Harnrohrer - S/T EP

Label: Static Shock Musik; Year: 2019; Format: 7" EP

It was about time someone reissued this early '80s German gem as Harnrohrer are not only criminally underrated but most likely just not very well known outside of Germany. They hailed from the small city of Freiburg Im Breisgau in South Germany, a place I am very familiar with having visited on numerous occasions when still living in Europe. Originally this killer EP was released on Berlin's Pogar Records as 001 in 1982 and all four tracks are filled with great guitar hooks, fitting choruses and simply fantastic song arrangements in a real catchy way. Since this came out in 1982 and the trend in Germany was to sound like Discharge I can assure you it's nothing like that. This is more akin to '77 Punk and the production of Music Lab producer Harris Johns is top notch as well. It is a real shame these guys didn't release more material as this is Pogo-Punk at its very best. Grosse Klasse!

Discharge - Hear Nothing See Nothing Say Nothing LP 

Label: Clay Records; Year: 1982; Format: Vinyl LP

It was yesterday forty years ago that this LP was released hence I thought it was a great idea to give this classic a spin. Discharge formed in Stoke-On-Trent in 1977 but sounded nothing like the wall of sound they would become famous for. According to their own words they kind of figured out their sound by just playing faster and harder and eventually created a style that would influence countless bands around the world and across genres. Of course by the time this LP was released Mike Stone of Clay Records has already released several of the infamous and classic Discharge EP's. Still and without doubt it can be said that this LP catapulted Discharge into a league on their own and leather studded punks in the squats of Berlin or in the rubbles of Sao Paolo took note and started to create their own wall of noise. One can have a million and one records on their shelves but let's be honest how many of them stand the test of their time? This one here has turned forty and will be celebrated equally another forty years down the road provided the human race has not eradicated itself. Free Speech For The Dumb!