Good bad Music for bad, bad Times!

Followed Peter’s advice and downloaded the new beta-version of Audacity which seems to be working fine.
This is a repost from August 2006, due to colossal greatness. Rest of the songs added and all freshly ripped. This one goes out to David Oi, who is a great lover of mongo rock.

The german discography “Pogography” calls this the “worst swiss punk release” and might be right with it (and wrong too). Sure - it takes a lot to be able to enjoy this. The guitar, the drums, the bass, the vocals (often sung in swiss german) and even the incredible lyrics sound like this was the first ever session of some on all levels extremely untalented blokes. And there’s not the slightest sign of irony detectable. These guys were dead serious. Quite a fremdscham-spectacle and if you really can take it to play this whole thing without ever thinking of fast forwarding, skipping or pausing and without at least one hysterical laughter, you win a prize! Of course, when you don’t understand the (swiss) german lyrics, you’re privileged, because – I mean, really, somebody needs to take his or her time and transcribe and translate these lyrics. Seriously, it’s beyond description. The most glorious moment is probably to be found in “Anarchy & Peace”, when after the typical peace and anarchy sermon, the singer starts to cite from the declaration of human rights. I’m sure this is meant to be making a crucial point about things, you know, anarchy, peace and such. The effect, at least on me, is of quite different nature, though. And don’t ask me why they left these signal tones on the mastertape. I don’t know the answer.
Still, with the safety of so many years between the release and now, it actually reveals childish charme. No country has probably more mongo rock pearls in relation to its size. Switzerland is mongo and this ABGAS slab is the mongost record ever.
After this very, very, very extended play set of two very, very extended play seven inchers, the band released a live 7″ which I have on tape only and which is definitely an improvement musically. They also somehow realised that it’s better not to have lyrics and scrapped the vocal part completely. Some might call this an advance, others mourn it.

Here’s one appetizer:
Die Bullen.mp3 (”The cops”. From now on, this song has to be featured on every anti-cop-song compilation!)

Okay, and another one. The HC song:
Münsterlinge.mp3

And clicking this will let you download the whole thing as one zip file.

Just because the song titles are so great, here’s the complete tracklist:

Kleines Mädchen.mp3
Aussenseiter.mp3
Chrüzlinge.mp3
Sinn vom Läbe.mp3
Die Welt ist tot.mp3
Die Bullen.mp3
Älter werden.mp3
Anarchy & Peace.mp3
D’Fisch sind tot.mp3
Fuck Shit Bollocks.mp3
Bin ich Jesus.mp3
It’s never too late for a Rütlischwur.mp3
Bürgerwehr.mp3
Münsterlinge.mp3

Since I have upgraded to Mac OS 10.5 (”Leopard”), I can no longer use Audacity, the audio software of my choice. Whenever I would export a recording as mp3 file, weird difficulties appear. Audacity was very easy to use, especially with its mp3-export function. Until I have found myself new software, I unfortunately can’t post any new music. I had a few very nice things in the pipeline already, but after two days of trying, I had to realize I can’t use Audacity no more, unless I run the risk of severe brain damage.
If in the last few postings, you’d hear typing sounds or other weird things, it’s due to these difficulties. Please report such cases, if they appeared.

Another tape, an überclassic this time: We’ve had MEDIEVAL before and I’m gittin’ medieval up your ass again with this one. As much as I love the 2nd tape, this one is where bartly gets the moscht. There was a little debate in the comments section of the other tape, whether MEDIEVAL’s sound was to be called NWOBHM-ian or not. Well, Dennis, at least on this one, you’re kinda right, as there’s a strong NWOBHM feeling attached to some of the songs, especially the rockin & rolling opener.
Then again, the band has a lot more to offer, especially the band’s second best song ever (after the theme song, “Medieval”) and that is the godlike “Life after Death” – go click on the link below right now and get some serious brain damage before reading on. Then we have plenty of true Mongo Rock done the rocking way (”Clean Record”) - but listen for yourselfs and enjoy. Some might call this a bit inconsistent, I’d say fuck off, that’s how it’s gottta be. If you don’t love this, you can never be my friend.

Oh yes, before I forget – if somebody out there (as we in the internet community say) happens to have the original demos of Nasty Savage “Wage of Mayhem” & Hirax (the one with the four tracks and the blue label on the cassette) for sale – please get in touch! I want these back and would love to post them here!

This posting here (number 306, btw) has been made in the memory of the recently deceased Bob Muldowney. Bob had a phenomenal and highly influential fanzine in the first half of the 80s, called “Kick*Ass Monthly”. It was one of these wonderful, jammed together little pieces of true passion and lifeblood and one of the main reasons for me to join the fanzine circus in 1984-1988. If I ever find the time, I shall go down in my basement of death and dig up some of these old papers and scan them. Sob.

Life after Death.mp3

And here’s the full demo cassette for you as one .zip file.

KRIEG KOPF (”Warhead” translates as “Kriegskopf” in German) was a 2nd generation HC band from New York City that got semi-popular in 1985 to 1986, regularly playing local shows (at least that’s what my N.Y. flyer collection seems to be telling me). Other than that, the band’s only vinyl output was on the so-so “One big Crowd” LP comp (on Big City Records). In 86, this demo cassette got a favorable review in MRR, so I ordered it.

It’s not earth shattering, but a solid (almost) metal free midtempo HC cassette from the very last moments of the genre. “Immortal” is my fave pick here and “Work Song” reminds me quite a bit of “Never Work” from LOST GENERATION (also on this blog, if you only dig deep enough). I don’t think anybody outside New York City and Herisau has ever heard this, so let’s share this with you enthusiasts and completists.

State Aid.mp3
Feast or Famine.mp3
Let’s go.mp3
Work Song.mp3
Gun Power.mp3
Terrorism.mp3
Immortal.mp3

SHITLICKERS debut 7″ was released in 1983, and not 82, I think. Anyway - crazy swedish pacifist HC galore from 1983, basically copying ANTI-CIMEX (or was it the other way round?) but with good results, if you ask me. Too bad this 7″ is so short. For me, it could go on and on for hours, really.

Various pressings exist. The one here is the so called “export version”. Not much to tell other than that. Please SwePeter fill in the blanks, as I know you have some stories to tell … I really wonder what these guys are up to today.

War System.mp3
Spräckta Snutskallar.mp3
Leader of the fucking …mp3
Armed Revolution.mp3

Primitive, raw and reactionary HC grandezza from AGNOSTIC FRONT, the notorious skinhead band MRR loved so much. I remember how difficult it was was for me to find a modus operandi with this band. Right upon its release, I loved “Victim in Pain”, the band’s second release, a very short Mini-LP with an absolutely pointless gatefold cover with brutal photos from the Nazi “Vernichtungskrieg” in Eastern Europe. Still, it beats me how a band which does not all reflect the historical context of such pictures, still uses them in such a drastic manner and on the contrary actually chooses a very irrititating (to put it mildy) political standpoint (from the omnipresent fascistic blood-metaphor to the often idiotic gang violence lyrics etc.). No wonder everybody here thought it was a neo-nazi band (which I don’t think was ever the case; it was just a very typical Hardcore band …).
Though still pretty far from the musical glory of “Victim in Pain”, “United Blood” has a lot of drive and energy and a loveably fuzzed out guitar. Haven’t heard the CD which featured these tracks, but I remember some people complaining about the dull sound it had.
Some folks from southern California bootleged this and the CAUSE FOR ALARM 7″ in the end of 1988, pressing 500 each. Haha, one day, somebody has to tell that story …..

No one rules.mp3
Final War.mp3
Last Warning.mp3
Traitor.mp3
Friend or Foe.mp3
United Blood.mp3
Fight.mp3
Discriminate me.mp3
In Control.mp3
Crucial Changes.mp3

Remember the old trading days? My first copy of this I gave away for Antidote “Thou shalt not kill” and The Mad “Fried Egg” – and no, don’t expect me to draw comfortable pictures of how good the trading days were, cause in fact, they weren’t. Like it or not – Ebay (the “free market”) has democratized record collecting a great deal).
Speaking of speaking of good ol’days: Vic Bondi (formerly of the band featured here) does do a lot of glossing over the grim past when talking about HC and “the 80s” (a trademark, by now). The days were heroic, the scene political, the revolution was nigh but then, I dunno, Heavy Metal or whatever came along and destroyed all of it. Or was it capitalism?
Anyway – ARTICLES OF FAITH was, is and always will be (to cite Rosa Luxemburg and the holy bible at once) one of the bands whose mere mentioning will run shivers down my spine. Everything (including the last LP!) these guys ever touched is of such quality, it’s truly timeless, because the band managed to create a totally unique style. “Wait”, “Buy this War” and “I’ve got mine” (!) are all masterpieces and the band’s first LP, “Give Thanks” is literally overflowing with talent and power.
What I love about this 2nd 7″ is the kinda robotic sound it has. I’m not sure, but I thought this got lost in the re-releases. Now you can compare. And please - buy all AOF releases.

I’ve got mine.mp3
Wait.mp3
Buy this War.mp3

PS: Before I forget. The utterly disgusting 7 Inch Punk site had this too - ripped from the CD. Compare the sound, lads and lassies, compare and then tell me that you love me. Thanks.