ON FILE - Ejected From The Premises 1998

Music that somehow refreshes my day and it's advisable to switch off a bit and Scottish Oi! with On File from Dundee is perfect. Formed 1997 by Hedgy (vocals/guitars), Craig (bass) and Barry (drums) and one year later they released the Monday Thru Friday 7" and Ejected From The Premises but after three gigs the band split. Greg joined on Bass and Stewart on drums in 1999 before the band started touring extensively across Europe, and in 2000 the Another Day In Paradise EP was released followed by the second album The Real McOi! in 2001. In 2002 Pete joined the band and the Birds Don't Like The Skinheads EP was recorded and released. Shortly after Greg left the band and was replaced on bass by Gordy. The band took a break in 2004 and Rossko replaced Pete on Guitar when they started gigging again in 2005. During 2006 the band re-released both albums on CD with the singles as bonus tracks through Step-1 Music and recorded a new track for inclusion on a new Oi! Compilation which featured an exclusive track from all the best British Oi! Bands. Rossko left the band and was replaced by Paul on Guitar in 2007. The band had trips to Greece, Italy & France. 2008 and Blair replaced Paul on guitar, more trips to Europe beckoned and summer 2009 saw On File in the recording studio working on their long awaited third album. Finished on St. Andrew's Day 2009 Breaking Rules was released on Robbie Burns' Day 2010 and followed by more trips to Sweden, Italy, Belgium Germany and couple of rare appearances in their native Scotland.

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ROTZKOTZ - Much Funny! 1979

A real classic by one of the first german Punkbands: Rotzkotz from Hanover! Founded 1977 by E.A. Werner (vocals), Horst (guitars), Uli (bass) & Peter (drums). The band with the unsavory name Rotzkotz belongs to the first German punk/new wave groups and paved the way for the fertile new Hanover underground scene. It took two years until the band was finally able to record their self-produced debut (first issue named "Vorsicht! Paranoia" with spraypainted band logo) in the spring of 1979 in England (in the studio of their friends Pop Rivets) and it offers twelve punk goodies which are still tasty today. Even if they did not get as famous as some other bands of their generation, the music is still worth preserving for posterity. In mid 1980 the group received a record deal from EMI and after the Problem 7'' which was revised from EMI without consulting the band they split up after the "Jubel 81" tour in a dispute. Independent again, Rotzkotz stayed with their German lyrics and released their second work, Lebensfroh + Farbenfroh, which is a fine poppunk album and faded the rawness of its predecessor, on which they processed their experiences with EMI. However, disputes about the further direction of the band led to the separation in 1982. Horst made with his new combo Bizarre Leidenschaft a great new wave/synthpop record (Geheimnis) on GeeBeeDee Records but with less resonance. In the following years, Horst appeared again with changing musicians as Rotzkotz for gigs here and there. What remains: Much Funny is German punk history & today fresher than ever, PROST! 💋

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CRIMINAL JUSTICE - Hierarchy Of Hell EP 1985

 

Next slab a typical UK punk record with four decent Gassenhauer from Criminal Justice, formed 1982 in Huddersfield by Chaz (vocals), Nobby (guitars), Kitty (bass), Brooky (drums) and made their live debut (an invites-only house party excepted) at the Fraternity Hall in Huddersfield that September, supporting The Macc Lads. In 1983 they recorded the first demo, four songs produced by Xpozez members Tez & Trimble (both of whom later joined The Instigators). Two tracks from a second demo appeared on the 1984 On The Street compilation, and this was followed by their only single, the Hierarchy Of Hell! EP, which quickly sold out of its pressing of 1000 copies. They split in 1986 after having switched to playing thrash metal under the name Damage Inc. A short review: "A cool 4-song old-fashioned punk release, featuring fuzzed-out guitar, snarling vocals, tight relentless mid-tempo rhythm, and catchy tunes and choruses. Believable." (Tim Yohannan, MMR #23, March 1985)

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TURBONEGRO - I Got Erection 7'' 1995

I wanna start the weekend with a single from a band, I guess, that everyone of you knows and "I Got Erection" is their seventh 7Inch (three different versions exist) from the fantastic Ass Cobra album, and a real cracker. 💣💥💣 Short info at this point: Turbonegro came together as a band in Oslo and started around Christmas 1988. Always surrounded by scandal and controversy, they have broken up, retired and changed members several times. They combines glam, punk and hard rock into a self-described "Deathpunk" musical style. Turbonegro's lyrics often attack political correctness. Their genre of punk has been self-described as deathpunk. The band has stated that their music superseded existing genres, so they dubbed it "Deathpunk" as a way to avoid being pigeonholed into musical groupings they felt they were above. Lyrics referencing the genre choice include "gimme deathpunk baby, and I like it" from the song "Get It On". Sharing characteristics with certain musical predecessors, (Sex Pistols wearing swastikas, etc.), Turbonegro has been praised by some as playing the most up-to-date form of punk with an anarchic blend of humour, shock and sexuality. 💥💣💥 The B-side of this single, Jeg Will Bli Som Jesus, is a Norwegian New Wave classic (originally by Kjøtt), sung by Eugene Chadbourne in 'phonetic' Norwegian. The band is still alive and on tour worldwide.

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GAZOLINE - Sally 7'' 1977

Gazoline were formed in Paris 1977 by Alain (vocals), Olivier (guitar), Pierre (bass) and Grand Did (drums) they quickly recorded their first 7Inch on a Revox and released via Egg in September 1977. The second 7Inch Killer Man was released three months later, recorded in Barclay studios in nine hours, and Dynamite is playing the drums on this record and shortly after the release the first dissolution follows. A new formation was reborn in February 1978 with Hugues on drums and his brother Fred on bass who came from the group Fassbinder. They play at the Black Ball in March 1978, at the Gibus from April 18-22, then for the Olympia punk night from July 8-10, recordings of it were banned on the interesting Le Rock D'Ici A L'Olympia compilation, regrettably without Gazoline. Alain resume the first formation to release under his name the What Ever Happened To Alain Z. Kan album at the beginning of 1979. From this recording session (before the mixing), there remained an unpublished one, Gigolo which can be found today on the compilation Thesaurus Volume 5. An album followed in 1986 and its mysterious disappearance in 1990. Well, both songs on this slab are a little bit exhausting and everyone who has heard the fantastic Killer Man slab will be very disappointed with Sally, like me. Reissued by Cameleon Records 2016 in an edition of 300 copies.

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A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS - Modern Love Is Automatic EP 1981

Released via Jive Records, Modern Love Is Automatic is the 3rd 7Inch by A Flock Of Seagulls, my favorite UK new wave band of the 80s and they serve four decent nuggets for us, two are non-album tracks (I changed a song). Modern Love is also opener on their debut album the following year. A few content-related song details: A love-affair between a mismatched pair. As with many of the groups lyrics, harmonies and videos, there is a suggestion of cosmic energy and other-world imagery. The woman is an "automatic" perhaps symbolizing an android of some type. The man is a "cosmic" perhaps from another planet. The song closes with the man "locked away" but the narrator suggesting he is in fact free. - Such futuristic anecdotes are typical for the band and their relaxed music doesn't make the four dead.

Important useful infos: owing to their memorable and unusual style and appearance, A Flock of Seagulls are sometimes referred to with ironic appreciation. The New Musical Express wrote: "Of course, everyone remembers this group now for singer Mike Score's ridiculous back-combed haircut and the fact that they are mentioned in Pulp Fiction. So now they're kind of cool, but in the early 1980s it was a different story." Their dramatic style has drawn much criticism and parody, but the band has also been recognized as a pioneering act, capturing the spirit of their time, particularly with the guitar work of Paul Reynolds and sonically multi-layered hits such as "Space Age Love Song," "Telecommunication," and "Modern Love Is Automatic." The band also is noted for creating a successful concept album, their debut, which alludes to an alien invasion of earth. Billboard writer Robert Christgau applauded their "mechanical lyrics, about a mechanical end of the world," while noting the "aural pleasure" of both the band's debut album and the follow-up.

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INSTIGATORS - Dine Upon The Dead 2002

Back from all the todo's and to be honest, my motivation is fading for today, but I still have one grenade left: The first release in the ‘Gone But Not Forgotten’ series from Blackfish Records is ‘Dine Upon The Dead’ by the Instigators, a tough power melodic punkrock from Dewsbury, one of my favorites in this field. Back in the early ‘80s, they released several critically acclaimed albums, shifted thousands of units & toured all over the world. This retrospective release compiles their first three records (The Blood Is On Your Hands EP '84, Nobody Listens Anymore '85 & the Phoenix LP from '86) together and was planned 2014 as double vinyl via Boss Tuneage but this was never given an official release (but the cover is cool and used for this post). Ten test presses were manufactured but it never progressed beyond that stage. Anyway, fact is: twenty-four in all, of fast, tuneful, positive, politically motivated UK punk. That's enough and tomorrow is a new day.

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THE CRANBERRIES - Rare & Live 2018

Let's start this memorable day with a compilation of the fantastic Cranberries whose singer unfortunately passed away three years ago. I have combined twenty-four rare tracks, B-sides and live material here and their music is always a relaxed companion and let me calm down after a stressful day or when things don't go quite so perfectly. Still hard to believe Dolores is no longer with us. I hope you can enjoy their sound as much as I do, I re-upped their first 12'' Uncertain and after visiting the dentist I continue with more stuff.

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URLAUB IM ROLLSTUHL - Seveso Kids 1987

One slab that changed hands many many years ago is the following one by U=IxR, a four piece which were founded 1983 in Bad Neuenahr by Hans-Jürgen (vocals), Jim-Bob (guitars), Michael (bass), Björn (drums) and Urlaub Im Rollstuhl released two records through Junk Yard Label (I think their own) and their sound can be described as typical "DeutschPunk" but sometimes they speed up to a hardcore style, faster than the average german punk. The record was published in a hand-numbered edition, but don't ask me how many, I guess 1000 copies were pressed. Also represented on numerous, mostly tape compilations, Beethovens Rache is one on vinyl with only bands from the Bonn area. Fazit: Seveso Kids is a good debut with sixteen solid songs that taste like a barbecue with good friends, enjoy!

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SOUTH OF NO NORTH - Fell Frozen 1986

South Of No North was one of the first true darkwave bands to emerge in Greece and consisted of Andreas (vocals), Michalis (guitars), George (bass), Fivos (drums), George (keyboard) and when Charles Bukowski wrote South Of No North, he didn’t know that an Athenian dark wave band would use his title as their band name in November 1983. They had their first gig at Grava’s High School in 1984 with the bands Metro Decay, Villa 21, Yell-O-Yell and Art Of Parties, all label-mates in Creep Records. Mostly influenced by bands such as Japan, Bauhaus and Joy Division, they covered a dark music spectre which was made obvious by their only video shot in their rehearsing studio (check “Baby Steps To A New Era, Vol.II”).

 Their gigs were very rare, considering the existing live clubs of those years, but this didn’t stop Creep Records from signing them up to release the first Greek dark wave album in history. “Lacrimae Christi”, their debut, was recorded during September 1984 and was released April 1985. New wave and dark wave took over in the Greek underground. It was easy to attend to some small gig and see the Headleaders in a bar called “Blue Note” (later called “Masswell”) near Kipseli Square, which was territorial South Of No North’s area. This bar had one of the first VCRs in Athens, playing music vids of foreign new wave bands. Punks like the band Ex-Humans were also hanging around. Actually, Fivos, Ex-Human’s drummer, was also playing with South Of No North, as well. The band used Edgar Alan Poe’s poem “Anabell Lee” for one of their songs in their second album, “Fell Frozen” (which was the last release of Creep Records). During the following years there were a few changes in their line up as two keyboard players were added, which pushed their style away from the guitar-oriented sound. In 1989 they opened for Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds at Rodon Club and released the album “South Of No North” reaching the peak of their career with their most successful song, “Sha La La”. One year later they parted ways after a concert with Last Drive and Villa 21. Their last album, a compilation called “Rajah”, was released in 1992 featuring material taken from their past albums. Rumor has it that the band had a new album recorded, which was never released. Later, some of them formed the band Rock Xerox. In 2003 they had a reunion show for the Elfentanz Festival, in Gagarin 205 Club.

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