JELLO BIAFRA with NOMEANSNO - The Sky Is Falling And I Want My Mommy 1991

Kick off March and to a record which is still fresh after more than thirty years and revitalizes the Punk in you when it's a little rusty. Well, when I bought the album in Hamburg back then, I was of course very excited and wanted to know if Jello Biafra, who had two years before jammed with D.O.A. and conjured up a superb album, would top this with his second trip to Canada, this time to Victoria where NoMeansNo was at home back then. And the result is one more musical and optical highlight in all respects. Eight energetic songs plus Jello's cynically apocalyptic words, that sums up this brilliant record. I would particularly like to mention the artwork, which was again designed by Winston Smith and connects the history with reality and let us see that not much has changed and mankind is stagnating in its actions and thinking, profit-oriented and without regard for losses, especially nature and minorities suffer vehemently and all the generations that will follow can be happy. When man entered this planet, the earth was doomed. Nevertheless, I want to close with an apt review from my favorite site for this, because they can do that:

"After working with Canada's D.O.A. on his previous collaboration album, Jello hooked up with fellow Canucks and Alternative Tentacles signees NoMeansNo for an abrasive, brilliantly skewed thrash of a record, The Sky Is Falling & I Want My Mommy. NoMeansNo, with their angular art aggression, makes for a more distinct vehicle for Jello than D.O.A., bursting with power and screwy inventiveness both. The title track alone is worth the price of admission; Jello's rant about nuclear satellites and paranoia perfectly is matched by the music, and in ways the track serves as the missing link between an older style of Punk and the work of underground '90s acts like Unwound. White-hot guitar lines scrape and snarl over the stuttering rhythm while Jello rages through as only he can. "Chew" starts with minimal guitar snarls and whines floating around a low-key rhythm before fully springing to life, alternating between epic explosions and low-key tension over the song's length. Other tracks have a more straightforward, thrash feeling but still kick along very nicely, often throwing in odd solos or other touches to prevent sound-alike disease. Jello's pithy way around any number of subjects doesn't fail him here, with everything from recontextualized religion ("Jesus Was A Terrorist") to the joys of white-knuckle trips down mountain rivers ("Ride The Flume" with its lyrics "forget log rides in amusement parks, this one's 50 miles long!"). NoMeansNo's Ramones-worshipping alter egos, the Hanson Brothers, sneak in for the song "Bad," which is delivered in appropriately quick time, though Jello avoids sounding like Joey Ramone. The album wraps up with two great stormers, "Sharks In The Gene Pool", which constantly shifts tempos and feels over its length, and "The Myth Is Real-Let's Eat", with a wickedly snarling bassline that helps carry it along. Jello lets go in full effect over both, with all of the energy that fans would come to expect." (Ned Raggett)

One note before you ask, my copy doesn't have a lyric sheet for some fucking reason... well, I think more words aren't needed. In the same year, one more short group therapy convened, Tumor Circus, and is one more pleasure at own risk.

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THE FRENCH - The Model 7'' 1981

First 7Inch on Sanguine Records by this five piece which consisted of William (vocals), Graham (guitars), Ian (bass), Pat (keys), Phil (drums) and what the gentlemen have recorded here can definitely be heard. Minimal synthpop grooves that features on the A-side the Kraftwerk classic in a cute version, while the flip has a little more steam in its blood and sounds very wavie. To that a deep voice and the whole thing is done. The following year their second and final 7inch The River Flows East came out, but this sucker doesn't turn me on that much, especially the B-side is disappointing. Anyway, I should mention their only compilation appearance on !!?!...A Taster from 1982 and I guess, the French became history in this year. I wish you a good start into the new week and stay tuned!

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THE SAME - Movements 7'' 1980

Somehow this is the mod month in this blog and I can't tell you why but the next goodie is the only 7Inch by this Mod-revival band from Worthing and this is the French version of the record which came there via Blueprint Records. The Same consisted of Steve (vocals/guitars), Brian (guitars), Peter (bass) and Tony (drums). Brian left early the band and the rest carried as three piece and recorded this great piece which was original released via Wessex Records in a limited edition of 1000 copies. The band had some compilation invites and in 2018 Detour Records released a CD totaling twenty three songs, to be mailed to me immediately.

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NEUE HEIMAT - Ich Bau' Dir Ein Schloss 7'' 1982

Today I'm fulfilling a request and I know there were a few more, but I have to admit I forgot a lot. I always think I can remember them, so I don't write them down and then find that they're gone. Well, that's the way it is, so I need a reminder from those who have uttered one before. The following 7inch is the best-known song from Neue Heimat and I didn't know until now that it's a cover version, it was originally sung by Dutch Schlager singer Heintje in 1968 (watch). On the flip is with 'König Albert' a snappy non-album track in the typical rockin' band style. Definitely a solid record and I retire because I've got a little fucking cold and want to be fit for today's difficult away game in Leipzig in a few hours.

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OFFENDERS - We Must Rebel 1983

A new weekend has begun and new opportunities await you on this memorable day, a year of war on the edge of Europe and with no end in sight. Well, I don't want to waste another valuable thought on it; War Is Aways Fuck!, and if no one can't find another solution, then those people are incompetent and brain-damaged. A small personal opinion and please no political discussions, I just want to make it clear that mankind is not getting any smarter and that history always repeats itself, unfortunately only negatively. Well, let's leave the crap behind and get to the appropriate sound for such occasions.... Hardcore classic by Texas-based four piece Offenders, and their awesome debut came via R Radical Records (MDC frontman Dave's label) out. Only ten tracks but the band became known worldwide as one of the premiere Hardcore combos out of the Lone Star state. This album has been highly regarded for decades. Rightfully so. It’s a perfect record: fast, loud, raw, perfect! A review: "The spirited thrash attack on this album recalls the work of the very best Texas bands, and reveals lyric concerns which mine a blend of youthful outrage and rebellion. “Fight Back” and the LP’s title song rate as my favorites, but the entire record demonstrates remarkable consistency, a factor in no small part due to the wild, raucous production. An exciting and distinctive release." (Steve Spinalli, MRR #11 • January/February 1984) - The record is so hot, it has been reissued three times, first in 1989 on Bitzcore with five bonus songs, the CD even has the tracks from the Fight Back EP on it. Enough words, enjoy fifteen heart attacks in hearty relaxation!

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DEUTSCHE TRINKERJUGEND - Alle Meine Freunde... 2014

A highlight of German Punk music was released by Hörsturzproduktion and Rotten Totten Records and these are always worthwhile because they are lovingly and handsomely produced, sometimes on colored vinyl, and these attributes also stand for the following record: twenty-four songs by Berlin legend Deutsche Trinkerjugend (DTJ) from the 80s! The a-side with twelve studio songs (Scheißegal EP from 1984 and Compilation songs) and twelve on the b-side with goodies from the "Live Im Flöz" tape from 1982. The band was founded by Jenne (vocals), Max (guitars), Bertel (bass), Uwe (drums) and they had their active phase in the alternative and lively scene in West Berlin in the early Eighties and were part of the "unruly youth culture", those years that confused and repelled the bourgeois milieus of West Berlin and contributed to the half-city appearing as an adventure playground for the abandoned, excluded and loafers. The content of the four is about excessive alcohol consumption and refusal to work. The DTJ first became known regionally through live performances, which often took place in squats. In 1982 the first recordings were released as a split-tape Live Im Flöz, together with Frau Suurbier. Most of these recordings were made during the live recording of a concert by both bands at the Etablissement Flöz in Wilmersdorf on August 13, 1982 and is only available on cassette and were mainly distributed regionally. The aforementioned sampler contributions followed, finally their EP on Love & Pils Records (a classic) and within two years, the Deutsche Trinkerjugend had achieved cult status in the scene. In 1984 the band broke up for undocumented reasons; however, its members continued to work together on various projects in the years that followed. After German reunification, the four came together again for a few gigs in the new federal states. Uwe died in 1996, Jenne in 2010. This is their legacy, short funny songs that may not be to everyone's taste but have left their mark on a new genre.

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NEW MODEL ARMY - No Rest For The Wicked 1985

Second album by New Model Army from Bradford and it is the band's first release on a major label and their last featuring bassist and founding member Stuart Morrow. Whilst having their roots in Punkrock, the band have always been difficult to categorise. Their fight against injustice, war or political grievances they make clear in their lyrics and they also skilfully translate them into melodic songs, and they've been doing it since 1980.

"Sacrificing the experimental Post-Punk doodling that worked so well within defined songs on the first LP Vengeance strangely enough works here for this incredible band that won't hear any malarkey about how bad second LPs are supposed to be. A more direct approach works wonders, rendering every song a possible single, every one a flaming, emotion-wracked foray into human thoughts, customs, and politics. And Justin got some unparalleled British lyrics for this kind of statement-oriented music and tremendous songwriting on side one. "There is no rest for the wicked ones," he sings, like a saddened preacher, a sentiment you see again on the terrific 'Drag It Down', like a guy standing at the edge of a pointless fray wondering why human beings are always so stupid. But he's also capable of great empathy for the times in England as they are in the 2010s, when so many young people are struggling economically, as 'Young, Gifted & Skint' makes clear. Don't miss 'Grandmother's Footsteps' & 'Ambition', too; you won't hear busier bass playing on a hotfoot U.K. Post-Punk record this year. The evidence here is that New Model Army are getting even better when you might have expected the usual decline, suggesting that Justin is an artist with great ideas you can't exhaust, and all three members have the talent to make it something other than regurgitation." (Jack Rabid)

Over the years, New Model Army have gathered a wide selection of fans, many of whom dedicatedly follow the band. Originally calling themselves "The Militia", after the song "Christian Militia", they later universally adopted the term "The Family" for their multi-generational and gendered group. - Great Record!

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IDEAL - Der Ernst Des Lebens 1981

Almost a year earlier, Ideal had set a milestone in the young NDW scene with their debut album and it's still a fantastic record and a year later the second followed, which is again a strong statement from the Four. Der Ernst Des Lebens has become a bit more mature and smooth in terms of sound and the rough Punkroots (so I want to call it) are a bit lost to the mix, but the record still impresses with its good variable songs and they do this in an expressive way, no Ideal album is fucking boring!! As you can easily see, this is the promo version with a different cover and the lyrics are printed in English and French. Recorded again with the line-up of Humpe, Deuker, Behrendt & Krüger. Conny Plank was the producer and all songs were recorded in his studio, released then at WEA. At the time, the label emphasized almost like a prayer wheel that it was a "dance combo (from West Berlin)" and that the music was "definitely dance music". There was talk of "strict rhythms that demand movement and pop music" as well as "music without frills, without superfluous ornamentation. The roots in the New Wave movement are not denied. And yet the possibilities of studio recording have not been neglected". The descriptions may seem wooden, but ultimately the hodgepodge of them all is understandable. Ideal combined melodic features of the Schlager with the drive of New Wave, mixed with a bit more offbeat passages. Catchy, hard riffs and the typical subtly psychedelic interjections, with South Seas/Caribbean flair and an emphatically decadent mood, eleven nuggets that still sound fresh.

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THE CURE - More Rarities 1979-1989

Well, this nice compilation I have made a few years ago and sheds light on the first ten years and the phases the Cure have traveled through. I joined the band at the time of their first records, where they recorded short, almost punky songs, changing to dark sounds with Faith and Pornography, but always reflecting my emotions and accompanying me until the early Nineties. The last interesting album for me is Wish and after the formation changed and I couldn't relate to the '96 album anymore. The Cure were an important band and left remarkable traces in the music world and the range of their songs creates room for interpretation and listening pleasure that definitely doesn't get boring and if a band manages to accompany me a long time of my life, it is exceptional and innovative enough to recommend its name to others. Got a bit of a sore throat and the beer tastes kinda weird but I want you to enjoy every single song on this compilation and I'm sure you'll find tracks you may not have heard of. Enjoy this sucker with a glass of wine and a kiss!

It's Not You/Winter/Faded Smiles aka I Don't Know/Play With Me/I'm A Cult Hero/Going Home Time/The Violin Song/A Normal Story/Throw Your Foot/All Mine (live)/Play For Today (live)/At Night (live)/A Forest (live)/Forever (live)/Push/Lime Time/A Night Like This/The Exploding Boy/Hey You!!! (12'' Mix)/Fear Of Ghosts

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V/A - This Is Mod Vol.1 (Rarities 1979-1981)

Let's round off the small mod phase on wdthtc with the following compilation called This Is Mod, a small series by Anagram Records and a total of six CD's were created in the mid Nineties. The focus is on rare 7Inches, mostly by English bands, which only made it to this format and very sought nowadays. The British mod revival may have been a fad, driven by fashion and most of the time too derivative, but it did produce some cool singles. Musically they move in a decent PowerPop area with smart clothes and the artwork is also impressive, plenty of infos about each band. Consistently interesting and the last post for today, Bundesliga is waiting, Cheers!

1.Opening Up - THE CIRCLES

2.Billy - THE CIRCLES

3.Can We Go Dancing - THE AMBER SQUAD

4.You Should See What I Do To You In My Dreams - THE AMBER SQUAD

5.Can't Sleep At Night - THE CIGARETTES

6.It's The Only Way To Live - THE CIGARETTES

7.Choose You - DEAD BEATS

8.Julie's New Boyfriend - DEAD BEATS

9.On No - DEAD BEATS

10.Nobody Loves Me - THE LETTERS

11.Don't Want You Back - THE LETTERS

12.Happy Song - THE NIPS

13.Nobody To Love - THE NIPS

14.Saturday Night - THE ODDS

15.Not Another Love Song - THE ODDS

16.Circles - THE CIRCLES

17.Summer Nights - THE CIRCLES

18.They're Back Again - THE CIGARETTES

19.I've Forgot My Number - THE CIGARETTES

20.All I Want Is Your Money - THE CIGARETTES

21.I've Got Me Parka - THE SUSSED

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