V/A - Bloodstains Across Norway 1997

Welcome to another nugget from my Bloodstains collection with twenty-four great rare blasts from Northern Europe: Norway. A fine country for a relaxing holiday with lots of hills forests and lakes and only very few people living in the countryside. I certainly don't have to tell you more about the bands, because those who know the series know what's inside: superb stuff whose originals are priceless and that's exactly why such slabs were born and the boom of those brilliant records has now died and even these releases are hard to come by nowadays. And with that I say goodbye to my well-deserved vacation. Stay decent and I hope you don't get any withdrawal symptoms. 😎

1.CIA/KGB - AKUTT INNLEGGELSE

2.Superstjerne - AKUTT INNLEGGELSE

3.Pop Star - BØRRES KORK

4.Nekt Blankt - AKUTT-80

5.Hva Skal Vi Si - DE SJENERTE

6.Pond - DE PRESS

7.Full Kontroll - FEBER

8.Kill The Disco - JOHNNY YEN BANG!

9.Fool - JOHNNY YEN BANG!

10.Marching Robots - JOHNNY YEN BANG!

11.Nordens Paris - NORGEZ BANK

12.Blå Heder - WANNSKRÆKK

13.Hva Fæn - 1984

14.Hurra For Norge - Z-OFF

15.Du Er En Dritt - ROUGH TRADE

16.Play With Fire - ROUGH TRADE

17.Diggin' TV - ROUGH TRADE

18.Hakekors - KAARE OG PARTIET

19.Takk Hold Kjeft - OVERDOSE

20.Blå Hun - OVERDOSE

21.Sjølmordskomplekser - ØRESUS

22.Bomba E Klar - ANFALL

23.T.V. - ANFALL

24.Stressa - ANFALL

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DIE PROFIS - Neue Sensationen + Alte Geheimnisse 2008

Interesting release on Teenage Rebel Records and on this anthology are the only and much sought-after album from 1982 plus demo songs, compilation contributions and live recordings, some tracks by the previous band Stairs. We're talking about Die Profis from Düsseldorf which formed 1979 as Stairs by Ralf (vocals/guitars), Hans (bass), Roland (drums) and this formation made their only 7inch, Hey You, in 1980 via Big Record Deal and on it are two delicious Modpunk goodies that created a sound throughout the German musical landscape in the early Eighties that made them very special, but the German mod scene, with a few exceptions, never caught the attention of the big bands from England. They changed their bandname into Die Profis, and Rainer replaced Hans on bass, and the now rare and only Longplayer Neue Sensationen was recorded and released on Schallmauer in 1982. The independent sound from Rock'N'Roll, Pop, Ska and Punk is wonderfully solid and is characterized by the very good lyrics and underlines the brilliant quality of this band. A reviewer writes: "The perfect soundtrack for growing up in a stuffy society that gets on your nerves with its norms and values, while you just party to good music and make out with girls." Absolutely right! They split in 1984, reformed in the late '80s with a new line-up, finally disbanded in the early Nineties.

- Great Thx to Nolti -

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DEMOCRASH - 909 DemocrashDrug 10'' 2018

To my surprise, I was asked to write a review of the following music, which is of course an honor, and I finally have time to comply with this request. The baby is called Democrash - a five-piece from Lisbon and consists of Octávio (vocals/guitar/electronics), Rui (guitars), Ricardo (bass), Vitor (saxophone/guitar/tambourine), Zé (drums). They move, according to their own statements, at on the interface of Punk, Rock, Funk, New Wave and Electro sounds. In 2015 they released their first musical work on Slightly Promiscuous Records with eight songs. At first I was a bit skeptical about the saxophone, but I have to say they stage it well and it stays in the background. The songs are varied, short numbers share the time with extremely long pieces which on the one hand underline their musical abilities and on the other hand are very pleasant to listen to. Driving and dynamic vibes mix with pleasant Punkrock and a pinch of electro beats which is very catchy and sounds anything but exhausting. Not bad for a debut. The second release came in form of a 10Inch on RagingPlanet and with this five track record they tie in seamlessly with the debut. An official review says: "the energy and determination they put into the music that comes out of their body and mind is enhanced by what they manage to convey to the listener and taster, who suddenly feels invaded by a whirlwind of sensations that make him shake." 

I can only underline that, emotional explosions packed into the appropriate musical framework that make these five interesting. Democrash are worth listening to, not all the time, but they enrich the music world with their refreshing, unpolished, independent sound and I'm sure they will reach a large fan base not only in Portugal.

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V/A - Chaos In Colombia Vol.1 2021

And a second one today with a little exotic stuff from Colombia and the Chaos series has been around for a while and this fucking record came through Tough Ain't Enough/Contra Records in a limited edition of 500 copies (200 blue, 150 yellow & 150 in red vinyl) and brings us fourteen decent Oi! smasher and it's not the smooth sound, Colombian protesters with their rebellious and defiant Streetpunk we love. "Since it looks like the social outbreak will not cease until justice is served and police stop murdering unarmed civilians all over the country, for the time being we toast to Colombian youngsters who resist by releasing this raging soundtrack." Solid compilation and something for everyone!

1.Droga De Calidad - TRIPLE X

2.Policía Del Oi! - DRUNKEN FOR OI!

3.Quién Va A La Guerra - MINISTERIO DE VAGANCIA

4.Open Your Eyes - THE ADHOCS

5.Victimas Del Miedo - INFRA

6.Tradición - ULTIMATUM

7.Cuéntame, Padre - FERTIL MISERIA

8.Sin Reacción - MUTANTEX

9.Cómplices - NO ONE'S VOICE

10.Perfección - LOS SUZIOX

11.Una Vida De Lucha - URBAN NOISE

12.La Vida Continua - DEAD HERO

13.Orgullo Capital - SKANDALO OI!

14.Dueños De La Calle - GINGER Y LOS TÓXICOS

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B'GIRLS - Fun At The Beach 7'' 1979

Now a female PowerPop goodie by the B'Girls, formed in Toronto 1977 by Lucasta (vocals/guitars), Cynthia (bass), Marcy (drums), along with Xenia (guitars), they played their first gigs at such venerable venues as the Crash'N'Burn, Club David's & the Horseshoe. The band chose the name after it was suggested by John Catto, guitarist for Diodes. 'B-Girls' were women who, in the post-World War Two era, got a take from bartenders after getting men to buy them drinks. Catto designed the band's logo and made the stencil for them; Cynthia painted all the t-shirts, the band made its own buttons and fliers, and only recorded the 'B' sides of covers because they were less expensive. They also set rules: no politics, no short skirts or shorts on stage, and no cleavage. Cynthia believes that their refusal to be sex objects was the reason they never secured a record deal. But in 1979 Greg Shaw, owner of Bomp! Records, signed them and release their only 7Inch and this shines with two amazing PowerPop goodies. They played a few gigs, booked once a month at New York's CBGB, recorded more demos and a few labels showed interest in signing them for a record deal, but that did not materialize, so in 1982 the band returned to Toronto and broke up. In 2017, all of the B-Girls demos from 1977 to 1982 were released on the compilation Bad Not Evil on Bomp! and Cynthia & Lucasta re-formed the band, with guitarist Elisa (Trash Bags) and drummer Lyla (Roya) and played several gigs in the New York area but didn't continue.

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RADICAL CHIC - Wien Ist In 7'' 1981

Radical Chic was a short-lived combo from Vienna and this is their only record on WEA Records with two nice New Wave goodies. The band were founded in the early Eighties by Annie (vocals), Werner (vocals & guitars), Thomas (bass), Hans (keyboard) and that's all infos I could find. I guess, the band was a small project to chase away boredom and implement a melody that was circling around in the brains of the Four as a long-running favorite. Well, Wien Ist In is a funky groove number while the flip is an instrumental that shows the band's musical skills, that's it.

- Great Thx to Reinhard -

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TROOPS OF THE SUN - Rehearsal For Magdeburg 18.09.2021

OK folks, now rare stuff by Troops Of The Sun which you can't buy or stream or anything like that... The band was formed after the fatal end of Serene Fall and basically picks up where it left off. No wonder, first as Carrows which made a demo and shortly thereafter renamed Troops. Parallels to the early days of Serene Fall are undeniable. The current line-up consists of Maul (vocals/guitars), Lumpi (guitars), Eddie (bass), Uli (drums) and they made one album (2019) and one 12Inch (2021). Stylistically, the four move in a dark, melancholic, almost epic sound and tell stories that are mostly unfunny and develop a real affection with hymn-like choral passages. Because all the shit around us that we face on a daily basis, makes us angry and tired, and the band manages to pound it in your face with terrifying clarity. Life doesn't mean pretending and always swallowing shit, NO! ... Life means standing by yourself and representing your ideals, regardless of the losses. And sometimes it takes bands like this to remind us not to be or become an Asshole.

Troops Of The Sun/Prophets/Youth Of Today/All Down/Circles/Vigilante/To Feed The Heart/Nova/Raining/Silenced Teenager

- Big Thx to iNgo -

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THE PARTISANS - Police Story 7'' 1981

Debut 7Inch from the Partisans fron Bridgend, South Wales with two raging catchy classics, released via No Future Records and they made an immediate splash in the thriving Punk/Oi! scene of the day with this superb one in 1981, line-up at the 1.2.3. Studios in Cardiff were Spike (vocals), Lealand (guitars), Louise (bass), Shark (drums) and I've been thinking about posting this slab for a long time, it's available on every snotty blog, but since I got it in good quality and both songs are a real NonPlusUltra, the decision wasn't difficult. Three albums stand on their biography and whether they still active is not entirely clear.

- Great Thx to Fredrik -

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DIMPLE MINDS - Durstige Männer 1990

Second effort by Ladde (vocals), Ole & Speedy (guitars), Mao (bass), Michel (drums) or better known as: Dimple Minds. After a legal battle with the bankrupt No Remorse label, the band switched to Steamhammer/SPV and Durstige Männer was then the first record and like on Trinker An Die Macht, it continues seamlessly with rude biting lyrics and metallic music (alcohol & women play a central role), which can create in Bremen. Musically, the five operate more dynamically, thoughtfully and with more variety, the riffs are still nothing more than simple Rock'N'Roll, but that fits their attitude to life. Unvarnished street rock, which therefore sounds so authentic and real. You might think they are just a drinking band, but the boys are more capable and manage to gain my sympathy. A really successful album!

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PLATZA - s/t 12'' 1982

Little to be learned about the following five from Zurich. Founded in the early Eighties by Ilia (vocals), Jörg (guitars), Wietn (bass), Urs (drums), Christoph (sax), the five individualists described their group Platza (1981-1982) as "a kind of bio-rhythm" and released in 1982 on R.F. Records their only record. Musically more towards PostPunk, the six songs are somewhere in the difficult catchy area and I can only listen to the slab at certain moments and presumably the Swisspunk scene at that time, which had excellent bands around, didn't have much access to this type of sound, especially the use of a saxophone creates goosebumps. And with the departure of the Düsseldorf bassist Wietn, there was no ground to continue. But for the great Definitiv Zürich compilation they got honored with a song.

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KILLING JOKE - Kings & Queens 12'' 1985

Yes, one more post as part of the 'Pop Classics' but we know Killing Joke differently and their heavy and slow (at least early in their career) quasi-metal sound let many fans dancing to a tune of doom and gloom. They shine with driving songs that beam you into another dimension and initially sound very Punk. The band were formed 1979 in London by Jaz (vocals/keyboards), Geordie (guitats), Youth (bass), Paul (drums) and their style emerged from the PostPunk scene, but were characterized by their harder approach and have been cited as a key influence on industrial rock & with Love Like Blood they landed a real catchy tune and became attractive in the dull society. And since I'm a bad writer, here's a solid review: "It's been a devil of a time convincing some of this band's once-ardent fans that Killing Joke are back on track in a big way with Night Time, but the excellent selections for singles off the LP have been a help. "Kings and Queens" sounds like an air raid, with Geordie's gigantic guitar reverberation thundering in your ears and Jaz Coleman's full-throated hollering taking off like a firework on July 4; in fact, the whole thing feels a little like the sound you hear at the airport as you watch a jet take off, and the chorus feels like you're being led into the planet's final battle. It's great to have them back." (Jack Rabid) - In two hours it's versus RB Leipzig, three points are needed.

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THE ROUSERS - Magazine Girl 7'' 1979

Nice PowerPop goodie by the Rousers from Broek op Langedijk, who brought me pleasant joy with their first album A Treat Of New Beat (1980), and it's a blast. The hit potential of this 7Inch wasn't recognized by the general public and the original is today a very sought record. Two versions exist with different covers. They made a total of two albums and three 7Inches and in 1982 most of the band went on to form The Thought. A delicate selection and suitable for breakfast beer.

- Great Thx to Fredrik -

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THE DEGENERATES - Fallout EP 1981

Not really new in Blogland and I have to admit, this shit passed me by, even though I've already heard some songs, EiEiEi... but Blogs are made for to change such a Dilemma.. oh yeah! So here we go: Sole release (500 copies pressed on Hit & Run Records) by the Degenerates from Houston with four brilliant killer and how popular their songs are prove the numerous Bootleg Compilations on which almost every song of this rare EP can be found. The band were the youngest combo in town and formed in the late Seventies by Kenny (vocals/guitar), Tom (bass) and Wade (drums). They played gigs at 'The Island' and 'Joe Star's Omni' with great bands like Really Red, the Angelic Upstarts, the Dicks, etc..  A retrospective album with unreleased material and live stuff (listen) was released in 2016 via RaveUp Records with more awesome Punkrock which you shouldn't miss.

- Great Thx to Fredrik -

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DIE SKEPTIKER - Harte Zeiten 1989

Now an older rip and this is the amazing first full length by Die Skeptiker from Berlin on Amiga, the East German GDR state label, and from the beginning, the band managed to hit the nerve of many supporters of the East German underground scene in the reunification period with their socially critical lyrics and often let the average consumer read between the lines. Harte Zeiten is a true historical document of a time when people of a state cried out and were fed up. Seventeen powerful smashers of youthful fury mixed with sweaty Pogo and energetic music. No beer stays warm there. Unsoftened in their attitude to life, with their usual musical energy and with the same socio-critical statements, Die Skeptiker are still on the move and cordially invite you to dance. It's weekend for me and Crete comes soon, I escaped the machine for a little while Baby! Oh yes, I also recommend their debut EP Die Anderen Bands in case you don't already know it.

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ART OF NOISE - Moments In Love 12'' 1985

We start relaxed in autumn with another band of my pop years: Art Of Noise and I remember very well my first date with them. A very good friend came up with the Close-Up 12'' back then and said it's fucking cool & kicks the shit out of you, great stuff, etc.. we listened to the slab and it was just like that. Powerful beats to an excellent rhythm that loosens the plaster from the walls. I mean, look at the soft flute music of the last few days I posted, softmusic and meine Fresse, I was too prone on that, hahaha....I needed a kick and CloseUp hit my balls total, completely new, refreshingly different and an interesting piece of feeling. Short basics: the British art-pop group established 1983 in London. They took material from a variety of sources: rock, jazz, R&B, traditional pop, found sounds, and noise all worked their way into the group's distinctly postmodern soundscapes. It kicks off after Gary Langan and JJ Jeczalik started to sample a drum riff that had been scrapped by the rock group Yes for band's album 90125 that was being produced by Trevor Horn. It was the very first time that an entire drum riff had been sampled on a Fairlight, C.M.I. sampler using the then new Page R sequencer, that allowed the programmer to sequence anything that had been sampled. At the same time Horn was setting up his to his new Zang Tuum Tumb label, co-founded by his wife Jill Sinclair, ex-NME journalist Paul Morley and with help from Langan. 

The band had a few breaks, released numerous albums and is still active and touring. I have to see if I can find the 12'' and its first record, I know they were in my collection. Moments Of Love is a chilled classic and brought the band more exposure, I think a movie helped too, and again my sensitive side screams (der rote Faden, you know). The other goodies are the 7-inch plus a more naked version, as well as Beatbox Diversion 10, a four minute pulse accelerator. Simply magical!

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