CRIMINAL CLASS - Demo 1984 EP

Sunday is off to a good start and I am already looking forward to the fresh strawberries I just got from the farmer, but before I nibble, a nice rare EP that was only pressed 200 times. Unofficial re-release of the band's demo tape from 1984 which was made at Sight & Sound Upper York St. Earlsdon, Coventry. Criminal Class was formed in Coventry, England in 1979, one of the first Oi!/Skinhead bands to emerge. The band made their debut on the compilation Strength Thru Oi! in 1981 by Decca Records, which turned out to be a catastrophe for all the bands that appeared on the compilation due to violence that occured in Southall that same year. The following year the band released their only single, Fighting The System in 1982 by Tempest Records. Even though the band had slow tempo songs, their lyrics were very powerful. Had to do with corruption in England, the Falklands War, police brutality, black and white unity, and more. The band split up in the mid '80s and later reformed in 2000 after the release of the CD Blood On The Streets: the Criminal Class Oi! Collection by Captain Oi!, recollecting tracks from the EP, compis, demos & tracks that were never released. (info taken from XXX). And now vitamins!

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MOTTEK - Riot 1986

A little early for riot but the second album of Mottek on Starving Missile is suitable at all times. This record were recorded by Stephan (vocals/guitars), Margret (bass/vocals) and Bernward (drums), and eleven full head to the front metallic punkies with excellent lyrics and a razor-sharp production characterize this record by the three from Hildesheim. The transformation from punk to metal was finally completed in their last album Fatal Violence. Riot is an energetic album, some copies were pressed in colored vinyl, and has lost nothing of its powerful sound to this day.

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U2 - 11 O'Clock Tick Tock 7'' 1980

It's not a mystery about talkin' U2, the Dubliners began in their hometown 1976 and their music rooting in the political turmoil that was all around them. The four have been in the music business for over forty years but if you look back at their early years, you notice that their early singles were absolute nuggets and are hardly comparable to today's modern commercial stuff which is not bad but I like the older days, 11 O'Clock Tick Tock is one example of their early phase and both tracks are none album cuts and shows the bands New Wave face. The b-side is also great and not published anywhere else. Released via Island Records and I would like to show you with this little 7Inch another, a non-commercial side of the band; the beginning days which were just as difficult and exhausting, as with a young punk combo, that had to search as well, to bring their music to the people at all. - Nowadays the slab still very popular and not cheap... so let's enjoy the old irish stuff and I'm now devoted to the SGE's soccer match vs. Mainz.  

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SERENE FALL - Audrey Rose 7'' 2001

By request; one more Serene Fall stuff and this is their last 7Inch as four piece (Maul (vocals/guitars), Rainer (guitars), Udo (bass) & Nico (drums). On this record they show passion for old science fiction/horror movies and contrary to what we are used to, they play refreshingly snotty punk here. Audrey Rose is a 1977 psychological horror drama and one of the most boring films I've ever seen, absolutely unspectacular and really stupid. Eve Of War starts with an intro from the 1953 movie The War Of The Worlds, written by H.G. Wells, one of my favorite authors, and this film is an absolute classic (the time machine as well) and I've seen these impressive pictures over ten times, and receives my high acclaim and if you don't seen it, you know what to do! And before any further questions about re-upps arise, all is done... Cheers! 

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INFERNO BAND - Kom Fram Igen 7'' 1982

One more rare piece from Sweden from this four piece from Falkenberg and this is their only attempt on Phonus. The recording of this single was the first prize given in the SPOOKY-81 contest. The band consisted of Karl-Johan (vocals/guitar), Jan-Olof (guitar), Rolf (bass), Kjell (drums) and their music is not really punky, but solid rock with a crisp guitar and well-groomed rhythms. Surely not everyone's taste, but I think you can use them inbetween on a compilation with irreplaceable mid-tempo sounds. I am always amazed, how many unknown bands from the Three Crowns Land managed to record a slab here and there, not always attractive, but sometimes very interesting, so give the boys seven minutes of your time.

- Great Thx again to Fredrik -

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THE LUCHS BROTHERS - Kill Me I'm Rotten 7'' 1978

Debut killer 7Inch by the Luchs Brothers, Kurt (vocals), Marv (guitar), Gary (drums), from Chicago on Retread Records. The Luchs Brothers originally started out as a comedy troupe and they really had only one track that was in the punk vein, but since it was well-known at the time they are lumped into the punk scene. Kurt remembers "Kill Me I'm Rotten was written in ten minutes after my first exposure to the voice of Johnny Rotten, which I thought was one of the funniest things I'd ever heard, and to which I wanted to pay some kind of comedic homage. To this day, I'm amazed at how little press is devoted to the humor of the Sex Pistols and how seriously everybody takes punk. The idea that this man has made a living from singing all these years is, to me, hilarious. Still, I'm a big fan and I've enjoyed pretty much everything he's done. We soldiered on for a while with our comedy shenanigans. Our second record was unfortunately a major abortion, an attempt to combine songs with comedy bits, and it all sounds pretty awful today except for one cut, Luchs Brothers On Parade, which is nice but too long. I wouldn't stand by anything else on the record except for the ingenious homemade packaging, which is based on Chinese propaganda of the period, and includes things like a political playlet, etc." In 1979 a second 7Inch "We Are Farmers & Comedians Too" followed which moves more into comedy. Both songs are pretty cool stuff!

- Great Thx to Fredrik -

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V/A - Anarki & Kaos #2 2007

"Punk, Råråkk & Aggression - Archaeological excavations from the Norwegian underground 1978-1981", so briefly about the content of the second Anarki & Kaos compilation from Voices Of Wonder Records and this Silberling is full with rarities and classics. Comes in a decent artwork with much infos, but I don't understand why nobody came up with the idea to translate the whole thing into English... but with a short video which is apparently without sound, hmmmm.... frankly, I can't see any sense in it. Well, somehow I think this CD shouldn't go beyond Norway and is certainly very interesting for locals, but let's be not so critical; Fakt is: together with Volume 1, both provide an excellent insight of the subculture by this country of the early wild years.. Unfortunately only as CD available, but essential for all KBD friends... choose an indispensable listening experience!

1.Produkt Av 70-Åra - HÆRVERK

2.Hurra (For Norge) - Z-OFF

3.Smukke Folks Børn - OSLO BØRS

4.Galt Et Sted - ØRESUS

5.Landsbygda's Fortapte Sønner - ISCHJAZZ

6.Pond - DE PRESS

7.Asosial - HJERTESVIKT A/S

8.Tvangsinnlagt - ANFALL

9.Klaus - HJERN & MENTAL

10.Stumblin' - BØRRES KORK

11.Rene Hender - THE ALLER VÆRSTE!

12.Urbane Problemer - KJØTT

13.Bølle - FORT & GÆLI

14.Full Kontroll - FEBER

15.Uskyldig Dømt - KOLLAPS

16.Berre På Jævel - SVARTEDAUEN

17.Hva Faen - 1984

18.Jeg Har Fått Nok - STROYERS

19.Babij Jar - BABIJ JAR

20.Parklåt - GEITOST

21.Egertorget - SUNWHEELS

22.Unge Høyre - SQUIRMS

23.Hounds Of Hell - DORIS NIGHT

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V/A - Keine Experimente! 1983

In the early 80s there existed two essential labels in Germany, Aggressive Rockproduktionen (AGR) from Berlin and Weird System from Hamburg and numerous classics were published on both, while the Waterkants devoting more to the bands than AGR in terms of artwork, limited colored vinyl, lyric sheet, royalties, etc.... but both were significantly involved to give German punk socially acceptable in this country and over and above that. It wasn't as big as AGR, but their early releases count today as important cult factor. WS also became more interested in American bands from the mid-1980s and tried to give new musical impulses, great slabs were licensed and relevant contacts with overseas were created as well. Keine Experimente! was the third release and German bands were asked to send their demos with a bit of basisinfo & lyrics and the result is this fantastic compilation with largely exclusive songs, many became famous afterwards and are still among the best bands in Germany, no wonder that Vol.2 had to follow a year later. Enough Bla Bla, enjoy the old Gassenhauer and a relaxing Pentecost.

1.Ami-Fraß - RAZZIA

2.Du Denkst - BOSKOPS

3.4er-Tram - ZSD

4.Hate Your Neighbour/Feel Alright - THE BUTTOCKS

5.Gift To Europe - UPRIGHT CITIZENS

6.Alles Umsonst - BLUT+EISEN

7.Kindl-Träume - DEUTSCHE TRINKERJUGEND

8.Kriegszustand - RAZZIA

9.Leichenberg - DAILY TERROR

10.Stand Up - UPRIGHT CITIZENS

11.Die Germanen - DEUTSCHE TRINKERJUGEND

12.Deutsche Raus Aus Deutschland - THE BUTTOCKS

13.Terroristen - SS ULTRABRUTAL

14.Jacutin - BOSKOPS

15.Sex - ZSD

16.Ein Kessel Buntes - DAILY TERROR

17.You Could Be Me - SS ULTRABRUTAL

18.W.S.W.U.F. - BLUT+EISEN

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VARSEL - Poplåten 7'' 1981

Another rare single by a band of which I can't find any info on the www, only so much: Varsel consisted of Ronny (vocals/synth/guitar), Johan (guitar), Harald (bass), Jocke (drums) and this little dittie was released via Eko records and offers two nice powerpop goodies. Side a shine with a melodic, brisk mid-tempo cream topping with excellent guitars and we enjoy a really great solo that chirps like a bird in the morning until the songs ends. The flip also flutes up to dance and is accompanied by subtle synthies and unfortunately here too a fade out, I don't like that kind of ending, but you can't have everything. But what you can have are these two dresser songs and I've heard worse, and the four are not represented on compilations. Probably they only came together for this record or couldn't find a reasonable label with their kind of music.

- Great Thx to Fredrik -

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WHITE SS - Mercy Killing EP 1978

200 copies were pressed by this only output from White SS and how they came to this atrocious name can only be explained with a lot of alcohol or drugs. Punk is supposed to provoke and with this name it works very well. Musically, three pieces are offered and they range from amateur low-fi sound to snotty scraping, in one word, fantastic! Released by the bands own label and I am sure that no further inquiries have been made about repressing. I want give you a short info (all on punk77 above) about the tracks from the band itself: The tracks were (believe it or not) professionally recorded - but the limiters clipped the volume, which is why they sound so dreadful. The 'live' track was not live at all - it just sounded worse than the others. I remember sticking those dreadful covers on the record sleeves - took a whole weekend - also wrote the lyric sheets. The NME saw through it - they said "as concentration camp guards, this lot would make good poodle breeders." So Ladies & Gentlemen, get your own picture about this rare EP, I’m amused anyway. 

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