THE DAMNED - Damned Damned Damned 1977

Happy new year together and I hope you had a great transition. A new blogger year is coming up and I try to sweeten you this with refreshing rarities. At the start now: Damned Damned Damned, the debut album by London's The Damned and it was released by Stiff Records and allows me a short info from wiki: In a contemporary review, NME praised the group's musical ability, opining that the Damned have "all the residual skills needed for the actual performance of exhausting modern music", stating that James was the most effective powerhouse guitarist since Pete Townshend and concluding that the album as a whole was "a highly professional production and is much more convincing than some other new wave bands I've heard on record." BBC's retrospective review praised the album's energy, pop satire and general humour, commenting, "Each track featured the hammering toms of Rat Scabies & Captain Sensible's bass-as-guitar propelling Brian James' exhilarating machine gun axe into your living room". The American press has also favored the album. Ned Raggett of AllMusic gave it their highest rating of five stars, calling it "a stone classic of rock & roll fire" and declaring that "Damned Damned Damned is and remains rock at its messy, wonderful best." Pitchfork also positively assessed the album in a negative review of the Damned's 2001 album Grave Disorder, stating, "I won't lie to you: the Damned's new album isn't very good. In fact, the Damned have only ever recorded a few albums that were - for instance, their debut or 1979's Machine Gun Etiquette". Okay, now I'm looking into my treasure chest which album will be my first rip 2019.

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V/A - Heroes & Cowards 1978

Fantastic low price compilation from Stiff Records which still doesn't belong to the old scrap even after more than forty years and with its varied punk & wave numbers, everyone who's living outside of society an entertaining, innovative & catchy excursion provide. I would say an excellent contribution early English subculture with lots of hits in the suitcase and audible at every opportunity. Cool artwork by the way...

1.Snuffin' Like That - ALBERTO Y LOST TRIOS PARANOIAS

2.Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll - IAN DURY

3.Heart Of The City - NICK LOWE

4.Help - THE DAMNED

5.Less Than Zero - ELVIS COSTELLO

6.Gobbing On Life - ALBERTO Y LOST TRIOS PARANOIAS

7.Mystery Dance - ELVIS COSTELLO

8.Leavin' Here - MOTÖRHEAD

9.New Rose - THE DAMNED

10.Whole Wide World - WRECKLESS ERIC

11.One Chord Wonders - THE ADVERTS

12.Born A Woman - NICK LOWE

13.Alison - ELVIS COSTELLO

14.Kill - ALBERTO Y LOST TRIOS PARANOIAS

15.Outrageous Contagious - MICK FARREN & THE DEVIANTS

16.Marie Provost - NICK LOWE

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THE DAMNED - Final Damnation 1989

My top ten live albums include the following great The Damned record! Released via Essential! Records and this beauty was recorded at London Town & Country Club 13.June 1988. All their well-known classics performed at the highest level with power and energy, an absolutely rip-roaring audio document of an unique Gig. Wiki info: "The set begins with the original line-up and morphs through the various line-ups of the band, each playing on the tracks which that lineup recorded in the studio. It was recorded at a time when the band were in a chaotic state, without a record contract, after being dropped by their only major label." Seventeen smasher in one hour and you can start the whole thing again and again, because the sound is so brilliant and infectious. For me an intense kick into the weekend, Cheers!

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THE SOFTIES - Suicide Pilot 7'' 1978

The Softies was a Dutch punk band that released two singles in 1978, the title track Suicide Pilot is shown on the Killed By Death #1234 compilation. They started during the first punk wave that flooded Holland in the fall of 77, when Michael Smith, a former roadmanager of the Damned came from the U.K. to Amsterdam to form his own band,soon linking up with FrankNstein and Joe Thumper. The Band soon signed up a record deal and the first single 'Suicide Pilot" was released jan.1978. The single was well received by both media and public with its much recognizable air-raidsiren,the opening of the song, and of the many shows that followed. The beginning of march 78 the Softies were joined by

Captain Sensible, who had left the Damned after their splitup, and took up the leadguitar with the Softies. A tour in Germany followed as well as Gigs around Holland. A second single was released in april and the now classic song 'jet boy jet girl', a satire version of the Plastic Bertrand version 'ca plane por moi' (by the way mentioned by Johnny Rotten in The New Musical Express as single of the week!!') was performed/sung by the Captain, great stuff and its said he is still performing it this day and age!!!! Anyhow, it was time for the Captain to go back home, to start his own band, and the Softies were a punkrockin threepieceband again. The Softies released their only album Nice & Nasty album in 1979 on Charlie Records. Michael sadly passed away, round about spring 2005.

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THE DAMNED - Shut It 7'' 1996 & Little Miss Disaster 7'' 2005

So here now two limited singles by the London dark punk band The Damned and both are simply delicious. The Shut It 7'' single was only available in U.S. and was released to promote the Not Of This Earth album, recorded by a new line-up which featured long-term members Dave Vanian and Rat Scabies, and new members Kris Dollimore (Guitar), Allan Lee Shaw (Guitar), and Moose (Bass). Side A has the pure cut while the B-Side is The Krupps Mix, both tunes are awesome, next 7'' is from 2005 and was released via their own Lively Arts label in 2005, it was the band’s first single release since "Shut It" record. The band’s line-up shifted again, with Stu West making his recording debut on bass guitar for the group, having taken over on live dates from Patricia Morrison, who has begun to concentrate on her daughter Emily and managing the band. The song continues the style the band established for their Grave Disorder album, with their unique gothic/punk/psychedelic sound, fast guitars and swirling keyboards topped off with a dramatic vocal. From 11 November 2005, the band began selling copies of the single on their Little Miss Disaster Tour. The sleeve featured Emily Strange as a result of a collaboration between the band and the Emily Strange website. On December 1, the single was made available from the band’s website, with a limited edition of 1000 vinyl copies (with a red splattered vinyl pattern), and on CD. The B-side, a live version of "Anti-Pope", was recorded live at Manchester's Academy on 4. December 2004 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their album Machine Gun Etiquette.

- Huge Thx to Mr.Fredrik -

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THE DAMNED - Machine Gun Etiquette 1979

I can save words to the next band, everyone knows them and everyone loves them and everyone hates them. Machine Gun Etiquette is the third album by the greatest surviving British punk band: The Damned and was the group's first since reforming with a new lineup of Dave Vanian (vocals), Captain Sensible (lead guitar), Rat Scabies (drums) and Algy Ward (bass) and the band became more experimental; without original guitarist Brian James, the songwriting was more democratic, resulting in a blend of punk, psychedelic rock and pop styles. Twelve awesome powerful tracks which belong to their best. A true Classic!!

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THE ADVERTS - The Punk 7Inches Collection 1997

One more from the Punk Collectors Series by Anagram Records and today the edition of the Adverts who formed in 1976 and broke up in late 1979, and this little sucker round up every A & B side (seven singles/fourteen songs) by one of the Punk's founding fathers and this fantastic package contains excellent liner notes from singer/songwriter TV Smith. Info: "With their raw, enthusiastic immaturity, the Adverts were a bright, though short-lived, light of the Punk era, distinguished by the fact that their bassist, Gaye Advert, was one of the first female stars of Punkrock. After they (barely) mastered one chord, the Adverts began playing at London's Roxy Club in 1976, where they quickly came to the attention of the Damned's guitarist Brian James. James offered the band an opening spot on the Damned's tour and directed them toward Stiff Records. Stiff released their self-deprecating debut single, "One Chord Wonders," in 1977, when the band could still barely play, but when they released their second single, the disturbingly funny "Gary Gilmore's Eyes," the group rocketed into the U.K. Top 20 in a storm of controversy. The Adverts' first album, Crossing the Red Sea With The Adverts, fulfilled the single's promise, but the second, 1979's Cast Of Thousands, sounded like they poured all of their musical ideas into their first album; the group broke up the following year." (Stephen Thomas Erlewine)

Great music from a band that unfortunately had a much too short lifespan, but still brilliant nowadays!

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THE FLYIN' SPIDERZ - s/t LP 1977

Eindhoven formation begins in 1976 as rhythm & blues band, closely related to the British pubrock. In 1977 the group switching to punk. The Flyin' Spiderz is the first Dutch punk band that appears on plate. In the early days the band is affiliated with the Dynamite label and booking agency of the European independent pioneer Pieter Meulenbroek (Sky Dog). The single 'Down', with a cover design by Joost Swarte, is never released. The group plays in 1977 as opening for The Damned in Paradiso. Sky Dog goes over the head and the band gets offered a contract with EMI. The debut album contains aggressive rock & roll, which is more like the music of pre-punk band as Count Bishops than that of the Pistols or The Damned. The Spiderz touring extensively throughout the country and arouse their energetic show and punk image especially in rural bewildered and sometimes aggressive responses. 

1978 the second album 'Let It Crawl' came out and goes more into rock. From the moment bassist Van Vugt is replaced by Jan Snep, remains messing around this time equivalent. One year later a third album called 'Birthday' was planned but was not released because EMI terminates the contract. Roadie Bart Brouwer joins as a keyboard player in the band, which moves the band into a more melodic. The band recently called in to The Spiderz and brings the 'Pressure' album out on WEA.

The fourth record 'Lines Of Lust' goes towards new wave. The group is expanding its field successfully to France, including appearances on TV, in Gribus Club in Paris and at the Festival of Montreux (July 13th). In England, the group in the schedule during the British tour of Iggy Pop. The British bassist Walter Langdon replaces John Snep. A new mix of I'm Yours Tonight appears on single with a guest role on keys Manfred Man.

After releasing the 7inch 'The Test' in 1981 the band broke up.

So this debut album was released in 1977 and is the first Punk LP by a Dutch Band and it's pretty fantastic. It's apparent in the music that this was a pub rock band that adapted quickly to the new punk sound spreading it's filth across Europe. "These four erratic Dutchmen, led by rhythm guitarist/singer/songwriter Guus Boers, put forth solid, Stonesy punk just a hair better than a hundred others of like mind, threatening to turn derivation to their advantage but never quite succeeding. Neither album shows more than fleeting signs of excitement, and neither has better than perfunctory production." Check more Spiderz on the Killed By Death #F.U.2 and Killed By Epitaph or other essential compilations. 

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THE DAMNED - Early Demos & Live 1976-1979

Into the weekend with a real rarity and I can't say when this litte piece was released. Facts are: 1-9 Demos ca.1976, 10-21 live elsewhere 1977, 22-24 John Peel Session 11/79 and we listen to the wilder and rogher side of London's the Damned, hopefully everyone knows, the recordings are in my opinion fuckin' special, at least for me. The recording quality is relatively decent and it is always worth putting out a record of the band who been intoxicating us since 1976 with their great music.

So Messed Up/Neat Neat Neat//New Rose/Stab Your Back/I Fall/Stretcher Case/Sick Of Being Sick/Feel The Pain/Fan Club/You Take My Money/Idiot Box/I Feel Alright/Born To Kill/Sick Of Being Sick/Neat Neat Neat/Fan Club/Stretcher Case/Help/Stab Your Back/So Messed Up/New Rose/Smash It Up/Liar/(I'm So) Bored

- Great Thx To Reinhard -

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ACME ATTRACTIONS - Anyway 7'' 1980

This rare piece is a smiley and again 'many words for your further education which all from the booklet of the CD compilatin 'Terelene Boys from 2013 on Only Fit For The Bin Records: Acme Attractions released one great single in 1980 called "Anyway" and listen to the lyrics of this song, it is all about the late great 'Keith Moon'. The band did follow up this debut release and backed another local artist Bonnie Parker a year later. After watching the Damned in a local pub in Luton back in 1976, members of this band were mesmerized with their performance and one stand-out moment was when the Damned were being heckled by members of another local band THE Q-TIPS about their ability of playing, Dave Vanian jumped off the stage and poured a pint of beer over their heads. Then a month later they witness the Sex Pistols @ the Queensway Hall in Dunstable. THAT WAS IT! The seed was sowed and Jim and Dave knew they had to be part of this new vibrant scene and Acme Attractions were born (even though at this point it was only a dream).

Now in the bands own words: "Born from an after pub party, while miming in a front room to whatever song was on The threat of "Now let’s see if you can go out and form your own band" Was the only challenge we needed! Within six months of that night the guitarist had self-taught himself and the bass player the basic skills required to form the band (three chords). (I got my first real six strings, played it till my fingers bled). It was happening! (Me and some guys from school we got a band and we tried real hard). After months of rehearsing, it was time to show the local pub that we didn’t want to listen to 'Smoke On The Water' or 'Johnny B. Goode' anymore. It was our time. Having been influenced by the attitude of the Pistols, Clash, with undercurrents of the Who, Mott the Hoople and some self-penned songs thrown in as well Acme Attractions played their first gig. The local interest had drawn big crowds which lead to the band being banned from their first three gigs. This was not caused by violence, but due to over crowding resulting in damage caused to chairs, tables & beer glasses. The band were forced to seek bigger venues and halls this resulted in Acme Attractions being the only local band being able to fill "The Royal Hotel", the biggest of all the venues, not once but twice.

Not all gigs were as successful as that though as the landlord of The Kingsway Tavern Would tell you.  After refusing to leave the stage one night until their set was finished, The landlord locked the band in the dressing room with his Alsatian dog. Threatening not to pay them as they had played over the permitted time. His error had been locking the door, as he had no escape himself When we threatened to break his legs. The bands popularity and reputation was growing and growing and after progressing through a Battle of the Bands competition at the expense of the singer losing a front tooth, the band was making their name. Local newspapers were wanting to know the story behind the band and local promoters were asking them to headline the local festivals such as The Luton Carnival and the Marsh Farm Festival. The money gained through gigging went towards hiring a studio and the costs of producing 1.000 copies of their first single "Anyway"/"Never Again". EMI had tried to claim a percentage of the copy rights through a distribution deal that did not suit the band, so the band decided to distribute it themselves. This is why most copies of the single have tipex on the label over the line that mentions EMI. After continuous gigging and some radio air time, The band had reached a point that required more commitment To take them to the next level.

They had travelled as far as they could have on the local scene. A meeting had been called to discuss the next stage of progression and It was decided it was time for Acme Attractions to come to an end. It was not the end of the band however as the remaining members continued under various names such as 'English Dream' and 'Pressure'. With the new name of 'Pressure', it wasn't long before being signed to Anagram Records a division of Cherry Red Records. Releasing a further two 12Inches and touring the country before finally calling it a day back in 1983.

You can find the band on two splendid compilations, Raw And Rare British Punk Volume 4 (coming soon) & Bored Teenagers #11, as well. Great Stuff!

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V/A - Bloodstains Across The World #5 2019

Early hour on this Friday, I pack another Bloodstains compilation out with more rare early sounds from all over the world, and Volume 3 is once again as CD-R in vinyl look released and by the same detectives, I think. Half of the twenty songs are known to me and are always welcome, while the 'new' material is sometimes questionable and I personally would have made a different selection. But with so many unknown bands/songs I'm always amazed where music was made with sometimes first-class nuggets. And I don't hesitate long, as soon as a new release of this brilliant series is available. It's a shame that Killed By Death doesn't go any further. Maybe there comes one more hype like in the 90s, who knows. 100 copies exist and watch out for #6 next year. Have fun discovering new musical highlights!

1.Wanted - STRUGGLER

2.Riot Riot - BOMB SQUAD

3.Hippie Japa - ALERTA ROJA

4.Skizzo Skizzo - JO SQUILLO ELETRIX

5.Radiomania - SNEEX

6.Shoot' Zem - KESSLER JUGEND GMBH

7.Damned Money - THE RAVES

8.Urbanitrops - EARTHLING

9.Scheiss Kibarei - DIE BÖSLINGE

10.Crazy Life - THE TERRORISTS

11.1981 - RIOT 111

12.Demolition Beat - THE INCREDIBLE HOGS

13.Überblick - MITTAGSPAUSE

14.Desert Patrol - SUBURBAN REPTILES

15.Runaway Train - THE DECADENTS

16.Ne Haluu Unohtaa - POIS

17.Söngull - KUKL

18.All I Want - GENOCIDE EXIT

19.Dreamland - THE TAPES

20.No Time - CHRONIC

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VICTIM - All Our Dreams Are Gone 2011

Eye-catching compilation by RaveUp Records and you know what to expect from them. This record is part of their glorious "EUROPEAN PUNK SERIES" and Volume 6 is the following highlight: Formed in Belfast in Mid 1977, Victim soon became familiar faces on the emerging Belfast scene. Following their appearance on the legendary UTV punk documentary 'It Makes You Want Top Spit' and a rapidly increasing live following, Terri Hooley signed the band to his Good Vibrations label in 1978 and released Strange Thing By Night / Mixed Up World 7". In early 1978, prompted by a lack of venues, Victim made a trip to a local city centre pub because they heard it had a stage! They secured a gig and the legendary Harp Bar was born as a punk venue. In July 1979 they were offered a modest record deal by TJM Records and decided to depart to England, settling in Manchester.

Early gigs saw them playing with The Fall and Revillos as well as playing the legendary Factory club to accompany the screening of Shellshock Rock, a film on Irish punk featuring among others Victim. A second release "Why Are Fire Engines Red/I Need You" on TJM secured good reviews and radio support from John Peel despite its horrendous cover. In November 1979 Victim supported the Damned on an extensive tour. Rat Scabies produced the band's third single The Teen Age EP released in 1980 on Illuminated Records.

The band continued for several years with line up changes including Mike Joyce (later of the Smiths) and Toni Isaac (the girl leaning against a lamppost on Jilted John's single of the same name!) before deciding to call it a day. This anthology contains a great selection of all their punk material. If you are a fan of Undertones and Stiff Little Fingers, don't miss it!!!!

- Great Thx to Fredrik -

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PARANOID VISIONS - Outside In 2005

This record is currently in my player around the clock. Pretty cool stuff, punk rock with a wave touch and in between a couple of quick grenades. 'Outside In' is a compilation of the vinyl years 1986 - 1989 from this combo and I get this a few years ago somewhere in Blogland, now exhumed because the band name is at the moment more relevant than ever to me. Something about them:

Formed in 1981, Paranoid Visions quickly allied themselves to the anarcho punk fraternity of the second wave of punk rock in the early 80's. The band were poles apart from the other Irish bands that graced the 1980’s Dublin gig scene.Surprising everyone, including themselves, with their success in both Ireland and the UK in terms of critical acclaim and record sales, they maintained a stance outside of the music industry norms and closely protected their independent status, licensing all of their material directly from their F.O.A.D label. Records such as Autonomy, Schizophrenia and city of screams all sold very well, but it was the attack on the Irish music industry U2Clone assembly line, in the form of the “I Will Wallow” 10” EP that brought the band to a wider and more mainstream audience. FOAD2U2 graffiti adorned walls all over the country….some of it wasn’t even done by the band! Heavily influenced by the Crass ethic of DIY music, the band formed their own F.O.A.D label and licensed their records to All The Madmen, home of the Mob, Thatcher on Acid, Blyth Power and the Astronauts.

Paranoid Visons played gigs and toured with the likes of Poison Girls, DIRT, Blyth Power, Subhumans and The Instigators. In the early 90's they played with bands like Snuff, the Macc Ladds and Manic Street Preachers before calling it a day in 1992. Despite their disbanding, the 90's saw Paranoid Visions becoming the biggest punk band Ireland had ever produced, featuring on several TV shows, newspapers and being offered numerous record deals from Major labels. In 1996 they reformed to play support on some dates for the Sex Pistols Filthy Lucre tour. In 2001 they reformed again and played with the Damned, The Dickies and at the Wasted Festival in Morecombe. While these reunions were always designed to be short lived, with the 2005 reunion, formed in support of the re-release of their back catalogue, it was decided to continue the momentum.

April 2007 saw the release of the bands first new album since 1990. Entitled “40 Shades Of Gangreen” it captures the band at their most tuneful and caustic. General reaction has been that its the best woirk the band have done having been described thus:
"a blistering collection of anti establishment polemic" (hot press editorial)
"highly melodic aswell as being deeply, deeply raucous" (hot press review)
"a blockbuster" (evening herald)

Throughout 2007, Paranoid Visions have performed regularly and will be performing one of the headline slots at the largest punk rock festival in the UK, Rebellion 2007. 2008 sees the release of part one of the bands 12" and CD tribute to their musical influences from the early Irish punk and new wave scene in the form of "The Treasure From The Wasteland" EP. A new album "Beware Of The God" is pencilled for the autumn along with another single serving as part two of the tribute series.

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V/A - It's A Youth Explosion! Vol.1 2020

Dear followers & visitors, there is a new little series from Heavy Soul Records and what the creators are unveiling here is first class stuff that is pretty close to the KBD compis, and yes, even better because most of the songs are unreleased, jaja... and described as follows: Fourteen rare & unreleased tracks taking in all that was good from 1977-1984ish. You get Punk, New Wave, and Mod revival all within the amazingly created artwork from Alf Button's Revenge. All fully remastered from a whole source of different formats to create a sound crispier than a bag of Wotsits! The names may not be familiar, but the "Sounds From The Street" created will certainly take you back to when all you needed in life was an LP by The Damned, Clash or Jam and a guitar, bass and drums. All original tracks, by a whole range of musical talent. So a perfect gathering of unearthed classics, limited edition is to be specified but no one knows how many copies were actually pressed... who cares!

1.Circa 2 - THE LIMPS

2.Someday - URBAN ENEMIES

3.30 Seconds - PATROL

4.Bright New Future - THE MEDIA

5.Let Me Show You Love - BACKSTAGE PASS

6.Talk - THE TWINSETS

7.Phone You - SLEEPERS

8.Lambs To The Slaughter - MIDNIGHT HOUR

9.Just A Dream - REACTION

10.One Of The Boys - THE DETOURS

11.She Don't Know - THE FACE

12.Dance Step Beat - THE MOD-L'S

13.Sound Of Today - STATION 360

14.In The Crowd - THE PLOY

- Great Thx to Bristolboy -

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V/A - Winters Of Discontent: Peel Sessions 1977-1983

A feature of Peel's BBC Radio 1 shows were the famous John Peel Sessions, which usually consisted of four songs recorded by an artist live in the BBC's studios, and which often provided the first major national coverage to bands that later would achieve great fame (These 'sessions' are similar to 'Live Lounge' sessions recorded today for the station). The BBC employed it's own house bands and orchestras and it also engaged outside bands to record exclusive tracks for its programmes in BBC studios. This was the reason why Peel was able to use "session men" in his own programmes. Sessions were usually recorded and mixed in a single day; as such they often had a rough and ready, demo-like feel, somewhere between a live performance and a finished recording. John Peel remained on BBC Radio 1 for 37 years, until his death in 2004. During that time over 4000 sessions were recorded by over 2000 artists. Many classic Peel Sessions have been released on record, particularly by the Strange Fruit label and this one of these.

1.Somethin' Better Change - THE STRANGLERS
2.Love In A Void - SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES
3.Gary Gilmore's Eyes - THE ADVERTS
4.Shoplifting - THE SLITS
5.Fast Cars - BUZZCOCKS
6.Rich Kids - RICH KIDS
7.Of One Skin - THE SKIDS
8.It Doesn't Matter - ADAM & THE ANTS
9.Another Girl Another Planet - THE ONLY ONES
10.Suspect Device - STIFF LITTLE FINGERS
11.Mess Of My - THE FALL
12.Stretcher Case - THE DAMNED
13.Anti-Pope - KING
14.Read It In Books - ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN
15.Sus - THE RUTS
16.A Brand New Life - YOUNG MARBLE GIANTS
17.Start From Scratch - THE NIGHTINGALES
18.Big Jesus Trash Can - BIRTHDAY PARTY
19.A Matter Of Gender - THE ASSOCIATES
20.The Fan And The Bellows - THE CHAMELEONS
21.Wall Of Fir - THE VERY THINGS
22.Enchanted - WILD SWANS
23.Sun - MICRODISNEY
24.Kick Over The Statues - REDSKINS
25.A New England - BILLY BRAGG

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SLOBOBANS UNDERGÅNG - Maktgalen EP 1979

And again I am grateful that my call was answered and I can enjoy this wonderful EP, and you too for sure. A few days I posted Slobobans I Varje Tid 7'' and this is their first record with four songs with a completly different sound. The EP starts with blast, raw, rough and wild and a real KILLER!!!! Further with a slow number, perfect guitar playin' and the bass is also great as in their other 7''. The b-side starts with a cool reggae motive then turned in a fast snotty punk number, the last one spits a three minutes number out and closes the loop and you want to hear this EP again. Famos!!!! - Here's a little more info: "Slobobans Undergång from Partille was formed during the punkyear 1977. In the beginnig they thought it was much to advanced to do own songs, so some well chosen punk compositions was translated after own head. New York Dolls, Bad Detective turned into Dålig I Matte and The Damned's Problem Child become Mellanöl. But eventually they became more secure and more well together, the first record was the Maktgalen EP on Stockholm label Sista Bussen, within the years it should be 4 more singles. It was as liveband Slobobans did best with the Hassling brothers as double frontmen and a sound that often was accused to be heavy metal like. Besides, that was something the guitarist Gert Petterson was proud to confess. In 1985 the band split-up they had then played around the whole country and been through several musical phases. A problem that the band constant struggled with was to write songs which together with Per Hasslings defection killed the inclination and the pleasure to continue. Sloboban do reunion gigs once in a while and sounds nowadays even harder than before." Fantastic, rare and pure KBD sound.

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THE BLOOD - False Gestures For A Devious Public 1983

Next UK classic from London with the debut by the Blood on the short lived Noise Records. The Blood were formed 1982 and led by Cardinal Jesus Hate and JJ Bedsore (AKA Colin Smith and Jamie Cantwell), the band formed in the early 1980s under the name "Coming Blood". Their music is a blend of hardcore punk, Oi!, heavy metal, football chants and shock rock. A bit info from punkygibbon: "On False Gestures For A Devious Public the band replicated The Damned’s early rave-up assault, but were sloppier and with a heavy metal lead guitarist. They also chucked in some of the Anti-Nowhere League’s unmitigated misanthropy and Splodgenessabounds’ foolishness. The six-minute ‘Sewer Brain’, with its tricky chord changes, horn section and comedy synthesiser borders on prog rock, while ‘Done Some Brain Cells Last Night’ and ‘Joys Of Noise’ celebrate wanton behaviour. The only problem, other than a singer who sounds even rougher than Animal, is that the songs are played too quickly for their own good, robbing them of much of their innate tunefulness." Many of their songs criticize religion or discuss political or philosophical topics. This is the CD version with ten bonus cuts! Many albums and singles were made, and present on numerous compilations as well. And now: chillen!

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L'ODI SOCIAL - Que Pagui Pujol EP 1986

L'Odi Social is a hardcore punk band from Barcelona (Catalonia/Spain), founded at the end of 1981 with the name of Social Odi by Jordi "Gos" (vocals), Fernando Poza "Damned" (guitars), Josep Urpí "Poly" (bass) and Saina (drums) and they remained active until 1992 and are considered one of the founding groups of the hardcore punk scene in Barcelona, along with groups like Ultimo Resorte, Shit SA, Anti/Dogmatikss, GRB or Subterranean Kids. Inside this scene, they are reminded , among other reasons, for being one of the first groups that used the Catalan language in their lyrics and titles. During their existence, they published an EP with five songs, Que Pagui Pujol (1986, later reedited, with extra tracks, such as LP and CD), one album (Esventats/1990) and participated on various compilations, including the Nicaragua Rock cassette 10-5-86, where their performance at that festival was collected. And now enjoy your breakfast with five excellent hardcore goodies.

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DIRTY ACTIONS - Rosa Shocking 7'' 1980

The DFB team is out and rightly so, if you don't score goals you deserve to leave and that counts in football, well an era comes to an end and a new one begins. Nonetheless, the EM remains exciting and I'm looking forward to the next games. - Welcome July and and a ride south: Dirty Actions is a combo of the first Italian punk wave. Founded 1979 in Genova by Johnny & Mario (vocals), Dado & Ugo (guitars), Roberto (bass), Guido (keyboard), Matteo (drums) and were active until 1982. Their sound, characterized from the beginning by New wave hues, over time turned more and more towards this genre. After performing some local gigs the small independant label Cramps Records became aware of the boys and put them on the nice Rock '80 compilation which has been reissued several times over the years. In the same year their only 7Inch appeared and a long tour followed, during which they shared the stage with the Damned, among others. In 1981 the group changes staff and in 1982 their last lifesign, shortly before the dissolution, a song on the Gathered compilation which was published by Electric Eye. Posthumously in 1996, Reverendo Moon Records released the bands first album entitled Apocrifo with demos & live material.

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THE LEFT - Jesus Loves The Left 2006

Now awesome stuff from the Left, a four piece from Hagerstown/Maryland, founded in the early Eighties by Brian (vocals), JD (guitars), Kevin (bass), Bill (drums) and they didn't get much attention during their active time and this is a fucking shame because they are in every way brilliant, musically as well as lyrically, absolutely amazing and I see myself in their songs (Hell, 5 AM, Fuck It...), and I don't know why they didn't get the attention they deserve. The Left formed to flip the bird at the tedium of their hometown, and on the band's two mid-'80s EPs, It's The World and Last Train To Hagerstown (both on Bona Fide), the band did more than that, fusing together '60s, '70s, & '80s Punk with alchemical skill and black humor. Jesus Loves The Left (compiles the two EPs and other unreleased tracks) is a loving repository for the band's short history. It kicks off with the opening chords of Hell the best song on It's The World 12" (and one of the BEST songs of the past thirty years), crashing through your speakers when you press play. Brian Sefsic's sneer meshes perfectly with guitarist Jim', keening chords: "There's A Place/That They Call Hell/Where They Don't Treat You all that well." The slab rarely falters after that, tracks from a 1992 reunion sound nearly as strong and sarcastic as those from the band's prime.

But you'd be forgiven if you end up lingering on the first eight It's The World tracks. On 'Attitudes', a song that sums up all that is good about life and the Left, Sefsic sings with both Iggy-esque detachment and real wistfulness: "And thank you, God, for putting me on this earth/and all the wonderful, beautiful things you've given me." Then he adds, "Let's name a few," and Swope launches into a raw and sophisticated solo that takes the song in a completely unexpected direction. And I think to myself: What A Wonderful World!

So Jesus is a big fan of their music and you damned Christians can't be wrong, he signed it in his own blood, yeah yeah yeah.... and Bona Fide Records released this fantastic cross for all us maniacs and it's an essential document from a band who wrote superb songs that express a large part of my life and will never be forgotten. Must Have!

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