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.