bahnhof - February 82 EP

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

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

The Warriors - Movie Soundtrack LP

Label: A&M Records; Year: 1979; Format: Vinyl LP

Back in 1982/83 I was a 12-year old living in the suburbs of Zurich, Switzerland. At some point I saw this gang-related movie from New York City called "The Warriors" for the first time on TV, dubbed from English to German. I remember that one of my friends that lived on the same street saw it also and we instantly became huge fans of this cult movie trying to figure out how this Coney Island gang navigated their agonizing trip from the Bronx all the way down to the Ocean. Of course we had no knowledge whatsoever about the geography of NYC but to the two of us the movie remained an all time favorite until today. Forward thirty years after that experience and in 2012 I actually moved to "The Big Apple". Little did I know back in the early '80s that one day I would live where they filmed "The Warriors", but you never know where live takes you. Even though I don't reside there anymore but still live in the state of NY, a little part of me will be a New Yorker for the rest of my life. I have fond memories of my wife and I taking the bus from Bay Ridge in Brooklyn to Coney Island to take a walk on the boardwalk and grab some unhealthy but yummy food from Nathan's while taking in the fresh air from the Ocean. In 2015 I was lucky enough to witness one of the reunions of some of the actors from the movie. If I am not mistaken the person that organized the event had punk rock roots which is not surprising at all taking into account that quite a few bands took their band name from the movie. Sick Of It All headlined the musical aspect of the event and John Joseph of the Cro-Mags was the interviewer at the end of the event when there was a Q&A with the actors (see photo). But this entry is really about the music on the movie soundtrack LP. I am by no means an expert on soundtracks and in general not even a movie buff but "The Warriors" is always worth an exception. So today I sat down on a trip down memory lane and gave this a spin and if you ask me for the most part it's just a really enjoyable record. If you are a fan of the movie then you will know the big hits announced throughout the movie by a female DJ we never learn much about. Barry De Vorzon, a progressive Disco producer of the time was tasked with the soundtrack to the movie and succeeded on all levels in my opinion. From his own electro-disco themed tracks to the heavy soul hitter of 'Nowhere To Run' by Cleveland born Artist Arnold McCuller to the fantastic Joe Walsh written song about making it in the city entitled 'In The City', a song that later ended up on an Eagles album to Desmond Child's 'Last Of an Ancient Breed' the soundtrack immensely helped carrying the movie. Maybe a little less known are the equally great 'You're moving too slow', an energetic blues-rock stomper or 'Love is a Fire' by Polish-born Solo Artist Genya Ravan. Interesting was also the inclusion of Bed-Sty, Brooklyn based band Mandrill who in 1971 started to fuse Afro-Carribean sounds with Jazz, Latin and Rock, something that would in years and decades to become known as World Music. Walter Hill's movie based on a novel by Sol Yurick is not just a great watch but also a great listen people. Warriors, come out to plaaaaayyy! 

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. 

Electric Deads - "Order", "Anti-Sex" and "Mind Bomb" EP Reissues

Label: Noise and Distortion Records; Year: 2010; Format: 7" EP

Back in 2010 Belgian label Noise and Distortion did us fans of old European hardcore punk a great favor by reissuing all three Electric Deads EPs from Denmark. I think even these reissues are now hard to get so if you do see copies grab them as quick as you can. This is the 1st of the three and was like all of them originally released by the band on Electro Static Record, this one in 1982. Out of the three it is probably the weakest, at least in my opinion, but still worth checking out. 'Order' and 'Zig Zag' are fast paced hardcore punk tracks with Bibi screaming on top of her lungs and not quite having found her style. On this EP you'll also find a slightly different version of 'Fish in a Pool', a strong track that landed the band on the much acclaimed MRR Compilation LP "Welcome to 1984" where I and surely many others have heard of the band for the first time. Good but not great is what I would say about this one. 

Photo of 1st Gig in 1981 in Copenhagen. Photo Credit: Official Electric Deads Facebook Page

Label: Noise and Distortion Records; Year: 2010; Format: 7" EP

It is really hard to decide whether this one or the third and last of the three EPs is the strongest one as they are both fantastic in their own right, but let's focus on this one first. Unlike on the 1st EP where the recorded songs are somewhat muffled the band's second output has a much improved sound quality, better musicianship and a singer that seems to have found her voice and much more confidence. All four tracks on this EP are killer, especially '30 Years', just a fantastic Mid-Tempo punk song with somewhat of a Siouxsie and the Banshees feel to it. The other three songs are equally strong and the band might have gone through a phase where they listened to a lot of 77 punk and some early Goth as those influences definitely dominate their 2nd EP. If you like your early '80s European hardcore punk melodic, not too fast and with great vocals then you just have to love this one. 

Rehearsal Space in 1982. Photo Credit Official Electric Deads Facebook Page

Label: Noise and Distortion Records; Year: 2010; Format: 7" EP

I suppose this is their best known EP and ultimately the one that led for the band to be included on above mentioned MRR Comp. LP. Unfortunately it was also the last output by these Danes which is a shame as they could  have easily gone on to record a classic LP by the time this EP came out in 1983. Famous Danish punk rocker Johnny Concrete was the producer of this 5-song killer EP and if you ask me the band just really found their style with these recordings. It feels like they combined the ferocity of the 1st EP with the more melodic side of the 'Anti-Sex' EP and found a perfect marriage. All five songs are just mind-blowing good with that very peculiar guitar sound that in years to come influenced Norwegian bands like Kafka Process, So Much Hate or Stengte Dorer. This is classic melodic, yet powerful European hardcore at its best and has gone on to kickstart the great European hardcore scene of the '80s. True gem! 

Gig Flyer from 1983. Photo Credit Official Electric Deads Facebook Page

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! 

AC/DC - Dirty Big Balls 2-LP

Label: Fuck The Mother Records (Unofficial); Year: 1989; Format: Double Vinyl LP

So, about time AC/DC get an entry on this blog of mine as they truly were my very first musical love back in 1979 when my parents out of nowhere decided to gift me the "Highway To Hell" LP for Christmas said year. But more about that when I will be reviewing that classic record. As a matter of fact the concert on this Double-LP bootleg was recorded three weeks prior to me getting my introduction into rock'n'roll. As one would expect with a bootleg the sound quality isn't great but in all fairness it's not horrible either hence making this an enjoyable trip down memory lane. If you're into Bon Scott-era AC/DC then you pretty much know what to expect and that's exactly what you get delivered on this cheaply made bootleg which I have gotten many years ago at the warehouse of a record store owner back in good ole' Switzerland. The concert was recorded on December 3 of 1979 at the Eissporthalle in Berlin and was according to Jeff Apter's "AC-DC 1973 - 1980 The Bon Scott Years" book the last gig on the Highway To Hell tour of Europe. According to the AC-DC.net website support act was Judas Priest and a ticket cost 18 Deutsch Mark. Bon's voice is pretty beat but that's hardly a surprise considering how non-stop the band toured. Still, the songs deliver despite the bootleg quality and I for one have no idea if it was just somebody recording it on a tape recorder close to the stage or whether it is taken from the soundboard as the drums are pretty loud. One of you sound experts out there could probably clarify this as the whole concert is also to be found on Youtube. I for one found myself tapping with my feet throughout my listening experience today and AC/DC with Bon Scott were one of the best rock'n'roll bands ever, period. RIP Bon. 

the Blitzz - So Free and Go Now Single Reissues

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

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

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

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

Antler Joe and the Accidents - go commercial EP

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

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

V/A - Streets LP 

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

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

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. 

Appendix - Ei Raha Oo Mun Valuuttaa LP 

Label: Puke N' Vomit Records; Year: 2021; Format: Vinyl LP

After a somewhat stressful week at work it felt nice this evening to crank open a bottle of beer and spin this hardcore punk classic from Finland. Years ago I used to have the original 1982 Propaganda pressing of this LP but quite frankly who gives a shit as long as reissues such as this Puke N Vomit are available. Nice to see this one coming alive again with the original artwork and including one insert and two posters. Nice job! I am currently also reading the book about Rock-O-Rama Records from Germany and as some of you will surely know in 1983 this full length was licensed to said rip off label and according to the band all they ever got was twenty free copies. I shall review said book soon but it is clear that not only Herbert Egoldt of ROR but also Heikki Vilenius of Propaganda Records were just shrewd business men taking advantage of an international boom in hardcore punk. What I didn't know though is that the very first Appendix line up from 1981 included Olli and Juha of well known Finnish Rock act Yo. Yo went on to a successful career in mainstream music and had several No. 1 hits in the Finnish charts. That line up didn't last too long and Ei Raha Oo Mun Valuuttaa was recorded in 1982 and is in my opinion a true classic of early Finnish hardcore punk. The Puke N Vomit repress also includes the two tracks recorded for the 'Russia Bombs Finland' Comp. LP as well as the two tracks released on the Pultti Comp. EP. What I like the most about this record is that it is really varied when it comes to the songs. As expected there are plenty of typical powerful hardcore thrashers on this album but equally there are great mid-tempo punk stompers reminiscent of the UK Subs or Blitz. The production is loud and clear and the songs are carried by a great dominant bass sound backed with a buzzsaw guitar and a singer shouting on top of his lungs. It is no wonder that forty years ago along with US hardcore there was a real hype in the punk underground about bands from Finland as they just stood out. Don't be wasting your money on Money is not my Currency on ROR..;-) Kippis!! 

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Jukebox Explosion Rockin' Mid-90s Punkers!

Label: In The Red Records; Year: 2007; Format: Vinyl LP

The Special Note on the back of the record states: The music on this album is wild, low-tech rock'n'roll, and although it has been mastered from the best possible original discs and master tapes there will still be slight surface noise noticeable on some tracks. Couldn't agree more. I have heard of the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion for years but never had sought out any of their albums or music. Not too long ago I stumbled across a sealed copy of this album for a few bucks at my local record store and spontaneously decided to get it. Tonight I thought I'd give it a spin for the blog and I must say for the most part I dig this shit, referring to the song that the band was supposed to play live on NBC's Saturday Night Live, which of course never happened as an argument over the use of profanity broke out. This LP basically compiles rare tracks off of the band's early singles with some of them being taken from the In The Red Records Jukebox singles series. I am no expert when it comes to noise rock but I would definitely say that first and foremost The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion can be described as such. On the other hand they certainly drew influences from lots of genres and styles such as blues, garage punk, rockabilly and even hip hop. A lot of the song arrangements are definitely crazed but absolutely interesting and in some ways innovative. I will see if I can find more of their back catalogue for cheap as songs like Ghetto Mom from 2002 are absolute boogie punk scorchers. If you plan on wrecking a party and need the right soundtrack keep this one in mind. 

 

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

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

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

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

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

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! 

V/A - Powerpoppers Vol. 1 LP 

Label: On The Run Records (Unofficial); Year: 2001; Format: Vinyl LP

I've always had a hard time warming up to the Powerpop genre, maybe because I always thought that there was just too many one hit wonders and not much more to it. But those one hit wonders can truly be hits and this bootleg LP has quite a few brilliant tracks. First off though let me tell you though that the person behind this boot never made it to Vol. 2 so this remains to be the only one in this "series". Fourteen tracks from the late '70s and early '80s are to be found on this platter and while three to four of them are lame and weak the rest of them are good if not outstanding. To me the track that stands out the most is Toutes Les Nuits by all female French band Les Calamites. Said track was originally released on a single on New Rose Records. On the punkier side of Powerpop on this Compilation are The Donkeys with What I want and The Clerks with No good for me. The Donkeys material has been compiled on Detour Records and might very well be checking out while The Clerks hailed from Birmingham and it just might be one of those one offs but above mentioned track is a truly great Punk Pop smasher. Definitely worth mentioning are The Boys from Australia, yes not the much better known band from the UK. Hurt me babe is a truly great Powerpop hit and I wonder if the rest of their material is as strong. Some of the tracks to be found on here are major record releases, such as Keep in Touch by Low Numbers produced by Jimmy Pursey of Sham 69 fame. All in all this is an enjoyable compilation if you can find it cheap sitting around collecting dust in a record store. Whether you like your Powerpop on the punkier side or more on the Mod side you'll find stuff on here you will dig.