BETON COMBO - Perfektion Ist Sache Der Götter 1981

Another German classic record from AGR is the debut of Berlin's Beton Combo and I'm angry because this fantastic platte I have sold due lack of money, GRRRR. Well, life sometimes doesn't ask for it so with some mp3s have to keep it. Beton Combo was a punk band from the surroundings of the club KZ36 in West Berlin: Heske (vox), Frank (guitars), 3528 (drums), Roger (guitars) and Shake (bass). Heske was involved in the organization of the KZ36 together with Karl-Ulrich Walterbach and Walterbach started a short time later with AGR one of the biggest punk labels of Germany and releaesd the only album in 1981. There followed one mini album and one EP and a few compilation songs before the group dissolved in 1986. On this record are twelve offensive, aggressive wild punkies.

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KLICHÉ - Okay Okay Boys 1982

Kliché was a Danish new wave band (1977-1985), influenced by Kraftwerk, Punk, Devo and David Bowie. They had, however, a distinct sound mainly due to lead singer Lars Hug's original voice. They would semi-ironically quote Mao Zedong and Buddha and perform in uniforms - often coloured overalls. Lead singer, Lars Hug (later Lars H.U.G.), began his  solo career in 1984 and has released several albums. After Hug left the band, the remaining members released a single album titled Dobbelt Plus under the name Voss Torp Brill. Another member, Nils Torp, later formed the band Souvenirs together with Sofie Bonde. "Okay Okay Boys" is the second and last album from Kliché, released on Medley Records in 1982. Besides the band's usual crew Hilmer Hassig helps as additional guitarist. He was later a member of the Love Shop. The album continues the style from their brilliant debut album Supertanker with futuristic and socially critical lyrics. The song "Bravo Charlie" was released as a single and is a kind of nonsense show where all the words derived from the NATO phonetic alphabet (with the small exception that "Juliet" has become "Julia"). - Nice Powerpop/Wave/Punk!!!

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CHARTA 77 - Välfärdens Avfall 1984

The following band has released in their existance a lot of records and it's tedious to enumerate all here (check discogs). Charta 77 was formed in the stairs outside the local dance palace in Köping by a not so sober Per Granberg (bass & vox) and an absolute sober Johnny Smedberg (guitar). Pers old band (N.O.S ) had just split up and he knew that Johnny was looking for a new band to play with. Martin Nordberg (drums) was contacted and the first set-up. One of Swedens most longlived acts and this is fact. The band is a very popular live act and often plays on music festivals. Musically their sound is full of vitality and energy and that's all you need to know. This is their debut album on Birdskit Records with thirteen fairly straight-forward attackers. Who falls asleep here is already dead.

- Special Thx to Fredrik -

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V/A - Street To Street #2 1981

I hope you enjoy the Easter days like me and if not let's go to change that with more extraordinary music. A trip to Liverpool and this record is again released via Open Eye Records and it a worthy sequel to Volume 1 two years earlier. Five bands, two songs each and again musically very appetizing. As with the first record, I am also thrilled by the new wave/synth-pop sound and both together result in a completed whole. Partly pretty minimalistic (Games) and also a bit tempo (Systems) but overall rather calm quiet sounds. So, interesting enough?

 1.Days On Edge - EGYPT FOR NOW

2.The Thesis - COOLING TOWERS

3.Total Recall - SYSTEMS

4.Eden - CHINESE RELIGION

5.Unrest In The Real World - GAMES

6.The Song - GAMES

7.Glare Of The Lights - SYSTEMS

8.Make This Day End Soon - COOLING TOWERS

9.Soldiers - EGYPT FOR NOW

10.Chambers - CHINESE RELIGION

- Great Thx to Marcus -

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NOMEANSNO - Small Parts Isolated & Destroyed 1988

Playing with the occult, having an affair, murder, lust, hating parents, unbelief, cheating, filthy talk, worshiping false gods, envy, homosexuality, witchcraft, wanting something that belongs to something else, swearing, selfishness, incest, stubbornness, pride, shacking, drunkenness, ignoring god, lying, stealing, murder: NoMeansNo, Victoria/British Columbia, formed in 1979 by brothers Rob and John Wright, this is their third album, eight fuckin' nuggets, awesome live band, any questions?

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VONBRIGÐI - Ó, Reykjavík 2010

This is a solid release from Mauerstadtmusik with seven punkies from Vonbrigði, an Iceland band which was formed in 1980. Their first 7Inch on Gramm is a brilliant goodie with four songs and you can listen to that via KBD Records. A year later the full length Kakófónía was released and the sound goes more into wave with a dark touch and 1985 the band broke up. In 2004 they come back with guitarist Hallur Ingólfsson and since then they are still active. This mini album shows the bands rough side and hits harder than their album tracks.

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THE BUTTOCKS - Fuckin' In The Buttocks 1985

The Buttocks were founded 1978 in Hamburg. The band played a very fast and aggressive style and I can cartainly say at this time the band was the first "hardcore" band from Germany, even heard by the Munich punkers. They released two awesome 7Inches via the legendary Konnekschen label and both are nowadays very sought. Most songs are sung in English. The Buttocks broke up in 1983. The drummer later played for Slime and Torpedo Moskau. Live they are in eyes and ears of many contemporaries the best Hamburg punk band ever. This record was limited to 1000 copies and contains a lot of rough and live material. Damn cool album!

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Z. CRAIGNOS - Abus De Pouvoir 7'' 1982

At this hour we stand before a small town called Douzens in the south of France and meet Z.Craignos which released their only 7Inch on P.A.I. Records and let's discover two decent mid-tempo numbers and both shine with an excellent organ which is very beautifully embedded in the whole rhythm like a pulse beat. Yeah, I love this kind of sound. Besides these two nuggets, there are no more songs, not even on any compilation, a real pity. Also no ifno about the band. Anyway, turn up to eleven.

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PROTEX - Strange Obsessions 1980/2010

An unreleased album recorded for Polydor around 1980, finally released in 2010 by Sing Sing Records. Protex was a band from Belfast and formed 1977 after a Clash gig by Paul Maxwell (bass/vocals), Owen McFadden (drums), David McMaster (guitar/vocals) and Aidan Murtagh (guitar/vocals) and they released four nice 7Inches and are on numerous compilation (click me). The band was greatly influenced by The Clash and took their original name, Protex Blue, from an album track on The Clash's eponymous debut album. The band did not realise the Clash song was about condoms. They toured much. opened for the Boomtown Rats on their UK tour and on further tours in America and Canada in 1980. Protex's final release for Polydor was the single A Place In Your Heart, after which they were dropped by the label. The band did farewell shows at the Pound Club in Belfast before splitting in 1981. In 2010 New York label Sing Sing Records unearthed unreleased Polydor recordings for an album that never happened and released them on vinyl as Strange Obsessions. This prompted renewed interest in the band. Original members Aidan Murtagh and David McMaster reformed the band with new members Norman Boyd on bass and Gordie Walker on drums and they're still alive.

- Great Thx to Reinhard -

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