V/A - Rip Off Records Compilation 2010

Finally weekend and you already know that I always greet it with refreshing music and today I open it with a fantastic compilation with combos from the legendary short lived Belfast based label Rip Off Records (specialized mainly on PowerPop) which at the end of the Seventies a bunch of great 7Inches released that are very popular today and it's amazing that an american label named Sing Sing Records brought us this divine record in 2010. It goes without saying that the original records were released in very small editions, so this little compi is an excellent idea to keep all those great bands/songs from being forgotten in the dark oblivion of the ocean. Certainly an excellent addition to the two Bloodstains Across Northern Ireland goodies. And now I'm thirsty and I'm hissing a beer...

1.Friends - THE ZIPPS

2.Suzy 'D' - LENNY & THE LAWBREAKERS

3.You'll Never Find Love - MINOR CLASSICS

4.Sharon - PRETTY BOY FLOYD & THE GEMS

5.I Want You - TINOPENERS

6.It For The Kicks - THE FADERS

7.I Don't Like Girls - MINOR CLASSICS

8.Start All Over Again - NO SWEAT

9.Me And Bobby McGee - LENNY & THE LAWBREAKERS

10.Time To Kill - CLIVE CULBERTSON

11.She Doesn't Love Me - CRAMP

12.I Don't Wanna Be - TINOPENERS

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SUBURBAN STUDS - Slam 1978

Formed in 1976 and hailing from Birmingham, the Suburban Studs consisted of Eddy Zipps (vocals/guitar), Keith Owen (guitar), Paul Morton (bass), Steve Pool (drums) and with their already punky sounding name were one of the first bands to be signed to an independent, the equally punky sounding Pogo Records, and marketed through the major label WEA Records. In their time they released two 7Inches and even an album within a year, a feat not reached by many a Punk band of the time. Originally featuring the sax antics of Steve Heart the instrument was felt to be inappropriate to their sound and he left to start the Neon Hearts.

The Suburban Studs were active live throughout 1976 but were a different looking proposition then with a more glam look. Supports at the time included The Runaways. They played their first London gig at the 100 Club on the 31st August '76 supporting the Sex Pistols and The Clash. A quote from a Sounds review by John Ingham appears The Clash book "Last Gang In Town" where he describes their set as 'a laughable mixture of tacky jumpsuits, tacky make-up, tacky props and tacky music'. The Studs also headlined over the Clash on the 27th of October '76 at Barbarellas in Birmingham, this time complete with haircuts and a more Punk image, though still playing the same dated glam set as they did at the 100 Club. Gigs at the usual suspects like the Marquee, Vortex, Roxy Club and Barbarellas and tours even supporting the likes of AC/DC and The Runaways did nothing to break the band. Not even a John Peel session broadcast in December 1977 or appearing in a Punkrock special on ATV helped.

WEA supported with marketing and also helped land them on the double Live At The Hope And Anchor album with a live version of 'I Hate School' along with The Stranglers, 999, X-Ray Spex & The Saints among others. Their WEA Press release which accompanied their album Slam l is suitably hyperbolic and manages to sadly spell the bands name wrong in the first sentence! WEA Press Release Born in the slums of the Midlands and educated with street level certificates, the Surburban Studs are deeply involved with their music. "We're fed up with rock superstars", said lead vocalist Eddie Zipps. Their music has got fuck all to do with living on the street today. We live in a slum... You've got to play music, that's life, that creates a situation. Their debut album 'Slam' reflects the seamier side of life and focuses on Suburban Studs instinct. Unfortunately the music didn't live up to the hype. Mediocre album reviews in the music weeklies didn't help either. PR was reduced to occasional gossip including the singer being subject to random Punk violence which was prevalent at the time and the shenanigans of their fans when two girls at their Thames Poly gig flashed their breasts on stage, daubed graffiti & set off fire extinguishers. With no sales the band who were astute enough to jump on the Punk bandwagon couldn't progress further and just fell off the Punk map.

Having said that however, the single Questions/No Faith (1977 Pogo Records) is a peach as good as any. Classic driving overdriven punk at a frenetic and heart attack inducing pace. Steve Harrington (sax) who was later in the Neon Hearts played on the first version of Questions/No Faith (July 1977) which was withdrawn, both tracks were re-recorded when Harrington left to start the New Hearts and e-released in November 1977, this time with "No Faith" as the A-side. Slam their album feels like Punk by numbers. All the ingredients are there but there's something missing and that's a spark. For once I think the reviews of the time got it right. Like the art work on Slam below? They couldn't get straight jackets from anywhere and in the end had to have them tailor made. Their only other single was I Hate School/Young Power (1978 Pogo Records) pulled from their album and this time reusing the album over in monochrome. They are also on the Live at the Hope & Anchor Compilation (March 1978) again singing I Hate School in the company of The Stranglers, 999 and X Ray Spex. Ironic as one of them went on to become a teacher.

While bands like Eater and Menace never got a John Peel radio show, the Suburban Studs did which aired on 22.11.77 and which featured "Suburban Stud, I Hate School, Necro, No Faith" and that was it! (source: punk77)

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V/A - Capital Kaos 1984

Last but not least a little visit to the Kiwiland. This New Zealand compilation consists mainly of live material by ’77-style punk bands. That's not to say it's bad, because there are some pretty cool songs herein, especially by Final Solution, Riot III (who does some thrash), Flesh D-Vice and Zyklon-B. Jayrem Records released these awesome cuts and sealed them to a historic record. Put the plate on the stereo, turn it right up and when the filth enter, sneak out and molotov their cars! Then run.

1.Filthy Punk Rocker - AYRIAN ARMY

2.Riot Fever - RIOT 111

3.What A Great Cuntry - NO TAG

4.Dead Girls - FLESH D-VICE!

5.1984 - DESPERATE MEASURES

6.Move To Riot - RIOT 111

7.Fascist Tango - 1st XV

8.Do The Jug - 1st XV

9.Residental Background - 1st XV

10.Pulled Off - 1st XV

11.Ake Ake Ake - RIOT 111

12.Never Can Tell - FINAL SOLUTION

13.You're Gonna Go Down - DESOLATOR

14.You Don't Look - AFTERSHOCK

15.Fuck Off Embarassment - FLESH D-VICE!

16.Youth On Our Side - ZYKLON-B

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V/A - Rough Mixes From Switzerland 10'' 1981

This compilation came out on the Hamburg label Konnekschen and was 1981 a real good record. It was very difficult to get some Swiss plates because they were published in small editions and the distribution was rather poor. So with this release the German punk community noticed that in the cozy alpine republic exists a few bands which are damn good and so more attention spilled accordingly to our neighbours. One mistake, Chaos were from Vorarlberg/Austria and they released together with The Sick a split EP on the famous swiss label Off Course Records, both tracks here, dirty '77 punk at its best. Followed by the Sick tracks which are also fuckin' cool, this EP rules and nowadays traded at prohibitive price. Side B kicks off with the Zurich punks Sperma and they released a few records on Another Swiss Label and their debut 12'' is complete on this record. Love their snotty sound and the dialect, original Schwizerdeitsch, beautiful and for me the best songs here. Last two tracks are from Rudolph's debut 7inch, tempo bit out but 'No Claim With Bluff & Swindle' is a hymn and maybe the most famous swiss punk song. You have now found here four rare 7inches and what remains to do now?

     

1.Day Douldt - CHAOS

2.Get Out Of My Pocket - CHAOS

3.It's Never Too Late - THE SICK

4.Switzerland - THE SICK

5.Guns Of Navarone - THE SICK

6.Radio - SPERMA

7.Schmier - SPERMA

8.No More Love - SPERMA

9.B.O.F.S. - RUDOLPH DIETRICH

10.No Claim With Bluff & Swindle - RUDOLPH DIETRICH

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V/A - Double Shot 1991

An interesting record is the cooperation between the Greek label Wipe Out! Records and the Belgian Boom! Records which had in early nineties this idea. The chance for bands from both countries to snag a little attention. Musically very quite varied, whether punk, alternative, ska and wave - everything therewith. I would say the perfect sound for a train or bus ride, coz you won't go quick aggressive, you know. Artwork and infos are even cool and so overall a double shot of firing songs.

1.Amaradina - FLOWERS OF ROMANCE

2.The Farm Of Madness - PANX ROMANA

3.Jericho - NO MAN'S LAND

4.Nocturnal Love - DIRTY SAINTS

5.Need - BRUSH

6.The Midnight Bar - MELTING ASHES

7.Mean Mutha Fuckin' Man - THE MIDNIGHT MEN

8.Blow Your Head Off - HIBERNATION

9.Gimme Trash - THE SPANKS

10.Off The Wall - THE JAPS

11.Salt - EXCESSIVES

12.Your Turn To Blow - KRIS T. & DSE

13.Always Doing Things - CANDY DATES

14.I've Made Up My Mind - THE STOICS

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V/A - Z Siege EP 1987

A record that was eternally waiting to be digitized is the following little notable complation that came out on Bunker Music and today it is done. Four great speedys: Cólera kick off with an untypical Brazilian one, a solid mid-tempo number with excellent lyrics, we know aggressive tones from the boys, Dunkle Tage from Göttingen with a live track, very dynamic and fast but I can't still warm with them, not my case. WDM from Finland is rather my taste, uncompromising Hardcorepunk with fat sound and an exclusive track, not on their 7Inches include. Rounded off by the Bingener metalpunk combo Circle Of Sig-Tiü which tell us what they think about Germany, a real blast and I can only agree with them, thirty years later and nothing has changed, aahhh.. I love their dirty rough sound. They made three good records and came to an end in 1988. Now one more Jever and ripping another slab and you grab this first-class EP before the sun goes down.

1.Somos Vivos - CÓLERA

2.Nehmt Euer - DUNKLE TAGE

3.The Key - WDM

4.Third Reich In Disguise - CIRCLE OF SIG-TIÜ

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DIE AUTOS - Niemals! 7'' 1983

December also kicks off with a rare 7inch, and also based in Mönchengladbach are Die Autos, a duo consisting of Lloyd & Junge, and their only creative outpouring came out on the small Park Platten label (200 copies in green vinyl), which also threw the fantastic Pesthauch Des Dschungels compilation. My copy is the re-release on KillerReleaseRecords from 2001, this edition came handnumbered of 1000 copies, yellow vinyl and in sturdy fold-out poster sleeve. The special thing about side projects is that the actors let off steam musically and exploit other musical resources that sometimes lead to extremes and are far from what you are used to. Weird and experimental but also different and catchy. The two goodies from the Autos impress with their wavie rhythm that floats in a solid mid-tempo and provided with meaningful lyrics, and I would almost say, the record sounds like an early EA80 demo. Well, what am I supposed to keep talking? Anyone who appreciates the Gladbach sound will grab it without hesitation, everyone else should definitely do the same. Note: 'Slaughter' from the flip was 1991 re-recorded for the first Böse Hand EP (coming soon). Now enjoy the first delicacy of the Advent Calendar!

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DRONGOS FOR EUROPE - Death's A Career EP 1982

Here's another classic one from the UK and this is their 3rd 7inch on Tempest Records. I can only say another damn cracker in the punk universe and you will sure share my opinion. I have some info from their home page here which I would like to put in you:  

"Formed in 1979 in Birmingham/England, playing early gigs with mates G.B.H. The Drongos first single was a DIY release in 1981 called 'Hope And Glory'. The band also recorded two EPs on Inferno Records in 1982 - 'Death's A Career' and 'Eternity', which actually charted at around 47 in the national UK charts - Unfortunately, nobody in the band bothered reading music press at the time or listened to Radio One (we were the first punks in our town to have our own flats/ homes, so everyone came back to our place to get wrecked. We didn't need much encouragement to join in) So, to cut a long story short - we never knew

until our then guitarist Anton joined in 1999, that we sold any records, and we of course never made any money and got ripped off like every band on Inferno Records. The band split in 1985 - reformed in 88 - carried on and off until the mid 90s, never actually splitting up but not doing anything, either. "Without doubt one of the most exciting Punk bands playing anywhere in the World today. From the brilliant 'Barcode Generation' to 'Hotline To Hades', the Drongos are no longer playing the best Punk Rock in the UK, but clearly setting the standard for Punk to come. Intelligent. Exhilarating. Honest. Quite simply brilliant". Drongos For Europe are currently one of the hottest bands in the UK gigging and touring more than most bands from the eighties, having toured many times in Europe and also touring the U.S."

Great sound, great songs, great band!

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LEATHERFACE / HOT WATER MUSIC - BYO Split Vol.1 1999

After six years of respite, Frankie Stubbs reformed Leatherface, it was inevitable because he needed to give musical expression to all of his thoughts. And before the skull burst, Leighton (guitar), David (bass), and Andrew (drums) were mobilized and out of over nineteen new songs, six were sent to BYO Records, who fell heartily off the chair, creating the idea of this mini-split serie, which immediately changed their minds and immediately a new fresh band was found for the flip, Hot Water Music from Gainesville, Florida which was formed 1993 by Chuck & Chris (both lead vocals & guitar), Jason (bass) and George (drums). Here's a perfect review by Jack Rabid (All Music Guide): "This split LP, recorded in three days in 1999, seems as miraculous as it is a godsend. Because they were one of those truly astonishing modern groups that spontaneously combusted in the midst of an attenuated creative peak, Leatherface's unexpected 1993 bust-up seemed particularly cruel. Thousands of scattered souls openly mourned when the news came down that the punk/post-punk powerhouse had vanished. Perhaps after listening to the sea of old live recordings and B-sides, Leatherface's members realized what they'd thrown away, buried what hatchets needed burying, and pulled a Lazarus. The sound of this new recording recalls the spark, the lift-off, and the balls-out clear smack of Mush and The Last. Though Frankie Norman Warsaw Stubbs' vocals are mixed just a little too low to totally match those older detonations -- you have to go down into the two guitars a little to find him, making the words harder to get -- it's still such a corker, it completely corrects the muddy mixes on Stubbs' Jesse and Pope albums. And though this record also finds the quartet retreating to a stylistic territory closer to Mush and Minx, backing away from the more adventurous turf of The Last, it's too intense and exciting to even remotely quibble with. That this unexpected recording is a reality is that rarest of things: a long-shot wish fulfilled. More recent American emo stars Hot Water Music surprisingly put up a good fight, trying to be in the same ballpark with Leatherface's ashen attack, but they lack a singer of Stubbs' caliber to be appearing on the same LP as him or a tightness in playing that takes one's breath away. Better to try them on their own records, because out of this context they would sound rather powerful." With that, all has been said and I recommend you to buy this fantastic melodic killer record by two fantastic bands.

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SCAVENGERS - Born To Bullshit 7'' 2002

This record is a fuckin' must have! Both tracks rip your heart off and it takes over 20 years the small label Raw Power Records released this superb single in an edition of only 200 copies. No idea why it took so long. Both tracks are real killer and I can promise you will be blast. Here's some info from wikipedia:

The Scavengers were a New Zealand punk band, formed in 1977. In 1979 they moved to Melbourne/Australia and became The Marching Girls in 1980. Formed at Auckland Technical Institute by Graphic Design students, Ken Cooke, Simon Monroe, Mike Simons and Marlon Hart as "The 1B Darlings" in 1976, the band was heavily influenced by British R&B, Glam Rock and '60s US Garage Rock. In 1977 they renamed themselves The Scavengers, gave themselves punk stage names (Cooke as Johnny Volume, Monroe as Des Truction, Simons as Mike Lezbian and Hart as Mal Icious), and their style mutated in the direction of the US Punk rock and pre-Punk Rock acts. Through much of 1977 they were, with The Suburban Reptiles, the only Punk bands in Auckland.

In June 1977, with The Suburban Reptiles and The Masochists, they played New Zealand's first major punk gig at Auckland University. During this time their repertoire was mostly covers but by early 1978 they had written a set of original tunes. In late 1977 bassist Hart left to be replaced by Brendan Perry, who performed under the stage name "Ronnie Recent". He later reappeared in The Stimulators. In March 1978 they began a residency at new Auckland Punk Club, Zwines. Soon after Simons left (inspiring their signature song "Mysterex"), and Perry moved to vocals. Two Scavengers tracks appear on the Ripper compilation AK79 and a posthumous album was released in 2003. Perry later formed Dead Can Dance and Monroe (aka Des Hefner) played briefly for The Birthday Party during the band's final tour of Australia and New Zealand. Monroe went on to play in a series of Melbourne-based acts including The Slaughtermen and Maurice Frawley. Both Cooke (Go Public and Daisy West) and Monroe are still working musicians in Melbourne.

The Scavengers were hugely influential in Auckland in the late seventies, inspiring a whole generation of young bands and their importance goes far beyond their few releases. They reformed in 2004 for a one off show in Auckland without Perry, and again at the AK79 reunion in 2008.

Both tracks were recorded 1978 and you can really feel the anger and the spirit of the early days of punk life and proves this feeling was not only in Europe or the USA alive. Get this!

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RIOT 111 - Subversive Radicals EP 1982

Wellington's Riot 111 were active from 1981-1983 and it consisted of John & Geoff (vocals), Nick (guitars), Mark (bass) & Roger (drums). In their lifespan they released two 7Inches. A bit info: "RIOT 111 appeared during the fractious Springbok tour of 1981 and can lay claim to being one of the first New Zealand punk bands to deal with overtly political content in their music and imagery. With members of the band active in the anti-tour marches Riot 111 was conceived following the infamous Molesworth Street baton charge on July 29. “Here's these people supposed to be protecting what's right and they're hitting old ladies over the heads with batons.” (Roger Allen With Geoff Ludbrooke on vocals as John Void, Riot 111 was formed along with Roger Allen on drums and Mark Crawford on bass. Nick Swan formerly of Life In the Fridge Exists on guitar was the only member recognised as having any serious musical ability and like his former band RIOT 111 was intended as more of a performance happening than a radio friendly unit shifter. Their first single 1981 was recorded in a couple of hours released on 7” as a pressing of 500. The song ‘’1981’’ is based on an English interpretation of Ngati Toa’s Te Rauparaha's haka 'Ka Mate', and made famous by the All Blacks. Shouted by Void over searing guitars and pounding drum beats. It is an anthemic call to arms that Void intended to be played as anti-tour protesters marched into battle with police and pro-tour rugby heads.Following the tour the single was repressed and entered the national charts at number 46. '1981' was recently declared the 12th most important song in New Zealand history by the documentary series, “Rocked The Nation”. The success of '1981' spurred them to play their first gig at an anti-tour party in late September. In keeping with their agit-punk ‘manifesto’ the band's set featured songs about police violence, drugs, state power and impending revolution. The second single, “Subversive Radicals”, released in early 1982 paints a grim picture of New Zealand, under then prime minister Robert Muldoon, as an Orwellian 'East Berlin of the South Pacific' with social freedom progressively eroded by a violent 'police state'. The single charted at 19 and the band's increasing popularity/notoriety saw them open for big overseas acts such as The Birthday Party and Having already shown their interest in creating sensationalist media stories RIOT 111 upped the ante in 1982 when TVNZ refused to play a video for “Writing On The Wall”. The band transported their gear along with a horde of Wellington's punks and skins out to Avalon studios in Lower Hutt. Parked at the front door RIOT 111 played a set off the back of a truck, besieging New Zealand's castle of state broadcasting with an aural barrage and raising the anarchist flag. RIOT 111's confrontational music and style made them a favourite with the boot-boy scene and gigs were often marred by violence in the audience and through police actions to break up shows. By the end of 1982 the Wellington punk scene filmed in Chris Knox's Terrace Scene documentary only a couple of years earlier as a co-operative, playful, avant-garde movement was fast disintegrating into a nihilistic mess. In Easter 1983, RIOT 111 played at Golden Showers, a punk gathering in Newtown, Wellington, featuring bands from around New Zealand. A live recording of the show was released the following year as Capitol Kaos with RIOT 111 contributing three songs to the mix. By October 1983 the band members had had enough, Roger took off to Auckland and Void recast himself as an actor based in Sydney." (source: upthepunks)

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VEDA BROZK - Lucia 7'' 1982

Not easy to post something appropriate after a milestone and I decided on something adequate in form of a rather unknown band from Sweden with their first single. Veda Brozk was a five piece from Örsköldsvik and they won a local Rock competition in their home town, Rockforum 1982, and the price was to recording the winning song on a single and it was "Lucia", the a-side on this record, released via Try Musikproduktion. The lyrics is about the bad behavior of people in Lucia (a big Swedish party holiday) when they been drinking too much (info by lalind). In 1983 a second 7Inch Vill Bara Vara Barn was released and then it was Schicht. No compilation tracks and no further info. Well, two nice New Wave goodies with a Bontempi organ round off the presence of these five, and as classics neither go down in the annals of the glorious songs. Certainly interesting for all Swedish lovers among you. Now off to town, need new shoes and a jacket.

- Great Thx to Fredrik -

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TAXI - Eat Me 7'' 1999

All right folks, yet another four piece combo from Rome called Taxi and they consisted of Ntendarere (vocals), Lorenzo (guitar), Antonio (bass), Francesco (drums) and I advise you to take off your seat belts because the small debut 7Inch by them will take your shoes off, two brilliant ass-kickin' Punk'N'Roll numbers await you and flash you into the fifth dimension. In their eight year activity they made four singles and two albums and it could certainly have been more but Francesco's tragic death in 2007 marked the abrupt end of the four and that's really a sad fucking ending. But Tenda, Lorenzo, Danilo and Michele regrouped as Giuda (Italian for Judas) and their debut album Racey Roller from 2010 became quickly an underground sensation and was highly praised by diverse magazines and remains a cult classic and an inspiration to the hordes of bovver rockers following in Giuda’s wake (I haven't heard the slab yet, but I'll do this asap). Check out the boys, cause they deserve it.

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Z-OFF - Første Singel 7'' 1981

Another classic Norwegian punkband is Z-Off which released their one and only Killer 7'' on Hansen Og Kompanjongers Plateforlag in 1981. May you might know them from the awesome Bloodstains Across Norway compilation (coming soon) and these two tracks here speak for themselves. Excellent '77 style punkrock, sung in native norwegian language and the boys shoot their two minutes cracker out and proving once again that it's not difficult to play punkrock with a high level. I love listen to this sound again & again. About the band I have no further infos so you have search by your own. The title 'Hurra For Norge' was used for the awesome sampler series on Svindel Records. So relax and start the fuckin' download.

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FUCK GEEZ - Cut It Off EP 1983

The Fuck Geez first formed in Osaka, Japan in 1982, taking inspiration from '77 UK punk bands as well as Japanese hardcore bands of the era. The band then relocated to Maizuru city, Kyoto, Japan in 1984. They first debuted with the "Cut It Off" flexi in 1983 followed by the "Zzz........" flexi in 1985, "Punk Rock de..." 7inch and "Not For Sale" flexi in 1986 all on the MCR Co. label. "Here's The Fuck Geez" 7inch was released in 1987 on Jungle Hop International (France). The Fuck Geez also released a studio and live album in 1989 entitled "No Way To Escape" and appeared on many compilations of flexi, 7", LP/CD and video in 1980s on labels from the US, France, Finland, and more. While their sound progressed somewhat over time, the music retained a distinctly Japanese sound and style that the country was well known for....chaotic Japanese hardcore punk. However, other than a few compilation tracks, their material has been out of print for many years. Fuck Geez vocalist Yumikes remains very active in the punk scene today running the great MCR Company label. Enjoy six wild rough songs.

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THE DAMNED - Friday 13th EP 1981

Just the right time for an almost classic and it's difficult to say anything bad about the gents from London. At least I don't know of any bad albums, but I have to admit I haven't heard them all. I'm lazy today and will use a few lines from Wiki that sum up almost everything in a nutshell, here we go: This little four track beauty was issued by the Damned as the result of a one-off liaison with Nems Records and was released on 13.November 1981, which fell on a Friday. The lead-off track, "Disco Man", was featured on many Compilations, also becoming a live favourite. Two of the other three tracks, "Billy Bad Breaks" and "Limit Club", were composed by the band; the final track was a cover version of the Rolling Stones song "Citadel". Not tired at all and elegant sexy, who needs words when the music has everything? A very good phase of the band!

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THE BOIKOTTZ - Another Kind Of Humor 1987

Of course we start today with a German record on this cold gray day off and we listen to: Jan (vocals), Stephan (bass), Christian & Lemmi (guitars) and Ander (drums), Hamburg old punk legends with their only album, as I know there exist just one pressing on white vinyl. Fourteen songs with mostly english and german lyrics. Solid fast punk rock mixed with beautiful pissed-off lyrics and the album is a total kicker. Too bad the guys have not made more. They released in 1984 their first EP Punk Wird Leben via AGR which is pretty rare and should have anybody a copy you are a womanizer... Now a cold jever for breakfast and let's see what I continue to unpack.

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RAMONES - Leave Home 1977

Let's waste your time with the second album by the Ramones and it was released on January 10, 1977, through Sire Records and the songs were written immediately after their brilliant debut album writing process, which demonstrate the band's progression. The album had a higher production value than their debut and featured faster tempos. The front photo was taken by Moshe Brakha and the back cover, which would become the band's logo, was designed by Arturo Vega. The album spawned three singles, but only one succeeded in charting. It was also promoted with several tour dates in the States & Europe.

The songs in Leave Home concentrate on various themes, with the musical tones being diverse as well. Some tunes were more pop-oriented, while others, like Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment and Pinhead were loaded with distorted guitars and had a more punk rock sound. The song Carbona Not Glue was taken off the album because it potentially violated the trademark of the stain-removal product Carbona. The track was replaced with Babysitter in the UK and Sheena Is a Punk Rocker in the United States (prior to its inclusion on Rocket To Russia) both Carbona and Babysitter were included on the 2001 expanded edition. Critical reception for the album was generally favorable, with several reviewers pointing out the fact that it highly resembled the band's debut. Critics also said the album was less groundbreaking than their debut but had humorous and enjoyable pieces.

Joey relates: "We thought we had a lotta songs that should've been hits. If you grew up in the sixties, things would just get played and be hits right off the bat. So we thought since our music was doin' something unique that everyone would pick up on that. What really happened was we were so alien that no one wanted to touch us. And so we wouldn't get played."

Last Words: all previous Ramones posts in the blog are re-upped; The FOUR were brilliant, are brilliant and stay brilliant - R.I.P.

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THE CROWD - Punk Off 2001

The Crowd is a band from Huntington Beach and were formed about 1978 by brothers Jim and Jay Decker and guitarist Jim Kaa, later joined by drummer Dennis Walsh (former Flesh Eaters and Flyboys). Punk Off is their fourth and so far last album, released via Unity Squad Records, with thirteen solid pieces. I didn't know the band in this form at all and I'm not really a fan of newer punk rock, but this slab does a decent job.

- Great Thx to Reinhard -

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WALPURGIS VOLTA - Violence Des Chocs 1989

Second and final record by Walpurgis Volta which came via La Rage and I've been a little out of it since yesterday and can't think straight because I've been a bit put out by damn love. The second album by the Belgians from Brussels continues seamlessly where the first one left off. After the break-up they formed PPz30 and they very quickly achieved in France and Benelux the reputation of a terrific live band thanks to the astonishing performance of front man Bruce and to the musicianship of Daniel. I know I've written this before but I can't write any further because my arm fell off. Their music combines elements from various genres, including Punk and experimental sounds, resulting in a distinctive sound. This album received praise from critics and fans alike and is often addresses social and political issues and is known for its powerful lyrics and dynamic melodies. The production highlights the intensity of the music and offers a deep insight into the band's creative ideas. The band has carved out a solid place for themselves in the Belgian music scene, attracting a wide audience with their music and live performances. Reviewers says the band's artistic development and experimental approach. The band's lyrics are often described as provocative and socially critical. They address relevant topics that make you think and connect to the current social situation. The sound density and careful arrangement of the instruments add to the intensity of the music. Critics emphasize that the band's energy is palpable in the studio recordings and many of the songs are great for live performances. This could make the band an exciting live act. While many old fans of the band appreciate the new direction, there are also voices that say that some of the experimental elements may not appeal to every listener. The band could be taking a certain risk by moving away from their original style. Overall, "Violence Des Chocs" is considered a bold step in Walpurgis Volta's career, pushing musical boundaries and presenting the band in its second stage.

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