MICKY TAKE & THE TAKE ONS - Bird Dog 7'' 1978

This single is one more from the glorious Wanted-List and its so damn rare so I'm happy to present you this ole fucker. The band is a studio group and they recorded only this both tunes. The a-side is a pretty cover of the Everly Brothers #1 hit 'Bird Dog' in a punky lyric version. That time the Sex Pistols shock the music business with their anti attitude and they wrote this about them... very funny and it's real punkrock spoof. The flip is a lame waste of time, sadly, maybe its another cover which I don't the original. Anyway, musically not necessarily the burner but still nice. Enjoy!

 - Great Thx to Bruce -

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RAMONES - @ The Palladium, NYC 7.1.1978

"Hey Ho Let's Go" - Yes, you know what comes... Yeah, the Ramones and I must tell you not much. In the World Wide Web there is sufficient information available. Like the Sex Pistols, the Ramones stands for punkrock of the first hour. Every punk has their records in the shelf, of course even me. Unlike the British with their snotty anarchic style the Ramones playing short, melodic, snotty 1-2-3-4 hymns and influenced a lot of bands. They were also different from the outfit; leather jackets, worn jeans, sneakers and long hairstyles (like the Beatles), almost in uni-look, the Ramones outfit was born. For me in addition to the Dead Kennedys the best band from the U.S. - This bootleg was recorded at the Palladium in New York City on January 7, 1978 in an amazing sound quality. Tommy Ramone is the drummer on this recording. He left the band soon afterwards, although he continued to work with them as a producer and manager, this is his last album as drummer. Hard to believe that all members are dead. I will listen to the Ramones till my death because this feelin' is etched in me. Have fun with this sound and "Gabba Gabba Hey" my true followers.

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V/A - Punk Rock/New Wave '77 1978

I hope you have a pleasant Easter days and time for good music. Today a obscure release with mostly bands from the UK and on this compilation, which came out in Portugal via Pirate Dream Records in an edition of 400 copies, are only classics that saw the light of day as 7Inch at the end of the 70s. I bought the slab on my Antarctic vacation thirty years ago from a penguin near the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, after long haggling, for a few dollars. You can surely imagine how amazed I was when I found such a rare record, nowadays only available at high prices, in this region and of course didn't hesitate for long. Well, sometimes I'm lucky too and today I present you the little anecdote and I'm sure you will like the stuff as well. Even though we exchanged addresses, I never met the penguin again, but it will stay in my memory forever. So friends, enjoy the good ole sound that still towers over many current records and I know that won't change.

1.I Wanna Be Free - THE RINGS

2.Friday On My Mind - LONDON

3.Siouxie Sue - LONDON

4.Your Generation - GENERATION X

5.In The City - THE JAM

6.Non Stop Dancing - THE JAM

7.Taking My Love - THE JAM

8.Art School - THE JAM

9.Slow Down - THE JAM

10.Batman (There) The Me - THE JAM

11.Outside View - EATER

12.Thinking Of The USA - EATER

13.Broken Windows - WARM GUN

14.They Call Me Energy - HIDEOUS STRENGTH

15.Motörhead - MOTÖRHEAD

16.City Kids - MOTÖRHEAD

17.You're So Dumb - SKREWDRIVER

18.Love Detective - THE RADIATORS FROM SPACE

19.God Save The Queen - SEX PISTOLS

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LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH - Open Your Eyes/Live @ My Father's Place 1982

Excellent soundboard recording @ My Father's Place/New York from October 1982 and I must confess: I didn't know them at all! Well, I think it's a good choice to start with a live record and this unofficial release (200 copies) fits perfect. A bit wiki info: "The Lords Of The New Church were an English/American gothic rock supergroup with a line-up consisting of four musicians from 1970s punk bands. The band originally comprised vocalist Stiv Bators (Dead Boys), guitarist Brian James (The Damned), bassist Dave Tregunna (Sham 69) and drummer Nick Turner (Barracudas). Launched in 1981, the band released three studio albums and three live albums prior to their dissolution in 1989. During this time, they underwent several line-up changes. More melodic and slickly produced than most punk, their music both reached a broader audience than that of many bands in the genre and alienated hardcore punk fans. The band presented a stylized tribal identity around their appearance and their music that fans embraced: the writer Dave Thompson asserts this represented "the first time since the Sex Pistols' Bromley Contingent fanbase [that] a band had succeeded in grafting its own identity onto its audience without first paying obeisance to the gods of highstreet fashion. Their stage antics became notorious early in their career, with Bators stunts on one occasion reportedly resulting in his clinical death for several minutes." Thirteen crackers in a fine sound quality, ned übel!

New Church/Question Of Temperature/Girls Girls Girls/Livin' On Livin'/Eat Your Heart Out/Russian Roulette/Fortune TellerOpen Your Eyes/Little Boys Play With Dolls/Holy War/Portobello/Apocalypso/New Church (Encore)

- Great Thx to Reinhard -

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ALERTA ROJA - Historiko 81-87: La Otra Cara Del Punk 2013

 

Awesome stuff today from Alerta Roja, an Argentine Punk band from Gerli, Buenos Aires and they are considered one of the precursor bands of the genre in this country. In the late 1970s, Argentina was under a bloody military dictatorship. While Punk was rolling in the United States and England, the wave did not slosh into Argentina. At that time, a young man named Pedro Braun, alias "Hari-B", formed the group Los Testicles (1978), which would later become Los Violadores (1980). In that period, "Hari-B" had to perform Military Service, and his colleagues Sergio Gramatica and other members decided to change the name of the group to Los Violadores. From them, other groups quickly appeared, such as Los Psicópatas (1979) or Los Laxantes (1979), with Gamexane, future member of Todos Tus Muertos (1985) on guitar. Los Psicópatas (1979), later called State Of Siege, was initially made up of Pablo Stella on guitar, Fernán Contreras on drums and Daniel García on bass & vocals. After two months of rehearsals, the band would have their first five songs, from which they would choose the ones that would be part of their first demo. In mid-1981 they released the first Simple Punk from Argentina, which would be released months later, after the Falklands War. That demo would be a 7'' under the independent label created by the group itself, Pelmaso Records, produced by Marcelo Gasió, later a keyboardist for the band.

Months before the Malvinas conflict, they had already decided to call themselves Alerta Roja, as a symbol of the political moment that the country was experiencing. In reference to the chosen name, when interviewed on Radio del Plata by Tom Lupo in '83, they would mention that "" Red Is Not The Way Out Either "". During this time, Sergio Spatavecchia joined the band in voice: 11. In the case of Alerta Roja , we first called ourselves The Psychopaths. They censored us. Then we changed into State Of Siege, the same thing happened to us and before Malvinas we put on a Alerta Roja, to reflect the state in which the country lived. People didn't understand punk, and they don't understand it now. We were not Bolsheviks or Nazis. We just sang revolution, we wanted a much more powerful change. We were apolitical, totally anarchists. Alerta Roja wanted to reach the general public "without trading". Basics to the thirty goodies: Fernán (vocals on tracks: 1-19), Mongo (vocals on tracks: 1-26), Pablo (vocals on tracks: 1-19); Pablo (guitars on tracks: 1-26) & Ucci (guitars on tracks: 27-30), Daniel (bass), Fernán (drums), Marcelo (keyboards) and Chiflo (sax). Songs 1 to 19 belong to "Derrumbando La Casa Rosada", recorded in October 1982 at Estudios del Jardín. Songs 20 to 26 belong to "El Llanto Interior", recorded in September 1985 at Avatar Studios and lollies 27 to 30 were recorded live in Cement April 1987.

This great comilation from Pinhead Records shines with historical recordings of the band and they existed and survived under the nose of a violent and oppressive military dictatorship. The band played gigs in Buenos Aires in the early '80s, giving a voice to a generation of angry Latin American youth. After so many years, these thirty tracks are finally getting a proper CD and their influences pulled from music that managed to cross the ocean and fall into the hands of its members, one might hear the Clash, Sex Pistols or Wire seeping from the groves, but don't be surprised if you get a small dose of the Cure as you listen to this gem. Alongside other amazing bands from South America, Alerta Roja reaffirms that despite the conditions and lack of resources, these nations produced some amazing punk music/attitude.

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CHUZPE - Love Will Tear Us Apart 7'' 1980

Chuzpe was very likely the first real punk band in Austria and was founded in 1977 by the Austrian Underground-/New-Wave-Band singer, guitarist and songwriter Robert "Räudig" Wolf with versatile cast and "Wiener Schmäh" (With Weaner Schmäh is popularly referred to one of the residents of Vienna awarded mentality, which is characterized by humor or the associated state of mind: often somewhat melancholy, sarcastic or morbid, humorous and belittling, sometimes slightly cunning and mischievous, often grantelnd (misanthropic), usually accompanied by a smile and friendly.The term libel is not associated with an insult in conjunction). They sang English and Viennese. Under the influence of the Ramones and Sex Pistols, their music evolved more and more into punk. In 1978 they recorded in the gorilla studio a few songs and which four were selected for a single. This would have been the first punk release in Austria but the production was, unfortunately for cost reasons, set prematurely (Two songs were posthumously released on the noteworthy Austro-punk compilation Es Chaos Is Die Botschaft from 1997). In May 1979, Chuzpe appear with three songs on the Wiener Blutrausch compilation. The band performed in 1979 for a short time as Robert Räudig & The Beat Boys and published in the same year, the first Chuzpe single and their style already went towards into neo-garage and mod-wave. This was the beginning of a development that Chuzpe were known as one of the Austria's most successful new-wave bands. The absolutly brilliant cover of Joy Division's 'Love Will Tear Us Apart', which made it to number 8 in the Ö3 charts is awesome and one of the best covers I ever heard. As Chuzpe77 the band released in 2003 a 16 song album with their old stuff in heavily guitar-based versions. After a farewell gig in 2004, the project Chuzpe77 was buried.

- Big Thx goes to Reinhard -

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MÜLLSTATION & DOG FOOD FIVE - Split LP 1998

Schlemihl Records released this proper record in a limited of 1000 hand-numbered copies with eight rare songs from Müllstation and Dog Food Five. Müllstation is a punk band from Eisleben in Saxony-Anhalt and were founded in 1980 in the GDR and is now one of the longest active Punkbands in the East, members are Harty Sachse ("Steve Aktiv", vocals) and Frank Baur (bass), at first the band used pots as drums and a homemade guitar. In 1982 the band met in front of the Palace of the Republic in East Berlin with two presenters from the NDR (Tim Renner and Thomas Meins) and these two took Müllstation and the band Menschrock for recordings to Hamburg and these were played on 20 September 1982 in the broadcast "Club" on NDR 2. Over the years they often played in the Christusgemeinde in Halle along with bands such as Schleim-Keim, Wutanfall, Größenwahn and Betonromanze. Susanne "Susi" Horn on bass as well as Volker Eschke and Mike Beelitz on guitars joined the band later. Resolution 1989 and Reunion in 1990, Frank Baur took over the guitar parts and Ralf "Ralle" Brauer came as new drummer, but was soon by Roy Hoffmann and finally in 1995 by Jürgen "Grahli" Grahl (previously at Abraum and NFP) replaced. At the end of the 1990s Melanie Stütz joined the band as new bassist, since 2002 then Alex Zschaege (previously KVD, NFP). Frank Baur and Jürgen Grahl are also working with non-Müllstation member Toralf Schwarz still in a side project called The Morlox. The Morlox play surf with Slavic influences.

Dog Food Five was founded in the summer of 1991. At a time when punk was considered a deadly serious, ideological issue, there were five mid-twenties, old friends and then something of a veteran of the local band scene, in a rehearsal room in Kassel in Hessen together to make songs in the style of Sex Pistols, Adverts & Dead Boys. Their quasi-postmodern look at the role models was perhaps a bit more distant than was the case with other punk bands of the time. So they had no problems with it, Rockabilly elements, Sixties Garage, New Wave, Surf & Psychedelic Rock in their music. To make the whole thing clear, they decided to Suits and ties, which amazed an audience that was accustomed to bands in military trousers, T-shirts and Lumberjack shirts to see. In the end, Dog Food Five, with its wild, raw sound, was also the purist of the punk scene convince and also attract people to punk concerts, which actually did not have so much to do with such music. Dog Food Five soon had a record deal and four albums, a split LP and a hand appeared in the next nine years full of singles. Bands like Müllstation and the Shocks covered their songs. In addition, Dog Food Five played hundreds of concerts in half of Europe, the last Christmas 2000 in their hometown Kassel. At that time, playing with stereotypes had become a cliché. Punkattitude was meanwhile become mainstream. Every second band musically relied on the punk and garage canon and suits on stage Punk clubs were such a common sight that nobody could shock them anymore.

- Great Thx to Fredrik -

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KANGRENA - Terrorismo Sonoro EP 1983

Based in Barcelona are Kangrena and the four have only made in their short lifespan one 7Inch on Anarchi Rekords, and this sucker features five pieces of unique and irreproducible sound. The band was formed in 1981 by Kike (guitars), Johnny (bass) and Manolo (drums) while singer Quoque teamed up with them afterwards: He, uninvited, joined them up on stage for their version of "My Way" on a show in December that same year and was offered the vocalist's post. The name (a misspelling of the Spanish word for "gangrene"), was chosen because they wanted something that could be indentified with what they were doing. Or so they said in that interview for the Spanish fanzine "Melodias Destructoras." As for their influences, they said that musically it was the Sex Pistols sped up and Crass & Exploited lyrically. As for local influences, they expressed their like for Ultimo Resorte, Decibelios, R.I.P., Attak, Frenopaticss and some Siniestro Total stuff and their dislike for anything out of Madrid. They kept playing about once a month until their debut EP 'Terrorismo Sonoro' was released in 1983, some compilation appearances (mostly on tapes) followed and a seventeen track cassette called Estoc De Pus was released in 1984 and a second 'El Cubo De La Basura' a year later. Shortly thereafter the band broke up. Kangrena weren't famous for melodic songs, they are rough, untamed, undisciplined and uncompromising Hardcore that will blow your mind after several listens and more effective than any Aspirin, guaranteed!

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APA - Häftig Bil EP 1987

Another unknown band from Sweden and I'm always amazed how many bands were active at this time, good for us today! Apa (Apologistskolans Punk Angsambel) started in 1979 and founded at the Tessin School Gymnasium in Nyköping by Carl (vox), Peter (guitar), Fredrik (drums) and Stefan (bass). They were a pure cover band and exercised all the classics of the Sex Pistols and Iggy Pop and have them in their live repertoire. But soon began write own songs. The newly founded record label Studio Otukt became aware of Apa and they released two 7Inches. Häftig Bil is their first record with four goodies and I wish, I could understand what they singing. I guess the lyrics are very ironic, how else can I 'Dr Mengele' with Sieg Heil bawling indicate? Egal, overall impression is positive and I like polarizing stuff.

- Great Thx again to Fredrik -

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THE IMPS - s/t LP 2022

Interesting plater by Bollmora Rekords and this combo meets me for the first time and they kick really ass. The Imps started 1977 in Stockholm and members were Anders (vocals), Jonas & Kai (guitars), Magnus (bass), Christer (drums) and unfortunately never made it onto vinyl during their active days. So this little compilation features fourteen songs (recorded 1978-1981, I think) from their rehearsal room and probably also live pieces in an extreme uncooked & raw quality. A few liner notes: "And in the late '70s, when the Sex Pistols and Ramones were putting out their records, musical ability wasn't important. However, we were motivated and formed the Imps at a young age (fifteen and still students) and took part-time jobs to fund our equipment. Somehow we got everything together and started rehearsing in a basement of our school with cover versions and after a while we played our first gig to a full house at a school party in Fisksätra. It was a great loud evening and when we were finished after thirty minutes, only ten people were left in the room, but those ten loved us. The Imps got better and better and they gigged all around Stockholm. In 1981 we opened for the Dead Kennedys at a place called Underground in Stockholm. The band made two demo tapes before we called it a day in 1982." (Anders, January 2022)

You see, this is a little story of how it happened at many places in those days, and the will & desire to make music burns like wildfire and is the drive to start something meaningful with its young age. The Imps are passion, crazy & musically simple but incredibly sympathetic. Listen!

- Great Thx to Fredrik -

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PANKRTI - Lepi In Prazni EP 2014

Great re-release of Pankrti's first 7Inch from 1978 on Ne! Records (limited to 300 copies, 100 in black and 100 in clear vinyl) with two bonus cuts, I'm guessing unused studio demo recordings but I'm not sure. Pankrti (Bastards) was founded 1977 in Ljubljana by Peter (vocals) and Gregor (manager), completed with Mitja (guitars), Jure (bass) & Slavc (drums). These five became one of the most important former Yugoslav Punk bands. They have a rough sound and it's still cool today, because there were hardly any bands behind the Iron Curtain at that time. After five albums released, band ceased to exist at the end of 1987, but in 1996 they temporarily reunited to perform as support act for the Sex Pistols in Ljubljana during their Filthy Lucre Tour. In 2003, Pankrti were included in the Yugonostalgic Croatian rockumentary Sretno Dijete, which deals with the former Yugoslav Punk & New Wave scene of the late 1970s and early 1980s. The band has numerous compilation appearances, some of you can find on the blog, and have been active again since 2007. This EP kicks and demonstrates concentrated determination.

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COMMANDO 9mm - Amor Frenopático 1986

Great debut by Commando 9mm from Madrid. Formed by two other groups which dissolved in 1984. On the one hand, Manolo (vocals/bass), member of La Uvi, and El Pollo (guitars) & El Mosca (drums) from Larsen. They began to play in a venue on Calle De Embajadores. In this place they composed their first songs and in 1985 they won the third prize in the VIII edition of the Rock Villa Trophy in Madrid and the city council releases their first 7Inch Odio En Sudamérica via Ayuntamiento De Madrid which is pretty extraordinary, I think. The album shows the bands energy and the songs are powerful and present their musical arguments. They did it solidly based on the forcefulness that came from the second line, the one that the drummer usually occupies on stage, Pollo's implacable manner on the guitar and Manolo's personal voice, almost the only possible one, one would say, for the sound of Commando 9mm. Ramonian punk-rock, resounding songs with a clear vocation for entertainment. Musically, the group's first album was mainly marked by The Professionals, the post Sex Pistols combo. Amor Frenopático was released via La General, a subsidiary of Fonomusic and the first change of the drums takes place, entering Jesús Bracero in substitution of El Mosca. Jesús recorded the drums on side A, while El Mosca recorded the other half. Spirited and expressive songs from one of my favorite bands from Spain and whose power is further refined in the following albums. - 1:1 yesterday was okay, will be difficult in Barcelona.

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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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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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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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V/A - New Wave 1979

Well, I have a feeling history is repeating itself right now, and war has unequivocally caught up with stupid humanity again. Hard times are coming and the impotence of the politicians leads to death and destruction. Anyone who still thinks that humans are intelligent beings will be disappointed once again and will have to reconsider their attitude, but I don't want to comment further on the current situation, I'm trying to concentrate on the essentials, and that's the music. - This Compilation from K-Tel Records is a nice selection of hits from bands that were slowly gaining popularity in the late 70's/early 80's and released a few catchy tunes that were heard almost everywhere which added to their notoriety. Many cheap compilations came out , because the fat major record wankers sensed easy money with this new kind of music. This is one of them and not bad at all in my opinion. Dear friends, stay fascinate, have a great weekend and enjoy the sound of this sixteen virtuosos.. wherever you are.

1.Dreaming - BLONDIE

2.Back Of My Hand - THE JAGS

3.Making Plans For Nigel - XTC

4.Toast - STREET BAND

5.Money - FLYING LIZARDS

6.Straw Dogs - STIFF LITTLE FINGERS

7.The Prince - MADNESS

8.Because The Night - PATTI SMITH

9.Rock Lobster - THE B-52's

10.Ca Plane Pour Moir - PLASTIC BERTRAND

11.King Rocker - GENERATION X

12.Nice Legs Shame About You - THE MONKS

13.Gangster - THE SPECIALS

14.Charade - THE SKIDS

15.Time For Action - SECRET AFFAIR

16.Great Rock 'N' Roll Swindle - SEX PISTOLS

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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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ZYNTHSLAKT & THE PAST - 7 Låtars EP 1983

This rare split EP has to bands from Köping on it and their sound is clearly at home in catchy dirty fast punkrock.

Zynthslakt (Swedish for synth slaughter) was a band that started around 1982. Mikael Thörngren, who played drums, was impressed by the energy of bands like the Clash and the UK SUBS. Together with Per Granberg's twin brother John (guitar in Charta 77) Zynthslakt were born. Because it was expensive to make records, explored other bands to share the cost with. Result was the split single with N.O.S. The band released another split EP called 7 Låtars with with The Past. They played a lot outside Norrköping, Mikael remember once in Västerås they liked the band that just played on stage was so bad that they took over the instruments. But it did not get better because everyone was a little too round underfoot. In Kolsva they would play along with Kent Impotent. No one knows exactly what happened, but Zynthslakt never played. According to "Goofy" was the band members had to go home to Köping the evening. The album 'Spraya På En Vägg' came out 1984 on Rosa Honung Records. That same year the band folded. A posthumous EP 'Hit Med Stålarna' saw the light of the day in 1986 containing all the Zynthslakt tracks from the split singles. The track 'En Stad, En Bomb' was contributed to the 1983 cassette compilation 'Bara En Dröm'. 1993 Rosa Honung released another sampler containing the songs 'Religion Blood' and 'Land Of War'. The fact that some members were in the army, disbanded around 84-85. Then started the band J. Hex and the Scarecrows, which did not have much in common with Zynthslakt and its punk.

The Past started by the turn of the year 80-81 and consists of on Roger Andersson (drums), Pelle Hedblom (bass) and Linus Linder (guitars). Everybody was singing just to not hear who sung most false. Later Linus got to take over most of the singings. They started to play covers jut to learn how to play. Because no one in the band know how to take one single chord in the beginning. As fast as they got ready they started to write own songs with influences from bands like S.L.F., Sham 69, Sex Pistols a.o. 1983 they recorded their first record which was splitted with Zynthslakt, also a band from Köping. It was a 7-song EP sold in 1000 copies. Then they struggled on to get money to record a 7” which was supposed to be released on Birdskit, but the sound was damn bad so it was never released, but Birdskit sponsered them to record a MLP “In The Future With The Past” 1987, the single got to be included as a bonus with the first outgoings. Then they contibuted on “Swedish Stand” a compilation from the Indie labels in 1990. The Past still exists...

Great stuff from both which makes you hungry for more. ENJOY!!

- Special Thx to Fredrik -

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KSU - s/t LP 1989

Debut record by this punx on Pronit and KSU is one of the oldest Polish bands, founded in 1977 in the southeastern town of Ustrzyki Dolne (in the Bieszczady Mountains). According to its founder, Eugeniusz Olejarczyk, the band was the fruit of listening of radio stations from Western Europe, in which several punkrock songs were played. Young listeners from Ustrzyki decided to play covers of Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin, and in 1978 they came up with the name KSU, which comes from car licence plates, issued by the Krosno Voivodeship authorities for vehicles from Ustrzyki Dolne. With new name came new music - KSU began playing songs inspired by Sex Pistols, Damned, and UK Subs.

In 1980, due to friendship with Kazimierz Staszewski, KSU travelled across Poland to Kolobrzeg, to participate in the New Wave Festival. The band was dubbed a sensation, but soon afterwards its members were one after one called up to the Polish Army and KSU ceased to exist. In 1988 KSU recorded a LP "Pod Prąd" ("Against The Flow"), which was warmly welcomed by its fans. Currently KSU consists of four members, including Olejarczyk. Its lyrics are in most cases written by Maciej Augustyn, the brother of former singer Bogdan "Bohun" Augustyn. A total of twelve albums were recorded and the band's last album Two Nations, released on December 8, 2014 and to my knowledge still active. Thirteen decent songs with a pinch of Oi!

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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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