ZÄPO - Född Kanonmat 7'' + Fyra Låtar 12'' 1982

For over a year this file is unseen around here, finally I make acquaintance with them: Zäpo (Swedish Police is called SÄPO) is a band from Partile, near Gothenborg and was founded by Bjarne Olsson (bass & vox), Johan Andersson (guitar) and Jörgen Tjusling (drums). They released one 7inch and a 12'' on Nacksving before they disbanded. The band is very unknown presumably they had a lot of gigs only in Gothenburg and environment and their records pressed in limited editions. Who Knows? Certain is that the three celebrate an exquisite Punk Rock sound with tempo and potential. After the Zäpo years Bjarne & Johan started Walther (later The Sonic Walthers) and Johan played with Johan Johansson in KSMB. Compilations: GBG Punk Volym Två - 1980-1984 and 33 Till (Svensk Punk/New Wave/Synth 1977-1982). Grab it!

- Special Thx to Fredrik -

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STUMPF AG - Amerika 12'' 1983

So all you nerds, today is the 5th one without Äppler and I rummage in my treasure box and put out this classic record of my favorite Bremer label Heimat Records. A fantastic and rather unknown german Punk/Wave 12inch and all the covers are hand-sprayed and unique. It's told that label owner Wolfgang Stettler denies that this 12' has officially been released at all but the band got some hundred copies for which they planned to have individual covers but only made around 100 which had a cover (the rest was given away for free without sleeve at concerts). Stumpf AG came from Nuremberg and chances are low that copies of this record will find the way outside of that area. The only other recording they did was for the Nuremberg compilation Die Welt Ist Klein (falls den jemand hat würde ich mich freuen über nen Rip!). All four goodies shine with a brisk pace, great sound and critical lyrics (yeah, we love america, our army too...). Was soll ich erzählen? Scheißgeile Platte von einer sehr coolen Band aus'm Stoiberland, macht Lust auf mehr. Fuckin' rare and fuckin' good!

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FINGERPRINTZ - Distinguishing Marks 1980

The 2nd full length by Fingerprintz on Virgin Records is a solid filthy fingernails scratch away album with ten goodies. Brilliant cleanings combined with cool tools, just the right sound after a long drunken night. I've never heard so far a single tone from the London boys but I'm impressed, runs well. Fingerprintz formed 1978 in London, by singer and songwriter Jimme O'Neill (guitarist by Adam & the Ants): "to give at least some authority to market the term new wave". The quartet played melodic powerpop/rock, simple but elegant arrangements. After the release of the third and latest album Beat Noir (1981) O'Neill decided to dissolve the group. In 1987, along with Burns, he founded The Silencers, which had a far greater commercial success than Fingerprinz. That's It! Enjoy!

- Special Thx to Fredrik -

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BEAST - Empire 7'' 1980

Puhhh, back from a nice BBQ evening and I'm really through. I realize my age and I can't not go like before. Argh, fuck it! I live only once, fuck God and all those empty promises.... Today was quite stormy, like at the sea.... love this - A quick post before I lay myself to bed: Beast were british post/punk band and this 7'' was published by Thrill Records. The A-side is a solid piece of punk while the B-side is mostly lame pop. However, two tracks worth listening to. About the band itself  I have no further information. Good Night!

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NEW ORDER - Never, Never Play Berlin Again 1984

Another highlight here in my blog is the bootleg record from a band which I will not say much, you all know them and love or hate their records and you can find lots of information in the Web. New Order were formed 1980 in Manchester, shortly after the suicide of Ian Curtis (Joy Division, Warsaw) they released a lot of awesome albums (my faveourite one is the first LP called 'Movement') and a lot of bad and cool bootlegs. This here is a cool one. The sound quality is quite good and the song selection too. And if you should ask about the title then you will hear that the singer and the band were not amused about the audience. I don't know what happens at the gig but the boys are really pissed and if somebody of You out there was present I would like to here what went wrong. Maybe the mixer or the sound acoustic was bad or anything else. - Well at least it's a long time ago I heard New Order albums and so it comes to this rip and it was a good idea or, hahaha... - The plate cracked a little bit but I don't think the sound goes in a trashcan (Well, that's the deal with unoffical releases). Anyway, enjoy this nice sound right now and I hope I get the whole story.

Lonesome Tonite/Your Silent Face/Dreams Never End/The Japanese One/Thieves Like Us/Confusion/586/Temptation

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PANIK - Les Troubadours Du Chaos 12'' 1983

For those unfamiliar this legendary group, Panik was one of the first French punk groups which were founded in Paris, October 1981. The surreal voice of the singer and musicians unbridled have brought this group in the legend of French Punk. They released their first album in 1983, followed by the famous cover of Edith Piaf's "Non Je Ne Regrette Rien" which was on the awesome LP compilation called 1984: The First Sonic World War. They were very influential in the early 80's french punk scene. 7 songs with a total playing time over 30 minutes are quite unusual for a punk LP and that's not bad. Snotty guitars, driving rhythms and a powerful dirty sound: Hell Yeah!

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EXPLOSION SACK - What's Joke!? EP 2000

We come now to something completely different, hahaha... Trash Punk from Japan and this is probably the bands only release. And who likes Japanese punk/hardcore you can not pass this combo. All four songs go on like a rocket and somehow they all sound the same. A chord in order to enslave them all! The boys kick off famously with their snotty punk rock style, a damn crack in the wall and a visit of your neighbors is guaranteed (you know what to do), and I'm not though in Japanese punk but this here changed my view and I must say that I like to re-learn. A brilliant EP with compromise hardness and if you a text freak who needs to sing along then you as always out of place because you don't not understand a word. Therefore in case such releases need a lyric sheet inside. So also here. Any questions?

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WBT - Får Vi Vara Med...? 1980

Once again a Killer!!!! record from the Wanted-List and I'm glad I can finally hear this fantastic album. Fredrik, your the man!!!! From Linköping were WBT which literally means "Who bite Torsten" and this is their only record, released by the Swedish label Stage & Music in 1980. Twelve fuckin' cool songs and every tune kicks and rolls with no pause. Right from the start the four guys pushing the speed high and set this without exception consistently on. Driving guitars, moderate pace, nice short solos and a brilliant sound, simply sensational. Usually if I like a LP after the first listening I put it soon into a corner or lose the memory but here I think it's different. It's a long time ago since I've heard such a damn cool album where everything fits. The only deficit: with 30 minutes playing time far too short. I talk too much praise again and I let it now be, so you have to steal this record when you see a copy.

- Extra Big Thx to Fredrik -

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BRUTAL VERSCHIMMELT - s/t LP 1983

One proper release on Rock-O-Rama is the only record of Brutal Verschimmelt, active from 1980-1984 the band was founded in Kempten and wrote rock history in the local scene. The quartet captivated with an incredibly rude, rough punk sound, the constant obtained mainly with the twelve songs on the self-titled debut album for posterity. In 1980, Carlo Kallen, along with school friends, founded the band Adolf Streit & Die NS Verbrecher, renamed in Psychorotz and finally Brutal Verschimmelt. First concerts took place in the Allgäu region with B.Trug. B.Trug had at that time a record deal with Rock-O-Rama from Brühl and mediated also Brutal Verschimmelt there. A demo was sent to Herbert Egoldt who took the band under contract. Egoldt invited the band in May 1983 to Cologne where they recorded their debut album in 16 hours. Egoldt himself produced the LP. A self-designed record covers with an antiwar collage was rejected by Egoldt and replaced by a skeleton warrior with mohawk who fights against a kind of monster. In the insert the lyrics of the band were not printed, presumably because Egoldt already flirted at this time with the nazi rock market. The band find out about it during the submission of their 100 free copies. Then they smeared these LPs and deposited with a supplement, in which they agreed to. Shortly after the release of their debut album, the band broke up after drummer Franz got out and the band find no substitute. Carlo Kallen later played in the Ewings, Chili Confetti and Die Üblichen. Over the years, the album became a wanted rarity. The album was launched in 1990 for a second time without the band was informed. In January 2013 re-released as a double-LP called Und Die Zukunft Ist Doch Rot on Höhnie Records which contains the album, the demo tape and a live recording of 25.February 1982. On the occasion of this re-issue three original members decided in June 2013 to go on tour for nine events in Germany. That's the story so far and now hark to this legendary sound pleasure.

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8TH ROUTE ARMY - Nihilist Olympics 1985

After releasing some 7inches the East Cost Boston punks put out their debut album 1985 at 1 Dimensional Records. And I don't know why this album is quite cheap?? OK, it's certainly not a milestone in the history of US punk but it's attractive I think. The album is divided with old songs (a-side) and new stuff and full with simple 3-chord-melody-punk with singalong choruses, but partly also (especially in the new songs) beautiful, soulful tracks that can't hardly be put into any drawer. Even the punk detectives discovered them for the Killed By Death #100 compilation and 'Vice Presidente' is a superb punk track. "Nihilist Olympics works as a musical history that traces the high energy simplicity of hard core punk through more complex melodic neo-pop." (Jay Savage, The Heights, Volume LXI, Number 10, 18 April 1989). So for me this is a great record, which is a half of good punk rock, the other slower & more serious and simply brilliant original music.

- Special Thx to Fredrik -

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