Will take my own snapshots of the cover later. This comes from the band’s official website.
How come this LP by Canaduh’s SUBHUMANS, ‘though released on one of the world’s biggest indie labels, never saw a (official) 2nd pressing? Was it SST’s swing to a more college orientated catalogue from 84 on? Or was it Gerry Hannah’s (the groups original bassist) incriminated political activities, that led to the blow-up of a factory that produced parts for the Cruise Missile (and in which several workers were injured – one would cynically call this “friendly fire” today, I guess)? Hannah claimed, not to be responsible for the actual bombing, but he supported the action and in the end got a 10 years sentence for this and other activities. He spent 5 years of ‘em.
As I said, I don’t know the reasons for the small and limited press run of “No Wishes, No Prayers”, on a label who up to this day keeps its releases in print. Maybe some of you know better and care to enlighten us.
However – this is SUBHUMANS best release, in my books. Sure – the “Death to the Sickoids” 7″ was a tuff rocker, the cover art of the untitled 12″ is phantastic, the 2nd 7″ was a bitter-sweet masterpiece and “Incorrect Thoughts” is an atmospheric and jolly good rocking LP.
But “No Wishes, no Prayers” just tops the other ones. Very much comparable to TOXIC REASONS’ “Kill by Remote Control” (recently featured on Good Bad Music), this second full length too captured a very siginificant – call it vibe – and preserves it to this day. And it only works as a whole. It’s practically impossible to pick single songs, saying this is the best or that one. All songs function in one frame. Of course, with the years, you will find your fave songs on “No Wishes, no Prayers”, once you got the feel ffor it. But if this is new to you and if your attention span has become rudimentary from downloading music all day long or having grown up in an MTVied society, then my advice would be to keep hands off of this.
I’ve gotten to know the band after this was released, and “No Wishes, no Prayers” had been very hard to come by in the 80s, when you lived in a fucking dumb in the swiss Voralps, but I remember very well how this LP was particularly enclouded with the aura of radicalism. Bombs, Punk, SST – and this LP, that was a very magic brewery. When I finally found it, I was at first a bit disapointed. I probably expected HARDCORE, you know. Speed, ferocity, anger, brutality. But this was very different, kinda laid back. Calm and tense, melancholic and very introspective. No “bomb this and bomb that” sloganeering, no manuals to become an activist yourself. Although the speed is being kept up to a nice up-beat, whenever I think back of the LP before spinning it, I seem to remember it in an almost MOB (UK)-like slow motion prayer-punk. Now, that I just played it in order to manufacture the rip you’re probably downloading now, I’m surprised on how speedy it is.
That’s the key to the SUBHUMAN’s farewell (in the first round). It’s fast but works like played at slow pace. It’s Punk (or HC, if you prefer), but it’s the swansong. It seems political (cause it comes from a political band), but it’s not so much, it’s maybe more like a warning of getting “too political” (Really Red).
Visit the Subhumans and buy their albums!
Canada’s favourite Sport.mp3
Moron Majority.mp3
For the common Good.mp3
Helicopter.mp3
Slap in the Face.mp3
Screwed up.mp3
America commits Suicide.mp3
Hiroshima.mp3
No Wishes, No Prayers.mp3
Mobile eletric Chair.mp3
Breaking Point.mp3
Googolplex.mp3
25 Comments
incredible. another master post of its own.
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Once again – top notch! Never heard this before and it sure ain’t easy goin but I find myself enjoying “Hirosima” a lot. Very original and melancholic.
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Always wanted to hear this Erich – THANKS !.
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yo same here. a very good record and commentary. bottoms up!
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Hell, yeah! Been looking for this for years! Thanks!
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Fantastic,love it!
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hahah no way! a song titled after Googol Plex.
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A Skrewdriver cover though. Hmmmm
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a gem! Thanks!
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“No ‘bomb this and bomb that’ sloganeering”
HA HA HA HA HA! Great enjoyable read there! Thank you!
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I have been enjoying this album for years but my lazy ass is too lame to rip it from vinyl… thanks for doing this! In my opinion this is their most solid work, and I really wish the new record came out sounding more like this than the limp effort they did.
Wonder if the Subhumans can reclaim the rights to the record and release it themselves? I think after a certain number of years the rights revert back to the artist… same with the Stains LP on SST…
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Hey, thanks for this! I completely agree with you about this album as well as the Toxic Reasons “Kill By Remote Control” — both are longtime favorites with a particular vibe that I don’t think other people can quite grasp coming at them from this end of history. However, they still hold up, along with the Dicks “These People” as some of my favorite and some of the most underappreciated albums of the 1983-1985 era.
Also, to the anon poster: it’s a Menace cover, not Skrewdriver.
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Thank you for posting this. Unfortunately, all of my old Subhumans records became drunken party casualties in the mid 80′s and I haven’t been able to replace them. Do you have “Out of Line” and “Behind The Smile” from the “Vancouver Independence” comp.? If so, it would be awesome if you could post them as well.
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I might rip that comp one day, cause I think the Droogs songs are top.
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Fear of God were my favourite German band.
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great record. found this one in a record shop in huddersfield of all places. was quite a snatch for £12 even tho i felt a bit guilty spending that sort of money on a record back then…i know, i’m a cheapskate. never regretted it either. great stuff.
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Thanx for posting this.
A bit too melodic for my taste, but I’ve only listened to it twice yet. I’m sure this is the kind of release that grows on you.
Sure there are similarities with the TOXIC REASONS 2nd LP. Though I think the afore-mentionned LP has a couple of fast HC songs and a rawer production that make the difference.
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this is so great to see so many great, obscure, off the wall and rare records here. the writeups are top too.
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may i just add that this is one helluva good candidate for heavy rotation in the slobodan household. yes sir. so thanks again i am sold on it…still.
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killer posting, I’ve only got a boot on vinyl of this as the SST original is way way out of press sadly. The Subhumans have put out a new album at tailend of last year – New Dark Age Parade – on Alternative Tentacles and (Propagandhi’s label) G7 in Canada, it’s a really solid bunch of new songs, and Gerry Hannah still writes some great lyrics. thanks again… #)
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Danke!
Aber wenn schon, dann eher ‘collateral damage’.
Vor dem Anschlag auf die Fabrik waren uebrigends Sexshops das Ziel mehrerer Bombenanschlaege.
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SOOOOOOO pleased to find this, love this album but sadly my vinyl disappeared years ago, you make me a very happy man. Just wanted to point out that “Skrewed Up” is NOT a SKREWDRIVER cover – it was by the ace Brit punk band MENACE – their 1st single from ’77.
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too bad you omitted 3 tracks from the album. it’s out of print for good anyway. would you be so kind and upload them (224 kbps)? looking for a good vinyl rip of “incorrect thoughts” too. just a hint. thanks.
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polite petition for the tracks not included: For the Common Good /
No Wishes, No Prayers (you posted song off the single, not this beautiful gem of the melodic punk rock song) / Mobile Electric Chair. in 224 kbps, to be unified with the rest. unknown fan in need please sign below. (another hint for a future post: Overkill Hell’s Getting Hotter EP). keep on rippin’. thanks.
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Admin Reply:
February 16th, 2011 at 10:28
Indeed, this LP would need a proper repost.
Didn’t I post OVERKILL a while ago? I think I did.
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‘Helicopter’ is actually ‘For The Common Good’, and ‘No Wishes No Prayers’ is ‘No Productivity’ (which wasn’t the album in the first place)
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Admin Reply:
September 14th, 2011 at 08:54
Yes, seems like there’s quite a mess with the files. Guess it’s time to repost this properly, with full scans and all.
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