KNOTS - Heartbreaker EP 1980

First one today and it's a superb re-release by Knots only 7Inch with three tracks on RaveUp Records (500 copies). Info: "Back in the 1970s, Max’s Kansas City introduced many fine bands. Some of the best never got famous. Fuse, aka Knots, was one of the finest. Let’s start at the beginning: Joey Pinter (guitars) was looking to put a band together in the mid Seventies when he met ‘the loudest drummer I’ve ever heard in my life’: Niki Fuse! They recruited vocalist, Tommy Bell and began rehearsing with a parade of now forgotten bass players and began gigging at various dives in and around Manhattan. Soon, they scored gigs at CBGB and Max’s and began to attract a following that included Eric Dufaure, a former Island Records executive who asked them to record for his new label, Ideal Records. Unfortunately, band infighting had reduced Knots to Joey and Tommy, so they entered Neal Steingart’s Fly Studios in Brooklyn with replacement drummer, Jerry Ryan, and Pinter doing double duty on guitar & bass guitar! There, they recorded a few songs: the two that made it to the single, plus “Rock‘N’Roll,” “New York,” “Blinded By The Darkness", and “Glad To Be Alive“. When the finished record hit the streets in 1980, Knots became a hot commodity. I put the single on the Max’s jukebox, and Bleeker Bob’s sold out multiple copies. On Manhattan’s downtown club circuit, Knots shared bills with now-legendary outfits like the Heartbreakers, The Cramps and VON LMO, as well as headlining their own shows at Max’s. With Nick Fuse back in the drum seat and Big Tony Corio on bass, the Knots were on their way to fame and fortune! Knots also toured the nation with Johnny Thunders, but then in ‘81, Max’s Kansas City closed, CBGB went New Wave and Johnny took off for Europe. Knots broke up. Joey and Tony joined The Waldos, Fuse went on to play in a number of local groups, and Tommy disappeared. However, the Knots recordings have had a life of their own. They were covered by underground bands all over the world, used in a film soundtrack, and included on Punk Compis and so the legend has been kept alive. Through the years, only three of their recordings survived: “Action”, “Heartbreaker” & “Glad To Be Alive”, the latter released here for the first time!" (Peter Crowley)

- Great Thx to Fredrik -

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ADOLESCENTS - Balboa Fun Zone 1988

3rd album on Triple X Records by the Adolescents, titled after the "Balboa Fun Zone" amusement area of Balboa Peninsula, Newport Beach, it is the band's only album recorded without singer Tony "Reflex" Brandenburg, who had left the group the prior year. Electing not to replace him, guitarist Rikk Agnew and bassist Steve Soto alternated lead vocals on this. The album also features the return of original Adolescents guitarist Frank Agnew (Rikk Agnew's younger brother), who had been absent from their prior album, 1987's Brats In Battalions. Balboa Fun Zone is also the final Adolescents studio album to include Rikk Agnew & drummer Sandy Hanson. The band broke up in April 1989, reuniting in later years with different lineups. In a retrospective review, Stewart Mason of AllMusic gave the album 3 stars out of 5 and said that Soto and Rikk Agnew's split songwriting and vocal performances " give the album an appealingly varied sound that ranges from the anthemic rocker 'Just Like Before' to the engagingly loose, Johnny Thunders-like 'It's Tattoo Time'. Best of the lot are the two entirely different tunes named after the album title, the smoking hardcore 'Balboa Fun Zone (Riot On The Beach)" and the much poppier, '60s-inspired 'Balboa Fun Zone (It's in Your Touch)'. Worst of the lot is a sloppy, basically pointless cover of John Lennon's 'Instant Karma!' Although there's little that truly stands out besides Agnew's anti-drug anthem 'Alone Against The World', the album is so consistently rocking and good-humored that it's a more entertaining listen than their uneven earlier records."

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SUBWAY - One Way Subway 12'' 1979

Last today with this rare gem and then is here one week pause.

Subway starts already as a famous hippie band from 1969 to 1972 and in 1976 they leave this image and do what they really born for: Punk! The group performs with wonderful nicknames like Pete the Screamer, Robbie Rauser, Pretty Paul Morelli, Mr. Tid Solo and Wes the Whipper. Performances take locations including The Bronx, on Punk Pop on Martinikerkhof during Summer Manifestation on July 29, 1977 and opening for Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers on 24 November 1977. Subway surfs along on the waves of the "Groninger Springtij", the country is going in and making records. National highlights include four performances in February 1978 at the Paradiso in Amsterdam. A live recording "Working For The Company" appears on the compilation 'Keihard En Swingend!', with an action photo of Pete the Screamer on the cover. Through the Amsterdam punk label No Fun they released their first 7inch Jesus Loves Me. In October 1978, the group leaves for England for a tour. Their music is quite Rock'n'Roll punky and the rocking rhythm & blues sound is brilliant. The group visit Berlin and a tour following in the Netherlands. In 1979, the mini-album One Way Subway came out on Universe Productions with six ass-kickin' smasher with nice lyrics. In 1983 the group takes final leave on the My Generation Festival.

Have a great time, enjoy music and the Sun!

- Special Thx again to Nolti -

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ZERO BOYS - Vicious Circle 1982

I'm in a hurry so I don't talk much but use the information I have: the Zero Boys are a hardcore punk quartet from Indianapolis, Indiana fronted by Paul Mahern. Other members include bassist Scott Kellogg, drummer Mark Cutsinger and guitarist Dave Lawson. When he walked into Keystone Recording in Indianapolis on August 18, 1981, Zero Boys singer Paul Mahern told producer/engineer John Helms he wanted his band's debut LP to "sound like the Germs' GI," released two years prior. "He really nailed it!" laughed Mahern recently. Much agreed: Few records have ever sounded this whizbang buzzing. And whereas GI transformed an appallingly shambolic L.A. band into a shocking powerhouse, Vicious Circle merely snared a smokin' Indiana band that'd been rehearsing five hours a day — so tight they spun this corker out in just two days, by recording live together.

It still bursts out of your speaker on CD as it did off a needle when released on Nimrod records 19 years ago. Terry Hollywood's razor-zinging guitar and Tufty Clough's Speedy Gonzalez' bing-bing-bing bass playing (fastest fingers in the Midwest) burn like blowtorches, and drummer Mark Cutsinger plays like he IV'ed amphetamines. Mahern sings like a hurrying rabbit, rapid-firing words about assassinations/celebrity-shootings, anti-nostalgia, having a "high time," and, well, doing speed. Whereas other records of the new hardcore scene tried to sound tough, this was like Johnny Thunders, Sex Pistols, Ramones, Dictators, and S.L.F. on 45, smiling like dopes. Reissued with two bonus tracks from the same session, Vicious Circle remains a vicious pleasure of frenzied attitude, chops, speed, tight playing, and rocket-launching zeal. (Jack Rabid)

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HEARTBREAKERS - One Track Mind EP 1977

After a long working day, now a classic and certainly no strangers for the most of you. "The Heartbreakers are an influential 1970s New York punk act formed by Johnny Thunders (guitar/vocals and principal songwriter) and Jerry Nolan (drums) after they quit the New York Dolls, along with Richard Hell (vocals/bass) who had just left Television. Several months after intially forming the band, the trio added rhythm guitarist Walter Lure (vocals/guitar). The band quickly became one of the most popular and well-known underground bands in New York City, headlining shows at CBGB, Mother's (located across from the Chelsea Hotel), and Max's Kansas City." This three song EP came out via Track Record and was taken from their only studio album L.A.M.F. and kickin' very well, including a live piece and a famous cover version of an oldie. I like it, and it's good to hear the old stuff again.

- Great Thx to Reinhard -

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MYSTERY GIRLS - These Boots Are Made For Walkin' 7'' 1983

A classic one with this all-female band, the Mystery Girls from the States with their debut 7inch on Casino Records. Side A offers a nice cover version of Lee Hazelwood's classic while the flip 'Ego' is a catchy powerpop cracker and for me the winner. A short review brings it to the point: "A weird mixture here. The geetars on the old Nancy Sinatra hit are restrained and tasteful, but on "Ego", the Mystery Girls really cut loose with dirty rock 'n' roll riffing à la Johnny Thunders. Cool as hell. - Jeff Bale (from Maximum RockNRoll #6, May/June 1983) - Wonder why they are not on any compilations or am I missing something there? Anyway, maybe someone change this sometime.

- Special Thx to Fredrik -

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LES CORONADOS - Rien (Dont Je N'Ai Besoin) EP 1982

Four piece from Paris with their debut EP, called the Les Coronados and they had become cults during their lifetime. Born in the middle of the 70's in Limoges on the benches of the National Superior School of Ceramics, Bernard and Dominique (guitars), Yves (bass) and Berko (drums) land in the 18th district of Paris and the quartet will remain faithful to its neighborhood and its rehearsal cellar throughout its existence. The first EP including three sung in French and one cover of Alex Chilton recorded "at home" and is the only weapon of Berko who found a job & leaving the group. Dilip joined as new drummer and operates from the second 45t which came 1983 with again three French and a Beefheart cover. Their aesthetic garage sound seduced fanzines and free radios, Les Thugs and Johnny Thunders want them as support. In 1984 they released their first record N'Importe Quoi on Romance Records which confirms that the rock dandies have a wild elegance plus crazy talent. This doesn't prevent Dominique leaving the group without any explanation. So it's this formation and it tooks over five years to release the second and great album Un Lustre via Accord. Yet sales doesn't follow despite a rave press review and the band brokpe up. Recommendation: Paink (French Punk Anthems 1977​-​1982) compilation. And now enjoy four wild garage goodies and tomorrow the first semi-final :)

- Great Thx to François -

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ZEB & THE FAST ONES - Raggare Beware + 1 EP 1983

One more highlight from Sweden today with Zeb & The Fast Ones from Linköping and they released two incredible 7Inches in the early Eighties on Eugen Records. And Ola tells you a bit about the band that is captured on B-Sound which I of course reproduce here for you lazy bitches: "This is the story about Zeb & The Fast Ones as I can remember it. All I will tell has hopefully happened and it is in fairly right order as I remember it. You should remember that it was over seventeen years since Zeb and the fast ones were active, so to you who think you can the history better I hope you will overlook. Spring 1983, Zeb were established by Ola (vocals), Lärm (guitars), Martin (bass) and Ove (drums). All members had known each other since nine-year compulsory school. With just a pocketful of own songs and some cover we made our live entrance the summer 83 on an outdoor event in Valla. With about the same number of tunes the band did enter Bosses studio the fall 83 to record what became our first single Raggare Beware. After this a number of plays at home ground. Especially was a play at Kvinnebygården when we entered the stage without guitarist, not the worlds most successful concert but it was appreciated by all who at this time liked experimental music. Zeb & The Fast Ones did also manage the trick to go outside Linköping.

Sometime the winter 83/84 the way was to Stockholm and the famous stage Tre Backar. We were the last band on stage this evening and the arranger cut the power just after a pair of tunes, not exactly what we had expected. A play same winter in Jönköping resulted that we got the opportunity to be warm-up band to Peter and the test tube babies. 6. June 1984 we entered the stage in Jönköping’s cultural art center accordingly for the biggest audience we ever should meet. If we had been some older and more experienced we should certainly solve this mission better, but as I remembered the play (or the little I remember) we mangle as possessed by a devil and then the result was accordingly. Well, 1984 was a delicious time and to Jönköping many of that times celebrities as Black Flag, G.B.H, Adicts and Johnny Thunders. It was also at that time the second Zeb single was recorded. If it was at the spring or the autumn I cannot say. Worth to be mentioned about the second recording was that Bosse had become tired of our huge consumption of medium-strong beer and gave us the advice to drink strong spirits then it should result in a lower amount of empty bottles.

On autumn 1984 also a second guitarist was recruited named Finken and the time with him was however very short. The tune writing accelerated autumn 84 but the writing of lyrics didn’t. At a concert on Arbis with its fine old traditions (as warm-up for the Vibrators) certainly 3-4 tunes lacked a real text. This caused me and also Martin change our roles. Thus I started to play bass and Martin began to sing. It showed to not work either and the consequence was that Martin left the band in spring '85. Myself I throw in the towel after an outdoor concert in Trädgårdsföreningen the summer 1985.

Some time a wise man said probably: "If you want to quarrel with your mates you should establish a punk band". Exactly this happened Zeb & The Fast Ones. The personal chemistry might not have been the best from the beginning and the fact that all members had different opinion on how seriously you should look at things did not make the situation better. Anyway we were a Punk band in the crowd, not better than or worse than anybody else and the memory still lives as a batch of wear singles as from time to time change owner on some vinyl fair. We had our moments and I still remember this period with happiness."

So folks, many thx to Ola for his authentic impressions and now: ENJOY!

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