BOXHAMSTERS - Wir Kinder Aus Bullerbü 1988

Stayin' still in the 80s and travel to 1988. 1988 was a good year, I quit my job, my girlfriend was cheating me, I bought the third EA80 record and met the Boxhamsters. An album that accompanied me since its appearance, the debut record from the Boxis, released 1988 on the band's own label Bad Moon Records. No idea why but for some time this record always buzzing around in my head, so I search for it and ripped it now. And while listening to all the wonderful memories come back, the gig here in KOZ, the wild ride to the Oettinger Villa in Darmstadt, where they played with EA80 and I remember I was sittin' in the backstage room and eat all the delicious salmon sandwiches and talked with the Mönchengladbach guys. Oh yes, those were the good times! Today I'm no longer very mobile because I have a job who calls me and my driving license is in Flensburg on vacation. But back to the album. With their debut, the Boxhamsters have delivered a masterpiece of German punk rock, at that time D-punk was somehow asleep and there was not much new or interesting. With their schrammel bumpy sound and brilliant personel lyrics, which are far from heroic or flat, they managed the leap to the forefront and most of the songs still belong in their live repertoire. No wonder why, songs like "In Dieser Zeit", "Verwirrt", "WoStehtDieUhr" plus the instrumental "Calzone Und Seine Killer" still sound fresh and not antiquated. - In 1991, singer Co, Drummer Ulf and Junge from EA80 formed the side project Die Böse Hand and they released several singles with mostly cover versions and a CD with all previous publications (coming soon). So enjoy this great album with twelve (+ the bonus CD track) punk goodies from Gießen's finest.

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F.F.F. - Electric Violin Trash 1989

F.F.F. (short for Frieden, Feiän, Ficken) was a punk rock band from Bonn, founded in November 1983. The first appearance was on 18 February 1984, at a hippie party and ended with the fact that the longhairs grabbed their instruments and playing never-ending droning solis and improvisations and solos.... The first record came then in 1986 and has fout brilliant punk tunes and was limited to 1000 copies, called 'Arbeit Macht Dumm'. The sound is pretty hard and very direct and devastating out from the speakers. Most striking is certainly the violin. It's damn cool to hear in a noisy sound a violin and it's really crashing! Just to burst. There are more concerts to go and F.F.F. was now really there! They played several times in Italy (and elsewhere) and were good friends of UPSIDE, a combo from Milan. "Electric Violin Thrash" was then released in 1989 on Hyperactive Records. On 19th Februray 1994 shows the bands last appearance in Bonn at the BLA.

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PROBLEMS? - Katupoikia 1980

Lots of damn good releases came from the far north of Europe and the next goodie is the debut record by Problems? They are a Finnish punk band from Helsinki, built around Tumppi Varonen (vocals), Stefan Piesnack (guitars), Häkä (bass), Droppis (drums) and Rubberduck Jones (additional guitar on the live side) which for many years has played with punk pioneer Pelle Miljoona. The band was founded in the late 70s, inspired by Ramones and Sex Pistols and became popular with their first single "Ei Tää Lama Päähän Käy" (original on Love Records, in 2012 re-released) which is a fuckin' killer song. There's a lot of energy in their music and it's not easy for me to play this record quiet, haha... Particular mention is here the A Side is full of studio recordings while the B side were recorded live at Tavastia Club, Kill City in Summer 1979. I think this is one of the first LP's with this dichotomy, I like this idea because I'm a friend of live stuff. During certain periods, the group performed under the name Tumppi Varonen & Problems? and in 2011 they are more than alive and kicking, because this year they released a live album (Suora Lähetys) with bursting excitement. Let's revive the fresh young years again!

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ABRASIVE WHEELS - 7inch Collection 1981-1984

Back in Europe we visit Leeds and meet Abrasive Wheels and listen to their zippy forward punk rock. This file contains five 7inches and 'The Prisoner' 12'' with all artwork. Rapid music and my first touch was 'Burn Em' Down' from the Punk & Disorderly III compilation which is a damn classic. I like their kind of sound and this is exactly the stuff which stands high on my agenda (jaja, the glory old days....). They released two albums in the 80s and one in 2009 and are on massive comps. represent. Abrasive Wheels were Shonna Rzonca (vox), Dave Ryan (guitar), Harry Harrison (bass) and Nev Nevison (drums). More info in the file. That's it for now, I'm tired... good night!

- Big Thx to Fredrik -

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THE ESTRANGED - Static Thoughts 2008

Yesterday I was at a gig from The Outcasts and it was a damn cool evening. Superb action and I want to post a record from them but I have nothing, haha....what a disgrace! Well, instead this great one: The Estranged are a post-punk band from Portland, Oregon. They started out in 2006. They play dark and foreboding guitar driven music with a relentless sense of urgency in a similar vein to The Wipers, Wire, Joy Division and The Cure. With their 1st album Static Thoughts, The Estranged attempt to combine the volatile combination of post-punk and punk with positive results on the whole. The album could have been a disaster on the scale of the Hindenburg, but instead is a balanced combination of contemporary post-punk songs that rely on traditional punk rock’s finer cornerstones - two to three minute numbers that are fast, simple, catchy, and - in this case - bleak. Indeed, Static Thoughts is more than a throwback to a deceased genre; The Estranged cultivate their bleak post-punk sound with a heavy lean on punk rock giving the often angsty music a much needed rainy day. Crossing musical genre’s is a risky but this album is clever, quick and done with so much gusto so that the crossover is not even felt. (Justin) Great record!

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CÓLERA - Tente Mudar O Amanhã 1984

Tente Mudar O Amanhã (Try Changing Tomorrow) is the debut album of the Brazilian punk band Cólera, released in 1985 on Ataque Frontal Records and it's the secomnd release from this label. Formed in 1979 in the Capão Redondo district by brothers Edson 'Redson' Pozzi (guitars + vocals) and Carlos "Pierre" Pozzi (drums + vocals), accompanied by Val (bass). Cólera would become one of the bands of greater longevity in the Brazilian punk scene. Their lyrics clearly adressed about the cold war, with songs appeal to end the arms race, led by the US and Soviet Union. In addition, the letters talked about urban violence and the indifference of the authorities.Their sound is fast, sometimes melodic, and the lyrics aim to subjects like peace, liberty, animal liberation, love, politics and environmentalism. It's an album that, due to its pacifist message, influenced and continues to influence punks in Brazil and around the world. Sadly, Edson “Redson” Pozzi died 2011 at 49 years old of internal bleeding caused by an ulcer. So let's open your heart & ears for twenty superb Punk goodies!

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RAZZIA - Menschen Zu Wasser 1989

Next, another German Punk classic from a band which I appreciate very much and has been with me from the start of my punk life: Razzia from Hamburg. My first encounter with the band was in 1988, together with Bad Religion, a sweaty affair, YEAH! - Founded 1979 by brothers Andreas (guitar) and Peter Siegler (drums) and Rajas Thiele (vocals). Completed with Sören Callsen (bass) and Frank Endlich (guitar). They were not a purely politically motivated punk band like Slime and in their lyrics they were all kinds of grievances often quite dark and cynical formulated and very aggressively implemented by Rajas in the early years. In 1981, the band were with two pieces on the compilation Underground Hits on Aggressive Rock Produktionen. It was followed by an engagement with the Hamburg label Weird System, which also brought out the first album Tag Ohne Schatten. A brilliant D-Punk record. Atypical for punk bands in the mid 80s Razzia used keyboards in their songs and the result is quite superb. Th second album Ausflug Mit Franziska is the perfect example of their musical development & diversity. I bought this record at a concert in the HH/Fabrik in Altona in 1998. On the 3rd album the band is more experimental, electronic beats, spoken vocals ('Stahlherz') and also the synthesizer again targeted use. Together with the morbid typical lyrics and the unique voice of singer Rajas was made a dark, multi-layered album with threatening parts and a dense atmosphere but always offensive. With this album the musical development was promoted again, thus Razzia stood out from the more traditional German punk of the 80's. Released on the bands own label Triton is this one of my favourite Razzia albums. The band is still active and you shouldn't miss them on stage.

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TRAVOLTA KIDS - s/t LP 1980

Early in the morning and I put out this fantastic record and one more Swedish highlight, a lot of stress comin' my way last time but I have it under control, haha.... OK, about this band I won't write a lot because you can read more about Travolta Kids in the net and I recommend to listen at their 7inch Veckans Brott. Their one and only album is a damn good powerpop record, they leave the aggressive punk sound and turn into a melodic, partially 60s style. The result is simply brilliant. Released via Mistlur records and that's it. They also on a few compilations which you can find by search through this Blog - Seize the Day!

- Extra Thx to Fredrik -

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FRIKTION - Vill Se 7'' 1982

Who wanted more Swedish music? This little piece of sunshine was released on Pärla Records and it's the only output by this combo. Can't nothin' tell about them and the two songs here not really the kind of punk stuff we all know, call it powerpop or alternative, makes no difference. Vill Se means Wanna see and you have to see, both tracks rippling way ahead and provide for high-class standing-assets in the city (for example in the fucking metro). Not bad at all, no real highlight but rare.

- Special Thx to Fredrik -

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LEATHERFACE - Little White God EP 1994

OK, jetzt ein Posti in meiner Sprache denn heute ist ein besonderer Tag! Wieder ein Extra (seems this month is an extra one...) denn heute hat einer meiner besten Freunde Geburtstag und dies hier ist Dir gewidmet, du Sack! Ich glaube es war 1998 oder 1999 als ich diesen verrückten kennen lernte, damals als wir einen Mitbewohner suchten und Du dich bewarbst. Ich hatte sofort ein gutes Gefühl, kennt ihr das? Als Du wieder weg warst sagte ich zu Udo (Cheers! my old friend), der isses!! Und siehe da, die Freundschaft besteht noch heute, auch nach einigen Kackzeiten, die gehören schließlich auch dazu. Leatherface weil: a) da muss ich immer an den Gig im Schlachthof denken, ca. 1999 muß das gewesen sein, als wir Frankie fragten ob es möglich ist dass Du ohne Karte eintreten darfst. Mister S. zögerte keine Sekunde und die Sache war perfekt. b) die Herren aus Sunderland machen einfach verdammt geile Mucke und c) weil's passt. Das Video unten mit dem Song Springtime bringt die wilden Anfangstage perfekt auf den Punkt. Tja, Alter... Herzlichen Glückwunsch und alles Liebe Dir und Deinen Lieben! Auf das was da noch kommen mag!!!

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