OTO - Anyway 12'' 1984

Superb debut 12" by this French answer to D.A.F. and OTO were formed in Nancy 1982 by Farid Dahlab and Pascal Hubert (and later joined by François Rousseau), legendary Coldwave band OTO evolved in the same path as the illustrious inspirations of the time. A spiky New Wave pop with a darker Gothic edge. Torn between the Synth-Pop of OMD and the Coldwave of Kas Product models, the duo gave birth to ten pieces soaked with electronic urgency, a fever to dance and the synthetic rage to live before throwing in the sponge in the general indifference, five years later. Released in 1984 on Les Disques Du Soleil Et De L'Acier, this goodie comes with three nice songs. This French duo learned how to understand electronic beats in the 80s, they have developed a strong love and passion for analogic music.

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SILVERSTONE - So What 7'' 1977

Only 7Inch by the Dutch band Silverstone and was released on Negram Records. The single features two songs and the band consisted of Guus & Gradus (vocals/guitars), Paul (guitar), Jan (bass), Willem and Nico (drums). Musically, these guys craft decent rock, and whether you like it is, as always, a matter of taste. I can't always listen to it, but the A-side is quite acceptable. The B-side is well well....

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Impressions XXXIV

 

today's holiday in brief, to clear my heart & head!!

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POWER AGE - The Last Dove EP 1987

 

Third 7Inch I think by this four piece called Power Age from Durban and it's a nice five song record with good stuff and all info you need is already on the blog. I just want to give a quick review here because I'm not in a good mood right now and I need to change some things: "This South Africa band makes another political stand that shows real courage, but the music here is the best POWERAGE has yet committed to vinyl. Simple, urgent Hardcore with a rich guitar sound is the style and it’s that combination of power and credibility that makes this a winner. Very Strong!" (Steve Spinali, MRR #51 • August 1987) Can be found on some interesting compis and overall worth listening to. Enjoy!

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SHAM 69 - Tell Us The Truth 1978

It's time for a classic and today we meet the debut album by Sham 69 from Hersham on Polydor and the a-side was recorded live in concert, while the other was recorded in the studio. Formed 1975 by Jimmy (vocals), Neil & Billy (guitars), Albie (bass) and Johnny (drums). They played at many of the famous Punk hotspots during this time and the band name is said to have derived from a piece of graffiti that Jimmy saw on a wall. They didn't have the art school background of many English Punk bands of the time, and brought in football chant backup vocals and an implicit political populism, they attracted a large skinhead following (left wing, right wing and non-political) and their gigs were plagued by violence. Anyway, some line-up changes were made and a deal with Step-Forward Records was landed and the first 7Inch (I Don't Wanna) was finally released at a suitable time. Then they switched to Polydor (four albums were released) and this remained their label until their first dissolution in 1980. What happened next you can read for yourself, the fact is, the debut is simply brilliant and they've been cited as a major influence on the Oi! musical subgenre of UK Punk in the late 1970s, and also on the working class street Punk musical subgenre of the Eighties.

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VAGRANTS - A Disappointment [Demo] 1989

Let's come to the Vagrants, a four-piece from the late Eighties and they were formed in El Cerrito, California/San Francisco and consisted of Brian (vocals), Nick (guitars), Craig [bass), Dave (drums) and they made three Tapes plus one 7Inch, and this band really has it and never got the attention they deserve. Even the toughest Punkrocker has a heart and goes through difficult times and that's exactly what these guys bring to the fore here, pure melancholic songs whose vocals combine excellently with the dark spirit and drive of Nick's guitar, even if it sounds pretty gruff and doesn't feel that way at all, the Vagrants are a must for every snotty person. The single is a lot more concise in this regard and I'm surprised that it's not on the blog, but that's coming soon because after they changed their name to Pot Valiant they released three singles and an album and a lot of Compilation stuff, and recently a double album was released with all that shit which I will be receiving shortly and then you get the full blast. The cover is also remarkable and reflects the fear & despair of various situations in life, especially as an adult when you know how all the shit in and around you starts to torment you and wants to rip your heart out. Must Listen!

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STALAG 17 & TOXIC WASTE - Truth Will Be Heard 12'' 1985

Not really new in Blogland but I must post this 12'' by both of the best Anarcho Punk bands from Belfast of the Eighties with amazing lyrics and catchy tunes and this beauty was released via Warzone/Mortarhate Records in an edition of 1300 copies. Review: A split 12'' by two great Irish bands. Stalag 17 puts forth two harsh, loud songs very much in the Conflict vein. Speed plus the changeover between male and female vocals makes the three songs by Toxic Waste interesting, too. Both bands have serious, hard-hitting lyrics which center on political unrest in Northern Ireland. Recommended. (Martin Sprouse, MRR #30 • Nov. 1985) - Stalag 17 were formed by members of three other Punk combos: The Stillborns, Maimed & Paranoid, and consisted of Petesy (vocals), Gasky (guitars), Joe 1000 (bass), Mickey (drums) and they began writing their own material and covering contemporary Punk bands such as The Mekons. After several gigs in and around Belfast the band recorded their first demo and began playing in the Belfast Anarchy Centre, supporting other Anarcho Punks the Poison Girls and Crass. They havent't much vinyl outputs besides this 12'' there is only one split LP from 1986, also with Toxic Waste, called We Will Be Free on Warzone Records. Toxic Waste were formed in 1982 in Newtownards after being inspired by the Crass gig at the Anarchy Centre in Belfast. Featuring Patsy (vocals), Phil (bass), Colin on drums to then be replaced by Grub and Marty on guitar they wanted to take the D.I.Y. and Anti-Establishment ethos of Punk one step further. They played their first gig at the West Winds Roadhouse in 1982, and regularly played around Bangor/Belfast and the Ards area for the next two years, in the same scene as the Belfast band Stalag 17. In 1984 they moved to Belfast and were joined by second vocalist Roy Wallace. They gigged with Conflict in the Manhattan Club which resulted in them doing a number of recordings for Conflict's label Mortarhate. Members of the band were involved with the Belfast-based Warzone Collective, which included a vegetarian cafe called Giros, practice space for bands, and screen-printing studio. They toured Europe twice before they eventually split in 1986. Roy Wallace released Belfast in 1987, performing with Deno and Gary from DIRT to re-record old Toxic Waste tracks (as well as previously unreleased tracks). Marty and Roy used their experience from their time in Toxic Waste to form Bleeding Rectum. The band was revived briefly in 1991 for a benefit tour, with Deno from DIRT on vocals. Fazit: a magnificent, powerful record that forgives nothing.

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AGRESSION - Locals Only, Dick! 1986

I'll see if I can get more than one post out this long weekend. The last few days have been full of shit that I've encountered and that has occupied my heart and mind so much that I've had no inspiration for wdthtc. Sometimes it makes me sad and angry when I see young live wasted and I can't find a way to change it. I'm not talking about society here, it just screws me over anyway. Oh, and what am I even talking about here.... I'd rather keep swimming in the ocean of remarkable records and come across an interesting live CD by Agression, who were very active in the Eighties with their fantastic skate-slam Punk sound. This fucker was released via Mystic Records and features twenty-two songs that were all recorded live at different locations; the quality is, as befits Punkrock: modest! But still music with a lot of energy, dirty guitar, Mark's wild voice and power. Enjoy!

Money Machine/Watching You/Locals Only/No Mercy/Insomnia/The Keeper/Stop The Clock/Dear John Letter/I'm Alive/Voodoo Stew/Don't Be Mistaken/Body Count/Rich Kids/Rat Race/Go To War/Intense Energy/Slammin' At The Club/The Keeper/Body Count/It Can Happen/Don't Be Mistaken/Intense Energy

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V/A - Als Je Haar Maar Goed Zat 1992

Holidays are my favorite days and if I can also get a long weekend, I have time for new posts. Today I start with a great Dutch Compilation by mostly material from unknown bands which you can find on some tapes or other Compis and only a few made it to an LP. The range extends from solid Hardcore to Punk and good Rock. I'd say you take a bowl and season it with all your favorite ingredients, and the result is a unique product. And this record tastes one hundred percent good. Got the picture? Released via WRF Records.

1.Ha Ha Ha - MUSHROOM ATTACK

2.Mountain Bike - DISGRACE

3.Fuck You - TRUX

4.Vies En Voos - DE AVONDEN

5.No - N.R.A.

6.Quinquina On The Rocks - MORZELPRONK

7.Juppies - OERBOERE

8.Happy - LA COSA NOSTRA

9.Angst Voor Alleen - MACH-O-KILL

10.Telstar - APHRODITE'S LAWYER

11.Bullets For You - YAMP!

12.Achterlijk - REVENGE OF THE CARROTS

13.The 9th Of July - NOISY ACT OF PROTEST

14.Fin De Siecle - ABIGAIL

15.Imagine Life - COURAGE

16.The Other Side Of The Fence - BOBWIRE

17.Wie De Schoen Past - KNOLCYPERUS

18.Project - VIETZPADDEH

19.Junks/Sicko - DISCIPLES OF TONKA

20.Break Out This Small World - FUNCY CREW

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INSTIGATORS - @ Berlin/University 05.06.1987

Powerful sound from one of my favorite UK bands, and for me there's only one band, well, at least the one whose music always makes me vibrate: The Instigators from Dewsbury and this awesome live record was originally released as Wall Of Sound album by Meantime Records, this re-release came three years later on Mystic Records in purple marble vinyl. Sixteen classics in a very good quality of their hard melodic sound captured in Berlin and pushes the heartily refreshing joy of playing of the band directly into your veins, even a stone would dance, so lively is the performance of the four. There is a lot of live stuff from the Instigators and I don't know all of it, but this album is a good introduction for everyone who likes authentic sounds and wants to get to know the band; they apparently never really broke up, and no current activities or releases are known. Their last release was from 1989, so I guess they're not active anymore. Whatever, enjoy a short time in Berlin and beam yourself into the late Eighties. Cheers!

Eye To Eye/Dine Upon The Dead/Hedonism/Computer Age/The Fix/Doomsday Plus One/Rules/Old Is Sad/Situation Desperate/Dark & Lonely/Summer/Wrong Word/Free/The Blood Is On Your Hands/The Church Says/It's Got To Be Stopped

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