascinating about the interview with Annette is that she hasn't lost her wit and sense of humor one single bit. Now in her early sixties she talked about her formative years and how she ended up joining Hans-A-Plast as the last member of the original line-up. Born in Braunschweig and not far from Hanover in Northern Germany Annette had a somewhat unhappy childhood and at the sweet age of seventeen she decided to take matters into her own hands and via Amsterdam she ended up in London in 1977 where she spent several months. She was lucky enough to experience the punk rock explosion firsthand, and in early '78 she struck gold by seeing X-Ray Spex live on stage. According to Annette it was a life-changing moment in the sense that after having seen Poly Styrene on stage Annette knew what she wanted to do in her life, yep you guessed it right: she wanted to be a singer in a band. After having returned to Braunschweig fate was very much in her favor as she met Hans-A-Plast during a gig in a small venue in Hanover. Annette was singing in a different band during said gig and because Hans-A-Plast were initially a quartet with drummer Betty also taking up singing duties, the band approached Annette whether she would like to be their lead singer, and the rest is history. Things moved quickly from there onwards and in September of 1979 the band entered the studio to record their first full length. When I say that this record should be in the Top 50 of the best Punk records ever then I not only mean it, but I have reasons as to why I think so. First and foremost up to this day unfortunately too many people still think that Punk records either having been released in the UK or the United States are the non plus ultra and nothing beyond is of importance, very wrong. Secondly, punk rock took a while to develop and depending on the geographical location things might have been moving slower, but not necessarily in a less interesting way. Whereas in 1979 punk in London might have been forgotten to a degree, in Hanover that was certainly not the case. The thirteen songs on this record are all brilliant in their own way as they just scream youth and loud abrasive rock'n'roll. The three women and two men in Hans-A-Plast were simply put very gifted songwriters, capable of writing funny and edgy songs having taken clues from the '77 punk explosion as well as the more angular sounds of post-punk while backing it with socio-critical lyrics dealing with sexism or police brutality as well as issues as simple as having fuck all to do on a Friday night in 'Rock'N'Roll Freitag'. It really is not a surprise that the album sold in the thousands and was reissued as early as 1980 on Hanover's No Fun Records selling again in the thousands. The band toured extensively through Germany as well as Austria and Switzerland, and went on to release two more LPs until they split up in 1984. Spontaneously Lost Kids from Denmark came to my mind today as a comparison and I think that either band wouldn't disagree with said comparison. Do yourself a favor and get this LP, no matter which pressing. Grandiose Platte!

Link to Podcast interview with Annette (in German): https://www.audible.com/pd/Podcast/B08K56W8WJ

Headwound - Look good...? It is! EP

Label: Headache Records; Year: 1996; Format: 45RMP EP

It is early on a Sunday morning and this week I set out to do at least three entries so here goes my slap-up, albeit not sure whether it's as good as the one depicted for Headwound's fourth EP from the good ole' 90s. I have no idea as to how Headwound got their start but my guess would be that the idea came in a basement in New Jersey where the guys sat around some beers and thought it might be a good idea to start a band. The wonderful thing about that is that even more remote scenes - of which Northern New Jersey bands like Headwound hailing from a little town in Wanaque county were part of - had an outlet for their music, and in their case it was Headache Records, which was run by Armen of the Wretched Ones. The four songs on Headwound's fourth and last EP they released in said decade are typical of that time period and for that particular sound, hence comparisons to Blanks 77, Wretched Ones or early Dropkick Murphys come to mind. So, if American Oi Punk is your thing you will dig this as I sure as hell do, especially on a Sunday morning when I don't want to think too much and just sit back and relax. The '90s were a fun time in many ways and to my surprise Headwound seem to be still going strong according to their Facebook page. I am hungry now and looking at that sleeve in front of me I can't stop thinking of breakfast and coffee. Oi!  

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

The Three Johns - Live in Chicago LP

Label: Last Time Round Records; Year: 1986; Format: Vinyl LP

I have heard of The Three Johns many times before but never had any record in my collection until I found a copy of their 1986 released Live LP for next to nothing at the record shop around the corner from my home. The band seems to always have had a core of die-hard fans, some of them without a doubt also big Mekons fans. The Three Johns started out in Leeds in 1981 consisting of Jon Langford (the Mekons) on guitar, vocalist John Hyatt and Phillip "John" Brennan on bass guitar. There was also a drum machine the band named "Hugo". I may have said this before but I am really no fan of live records but there are exceptions to the rule and this one recorded in June of 1985 at Chicago's Metro is definitely an exception as it just rocks from beginning to end. This was the band's first US release and the quality of the live recording is excellent making this a highly enjoyable record which can still be found for a few dollars reminding you of the fact that good music is not always to be found on some rare and excessively expensive records. Songs like 'AWOL', 'Death of the European' or 'The World of the Worker' to name a few are timeless classics from a time when bands such as the Three Johns were labelled as Indie Rock, something that stands for lame music mostly performed by bearded hipsters these days. Back in the '80s though Indie Rock stood for quality and The Three Johns were a talented bunch drawing influences from Post-Punk, Goth-Rock, Cow-Punk and other genres prevalent in the late '70s and early '80s. They combined their eclectic mix of different genres with intelligent and humorous lyrics, often with a political message taking a stand against Margaret Thatcher and the likes. If you want to listen to songs that are equally dark and funny and sound like a mixture between Killing Joke, Sisters of Mercy and the Cramps then check out these lads from Leeds. I shall look out for more of their releases and will post about this band again. Good stuff!

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. 

Larry Williams - Unreleased LP

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

The beauty of walking into a record store and hearing instantly something played over the stereo that I like is a feeling that I have always cherished, and that will hopefully never die out. So, it was only a week ago when I took a long walk in my neighborhood and stopped at my local record store up the road from the house. Over the stereo was blasting Larry Williams, an artist I had not been familiar with but instantly fell in love with. This week I was also thinking that at some point in the not so distant future I will introduce you to the two record stores here in Buffalo, NY that I mainly use for record shopping these days. I don't buy many records, and as you will have noticed if you read this blog, only old stuff and reissues, but I thought especially for people traveling through Buffalo it might be good knowledge to have hence stay tuned. On to Mr. Williams (nee Lawrence Eugene Williams) then, born 1935 in New Orleans, Louisiana. After having been uprooted by his parents' move to Oakland, California Larry returned to New Orleans in 1954 where he began working for his cousin Lloyd Price as a valet. Larry was eventually introduced to Little Richard and with being a piano player for Lloyd, Williams eventually signed his own record deal with Art Rupe's Specialty Records. This record collects quite a few previously unreleased or alternate version of songs from the label's vast vault. According to the sleeve notes by Joey Mattia the LP was compiled and mastered by Little Walter of Boston, a prominent DJ and expert in the field of 50's and 60's rock'n'roll: "We have compiled this album with some of the most rocking tunes you'll hear. Some of the songs are alternate takes from the sessions where the original hit was recorded. These alternates are every bit as exciting as the ones that were originally released. At the time, Art Rupe, founder of Specialty Records, felt that maybe these sides were not as good as they could have been, but hearing them anew, we all felt they were dynamite!"

While researching for this entry this morning I came across the fascinating history of Specialty Records and the fact that Art Rupe just died recently at the age of 104. It could very well be argued that without artists and independent record label owners such as Rupe the DIY punk rock explosion would have never taken off the way it did as inspiration has to always come from somewhere. It could also be argued that sadly it is often the case that record labels try to cash in on artists that are no longer with us and by 1986 when this record had come out Larry was already dead for several years after having committed suicide in 1980. Williams' later life was plagued by drug abuse and violence, sadly nothing uncommon with a lot of artists from his generation. If you appreciate well crafted and wild' '50s rock'n'roll then you will not be disappointed with this record and should get your greedy hands on a copy of this. Rockin' Pneumonia it is!!!

Art Rupe obituary from The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/apr/18/art-rupe-obituar

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. 

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. 

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!

Micro Edge - '83 Demo LP 

Label: Ugly Pop Records; Year: 2019; Format: Vinyl LP (45 RPM)

1983 was a good year for hardcore punk, there is no doubt about that. Many classic records were released said year and are raved about to this day. Here in the United States established scenes in places like Washington DC, Southern California or the Midwest had independent labels being there at the right time to document the bands and the recorded material. Unfortunately not the same can be said about Toronto, Canada which is the biggest city in Canada and boasted a small but very active hardcore punk scene in the early '80s. I say unfortunately because it is a shame the T.O. scene didn't have somebody to fill the gap with a record label at that point but at least quite a few tapes and some records ended up being released, mainly thanks to Brian of Youth Youth Youth fame who was a big supporter of Micro Edge as well. Forward to the last few years and Toronto has seen a true resurgence in activity, especially when it comes to documenting the early '80s hardcore punk scene. Micro Edge from presumably the suburb of Scarborough as the band members met at a school there, are by no means a known entity even to minor freaks like myself hence I am grateful for Ugly Pop Records having released this record as it sure as hell kicks ass. For a demo tape put on vinyl it certainly sounds great and fresh and let me tell you that in my opinion had this record been released back in the day some people would be raving about it to this day as with many other so called hardcore classics. What you get is sixteen angry, pissed off hardcore punk tracks that will remind you of early Dischord bands or certain West Coast acts such as D.O.A or Circle Jerks. I love the loud and aggressive bass sound and the equally abrasive drumming. The guitar player certainly knew how to write songs and the singer fit the bill. Not much else really needs to be said and if '83 style hardcore punk without even a hint of metal is your thing than you will love this record as much as me. Ugly Pop did a wonderful job with this release which also comes with a copy of the band produced skater fanzine Bong Out. Killer Release!