ISOCRACY - Bedtime For Isocracy EP 1988

Well, if I just lay in bed and watched fucking TV that wouldn't be the worst option for this shitty gray month, but today I'm home and did some rips. And today a fresh one from a band that was more of a short project and as it is with all sort of them, they are usually mercilessly awesome and their few records are very sought after these days. Today we find Isocracy from California and this four piece consisted of Jason (vocals), Lenny (guitars), Martin (bass), Al (drums) and this record saves your day. Released via Lookout Records and this little dittie has eleven songs ready for your deaf ears, but half of which are none, they're rather funny gimmicks and the last song, which according to the cover lasts almost eight minutes, is a small message that is constantly repeated in the outlet groove and is clearly understandable. They have an excellent sense of humor. The record came out in different versions and no matter which one you have, you have a fucking awesome piece of US Punk history. And with this beauty is a request fulfilled and at the end you get a wonderful review: With the music being a mixture of speeded-up quality Flipper and early Minor Threat, this record kicks it with Hardcore anthems that cover such topics as love, Gilman St. Project, anarchy, and all-out wackiness. The band’s smart-ass sense of humor is in abundance throughout the lyrics, packaging, and general concept. Equally abundant is the band’s “we can do whatever we want” attitude, which is a pleasant relief in these days of professionalism. This be great! (Martin Sprouse, MRR #57 • February 1988) And now it's time for breakfast and chilling, see you tomorrow.

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ADMIT YOU'RE SHIT - Expect No Mercy.... If You Cross Your Real Friends EP 1985

Debut record by this four piece from London and Admit You're Shit consisted of John (vocals), Jom (guitars), Sean (bass), Rim (drums). Founded in 1984, they managed to made two releases during their short existence, this EP and an album (12Inches Of A.Y.S. Are You Sure?) in 1986. Both records were released via the Conflict label Mortarhate Records and received a lot of positive response by the consumers. They often shared the stage with the Anarcho mates but mostly stayed away from political topics. Six short smasher on this goodie plus a cool Minor Threat cover and an explosive short start to the grayest month of the year and highly listenable. In 2004, Mortarhate Records reissued both of the band's releases on one CD called "Someplace Special" with seventeen standout blasts. Enjoy!

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AMDI PETERSENS ARMÉ - Blod Ser Mere Virkeligt Ud På Film EP 2002

Now an older post and I thought this sucker is guest in this program, but false alarm... time for change and here it is: Amdi Petersens Armé is a raw Hardcore combo from Copenhagen and this is their second 7Inch on Havoc Records and six trashy intense goodies were recorded by Amdi Peter (vocals/guitars), Tommas (bass) and Skralle (drums) in March 2002 and if you like early U.S. Hardcore stuff then this is the right shit for your sensitive ears. After a tour through the USA in summer 2002, they broke up. A few members went on to perform in Gorilla Angreb and No Hope For The Kids. For anyone unfamiliar, APA played early-’80s-style hardcore that got many comparisons to early Minor Threat, though they were always a bit more complex than that, and certainly transcended the harDCore comparisons by the time of their second EP. Interesting to know that in 2013 Hjernespind Records released a Discography which features both EPs plus compi tracks, their demo & some unreleased songs, limited edition of 200 LP's, I take it!

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MISCAST - s/t EP 1990

Miscast were Lothar (vocals), Thomas (guitars), Didi (bass), Stefan (drums) and formed around September 1983 by people in and around Olten, at a time when American hardcore swept into Switzerland. Back then I was working with Felix Fischer at Jamming Distribution and we were probably the first in Switzerland who were trying to sell stuff like This Is Boston Not L.A. & Flex Your Head comps, 7Inches and 12Inches by SS Decontrol, Negative Approach, Minutemen, White Cross, Minor Threat and the like. Miscast played somewhere around thirteen shows in Switzerland, among them one supporting Toxic Reasons and another playing after Die Toten Hosen. There were several smaller gigs too, one of them we did along with Haine Brigade at an anarchist meeting in Lamastre (France) on July 13th, 1984. It was a time bereft of enthusiasm (the "Youth Movements" had been crushed), various gangs of fascist scums kept attacking gigs, Punks beat up on each other, and so forth. There wasn't very much happening in the way of bands either, most of them were musically and ideologically still rooted in '77, except for a few... GKH for example, from Baden, who were very young (average age: 15) and therefore had quite a devil-may-care approach (meaning guitars with strings missing etc.). Still, they managed to get one song on the second Flipside compilation.

One of them also published the first Swiss hardcore fanzine before he changed sides and became a nazi-skin (with all but the drummer and their later bassplayer doing likewise... The drummer is now in Jaywalker). Brutal Menekken, Decontrol, Attax and Kosili too were early, moderate (and tame!) attempts at hardcore. None of them, however, were quite as fast, original and hard as Miscast. But sometime in Autumn 1984 the story had already come to an end, about half a year after the Miscast demotape was released on Stechapfel-Vertrieb. (words by Simon and translated from the liner notes.) - Cool Eighties Stuff!

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MINOR THREAT - Live @ Buff Hall EP 1988

We stay loud, fast and wild and all the songs were recorded live @ Buff Hall, Camden 20.November 1982 and was released via Lost And Found Records. And this was not initially supported by Minor Threat. When the band became aware of it, they accepted compensation (200 copies) for the first pressing rather than making a legal challenge. In the meantime there have been numerous reprints and I have to say: it is good to listen to this record. Pure energy and absolutely ingenious and for all those of you who didn't make it to a gig of the four, a splendid sound document by one of the most important Hardcore bands from Washington.

12 X U/Small Man Big Mouth/Filler/Out Of Step/It Follows Me/Little Friend/I Don't Wanna Hear It

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DAG NASTY - Can I Say 1986

Solid melodic punk stuff from Dag Nasty, founded in Washington D.C. 1985 by guitarist Brian Baker of Minor Threat, Colin Sears (drums) and Roger Marbury (bass), both of Bloody Mannequin Orchestra, and Shawn Brown (vocals). Their style of less aggressive, melodic hardcore was influential to post-hardcore; their sound was partly influenced by The Faith and their Subject To Change EP ('83). Brian said in “Filmage”, the documentary about Descendents, that he started Dag Nasty as a direct inspiration from them. Shawn was the first vocalist with whom the band recorded unreleased versions of most of the material that later made up their first release "Can I Say", which featured former roadie and new singer Dave Smalley of DYS. Dave left the band to attend grad school at New York University before a summer tour with the Descendents. A new singer, Peter Cortner, was found after the band placed an ad in a local paper and the tour was kept. After touring half the US opening for the Descendents, the band went home and recorded new material that wasn't released until years later. After a few more local shows, the band broke up in the fall of 1986. Brian went to L.A. to start a new band with Doug Carrion and half of Doggy Style called Doggie Rock. After releasing one album under the Doggie Style name, Doggie Rock broke up and Brian reformed Dag Nasty in early 1987 with Peter, Colin & Doug replacing Roger Marbury, who declined to rejoin. Months later, the band recorded and released "Wig Out At Denkos", including re-recorded versions of the late 86' tape and new material.

1988 saw the release of their album "Field Day" on Giant Records which was distributed by Dutch East India. It was an ambitious album, often generating sharply polarised appraisals from fans: many hated it and many loved it. Field Day attempted to blend pop melodies with hardcore and metal riffs even further than previously attempted on Wig Out. The result was, at times, uneven but helped to usher in a new style of hardcore with more controlled playing, guitar effects, acoustic elements and slower tempos. The band split up shortly after touring for Field Day ended. Excellent debut, with "a singing which is delivered in a convincing emotive way and instrumentally there are some quality tasty riffs to dig into."

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NEGATIVE GAIN - Back From The Dead 1986

Before I enjoy myself with soccer tonight this Killer debut album by Negative Gain from Toronto. A short Band History (by Grant Slavin): Negative Gain was founded in Toronto, Ontario by Peter Warner who wrote all of the lyrics and provided rehearsal space in his basement. Filling out the lineup was Grant C. Slavin on guitar, Steve Currie on bass, and Andrew Mosely on drums. All members were in their mid-teens at the time. Their influences included Minor Threat, Millions Of Dead Cops, the Misfits, and the Dead Kennedys, as well as local TO bands Direct Action and Sudden Impact. Negative Gain got their first break in '83 when we were asked by local Toronto promoter Jill Heath to open for Jodie Fosters Army at the city's legendary punk club The Turning Point. After the show Pete and Grant went skateboarding with JFA. The evening was documented in a subsequent issue of Thrasher as JFA's guitarist Don Pendelton was writing a column for the rag documenting their tour. Other memorable Negative Gain gigs around this time include warming up for bands like the Circle Jerks, Gang Green, the Descendents and 7 Seconds. The young thrash band soon went from listening to their favorite bands' records on a daily basis to hanging out with them backstage and stealing their beer rider! More help from Jill Heath came when the promoter sent Negative Gain's 1985 demo tape, Attack Of The Killer Bears, to Pushead for review. Pushead evidently like the tape so much that he offered to release a full-length LP for the band on his Pusmort label. Negative Gain recorded their album in Oakville, Ontario in about five hours on a Saturday afternoon, as studio time was limited to what the young band could afford to spend on the recording. The session was produced by Brian Taylor of the Toronto band Youth Youth Youth.

Sadly, Pete Warner committed suicide not too long after the recording was completed, and never lived to see its release. His last gig with the band was with Toronto's Bunchofuckingoofs. Negative Gain continued on as a three-piece for about two more years, before splitting in the late 1980s.

I recommend you visit Stormy's Blogged & Quartered blog where the full Discography 1985-1986 is waiting for you. Great Record!

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MINOR THREAT - Complete Discography 1989

A real treat comes from Washington and I guess you all know this great band. Minor Threat were formed 1980 in Washington by vocalist Ian MacKaye and drummer Jeff Nelson. MacKaye and Nelson had played in several other bands together, and recruited bassist Brian Baker and guitarist Lyle Preslar to form Minor Threat. They added a fifth member, Steve Hansgen, in 1982. The band was relatively short-lived, having disbanded after only four years together, but had a strong influence on the punk scene, both stylistically and in establishing a "do it yourself" ethic for music distribution and concert promotion. Minor Threat's song "Straight Edge" became the eventual basis of the straight edge movement, which emphasized a lifestyle without alcohol or other drugs, or promiscuous sex. I remember that I borrowed the Out Of Step slab from a friend and this music shot directly into my veins. The fabulous lyrics, the aggressive fast music and the way the four transports all that is almost unique und alive a fantastic valve to turn anger into positive energy. This release is a real damn blast!

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V/A - Best Of Limp 1980

Limp Records was an independent record label based out of Rockville, Maryland that operated from 1978 until 1982. Run by Skip Groff out of his Yesterday and Today Records store, Limp was one of the first labels releasing music from the nascent D.C. punk scene. The label's more notable output includes the first Bad Brains release (a song on The Best of Limp (… Rest of Limp), the second Minor Threat record (a split release with Dischord), and the first record by Black Market Baby. The label's first release was the Slickee Boys second EP. 1000 copies released, comes in a plain cardboard sleeve with two 11.75" x 11.75" flats. Back cover of the regular issue is rubber stamped with a number (the test press back is pictured). Full recording details in the file. A fine release with massive hits!!

1.Gotta Tell Me Why - SLICKEE BOYS

2.Secrets - NIGHTMAN

3.Go Back - D.CEATS

4.Question Of Temperature - SLICKEE BOYS

5.Something To See - NURSES

6.I Made A Mistake - D.CEATS

8.Red Cadillac & A Black Moustache - TEX RUBINOWITZ

9.Do Wah Diddy - THE RAZZ

10.Drunk & Disorderly - SHIRKERS

11.Broken Promises - PENETRATORS

12.I Love You - SLICKEE BOYS

13.Viola D'Amour - NURSES

14.Don't Bother Me - BAD BRAINS

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