Riot .303: Thrasher Skate Rock tunes (1983)/Crowd Control (1982)

Yes, I know there are a few blogs out there with the great 7" by Riot .303, but how many have their four Thrasher Skate Rock tunes to go with it? Riot .303 were from Calgary and had enough prestige to be included on Thrasher's first skate rock tape. Not bad for a band from there. All eight songs here rad punk rock ditties, with the first track being my favourite. Sadly, it's subject matter is still apt. All you have to do is change the name of the man in power and you've updated this classic song.

Tracks 1 to 4 are from Thrasher Skate Rock, vol. 1, while Crowd Control finishes it.

1. Murder The Prime Minister
2. Skate Punx
3. Depression Session
4. Nightmares Of Another Kind
5. Drugs
6. There's Something Living Under My Bed
7. Organized Religion
8. Guerilla Warfare Man

Download it now! Riot .303

'K

I haven't been around for a while and I apologize, but there is a reason for my absence: I've moved."Big deal," you say? Well, normally I would agree, but I haven't just moved across the street or whatnot. Nope. I've moved to Lusaka, Zambia for and well be here for a while. I'm still trying to figure out things here, like how to get the internet set up in my house. Until I do, I won't post much. In the meantime, I hope to post some rocking tuneage in the next week or so. Until then, have fun.

Pariah: Youths of Age (1983)

I love early Californian punk and hardcore. There’s something so tuneful, yet angry about it that makes me smile. Timeless tunes, for sure. One of the great labels that supplied a lot of these tunes was Posh Boy. From what I understand, the label itself was shady in its business dealings, but lucky for us (not the bands so much), what it lacked in integrity Posh Boy more than made up for with a roster of killer bands, such as Agent Orange, TSOL, Channel 3 and the band I’m posting today, Pariah.

Pariah were from San Francisco, which could’ve fooled me, as this album has a southern California beach punk feel to it. They never seemed to have received the accolades that other bands from Posh Boy did, but make no mistake, this is record is rad. Like lots of the good punk from that time, it is melodic, but angry; the perfect combination for the likes of me.

Image is from Kill From The Heart

1. Youths of Age
2. Inside Looking Out
3. Blind Resistance
4. Faith In Mercy
5. White Line
6. All the King's Men
7. Passion and Pride
8. Running For Cover
9. Striking Back

Download it now! Pariah

Discount: Crash Diagnostic (2000)

I checked out Rolling Stone’s top 100 albums of this past decade. There’s nothing surprising there, just the usual collection of hip, overrated bands that the magazine indulges in like the proverbial pigs at the trough. Needless to say, you won’t find fantastic records by Propagandhi, Strike Anywhere or even one time Rolling Stone darling, At The Drive-In. I guess they weren’t sophisticated enough for the purveyors of cooldom.

I know it’s a waste of words to mention this, but this fantastic record by Discount would never be mentioned in the same breath as such musical luminaries as Radiohead or Wilco, but does the magazine have to be so blind to what is going on under their noses? Just like their lists for the eighties and nineties, they completely miss the mark. Again.

Image is from Discogs

1. Broken To Blue
2. Age Of Spitting
3. Math Won't Miss You
4. Harder To Tell
5. Untitled
6. Aerial
7. Behind Curtain #
8. TV Kiss
9. Sleeping Motor Boy
10. Apostrophe
11. Black And White
12. Hit
13. Untitled
14. Medical
15. The Kill Fix

Download it now! Crash Diagnostic

Discount: Half Fiction (1997)

Discount was a punk band from Florida that started in 1995 and called it a day in 2000. The singer, Allison, went on to be half of the critical darlings The Kills. Other members joined Unitas and the post Hot Water Music outfit, The Draft.

It’s a shame that this record is out of print, as is their masterpiece, “Crash Diagnostic”, which I will post some day. Both albums are awesome and showcase the band’s natural growth from a very cool upstart punk (I refuse to use the term pop punk, as it’s been corrupted and I hate it) to a more mature punk sound.

High school sincerity is all over “Half Fiction”, no doubt due to them either being in high school or just out of it. Don’t think that this record is sloppy though. The music is melodic and the lyrics ache with longing.

I can’t get enough of this album lately. It’s all I listen to and its vibrancy and yearning remind me why music is exciting in the first place. I highly recommend you give it a listen.

Image is from Discogs

1. Half Fiction
2. Clap And Cough
3. Torn Jeans
4. Am I Missing Something?
5. City Bleach
6. Pocket Bomb
7. Keith
8. Toxic Home
9. Soup
10. The Unusual Bad
11. Dreamt This Was A Castle
12. On The Counter
13. Stitch
14. Is It Ok?
15. untitled track

Download it now! Half Fiction

Saigon: Annihilation (1981)

Oh, to be a kid in the early eighties, where you were surrounded by a whole bunch of losers and if you were of the few who saw through the bullshit facade of what the world was trying to shove down your throat you probably picked up a skateboard or started a band, or both, which is what Saigon’s members did and as sad as this, the only difference now is that the president isn’t a former governor of California. Lame, but screw it; go pick up a skateboard, or start a band, or do both and fuck shit up.

Image is from Kill From The Heart

1. Annihilation
2. Life Is So Fun
3. Anti-Vogue
4. America

Download it now! Saigon

3: Dark Days Coming (1989)

3 played some good post hardcore. What the hell is that you ask? According to Wikipedia, it is a “term for a broad constellation of groups who emerged from the hardcore punk scene, or took inspiration from hardcore, while concerning themselves with a wider palette of expression, closer to experimental rock.” And 3 totally delivers on the wider palette of expression part. Just check out the classical guitar riff on “Swann Street” to see what I mean.

This is incredible music, with a very poppy edge that is, for a lack of better words, friendly. They are like old friends who are there to provide sonic comfort. Flex says 3 lies between Revolution Summer type of tunes and early 7 Seconds. It that doesn’t sound like a good friend, then I don’t know what will.

Image is from Discogs

1. Empathy
2. Swann Street
3. Buy Me A River
4. Domino Days
5. Dodger
6. International
7. Pious & Blind
8. Rejection
9. Dark Days Coming
10. Don’t Walk Away

Download it now! 3: Dark Days Coming

Propagandhi, A Speculative Fiction, Live, Edmonton 03/03/07

A friend told me about this video and I'm pretty happy he did. As it comes from such a great band I wanted to share them blasting out the lead song from their penultimate release. If you don't have it, do yourself a favour and get "Potemkin City Limits" now. Propagandhi are an incredible band and this record is simply why you listen to punk: it's intense, thought provoking and just to give the finger to those who say if you play hardcore, you can't play your instruments, it is incredibly progressive musically.

A Specualtive Fiction

A new iron curtain drawn across the 49th parallel.
Cut all diplomatic ties as we expel all American dignitaries
And issue a nation-wide travel advisory for any others left inside.
Nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide.
The burned out shells of south-bound traffic lay strewn along a cold stretch of would-be interstate.
Still visible below their charred remains: Pax Americana plates.
Your stupid fucking laser-pucks™ were just the start.
And while you may stand six full cubits and a span, we got a shepherd’s sling and five stones in our hand
And the battle of 1812 lives in our hearts.
We don’t care if we’re destroyed.
We’ll never capitulate.
We’ll take the whole fucking world down with us in flames.
Just a speculative fiction. No cause for alarm.
We got a good 15 years left ‘til the United We Stand murals on West Broadway finally fade and we wave good-bye to such sad, childish refrains.
Replaced with other stupid lullabies like you can have my guns when you pry them from my cold dead hands.
Just a speculative fiction. No cause for alarm.


Wtach the video here: Propagandhi, A Speculative Fiction, Live, Edmonton 03/03/07

Bikini Kill: Revolution Girl Style Now (1991)

Those of who follow this here blog might have noticed that in addition to obscure hardcore and punk, I also like to indie/alt tuneage fronted by females. Usually, it’s a bit more laid back and more harmonic. Today though, I’m breaking the mould.

Bikini Kill’s demo is definitely not laid back. They’re fucking pissed off and for good reason: society marginalizes girls and Bikini Kill won’t stand for it anymore. The music and lyrics unceremoniously scrape away the bullshit that covers our lives. This is raw and unfiltered and although the albums that followed were better, this is still a decent document of the beginning of a great band.

I never understood why people didn’t like them. Oh right, it‘s because they’re girls(and one guy I might add) rocking out and not doing it half naked and they have something to say. I find it sad that not much has changed since this demo came out almost 20 years ago.

The image is from Wikipedia

1. Candy
2. Daddy's Lil Girl
3. Feels Blind
4. Suck My Left One
5. Carnival
6. This Is Not A Test
7. Double Dare Ya
8. Liar

Download it now! Bikini Kill

Bhopal Stiffs: 1985-1989 CD

Here is a whole bunch of Chicago punk rawk by the Bhopal Stiffs. I believe that this is their whole discography. It’s has that classic Chicago sound embodied by Naked Raygun: melodic, tight and fast, though a big difference is that the Bhopal Stiffs have raspier vocals.

For me, the first and sixth songs make the band. If they only ever did these two tracks, it would’ve been more than enough. Both songs are so awesome, with their gravelly vocals, some good “whoa ahs” and compact playing. In fact, I rarely listen past “Too Many Things”, but don’t let that stop you.

Image is from Discogs

1. Bottle It Up
2. Road to Bhopal
3. I Came for You
4. Product
5. I Can Do It
6. Too Many Things
7. Born Again
8. I Came for You
9. Drunken Stupor
10. Not Just My Head
11. I Don't Care
12. One Track Head
13. Fun at the Beach
14. No Future
15. Cape Town Youth
16. Pay to Play
17. Too Much Pain
18. Human Race
19. Intro + Road to Bhopal
20. Not Just My Head
21. Deprived
22. Fun at the Beach
23. I Want Off
24. Product
26. Intro + No Future + Born Again
27. I Don't Know What to Say to You
28. The Hunt

From Kill From The Heart:

Tracks 1-6 from the E.P.A. 12", tracks 7-16 from the demo tape (tracks 10 and 12 also appeared on the Bhopal Stiffs 7"), track 17 from the There's a Fungus Among Us compilation EP, track 18 recorded 1989 (previously unreleased), tracks 19-25 recorded live at Exit, January 14th 1988, track 26 recorded live at the City 1986, track 27 recorded live on the radio 1989, track 28 recorded live at Batteries Not Included 1987.

Download it now! Bhopal Stiffs

Down By Law Reupped

Here you go, Pote.












You can get it here:

Down By Law

Havana 3 a.m.: Havana 3 a.m. (1991)

I’m always surprised that the self titled album by Havana 3 a.m. hasn’t received as much fanfare as it deserved. It’s a fantastic record with every track being worthy of your time. The fact that music critics would rather espouse the greatness of another album released that same year just goes to show you that music critics blow. Sure, “Nevermind” was good, but this record was also worthy of attention, along with many other released during 1991.

The fact that this record blows most of the records recorded by ex Clash members out of the water is not surprising. Big Audio Dynamite lived up to their initials and Joe Strummer did some regrettable solo work until he hooked up with The Mescaleros. Even Topper Headon did a solo record, which I never heard, but live in fear of.

If Havana 3 a.m. did receive attention, it was largely because Paul Simonon of The Clash played bass. That definitely is cool, but it ignores the Havana 3am’s worth as a band. As you can tell, I think they rocked. The album has what it takes to rule your stereo for a while: sincere lyrics sung to reggae infused rockabilly with Latin overtones. Oops, that sounded like music critic garbage; my apologies.

Image is from Wikipedia

1. Joyride
2. Blue Motorcycle Eyes
3. Reach the Rock
4. Death in the Afternoon
5. Hole in the Sky
6. What About Your Future
7. The Hardest Game
8. Hey Amigo
9. Life on the Line
10. Surf in the City
11. Blue Gene Vincent
12. Living in This Town

Download it now! Havana 3 a.m.

Fear Itself: 1986 demo

South Carolina’s Fear Itself played killer thrash. In the punk rock family tree, they’d be the bastard child of The Misfits, who’d supply the lyrics, and Attitude Adjustment, who’d donate the music. Like Maximum Rock And Roll said when the demo first came out, it could be called ‘Horror Thrash’, for a lack of better terms. So rock out and then watch horror movies. Or the other way around.

The pic is from Kill From The Heart

1. Your Worst Nightmare
2. Werewolf's Life
3. Beast Within
4. Pray for Death
5. Born to Die
6. Dark Passage
7. Eaten Alive
8. Malevolence
9. Prelude/Final Conflict
10. Demon

Download it now! Fear Itself

Slap Of Reality Info

So, I just received an email from Bob at Sound Idea. It has some basic information about this great band. Rather than paraphrase what he said, I'll copy and paste instead.

Hi,
Drummer from Slap Of Reality went on to be in Failure Face. Guitarist from Slap went on to be in Murder-Suicide Pact.

The Down By Law comment is false. Sam Williams, a guitarist from the same town (Brandon, FL) ended up in Down By Law but was never in Slap Of Reality.

SOR's best record was their first -- the Stuck Inside 7" on Vinyl Communications, 1989.

Thanks,

Bob

Brandon, FL

Bob later adds:

By the way, Sam Williams from Down By Law WAS in a reformed version of Slap Of Reality for about 3 weeks.
Joe from Slap OfReality and I are in Murder-Suicide Pact.

Thanks again, Bob. Sorry I couldn't find the image for the Stuck Inside 7", so the Time Alone one will have to do.

The Passed: Someone (1990)

If you believed mainstream media morons post Nirvana, you’d have thought that punk died and then miraculously reappeared in the early nineties. Of course, not only is this is the stupidest thing to be heard this side of a potable quotable Pat Roberts; it is also an insult to everyone involved in the scene at the time. Just to really stick the point in, The Passed, like countless other bands showed the underground was alive and well in 1990 when they recorded this awesome slab of melodic punk fun. As usual, the mainstream just didn't notice.


I don’t know much about this band, apart from the fact that they actually cared about the world and recorded in Pennsylvania. Other than that, I have no clue. If anyone knows, please leave a comment.

1. Free Our Lives / The Price / Blind Into Blind
2. Someone / Hiding In Our Pockets

Download it here! The Passed

Bad Influence: War’s No Fun (1983)

Let’s start off the 2010 blog season with something rare and rad. Here is some vintage early 80s So Cal style hardcore (though they were from San Francisco) by Bad Influence. Think Circle Jerks when it comes to their sound; they even have a song called "I Don't Care". The attitude is also in the gnarly “So Cal fuck you style”, as evidenced by these lyrics, “Who the fuck made you the president, I didn’t vote for you.”

Enjoy this rare demo from 1983. Now go and tear shit up!

Image is from Kill From The Heart

1. War's No Fun
2. Mental War Patient
3. IRS
4. Do What You Want
5. Bad Influence
6. Always On My Ass
7. I Don't Care
8. Maximum Punishment

Download it here! Bad Influence