NOMEANSNO - Wrong 1989

It's time for a classic by a band that started in 1979 and thrilled me live several times with their sometimes jazzy and highly explosive sound. Wrong is the fourth album by NoMeansNo and was released through Alternative Tentacles. A bit info: Critic Martin Popoff described their music as "the mightiest merger between the hateful aggression of Punk and the discipline of Heavy Metal. Nomeansno's distinct hardcore punk sound, complex instrumentation, and dark, "savagely intelligent" lyrics inspired subsequent musicians. They are often considered foundational in the Punk Jazz and Post-Hardcore movements, and have been cited as a formative influence on the math rock and emo genres. This album is a blast from the first to the last note, powerful, dynamic, refreshing and hearty and shows the band in top form. Drummer John described it as the band's "most popular album by a country mile". When asked to speculate as to the reasons why Wrong enjoyed such relative success, John attributed it to the mainstream success of Nirvana and the rising popularity of alternative music:

"The kind of music we were playing, and then Nirvana before they got popular, and that kind of alternative...Punkrock was getting to that point where a lot of bands were just starting to get into that commercial breakthrough, and when Nirvana did, well of course that spelled the end of it all. But it sort of simmered to that point, and then people wanted to hear bands like Nirvana, which weren't Hardcore, not pop or rock, it was sort of more heartfelt music, and we were sort of caught up in that... In Europe especially, the music scene was just exploding. We completely attribute all of our success to going and playing in Europe. That's where all the buzz about us came from. We were touring throughout the States in the mid-80s, and we'd get a little bit of audience here and there, but after a couple of years in Europe, we started doing some big shows there, and all of a sudden, people in the States were coming out to our shows. And we went from getting paid $200 to getting paid $1000. It was just like that. You had to have the buzz, and then it all just kind of blew up. Every major label tried to sign every band, and then it became no longer an alternative, it sort of became co-opted by the mainstream and people moved on to hip hop and dub step and then everyone got sick of rock and roll and went to raves."

They released ten albums by 2016, I only know their first five, but NoMenasNo were one of the most extraordinary combos I was able to experience and are still worth listening to and always a good reason to buy a record. 👍

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V/A - Kuoleman Tappaneet (Punk Rockia Pienkustanteilta 1977-1983) [2017]

Interesting compilation by Svart Records which is limited to 1000 copies, with a 52 page booklet which isn't included here because I only have this lousy rip but don't want to withhold it from you, and according to the label info: "A fantastic collection of first generation Finnish Punkrock hand picked from rare private pressings, 1977-1983." Yeah, I can only agree wholeheartedly, because we find 100% rare Schöppscher from bands whose original 7inches offer outrageous prices these days and are therefore not even remotely available for us non-millionaires. One thing's sure, the record comes across in the best Killed By Bloodstains manner and I can't identify any blenders or a dull moment by the fourteen nuggets, catchy Punkrock as we know it from the early days from the far north of Europe, melodic, short and with the typical Finnish vocals. Kuoleman Tappaneet is really worth buying and if someone wants to sell a copy, mail me immediately. Brilliant Stuff!

1.ATK - TIPI & MINISTERIT

2.Teeskentelijä - TRAGEDIA

3.Rock Against Seija Isonsaari - NEUROOSI

4.Kurjat - SOS

5.Kielletyt Leikit - NIRVANA

6.Valhetta Vain - STRATUS

7.Rauhaa Ja Rakkautta - T. TORNI BAND

8.Ramptoniin - BRUPS

9.Raapimalla Rahaa - TUHTIKYMPPI

10.Mä Meen - NAUTA

11.Punkfilosofiaa - BLÄÄH

12.Elviksen Kitara - SUURKAUPUNGIN HAITAT

13.Onko Suomi Usattunut? - KASVAIN

14.Ahvenanmaa Takaisin Ruotsille - KOLLAA KESTÄÄ

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FASTBACKS - Never Fails, Never Works 1991

Let’s beam us into September with a request which was said about five months ago in the Veins post. I went to the vast expanses of my record collection and found it there, and after a long disappearance, I brought them back to life: Never Fails, Never Works was released via Blaster! records, I guess a bootleg, and we find their first two singles plus other songs from the early days. A total of twelve fantastic lost American punk nuggets which burn your house down, annoy your neighbors, and even Scotty is speechless with such great melodic stuff. Now useful information, and I have to admit, I don't know where from: "One of the few first-wave punk bands who not only survived to the end of the century but did so with their original sound and focus intact, Fastbacks were formed in Seattle, WA, by three high school friends, Kurt Bloch, Kim Warnick, and Lulu Gargiulo. Bloch and Warnick began playing guitar in high school while Gargiulo took lessons in classical guitar at age seven but never played rock & roll until joining the band (though photos she took at local rock shows caught Bloch's eye, sparking a friendship). All three shared a great enthusiasm for both Queen and the Ramones; Gargiulo also loved '60s pop music, Warnick was big on '70s hard rock, and Bloch's taste embraced both. In classic punk rock fashion, Fastbacks were born when Gargiulo saw some nameless band playing at a local punk club who were so horrible that she was convinced even she could do better. With Gargiulo teaching herself rock guitar, Bloch (drums), Warnick (bass), and a friend named Shannon Wood (vocals), Fastbacks began practicing in the fall of 1979 and played their first show the following February. Later that year, Wood dropped out, Warnick stepped up to the vocal mike, and Bloch abandoned the drums to take over as lead guitarist, resulting in a core lineup that would remain in place for the next twenty years. The band then hired the first of a very long line of drummers, fifteen year old Duff McKagen, who would leave after about a year to move to Los Angeles, where he later joined a fairly popular hard rock band (estimates at the number of drummers who have worked with Fastbacks range from 12 to 20).

In April 1981, the band released their first single, "It's Your Birthday"/"You Can't Be Happy," which found their basic sound already firmly in place -- loose, scrappy punk rock with strong pop hooks, punctuated by Bloch's Rick Nielsen-meets-Johnny Ramone guitar solos, Warnick and Gargiulo's singalong harmonies, and Bloch's songs, which struck a balance between self-effacing humor and introspective self-analysis without sounding pretentious.

Over the next ten years, the Fastbacks were a largely local phenomenon; while they gigged fairly often in and around Seattle and scored the occasional show opening for bigger bands (including the Ramones, Public Image Limited, and John Cale), like most Seattle bands of the day, their popularity failed to spread outside the Pacific Northwest. While they never broke up, the group's activities slowed down in the mid-'80s, and it wasn't until 1987 that they released their first full-length album, ...And His Orchestra. Bloch joined the Young Fresh Fellows as a guitarist in 1989 and started producing other bands; Warnick began working at the offices of Sub Pop records, and Gargiulo pursued her career as a cinematographer. But Fastbacks had a small but loyal fan base, and when Seattle became the epicenter of the rock world in 1992 in the wake of Nirvana's commercial breakthrough, the group finally began receiving national attention. Sub Pop released a collection of the band's many singles and compilation tracks that year, The Question Is No, which became their first widely distributed album; while sales were modest, the press was wildly enthusiastic. Three more albums for Sub Pop followed, with 1994's Answer The Phone Dummy offering the group the luxury of being able to record an entire album in one studio over a period of two weeks. Even more importantly, some of their local fans had become rock stars, and the Fastbacks began opening for the likes of Mudhoney and the Presidents Of The United States Of America.

The big payoff was when Eddie Vedder invited the band to open three West Coast arena shows for Pearl Jam in 1995, and then twenty eight dates in America and Europe the following year. These high-profile dates didn't propel Fastbacks in rock stardom (which they certainly weren't expecting anyway), and the band continued to schedule themselves around Bloch, Warnick, and Gargiulo's other commitments until 2002, when Warnick, to the surprise of her band mates, announced that she was quitting the band, telling a reporter "As much as those songs mean to me, I've just grown tired of having to be a singer in a rock band."

A collection of stray singles tracks and unreleased recordings, Truth, Corrosion & Sour Bisquits was released in 2004; it captured the band in typically tuneful and energetic form, and proved that the Fastbacks called it a day every bit as fresh, enthusiastic, and powerful as when they began."

Great band, great music, great record - A Must Listen!

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ÜBERDOSIS GRAU - Schritt Ins Nichts EP 1997

Powerful, energetic and ponderous mucke far from slogans with deep thought lyrics by this three-piece from Frankenthal, a small kaff in the south of Rheinland-Pfalz and Überdosis Grau exist since approx. 1993, emerged from the Slime cover band "Die Letzten" they have remained loyal to the minimalist line-up: Flo (vocals/guitar), Tobi (bass), Stefan (drums). This is their debut slab on Freibeuter Records with four goodies. Like most bands, Überdosis Grau started with cover numbers. The repertoire included songs from Toxoplasma, Ramones and Nirvana, among others. Above all, these bands shaped the style of their own songs which they mixed with a dose of depression and a bit gloom. However, pressure and speed were not saved, so that the current style of the band could develop. To date they have released two albums and on few compilations. In any case interesting band far from Pogo. Listen!

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NIRVANA - Bleach 1989

I've heard a lot of Seattle stuff this week and when I talk about this city I mean the grungers who scolded themselves Nirvana. Many of you know the second album Nevermind, which was hyped, praised and revolutionary mentioned in all shitty media and I think, the damn journalists have penetrated turn-ons pushed the band to a level they never wanted to enter, at least that's what I guess. Bleach clearly proves the musical roots of the band and is rough and unfit for radio,TV, etc.... just music for the underground people who experience real life on the edge of the shitty society, and how greedy these morons are shows that after Kurt's death in April 1994, the album led to a resurgence of popularity,  entering the Top Pop Catalog chart at number six in the week following his death, and eventually earning the top spot on May. Good for the label, Sub Pop's most-selling album release to date is the debut by Nirvana and this fuckin' stinky record is the best in my opinion what they made in their first line-up: Kurt (vocals/guitars), Chris (bass), Chad (drums), this is the CD version with two bonus cuts and you should enjoy it. Well, a long day with lots of music is coming to an end, I'm exhausted and allow myself to point out two more classics (listen) from this important and brilliant three piece from the States (and from there came so much incredible shit the last few weeks). Bundesliga is waiting, I'm gone.

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NIRVANA - Incesticide 1992

First vinyl rip and its a nice one: Incesticide is a collection of Nirvana's non-album tracks, B-sides, demos, outtakes, covers & radio broadcast recordings and I can't understand why this slab is traded so high? Surely its brilliant but not as rare as a photo of the Pope at the brothel visit, anyway.... Again a bit info from wiki: Early in 1992, Jonathan Poneman of Sub Pop contacted Gary Gersh, who had previously signed Nirvana to Geffen Records, to inform him that Sub Pop still had a number of unreleased early Nirvana recordings in their possession. The band had originally intended to release the material via Sub Pop and cynically called it Cash Cow. However, Sub Pop could not match Geffen's distribution network, and the band felt that getting the material maximum exposure was important. Sub Pop sold the recordings to Geffen for "a six-figure amount" on the condition that the band would create and approve the release of an album by Christmas 1992. At the time, the majority of the material on Incesticide was circulating within fan communities (albeit in lower quality). It was widely reported in the music press that the band wanted to offer fans a higher-quality alternative. In the book Cobain Unseen, Charles R. Cross writes that Kurt Cobain agreed to the release of this compilation because he was allowed complete control over the album's artwork. Since the songs were recorded in different sessions and some were recorded when Nirvana did not have a stable formation, the album includes recordings by four different drummers: Chad Channing, Dan Peters, Dale Crover, and Dave Grohl. Don't miss Nirvana @ Roskilde Festival 26.06.1992 and enjoy the weekend.

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JONAS - Grubby EP 1999

I can't really say how I came to this band but we have still CD days and here their five track EP from the Hamburg label L'Age D'Or. Jonas, these were four very young people, all between 17-19, from Bad Bentheim in the south of Lower Saxony, whose musical preferences were above all with Nirvana and Tocotronic. About Tocotronic Jonas also came to their first record contract. A History that sounds a bit like a movie: sometime 1997 the band goes to Bochum to watch Tocotronic live. When suddenly Jan Müller is around, they decide to give him their tape. He is excited and offers Jonas to go in a studio and made a record with them. 1998 appears as the first album on the band's label Rock-O-Tronic, assisted by Lado, called September Sex Relationship. One year later the second Sorry, I'm Sorry, Sorry. After Mathias Exler and Jan van Trieste with new Musicians had already formed a new band that would later become known as the Union Youth, Jonas announced in 2001 by email their resolution, that's the story. Musical between grunge and emotional, to enjoy their music a little video... check them out!

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PSYCHED UP JANIS - Vanity EP 1996

Second EP from this Danish combo from Sønderborg with four songs, two from their brilliant debut album 'Swell' and the flip has two live songs which were recorded at Roskilde Festival 1995 and only on this Bitch. I don't know why this band received little resonance internationally, one reason for that may Nirvana were that time the non-plus-ultra in this genre and everyone just listened to their music, on the other hand probably no one looked at the little Denmark and therefore, attention was covered. My girlfriend that time was deeply rooted in Denmark and recorded some of the band's songs on tape for me (I liked them instantly) and then in our vacation in Odense I had the opportunity to buy some albums. And each is a small masterpiece. Psyched Up Janis at home in the typical grunge section, loud & just as hard then Seattle (not so adapted) and their first self-financed EP I Died In My Teens was released in 1995 and one year later this one here. Overall they released five albums and in 1999 the band was history. I can only recommend to buy their albums, each is worth the Euros. Jakob Jørgensen (bass) later formed the band Knallert. Martin Bjerregaard (drums) toured and recorded with Australian punk-band The Saints and later joined the band Racetrack Babies. Sune (vox & guitars) has played with surf-band Tremelo Beer Gut and occasionally with Sort Sol. In 2002 he presented his new band The Raveonettes with Sharin Foo. Excellent record from an excellent Combo - Get It!!

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V/A - Live & Alive [Special] 2017

It's time again to torture you with one of my superfluous self-made compilations and since I'm a Live person, this Machwerk is full with sixteen Alive goodies from bands which I have seen live multiple times, whose records I love and being a constant companion in the past and present. Simply strong songs that impress and touch me or which I just only like. The artwork came on its own and I hope it appeals to you. Take this as a small gift and listen to it while cooking, in the train/plane, while cycling or body sport... made to play loud! 

1.Not Another Hit - DISCO ZOMBIES

2.The Traveller - A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS

3.Remember Tomorrow - IRON MAIDEN

4.Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment - RAMONES

5.Ruperts Grün - TURBOSTAAT

6.A Forest - THE CURE

7.Shot Down In Flames - AC/DC

8.In Shreds - THE CHAMELEONS

9.Chelsea Monday - MARILLION

10.Shadowplay - JOY DIVISION

11.Such A Shame - TALK TALK

12.Halleluja - RAMMSTEIN

13.Staub - MESSER

14.Walking On Both Sides - PINK TURNS BLUE

15.Very Ape - NIRVANA

16.Weiter - EA80

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NIRVANA - @ Roskilde Festival 26.06.1992

What should I write here? Everyone knows Nirvana and there are so many numerous bootlegs available after Kurt's suicide in 1994 + the sell-off thus boosted. Personally, I have never experienced them live because the hype about the band really passed me by and I had no opportunity at that time so I think: I missed something historical. Of course I bought the records then and realize how great they are and I regret, not having been there. Anyway, Kurt, Chris and Dave have caused a sensation and remain unforgotten and they proved that impressively alive and those who caught a gig can confirm this and I believe it on the basis by such awesome sound recordings too.

Intro/Aneurysm/Drain You/Stay Away/Sliver/School/In Bloom/Breed/About A Girl/Scoff/Polly/Lithium/Blew/Been A Son/On A Plain/Swap Meet/Negative Creep/Something In The Way/Come As You Are/Love Buzz/Smells Like Teen Spirit/Territorial Pissings

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SURGERY - Not Going Down 7'' 1989

Surgery was a scummy, no-holds-barred, blues-drenched post-hardcore band from Manhattan's lower east side, that included Sean McDonnell (vocals), Scott Kleber (guitar), John Lachapelle (bass) and John Leamy (drums). Signed to the noisy Amphetamine Reptile label, the band fit right in and made their full-length debut in 1991 with Nationwide. They became part of the feeding frenzy that occurred in the wake of the major label signings of Nirvana and Helmet and they made the hop to the WEA-distributed Atlantic for 1994's Shimmer. The closest, the band got to notoriety in the mainstream sense was when MTV's 120 Minutes program played that album's "Off the A-List" a couple times (not that the band cared). On January 18, 1995, McDonnell passed away, he lost the battle with asthma complications. Saddened by their loss, the remaining members of the band decided to quit. On this single two hardpunkasfuckasskicker for you.

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V/A - 14 Songs For Greg Sage & The Wipers 1993

One more true gem for a band I like a lot: This is a Wipers tribute album which was originally released as a box set of four colored 7-inch records by Tim/Kerr Records in 1992. 1993 comes this CD re-release of the album, expanded to include six additional artist covers. The Wipers were a influential punk band that began in Portland, Oregon in 1977. Greg Sage lead the group to recording many "underground" albums that created a small yet humble following with their songs about hardship, pain and frustration. This is a bunch of covers of Wipers songs, as you might have guessed. All the covers are really well done and pay a positive tribute. Quality music for any Wipers maniac.

1.Potential Suicide - NAPALM BEACH

2.Astro Cloud - M99

3.Return Of The Rat - NIRVANA

4.Up Front - POISEN IDEA

5.On The Run - DHARMA BUMS

6.I Don't Know What I Am / Mystery - CRACKERBASH

7.Over The Edge - HOLE

8.Land Of The Lost - THE WHIRLESS

9.Telepathic Love - THE NATION OF ULYSSES

10.No One Wants An Alien - HONEY

11.Tragedy - HAZEL

12.Alien Boy - CALAMITY JANE

13.Soul's Tongue - SALIVA TREE

14.Pushing The Extreme - THURSTON MOORE & KEITH NEALY

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V/A - Killed By Death #33 1998

Next round from the Redrum Records factory, 500 copies were pressed and the detectives did again a great job and put here 16 rare Killed By Death classics from punk bands around the world on this further essential compilation. The song selection is once again brilliant for my ears and there's no filler on it. Especially cool are the tracks from Soldiers Of Fortune, Victim, Charge and the finnish group Cadillac. The only drawback is this shitty cover. If you wonder about the colorful cover then just think is this a limited version?, may I give you an answer, hehe.... enjoy!

1.State Controlled Paranoia - BRIGADES
2.American Dream - SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE
3.Record Company - GANGSTERS
4.The Teen Age - VICTIM
5.Spiderman - GRINDER
6.Heute Abend - CADILLAC
7.Nazi Love - BILLY WIZARD
8.Born Yesterday - RUNNING DOGS
9.Agent Orange - X-DEFEKTORS
10.AI1 - REBEL
11.Squad Leader - DICKHEADS
12.Kuljen Kaupungilla - NIRVANA
13.Russian Spy - VULTURES
14.East Sheen - O-LEVEL
15.No Claim With Bluff & Swindle - RUDOLPH DIETRICH
16.Kings Cross - CHARGE

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WIPERS - München/Theaterfabrik 25.09.1986

The Wipers were a punk rock group formed in Portland/Oregon in 1977 by guitarist Greg Sage, drummer Sam Henry & bassist Dave Koupal. Wipers were one of the earliest American purveyors of the genre, and the group's tight song structure and use of heavy distortion has been hailed as extremely influential by numerous critics and musicians, including Nirvana, who covered several of their songs. This Gig contains 16 songs in an amazing sound quality and is definitely one of the best bootlegs out there from the band. Here i can hear me sick for hours, great song selection, for me, the Wipers are one of the bands that have influenced me greatly and always blasting out my speakers. Get this superb recordings from one of the best bands around this fuckin' planet.

Follow Blind/Straight Ahead/Anytime You Find/The Chill Remains/Mystery/Is This Real?/Different Ways/Nothing Left To Lose/Over The Edge/Your Empathy/The Search/Pushing The Extreme/When It's Over/Don't Belong To You/D7/Let Me Know

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