DUESENJAEGER - Leben Lieben Sterben 10'' 2012

The fourth album by Duesenjaeger on their own label Grabeland Schallfolien came in form of a 10Inch in a limited edition of 1000 copies: 800 clear, 200 black and the polyvinyl chloride contains seven songs and everything is there: wanderlust, dissatisfaction, anger, dull slogans, stupid society and people themselves. Fantastic catchy and driving songs, each one outstanding, if you like music beyond all clichés. The musical basis of the band is audibly overarching in the fat guitar sound of the 80s with a melancholic undertone, but never discouraged or speechless. Unembellished, uncomfortable and with lyrics that sting deep under the skin. Duesenjaeger are one of those bands that are always a welcome guest in my house and keeps me positive minded with their great sound, even live always worth a trip. Intoxicating, wonderfully dark stuff with intense lyrics. TOP!

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THE OUTCASTS - The Punk 7Inches Collection 1995

The following combo is also been a guest in my theater several times and it's the Bad boys of the Ulster Punk scene: The Outcasts - Formed in Belfast in June 1977 by the Cowan brothers: Greg (bass/vocals), Martin (guitars) and Colin (drums). They were joined by Getty on guitar. The band played their first gig in May 1977, playing a mixture of their own songs and cover versions. After building a strong local following, they were picked up by the local It record label, who released the band's debut single, Frustration, in May 1978. They were then signed to Terri Hooley's Good Vibrations label, who released Just Another Teenage Rebel 7Inch in November 1978, which saw the band receiving airplay on national radio from John Peel. And so the history went on. They made three albums and a few 7Inches and all those goodies are united here on this fantastic compilation by Anagram Records. 

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JELLO BIAFRA with D.O.A. - Last Scream Of The Missing Neighbors 1989

When two superlatives come together, something unique has to come out of it and Last Scream is the first work, apart from The Witch Trials, numerous collaborations of Jello Biafra with quick-witted friends. With the Canadian Punx from D.O.A. he recorded this brilliant album in the late Eighties and, Hell Yeah, an absolute highlight of Punk music. Allow me to quote an excellent review from allmusic:

"The first of Jello's post-Dead Kennedys collaborations was a barnburner; hooking up with Canada's legendary DOA ensured all the punk power that fans could want would be there in a big way. Even though Joey Keithley and company aren't quite as agile as Jello's ex-bandmates, everything here is more brutally Motörhead in feel than the nervous aggro and sometimes restraint of the Kennedys, this album can't be faulted for sheer crunch. Jello himself is in fine voice throughout, tackling his favored targets with the frenetic bile that he's made his own. Some of the songs have become outdated - "Wish I Was In El Salvador" is very much of the '80s - but "Attack Of The Peacekeepers," memorably tarring NATO's forces as "the joke brigade," has had just as much of a point after Kosovo. "Power Is Boring" captures Jello at his most hilarious, pointing out how being a dictator must really stink (the job security issue alone, for one). Not much on the first side varies from song to song musically -- pounding, chunky feedback that smashes head-on, along with good gang-shout choruses from the band more than once -- but if that's the needed fix, this album provides in spades. The wild card here is a spooky, mid-paced romp through the Animals' "We Gotta Get Outta This Place," with Jello's tremulous vocals suiting the lyrics perfectly and Keithley's backup on chorus fitting in, in its own rough way. The concluding, side-long "Full Metal Jacket" takes absolutely no prisoners, elevating Last Scream from good to great. With Keithley in particular turning in some great guitar work over a steady, snaky rhythm, Jello offers up one of the most bilious, pointed slams against Washington D.C.; this album is as "city/feds-as-corrupt-institution" as you could imagine. Kennedys artist Winston Smith offers up some great cover art to top it all off." (Ned Raggett)

Worth listening, fantastic and a timeless classic!

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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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L.U.L.L. - The Highest Wall 1987

Tonight is a historic moment, SGE is playing against Barcelona and I can't wait, but before we start, a little trip north. The debut album by this Danish late 80's Punx called L.U.L.L. (short for "Leben Und Leben Lassen") and the band consisted of Kent (vocals), Lars (guitars), Niller (bass), Andreas (drums) and this album was released via Starving Missile and features ten loud very guitar-heavy numbers. I'm a little drunk and really can't write anything sensible. A second album (Freakline) followed in 1989 and I think shortly after that the band was history. Now I need to collect myself and stay upright, the week has been tough and for all who likes loud stuff, this album is sure a treat.

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V/A - Powerpearls Vol.4 1999

You certainly weren't waiting for this compi, because it's no longer a rarity in Blogland, but I almost forgot that I have a few of my own rips from this great Powerpearls series, which I wouldn't want to withhold from you. Part IV is again full with rarities of the years 1977-1981 from around planet earth and as always, the bar is set decently high because the originals are as rare as snow in July (North & South Pole area not considered). What should I write next? It's great, that are people who probably have enormous costs associated with such projects and share their collection with us mortal music freaks and therefore have the will and consistency to implement this, pull it through and let us be part of this undiscovered music & bands. I take my hat off and I share a beer or two with those, cheers! Song selection is superb and I'm going off to the weekend and look what comes next.

1.Words - TUNNELRUNNERS

2.Playing Bogart - 23 JEWELS

3.Your I's Are Too Close Together - THE ELEVATORS

4.Downtown - CUBAN HEELS

5.Isolation - THE FINGERS

6.That's Just...Someone That I Knew - THE SINGLES

7.Living In The 80's - BLUE PETER

8.Ett Gevär I Min Hand - DIESTINCT

9.One Way Love - THE INNOCENTS

10.I Don't Wanna Cry - THE KEYS

11.Do Dead People Tan? - X-CONZ

12.Geneva Street - GENEVA

13.Ice Age - BABIJ JAR

14.Gimme Cigarettes - CIGARETTES

15.Won't You Be My Girl - VICE CREEMS

16.X-Ray Proofed - PRINCES OF PEACE

17.Takeaway Love - THE RESISTORS

18.You're A Hit - STRATE JACKET

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DIE SCHWARZEN SCHAFE - Julia + 2 EP 1988-1989

Slowly becoming more pleasant again and there are still two days until the weekend for me, these are good prospects. Today a small 7Inch package from Düsseldorf by Die Schwarzen Schafe and offered are the Reagan On Speed ('88), Julia & Wir Haben Noch Lange Nicht Genug! ('89) singles. I bought the singles at a concert by Barny, Incognito Records, in Hamburg/Marquee at the end of the eighties (good times those were). Since 1985 they make finest D.I.Y. Punkrock and the current line-up consists of Armin (vocals), Volker (guitars), Hendrik (bass) & Warze (drums). Many, many gigs have taken the band all over Europe. From the small AZ to the big festival stage, everything was there. It was never about the big career, but about the scene, and that's still the case today. The sheep sing about the beautiful, but also about the bitter sides of life and wrap these lyrics in mid-tempo punk rock with lots of melody and a sing-along factor (oh-ho-hooo everyone can!). The band positions itself and doesn't like gray areas, fascists, sexists and homophobic idiots. The gentlemen shine with eleven '77 style numbers with unconventional, very personal German & English lyrics, appealing.

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MISCAST - s/t EP 1990

Miscast were Lothar (vocals), Thomas (guitars), Didi (bass), Stefan (drums) and formed around September 1983 by people in and around Olten, at a time when American hardcore swept into Switzerland. Back then I was working with Felix Fischer at Jamming Distribution and we were probably the first in Switzerland who were trying to sell stuff like This Is Boston Not L.A. & Flex Your Head comps, 7Inches and 12Inches by SS Decontrol, Negative Approach, Minutemen, White Cross, Minor Threat and the like. Miscast played somewhere around thirteen shows in Switzerland, among them one supporting Toxic Reasons and another playing after Die Toten Hosen. There were several smaller gigs too, one of them we did along with Haine Brigade at an anarchist meeting in Lamastre (France) on July 13th, 1984. It was a time bereft of enthusiasm (the "Youth Movements" had been crushed), various gangs of fascist scums kept attacking gigs, Punks beat up on each other, and so forth. There wasn't very much happening in the way of bands either, most of them were musically and ideologically still rooted in '77, except for a few... GKH for example, from Baden, who were very young (average age: 15) and therefore had quite a devil-may-care approach (meaning guitars with strings missing etc.). Still, they managed to get one song on the second Flipside compilation.

One of them also published the first Swiss hardcore fanzine before he changed sides and became a nazi-skin (with all but the drummer and their later bassplayer doing likewise... The drummer is now in Jaywalker). Brutal Menekken, Decontrol, Attax and Kosili too were early, moderate (and tame!) attempts at hardcore. None of them, however, were quite as fast, original and hard as Miscast. But sometime in Autumn 1984 the story had already come to an end, about half a year after the Miscast demotape was released on Stechapfel-Vertrieb. (words by Simon and translated from the liner notes.) - Cool Eighties Stuff!

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EPICYCLE - Residential Area 7'' 1979

Epicycle were founded 1977 in Chicago by Andrew (vocals/guitars/keys), Terry (guitars), Robert (bass), Keith (drums) and during the years 1979-1981, they released three 7Inches and a twelve song album entitled "Special First Edition" all on their own label Cirkle Records. These records are now long out of print. The most sought out record being their "You're Not Gonna Get It" EP which has gone for as high as $400 in the collectors market. Most of Epicycle's live performances took place in the Chicago area, the four performed their last show January 1982 @ the Winnetka Youth Center. The group then disbanded. Epicycle has been regarded as one of the more influential bands from the late-1970's/early '80's Chicago Power-Pop/Punk scene all done during a time when most of the band were still in their teens. (Source: Ellis Clark)

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CHARLIE HARPER - Warhead 7'' 2017

Let's come to a legend and he's been making music for over fifty years: Charlie Harper. English Punk icon and best known as the lead singer of the U.K.SUBS. His first solo album Stolen Property, which he released in 1981, proves that he can do it different by grabbing a few instruments himself. In addition, he founded a side project, Urban Dogs, which is active since 1983. As you can see, this creative mind doesn't get tired and that's a good thing. 'Warhead' is probably the most famous song of the Subs, covered several times by many bands and always up to date and it was time to sew this classic a new dress and this 7Inch is this: 500 copies (yellow blue splattered 150, yellow 175, blue 175) of this brilliant goodie were published by Punkerama Records and brings us the acoustic version, unplugged if you want, of this anthem. The flip has the 'Rebellion Song' from the 2017 Yellow Leader album in the same "quiet" quality. Very nice record and one more expressive side of this exceptionally likeable contemporary. A Must!

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