BRANES - Young Collection EP 1995

Another EP from the 333 x Up & Down series, this time by a five-piece from Düsseldorf called The Branes; a short-lived band which consisted of Marteen (vocals), Suse & Markee (guitars), Floh (bass), Joshy (drums) and this is all they ever released. Six catchy '77 style smasher which once again underlines the label's fondness for this type of music and therefore makes it so appealing to me. I like to surprise myself! I can't remember when & where I bought this record, but one thing's for sure, since it's part of this rare series, I didn't hesitate long, without knowing the band in any way, but that's what's interesting: either top or flop and Young Collection belongs definitely to the top section. Enough for today, now it's football time and let's see what's going on in Berlin today ⚽ Cheers!

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THE SECT - This Side Of Summer EP 1992

Pretty three piece EP from the 333 x Up & Down series which was created in the Nineties by the legendary Incognito Records label and each release is limited to 333 copies. And Barny, the founder, was guest at Nolti's New Rose on Nikolaus last year and chatted about the early days, his publications, experiences, re-releases, mp3's and more nice anecdotes in a relaxed atmosphere and it's really fun to listen to both. Very interesting for me because I had the pleasure of getting to know him in the Hamburger Marquee when Broken Toys was on tour with the Schwarzen Schafe and I was doing civil service in Lüneburg at the time. I was even able to visit the tour a second time, in Oberursel. It was all in the early nineties and I also bought a few singles from him. - The Sect was a melodic Punk combo with an edge done the old way from the West Midlands and consisted of Kevin (vocals), Terry & kevin (guitars), Kevin P. (bass), John (drums) and were active from 1986 - 1992 and released two albums (listen) and a couple of 7Inches and they playing catchy powerful solid melodic songs in the vein of GNW or HDQ and didn't get unfortunately a lot of attention and stayed more in the underground and only a must for die-hard fans. Do yourself a favour and choose this one and enjoy their awesome sound.

- Great Thx to Reinhard -

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EXTRABREIT - Welch Ein Land! - Was Für Männer: 1981

Well-known and also popular overseas are Hagen's Extrabreit and they returned 1981 to the studio to record their sophomore effort. At that time the band consisted of Kai (vocals), Stefan & Ulrich (guitars), Wolfgang (bass), Rolf (drums). In the early 1980s, 3D technology was slowly gaining momentum, resulting in films, posters and even some TV commercials. To experience the effect, paper glasses with red and green plastic lenses were distributed everywhere. An interesting gag for the time. Extrabreit had the idea of using the new technology for Welch Ein Land!... and designed a stereoscopic three-dimensional photo for the cover and as far as I know it's the only one of its kind, and the first edition came with anaglyph glasses and this is innovation I miss these days. Well, a nice review: "WEL-WFM is a more angry, politically quarrelsome album and to everyone's big surprise, first single "Polizisten" immediately turned into the band's first hit, only gaining strength when the Bavarian government banned the song for openly insulting the country's police force. Around the same time, German music journalists had discerned a new trend and dubbed it NDW. Bands like Ideal, Trio, and Spliff demonstrated a new national self-esteem, and Extrabreit, with their raucous, untamed attitude, fit right in. Over a year after its release, Extrabreit's debut album followed its successor into the charts and the single "Hurra, Hurra, die Schule Brennt" quickly climbed into the Top Ten. By 1982 both of the band's albums had established themselves in Germany's Top Five album chart and against all odds Extrabreit had turned into Germany's most successful band of the year." - Enough bla bla, listen and enjoy the weekend!

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DARK DRIZZLE - Dirt Enters At The Heart 2015

Dark Drizzle are a young Post/Wave/Punk band from the almost inexhaustible cellars of Rathenow and consists of Spunk (vocals), Kotze (guitars), Micro (bass), Baschti (drums). This is their debut on SickSuck Records. As always with this label, every cover is handmade, and if you don't have an album after the 100th edition has been sold, you'll get nothing. The voice is deep and gloomy and the Eighties wave sound fused with simple minimal Punk suits the band well. The songs aren't groundbreakingly good or flashy, but they are consistently solid and develop their charm as a whole. In this way they create a dark but harmonious atmosphere, certainly not to everyone's taste (find a little threat on the Positive Energie compilation) or eat a Snickers. Interesting album in any case... try it out. 

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SELF ABUSE - Unestablished Since 1982 [2019]

Let's continue with an interesting combo and a record, which now are already hard to get. But from the beginning: Self Abuse were formed in Bournemouth 1982 at the height of the second Punk wave by Andy (vocals/bass), Dave (guitars/vocals), Roger (guitar), Steve (drums)... age 16/17 respectively. They've been trying to form a band for some time and hit it off right away when they met through a local recording studio. In the next few months they wrote their first songs. Played their first gig in Poole/Dorset and released the State Of Mind demotape on their own Abused label during that year. In March 1983 followed the second demo Teenage (again on their own label), which was recorded in the famous Poole studios and it shows that the five made technical progress: the simple, rough monotony gives way to a playful style, whereby drums, bass & guitars have an outstanding feature and only bassist and singer Andy still sings naively infantile. The improved sound also implied old songs from the 2nd demo in a better way and also ensured that they could increase their local and national awareness after the release and played in the south of England together with Screaming Dead, Amebix, Idiom Tribe, Breakout, Shock To The System, Madmass, Cult Maniax, etc.. Sound-wise they were described by fanzines as being a cross between Stiff Little Fingers & Chron Gen.

In 1984 the ‘(I Didn’t Wanna Be A) Soldier’ EP was released by the Radical Change label, the late great John Peel played it on his radio show and the record climbed to number two in the Independent charts. Two tracks from their not released ‘Third’ demo were taken for Party Pooping Punk Provocations! compilation on by Xcentric Noise records late in 1984. Despite a mostly triumphant year, there is considerable unrest between the band members and friends, with disagreements about almost everything. Self Abuse played their final gig on 29th Dec. 1984 in Bournemouth to a packed house, two days later they split up. - Twenty years later in 2004, the original line-up reformed to play a gig in Bournemouth and released the No Change EP on Abused Records and the next year saw them play the Wasted Festival [now Rebellion Festival] in Blackpool. And since then, they're still hungry, and continue to indulge in anthemic mid-tempo Punkrock and still can't get enough of the rock circus. This classic compilation was released via Mad Butcher Records, 250 copies exist, and features sixteen delicacies [Demos, EPs & Outtakes], which outline the development of the band as well.

- Great Thx to Fredrik -

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V/A - USA 1981 [2019]

Friends, March is rolling in and let's heat up the freezing temperatures with the following slab, which ranks among the best I've heard in a long time. It's good to see, things are happening again on the KBD / Bloodstains front and the detectives have outdone themselves with this compilation and I can recommend you the purchase without hesitation, but you have to be quick, it's "limited to 300 copies and then no more!" Nineteen bands, twenty-two rare songs and one cracker chases the other. The artwork is more colorful than what we know from the classics, but liner-notes to the bands or other infos have been saved (only all 7Inch covers on the back), too bad... two points deducted in the B-note. But that's a mosquito fartz in view of this brilliant record, because as it says here: "Why pay $500 to some gold digger for a 7Inch when you can get the whole package here?" Think about it!!

1.Guns On The Right - DV8

2.Learn To Say Goodbye - DV8

3.Amerikan Story - CULT HEROES

4.Instant Passion - DEPROGRAMMER

5.Nazi School - CRACKED ACTOR

6.Rich Girl - ROCK BOTTOM & THE SPYS

7.Annhilation - SAIGON

8.No Passion - MODERN WARFARE

9.The Baby's Dead - SOCIETY DOG

10.How Do You Feel It? - SOCIETY DOG9

11.Calling Dr. Modo - SHIT DOGS

12.Small Talk - INTERNATIONAL Q

13.Laboratory Baby - LOS REACTORS

14.Reborn - SHIT DOGS

15.Laughing Lover - THE MISFITS

16.Where'd Ya Go Sid? - THE HUGH BEAUMONT EXPERIENCE

17.Pumpkin Queen - JEMMY LEGS

18.John Wayne Was A Nazi - STAINS

19.Execution Time - SHELL SHOCK

20.God Is Dead - HEART ATTACK

21.Shotgun - HEART ATTACK

22.Shoot The Pope - RPA

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THE MIDDLE CLASS - Out Of Vogue [The Early Material] 2008

The Middle Class were an American four piece established 1976 in Santa Ana/California and consisted of Jeff (vocals), Mike (guitar), Mike P. (bass), Bruce (drums). Debate continues to this day as to whether Middle Class were the first Hardcore combo or if Black Flag or Bad Brains were. It is unlikely that Bad Brains were aware of Middle Class, however, as they were unknown outside of California. Their sound evolved from being a blistering, shouted, arty version of punk which would be extremely influential to the hardcore sound that would emerge in the years following their first release, the 1978 Out Of Vogue 7Inch. This record featured the title track along with three other songs. After this they released the Scavenged Luxury 7'' in 1980 which retained the assault of the first record while introducing the influence of UK bands Gang Of Four and Joy Division. 1982 saw the release of their first full length album, the dark Homeland. Their first seven inches were rereleased on the compilation album "Blueprint For Joy" along with several live tracks and songs they contributed to the Tooth & Nail compilation.

In the mid-1980s Mike & Bruce Atta briefly formed a soul/dance band with former The Bags vocalist Alice Bag called the Cambridge Apostles. Bassist Mike Patton went on to produce the Adolescents' first album, guitarist Mike Atta now owns and operates a vintage furniture shop in Fullerton, California called "Out Of Vogue", and drummer Bruce Atta went on to UCLA to major in Philosophy and now teaches Philosophy at Cal State University at Los Angeles. And now enjoy this fifteen track collection (Frontier Records) with their two EPs, compi tracks & rare demos.

- Great Thx to Fredrik -

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NORMAHL - Verarschung Total 1981

Verarschung Total is the modest debut of Normahl on Mülleimer Records, that comes up with provocative political and sometimes funny lyrics, and whose recordings, unfortunately, was produced in a thin quality but nowadays belongs to one of the classics of early D-Punk and the first edition is very sought among collectors. Normahl was founded 1978 by five high school students from Winnenden and were active until 1996, released really good albums in the early days, by that I mean their Mülleimer records, before they mutated into a Fun-Punk combo and became rather uninteresting for me. I found it surprising that this slab has been indexed by the Federal Inspection Office for Media Harmful to Young Persons (BPjM) since August 31, 2014 ("Youth Ban" without suspicion of violating certain criminal laws) and revoked in February 2016, which I think is a joke, but some impotent Christian mutants demanded this, hahahihihoho... Well, Normahl came back in 2002 and has been on the road since then, consistently spreading its poison among the people. A review, which would make the record even more interesting for me, because the negative ones are more appealing: "Mid-tempo ’77 punk from this German hardcore band. If the guitars were turned up twice as loud and the vocals were more raspy, the Normahl might have something going here. This isn’t the case, so the results are less than satisfying. These is an appealing amateurishness evident here, but it’s not enough to overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings." (Jeff Bale, MRR #3 • Nov/December 1982) - Convinced enough?

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V/A - New Wave 1979

Well, I have a feeling history is repeating itself right now, and war has unequivocally caught up with stupid humanity again. Hard times are coming and the impotence of the politicians leads to death and destruction. Anyone who still thinks that humans are intelligent beings will be disappointed once again and will have to reconsider their attitude, but I don't want to comment further on the current situation, I'm trying to concentrate on the essentials, and that's the music. - This Compilation from K-Tel Records is a nice selection of hits from bands that were slowly gaining popularity in the late 70's/early 80's and released a few catchy tunes that were heard almost everywhere which added to their notoriety. Many cheap compilations came out , because the fat major record wankers sensed easy money with this new kind of music. This is one of them and not bad at all in my opinion. Dear friends, stay fascinate, have a great weekend and enjoy the sound of this sixteen virtuosos.. wherever you are.

1.Dreaming - BLONDIE

2.Back Of My Hand - THE JAGS

3.Making Plans For Nigel - XTC

4.Toast - STREET BAND

5.Money - FLYING LIZARDS

6.Straw Dogs - STIFF LITTLE FINGERS

7.The Prince - MADNESS

8.Because The Night - PATTI SMITH

9.Rock Lobster - THE B-52's

10.Ca Plane Pour Moir - PLASTIC BERTRAND

11.King Rocker - GENERATION X

12.Nice Legs Shame About You - THE MONKS

13.Gangster - THE SPECIALS

14.Charade - THE SKIDS

15.Time For Action - SECRET AFFAIR

16.Great Rock 'N' Roll Swindle - SEX PISTOLS

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N.O.S. & ZYNTHSLAKT - Och Hör Sen!! EP 1982

One more request today with this frenetic trashy EP by two Swedish combos with three songs each from the early Eighties. N.O.S. was actually the first band that together with Köping mates Zynthslakt made a record, the Och Hör Sen!! EP. Released on Commando Z, it was all done through TBV, a study circle which offered a good way to record music. "We had access to a rehearsal room through the study circle TBV... that included six hours of studio time, which we used to record the single. However, Lillis (drums) never came to the recording, he cowardly, so we had to use the study circle leader Tjabo as drummer. He ran a drum solo using a plastic cookie jar on a dustbin. Incredible man!" states Goofy (vocals/guitar). Tommy was initially as singer & frontman in N.O.S., Goofy remembered once when they played in Hallstahammar's Folkets park, "A lot of raggers were crowded at the front of the audience and Tommy shouted swear words at the rags all the time. It ended with that we were "chased" by the rags when they went back to Köping. We played an instrumental version of the Czech national anthem. Thought it was neat and cool to play. Maybe it was from that that Per Granberg's Charta 77 was born?" thinks Goofy. These recordings are their only vinyl release. About Zynthslakt you take the information from the previous posts.

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