TENPOLE TUDOR - Real Fun 7'' 1980

"We Wanna Have Some Real Fun.......Today" and I have it at this early morning hour. Weekends in and I hope we pick three points tomorrow versus Mainz. Until then I amuse myself with good music and the fucking work at the office later passes also. This 7inch was released on Korova Records and I think it's the first release by Tenpole Tudor. The band were formed 1974 when Tudor-Pole (vocals/saxophone) met guitarist Bob Kingston, bassist Dick Crippen and drummer Gary Long. They played regularly for several years until Tudor-Pole himself (under the moniker of Eddie Tenpole) came to prominence by appearing in the Sex Pistols film The Great Rock'N'Roll Swindle. He was originally billed as a replacement for Sex Pistols singer Johnny Rotten - performing the songs "Who Killed Bambi?", "The Great Rock'N'Roll Swindle" and a cover version of "Rock Around The Clock" for the film and subsequent soundtrack - however, manager Malcolm McLaren and the remaining Sex Pistols instead decided to abandon the group and go their own ways. Later the band signed to Stiff Records and they were one the strangest and silliest groups on Stiff Records, a label that was known for its oddball clients. Led by Eddie Tudor (born Edward Tudorpole), a former actor who could barely carry a tune, the group played a mixture of punk, roots rock, pop, and British dancehall music, developing a thoroughly entertaining and ridiculous style. They released two albums on Stiff Records which sold well and in 1982, the band broke up. Today, Tudor-Pole concentrates partly on acting, but focuses mainly upon his new one-man-show, performing live shows described as a 'One Man Stadium Show'. He has re-formed Tenpole Tudor from time to time, notably in 2001, with Darrell Bath on guitar, Donagh O'Leary on bass and Ben Standage on drums. 2009 Angel Air Records released a compilation CD with all their classics. Fine record and now let's have some fun today!

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ANA HAUSEN - Professionals 7'' 1981

British Post-Punk band who released a single for Human Records in 1981. The line-up included: May Matisse (vox), Douglas Campbell (guitars), Craig Nugent (guitar, bass & keys) and Craig Ferguson (drums). To make you this little gem tasty I'd like to use this review from Goregirl which she wrote in July 2008 because a) it is also true for me, b) it's better than mine, c) why not?, d) more I could not find, e) I am a lazy sack: "Listening to this actually brought about more questions than anything, like why haven't I heard of her before? Why does she only have one single when both songs she has are really very good. The first song 'Professionals' is a cute little catchy little three-chord post-punk ditty with a good beat, her vocals are really quite perfect for this sort of thing. The second song on the single 'Tunnel Vision' is more instrumental but does include a few vocals. The music is actually quite interesting sounding and mellow, but it picks up into some really well blended guitar and synth work that is fantastic (although simplistic). I'm not even sure which song I prefer, but I know I'll be listening to both an awful lot now that I know they exist. I can't really find out any more information about Ana no matter where I look but I can tell you that you should go out of your way to hear this single, it's simply lovely." I chose the a-side for my Bad Times For A Change compilation, you guess why.

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GRB - Cuentos Y Leyendas 1987

GRB began in mid-1984 as a quartet, consisting of Juanito (bass), Miguel (drums), both ex members by Último Resorte), Alberto (guitar, former member of the group and fanzine Drama Of Horror) and Ángel (vocals, Frenopaticss). Its name was inspired by the initials of the Guild of Restoration of Barcelona, that at the time they were seen in posters in bars and restaurants, although in some occasion they gave a different explanation for the acronyms, for example, that meant "Scrambled Eggs with Bacon". In summer of 1985 appears the GRB tape edited by the fanzine label Drama Of Horror. The tape, which in some unauthorized reissues was titled The Good Way or Persecuted By Law, was presented inside a bag that included some sheets with the lyrics of the eighteen songs and various collages related to the songs, made from cuts of comics and newspapers. On the cover of the cassette, printed on photocopied paper, was a photo in the foreground of the face of a rat. Also on the pages of the letters and collages were numerous drawings of rats and mice, in attitudes that expressed the feeling of each song. The rat become the group's mascot. In 1986 the band released their first vinyl Estoy Tan Contento! EP and for the cover they used an old photo from Life magazine that showed a baby sleeping peacefully on a float. In summer 1987, GRB gave a concert at the KGB venue in Barcelona with a view to raising money to record and edit their first album and Cuentos Y Leyendas was recorded @ Marathon Studios but took several months to be published, which took place in January 1988 (although a presentation concert was held, new in the KGB room, on December 19). Although it was properly, again, a self-publishing, was responsible for the distribution and press the Blau stamp. On the cover, sepia gray, an old gnome gives us a skeptical and resabic look. Other gnomes, original illustrations by David Lackin, populate the back cover and the inner insert. Musically, the group had evolved towards a more personal sound, and without feeling the obligation to run normally in hardcore groups. Although there are still very accelerated moments and abrupt changes of rhythm, altogether the tempo of the disc is more relaxed, gaining in intensity the riffs and punteos. But what has made the album legendary are mainly the lyrics, in which harsh reflections on life and the human condition dominate. The promising expectations that were opened by the excellent reception (not commercial success) of the LP were truncated after a succession of incidents that created a growing malaise within GRB. In the first place, in 1988 they were left without a rehearsal room, which, given the economic situation of the group, was not a trivial problem; Then, after returning from a small tour of the Basque Country, they suffered a near-fatal traffic accident, which further increased the discomfort and finally the band broke up shortly thereafter.

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TANT BRUN - Nej 7'' 1980 + Lördakväll 7'' 1981

Late evening post by a band from Sweden and while I write I listen to the new KBD #15 compilation (no joke) but this is now irrelevant. Tant Brun were young punx and formed in Jönköping by Janne (vox & guitars), Peter (drums) and Stefan (bass). In 1978 these guys started playing with a heavy Ebba Grön influence and with help of a manager they did about a hundred gigs over just a few years, mostly at discos and youth clubs. They released two singles on Sjöbo Påpp Records in the early 80s. The first "Nej" is pretty cool '77 punk style pig while the second "Lördakväll" goes more into a PowerPop splint. Both records are very rare and one more contribution from Fredrik's awesome Swedish Punkrock collection. In 1982 they changed their style and name to Sex Machine, influenced by Killing Joke. The much more punkier first single "Nej" was distributed by Eurovision Song Contest mogul Karlsson! but for the second effort he seem to have lost interest, that is remarkable or? They were also present on the Powerpearls #9 compilation and others. I put more info from Peter's book in the file and that's all for a lousy boring Tuesday.

- Great Thx to Fredrik -

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NDT - Liebi, Liebi! 7'' 1984

Again in Switzerland and I think this is the last record which was released on Mad Records by NDT, Luzern-based band featuring ex-Crazy members and this rare single came after already releasing two classic records. Their debut album is a classic punk album with ten Schwizzer cheese tankards and I like dialect and this kind of noises from this country. In general, the scene there was very versatile: rock, wave, minimal-synth-punk-pop and obscure things came from the Alpine country and that makes it just interesting for me and at a gig in April 1983, Kursaal Bern they packed fifteen songs on their second album which is simply called 'Live' and the sound quality is of course quite brilliant and everytime I listen to I compare it with Pankehallen by Slime, fat-loud-clear-sound with so much energy (except the drums, sound better with the hamburgers). In Spring 1984 they recorded this 7inch and both songs are okay. On the B-side is 'Schwarzer Vogel' which already appeared on the live slab and here as studio version. In the same year came the end of NDT. And now: BVB-SGE, three points would be cool :))

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BILLY & THE WILLIES - Cheese 1989

And on with a great band that is second to none and I'm sure many German followers agree with me. 1983 in Mönchengladbach were founded Billy & The Willies by Ricki & Mick A on guitars, Mario (drums) and bassist/songwriter and vocalist Sonic. The Willies (the name was the product of a pub night) whose musical role models included the Butthole Surfers enriched their punk sound with every imaginable rock style. The lyrics are very special, emotional, partly funny and each a little world. Since their records were also sold in the U.S. and a musician from Surfers took notice and offered them a collaboration. The band declined because they don't want face the stress of the suspend commercial success. In the early 90s, a dark shadow fell on the Willies when guitarist Ricki was killed. The band could, and did not want to continue playing under their old name because without him there were no more Willies. However, they decided to stay together and founded The Devil In Miss Jones (taken from an American porn movie) in 1991, now with Sonic on guitar and newcomer A on bass. Cheese is the third and last album, released via BeriBeri Records and is full with first-class songs, "Kangaroo", "Here Today Gone Tomorrow", "Ideal$", "Inbetween", "Weird Kind Of Place", "Good Man..." and the very nice emotional "Good Night" to name just a few, count among to the Best I have ever heard from German land. This is the CD release with seven bonus cuts, including the rare Charles EP plus three unpublished pieces. Now enjoy the sound from a good band in a bad world!

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PENNYWISE - s/t LP 1991

Today is runoff election and I will immediately cast my vote after this post. It follows a band I only knew by name so far and I'm really excited about this brilliant album. Fourteen fantastic missiles were recorded and their sound pushes me up and makes me forget everything else, no wonder the album quickly circulated throughout the punk community, earning the band some nationwide recognition. Lyrics in the album endorsed a positive mental attitude. Formed 1988 in Hermosa Beach/California by vocalist Jim Lindberg, guitarist Fletcher Dragge, bassist Jason Thirsk and drummer Byron McMackin, Pennywise linked with Epitaph Records for their eponymous (in all areas) 1991 debut. Willfully taking their sound in a direction counter to the burgeoning grunge movement, the group helped to define the emerging West Coast punk scene. A real highlight of the 90s!

- Special Thx to Fredrik -

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FINGERS - Cold Cold Night 7'' 1982

A nice Powerpop 7Inch by the Fingers from Oklahoma with their sole record on Digit Records. Not much info about the four so short to the songs: Cold Cold Night is a beautiful piece about lost love and the silence in your room and you're thinking of the living times you had and above you hangs a thick cloud with killing memories. The flip is just the opposite and goes forward, you take your girl to the drive-in movie and you're happy and life is great, stories that writes life...fine stuff.

- Great Thx to Reinhard -

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THE DISHRAGS - Love/Hate 1997

A quick re-post now: When the Dishrags formed 1977 in Victoria, British Columbia, they were like the Runaways without Kim Fowley's behind the scenes machinations: three teenage girls, singer & guitarist Jade Blade, bassist Dale Powers and drummer Scout, devoted to the Ramones and the Clash and creating their own short, sharp shocks. Moving to the more punk-friendly Vancouver scene (where bands like D.O.A. and the Pointed Sticks were already defining the sound of western Canada's new wave) in 1978, the Dishrags made their debut on the now-legendary Vancouver Complication anthology. If they had never made another recording, the Dishrags would remain beloved in punk-fanboy circles for the track "I Don't Love You." 103 seconds long and built on an insistent, scratchy guitar riff and a positively crazed drum part played primarily on the ride cymbal, "I Don't Love You" is as clangorous and primitive as U.K. second-wavers like the Slits or the Desperate Bicycles, but it also features an instant-classic pure pop chorus that would do the Buzzcocks or the Undertones proud.

The Dishrags followed that up with a slightly more polished three-track EP, "Past Is Past," and following a lineup change (Powers being replaced by second guitarist Sue MacGillivray and bassist Kim Henriksen) the band traveled to London to record the EP Death In The Family. Produced by Chris Spedding and featuring a more traditional punk-pop sound akin to the Adverts' first album, Death in the Family was insistently tuneful and clever. The wistful title track seemed to have actual hit single potential, while "Love/Hate" explored a darker post-punk sound along the lines of Siouxsie & The Banshees. Though RCA's U.K. imprint released the EP, it disappeared almost immediately, and the Dishrags broke up. Over a decade and a half later, the Canadian reissue label Other People's Music gathered the complete recordings by the Dishrags -- the two tracks recorded for the Vancouver Complication sessions, including the previously unreleased "Bullshit," the single, the EP, and ten demos and live tracks including covers of Lou Reed's "Vicious," the Ramones' "I Don't Wanna Walk Around with You," and the Clash's "Janie Jones," alongside previously unheard Dishrags originals. This is a textbook example of how to do a punk-era reissue properly. Review by Stewart Mason (source: AllMusic)

- Great Thx to Dante D -

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TOLBIAC'S TOADS & SNIX - Split EP 1984

Decent Skinhead stuff by two classic Oi! bands and this record is a MUST in your sorted record collection. First Tolbiac's Toads, formed in Paris May 1982 and dissolved in 1994. The name Tolbiac's Toads comes from the nickname given by the inhabitants of Tolbiac where are members of the group from because the area was built on swamp where there were many toads and local skinheads wearing a bomber almost all green, like the skin of toads. They released a few 7inches and a mini compilation album. Snix was formed 1982 in Lille and they were considered one of the first and most classic Oi! bands that came out of France. They released four albums and this split EP on their own record label in an edition of 1000 copies. A short review: "Tolbiac's Toads present two cool tracks, one in a more melodic and catchy Britpunk style, the other in a thrash-meets-13th Floor Elevators-meets-Blurt style that's quite unusual. Snix's pair are more predictable, but also well done, in an Oi style. Two up-and-coming French bands." - Tim Yohannan (Maximum Rocknroll #21, January 1985) I only say all four songs be mind-blowing and it was a good idea to put both bands on one record. Oi! Oi! Oi!

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