SWANKYS- The very best of Hero LP (Dogma Records, Japan, 1985)
Here’s one of the toughest to find Punk LPs from Japan. And one of the wildest. SWANKYS, who also had a couple of 7″s and a flexi, were basically GAI – why they changed the name, I don’t know. Did you ever realize that SWANKYS are in fact the missing link between HUBBLE BUBBLE and ANTI-CIMEX (or any other band of the pitiful style later called “Crust”)? Obviously, SWANKYS had a lot of fun fucking around with things and the result is highly infectious. The primitive stomping rhythm, the ultra distorted guitar, the basic bass lines and the manic vocals create so much energy and lustful enjoyment, it’s almost scary. Almost. The drum sound, man when the snare hits come in during the first song, it makes me wanna do things, you know. By far the best SWANKYS record. “Total total total Control – C.O.N.T.R.O.L.” Anybody ever had sex to this?
Oh yes, there seems to be a british copycat oopsy, tribute band of the almost same name around (like Wankys or something). How poor is that.
Open the Window.mp3 <—– Appetizer!
Download the entire LP here and save a couple hundred dollars.
kokolores wrote:
this is quite impressive! I only heard the 5 star 7″ before and although I enjoyed that one this is better. and the sound quality is again AMAZING.
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Posted on 15-Feb-09 at 3:34 am | Permalink
Peter - KBD Records wrote:
I´ll focus on the songs I liked.
! Some bums doing punk? Damaging Noise=Fantastic!! I´m keeping that track. Fundamental=Keeping this track too. Great! Love the china cymbal break. Knife will not open because of the rust=best song title? Great! Like a japanese Bobby Soxx.
I don´t know I don´t care=great but too long. Blood spit night=ha ha funny as hell
Could´ve been a perfect 3 track 7″ for me.
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Posted on 15-Feb-09 at 3:54 am | Permalink
Zach wrote:
Amazing LP! One of my absolute favorites for sure. I just love this style done by the bands from Kyushu, Japan (Confuse, Sieg Heil, GAI [pre-Swankys], Gess, etc).
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Posted on 15-Feb-09 at 9:19 am | Permalink
galerna wrote:
Thanks for the post
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Posted on 15-Feb-09 at 11:23 am | Permalink
Jay Thurston wrote:
I don’t like it. I must be getting too old. Maybe I will be listening to Smooth Jazz soon?
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Posted on 15-Feb-09 at 11:46 am | Permalink
Sean wrote:
I still prefer the ep version of Fundamental. I remember hearing this record (before the first ep) somewhere around ‘95-’96? And then around ‘99 it was YOU Erich who hooked me up with the seller of this fine LP! I don’t think my copy had even been played…until I threw it on the turntable that day just to “feel” the history pour form the grooves.
One of the very few bands alongside Confuse, F.O.G., Larm, and Napalm Death that I’ve played 100s of times.
This is going to sound like HORRIBLE bragging…but I’ve gotten blown to Lifestyle…twice (once stoned). Call me crazy, I literally had a life goal to be tragically punk and get a triumvirate of drugs, Swankys, and a girl all together at once SPECIFICALLY for that song! (I prefer the ep’s version too…the LP version feels like the Ramones to me).
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Posted on 15-Feb-09 at 8:01 pm | Permalink
Mike wrote:
Funny one. Not in the same league as the first two Dogma releases though, The Comes’ No Side 12″ is just insuperable.
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Posted on 15-Feb-09 at 8:27 pm | Permalink
Admin wrote:
You ain’t got no clue Mike.
Yeah Sean, seems like you have / had the lifestyle
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Posted on 16-Feb-09 at 2:40 am | Permalink
tony wrote:
Because of ‘violence’ at shows the Swankys had problems booking venues to play, so they changed the name to Gai, but everyone knew it was the same band obviously, so after sometime (1-2 yrs?) the band just changed back to being the Swankys. As for meaning of ‘violence’, the song ‘Knife will not open because of rust’ is supposedly based on a true story involving a band member, a fight and a flick knife which did not open because of rust!
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Posted on 16-Feb-09 at 3:57 am | Permalink
Sean wrote:
I’m more than sure this “violence” was like 2 people talking shit/starting shit and being pissy fronting fucktards in general…like what happens on an hour-by-hour basis in punk forums.
Just like I’ll believe the singer of Ghoul REALLY lost a hand WHEN I SEE THE STUMP! And even then who’s to say the “yakuza” really cut it off or it was a congenital birth defect OR…
Fuck it, urban legends are THE SHIT! :p
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Posted on 16-Feb-09 at 5:27 am | Permalink
Mike wrote:
“You ain’t got no clue Mike.”
Are you telling me this is better than GISM’s Detestation and The Comes’ No Side??? Haha.. you’re the one who ain’t got no clue boy!
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Posted on 16-Feb-09 at 7:00 am | Permalink
Admin wrote:
You ain’t got no clue, Mike. Don’t cry, kid.
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Posted on 16-Feb-09 at 7:09 am | Permalink
Mike wrote:
“You ain’t got no clue, Mike. Don’t cry, kid.”
LAUGHING OUT LOUD… boy. Still haven’t answered my question, is this better than GISM and The Comes? LOL, I ain’t got no clue…
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Posted on 16-Feb-09 at 7:41 am | Permalink
Admin wrote:
Mike, you ain’t got no clue and nobody cares for comments like “this and that is better”. Of course especially GISM and COMES play in a totally different league, but everybody knows that and those who don’t can read my words about GISM and that’s the only thing that counts – what I say and not what clueless kid from nowhere has to say. Next time you say something stupid, you get banned. i have to ban some kid every now and then here to make an example.
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Posted on 16-Feb-09 at 7:46 am | Permalink
What's the Truth? wrote:
This is an appropriately demented record, but with your magical rip, it reaches totally new heights. Sean’s first post is hilarious!
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Posted on 16-Feb-09 at 9:08 am | Permalink
tony wrote:
Re: Seanophile – I am totally questioning that too, hence why I put citation mark on ‘violence’ – I am sure it was no more than pogoing and trying to look mean and put across attitudes etc, as well as normal people’s perception of punks as being dangerous people…
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Posted on 16-Feb-09 at 9:17 am | Permalink
readgeorgesbataille wrote:
you fuckin’ jerk bringing up gism fuck you this rocks
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Posted on 17-Feb-09 at 7:00 am | Permalink
readgeorgesbataille wrote:
hey jay thurston don’t listen to smooth jazz listen to jazz fusion like brand x, mahavishnu orchestra , tony williams lifetime (allan holdsworth you know?) maybe some soft machine?
but NO smooth jazz
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Posted on 17-Feb-09 at 7:07 am | Permalink
readgeorgesbataille wrote:
sean ,that is very funny about lifestyle/blowjob(memphis mouthwash, haha!) thank you for sharing awesome storytelling i’m very envious of you right now
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Posted on 18-Feb-09 at 12:20 am | Permalink
filthy chris wrote:
thanks for this gnarly post mr erich. every time you rip old japanese stuff i get a new favorite record. the contrast of putting “this is dakota song” next to a track like “damaging noise” is righteous. i won’t play the game of this-record’s-better-than-that record, but i think this lends itself to oral sex way more than GISM :-]
I I I I DONT KNOW!
I I I I DONT KNOW!
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Posted on 20-Feb-09 at 2:58 pm | Permalink
Thrashing Hammers wrote:
AWESOME ALL THE FUCKING WAY!!!
Thanks!!!
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Posted on 23-Feb-09 at 8:03 pm | Permalink
MrWanky wrote:
Yes i agree, calling your band the wankys is very poor, on par with naming your band after an amebix song and stealing all your music from napalm death.
talk about pot and kettle!
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Posted on 29-Jun-09 at 5:15 pm | Permalink
Admin wrote:
My old was not called after an Amebix song, it just had the same name as a certain song. It didn’t copy any of Amebix music or style. But who cares about Wankys, gimme a break.
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Posted on 29-Jun-09 at 10:40 pm | Permalink
MrWanky wrote:
Give you a break? C’mon you know the old adage, if you can’t take it then don’t dish it out?
By the way, cool website.
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Posted on 30-Jun-09 at 5:02 am | Permalink
Millwall Brick wrote:
!!Awesome. thank you. i wondered if there was another person in the world outside of my little circle of friends fom around 85-7?? that had ever heard Knife before. brought such a killer smile. I owe you one. I have some rare shit….and you have my email
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Posted on 25-Aug-09 at 7:13 am | Permalink
Anarkist_Attak wrote:
this album does rule. thanks for the info (or rumour) of knife wont open
by the way wanky’s do rule! but the dont really sound like swankys
more like chaos CH, Dislike, and other 90’s jap noise
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Posted on 10-Mar-10 at 11:47 am | Permalink
elliott wrote:
when i first got it i hated it. the singer is so anoying! but now i realise how good it is.
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Posted on 10-Mar-10 at 4:06 pm | Permalink