Good bad Music for bad, bad Times!

The MAIDS one and only release has been posted here and there before, but that just can’t hold me back from running my own feature. The two songs on this 7″ were first introduced to me by a fellow tape and record trader from Germany, very late, just before the internet changed everything. I had never heard of them before; it was one of these little treasures that were easy to oversee in the before-KBD / internet times (they came almost parallel, did you ever notice?).  A local band, a small press 7″, a weird band name. I was fortunate enough however to having seen a copy of this in a local record store just days earlier, so once I caught the bug (in a matter of seconds), I just could go there and buy this 7″ for a couple fränklis. The incredible sound of the actual vinyl alone made me hold my breath: Popping fresh, raw and with very present guitars on both “Back to Bataan” and “I do I do”. Fantastic how the band stays somehow vague about what’s going in these few minutes here: Were they serious about their music, were they being ironic? Is there a subtle message, something like a key that would allow you to understand what the fuck is going here? You guessed it – there ain’t and if there ever was, it got lost in time and during the shift of the music to another continent. To me, this is pure, youthful joy, a powerful kinky slap in the face of powerpop and beat revivalists or the emerging wave of grim Hardcore taking over the Californian Punk scene at the time. Name of the guitarist: John Ritalin – how great is that?! The song writing is basic and I don’t think these two songs are really innovative in terms of composition – yet whatever it is; it WORKS. And how it works. The break on “I do I do”, with the bass strings sounding like atomic elastic bands or the incredibly riffing in “Bataan” and the sweet vocals on top of everything: It’s pure energy, joy and a good dose of aggression of the non-aggressive sort. One of the most defining moments in in the as of yet unwritten history of the music of underground Punk worldwide! If you don’t understand this, you have no brains and if it doesn’t make you happy, you have no heart.

Read the extensive and funny L.A. Weekly story on MAIDS and the KBD-hype around them here. A must read, although the article is 8 years old (fuck, time flies!).

Hi-quality transfer from vinyl and scans of the very rare insert (only 100 copies had this, apparently).

Back to Bataan.mp3
I do I do.mp3

Share on Facebook

When CHAOS Z is german transcendental punk, then SEIZURE is american utiilitarian hardcore. Simple, primitive, umpa-umpa-umpa and effective at that til head explosion. There’s a good bit of Motorcycle Punk thrown in too and probably other styles too. After this came out (I think I had it ordered from Charlie Infection’s mailorder), “Pain is Pain is Pain” was featured on every comp tape I made and the song still affects me in ways too unprosaic to describe. SEIZURE came from Connecticut and were featured on “Make it work” and “Connecticut Fun” comps too. They also had a 12″ with a paper sleeve and some pink color on it after this. I used to have it, but sold it. So it could have been really bad or maybe it was really good, but I wasn’t ready for it. We’ll probably never know.

I love the photo of the cool cat of a singer Karl with his sunglasses and that the guitarist Sex Bomb is a man of larger proportions. On the photo, he looks a bit like Pig Champion in a Popeye the Sailor dress. Killer! Oh yes – and I’ve never met anybody who liked this 7″. That makes it even better!

Song of the Empire.mp3
Pain is Pain is Pain.mp3
Nobody’s Child.mp3
Homecoming.mp3

Share on Facebook

Back with a brand new 750 GB internal hard disk drive (the old one had serious physical damage after only 2 years) and a brand new stereophonic pick up head (which considerably improves the sound on my hifi).

THE FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT is plain and simple one of the greatest compilations you will ever hear. Originally released as a cassette tape, 500 copies were pressed onto black gold shortly after and these were sent out to radio stations, zines and promoters only. With some tracks altered, it was officially released as “The Future looks brighter” a bit later, but as always, the first version is the one to have.

There’s not one song to be missed here. If you’re unfamiliar with the early west coast sound or if you just want to give yourself a serious kick in the butt with a comp that goes off like a rocket, then this is quintessential, featuring some of the best of SST, Posh Boy and New Alliance bands.

Hit after hit! SHATTERED FAITH shatter & restore faith, TSOL rip shit up, SOCIAL DISTORTION distort, CH 3 sing about concentration camps for american japanese, MINUTEMEN make me dance around naked, DESCENDENTS were never better, SACCHARINE TRUST as always basically destroy every other band with their cynicism from their mandatory 12er, BLACK FLAG shine in pre-Rollins glory and the STAINS somehow managed to steal Gregg Ginns guitar for recording the bands one and only LP, from which the final track is lifted. Some versions of the songs on FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT seem unreleased elsewhere (Black Flag?), but I’m too lazy to compare right now.

Oh yeah – the labels are plain b&w, not yellowish like on the shots above. So don’t sweat, there’s only press of this ’round. Never in ps, this came in a plain white die-cut sleeve.

Download the entire album ripped with love here. Enjoy!

Share on Facebook

Switzerland’s premiere Punk band NASAL BOYS released this much acclaimed 7″ only and that’s a shame. Some of the wildest and fastest Punk around in 1977! “Hot Love” is the instant hit. Driving, memorable and like some old hippie once said when he heard early 7 SECONDS in a squat: “This sounds a bit like Nasal Boys on 78 rpm”. The b-side is weird. Punk again, aggressive and short, but with some weird 60s feeling thrown in. Can you hear the MONKS? I can.
In a TV interview from 1977, the band was asked why they didn’t dress punky. “We’re against clichés”, the singer responded, and: “Our main inspiration is U.S. Punk, not U.K. Punk.” Guess one can hear that. Still, the band got famous for opening up for CLASH when they played in Zurich in 1977. Some years ago, a great quality 1/4 reel tape surfaced, containing both the CLASH’s and NASAL BOYS’ set, but unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get a copy. The guy who had it, didn’t want to share; not everybody is as generous as me, the musical knight in shiny armor …. You can see a reprodcution of the gig poster and a short live review from Switzerland’s first Punk Fanzine NO FUN below (from issue number 1, click to enlarge). After the short article, the reviewer asks: “Where have the Metalrockers been? Forget them. The future of Rock has begun!” And I thought, Punk was about no future and stuff:

Shortly after, the band tried to make it big and changed name to EXPO. They released an LP on a big label (and some 7″, if memory serves) which is ‘kay but nowhere near the glory of this single. Former members went on to form BUCKS, a highly influential Punk band for Zürich. From issue 3 of NO FUN, released in January 1978, comes this nice NASAL  BOYS interview you can see here:

I have a complete set of NO FUN (issues number 1 to 18) for sale. Immaculate condition, issue 4 contains an original piece of art by Fischli / Weiss, done for NO FUN exclusively. The fanzines span the time from Oct. 1977 to June 1980 (until the breakout of the riots) and are as fascinating a document as impossible to find, especially in this condition. If interested, get in touch. Proceeds will be used to buy a professional tape deck in order to start digitizing more of my collection of tapes.

Hot Love.mp3
Die Wüste lebt?.mp3

Share on Facebook

Recently found this absolutely amazing video footage on youtube and thought I had to share. SAINT VITUS opened up for BLACK FLAG in London, Ontario in Canada. Whereas BLACK FLAG had a Henry Rollins who got more and more obsessed with his image (check the videos on youtube) that night, SAINT VITUS play a perfectly tight show with the original singer Scott Reagers. I’ve had this as a bad quality live tape for some time, but the youtube footage has way better sound.
Damn, this makes the other VITUS footage I had recently featured look and sound a bit pale in comparison. Go to this youtube page here and find the complete show chopped up into several pieces (and more goodies!).

Expect more SAINT VITUS soon!

“Which one is it, white or black magic?”

Share on Facebook

A local NWOBHM band of some weight was MYTHRA. Even in Heidiland, they were taken notice of, most likely due to coverage in NME and Kerrang and maybe the formidable cover artwork played a role too.MYTHRA is one of the “big” groups in the “minor” league, and as they stated in an interview, they really hoped they’d make it with this one, getting loads of money and fame and I think it’s fair to say this shines through on the EP – for the good. Just like it always puzzles me when I listen to the mighty white album of DIAMOND HEAD with all its POTENTIAL and WILL, the same can be felt here. MYTHRA were ready to take off – but things just didn’t go that way. Shame, but what can you do. Much of the same bad luck faced the band 10 years later, when Lars Ulrich of METALLICA compiled his much acclaimed (and, really, great!) NWOBHM compilation double album: MYTHRA were asked to kindly appear on the sampler, but they were the only band that said no. Or much rather had to say no, because an uncle of theirs had the mastertapes in his possession and he wasn’t interested. Great move.

The four tracks on the bands only life time release would have been described as “rocking” back then and the EP’s hit song “Killer” is a real rocker. They must have realised themselves, the chaps in MYTHRA, that this was the standout track, so they added that “featuring KILLER” thing on  the cover. I love such details. Amazing, to the point twin guitar mayhem and then some good rocking. Malc Macmillan, author of the NWOBHM-bible, oops Encyclopedia calls this riff archetypal, and although we don’t believe in archetypes and such (Foucault and Derrida, you know), we do get the point and cannot but agree on that (and I just love speaking of meself as “we”). Great are the other three tracks too. Every single one of them could be called a blueprint for the first wave of the NWOBHM: A bit on the typical side but that’s not always a bad thing, is it. You hear JUDAS PRIEST and you hear DIAMOND HEAD, your feel the energy of Punk and lots of balls can be felt swinging too. Air guitar chuggah-chuggah-material. You seen that documentary on the NWOBHM on youtube (which is alsco included in the first Iron Maiden archives DVD)? Them two geezers with their handsawn wooden guitars (so to say materializations of air guitars)? Yeah – I can picture them doing their imposterous little tricks to this MYTHRA EP. Brilliant.
This kind of music is not something I can listen to any day, but whenever I’m in the mood for it, it seems like nothing can top the mood of it. Skipping school, Mopeds (the olders drive them, with fox tails and iron cross shaped rearview mirrors – you came on your brothers rusty bicycle), thin moustaches (and blossoming pubes – nowadays, the kids shave em off before they even know the pride of growing them), juke boxes with Status Quo and Roxy Music singles in some redneck pub (and you have to press “Whatever you want” over and over again cause it’s the only thing that even remotely reminds you of that Judas Priest song you’d wanna bang your head too), a couple fags (stolen from mum), a bottle of beer you’re trying to empty (although your 12 years old mouth detests the bitter taste). That was my little glimpse of the NWOBHM. Or the total absence of it.

This wonderful four tracker was first released on the essential Guardian Records label in 1979. Lots were pressed after a very small and unidentifiable first edition of a meager 200. Not too many came with the amazing picture sleeve. Then, Street Beat Records repressed it on the luxury and popular 12″ format and on 7″ again, with one song (“Overlord”) left off. Again, not all copies, neither 7″ or 12″,  have the ps which is printed on poshy thick paper. I love these 12″ covers, like early Iron Maiden 7″ singles that came in a 12″ version, with the same cover just BIGGER. I’m a sucker for shit like that. Or the Angel Witch 12″, ith the sitting baphomet on it, just like the 7″ sleeves, but all black and white and BIG and scary. I have two of those – one on display in my designer apartment.

Death & Destiny.mp3
Killer.mp3
Overlord.mp3
UFO.mp3

Share on Facebook

Not much is known about VERMIN. The three track demo tape here was sent to a friend of mine in December of 1984 by the band and quickly found its way into my collection. I did a bit of googlin & doodlin’ and found some bits & pieces on the history of VERMIN – everything was new to me.
The band was formed in 1982 in Los Angeles and during its two years of existence included later members of bands such as AGENT STEEL, DETENTE, ABATTOIR and SCEPTRE. There seems to be a one track demo, released shortly prior to this but I’ve never heard it. In 1985, VERMIN released a four track demo. Neither heard that one.

What is special about this demo is that it’s a very early kinda Death Metal-ish recording (recorded in November of 1984) with quite a bit of evilness and shrieking guitars. Also note the short running time of the songs and the Hardcore backup vocals on all of the songs (we used to call it “punky” back then). This is not traditional Metal anymore, but hell, what am I saying – as if SLAYER hadn’t already destroyed the world with “Show no Mercy” in 1983. It’s pretty easy to imagine that had these songs been properly recorded, you’d see some folks running around these days with VERMIN patches on their denim.
Nobody will have ever heard of this band before, maybe except for some of the late-born encyclopaedists. And those who had known them in the old days have probably forgotten VERMIN along the way. So did I, but upon finding this tape, some memories arose of when I used to sit in front of my speakers blasting out such recordings and I couldn’t find anything wrong with the quality. That’s just how the underground 80s sounded. I guess we just were in the middle of a musical avalanche. All white around us, all loud and nobody had the slightest idea what the fuck was happening here. This avalanche was over by 1985 or 1986 and believe me or don’t: there was only one avalanche like this and not one Hardcore and one Metal version.

It’s not that I’d play this up and down, but there’s just no reason to let this be forgotten. Enjoy Metalheads, Genealogists and Archeologists – especially the riffing in “Raw Deal” and the double – doublebass intro to “Satan’s Reign” are neat. Another piece in the never ending mosaique of the history of good bad music.

Raw Deal.mp3
Fear no Evil.mp3
Satan’s Reign.mp3

Share on Facebook

I struggled long and hard before the vast majority of German Hardcore Punk started to speak to me. Some of the worst jocks I met in my life had Mohawks, a beer bottle glued to their one hand, the other hand in the air and on the back of the leather jacket-uniform, you could see the logos of bands such as RAZZIA, CHAOS Z, VORKRIEGSPHASE or BETONCOMBO. And BETONCOMBO’s LP it was that totally got my by my balls (as if I had any) when in Berlin in the mid 90s and being a miserable cunt, a friend put on the record and it just made “click” in my head. From this point in time on, I was able to read these bands.I doubt (and I pray to the Dalai Lama or Uriella that I’m right with it) that those jocks hear the same when they play these bands and I really don’t know what it is they hear. And I don’t care.

CHAOS Z are in a way the opposite of what I post last. Whereas SIEGE are tight and to-the-point with their energy, CHAOS Z are sloppy and maltreating their instruments. The drummer sounds like a very, very cheap ass drum computer running low on battery, the bass has more distortion than the thin guitar and the singer is monotone yet dripping acid with his voice. But these blokes manage to crank out an atmosphere of – yeah, of what? Insert the typical adjectives you’d hear from me in about every post [here] and still, CHAOS Z have more to their music. But I don’t know what it is. Every damn song has practically the same drum beat, the same scheme is used and the pure reptition is it maybe, that gets me so excited here. The first three songs are almost identical. “Harte Zeiten” and “Zwang” almost get me on my knees, but when I flip the plastic over, “Rational Mensch” and “Militär” rip me to shreds! “Rational Mensch” especially has an almost surrealistic brutality – all is so stripped down to the minimum that the song seems to implode and result a maximum of power and expression. You can hear that this is not just simple Hardcore Punk. Compare it to the first ANTI-CIMEX 7″ and you’ll probably hear similarities, but CHAOS Z are way more interesting in the end. Simplest musical forms of expression transcending into something more: This is what my dreams are made of! Although I’m pretty sure that not too many of the readers will dig this, I’d say give it two or three rounds and listen to some ABWÄRTS first. This should get you in the right mooooood.
The lyrics … well, “Bildungs-KZ” and such. I dunno. Maybe some other time I’ll sit down and try to over-read what I don’t like.

After this, the band had some comp tracks and one LP. The LP is kinda boring, if you ask me. Maybe the Mohjocks were referring to the LP, haha. The band later became FLIEHENDE STÜRME of whom I have nothing, but reliable sources keep telling me “You’d love them!”

Harte Zeiten.mp3
Abmarsch.mp3
Zwang.mp3
Rational Mensch.mp3
Militär.mp3

Share on Facebook