FLIEHENDE STÜRME - An Den Ufern 1988

One record, the appearance of which I was eagerly awaiting at the time, was the debut of Fliehende Stürme, a three piece which founded 1983 in Stuttgart by Andreas (vocals/guitars), Thomas (bass), Michael (drums) and I must admit, I was positive surprised. Released via Storm Records, An Den Ufern has eleven intense hymns which put an end to the legendary chapter Chaos Z, in order to rise again from the ashes with Fliehende Stürme like Phoenix. The partly direct, hard and dirty songs always come with a touch of melancholy, statements of which one can often nod in agreement in good as well as lousy times, they always hit the core and make clear what every song is about. Driving songs characterized by massive guitar riffs with a charismatic sonorous voice. You go through deep dark valleys and stay there for a while to climb back up stronger. A push to unknown worlds to places you know or will get to know, and this is the perfect sound for these experiences! To date, eleven stories have been published and more are sure to follow, so come a little bit closer and stay for a while, Honey.

here

VANDAALIT - Namuja Lapsille 1980

This gluttony at this time is really enormous, Cookies, Stollen, Roasts, etc.. I'm gradually wondering where it's all going, my scales inevitably show me too many kilos. Do you feel the same way? Well, I don't even want to know. Let's concentrate on the essentials and let's see what musical treasures I dig up these days. Vandaalit from Hyvinkää has permission to open this week, they were a gang of youngsters who played hard blunt Rock & Roll in the mid-seventies, founded 1977 by Vesa (vocals), Piitsi & Klide (guitars), Sepi (bass), Ari (drums), but hearing the Ramones everything changed, and soon the band transformed their style to rough, simple punkrock. Namuja Lapsille is their debut album from 1979, released via Hilse-Levyt, with fifteen melodic straight forward sing along numbers that sound like easy Christmas carols for the whole family and the cover somehow fits as well.

here

SAMIAM - s/t LP 1990

Next band is also one of my favorites and was formed 1988 in sunny Berkeley, California. Two years later followed the fantastic self-titled debut which was recorded by Jason (vocals), Sergie & James (guitars), Marty (bass), Mark (drums) and released on New Red Archives on colored vinyl and is one of the most influential, melodic hardcore records ever. Always helpful when other maniacs find words that I cannot reproduce better, so here is a short review which I like to quote: "Compared to the pop and polish of its later releases, Samiam is barely recognizable on its self-titled debut. The sound is raw and angry, highly influenced by hardcore. But Jason's lyrics, though more cryptic than his later works, distinctly place Samiam in the realm of emocore. Instead of making broad political statements, like the early-'80s hardcore bands, he turned inward, while the music stayed fast and furious. A sample line from The Bridge: ''My bridge is too unstable, the insecurity is letting go.'' (Ron DePasquale)

Well, as far as I know, they're still active, even if the last album is over ten years ago, but Samiam is always welcome und especially their first albums are great stuff. Now it's time for a hearty breakfast, Cheers!

here

NEUROTIC ARSEHOLES - Angst 1985

Another highlight of German Punk are the Neurotic Arseholes [Zombie (vocals), Kurt (guitars), Zahnie (bass), Der Kurze (drums)] from Minden who already shone with their debut on Aggressive Rockproduktionen in 1983 and the change to Weird System was the right step. If the debut was quickly & unprofessional recorded in a few days, the four of them reaped more time and understanding from the Hamburgers for the second album so that the production sounds smoother and cleaner and it turned into a masterpiece. I can still sing along to all of the lyrics today. For me, in any case the best album by the Arseholes. The band, whose three albums have now become popular classics of German punk, never saw themselves as a professional or commercial band. Kurt composed and wrote most of the lyrics. The first album consisted of all sorts of song material that had accumulated since the band was founded. The second album is, in the broadest sense, an album which was made up with a few pieces that were created spontaneously in the studio. The concerts of the 1980s took place mainly in youth centers and autonomous centers for minimal fees. Even during the last tour in 1998, the musicians had no ambitions to pursue a further career with the project. Zahni in an interview from 1998: "The concerts have all been great so far, but we don't have to overstrain it either and I don't want to let it get to the point where people start saying it would be better if we didn't have another one did." Thirteen catchy & timeless nuggets features Angst, an album that my earpieces can delight at any time and is a long-running on my phone. Duty Stuff!

here

V/A - Two Ninety Nine! 1984

Dear friends, I just found out that Mensi, leader of Angelic Upstarts, died on December 10th, 2021 at the age of 65 after being infected with Covid-19. Now the second from the band after bassist Tony (died on February 22nd, 2021). I'm really shocked and sad, the punk world has lost a big fighter and sympathetic person, I raise my glass to you! R.I.P. Mensi, the next posts are dedicated to you. 

I think a compilation from Rot Records is a worthy homage, on the one hand I don't know a bad record from this label, on the other hand I think the music fits right now. Two Ninety Nine is full with great bands/songs which show an excellent overview of the house bands and whose singles were mostly available in small editions. I think, this compi had only a print run of 1000 copies as well. Everything is said, let the music speak!

1.Model Soldier - ANIMAL FARM

2.Red Alert - KILLROY

3.Bone Orchard - NAKED PREY

4.We Don't Need You - MANIA

5.Use Your Brain - CLAMPDOWN

6.Zombie Nation - SICK VICARS

7.Desperation Time - RADIO NINE

8.Don't Criticise - PATROL

9.Last But Not Least (Live) - THE ENEMY

10.S.S. Officer - PATROL

11.Murder And Maim - CLAMPDOWN

12.Russia - RESISTANCE 77

13.I'm Glad I'm Sick - THOSE OBNOXIOUS TYPES

14.Where Are They Now? - RADIO NINE

15.Shoulder To Shoulder - MANIA

16.Call Of The Reaper - NAKED PREY

17.Shattered Mirror - SICK VICARS

18.Dead Mans Dreams - PARANOIA

here

PLACEBO - B-Sides, Live & Rare 2011

I can say that I'm a friend of Placebo's music and their last album was released six years ago. Founded 1994 in London by Brian (vocals/guitars), Stefan (bass) & Robert (drums), became their first album from 1996 not much attract attention in Germany. That changed two years later with the second one whose single release caught my interest. Came at exactly the right time and at the end of the Nineties; I was particularly sensitive and sick of living, so I was easily receptive to their emotional sound. Since then, I followed the three and bought the records and saw them live as well. Placebo makes music that combines a bit of everything: pop, rock, punk, new wave, alternative and especially their catchy ballads have done it to me. They have released a lot of non-album songs on many obscure records, so I got the idea to look for them and create a compilation with those nuggets, and the end product has been lying around on my hard drive for a few years and today, I listened to the stuff... good for you. A total of twenty-two gems are gathered here that are a privilege to own. I also recommend the live in Paris 2003 post, which could also be interesting for you and tomorrow is weekend again, hurra!

here

EINSTÜRZENDE NEUBAUTEN - Strategien Gegen Architekturen 1983

I can still remember very well, how I came to this musical effusion. This sucker was given from a very close youth friend and he knew that I like music far from mainstream, he asked me if I know Einstürzende Neubauten. I said yes and then he gave me this work of art. He said, it's just pure LÄRM and absolutely not his cup of tea, haha... I understood him because EN are very special. So immediately I went home and listened to Strategien gegen Architekturen, the first compilation album which features rare single-only tracks and live material from 1980 to 1983, and I was delighted.. here an excellent review for you which I like to quote:

"Einstürzende's compilation album summed up all that was brilliant and thrilling about the young band, who perhaps more than anyone else encapsulated exactly what "industrial" consisted of -- honest-to-goodness mechanistic pummeling and musique concrete remade for a newer generation. Selections from Schwarz and Kollaps feature, along with rare 7Inch tracks & various live performances as well, giving a striking picture of the group's varying approaches. Bargeld's rasped, whispered vocals and sudden screams crawl with threat and dread in a consciously dramatic but never overtly hammy fashion, while the rough rhythms and harsh clattering which serves as a bed for his delivery touches on everything from free jazz to minimal Krautrock rhythms. That the volume often gets amped to its absolute highest is only to be expected, but silence and space between sound matters just as much, especially on a slew of songs toward the end. Guitars and bass appear more often than might be expected, but the way they're played is something else entirely, muddied deep in the mix or roaring as undifferentiated noise stabbing in here and there. It's also interesting to hear the earlier version of the band in contrast with the later, when a slightly more formal rock presentation took the fore. Given that on the recordings here the group consisted mostly of percussionists beating on metal and whatever else was to hand, it's little wonder things sound even more aggressive. Maybe for some this will only sound like the backing music on a Sprockets sketch, but the impact on any number of sound terrorists then and since from this album can't be measured." (Review by Ned Raggett)

I couldn't praise this album better, remarkable retrospect!

here

KÖTTGROTTORNA - Blodsdans 1986

Debut album by this four piece on Sista Bussen and they were founded 1983 by Janne (vocals/guitar), Jojje (guitars), Mongo (bass), Happy (drums). Köttgrottorna is powerful rock with a good dose of punk and are mostly appreciated by fans of the Swedish punk scene. The songs have consistently charm and long playing time and a lot of solos, but always pushed the pedal forward and very melodious. Sometimes I would like to know what the guys are singing about and how that goes with the sound, unfortunately there's no lyric sheet within, but don't mind. Twelve catchy mid-tempo goodies, a pleasant voice and nothing more is needed to ring in the Feierabend. Solid Stuff!

here

MAJOR ACCIDENT - Clockwork Heroes 1994

I don't know what's going on, I'm always tired and somehow listless, probably because of the dreary season or something. I need a little bit of schunkel music now and I'll leave that to the leaders of the "Clockwork Punk" movement (a musical community whose look & lyrical themes were inspired by the stylish nihilism of the film A Clockwork Orange) of the early 80's: Major Accident from Darlington which originally formed 1977 by Paul (vocals), Dave (guitars), Con (bass), Stu (drums). It wasn't until the early '80s that they made its first demo recordings. Then they earned a record deal with the pioneering indie label Step Forward Records which releasing their debut album, Massacred Melodies, in 1982. After three albums unimpressive financial problems led to the band breaking up at the end of 1985. Major Accident came back 1996, once again using the full name rather than just "Accident". The result was the forth album The Ultimate High, released on We Bite Records. The band's final release came via DSS Records in 2001 and was a split sucker with Welsh combo Foreign Legion entitled Cry Of The Legion. They currently play just two or three concerts each year, so the rumors say. This file features all of their A and B sides along with classic album cuts. Duty Stuff!

here

ASIA - Alpha 1983

Alpha is the second album by Asia and musically it ties in with the first record, but it's different. In comparison with the enormously successful debut album, Alpha focuses more on mainstream pop rock sounds and is less characterized by progressive rock elements. In my opinion, they have implemented the label's commercial wishes too much and have lost their individuality. The songs are structured in a simple way, one and two verses, a chorus and finally a lame fade-out at the end. The simple framework of a song that is spoiled for success. Overall not a bad album and yet worth listening to, but a perfect example of how stupid, greedy record bosses of a band take their radiance and only thinking for profit. A few official facts: The album has received lukewarm reception from music critics. J. D. Considine in his review for Rolling Stone described Alpha as "a sort of sonic confection, a concoction of tasty melodies, sweet harmonies and goopy lyrics intended more for greedy consumption than for artistic appreciation". Chas de Whalley of Kerrang! was less than restrained and openly said that "this album is complete and utter rubbish from beginning to end and a waste of the good vinyl it's pressed on". Tom Demalon has given the album a retrospective rating of three stars out of five on AllMusic. "Don't Cry", "My Own Time (I'll Do What I Want)" and "Open Your Eyes" have been selected as three "Track Picks". He has compared the album with Asia and has summarized that "nothing on Alpha packs the sheer sonic force of the band's debut." Well, I even still have the third album (Astra) in my closet and even with new guitarists they didn't come close to their old strength, comes at some point in this theater, but after that my interest was finally extinguished, suitable for a cold, gray & rainy Sunday, ENJOY!

here