YYY- Sin 12″ EP (Fringe, Canada, 1983)
After I had posted the BREAKOUTS 12″, I asked myself what could come next without lowering the quality level. I kept searching my records and tapes, started ripping some tapes (Jerry’s Kids live and the occassional Heavy Metal demos) when all of a sudden I had a flashback. I remembered the old local record store I mentioned before. It was a small one room store. Everything in the inside was painted black: The walls, the hand made crude shelves, the ceiling, the floor, the seats and the black shades in the store window that kept the light out. The small office room, two steps down, on the other hand was painted all green. It made you sick when you walked in or out, it was just too much. The first time I had visited the store was in 1980. I remember the first DEAD KENNEDYS record on display, as well as the first IRON MAIDEN, AC/DC and other stuff, mainly Punk though. It was magic, especially when you were 12 years old. There seemed to be soooo many records to check out making you feel even smaller. What followed were years and years of visiting the store and another great one just around the corner (that one had a lot of bootlegs for sale from ca. 1982 on). I’d say there wasn’t one week without spending hours in the store, talking to the crazy owner and his employee, making friends with Metalheads and some Punks from Switzerland and nearby Austria.
In 1984, I opened the door and there was an incredible clean and razor sharp record playing on the main speakers. These speakers were hand made and I swear I never heard such a great clean and forceful sound ever again. The record the owner had put on had just come in with the big box of imports he received every thursday or friday and as I said, the sound was amazing. It was YYY’s 12″ – to me epitomizing to this very day the Hardcore genre like few others. There’s no Punk left in the sound and it does not lean towards Metal the tiniest bit. The band had one of the tightest rhythm sections in Hardcore. The bassist and the drummer are so incredibly great on this record that I sometimes wish I had their separated lines only, just like in the marvelous “Sold out” dub mix on the first GANG GREEN 7″. I swear I could listen to these two guys alone forever. Not that the singer and the guitarist shouldn’t be on the EP – it would just be fantastic if for a change I could focus on the rhythm section alone. This EP is perfect (even better than the BREAKOUTS’s 12er, to be honest). The production, the songs, the musicians, the cover art and the lyrics. Blimey you can’t beat YYY can you.
This EP had been reissued (that’s the red & black cover you see pictured) in 1989 and spiced up with some remixed demo tracks and such. These extra are great and if it was the only thing YYY had ever released, you could hardly imagine the band could have gotten better after them. When you hold them against the EP tracks though, they’re just very good. The label, Fringe, btw is the same that later released Metal records mainly, like SLAUGHTER and SACRIFICE.
Here’s the band’s official myspace site. And here’s a video I just found on Youporn. Damn, these guys really look like I had imagined them to look like in the past 24 years. Wonderful. I love the internet!
As you can read on the myspace site, YYY are preparing an offical anthology CD – let’s hope it will be released soon.
James wrote:
PRICELESS!!!!! I totally love this blog. The great music just never ends.
Posted on 27-Sep-08 at 11:47 am | Permalink
f.m.l. wrote:
GREAT
GREAT
GREAT
Ein guter Soundtrack zum morgigen Wahlabend.
Posted on 27-Sep-08 at 12:37 pm | Permalink
justin wrote:
“to me epitomizing to this very day the Hardcore genre”, I don’t think you could have said it any better. At the same time I’m so glad there is so much variety to be found in hardcore. Another piece of the puzzle in Erich’s history lesson.
Thanx
Posted on 27-Sep-08 at 12:39 pm | Permalink
jenny wrote:
only knew the track on some byo comp which was kinda boring. this is AMAZING. what a find.
Posted on 27-Sep-08 at 12:55 pm | Permalink
f.m.l. wrote:
well, 2nd comment, but:
your recommendations-part really has to be awarded. “wat für eene mischung!”
Posted on 27-Sep-08 at 1:08 pm | Permalink
Tony wrote:
Yeah that Youcock video is convincing, threw the track into iTunes and based on the opening first 30 seconds of the first track I think I can agree with all the hyperbole – YYY = great! If not only too good? HA HA HA.
Posted on 27-Sep-08 at 1:13 pm | Permalink
Admin wrote:
Yeah Tony, this time, the hyperbolean tone was just full on spot, haha. I’m just a very enthusiastic person, can’t help it. Be it books, movies or records or women or wine or else – can’t get enough of the good things
@ FML: I call it “stinky eclecticism”.
Posted on 27-Sep-08 at 1:17 pm | Permalink
Daz wrote:
The best birthday present I could have possibly got. Fantastic! Cheers Erich! Canada’s greatest ever band, to me at least.
Posted on 27-Sep-08 at 4:12 pm | Permalink
eddie wrote:
I really like their demos a lot better but this one is still a classic, it just seems like every song sounds like the other one. Nonetheless, I consider YYY to be intelligent HC.
Posted on 27-Sep-08 at 9:48 pm | Permalink
john wrote:
Wow. I remember hearing this plenty of times back in the day but for some reason never knew the name of the band. The songwriting has held up very well thru the years, an overlooked classic to be sure. Thanks for this.
Posted on 27-Sep-08 at 9:53 pm | Permalink
Pär wrote:
I wake up really early every and saturday and sunday morning and when I have pour me a cup of coffee I log on to this page and pray for another good upload and you often make my weekend morning and so this one. Thanks alot for another great upload.
ps didn´t death sentence release their debut on Fringe? If so thats my favorit release on that laben along with the supergreat Strappado.
Posted on 27-Sep-08 at 10:04 pm | Permalink
malfeitor wrote:
I was just thinking the other day how I wanted to hear this one again. Never owned it, just had it on tape, but it was one of my favorites. Amazing what you had the chance to buy at your local record stores. Ask Joe Stumble, here in the Midwest USA we NEVER saw a record if it wasn’t north american or english and even then I never saw a copy of this one. Thanks.
Posted on 28-Sep-08 at 9:33 am | Permalink
Admin wrote:
Yes, indeed for such a small country, there were a lot of great records store here in the 70/80s. I think part of it had to do with the nearly complete lack of popular swiss music: stores had to import records. Then it was a sign of the efficiency of the social movements of the 70s and the early 80s: People built up their own structures and the record shops were an important part in that process.
Posted on 28-Sep-08 at 10:05 am | Permalink
f.m.l. wrote:
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH, INFERNO!
Wahrlich, es ist ein Freudentag! Dass ich das noch erleben darf!
Posted on 28-Sep-08 at 11:11 am | Permalink
Admin wrote:
Ich musst mir auch gleich ein Weissbier der Firma Schneider aufmachen, hahaha.
Posted on 28-Sep-08 at 11:43 am | Permalink
eddie wrote:
fml, u got somthin against inferno??? they’ll knock yer sistah’s sox off!!!
Posted on 28-Sep-08 at 12:49 pm | Permalink
f.m.l. wrote:
@eddie: my comment was more alpine-related. white beer, skiing, oktoberfest and such.
@Admin: Wie sieht es eigentlich mit Punk und Metal in Österreich aus? hahahaha
Posted on 28-Sep-08 at 2:42 pm | Permalink
Admin wrote:
Ich weigere mich nach wie vor, Österreich überhaupt als Staat anzuerkennen. Die dürfen von mir aus dort drüben machen, was sie wollen.
Posted on 28-Sep-08 at 2:57 pm | Permalink
eddie wrote:
i never claimed to be the sharpest tool in the shed, especially when it comes to knowing german.
Posted on 28-Sep-08 at 5:10 pm | Permalink
justin wrote:
Malfeitor, Erich mentioned that your site was inspiration, is it still online?
Posted on 29-Sep-08 at 9:33 am | Permalink
howardx wrote:
when can we expect the live jerry’s kids? soon i hope!
Posted on 29-Sep-08 at 9:53 am | Permalink
Admin wrote:
Yes, Justin – it’s “Dressed for the H-Bomb”, check the links!
Howardx: I have found 3 Jerry’s Kids live tapes. Two from 1983 and one from 1984. Pretty great stuff. Will rip at least one of them soonish. Also CFA, Deep Wound, Siege, Kreuzen etc. live tapes. Not always the best quality, but hey.
Posted on 29-Sep-08 at 10:08 am | Permalink
justin wrote:
Thanx Erich, that site’s actually in my links too, oops. I didn’t recognize Malfeitor’s name. Definately worthy of praise. Thanx again.
Posted on 29-Sep-08 at 10:28 am | Permalink
Simon wrote:
Was just talking to YYY’s vocalist about this the other day, and I would say the likelihood of any reissue happening is very, very low, although the talk of it has been around for a good 15 years. Fringe still owes the masters and are impossible to deal with (it was their demands that prevented the reissue of all four Sacrifice LPs on Metal Blade a few years back), and attempts at making viable new masters from the vinyl have been unsuccessful.
Also, Fringe was mostly responsible for the Canadian licensing of great records by the likes of Husker Du, Black Flag, Raw Power, Dead Kennedys, Bad Brains, COC and DRI, as well as releasing Canadian bands like Teenage Head, Day Glo Abortions and Sudden Impact, but the straight metal titles mostly came out on their subsidiary Diabolic Force– run by none other than YYY frontman Brian.
Posted on 29-Sep-08 at 2:55 pm | Permalink
Simon wrote:
Oh yeah, watch for a couple of other great old Toronto hardcore reissues coming soon on the totally excellent Schizophrenic label– the legendary “TO ‘83″ comp (ie Toronto’s “Flex your head” or “This is Boston…”, except it never made vinyl until now) and an LP compiling the YOUNG LIONS demos– YL being an absolutely killer early TOHC band playing raw, catchy hardcore punk in the vein of Subhumans, Toxic Reasons, early DOA and Stiff Little Fingers. These should make up for the YYY!
Posted on 29-Sep-08 at 3:08 pm | Permalink
Admin wrote:
Thanks for the info, Simon! Yeah, great to hear the re-release of the Toronto 83 tape is coming. I was just about ripping and posting it, it’s a fantastic tape!
I would say it should be technically possible to remaster from the old vinyl. If you wouldn’t say it’s been remastered from vinyl, nobody would realize it.
Posted on 29-Sep-08 at 3:20 pm | Permalink
Simon wrote:
Everyone says the same about mastering from vinyl, but Brian’s been putting out records for years (he now runs Blue Fog) and knows what he’s talking about. He’s used good, professional people and they just can’t get a master he’s happy with.
Posted on 29-Sep-08 at 3:32 pm | Permalink
Admin wrote:
Well, I don’t want to scrutinize Brian’s skills and experience, but I’ve done it too and it worked pretty well. Besides: Modern technology on home pc’s today is capable of doing things we couldn’t do in professional studios 15 years ago.
Posted on 29-Sep-08 at 11:32 pm | Permalink
Ryan wrote:
The singer is wearing a Rick Vaive jersey in the Youtube video.
He has good sense in hockey and metal, it seems. ‘Strappado’ kills.
The first three Sacrifice albums were reissued by Marquee Records of Brazil with a ton of bonus material. The fourth was originally on Metal Blade and was repressed in 1999, but I think it’s out of print again, but still easy to find.
Posted on 30-Sep-08 at 10:12 am | Permalink
howardx wrote:
excellent! cant wait!
Posted on 30-Sep-08 at 10:41 am | Permalink
Jay Thurston wrote:
Yes, please put up some live Jerry’s Kids!!!!!
Posted on 03-Oct-08 at 3:46 pm | Permalink
chano wrote:
This is FAR better than the BREAKOUTS 12er , Erich . This is one of the best hc recs i’ve EVER heard . Thanx , Erich . I’m in love with your blog !!!
Posted on 09-Oct-08 at 6:37 am | Permalink
STiG(NZ) wrote:
WOW, I still listen to “Fire in the Rain” at least once a week, one of my favorite punk songs of all time. Cheers for this, I have no idea what happened to my copy of this record
Posted on 14-Oct-08 at 7:33 pm | Permalink
Simon wrote:
OK, my mistake– no vinyl version of the TO ‘83 comp is forthcoming after all, guess some wires got crossed there. Too bad, though.
Posted on 18-Oct-08 at 6:09 am | Permalink
dewey.decimal wrote:
Love this record. A more than worthy follow up post to the Breakouts 12″ but a direct comparison of those two records is kinda apples to oranges in my book.
Posted on 04-Nov-08 at 7:01 pm | Permalink
elliott wrote:
thank you so much! this is just fucking amazing and better than the breakouts record.
Posted on 10-Jan-10 at 2:00 pm | Permalink
Anarkist_Attak wrote:
there was a YYY re union show a little while ago
the best song on here is the cover of TV personalities Part Time Punks!
complete with changed lyrics about “part timers in Toronto!”
i found the demo and EP re issue in a salvation army in a small town outside of toronto when i was very young, and what a cool score it was!
Posted on 10-Mar-10 at 12:31 pm | Permalink