PENETRATION - Life's A Gamble 7'' 1978

Named after a Stooges song Penetration were formed late '76 in Ferryhill County Durham by three friends Pauline Murray, Robert Blamire and Gary Smallman after seeing the Sex Pistols in Manchester. They played their first gig in October 76 @ the Middlesborough Rock Garden and played their first London gig at the famous Roxy Club in January 1977 supporting Gen X. This first gig in the bright lights of London was less than fondly recalled by Pauline "We spent a fortune getting down there. We thought it was great. Then when we got there it was such a dump. I don't know what we were expecting but it wasn't quite that." They re-formed in 2001 with several new members. Their excellent debut single, Don't Dictate, is now acknowledged as a classic punk record and their debut album, Moving Targets (1978), is still widely admired. Heavy touring in 1979 and another album 'Coming Up For Air', but no real commercial success found Penetration in internal disharmony. So here's their third single with two nice powerpop/punk songs and listen also to an awesome live goodie on the rare British Underground compilation.

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DANGEROUS RHYTHM - s/t LP 1981

Today and tomorrow the semi-finals and I can hardly wait until it starts. Four teams, each of which I think has the quality & power for the title, but only two make it to the final, we'll see who achieves it. In any case, my tip is clear if you have paid attention. But let's change the continent for a moment and take a detour to Central America and visit Mexico City and meet Dangerous Rhythm and you heard right, Mexico isn't much known for numerous punk bands, but they exist there too. D.R. was formed in Mexico, August 1978 by Cuban singer Porfirio "Piro" Pendas, Marcelo (guitar), Johnny (bass) & Rip Sick (drums), and can claim to be one of the first punk bands in the country. Piro, the band's vocalist, immersed himself in the whole Los Angeles scene, and was in contact with the Chicano side of the city through Tito Larriva from The Plugz and other bands from the area like Circle Jerks, Fear, and Black Flag. The impact of punk classics like the Sex Pistols, The Clash, or the Ramones obviously had a big influence on their sound. Dangerous Rhythm never forgot their family tree, absorbing large doses of unconventional rock like the New York Dolls, The Stooges, and Lou Reed. All these elements helped the band forge their own style and so they starting with songs sung mostly in English and vibrant, direct melodies and in 1979 the time had come and the band released their first EP No No No via Orfeon with three fantastic killers. After laying the foundations of the non-existent punk scene and recording their first eponymous debut album in 1981. It was released by Hip 70, a label run by Armando Blanco, who owned the club of the same name, which was the focal point of the Mexican scene in the '80s. The end result was mind-blowing and shows a band with nerve that played new wave with a punk rhythm. Their debut was reissued by a Spanish label called Beat Generation on 180-gram vinyl and features replica cover art and inserts plus a liner notes written by Piro in an edition of 500 copies. Solid Stuff!

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A.B.H. & SUBCULTURE - The Oi! Collection 1998

Decent compilation from Captain Oi! Records, eight tracks from Lowestoft's A.B.H. and ten from Cambridge's Subculture. A.B.H. started in early 1981 with Pete (vocals), Chris (guitars), Nigel (bass), Tony (drums) and in the beginning they played easy covers of Damned and Sex Pistols tracks relying on speed and energy to substitute for ability and originality but even then they aspired to more. Quickly own pieces were written and interspersed in the gigs. Chris was replaced by Steven and this line-up remained for the rest A.B.H. Lots of Gigs were played and in July 1982 they recorded in Hillside Studios the first demo with four songs. One year later followed the second and these numbers had been written since the first demo and continued the proletarian theme and established sound. Problems had been building for some time and could no longer ignored; the band broke up at the end of 1983. Subculture originally formed in Cambridge in mid 1982 with a line-up of Better (vocals), Dean (guitar), Fall (bass), Matt (drums). Heavily influenced by the Cockney Rejects they made their vinyl debut on the "Oi! Oi! That's Yer Lot" compilation and then they secured a deal with Essential Records and issused the three track "Loud & Clear" EP (now a much sought after collectors item).
Have fun with the two and let's see what the three Lions are doing against Colombia.

- Great Thx to Fredrik -

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PROBLEMI - Nije Po Jus-U 2014

Holiday friends, bad weather, good times for blog visitors. I open the treasure chest with a compilation nuggets by Problemi. Founded in Zagreb, August 1978 as a result of the social economic situation and new trends (punk) spreading rapidly over the world and the first line-up consisted of Marino (vocals), Valter and Žarko (guitars), Maurizio (bass), Milenko (drums). After some line-up changes they played their first gig in September 1978 at a youth center with several young bands. Interestingly, Marino, as the youngest member, is responsible for the created punk expression of the group, in which he involved slightly older members who grew up on a fiercer, but more classical understanding of rock music. Initially, the band included in the repertoire arrangements of songs by bands such as the Sex Pistols, but they soon focused on their own songs. The music is mostly created by new guitarist Boris, while the lyrics are written by Marino. So, absolute enthusiasm and more than necessary musical foreknowledge blended into the youthful rebellion with a good dose of banter and the Pula legend was created. The band lyrically expressed itself as a voice of the people by saying publically what people thought, and encountered a resistance from the authorities.

Even though art shouldn't have boundaries, the government did a lot of silence the band by restricting public gigs and recordings. Despite this, Problemi survived for several years by changing band members, and consequently, styles of performing. However, they never compromised the message they were bringing to the public. Numerous gigs throughout Croatia and Slovenia are still remembered by fans and members of other well established bands of the time. A month after their first gig, Problemi get their first chance to play in the hottest club at the time Uljanik, which Pero remembers as a big part of that time because only the best were invited by Uljanik. 

At the beginning of the eighties they finally got the chance to record a handfull of songs at Truli, Zagreb which were published on the essential Novi Punk Val 78-80 compilation. They stopped working late 1980 (singer Marino passed away on February 2, 1981) because some members were drafted to the compulsory army, marking a period of silence for the band. 

Nije Po Jus-U is full with their complete former studio sessions and rare pieces recorded at home in Pula, June 1979, a total of fourteen rough smasher. Released via Rest In Punk in an edition of 250 copies with glossy black/white insert featuring liner notes, photos, lyrics. Fine Work!

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THE NITWITZ - The Scorched Earth Policy 12'' 1981

Amsterdam's youngest punk band were formed in 1978. They released several singles, a mini album and a split LP with Götterflies. Here's a short look at their biography: "In the press they got less attention. And when they got some, they got negative critics. The English press called them imitators of English bands. New Musical Express about their first single: "Too late for the Pistols, or even Sham 69, they take their lead from the likes of the Rejects and the UK Subs. Do I need to go any further?". The lyrics of The Nitwitz were not political at all in the beginning. It was about girls, Wickie the Viking and get beaten up by disco-visitors. In March 1979 they played in Paradiso (The Netherlands) with the anarcho band Crass from England. Crass decided to sabotage the set of The Nitwitz by turning of the soundinstallation. After all, The Nitwitz were sexists. This shows how narrowminded the free-thinkers from Crass really were. In 1981 The Nitwitz discovered new music like bands as Weirdos, Germs and Dils and the LP Group Sex from the Circle Jerks. The Nitwitz broke up in march 1982. Eric quit and started the band Outrageous. The others go on with on the vocals the 17 year old singer René van de Meer, formerly Dustman. With the new singer B.G.K. (Balthazar Gerards Kommando) was formed. 1996, the Nitwitz played together with the original members since may 1982." You can read the full Biography here. For me they are a fantastic punk band with their own sound and this little album here proves that a lot. 9 Songs in 15 minutes, snotty guitars blew me away, excellent tempo and very consistent too. The Nitwitz are cool and I can listen to them at any time.

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