THEE UNDERTAKERS - Crucify Me 2001

Here is another excellent example of what Friends of Network brings together: request for this record, emailed on, received: that's the way it goes! Search the net for info and here it is: Thee Undertakers from East Los Angeles first started practicing during mid-1977. They decided early on not to go for the "leather or New Wave look" and would instead wear black suits on stage to emulate their namesake. By 1978 they found Art, who became their singer. In 1979, the band hooked up with Willie Heron, from Los Illegals, who helped the band get on many bills at the Vex and other East L.A. clubs that would host punk shows. The band played heavily during 1979 through 1982 and played at clubs like the Vex, Starwood, Hong Kong Cafe, and the Whiskey to name a few. The band opened for many bands including D.O.A., Plugz, Gears, Fleasheaters and others. The band recorded their first demo in 1980 and returned to the studio in 1981 to record what was to be their first LP. The band was going to have their LP released through Tito Larriva's Fatima Records label (who released Plugz album and The Brat EP), but after a falling out between Tito and the band, the record never materialized and sat in the can for twenty years. In 2001, Grand Theft Audio released their awesome collection of studio recordings from 1980-81. Thee Undertakers from 1977-1982 were: Art Reyes (vocals), Tracy Lee (Skull) Garcia (bass), Tony (Fingers) Naranjo (guitar), and Mike Chaidez (drums) and this is a solid compilation with demo & master recordings from 1980 andreleased via Grand Theft Audio. I continue to cure my bruised ribs and so you may be able to enjoy more slices in the early afternoon. Now chilling continues and tomorrow is another day.

- Great Thx to Reinhard -

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VIRUS 27 - Parasitas Obrigatórios 1987

Good Morning  dear friends of cool music and today we listen to the debut record of Virus 27, a Brazilian Oi! combo from São Paulo, on Devil Discos. The band was formed in 1982 with Di on drums, Braz on guitar and Pezão on bass. They started with a mid-tempo hardcore punk sound just like many of their contemporaries in the early Brazilian scene; very similar to Cólera. The name of the band came from the label Alternative Tentacles because the founder of the band was a big Dead Kennedys fan. He died sometime in early 80's. Their first recorded apperance was 1985 on the Ataque Sonoro compilation. A year later they released the Parasitas Obrigatórios album and this showed the band moving away from hardcore punk to more of an Oi sound, like Garotos Podres. However, Virus 27 still sang critical lyrics about society and seasoned with an unique sound - slow but very good. In late 80's, the band took a turn towards right wing politics, and released their second album Brasil Oi!. They became too nationalist and the punk scene abandoned their gigs, it became a band just for Skinheads - at that time punks and skinheads in Brazil started to go in different ways and hate each other. Their last record Caso Sério!!! was released in 1996 and then the band broke up. Well, at least Virus 27 didn't became nazi and racist, only patriotic and play rough Oi! music in a very strong catchy way. A very good debut in my opinion and rough as a street punk record should be.

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DIE ÄRZTE - 5, 6, 7, 8 - Bullenstaat! 2002

5, 6, 7, 8 - Bullenstaat! is a brilliant album with twenty-five songs by Die Ärzte on Bondage Records (500 copies) and was only sold on tours. The album was also available from the band's former fan club and is always available for download there as well as on the band's official website. "With a wink, die Ärzte on this album also address all those who have always called them "commercial punk" with "stupid pop songs" because they avoided the sometimes quite monotonous themes of punk music of the 80s, in which it was mostly about the German system, the fucking cops or the good old revolution, and preferred to go their own way to create and perfect their own style. Typical Ärzte humor and nonsense texts in perfection and all this to a musical mix of punk, ska, rockabilly and electro. Thematically it is about their favorite things: police officers, beer, resistance, student girls and rockabillys." One of their best records anyway and the CD version has as bonus the songs of the also fantastic 1, 2, 3, 4 - Bullenstaat! EP on which they cover German punk classics in their style. An absolute listening pleasure from the best band in the world!

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XTRAVERTS - So Much Hate 1997

OK, no rib broken just a bruise but it hurts with every movement. I mentioned it briefly yesterday, a fall with the bike and a wasp sting on the back neck.....yes, yesterday was a nice day. Let's get to the following slab and I'll quote words from Bin Liner: "The most famous punk band of all has to be the Sex Pistols - but if your home was in the High Wycombe area you'll know that there was one other band that were just as good - Xtraverts from Buckinghamshire!! Back in 1977 the entire World was overcome with safety pin wearing, Mohican sporting Punk Rockers. Xtravert by name and oh boy - Xtravert by nature. Eventually splitting in the early 80s after their lead singer went to prison, they left behind them a torrent of local graffiti, a following that were lost without their local heroes and a complete unreleased LP, their finest moment, left to gather dust -disgraceful. That long lost album is now finally here, complete with free souvenir bin liner bag to the first 500 people who bought the vinyl album. On April 4th 1997 the band got together for the first time in almost twenty years - much had changed - the bass player is now female and other band members sport backgrounds such as ABH charges, appearances on stars in their eyes (Billy Idol) and membership of Matt Bianco - the sound however, was still there though and the crowd loved it!" Now on to the announced vinyl rip I wanted to do this week, enjoy the music!

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CHAOS GENERATION - Requiem 1989

Three years after their great debut record Athens Chaos Generation made a fantastic successor on Di Di Music with eleven delicious which translates to requiem but the songs are anything but bleak. With this album, they entered a prominent position in the underground scene of every punk respected fan. In 1989 they released the second and last album entitled Requiem. Enriched with fresh influences from their new members, they are now experimenting with a more metallic sound and the difference was obvious from the previous album. The melodic vocals of the first album were replaced by aggressive ones and the sound is more punk which is influenced by the metal scene without changing the dynamic. A. Ambrazis (bass) left the group and Alexis Aliferis came, as well as Dimitris Pappas as second guitar. In the same year the band disbanded. Throughout their course they gave many live gigs mainly in Athens and in 1996 their two albums were re-released along with additional unreleased tracks via Wipe Out Records on CD and a limited number of double vinyl. I can only say that today was a formative one (in a negative sense) and the music of the Athenians is now just right for me. Listen!

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V/A - There Is No Future... 1984

I changed my mind and post this compilation which appeared on Cherry Red in 1984 and contains, not really surprising, a nice overview of early UK punk bands, i.e. bands from the essential No Future label, rather what for collectors or anyone who overslept the punk explosion. All songs are well known and released on other records at that time, so it may be boring for some but I think the record is okay and it is always refreshing to call up the old classics every now and then. Some slabs can be found in the blog the planned vinyl rip will be postponed until tomorrow. Until then, pleasant nostalgia flash with these sixteen nuggets! 

1.Someone's Gonna Die - BLITZ

2.Police Story - THE PARTISANS

3.Banned From The Pubs - PETER & THE TEST TUBE BABIES

4.In Britain - RED ALERT

5.Gangland - VIOLATORS

6.I've Got A Gun - CHANNEL 3

7.Abuse Of Power - BLITZKRIEG

8.Today's Generation - ATTAK

9.Warriors - BLITZ

10.Up Yer Bum - PETER & THE TEST TUBE BABIES

11.17 Years Of Hell - THE PARTISANS

12.El Salvador - THE INSANE

13.Fight For Your Life - CRASH

14.Dead Hero - THE SAMPLES

15.Summer Of '81 - VIOLATORS

16.Megalomania - THE BLOOD

- Great Thx to Fredrik -

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SYSTEME D - Another Day EP 1984

Very good EP by Systéme D from Rouen on Melopara records and on their only record are three beautiful crackers. The band consisted of Joël (vocals), Herman (guitars) and Paul (bass), the fourth on the photo is unknown. I think, I've already posted the slab in my former blog but unfortunately I can't find any more information about the boys. Egal, they are represented on some unknown compilations and what I don't understand, there are some new relevant re-releases of French compis on which they are not present... weird, because their sound kicks vehemently neat. And now I care for another LP rip and maybe something more will come today.

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THE LIMPS - Try And See 7'' 1980

Another killer re-release and like the French makers of Chameleon Records, the British have an adequate pendant called Love Child Records to revive rare missing goodies from the united kingdom: "Previously unreleased until now! We’re very excited to be releasing this lost punk new wave classic Try & See. Originally recorded in the summer of 1980. Limited press & “The Limps were a Punk band from Annan that were signed to the Matchbox Classics independent record label based in Carlisle. The band was comprised of Chuck, Andy,Tam and Dee Dee. They formed Matchbox Classics with the band ‘No Support’ when each member of both bands put £50 in each to fund the creation of a split EP entitled ‘Opposite Sides’ in 1979, the same year they also released another split with ‘No Support’ called ‘Another Matchbox Classic”.The band also recorded a clutch of other great tracks which we will be releasing in the coming months, two of which are included here were recorded the following year in the summer of 1980 Love Child Records are more than happy to put out these long-lost pieces of '80 New Wave/Punk tracks out in full colour sleeve with flipback sides. Enjoy..." Also represented on relevant compilations and essential for every early punk sound lovers.

- Great Thx to Bristolboy -

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TAXFREE - Jag Kan Aldrig Få Dej 7'' 1982

Somewhere from the Swedish province, a place called Hultsfred comes Taxfree and the band consisted of Anders (vocals/guitar), Göran & Mikael (guitars), Bert (bass), Per (drums) & Peter (organ). This is their first single of two on Miss Mindy Music. Unfortunately there are no more infos available and musically they are classified as PowerPop but I think they are more at home in solid rock but I can't really tell the difference. It’s not that important either, the boys doing theit job very well and I’ve heard worse things from the Three Crowns country. I could tell a little story now but that would go too far. Enjoy the music!

- Great Thx to Fredrik -

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WARMDUSCHER - Bleib Sauber EP 1997

Let's come to a band from the Karlsruhe area, I think say and Bleib Sauber is their first EP on Puffotter Platten/Klaubär Productions, released in an edition of 500 hand-numbered copies. The band consisted of Jürgen (vocals), Alex (guitars), Stefan (bass) & Andy (drums) and the reason for buying this record was the song Karlsruhe Soll Brennen, a cover of the EA80 classic, which of course I had to hear and I'm a Warmduscher too. Surprisingly, their music can't be classified as blunt fun punk, as the band name might suggest, no!, the band blows out four varied first-class, catchy, rough pieces with appealing lyrics, really a good record. An album Heringsbändiger was released two years later which I don't know and on compilations rather not represented. And now; off into the weekend!

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