GERMS - (GI) 1979

Another classic that needs to be heard is the debut by the Germs, punk from Los Angeles and originally active from 1976 to 1980. The band's main early lineup consisted of singer Darby Crash, guitarist Pat Smear, bassist Lorna Doom, and drummer Don Bolles. They released only one album (GI) on Slash Records, produced by Joan Jett, and were featured the following year in Penelope Spheeris' documentary film The Decline Of Western Civilization, which chronicled the Los Angeles punk movement. Germs disbanded following Crash's suicide on December 7, 1980. Info from wiki which says everything:

Crash (born Jan Paul Beahm) and Smear (born Georg Ruthenberg) decided to start a band after being kicked out of University High School for antisocial behavior, allegedly for using "mind control" on fellow students. Their original name was "Sophistifuck and the Revlon Spam Queens", but they had to shorten the name as they could not afford that many letters on a T-shirt. The (initially hypothetical) first lineup consisted of Beahm (then known as Bobby Pyn, and later as Darby Crash) on vocals, Ruthenberg (under the name Pat Smear) on guitar, an early member named "Dinky" (Diana Grant) on bass, and Michelle Baer playing drums. This lineup never played in front of a live audience.In April 1976, the band added Lorna Doom (born Teresa Ryan) on bass, with transitional member Dottie Danger (later famous as Belinda Carlisle of the Go-Go's) on drums. Carlisle never actually played with the band, as she was sidelined by a bout of mononucleosis for an extended period. She was replaced by her friend Donna Rhia (Becky Barton), who played three gigs and performed on their first single. Carlisle remained a friend and helper of the band (she can be heard introducing the band on the Germicide: Live @ the Whiskey recording, produced by Kim Fowley), only leaving because her new band, the Go-Go's, were becoming popular and, as she put it, "I was really disturbed by the heroin that was going on". Nickey Beat, of various noteworthy Los Angeles bands including the Weirdos, also sat in on drums for a time.

The band's first live performance was at the Orpheum Theater. Smear recalled: "We made noise. Darby stuck the mic in a jar of peanut butter. It was a dare, we had no songs or anything! Lorna wore her pants inside out, and Darby covered himself in red licorice...we made noise for five minutes until they threw us off". The Germs initially drew musical influences from Iggy Pop, David Bowie, Ramones, the Runaways, Sex Pistols, and New York Dolls. Early on, Smear was the only musically experienced member; Doom survived early performances by sliding a finger up and down the fretboard of her bass while Rhia generally kept a minimal beat on the bass drum, periodically bashing a cymbal. Early performances were usually marked by raucous crowds made up of the band's friends. As a result, their gigs became notorious for being rowdy and usually verged on a riot.

The end of the band came when Crash, who had become increasingly impatient with drummer Bolles' antics, fired him and replaced him with his friend Rob Henley. Shortly after the Germs split, Crash and Smear formed the short-lived Darby Crash Band. Circle Jerks drummer Lucky Lehrer joined the band on the eve of their first (sold-out) live performance, when during soundcheck, Darby kicked out the drummer they'd rehearsed with. The band, described by Smear as "like the Germs, but with worse players", played only a few gigs to lukewarm reaction before splitting up. Shortly after that, Crash contacted Smear about a Germs "reunion" show, claiming it was necessary to "put punk into perspective" for the punks on the scene. However, Smear has said Crash told him privately he wanted to earn money for heroin with which to commit suicide. Since Crash had described this scenario many times in the past, Smear did not take him seriously. On December 3, 1980, an over-sold Starwood hosted a final live show of the reunited Germs, including Bolles. At one point, Crash told the amazed kids in the audience, "We did this show so you new people could see what it was like when we were around. You're not going to see it again".

Crash committed suicide on December 7, 1980, at age 22. Unreported at the time, Crash had overdosed on heroin in a suicide pact with close friend Casey "Cola" Hopkins, who ended up surviving. She later insisted that he did not intend for her to live, nor did he change his mind at the last minute and intend for himself to live. According to Spin, apocryphal lore has Crash attempting to write "Here lies Darby Crash" on the wall as he lay dying, but not finishing. In reality, he wrote a short note to David "Bosco" Danford that stated, "My life, my leather, my love goes to Bosco". Outside the world of the Germs' fans, news of Crash's death was largely overshadowed by the murder of John Lennon the next day. A local news station mistakenly reported that Crash had died from taking too many sleeping pills.

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THE NITWITZ - The Worst Of... EP 1980

Last one in May and with an average age of sixteen The Nitwitz were the youngest of the Amsterdam punkbands. In 1978 the boys were on stage for the first time at the Spinoza-lyceum in south Amsterdam. In 1980 the band released their first single on their own Vögelspin-label. This here is their second one. The Nitwitz were famous for their melodic carefree happy punk tunes and were influenced by Australian bands as Saints, Radio Birdman and by Ramones, MC5 and Stooges. Not by any English punkbands. They said their biggest influence were the Dickies. In the press they got less attention. And when they got some, they got negative critics. Cool sound, cool band, cool record - The Nitwitz broke up in march 1982. Test their Scorched Earth Policy 12'' too.

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EPPU NORMAALI - Jee Jee 7'' 1978

Eppu Normaali is one of the most popular rock bands in Finland. The band formed in 1976 in Ylöjärvi, a small town near Tampere, whose lyrics are written in their native language. The band's name comes from the movie Young Frankenstein by Mel Brooks. The brain, which has stolen the laboratory assistant is labeled with the name of 'Abby Normal' and actually a warning that the brain is abnormal. Abnormal translated into Finnish means Epänormaali. The band's first public appearance took place at the Rockin SM-Cup in 1977. The jury was unimpressed but singer Juice Leskinen encouraged them to send out demo’s. Soon they were signed at Poko Rekords and released their debut album ‘Aknepop’. Styled after the Ramones it was filled with short punk-pop songs. While the band has sold in Finland more than 1.5 million albums, they enjoy legendary status and all the albums, at least one gold record, have generally receive platinum or multi-platinum awards, but outside the Finnish-speaking countries they are hardly unknown. This 7'' was released via Poko Rekords and here we have 2 great punk rock tunes. Splendid!

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DISASTER AREA - Die On Your Board 1986

In 1979, the later members were in the process of developing their skate skills on the concrete surfaces of the Berlin district of Märkisches Viertel, known as the ghetto. A trip to London with the Berlin Skate Club led to contacts with the punk scene. This resulted in the connection between skating and punk music for the band. In the winter of 1980/81 they began to rehearse as C&A (Chaos & Turmoil) in a boiler room. Under this name they played their first concerts with the Suurbiers (from which Die Ärzte later emerged) and die deutsche Trinkerjugend. In 1984 they were inspired by the "Loudest Band in the Universe" appearing in the series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and renamed themselves Disaster Area. In the same year they produced two tracks for a split single with the band Die Schlimmen Finger on the Berlin label Pogar. The debut Die On Your Board was created in just three days 1986 and after a record review in MaxiMumRocknroll, the band received more and more concert inquiries. In 1987 Disaster Area played for the first time at the skate contest in Münster, where they appeared regular since then. In 1988 the second album Back From The Reservation came out and is stylistically more influenced by hardcore punk. The song 'Skate Tonight' from the first single was also newly recorded. In 1988 Oli suffered an eardrum injury from feedback at the Skate'N'Roll Festival and left the band. Frusti became the new drummer, and Norman joined as second guitarist. In 1989 they took part in the Berlin Senat Rock Competition and made it to the finals.

In 1990, the third album Cut The Line came through Bonzen Records and the Ox wrote at the time: “Germany's Skate Punk Band No.1". This was followed by a tour with the Badtown Boys and a live album, recorded at SO36 in Berlin. Norman switched from guitar to snowboard and Domi became the new guitarist. Shred Ready is the band's fourth album and for the first time, metal borrowings were clearly heard in the music. The guitarist received a postcard from Marty Friedman of Megadeth with the words: “It Rocks! The fun of the Ramones with cool lead guitar, too. Keep up the good work! ". In 1994 Disaster Area played as the opening act for The Offspring and in December the same year made a ten-day tour through ten Berlin concert halls to mark its tenth anniversary. In 1996 Domi switched to the metal band Orth and Disaster Area continued as four piece. The new songs became much more melodic and the Powder EP was released the same year. The next album Slam Section was released in 1998 on the metal label Noise Records by Karl Walterbach. At the end of a tour with CIA (Ex-Slime) and several concerts with Millencolin followed. In 1999 Tom, who had previously played in Mr. Ed Jumps The Gun joined the band. Tom already knew Disaster Area back in 1984. He had played guitar on the split single for Die Schlimmen Finger. A tour with California punx The Line followed and for the 20th anniversary of the band the last album Forever was released.

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GROOVIE GHOULIES - Fun In The Dark 1999

One more great stuff from Lookout! Records with the Groovie Ghoulies from Sacramento and on their fifth album were involved Roach (vocals/guitars), B-Face (bass), Kepi (drums) and the three stand for excellent usual Ramones-style sing-a-long songs and is suitable for every party. This little fucker has thirteen of that. You will warm up to the album very quickly because the songs enter your genes unhindered like heroin into your vein and inject the good mood straight into your head, this is mainly due to the melodic power of the songs, the magical singing and ultimately the positive rhythms. This record brings you calm down, checks our visions and ensures a relaxing time. Forget all the new MTV Pseudo Pop-Punker, this is simply the best and original. And my neighbor just tells me: this beauty is reissued 2023 by Stardumb, etc... Records in a pressing of 1000 copies on transparent blue vinyl with black smoke, so watch fucking out!

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ROCKS - Combat Zone 1994

Only album by Rocks on Kangaroo Records and it took a long time for the band to become active again. In 1978 they brought their legendary You'r So Boring EP on Point Blank Records (500 copies) out and and set with that an astonishing exclamation point, 1995 re-issued as CD with bonus tracks. I first came in contact with them through Tepid Spit Artists, an unofficial tape compilation what I acquired from Incognito Records. Short basics: "Rocks, please, never put a “The” in front, were Sydney based Punx which started its life as a three piece in 1976 with childhood friends Bill Webb (a.k.a. Bill Posters) Drums/Lead Vocals, Peter Davie Guitar/Vocals and Steve Vanderschoot Bass/Lead Vocals. Having jammed together after school and on weekends and with their love for early 70’s rock surging through their veins, it was no surprise they would turn to Punk as they forged ahead finding a style to become a band. When bands like the Ramones and the Sex Pistols came along, it was obvious what they had become and they would go on to be one of Sydney’s best loved Punkrock bands..." Combat Zone is twenty-two times fresh sound combined with catchy melodies. Rocks are still active and occur at irregular intervals here and there somewhere. Enjoy the album & the warm rays of the sun with a cold beer.

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BIZON KIDZ - Get Your Kicks By Throwing Bricks EP 1981

The icon of Punk (Sex Pistols) had just disbanded and in England nobody cared anymore about rebellious young people with a preference for hard three-chord music. But Punk has proved to be a keeper to this day, both in terms of music style and attitude to life in the Netherlands and had just started in 1978 in many cities, including Utrecht (of course the hype which started 1976 in England & the U.S., had not gone unnoticed by the Netherlands before 1978.) On January 7, 1977, the Pistols performed @ Paradiso in Amsterdam and Iggy Pop scored a top forty hit with Lust For Life. The fierce and primitive sounds of such as the Ramones, the Clash, Sex Pistols, etc... had a great influence on Dutch musicians. This sound might be alive and kicking in Utrecht, but there weren't many places to play. Bizon Kidz were one of those bands that were founded in the late Seventies by Bertie & Ilonka (vocals), Oscar & Philip (guitars), Buffel (bass), Frans (drums) & released their only piece of cake on their own (500 copies) in the early eighties. Ten minimalist short songs with two-part singing are offered that can easily harmonize with the pleasant November sun, not bad at all!

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VANDAALIT - Betonikolossit 7'' 1981

Vandaalit (Vandals) is a punk band from Hyvinkää. They have been active as musicians ever since the mid-70's, when they were known as Hard-Boiled and performed Hurriganes-type rock'n'roll in English. It all changed in 1977 when they heard Ramones' 2nd LP "Leave Home" being introduced on the radio. The boys changed into fast punk rockers, opted a new name Schlachthof Fünf (did they read Vonnegut?) and soon switched to singing in Finnish after seeing punk pioneers Eppu Normaali. Vocalist Vesa Häkli, bassist Sepi Rautiainen, guitarist Pekka "Piitsi" Huhtakallio and drummer Ari Lindroos debuted on record as one of the eighteen bands on the legendary punk compilation Hilse (1979). Apparently their song became so popular that they were allowed four songs on the sequel "Hilse 2" (1980). One of these four songs were their first-ever composition "En Ole Nainen". Making his debut on a Vandaalit recording was new guitarist Jari "Klide" Pelkonen, whom the other guys had noticed playing in a punk band called Hermones. Sepi Rautiainen headed off to Canada after the debut album was released and lived there until his death from cancer in the liver in 2004. Aki "Appa Nasaretilainen" Kuronen became the new bassist. Another assignment for Häkli was Billy Boys with Terveet Kädet man Läjä Äijälä. Two singles and a mini-LP during 1983-1986, described as experimental electronic psychobilly. Ari and Klide formed hard glam band Sticky Fingers in 1984, and made the "Fight For Fun" LP in 1984. Vandaalit decided to re-unit after seeing each other on Klide's 30th birthday. This reunion lasted for three years and produced two more albums, 'Apinoiden Platta' (1992), which the boys regard as their best, and 'Psykoakatemia' (1993). Vandaalit took great care in their street boy/labourer image, with leather jackets, and guitar straps so long that the instruments almost sweeped the floor. On their records they were far from any preachers or intellectuals, just fun-loving guys who liked playing music much more than going to school or work.

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ZERO BOYS - Vicious Circle 1982

I'm in a hurry so I don't talk much but use the information I have: the Zero Boys are a hardcore punk quartet from Indianapolis, Indiana fronted by Paul Mahern. Other members include bassist Scott Kellogg, drummer Mark Cutsinger and guitarist Dave Lawson. When he walked into Keystone Recording in Indianapolis on August 18, 1981, Zero Boys singer Paul Mahern told producer/engineer John Helms he wanted his band's debut LP to "sound like the Germs' GI," released two years prior. "He really nailed it!" laughed Mahern recently. Much agreed: Few records have ever sounded this whizbang buzzing. And whereas GI transformed an appallingly shambolic L.A. band into a shocking powerhouse, Vicious Circle merely snared a smokin' Indiana band that'd been rehearsing five hours a day — so tight they spun this corker out in just two days, by recording live together.

It still bursts out of your speaker on CD as it did off a needle when released on Nimrod records 19 years ago. Terry Hollywood's razor-zinging guitar and Tufty Clough's Speedy Gonzalez' bing-bing-bing bass playing (fastest fingers in the Midwest) burn like blowtorches, and drummer Mark Cutsinger plays like he IV'ed amphetamines. Mahern sings like a hurrying rabbit, rapid-firing words about assassinations/celebrity-shootings, anti-nostalgia, having a "high time," and, well, doing speed. Whereas other records of the new hardcore scene tried to sound tough, this was like Johnny Thunders, Sex Pistols, Ramones, Dictators, and S.L.F. on 45, smiling like dopes. Reissued with two bonus tracks from the same session, Vicious Circle remains a vicious pleasure of frenzied attitude, chops, speed, tight playing, and rocket-launching zeal. (Jack Rabid)

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JELLO BIAFRA with NOMEANSNO - The Sky Is Falling And I Want My Mommy 1991

Kick off March and to a record which is still fresh after more than thirty years and revitalizes the Punk in you when it's a little rusty. Well, when I bought the album in Hamburg back then, I was of course very excited and wanted to know if Jello Biafra, who had two years before jammed with D.O.A. and conjured up a superb album, would top this with his second trip to Canada, this time to Victoria where NoMeansNo was at home back then. And the result is one more musical and optical highlight in all respects. Eight energetic songs plus Jello's cynically apocalyptic words, that sums up this brilliant record. I would particularly like to mention the artwork, which was again designed by Winston Smith and connects the history with reality and let us see that not much has changed and mankind is stagnating in its actions and thinking, profit-oriented and without regard for losses, especially nature and minorities suffer vehemently and all the generations that will follow can be happy. When man entered this planet, the earth was doomed. Nevertheless, I want to close with an apt review from my favorite site for this, because they can do that:

"After working with Canada's D.O.A. on his previous collaboration album, Jello hooked up with fellow Canucks and Alternative Tentacles signees NoMeansNo for an abrasive, brilliantly skewed thrash of a record, The Sky Is Falling & I Want My Mommy. NoMeansNo, with their angular art aggression, makes for a more distinct vehicle for Jello than D.O.A., bursting with power and screwy inventiveness both. The title track alone is worth the price of admission; Jello's rant about nuclear satellites and paranoia perfectly is matched by the music, and in ways the track serves as the missing link between an older style of Punk and the work of underground '90s acts like Unwound. White-hot guitar lines scrape and snarl over the stuttering rhythm while Jello rages through as only he can. "Chew" starts with minimal guitar snarls and whines floating around a low-key rhythm before fully springing to life, alternating between epic explosions and low-key tension over the song's length. Other tracks have a more straightforward, thrash feeling but still kick along very nicely, often throwing in odd solos or other touches to prevent sound-alike disease. Jello's pithy way around any number of subjects doesn't fail him here, with everything from recontextualized religion ("Jesus Was A Terrorist") to the joys of white-knuckle trips down mountain rivers ("Ride The Flume" with its lyrics "forget log rides in amusement parks, this one's 50 miles long!"). NoMeansNo's Ramones-worshipping alter egos, the Hanson Brothers, sneak in for the song "Bad," which is delivered in appropriately quick time, though Jello avoids sounding like Joey Ramone. The album wraps up with two great stormers, "Sharks In The Gene Pool", which constantly shifts tempos and feels over its length, and "The Myth Is Real-Let's Eat", with a wickedly snarling bassline that helps carry it along. Jello lets go in full effect over both, with all of the energy that fans would come to expect." (Ned Raggett)

One note before you ask, my copy doesn't have a lyric sheet for some fucking reason... well, I think more words aren't needed. In the same year, one more short group therapy convened, Tumor Circus, and is one more pleasure at own risk.

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V/A - Live & Alive [Special] 2017

It's time again to torture you with one of my superfluous self-made compilations and since I'm a Live person, this Machwerk is full with sixteen Alive goodies from bands which I have seen live multiple times, whose records I love and being a constant companion in the past and present. Simply strong songs that impress and touch me or which I just only like. The artwork came on its own and I hope it appeals to you. Take this as a small gift and listen to it while cooking, in the train/plane, while cycling or body sport... made to play loud! 

1.Not Another Hit - DISCO ZOMBIES

2.The Traveller - A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS

3.Remember Tomorrow - IRON MAIDEN

4.Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment - RAMONES

5.Ruperts Grün - TURBOSTAAT

6.A Forest - THE CURE

7.Shot Down In Flames - AC/DC

8.In Shreds - THE CHAMELEONS

9.Chelsea Monday - MARILLION

10.Shadowplay - JOY DIVISION

11.Such A Shame - TALK TALK

12.Halleluja - RAMMSTEIN

13.Staub - MESSER

14.Walking On Both Sides - PINK TURNS BLUE

15.Very Ape - NIRVANA

16.Weiter - EA80

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HASSISEN KONE - s/t 7'' 1980

Back with a quick post because I'm in a hurry and must get my train in twenty minutes. Hassisen Kone with their second 7Inch on Hilse-Levyt and the a-side is a real kbd smasher while the flip is a nice cowboy groove rhythm one, sounds a bit harder as the first album Täältä Tullaan Venäjä on Poko Records. Anyway, a solid record from Finland and no 1-2-3-4 Ramones copy. Have a nice weekend all together!

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THE USERS - Now That It's Over 7'' 1979

One more raritiy from Love Child now and they are always welcome on wdthtc, 250 copies exist from this two sided killer and a few words: "We've got our own individual style. Most punk bands are the same as the Ramones... its pathetic. ..The basic ingredients of rock'n'roll are sex drugs and frustration, If we can getamps and get on stage, that's all.  Its a big V sign from us to you." The Users - Chainsaw 5 March/April 1978. - "The Users were from Cambridge and formed in September 1976. Their sound was a mixture of The Stooges, New York Dolls, Rolling Stones and the Sex Pistols. Young and with attitude - plenty of it. Other songs included Russian Roulette, Heart To Heart, Bad Decision, Slow Death (Flaming Groovies) Louie Louie, Moving In A Fast Lane and Red Hot Rag. Cambridge was also home to Lee Wood and his record shop. "..members of The Users, who had been in the shop before, asked me if I could spare the time to come and hear them rehearse. I went along and they were a five piece. I can't remember the details but somehow we decided to make a record together." Lee Wood Punk77 Interview. More details on punk77 and more Kicks In Style are guaranteed.

- Great Thx to Bristolboy -

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EPPU NORMAALI - Aknepop 1978

Aknepop is Eppu Normaali's first album which was released on Poko Rekords and "has fourteen straighforward Ramones and Sex Pistols influenced seventies goodies with Finnish lyrics full of youthful energy and political zeitgeist comedy influenced by a Finnish proto-punk/rock&roll band Virtanen." Eppu Normaali is one of the most popular bands -- perhaps the most popular -- in the history of Finnish rock music. They have recorded thirteen studio albums since their inception in 1976 -- nine of these have gone platinum and the rest gold. They've sold over a million albums in Finland, which is a significant amount for a country of five million, and are the rare Finnish act able to sell out 30,000 tickets in a stadium concert. They began as an irreverent punk band that turned toward guitar-oriented rock. Finns have called them "the poor man's Dire Straits," although their output is far more varied than that of Mark Knopfler. Their debut was among the earliest & most popular records on the early young Finnish punk scene. Their sarcastic and hilarious songs, such as "Poliisi Pamputtaa Taas" ("The Police Pounces Again") were beloved by both the music press and the kids, while the mainstream and adult contemporary crowds were either unimpressed or hostile. (JT Lindroos) - Sexy Stuff!

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ATTAQUE 77 - Dulce Navidad 1989

Christmas is over but this record is currently running up and down because.... A bit info from wiki: "Attaque 77 is an Argentine punk rock group and were formed 1987 in Buenos Aires as a group of friends who got together to play their favorite songs, most of them by the Ramones, their favorite band and the one that influenced them the most. They started writing songs in the same punk rock style, lyrics with proletarian content (about exploited factory workers, etc.), and wore denim jackets, which became one of their hallmarks in their beginnings. Currently, only three members continue performing and recording. When they were just starting, they played the more traditional punk rock and in those years, the band became more popular by virtue of a more melodic style. High points in the band's history include the album El Cielo Puede Esperar in 1990, with the first band's big-hit "Hacelo Por Mí" and performing their first gigs at the Estadio Obras in October 1991." - Many records have since been released and the band is still active and touring decent and maybe a new album will follow.

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SUBTRACTIONS - It's Exposed EP 2015

Another uncovered whopper, a massive missing link of first wave West Coast punk. Four incredible songs that never saw a release during their tenure until now, boiling over w/punk brilliance, pulse-pounding and antagonistic anthems that immediately command your attention. From the recently-unearthed 1980 studio recordings, HoZac Records presents Punk pioneers from Fresno/California: The Subtractions.

"When one thinks of Fresno, CA punk bands certainly aren't the first thing to come to mind. This sleepy city located inland and about the halfway point between Los Angeles and San Francisco became a hot spot for 60s rock bands to stop through which carried over into the 1970s, when the wave of hard rock washed over the town, resulting in numerous bootleg LPs from AC/DC, Van Halen and more. Fast forward to the appearances of "punk" across American pop culture (DEVO on SNL, Sex Pistols US tour, Ramones planting seeds everywhere) and you've got bands springing up around every corner, Fresno included. And even on the first Maximum Rocknroll compilation, Not So Quiet On the Western Front, three Fresno bands made their debut appearances, Maniax, Nazi Bitch & the Jews and the Frigidettes, but little was known about the bands that predated those, until now.

The Subtractions were the brightest-sounding pure punk band of the bunch, and although stacked with a lively gig schedule, complete with a sold out support slot for the Dead Kennedys, they sadly never left their recorded mark on the world in their original inception, but luckily they DID have the good notion to make a recording before they went their separate ways, and finally seeing the light of day in October 2015 is the "lost" debut EP called It's Exposed on HoZac Records in edition of 500 copies." (Todd Killings) - Here they have four tracks rescued from the vault, listen!”

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LOW BUDGET BAND - No More Military Forces 7'' 1981

Obscure Rockin' Punk Band from Kassel with their lone single. Mr.Austria send me the flip 'No Fashion' and I was immediately blast. Damn fat guitar '77 punk and this song sounds like Ramones at 16 RPM. So I check discogs for this and search the www for the a-side. Found it but the b-side is the winner (title track is not bad but a bit too rocky) so I ask my friend in Vienna and he sent the whole record with covers in. One thing is certain, this 7inch is not listed as a punk rock record and disappeared into obscurity but what the five people here celebrating is exceptionally hot shit. I would not hesitate to perpetuate this band on a Killed By Death sampler. Listen to it and be besotted by this dirty heavy grime sound.

- Extra Special Thx to Reinhard -

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BANDAGE - Republik EP 1978 + Populär 7'' 2015

You take what you have, Bandage thought and sat in a boy's room in the mid seventies and tried to mimic the hard rock bands with the help of acoustic guitars. In April 1977, they thought it was time to buy real gadgets, and in the same vein they heard the Ramones, The Clash and Sex Pistols and decided that it was punk they wanna play. In July the same summer, they did their first gig at a farm party in Tyresö. The set was then Peter (vocals/bass), Jan (guitar) and Stefan (drums). A little later Stefan #2 joined as 2nd guitarist. Then the high school began to approach the end and for a couple herded the lump. When Bandage rented a studio in May 1978 to record this four-song EP, it was already almost clear that the band would be closed down. Although the studio technician had to decide, it had not become a record. He suggested a little tentatively that it might be enough if they used the recording as a demo ... But a record it was, though so terribly punk it didn't sound. "Republik" their attack on the royal house, and closing "Sven Brutal" were pretty tough songs, while "Jesus Lever" could be mistaken for a religious song. However, they assured it was irony. And speaking of irony, they changed the lyrics from "Republik" to "Diktatur" instead of emphasizing the irony. But according to David Halvars, it was marginally more people who understood the irony in the text line “Dictatorship - We should have that! Dictatorship - We want that! Dictatorship - We shall have that in our country ”. Over time, a new bandage emerged. With only Peter and Jan from the original set, they continued for a while before the band went to the grave for good. (Info from the book Ny Våg)

In 2015 Slyngel Rekords dug out two more lost nuggets from the Stockholms and released the single in an edition of 300 copies in purple vinyl. They exchanged a few members, including David Halvars from Bitch Boys in the band, and recorded a demo in 1980 that sounded much rougher than the EP. The demo ended up on the radio program New Vags editorial which meant that the Swedish people got to experience a catchy punkpop song named "Populär". What should I report further? This is excellent stuff whereby I like the new single almost better but that's like everything, a matter of taste and I’m sure you’ll enjoy this fantastic stuff - they only existed about a year and never get outside Stockholm.

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RUNE STRUTZ - Musikforum Brinner! EP 1978

Rune Strutz was a Swedish punk band from Uppsala that were active between 1976 and 1983. The group was formed in winter of 1976 by Roffe Björnevad (guit.) and Animor Dobrovich (guit. + vox.) which were strongly inspired by groups such as the Ramones, Richard Hell and the Voidoids, New York Dolls and other bands. The band name comes from the phone book where there was a musician called Otto W. Strutz, and who used the stage name Jim Basso. As another musician did not want to use this surname was considered a fitting choice for the group. The idea was to make a Swedish version of the story, to pair it with Gudibrallan which was a prog rock band that never was housebroken in the circuits. Later they were more influenced of the British scene with Buzzcocks and Wire. The goal was simple, energetic music with Swedish lyrics performed using simple equipment in small premises. Independence was a keyword. Then their only record was released on Mläll Pop and all three songs here sounds as they had recorded them directly in the rehearsal room. Jolty & rough, classic stuff '77 KBD stuff!! On the compilation 018/Trio Grupper which has exclusively bands from Uppsala on it appear Rune Strutz with two more songs.

- Special Thx goes to Fredrik -

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VORWÄRTS - A Trip Down Memory Lane 2002

Swiss punk veterans Vorwärts are from the area of Basel, founded by Udi (vocals), RR & Bibä (guitars), Nutty (bass), Roli (drums), and today the oldest Punk combo from Switzerland still playing live. In 1984, when singer Udi and his friends went into the studio for the first time and the result is the very much sought nameless five track 12'', 300 copies exist. Vorwärts already had several years of service under their belt: the band was formed 1979 and Udi remembers his first contact with the punk movement, which was only slowly making its way from London and New York to the Upper Basel area. "When punk was born in 1976/77 we had no idea," he says. It wasn't until two years later that he heard the first songs by the Ramones, The Damned, Clash and Sex Pistols and had pictures in the "Pop/Rocky”or “Musikexpress”. That "simply blown him and his friends away", as he told the bz: "Punk was so much better, more urgent and more important than anything we had heard before." The founding of his own band was "an outbreak, a departure, an undreamt-of freedom". Forward hit the Zeitgeist and were able to record their first successes: with their song TV Generation the quintet made it onto national radio and with a self-made clip (you can find it on YouTube under the title Boring Generation) even on Swiss television. But in their early years, Vorwärts not only met with approval. It belonged then that they were insulted as “Schwuli Söu”, “Gsindel” and “Soupack” because of their appearance - “bright green and black striped jeans, studded belts and bracelets, sprayed shirts, holes in clothes, a lot of leather and so on” the everyday life of the five young men. In 1988 the dissolution followed due to various individual follow-up projects and 1998 the reunion on the occasion of the wedding of a band member and since then they still active and their last record was released two years ago for their 40th year existence! (source: partly bzbasel)

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