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

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

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

Naked Raygun - Basement Screams LP

Label: Haunted Town Records; Year: 2007; Format: Vinyl LP

It's not only time that the Thanksgiving break is a thing of the past and this blog comes alive again but it's also time for me to start reviewing bands from my collection that I own several records of. Chicago's Naked Raygun is one of those bands and it'd be only fitting to start off where they started off. Basement Screams was originally released back in 1983 as a 45RPM 12" on Ruthless Records, a label started by members of another well known Chicago band, the Effigies. The 2007 reissue from my collection also includes the 1982-83 demos on Side B and while those songs are not as strong as the original 12" on Side A I for one think they were worth to be included and are still a great listen. Naked Raygun started off in 1980 and by the time Basement Screams was released the line-up has changed already quite a bit. While a lot of bands from the early '80s Hardcore Punk movement played their instruments at a neck-breaking speed Naked Raygun had a much artsier and different approach to their song-writing, especially on Basement Screams. Take the pop elements of a band like the Buzzcocks and mix it with the weirdness and heaviness of bands like the Wire and Killing Joke and you get a good idea how Basement Screams sounds. The tribal and loud drumming is omnipresent on all songs and drives the melodic songs forward while Jeff's vocals are somewhat reminiscent of Glenn Danzig. John Haggerty who would later join Naked Raygun on a permanent basis ads backing vocals and saxophone duties on two songs providing something some punk rock acts have successfully done before them. I am not entirely sure as to why Trouser Press would consider the Basement Screams songs to be a "hodgepodge of underproduced and under-conceived songs" as in my opinion the result is quite the contrary. As mentioned above the quality of the songs and recordings on the Demo Side are a notch lower than Side A but to give the band credit where credit is due the songs are just proof that the band was already reaching a high level and ready to take on any challenge headed their way. Be sure that Naked Raygun will feature again on this blog, and if you don't have Basement Screams do yourself a favor and get this highly influential Midwest masterpiece one way or another. 

Poison Idea - War All The Time LP

Label: Alchemy Records; Year: 1987; Format: Vinyl LP

To all the losers out there in the gaping world of the intranet I would like to send out a heartfelt apology for not introducing Poison Idea earlier to this little blog of mine. Your cries have been heard and "War All The Time" was after all my introduction to one of my all time faves back when this LP was released in 1987. Somehow - and I am not sure I am in the minority with my feelings here - it seems that this LP positioned between the two classics "Kings Of Punk" from '86 and "Feel The Darkness" from '90 is not getting the much deserved recognition and admiration in my honest opinion. Call it a great hardcore punk record, or one of the best crossover records ever made, both would be fitting descriptions as this LP hits the nail from the second the needle is dropped. With the introduction of Eric "The Vegetable" Olson of Portland Speed Metal band Mayhem on second guitar and Steve Hanford aka Thee Slayer Hippy on drums   naturally the band's sound moved in a more metallic direction but it has to be said that Poison Idea mastered the fusion of mean old school hardcore punk and Heavy Metal to perfection. Name me one band that would record a cover of the Hawkwind and Motorhead classic "Motorhead" and actually turn it into a version superior to the original. The rest of this rather short but on every level intense LP includes masterpieces when it comes to nihilistic song writing with the title of the LP being informed by Charles Bukowski's '80s collection of poems by the same name. I'll keep it short and encourage all of you out there to grab your copy and crank it up loud and should you not own one yet remember it's never too late. War All The Time!

Fatal Erection - Castrated by Love 7" Single

Label: Fatal Erection Records; Year: 1994; Format: 45RPM Single

Sometimes you just have to be thankful for the intranet. The other day I was on Discogs kind of aimlessly looking at stuff and I came across this band by the name of Fatal Erection. Now mind you some people would just keep strolling whereas this loser here of course had to do some investigative work about this band only to come to find out that the band was basically Poison Idea minus Jerry A with Thee Slayer Hippie, Mondo and Pig Champion being the rhythm section and John Lyons on vocals and guitars. This little platter came out in '94 and is unfortunately the only release by Fatal Erection and I say unfortunately for a reason as the two songs on this single are both incredibly well executed Punk'N'Roll smashers obviously not too far away from the Poison Idea sound of that era. While the traditional song "Lorena Lorena" will get you in the mood it is "Castrated Love" on the flip side that will want you smash things up in your living room. As if the record wasn't enough you'll also get a neat little comic book with a wild story about castration in 18th century Russia illustrated by pretty well known poster artist Wayne Shellabarger. I wish they had recorded a full length! 

Spermbirds - Something To Prove LP

Label: Boner Records; Year: 1988; Format: Vinyl LP

For the past year or so every Tuesday I listen to a German podcast called "Und Dann Kam Punk" and on last week's show the two hosts interviewed the Spermbirds drummer Matthias Goette. As always it was a fun, entertaining but also informative talk hence I thought it was about time I played my copy of "Something to Prove" again as it's been ages since the last time. With most of my records I remember where I bought my copy and the year, or at least thereabouts. With my "Something To Prove" copy I really can't place it as it's the US version on Boner Records and when this LP came out I was living in Switzerland and would have surely picked up the We Bite pressing. My guess is that I found this one in Toronto when I briefly lived there in the early '90s, but that's just a wild guess and doesn't matter at all. Many of you out there interested in European Hardcore Punk will surely know that the Spermbirds singer Lee Hollis is an American based in Germany and was at the time of when the band was started stationed with the US Army in Kaiserslautern, Germany. According to the interview with Matthias Lee came from a difficult home and used the Army as an escape route to get as far away as possible from his parents, or his dad in particular. Since he has already been introduced to early US punk and hardcore Lee brought a fresh wind to the very provincial small town scene of Kaiserslautern. As a matter of fact before there even was the Spermbirds the band the other members were more keen on getting ahead with is Walter 11, a band vaguely speaking more steeped in traditional UK punk with its members being also big fans of their hometown football club FC. Kaiserslautern. So, when Spermbirds were started the band wasn't even aware that their brand of hardcore punk with a heavy influence of bands such as Angry Samoans was very popular in the underground scene of Southern Germany hence their first record, a Split 7" between Walter 11 and Spermbirds, was released on X-Mist, an influential label to this day. A year after that We Bite Records picked up the Spermbirds and "Something To Prove" was released in 1986. It should come as no surprise that it was licensed to the UK and the US as it's an excellent record that stands the test of the time. When I listened to it today it sounds just as fresh as it always has and the songs haven't aged at all if you ask me. What you get are fourteen original songs and a great cover version of Agent Orange's 'Bloodstains'. The production on the LP is great considering the band recorded and mixed everything within a few days and the LP is a mixed bag of either fast and furious songs or more mid-paced melodic tracks with great hooks. Considering where the band members came from musically the sound on this record makes perfectly sense with Lee's love for early Southern Californian bands and the rest of the band having more of a traditional early UK punk background the two main influences are perfectly blended into a unique sound. For some unfortunate reason I have actually never seen Spermbirds live, and I sure as hell don't know why. A classic record indeed!

The Misfits - Static Age LP

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

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

Krieg Kopf - War On Terrorism LP 

Label: Radio Raheem Records; Year: 2021; Format: Vinyl LP

I think you would have had to have grown up in the New York City area to know Astoria, Queens based hardcore punk outfit Krieg Kopf back in the day. Funny enough just like with the Italian band bahnhof reviewed not long ago on this blog I have learnt about Krieg Kopf years ago through a friend of mine back in Europe who has one of the two rare tapes released back in '84 and '86 respectively. So for all those years since briefly hearing their music their name registered with me since how can anyone forget such a band name meaning Warhead in German. Well, last year Radio Raheem released an LP compiling 20 songs originally appearing either on the "Passen Sie Auf Es ist" cassette from 1984, the "S/T" cassette from 1986 or the tracks that were recorded for an unreleased LP back in 1987/88. It is obvious that this NYC quartet must have been ready to put its mark on the NY hardcore punk map with an LP release for quite some time back in the '80s and it remains unclear as to why it never worked out. 

I for one think that either of the two tapes would have made for a great record back in the day as the songs on each one of them are definitely worth hearing on vinyl, hence better late than never. Some songs are typical fast paced hardcore thrash while others are mid-tempo and leaning more towards traditional '80s UK punk not dissimilar to Cockney Rejects et al. Stand out tracks for me are 'Terrorism', 'The Work Song' and 'Immortal' to name a few from those two tapes. The songs recorded in 1987/88 which were planned to end up on an LP are a little different in the sense that they sound more muffled and played with slightly less energy in my opinion. Nevertheless they are still solid and good hardcore punk tracks with the typical New York sound. If you like your NYHC to sound like Kraut, Even Worse or Nihilistics you will dig Krieg Kopf as some of the songs on this LP are truly outstanding and definitely need to be heard by a wider audience interested in New York's rich punk rock history. Grab a copy while you can!

Offenders - Endless Struggle LP 

Label: Beer City Records; Year; 2022; Format: Vinyl LP

If you love records like myself you will own some which you have bought way back and always had a special place for as you cherish the special memories connected to those particular records. The Offenders "Endless Struggle" LP is one of those records I will always see in a special light as it's one of the very early hardcore punk records I did buy back around 1986 in Zurich, Switzerland. So, in that case you will ask yourself why I am reviewing the 2022 Beer City Records reissue and not the original Rabit Cat release from 1985? Well quite frankly I don't have a good answer for you except that at one point for whatever dumb reason I decided to part with my original copy, and again, I really don't know why but we all have made rather incomprehensible decisions in our lives, right? Anyway, to get back to me buying the Rabid Cat copy in 1986 I remember everything quite vividly. Back in those days at least on one school-free Wednesday afternoon per month friends of mine and I would take the train from our suburban town into Zurich and visit Musicland, a store right in the heart of the old town of Zurich. Martin Ain (RIP) of Celtic Frost used to work there at times and he might very well have been at the cashier when I bought my copy. I also remember that I had bought Bathory's "The Return..." either the very same day or around that time hence I shall review said LP next to reconstruct memories from a long, long time ago. I always loved "Endless Struggle" and used to play my original copy up and down as it's appealed to me from the minute I dropped the needle on it for the first time. Today I wondered how I have even known about the record back in those days as I did not speak English and information when it comes to records like this one was more than scarce in the middle of Europe. I have kept a lot of stuff from way back and have a little binder which I have moved with me across the globe so to speak, and it dawned on me that in 1985 there was a little write up about the "Endless Struggle" LP in one of the German Hard Rock/Heavy Metal mags I used to buy as a teenager (see photo). Bonecrusher Records out of Germany released the record the same year as a license pressing and as crossover was starting to get big Metal magazines would spare a page or so of their issues for some hardcore punk which I am ever grateful for. So, with having read that the band must have caught my attention and I just blindly bought the record and never looked back. In the last week or two I have done some online research about the Offenders and have come across a Texas based podcast called 'The Greatest Thing You've Never Heard' and to my surprise I found two very lengthy episodes focusing on the record. In Episode 1 John and Ben discuss the importance of the record song by song whereas in Episode 2 they were successful in getting the only surviving member, Drummer Pat Doyle, to answer questions about the album and the early Texas hardcore punk scene in general. Both episodes are more than worth listening to and I am posting the links at the end of my rant here. 

Well, it's 2022 and thirty-six years have passed since I have bought my first copy of "Endless Struggle" and luckily Beer City Records have just reissued it this year in all its glory with the original artwork, insert and an extra inlay with liner notes from Pat Doyle. I listened to the record today and felt the same way I always have when listening to it, just amazed and excited. Not every hardcore record from the '80s holds up the way this one has and there are several reasons for that which the podcasts go into much depth about. First and foremost I think it's important to recognize it as a hardcore punk record that isn't like many others. In hindsight it makes sense that guitarist Anthony Johnson (RIP) was the oldest in the band and has grown up listening to Black Sabbath, blues artists and early punk rock. What I am trying to convey here is that too many hardcore records sounded the same and were in many ways generic with many of its band members being extremely young with little to no exposure to music outside of hardcore punk. Back in those days it didn't matter so much to me as the excitement of discovering hardcore punk was way larger than any quality control. Looking back at "Endless Struggle" I can't help to think that the record has not gotten the attention it deserves as the band had peaked with the release of this record and unfortunately also folded shortly after. No other than Spot from SST produced and recorded this master piece and one can hear that. The production is just top notch and gives this record the extra kick up the arse as the songs themselves are nothing short of superb. Again, let me stress to you that it is not a generic hardcore punk record from the '80s as you get different musical influences mixed with the ferocity of fast and aggressive songs. But, not all songs on the record are two minutes long. The title song 'Endless Struggle' for instance is around five minutes long and includes a Hammond B3 organ in the intro to the song. Next to Adolescent's 'Kids of the Black Hole' this is yet another hardcore punk classic that is five minutes long. There is no weak song on this record which is why I will never stop loving it until I die. Over the years the record has been kept in press which tells me that interest has never vanished but if you don't own the original I suggest you get the Beer City pressing as it looks and sounds just like the original. 

Episode 1 of Podcast: https://www.greatestthingpodcast.com/offenders-endless-struggle-part-1/

Episode 2 of Podcast: https://www.greatestthingpodcast.com/offenders-endless-struggle-part-2-interview/

Photo Credit: The Offenders official FB site.

Peroxide - Heart Disease 10"

 

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

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

Bonecrusher - Followers Of A Brutal Calling LP

Label: Knock Out Records; Year: 2000; Format: Vinyl LP

Southern California's Orange County has always been a hotbed for great punk rock acts and bands like TSOL, Adolescents, Agent Orange or Channel 3 just to name a few are household names to anybody into three chords and then some. In the '90s when Emo and Pop Punk ruled it was refreshing to see bands like Bonecrusher forming and such was the case in 1992 when Bonecrusher's story begins. I reached out to Mike Kanel, bass player and founding member of Bonecrusher to answer a few questions with regards to "Followers..." as it is one of my favorite records to have come out in the '90s or in this case in 2000. To cut a long story short the copy I now own is one of those that I was distributing when the record came out, mainly through a record store in Zurich, Switzerland. Years ago I sold a lot of my '90s and early '00s records and unfortunately "Followers..." was part of it, not sure why but I needed the money. Of course I wanted it back so fast forward a few years back and a friend of mine back in Switzerland was selling his entire collection and I was happy enough to snap this one up only to realize that the sticker I used to put on records I distributed was still on there. This copy has certainly travelled the world. So, in order to prepare for this blog entry I wanted to read up about Bonecrusher but even after a 30-year history Google came up with very little to nothing. Mike thinks that "we have always just been a garage band and still are. Music has always been therapeutic and making records is a hobby. We let the music speak for itself." In the end I was glad that I have a copy of 3rd Generation Nation's No. 19 Fanzine from spring 1999 as Rick Bain's of Hostage Records history of the band up to that point is worth gold. OC's Hostage Records alongside Outsider Records also played a vital role in the band's abilities to release material on vinyl. It was the so called 'Life on the Streets' trilogy with the three EPs on Hostage ("Animal", "No Escape" and "Problems in the Nation") that not just solidified the band's standing but led to some serious attention across the pond in Germany. As for Hostage Records Mike chimes in: "Well we all know that if we didn't give them the recordings to the Animal 45 the label might have never taken off the way it has."

I myself used to contribute with writing to 3rd Generation Nation back in those days and a certain Mosh of Knock Out Records most likely paid good attention as to the mayhem Bonecrusher were causing in Orange County. Soon enough Bonecrusher were able to not just release records in Germany but also tour on the European continent. Mike on Knock Out's vital role in the evolution of the band: 

"Mosh and Knock Out Records are the only reason we ever went over to Europe. He has always been our # 1 supporter through all of our ups and downs over the years, and has always been behind us as to what we do as a band, no matter what. I started getting e-mails from this guy in Germany from a record label in the late '90s talking about going on tour, releasing a record and so forth. I did not trust the e-mails because I was new to the internet at that time. I thought he was full of shit talking about tours and playing festivals in Europe, and it just seemed like a lot of bullshit to me as we were just a garage band from Southern California, and who fuckin' cares, right? So after a year or two of e-mail exchanges I suggested to Mosh that if he was to buy us plane tickets and feed us we would come and play all he wanted for ten days. - And the next thing you know we are in Germany playing live at the best gigs we have ever played in our entire lives at that point. That's how our relationship with Mosh and our European fanbase started. The rest has been hell of a ride."                

Once I heard about Bonecrusher were headed for Germany I asked a friend of mine whether he would drive from Zurich to the Ruhr Valley in Germany, about a six hour ride. My friend loved driving to gigs on  weekends hence he agreed and so three of us headed up to the town of Marl to see Bonecrusher for the first time. It was a blast, but to be beaten by the band a year later when a whole group of us from Zurich caught the band in Freiburg in Southern Germany were they delivered one of the best shows I have ever witnessed. (Thanks for the free shirts in Marl, Mike! Still have them, LOL)

Having lived in Europe for the most part of my life and now Stateside I asked Mike about the experiences the band has made touring over there and how he would compare it to playing locally in Southern California: 

"Well, there is really no comparison. In Europe the promoters, the fans and the hospitality are top notch and better than any situation you will ever experience in Southern California. The only time being in a band really matters is when you are up on stage playing live to people. That is when the magic moments happen feeding off of the energy of the crowd with the amps cranked up loud."

Ok folks, congrats to making it up to here as if you are not familiar with the "Followers..." LP you certainly might wonder what my hype is all about. In my honest opinion this was the album that solidified Bonecrusher's trademark sound that would continue to this day, with quite a few line up changes having taken place over the years. The music will hit you straight in the face like a ton of bricks but at the same time while absorbing all the aggression in the songs you will find yourself tapping your feet to great melodies, hooks and choruses. Take a bit of Cockney Rejects, Chelsea or Angelic Upstarts, a good dose of Motorhead and certainly some '80s US Hardcore and voila you get an idea as to how Bonecrusher sound. The lyrics are on the dark side of life, and there is a reason for that according to Mike: 

"In the early '90s we were recovering from the '80s punk scene, drugs, jail time, prison and running the streets. So what else would you expect us to include in the songs? Lol. The second half of the '90s gave Raybo, George, Gino (RIP) and myself a second chance at life."

As to the most vivid memories recording "Followers..." Mike reminisces: 

"At that time a lot had gone on with the band. George and myself have always been the 'instigators' with writing and recording. We were making demos with Ray, but had no drummer at the time and it was after having put out the "Working For Nothing" album. We had seven songs that ended up being the A-Side on the "Followers..." album. Then, Raybo disappeared and George and myself really liked the songs so we had a friend of ours, Steve H., filling in on drums on those tracks and George and I worked on the finishing of the bass, guitar and back up vocals. As for the direction of the band in those days we really had no plan, and we never have. Things just happen organically and fall into place. We tracked all of the "Followers.." songs at George's house in his home studio. Side B of the album was put together from earlier recordings and stuff we had been working on at the studio."

Bonecrusher have been in existence for 30 years now and for old time fans like myself their original singer Raybo personified the band to a degree. His on stage presence was just immense, if not scary to some people I suppose. Mike remembers: 

"Ray had a natural talent for belting out words and stories and some of my best memories are of me and Ray sitting in the garage of my house and writing new songs right there on the spot. Simply magical times." Update 10-6-22: RIP Raybo

Should you be new to the world of Bonecrusher "Followers..." is a good entry point into their catalogue in my honest opinion. According to Mike a lot of the old material might be repressed in the near future and I sure as hell hope so in order to fill some of my gaps. Cheers to Mike & Bonecrusher! 

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!

Sam McPheeters - Mutations (The Many Strange Faces of Hardcore Punk)

Publisher: Rare Bird Books; Year: 2020; Format: Book

At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020 I along with millions of other people was stranded at home and not allowed to go to work. My situation was even more extraordinary in the sense that I moved from New York City to Buffalo at the very beginning of the pandemic only to sit out the first twelve weeks of my new job at an AirBnb. But this entry isn't about the pandemic or my move but about Mutations, a book that came out at the same time the pandemic hit and as such made my life more pleasant for about a week, as that's approximately how long it took me to read it from cover to cover. The difficulty with reviewing books I have read some time ago is that unlike records they take more effort to review, especially ones I remember having enjoyed reading, but not really sure anymore as to why. This morning I took the book off of my book shelve and familiarized myself with it again in order to find out why I liked it so much when it came out. First and foremost I was not familiar with the author, Sam McPheeters. I mean I knew that Sam sang in Born Against and other bands, that he ran a fanzine by the name of 'Dear Jesus' and that he had also ran a record label, but I never owned any of his recorded or written material hence in a way I suppose I had no prejudgment. Rereading some of the chapters in the book this morning I realized quickly why I loved reading Mutations. The book is divided into three parts: Questions, Artists and Problems. Within the 'Questions' part I for instance loved the chapter "A Conversation with Aaron Cometbus", just a fun, intelligent and witty conversation between Sam and Aaron, whom I am sure everyone knows from his Cometbus zines. Equally good but on an absolutely different level is "The Troublemaker", an absolutely intriguing look into the life of Doc Dart of the Crucifucks from Lansing, Michigan. If someone from the Fox News Network would read that chapter they'd have a field trip with it as it clearly shows that distrust and absolute disdain for the government in this country run high on both ends of the political spectrum. Fascinating chapter. The 'Artists' part is just as good and Sam delves into the depths of the many forms of hardcore punk or just 'punk' with chapters dedicated to bands as diverse as Discharge, The Gossip, Die Kreuzen or Green Day amongst others. In 'Questions' the chapter "Alberti Records, RIP"stands out as it is about a vinyl manufacturer that operated for over fifty years and had closed its doors leaving the question as to who will pick up and continue the hard work. One thing that really stands out about this book, and Tobi Vail of Bikini Kill mentions that in her foreword, is the fact that at no point in this book does the author look back at the years covered in this book with any self-indulgence or glorification, but rather with a very critical and observant view. In the end I think this book serves a great deal for all of us to reflect on our lives and to have a somewhat distanced and healthy understanding of the many strange faces of hardcore punk. Definitely one of the best hardcore punk books recently published. 

Jim Ruland - Corporate Rock Sucks (The Rise & Fall of SST Records) 

Publisher: Hachette Books; Year: 2022; Format: Book

When it comes to the vast area Los Angeles covers geographically speaking than punk rock historians as well as many old timers from Lala land love talking or writing about the early Hollywood punk scene. What is so fascinating about the greater Los Angeles area is that different scenes sprung up in different areas roughly around the same time, and I am being somewhat generous with that statement for the sake of my argument. My argument is that the punk rock history of the South Bay of Los Angeles is in many ways far more interesting than the one of the fairly short lived Hollywood scene, at least that's my take. A long while ago I already reviewed Craig Ibarra's "A Wailing of a Town" book which focuses a lot on the Minutemen and befriended bands from San Pedro. At some point in the future I shall review Keith Morris' "My Damage" as well but I recently bought and instantly read Jim Ruland's Corporate Rock Sucks and came away with a wealth of knowledge not just about SST Records, but the South Bay Area hardcore punk scene in general. First and foremost the book is divided into fourteen chapters with each one SST squaring against a different entity. Chapter one is called SST vs. Bomp! and Chapter fourteen is titled SST vs. History. Inbetween SST takes on the world so to speak, a statement which pretty much sums up the book in many ways as Greg Ginn seems to have a very combative personality and an admirable hunger for success. The author has truly done a great job at researching this book as it is filled with many important anecdotes from the humble beginnings of SST Electronics all the way up to the downfall of the once so influential indie label. The many legal battles SST fought alone would be worth another book in my opinion as it becomes clear that legally speaking SST mistreated quite a few bands by hurting them not just financially but in their overall development. I think what really saddened me to a degree is the fact that at some point the record label was run almost like a major where the personal interaction between the owners and the employees became less important and money ever so more important. To be fair though SST was not alone in the sense that they became the victims of their own success. And yes, of course Black Flag are a big part of the story in the book as well, but I wanted to focus on the label. I can't say that I own too many records from the vast catalogue of SST but I will make an attempt to dig deeper into some releases in the future. In the meantime do yourself a favor and pick up this book or visit your local library as you will not regret it. Corporate Rock Sucks indeed. 

Bob Suren - Crate Digger (An Obsession with Punk Records)

Publisher: Microcosm Publishing; Year: 2015; Format: Book

I am absolutely positive that the name Bob Suren will sound familiar to anyone that has gotten into punk either in the '80s or '90s as Bob was a very active guy on an international level with his record store/distribution/label out of Florida. Crate Digger is a fantastic little book revolving around 30 years of collecting punk records with the book divided up into chapters containing the name of a certain band's record. This way stories around records by the likes of the Misfits, Rattus, Stalin, DOA etc. take us from the humble beginnings of Bob discovering punk rock through his many years running Sound Idea and everything connected to the store all the way up to him selling his entire record collection. Each little chapter revolves not just around the band's record but a certain period in the author's life. As one would expect there are just hilarious stories where for instance the FBI gets involved in a record trade gone wrong between Bob and a fellow in Oregon, or that one time when a drug addict enters Bob's stores with several boxes of rare records selling them on the cheap only to realize after the drugs have worn off that he made a big mistake. A lot of the chapters have real personal stories enabling readers to participate on this wild punk rock journey with its ups and downs. I wish there were more books like this one as it's just a fun read with passion and dedication seeping through each page.

Interview with Bob on the Publisher's website from 2015: https://microcosmpublishing.com/blog/2015/05/an-interview-with-bob-suren/

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

Volume 1

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

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

Volume 2 

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

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

Volume 3 

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

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

Craig Ibarra - A Wailing Of A Town - "An Oral History Of Early San Pedro Punk And More 1977 - 1985"

Publisher: END FWY Press; Year: 2015; Format: Book

First and foremost I'd like to point out that this book is almost hot off the press, and was published not all that long ago, and therefore I am excited to not already having finished reading it, but also reviewing it after having purchased it a couple of months ago on my quick visit to Southern California. When it comes to the punk history of Los Angeles then much of it has been covered extensively by having covered the Hollywood scene with the bands and scenesters associated with the more glamorous side of punk rock made in L.A. This book here concentrates on the South Bay of Los Angeles, and in particular the seaport town of San Pedro. Trust me, I too had to look up where exactly San Pedro is located in the Los Angeles area. When I first heard about this book, I already liked it, and I tell you why. I too was once a young kid discovering punk rock and hardcore, and I was also living in a suburb albeit thousands of miles away from San Pedro. Still, I can truly associate with the scene, and its people as the stories to be found in this book resemble in so many ways my personal story. This book does not talk about people sporting punk fashion, frequenting famous punk clubs or taking in an immense amount of drugs. Instead this book concentrates on real DIY ethos, and how a few people were able to create an open minded community that helped each other with putting on gigs, doing flyers, recording and distributing records, and so on. I have to admit that I don't own a single record by the Minutemen - whom hailed from San Pedro - but after having read this book I will need to change that. Sure, many pages in this book do deal with the history of the Minutemen and in particular the sadly deceased D. Boon but they also cover the very beginnings of punk rock in San Pedro with the Reactionaries, as well as later acts such as Saccharine Trust, Hari-Kari, Mood of Defiance and others. This book also covers crazy stories involving a certain Jimmy Smack, a talented local dancer who was tremendously helpful with putting on punk gigs, many accounts involving Black Flag and SST Records and their help getting the San Pedro scene off the ground, venues that opened their doors to punk rock, and the eventual arrival of big bands such as the Dead Kennedys making it to San Pedro and putting the town on the punk rock map. Craig has done a fabulous job by covering every little detail of this town's rich history of punk rock and beyond, and can only be congratulated for his efforts. One can only hope that more books of this kind will start to spring up, and people in different parts of this country and far beyond will start writing about their own punk rock adventures beyond the lights of hip inner cities. This is a true must read!

Germs - Cat's Clause Ten Inch

Label: Munster Records; Year: 1993; Format: Vinyl 10"

I intend on spending much more time talking about Paul Beahm, aka Darby Crash, when reviewing the book about his person, and the Germs. Tonight it honestly also dawned on me why I have bought this 10" in the first place all these years back because quite frankly it could not have been for the quality of the recordings to be found on this piece of wax. The prime reason of this purchase was an elaborate 20 page booklet with plenty of nice photos, flyers, anecdotes and a brief history of the Germs. Back in the early '90s in the pre internet days this was something quite special, and far more appreciated than these days. As for the packaging of this record, I love it. As for the sound quality of the live recordings on this record, I just cannot be equally enthusiastic. Side 1 was recorded at the Starwood in Hollywood and the sound quality is somewhat decent and listenable while the three songs on Side 2 taken from a gig at the Hong Kong Cafe are just pure noise. The highlights are "Circle One" and "Strange Note" which were both taken from rehearsals at the Canterbury house where many early LA punk rockers lived. By no means is this a must have, but if you're a die hard Germs fan then you'll want this, and if you're not than having read this blog entry will suffice.

Blanks 77 - Up The System Ten Inch

Label: Quality of Life Inc.; Year: 1993; Format: Vinyl 10"

I don't know how you feel about the '90s when it comes to underground music but I remember it being a rather dull and boring decade. Looking back though there were certainly some highlights, and some retro scenes really managed to spit up some great bands that were worth paying attention to. The whole UK82 punk rock sound enjoyed a fine revival, particularly on the US East Coast. New Jersey's Blanks 77 were one of the earliest purveyors of that retro sound, and were part of a whole new generation of punks and skins that celebrated long forgotten UK acts such as the Ejected, Abrasive Wheels or the Partisans to name a few amongst the many that have appeared on leather jackets around the world. In the early '90s the Blanks started to release a whole slew of 7"s while this fine 10" was released in 1993. The funny thing about this release here is the fact that I have not pulled this record off the shelve in a long time but when I put down the needle on this record tonight with a beer in my right hand while rocking back and forth in my recliner chair, I all of a sudden remembered each one of the eight songs on the record. Sure, some might say that bands like the Blanks 77 didn't create anything new and lacked in originality but rest assured that any lack of creativity on behalf of the band was made up for with plenty of enthusiasm, dedication and the deliverance of some great fucking pogo punk. There is really nothing negative I can say about this little 10" as it is a fun listen. Now, get your pogo stick out, and up the system!

Cro-Mags - Age of Quarrel Ten Inch

Label: Fan Club; Year: 199?; Format: Vinyl 10"

I never thought I’d be living in New York City one day, and here I am living in the Big Apple grinding away, and trying to pay all those bills while still having some fun. Before this city turned into the gentrified amusement park it often represents today, it was a city where survival of the fittest was on the daily picking order. The Lower East Side wasn’t a hip place to go to but instead offered space for artists and musicians to pursue what they enjoyed the most. I have to further admit that I was also never a huge fan of New York Hardcore with a few exceptions, and Cro Mags would never make it onto any of my lists of Top Bands. Still, if there was one 10” I would be allowed to take with me to a lonely island, it might as well be this one here. Before “Age of Quarrel” was recorded and released as an LP in 1986 a demo tape of all those songs was recorded between late ’84 and early ’85, and subsequently must have made the rounds in tape trader circles. Back in the tape trading days demos often ended up in various countries, and so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that in the early ‘90s someone came up with the idea to press the “Age of Quarrel” demo onto a 10”. While I have heard the more metallic sounding LP version in the past it just never grabbed me the same way as this much more raw and more brutal demo version. Everything, and I really mean everything is perfect about these recordings, as these songs just can’t be beaten when it comes to NYHC straight out of the gutters of the Lower East Side. The loud bass guitar, the screaming vocals, the speed, and above all the sheer brutality of these songs cannot be put into words, you just have to hear them! Essential listening for your bleeding ears!

Testors - Original Punk Recordings New York City 1976 - 1977 Ten Inch

Label: Incognito Records; Year: 1995; Format: Vinyl 10"

There are truly not that many original punk rockers still touring the world, year in and year out. Sonny Vincent is one of the rare human species that is not only still doing that, but is still rather damn good at it too to this day. Back in 1975 Sonny formed the Testors in NYC with a guitar in his hand and lots of anger in his stomach. The band named itself after the Testors glue company, which would eventually get them into legal trouble, and set out to provoke the audience, sonically and physically. They did that with two guitarists, a drummer, and no bass player, and that seemed to work fine at venues like the CBGB’s or Max Kansas City but at one point Sonny got himself even arrested in Philadelphia for inciting a riot. The band never had any ambitions to record so thank god Incognito Records from Germany unearthed the recordings of this wild bunch that created some damn fine noise all these years back. Four studio songs, and two live songs are to be found on this 10”, and they not just kick ass, but are delivered with such furiousness and aggressiveness that many hardcore punk bands years later must have taken note of. The liner notes were penned by Cheetah Chrome and a second volume with more madness from this trio was also released on 10”, and will be reviewed in the not so distant future.