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.

here

DAG NASTY - Can I Say 1986

Solid melodic punk stuff from Dag Nasty, founded in Washington D.C. 1985 by guitarist Brian Baker of Minor Threat, Colin Sears (drums) and Roger Marbury (bass), both of Bloody Mannequin Orchestra, and Shawn Brown (vocals). Their style of less aggressive, melodic hardcore was influential to post-hardcore; their sound was partly influenced by The Faith and their Subject To Change EP ('83). Brian said in “Filmage”, the documentary about Descendents, that he started Dag Nasty as a direct inspiration from them. Shawn was the first vocalist with whom the band recorded unreleased versions of most of the material that later made up their first release "Can I Say", which featured former roadie and new singer Dave Smalley of DYS. Dave left the band to attend grad school at New York University before a summer tour with the Descendents. A new singer, Peter Cortner, was found after the band placed an ad in a local paper and the tour was kept. After touring half the US opening for the Descendents, the band went home and recorded new material that wasn't released until years later. After a few more local shows, the band broke up in the fall of 1986. Brian went to L.A. to start a new band with Doug Carrion and half of Doggy Style called Doggie Rock. After releasing one album under the Doggie Style name, Doggie Rock broke up and Brian reformed Dag Nasty in early 1987 with Peter, Colin & Doug replacing Roger Marbury, who declined to rejoin. Months later, the band recorded and released "Wig Out At Denkos", including re-recorded versions of the late 86' tape and new material.

1988 saw the release of their album "Field Day" on Giant Records which was distributed by Dutch East India. It was an ambitious album, often generating sharply polarised appraisals from fans: many hated it and many loved it. Field Day attempted to blend pop melodies with hardcore and metal riffs even further than previously attempted on Wig Out. The result was, at times, uneven but helped to usher in a new style of hardcore with more controlled playing, guitar effects, acoustic elements and slower tempos. The band split up shortly after touring for Field Day ended. Excellent debut, with "a singing which is delivered in a convincing emotive way and instrumentally there are some quality tasty riffs to dig into."

here

DESCENDENTS - I Don't Want To Grow Up 1985

The Descendents are an American punk rock band from Hermosa Beach, California and were formed in 1978 by guitarist Frank Navetta, bassist Tony Lombardo and drummer Bill Stevenson. ''A superb second album and the first thing that hits you is it's schizophrenic character, side one presents more of their catchy garage punk with satirical and scatological themes (some of which are overtly sexist), whereas side two highlights a newer sound that combines irresistible pop or countrified melodies, heavy punk guitars and reflective lyrics. I actually prefer the latter (especially "Silly Girl" and "Good Good Things"), which seem to result from Bill Stevenson's (ex-BLACK FLAG) influence.'' - Jeff Bale, Maximum Rocknroll #29, October 1985. Sensitive, emotional songs, and they're not corny! Classic - Classic - Classic!!!

here

V/A - Spit On Your Grave! Vol.1 2004

Looking pretty professional at first glance, but Buried Alive Recordings is the name of a bootleg label from Spain and they have released two CD's with rare American KBD stuff from 7Inches 1978-1983, included some rare tracks and others which always used for such Compilations. Sparsely held to infos, only the most necessary, release year, covers and nothing more (b.t.w. dizzy cover 😵). All in all, I think it's a successful selection and absolutely worth listening to, and it's not expensive to buy either. With that, another chapter weekend is heralded and volume 2 follows if you live well-behaved and uninhibited. So come on, you Maniacs!

1.Fun, Fun, Fun - BIG BOYS

2.Haunted Town - THE EFFIGIES

3.Tomahawks - KILLER PUSSY

4.I Wanna Die Young - TERMINAL MIND

5.Nixon More Now Than Ever - ISM

6.You - THE COLD

7.Twist The Blade - NON COMPOS MENTIS

8.Laundramat Loverboy - ACTIVE INGREDIENTS

9.Together - TESTORS

10.Siamese Lust - PLASTIC IDOLS

11.Avon Lady - THE FEEDERZ

12.The Money Will Roll Right In - FANG

13.No Such Thing - THE CLITBOYS

14.Ride The Wild - DESCENDENTS

15.Overkill - FALSE PROPHETS

16.Masochist Ice Cream Men On Drugs - BOBBY SOXX & THE TEENAGE QUEERS

17.Nip Drivers - NIP DRIVERS

18.Teen Love - NO TREND

here

V/A - SST Acoustic 1991

First post for today and I have a big hangover of too much drinkin' yesterday, puhhhhhh - so here we go: SST Records is a record label formed in 1978 in Long Beach, California by Greg Ginn. It was originally an electronics company called SST (Solid State Transformers). The label was a prominent figure in the L.A. punk scene around 1980 and 1981, releasing more albums by Black Flag as well as Minutemen, Descendents, and Stains and has since remained a major symbol of the city's underground culture. SST quickly branched out in its early years to release albums by bands outside of the southern California area. All these songs on this album are released but came here together in a different version and every song is cool and shows that PUNK is no being brainwashed by fuckin' MTV or other sources and this LP shines through without all the studio tricks. I know ya’ll are excited so I won’t make you wait any longer to get this solid album with massive hits!!!!!

1.The Sicilian Train Blues - ROGER MANNING

2.No Resistin' A Christian - BRIAN RITCHIE

3.Awakening - THE LAST

4.Stories - MINUTEMEN

5.The Main - GRANT HART

6.Orcanese Farethewell - TOM TROCCOLI'S DOG

7.Yard Trip #7 - SCREAMING TREES

8.In Memory Of Elizabeth Cotton - fIREHOSE

9.Nesbitt's Lime Soda Song - NEGATIVLAND

10.Belonging To October - SACCHARINE TRUST

11.Go Man Go - KIRK KELLY

12.Colors - ANGST

13.Never Talking To You Again - HÜSKER DÜ

14.Poledo - DINOSAUR JR.

here

SOCIAL UNREST - SU-2000 1985

Social Unrest hailed from Hayward, near San Francisco, in 1980.They soon established themselves as one of the leading forces of the Bay Area early HC Thrash scene. The manic, political vocals of Creetin K-os were well supported by screeching guitars & ultra-fast tempos. The band released their 1st 7" (now much sought after) in 1981 on Infra Red Records. "Making Room For Youth" was produced by none other than Dead Kennedys guitar player East Bay Ray.

SU teamed up again with Ray a year later to produce their classic "Rat In A Maze" 12", released summer 82 on their Libertine Label. The seven songs of this EP are mostly fast except for "I love You", a PIL-like tune. "Red, White & Blue", with it's numerous speed changes, remains a highlight. They also appeared on Maximum Rock'n'Roll masterpiece 47 bands compilation, "Not So Quiet On The Western Front". The band played a lot with all the glory bands of the time, when the usual band brawls headed for some changing.

Original Band members Mark Monti & Danny Norwood remained the core of SU, Bass player John Vollick moved out to band management. In came Ray Vegas on bass duties & Jimi Brogan on guitar. Jason Honea, a Darby Crash fanatic, completed the new SU after the departure of Creetin K-os. The new line-up developped the original, screeching SU sound and brought it to new heights on the band's 1st full length "SU-2000" (again on Libertine) in 1985. Honea's melodic tones & thoughtful lyrics added a lot of deepness to all the great songs featured on "SU2000" : "I wanna be heard","Jimmy Rocks", "Rat In A Maze" are all

scorchers, while "Stranger Inside" & "Out My Window" have some really cool guitar bitterness works that will become one of SU's later trademarks.

A year later, the band released what is probably their masterpiece (unlike most bands, they never put out a weak record, though) ,the mighty "Before the Fall" LP (on Libertine in the US, Konurrel in Europe). The songwriting reached new grounds with songs like "American Steel","Golgotha","The New Tribes". The band was still fast & aggressive, but the vocals & guitars added great, original harmonies that couldn't be heard on any other record by any band. The slower numbers like "Night of the Long Knives" worked quite well too. Social Unrest now really had a sound of their own & were firmly established as one of California's most important band.

They heavily toured the US (they did it 4 or 5 times), opening for the Descendents' last show, appeared on the Viva Umkhonto compilation & got rave reviews of "Before The Fall". They embarked on their 1st Euro Tour in September 87, playing a show in Germany that would end on the"Mental Breakdown" live Album (on Lost & Found).

Ray left the band to join Attitude Adjustment, Ron Isa filled in to record the band's last album, "Now & Forever", released Fall 88. Some of the best SU songs are there w/ "Katarina Witt", "I'm The Nation" & "Sins Of Paris". "Handcuffs Too Tight" features the welcome back of Creetin K-os for a thrasher that brings back the band's original sound. The band called it quit shortly after. (Source: gug65free)

- Special Thx to Fredrik -

here

NEGATIVE GAIN - Back From The Dead 1986

Before I enjoy myself with soccer tonight this Killer debut album by Negative Gain from Toronto. A short Band History (by Grant Slavin): Negative Gain was founded in Toronto, Ontario by Peter Warner who wrote all of the lyrics and provided rehearsal space in his basement. Filling out the lineup was Grant C. Slavin on guitar, Steve Currie on bass, and Andrew Mosely on drums. All members were in their mid-teens at the time. Their influences included Minor Threat, Millions Of Dead Cops, the Misfits, and the Dead Kennedys, as well as local TO bands Direct Action and Sudden Impact. Negative Gain got their first break in '83 when we were asked by local Toronto promoter Jill Heath to open for Jodie Fosters Army at the city's legendary punk club The Turning Point. After the show Pete and Grant went skateboarding with JFA. The evening was documented in a subsequent issue of Thrasher as JFA's guitarist Don Pendelton was writing a column for the rag documenting their tour. Other memorable Negative Gain gigs around this time include warming up for bands like the Circle Jerks, Gang Green, the Descendents and 7 Seconds. The young thrash band soon went from listening to their favorite bands' records on a daily basis to hanging out with them backstage and stealing their beer rider! More help from Jill Heath came when the promoter sent Negative Gain's 1985 demo tape, Attack Of The Killer Bears, to Pushead for review. Pushead evidently like the tape so much that he offered to release a full-length LP for the band on his Pusmort label. Negative Gain recorded their album in Oakville, Ontario in about five hours on a Saturday afternoon, as studio time was limited to what the young band could afford to spend on the recording. The session was produced by Brian Taylor of the Toronto band Youth Youth Youth.

Sadly, Pete Warner committed suicide not too long after the recording was completed, and never lived to see its release. His last gig with the band was with Toronto's Bunchofuckingoofs. Negative Gain continued on as a three-piece for about two more years, before splitting in the late 1980s.

I recommend you visit Stormy's Blogged & Quartered blog where the full Discography 1985-1986 is waiting for you. Great Record!

here