THE STRANGLERS - s/t EP 1977

I'm lazy to write today and so I pack something world-famous in wdthtc with the Stranglers, an English rock band who emerged via the punk rock scene and are one of the longest-surviving bands to have originated in the UK punk scene. Formed as the Guildford Stranglers in Guildford, Surrey early 1974, they originally built a following within the mid-1970s pub rock scene. While their aggressive, no-compromise attitude had them identified by the media with the emerging UK punk rock scene that followed, their idiosyncratic approach rarely followed any single musical genre, and the group went on to explore a variety of musical styles, from new wave, art rock and gothic rock through the sophisti-pop of some of their 1980s output. This EP has four brilliant songs and that's a short background, enough on the net about the gentlemen.

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DAG NASTY - Can I Say 1986

Solid melodic punk stuff from Dag Nasty, founded in Washington D.C. 1985 by guitarist Brian Baker of Minor Threat, Colin Sears (drums) and Roger Marbury (bass), both of Bloody Mannequin Orchestra, and Shawn Brown (vocals). Their style of less aggressive, melodic hardcore was influential to post-hardcore; their sound was partly influenced by The Faith and their Subject To Change EP ('83). Brian said in “Filmage”, the documentary about Descendents, that he started Dag Nasty as a direct inspiration from them. Shawn was the first vocalist with whom the band recorded unreleased versions of most of the material that later made up their first release "Can I Say", which featured former roadie and new singer Dave Smalley of DYS. Dave left the band to attend grad school at New York University before a summer tour with the Descendents. A new singer, Peter Cortner, was found after the band placed an ad in a local paper and the tour was kept. After touring half the US opening for the Descendents, the band went home and recorded new material that wasn't released until years later. After a few more local shows, the band broke up in the fall of 1986. Brian went to L.A. to start a new band with Doug Carrion and half of Doggy Style called Doggie Rock. After releasing one album under the Doggie Style name, Doggie Rock broke up and Brian reformed Dag Nasty in early 1987 with Peter, Colin & Doug replacing Roger Marbury, who declined to rejoin. Months later, the band recorded and released "Wig Out At Denkos", including re-recorded versions of the late 86' tape and new material.

1988 saw the release of their album "Field Day" on Giant Records which was distributed by Dutch East India. It was an ambitious album, often generating sharply polarised appraisals from fans: many hated it and many loved it. Field Day attempted to blend pop melodies with hardcore and metal riffs even further than previously attempted on Wig Out. The result was, at times, uneven but helped to usher in a new style of hardcore with more controlled playing, guitar effects, acoustic elements and slower tempos. The band split up shortly after touring for Field Day ended. Excellent debut, with "a singing which is delivered in a convincing emotive way and instrumentally there are some quality tasty riffs to dig into."

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ATONAL - Keller Party Anti Pop (Demos '88) 2016

Now damn cool Punkrock from the Ex-GDR, Atonal from Freiberg, active from 1986 to 1998. They began under the name "Taktlos" and gave their first concerts in the hot days of 1987 in the context of the Berlin "Kirchentag Von Unten". In the same year the band was banned and renamed itself to Atonal, which even received official permission to play through "Classification", but they gave a shit about it and wrote still political and socially critical texts, so they were temporarily banned from playing gigs in the GDR (Fuck The System!). This trendy record was released/compiled in a collaboration of Hörsturzproduktion/Elb-Power Records in an edition of 300 copies and has fourteen raw recordings of the combo at the start. The band consisted of Liesel (vocals), Oberleder (guitars), Ian (bass), Henne (drums) and they made one album, a 7Inch + a few tapes and represented on some compilations. Even today, Atonal still give concerts every now and then. So this is an important audio document I think, from a time when it wasn't easy to live out one's own attitude to life, with a lyric sheet and bandinfo. Classic D-Punk!

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SPORTEN ÄR DÖD - s/t LP 2019

Good morning dear folks, today we start for breakfast with fresh girl power and I promise you, your bread will taste particularly good. Sporten Är Död (translated as Sport Is Dead) were an all female Swedish new wave/punk band between 1980 and 1982 formed in Kungälv. The group consisted of Ulla Åkerström (vocals & guitar), Åsa "Paste" Wassberg (bass) and Eva Herngren (drums). The band were named after the words of a Swedish broadcaster, who would proclaim the sport is dead, when there was a cancellation of a sporting event. This record was released via Fördämning Arkiv, 300 copies and side A was recorded at Studio Nigaf on 11th April 1981 and released as the Sporten Är Död cassette, side B was recorded live @ Sprängkullen on 23rd May 1982. An excellent review which I can only underline: "This looks exactly as it sounds: three cool teenage punk girls making tremulous punk rock with songs dedicated to John Peel, Bruce from the JAM, and their favorite chocolate bar! This isn’t wild screaming KBD mania, they have a nervous restrained quality, which is not to say this sounds inept, just that it isn’t the manic punk insanity you might expect from a teenage Swedish band circa 1981. They called their band Sport Is Dead, and formed as a result of being fans of the Buzzcocks and the Undertones, and you can hear the nervous pop sensibility! I’ve seen comparisons to Dolly Mixture and Lilliput, but I would say that is not the case here, they are not as polished as the former and not as wild as the latter. They have their own contained punk concept and identity that doesn’t sound like a collage of other ideas. This is a reissue of their demo tape with a live performance on the B-side. It sounds great and is definitely worth picking up for all fans of that underground girl sound, the sound of youth inspired by the DIY ideal…" (LAYLA GIBBON, MMR) - Seventeen minimalistic smasher with a great booklet, solid release!

- Great Thx to Fredrik -

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THE G.R.I.M. - Getting Revenge In 'Merica 1984

 

Tempo from the sunny American west coast, breeding ground for numerous good band and the Grim is one of them. Formed 1982 in Southern California, more precisely in Los Angeles, by Tim (vocals), Bob (guitars), Shaun (bass), Jordan (drums) and this is their debut mini-album on Mystic Records with eight fast catchy tunes. They made two more albums, the last one coming out in 2018 and they appeared on numerous compilations. This album is also known as the "orange album". Enjoy the weekend!

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G.B.H - City Baby's Revenge 1982

City Baby's Revenge is the second studio album on Clay Records by G.B.H from Birmingham. The title is a response to the band's 1982 debut album, City Baby Attacked By Rats. The change of style can already be heard here and the album is a bit more rockier than its predecessor, but still worth listening to and with some classics on it. A short review: "City Baby's Revenge followed two years later in 1984, by which time the band had become one of the leading punk metal bands of the era. G.B.H. continued recording and releasing albums throughout the '80s, though their influence progressively waned as a new wave of bands such as Slayer emerged and pushed punk metal toward what became known as speed metal and, in turn, thrash. Despite its waning influence, G.B.H. soldiered on, recording new albums throughout the '90s and into the next millennium. By this point the band was often cited by both metal and punk bands as a huge influence, and a renewed interest in G.B.H.'s early recordings resulted. Keeping its original punk rock roots since its formation, unlike many other former punk bands, especially hardcore bands who later formed the Post-Punk genre of the mid to late 80s, the band has experimented with, alongside many other hardcore punk bands."

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HYPE - Life Is Hard Then You Die! 1985

Now a band which I didn't know before and one thing in advance: I'm always happy to hear new bands/music and am enthusiastic when I like it and at the same time I'm amazed how many great bands the punk/hardcore movement has produced. I'm really grateful that I came into contact with this culture/music, I can't do without it anymore. Sounds a bit pathetic but that's the truth. Well, a bit info: From 1983 until 1989 Hype became the most established hardcore punk band from Oakville and one of Canada's leading hardcore punk acts. Hype had three primary members, that founded the band and were on both albums, on their debut were responsible Brian (vocals), Martin (guitars), Gerry (bass), Chris (drums) and they became the first Toronto hardcore band to release a full length album "Life Is Hard...Then You Die!" in 1985 with seventeen energetic cracker, splendidly played and with very appealing lyrics and first to tour that same year. In 1987 they released their second record "Burned" and completed another tour followed by a third in 1988. Hype was also a major force in the Toronto hardcore scene through.

- Great Thx to Fredrik -

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V/A - Chiswick Collection 1980

 

Two years after the Italian edition, Chiswick Aquaria, followed the Spanish version with more bands from the Chiswick label. This time with more rare New Wave/Pop stuff but I  think the selection is not bad but the Aquaria is much better. I was hoping it would continue seamlessly, but my research was probaply a bit inadequate. Well, I'm not here to make the perfect post and the record wasn't expensive either, so what the hell! In case anyone wants to buy the vinyl, I have it for sale on ebay. Enjoy the slab while I digitize another classic on this sunny but cold Saturday, Cheers!

1.Gabrielle - THE NIPS

2.I Can't Fight It - THE TEXTONES

3.Automobile - THE STICK SHIFTS

4.Pain In Love - THE PHYSICALS

5.Alienation - DAN KELLEHER

6.Maybe Tonight - STIFF ALL-STARS

7.Be Like Me - THE PHYSICALS

8.I Couldn't Help But Cry - DAN KELLEHER

9.Hey Baby - DISGUISE

10.It'll Be Me - STIFF ALL-STARS

11.Vacation - THE TEXTONES

12.Vengeance - THE NIPS

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UNTOUCHABLES - In Their Eyes 7'' 1982

And further with lost rarities: the third release on Love Child Records comes from The Untouchables with two fantastic slices of UK Punk with slight moddy tendencies. From Leigh Park in Hampshire, the band were about from 1980 - 1982 and consisted of Adam (vocals & guitar), Darren (guitars), Alan (bass), Dave (drums) and playing mainly in their own area and recording these two killers at Toucan Studios, Hayling Island in 1982. Previously unreleased until now, limited to 250 copies in DIY sleeve. More brilliant lost nuggets for your sensitive ears.

- Great Thx to Bristolboy -

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MALE - Die Toten Hosen Ihre Party EP 1991

Male was one of the first German punk bands, founded 1976 in Düsseldorf and the four songs on this EP were recorded by Jürgen (vocals/guitar), Stefan (guitar), Rüdiger (bass), Claus (drums) between 1976-1982 and released via Teenage Rebel Records. Their debut Zensur & Zensur is nowadays a very sought record among collectors and shine with fourteen simple minimalistic pieces. I guess, those leftovers didn't make it onto the album, but since they are good friends of the Toten Hosen, they probably decided to put out this EP, a good decision. It's time for the weekend, I'm getting tired from work.

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