THE BADGE - Complete Of King Years 2005

Anyone who thinks that only screaming wild Hardcore comes from the Far East will be proven wrong with the following terrific music and unfortunately I can't remember who sent me this little musical delight, well, my memory is really bad. But anyway, my vacation starts today, the second beer is intus and I'm talking nonsense, hahahaha. About the band: The Badge (these are the boys on the front cover of Powerpearls Vol.6 if you're interested) are a Japanese Beat/Mod band and were founded, I think, in Tokyo at the late Seventies and the band consisted of Shoji (vocals/guitars), Nobuaki (vocals/bass) and Tetstu (vocals/drums) and they released their first 7Inch Futari No Photograph via Continental in July 1982. They landed a deal with King Records and released five 7Inches between 1984-1985, and all are collected on this Compilation which came only out in Japan by MMR. Excellent melodic PowerPop, sung in English, is brought by the Badge into your home and I think they are very popular in their country and this for a long, long time, a new song was recorded in 2022 and released on a Split 7'' this year, if they are still active I don't know. Time for beer #3 and let's see if anything else comes today.

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V/A - Chaos In Basque Country 2021

Another Chaos In Compilation from Tough Ain't Enough which came out in an edition of 600 copies in different colored vinyl and this time with thirteen bands from the Basque Country. In the usual excellent presentation, but since this is unfortunately not my rip, the infos aren't within, but I deceide this because I listen now to this cool record and that's reason enough. Catchy melodic songs on the whole, hardly Hardcore but vehemently dust-free and very pleasant. I am always amazed by the fantastic music that is created from all parts of our planet and never stops. It's never too late to get off your ass and not accept everything. This also applies to me. Well, nice record, every tone a hit! Click Chaos In for more stuff.

1.Nire Amaren Etxera - ROTTEN XIII

2.Erregien Zaldidxe - STA. CRUZ

3.Bihotz Motel - TATXERS

4.Gerrara - KOLPEKA

5.Pour La Mémoire - BLESSURE

6.Skinhead Abertzaleak - IRMO

7.Herio - ORREAGA 778

8.Beldurra - KALEKO URDANGAK

9.Izua - ATTURRI

10.Amerria - IRAMO

11.1,2 Amen Gauz - REVERTT

12.Besterik Gabe - OLDARKOR

13.Indarra Eta Ohorea - DOUBLING BOYS

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REDSKINS - Live 1994

And again, when I was looking for a song, I found a CD that my best friend (R.I.P.) gave me back then and thought, I could post it, and here it is: an interesting live album that I haven't heard in ages, and it fits today for this grey day and because it's live, I have an appointment later at the Museumsuferfest to treat myself to a bit of variety with live music. - The Redskins were an English combo and originally formed in York as No Swastikas by Chris Dean (vocals/guitars), Martin Hewes (bass) and Nick King (drums) and they are notable for their far left-wing politics, Skinhead image and catchy, danceable songs. Their music combined influences from Soul, Rockabilly, Pop & Punkrock. The trio may have taken the look of the early-'80s Skinhead movement, but politically they were firmly on the left. Releasing just one album, 1986's Neither Washington Nor Moscow, the Redskins' mix of Punk and Soul saw them uniting the youth, alongside the likes of Billy Bragg, while fighting for Socialist ideals in Thatcher's increasingly conservative Britain of the 1980s. This fifteen song live goodie was released by Dojo Unlimited and all tracks were recorded between 1985-1986 and shows the power and energy of the many people on stage. Very good music and not the usual Oi! sound, very very different!

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DESCENDENTS - Milo Goes To College 1982

Let's stay in the classics category and that includes the fucking great debut of the Descendents on New Alliance Records which hit the local record stores in 1982. Wiki says: "The album's mix of fast and aggressive HardcorePunk with melody and semi-ironic love songs led to it being considered one of the most significant albums of the early 1980s southern California Hardcore movement. In the decades since its release, it has received highly positive reviews and is now considered among the most noteworthy and important Punk albums by several publications. Milo Goes to College has been cited as influential and a favorite by several notable artists and musicians." Well, that may be true, I say: this is a terrific fifteen song power package with no failures and as pleasant as a summer day like today. And Milo's voice is absolutely fantastic, the subtle rough undertone has so much efficiency and gives the songs their snotty charm and the musicians carry it with their excellent interplay. Together with their second masterpiece I Don't Want To Grow Up, the Descendents have really created a new PopPunk style without losing any of their hardness and dirt. By the way, why I'm choosing these boys today? I've just ripped the new split EP that they released with the Circle Jerks and I only came across it by chance. Both bands cover each other's songs. Brilliant 7Inch, in limited editions in different colors. If you won't be a loser, hurry up.

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RKL - Keep Laughing 1985

One year after their first EP, which caused a lot of attention and is now an absolutely sought-after item, RKL soon recorded and released their first full-length album, Keep Laughing on Mystic Records in 1985 with Dan Sites once again providing artwork. This release included classic RKL tracks "Think Positive" (often played live as "Drink Positive"), "Ded Teds", and "Pothead" and has been named as one of the best SkatePunk records of all time. I'm not much a Skatepunk expert, but the few bands I know come all from the States and all do a great job for me, so I can safely confirm that this piece of vinyl with its eleven smashers is definitely up at the top with its speedy, striking, buzzing, sharp, dynamic and powerful Hardcore sound.

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URLAUB IM ROLLSTUHL - Totenkult 1988

Second and final album by U=IxR, better known as Urlaub Im Rollstuhl, on Junk Yard and like their debut Seveso Kids you can listen to fourteen fast and trashy DeutschPunkPogo numbers. There are certainly more interesting records with more sophistication and variety, but that you won't find here. Their lyrics are quite aggressive, simple and sometimes funny. And I must admit, when I was in financial difficulties many, many years ago, their records were the first that leave my collection. Well, certainly not a bad band, but in my watery grave I want to hear other music. Anyway, have a listen and check them out, featuring on numerous tape Compilations. I now switch on the TV and watching the DFB Cup!

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NEGATIVE STANCE - Angels Of Deceit 1993

Vacation is near and this year I will not visit my second home but the urge to stay there remains, so let's take a short trip to the capital there and meet an interesting band called Negative Stance, one of the most influential bands of the Greek Hardcore scene between 1988-1993. Their distorted melodic sound was at times reminiscent of bands such as Wipers, Black Sabbath or Suicidal Tendencies, but these heterogeneous elements were creatively and distinctively molded together. Their excellent lyrics ignored the usual Punk norms, touched upon various aspects of a dystopian society and remain relevant even nowadays. Founded in Athens sometime in 1988 by Alexandros (vocals/guitar), Alekos (guitars), John (bass), Bill (drums), members of the infamous Villa Amalias squat, Αρνητική Στάση (“Negative Stance”) belonged to the “golden generation” of Greek Hardcore/Crust Punk. Not only did they cultivate a unique sound that kept changing over the years, they also wrote highly memorable song material – a rare combination, indeed. Many of their compositions would feature on each of the band’s releases, but expressed through different stylistic lenses, ranging from the early non-distorted works on the split with the British combo Kismet HC, to the full-on metallic Punk assault on their sole full-length proposal “Άγγελοι Του Ψεύδους” (“Angels Of Deceit”) on Greece’s famous Wipe Out! Records; Genet Records did the international version, making it pretty easy to locate. There was also a 7Inch released on none other than Profane Existence that same year, featuring two songs that were on the album. Like much of Greek Punk, their lyrics were introspective and existential but still highly political. Twelve catchy and varied songs, with tempo and the record was released in several colored vinyl, mine is blue. Enjoy!

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V/A - The Aristocrap EP 1984

Now a great find from my hard drive with three unknown bands, all from Wolverhampton, and this little gem shows that very good music was also created in this city in the mid-eighties, released via Relegated Records. It's not the typical UK Hardcore/Punk record but all songs are excellently performed and let's be honest, it don't always need the brutal stuff. With other words, this is finest fare.

1.I Hate Cities - PULEX IRRITANS

2.Painful Death - 7TH PLAGUE

3.Underground - VENDETTA

4.The Battle Of Waterloo - PULEX IRRITANS

5.Brave Face - 7TH PLAGUE

6.How Much Longer - VENDETTA

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V/A - 805 21 F 2xEP 1995

First post in August brings us a brilliant Compilation from Spock Productions and 500 copies of these two 45's were pressed and this release was a benefit for "Secours Populaire Français", a non profit organization which has been fighting against povertyall around the world since the end of World War II, and still is. I love these kind of records with international bands because, on the one hand, you can usually only hear them on these kind of Compilations and, on the other hand, I like to feel the vibes of these countries. And that's what happens here with twelve really good, varied songs. And I guess that's also the passion of the small label that has unfortunately only released about a dozen 7Inches, but each one is certainly a real gem. Well, it was fun to digitize them and there will be more material at the weekend, so stay tuned.

1.Stupid Story - D MAISONS 

2.You & I - TOSHIYUKI HIRAOKA

3.Sun Cold Day - F.V.K.

4.Collari - CRUNCH

5.Don't Need You - BOOT DOWN THE DOOR

6....Again Above The Same - WC NEWS

7.Life - REVENGE

8.Don't Believe Political Parties - OSTROV P

9.Nunca (Arrestos Raciales) - TINTOREROS

10.Mirage Of More - SANITY ASSASSINS

11.Liberte Revee - THIERRY GALAI

12.I Wish - STILL THE SAME

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AGENT ORANGE - s/t EP 1980

The following band, who wrote an immortal classic with their debut EP, deserves definitely a fucking gold medal. I'm talking about BLOODSTAINS. Part of this 7Inch and a song like an orgasm: short, intense and lasting. The inspiration for the famous and brilliant bootleg Compilation series from the Nineties, which are now highly sought after and highly traded, and each one is a real gem. And I still enjoy listening to it because the trio, because they also one of my favorite bands. But the other two songs, America & Bored Of You, are also masterpieces and their content describes the current situation exactly forty years later and makes me feel young again. Nothing has changed! Small Bio: "Orange County Punk combo Agent Orange were the pioneers of surf Punk, melding the guitar figures of classic surf music with the fast-and-loud attack of dynamic Hardcore/Punkrock, and they became one of the truly enduring bands in the West Coast Punk community. Formed in 1979 by guitarist/vocalist Mike and completed by James (bass) and Scott (drums), they became one of the leading acts in West Coast Punk with the release of the awesome Bloodstains record in 1980, which received extensive radio support from iconic DJ Rodney Bingenheimer. The group's debut album, -Living In Darkness- (1981), became a touchstone in the skate Punk underground, and -This Is The Voice- (1986) found them adding some polish to their sound without robbing their music of its intensity. The group's recording activities dropped off in the mid-'90s after the release of third album -Virtually Indestructible- (1996), but Palm kept Agent Orange busy as a live act well into the 2010s, touring the world (look) and pleasing fans despite numerous lineup changes." (Mark Deming) Enough of the unnecessary words, give yourself the stuff, buy the record and enjoy life, hooray!

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