POP STRESS - So Good To Be In Love 7'' 1981

Pop Stress was a post-punk band and formed 1980 in Montréal by Charles (vocals/guitars), Martin (bass) and Janno (drums). They put out one 7Inch on Micatube Records with two goodies. The band never made an album and I think they broke up after the release but they create catchiness and rhythmic melodies that are bound to have you dancing. Finally in 2013 a compilation (same label) named Full come into the world with fifteen leftovers in a new guise. Interesting band with interesting music from an interesting city at an interesting time.

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THE JACKS - Just Like Yesterday 7'' 1980

I can't much telling about the following band either, except they're hailing from Tulsa, Oklahoma and the Jacks made their only single with two fine melodic punchy Powerpop goodies on Debonaire. But this year an interesting compilation, Make 'Em Cry, with further studio recordings was released on Reminder Records, which includes seventeen rare pieces from the early eighties (some issued, the majority unheard) and I think it's worth buying but the increased customs costs for shipping to Europe are not acceptable to me. Well, we all know who's to blame. - The band broke up after going through several different phases in the mid 80's.

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THE CHEETAHS - Radio-Active EP 1979

Only record by the Cheetahs on Zoom Records with three decent numbers. Formed in the late seventies in Edinburgh by Joe (vocals), John (guitars), Andrew (bass), Phil (harmonica), Droo (drums). A solid mix of Punk and Powerpop have the Scots celebrated here and their sound makes wanting for more but they didn't release anything else, so this is unfortunately all. Maybe someone is digging up more lost treasures, because I can't imagine that these are their only recordings. Until that day comes, their fantastic slab remains as an excellent example of early Scottish underground music and I guess the band broke up in the early eighties.

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V/A - The Insane Darrell Wayne's No Disco Album 1980

At the heyday of Disco, a counter-movement formed in America that demanded an immediate stop in production of platform boots. One of the leaders of the anti-disco movement was radio DJ Darrell Wayne. He hated Disco. To set an example against the rampant disco fever, the radio DJ from station KROQ buried a heap of disco records under a ton of sand on the beach in LA in 1979. In addition, Wayne urged the listeners of his show to send in anti-disco songs. The best of them made it on this compilation released by the legendary label Bomp! Records. "The Insane Darrell Wayne No Disco Album" is balm for the wounds of all disco-phobic music listeners. A dozen underground bands from LA expressed their hatred of disco. Punk & New Wave are the musical weapons against the disco lard. In addition to the rumbling DIY songs and the funny artwork are the liner notes in particular that make this record a cult object. Satirical scene reports stir up hatred of the disco movement and supposed doctors report on diseases such as “disco ankle” (“a disability due to platform shoes”). Cool Stuff!

1.Punk, Punk Down With Disco - FARBO & THE CHEESEHEADS

2.Trashy Chic - THE TOKYOS

3.Disco's What I Hate - CLICHÉ

4.Discoectomy - HOMECOOKIN'

5.Disco Sucks - THE PRESS

6.Love Train - CAP'N CRISCO & THE DISCO NINNIES

7.Jerk Teens Jerk - ZILCH

8.No Disco - DIM DANDY & THE DOLTS

9.Dance With The Machines - GROUND ZERO

10.Death To Disco - THE VECTORS

11.Disco's Dead - SGAB FROM THE PLANET ZED

12.Pogoin's For Me - CINDY & THE GIDGET HATERS

13.Disco Trash - MADFOX

14.Pedestrian Beat - UBUIBI

15.Disco Defecation - FLASH BOYANCY

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LOMBEGO SURFERS - Third Stage 7'' 2001

Weekend and the last day of April and in keeping with the rising temperatures, now the appropriate sound for the dance into May. The Lombego Surfers are a Swiss GarageRockPunk and Surf instrumental band from Basel and the three warriors have been riding through Europe for over twenty years and they don’t give a hoot about trends. Musically they convince with their hard straight Rock’N’Roll and bring every lame club to a boil. The almost dozen albums and numerous singles to date prove that they enjoy what they do. The current line-up consists of Anthony (vocals/guitar), Pascal (bass), Olivier (drums) and the current album Heading Out came out in 2018. This is their fifth single with two solid numbers and I'll have a cold beer with it and rock out a little, Cheers!

- Great Thx to Reinhard -

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DIVISION 4 - On The Beat EP 1982

Another fund of my hard drive and this month is definitely the one with the most posts of this genre. 100% mod/powerpop from Sydney by Division 4. A short info: Brothers Kieren and Brad Fitzpatrick were playing in a local punk band in 1979 when they placed an ad looking for a drummer on a noticeboard at the University of NSW. Joe Genua responded, and brought with him bass player Antony Howell Smith III. Division 4 (named after the classic Aussie cop show of the early 1970s) seized on the burgeoning mod revival movement, swiftly building a strong inner-city following in Sydney. Their only legacy is this rare three track EP but an important light in the sky of this genre and came out on their own label. The band split up in 1984. Maintained on two cool compilations, Sound Of Sydney Vol.1 & Powerpearls #5. Please send the first, thx (it's been dealt with).

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KEIN MENSCH! - s/t EP 1981 + Süchtig 7'' 1982

Doublepack now with a four piece from Hagen. Kein MenscH! was a wave/punk combo and were founded late seventies by Gabi (vocals/synth/piano/flute/sax), Rü (vocals/guitars), Hans-Uli (bass/percussion), Bille Balle (bass) and were one of the first bands who replaced drums by the drum synthesizer Roland TR-808 and Korg MS-20. Kein MenscH! is electronic, minimal, punk, rock, pop and their music combines garish synthesizer sounds with the innovative use of electric guitars. In the change between punk riffs, harmonic melodies and experimental sounds, varied songs were created. The pieces contentwise deal with human strengths and weaknesses and with the social Zeitgeist. The first single was produced by Tom Dokoupil (The Wirtschaftswunder) and appeared 1981 on the indie label Tonträger 58. The following EP Süchtig one year later via Virgin. Also represented on the legendary Alles Aus Hagen & Neue Deutsche Unterhaltungsmusik (Rock In Deutschland, Vol. III) compilations plus various bootleg slabs. Unfortunately an album was not realized, but it was enough for a tape which the band made in 1988. The grandiose WSDP label honored them in 2007 with an impressive record (limited edition) with more rare lost nuggets. In any case, interesting music with pioneer spirit.

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UNTER DEN LINDEN - Motstånd I Läder EP 1983

Now to a Swedish combo (and very underrated in my opinion) from Karlshamn which were formed in 1980 and consisted of Björn, Jochen, Leif, Ulf. Their first gig was October 22, 1980 and they released two singles and two albums on Amalthea in the 80s. They collaborated with the band Att Som and recorded together the debut Unter Den Linden/Att Som slab and the band members of the two bands played on each other songs. From the band name one would think that it could be cozy and poppy music, but it's far from it. The A-side is a solid three minute stomper which infect you instantly. But with the flip they kick the shit out of your ass with two fantastic fast punk smasher (spontaneously I can't find another Swedish combo in comparison that played such killer riffs)... Hell Yeah! Besser geht's nicht!  Also represented on some compilations. The band split up in 1987, but you should definitely take a closer look at.

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VAINS - You May Not Believe In Vains But You Cannot Deny Terror EP 1980

First, all requested re-ups are done and after scouring my hard drive again, I keep coming across hidden treasures and I think I won't be able to listen to all of them in this life, unless I reach retirement age and sit on the beach near my holiday home in Cyprus, but it's not that far yet. But one of them is rolling now in. The debut record by the Vains from Seatlle on No Threes Records, formed by Criss (vocals/guitars), Nico (bass), Andy (drums) in the late seventies. This record was pressed in an edition of 1000 copies and offers three untamed fantastic killers. The detectives have also immortalized all three songs on various Killed By Death compilations. What more punk heart do you want?

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MEN AT WORK - Cargo 1983

Unfortunately yesterday it didn't work out with a success in the Bayer Arena and now it's getting tight again for the SGE. Well, let's wait and see. Now to today's post; and a band which I love listen to, then and still today, and Cargo is the second studio album by Men At Work and it had been finished in mid-1982, but was held back due to the success of their debut on the international market, because Business As Usual was still riding high. Even if the criticisms are rather moderate, this slab is worth listening, with its excellent single releases, which were played up and down at the time, and can seamlessly keep up with the previous one in my opinion. There are enough reviews to read on the web, but make your own picture of this very good rockpop record, the last interesting work of this combo from Melbourne.

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