Monday 30 June 2014

An interview with James Young, vocalist with The Scabs



  The Scabs have already featured in this blog, a while back I posted a song called Amory Building which came off their solitary release, an ep from 1979. Since then I came into contact with their vocalist/composer, James Young, who revealed he doesn't even own a copy of the single anymore. I took the opportunity to ask if he'd like to do an interview and I'm grateful to him for saying yes so here it is.....


From what I remember of The Scabs, you were 5 students at Exeter University who's only release was an ep in 1979. Which bands influenced you? Was it a typical case of 5 teenagers hear The Pistols and The Clash and decide "we can do that....."

Yes more or less correct....we were 4, never 5, and yes we felt that we could do it too. The band was the idea of John Salmon the lead guitarist....I didn't think he was particularly "punk" but he announced that he wanted to start a band called the Scabs (as in Strike Breakers Scabs)....Steve the bassist was also a "founder member"...he and John were already mates, and they found Patrick Cunningham, the drummer, who in the true spirit of punk rock couldn't really play the drums when we started but he looked kind of punk and at the time that was more important. They had an audition for a lead singer and I believe only 2 people turned up so it wasn't exactly a triumph that I was chosen. John Steve and Patrick worked pretty hard at rehearsing....and we had our first gig only a couple of months after we started...in a university bar called Cornwall House. It wasn't hard to get gigs on Campus....in those days there really weren't many people who could set up and entertain and the news that ANYBODY was playing anywhere was quite a big stir. But we weren't really very good at first....there were a couple of non-student punk bands in Exeter who were definitely better than us and we were painfully aware of that and often felt like we were a bit if a joke early on


I'm guessing that back in the late '70's every city and town had regular punk gigs? Was it easy to get bookings in the early days? Did you manage to attract decent crowds and did you share a stage with any big name bands?

 No name bands no....punk rock looks different through the rose tinted glasses of hindsight. Back in the day the number of people who considered punk worth listening to were a REAL minority....most people liked Supertramp, 10cc, and still those old pomp rock bands like YES. A lot of people were moved to getting angry at even hearing a punk record or seeing somebody not wearing flared jeans. I dyed my hair at the time and on several occasions had to run extremely fast to get away from gangs wanting to beat me up, other times standing on a station platform EVERYBODY would be staring as if I wasn't wearing any clothes....so the general consensus was disapproval, and I think a lot of punk bands would echo that as the general "zeitgeist" once they moved out of the centre of London or Manchester. Name punk bands weren't a particularly big draw in themselves with the sole exception of the Sex Pistols and the Ramones. There were NEVER any punk bands booked at Exeter University....when the Stranglers were booked in 1980, when they were really a spent force as far as punk energy was concerned, the Security Guards announced that they would refuse to work if they played, and the gig was immediately shifted to Plymouth. If you study the charts at the time you can tell that bands like, say,The Clash, simply weren't selling any singles. The Sex Pistols were so cleverly managed with all that "getting banned by the BBC" stuff their sales came from notoriety more than any love of the music.


Talk me through how the single came about, was it a thrill knowing you were going to release one? Did it receive much airplay/press acclaim? Did it sell out quickly?

There were some independent records around, and that's what ours was. It was Patrick's (the drummer's) doing. He actually financed it and did the whole thing. I simply wouldn't have had the money. We all went up to London and there was a cheap recording studios somewhere right out in North London. A really nice guy called Marcus who was a bit of a Hunt Saboteur and general Anarchist guested on saxophone, and the whole recording was done in 2 hours...I think I just had 2 takes. Patrick then got 1000 pressed and set himself up in the Student Coffee Bar selling the singles. And we sold well and got more pressings. Because there just weren't any singles around by punk bands in any number, we were reviewed by all the music papers. In those days the music papers ruled....you just went and bought what the music papers liked...there was no way of previewing what they'd sound like, you just had to go and buy. "Sounds" gave us an amazing review, Melody Maker good I think and the others said we were "amateurish" I expect. But the reviews helped Patrick to organize a tour. We played 6 or 7 dates in a week in some pretty weird places from Bradford to Cornwall but always to "a crowd" and it was never a disaster. But I don't think the single got any airplay at all..... there just wasn't that kind of opportunity.... only Radio One and I'm not even sure if John Peel had got his show going in those days and that was only 2 hours a day. But you would never get played on Radio One during the day....it was all Agadoo.


I read somewhere that your brother spent his lunchtimes selling the ep to schoolkids. Did you ever feel famous in any way? Did you think you'd still be discussing it 35 years later?

That must have been Patrick selling the EPs....he wasn't my brother but he worked really hard at promoting that record. No I never felt famous in any way....embarrassed most of the time....we played an open air gig at Powderham Castle (I think that's what it was called) and much to my surprise a really large crowd were really appreciative...that was the only time I really felt like we'd done something worth celebrating. 35 years later the record does sound good and wow no I would have been astonished to think that anybody would be interested. That was the age of "burn bright for a few weeks only"... once a record left the charts you'd NEVER hear it again. Heart Radio would have astonished people in the 1970's.... well maybe not astonished....but that was the modus operandi of Radio 2!!


Was another release ever in the pipeline?

Yes we recorded another 2 tracks about a year or two later....it wasn't bad at all and John was hoping to get a record deal. Apparently we almost did but punk was losing ground to the Mod and Ska bands already.....if we'd have recorded something about Popping Blues on my Lambretta we'd have got a deal no problem.



Why did you split up and with so many of the old bands reforming to gig at festivals like Holidays In The Sun/Rebellion etc have you ever been tempted to give it a go?

 I think we split up because we left university... I think the Scabs did reform but they didn't ask me to join them....I would quite happily give it a go of course....



Finally, do you still listen to punk music or have your tastes changed over the years?

yes punk rock rules!! I really like the Parquet Courts at the moment....their new album is quite amazing. I still dabble with punk songs occasionally in my attic with Cubase and recently wrote and recorded a song called BMW and it's still amateurish!


I'd like to say a big thank you to James for taking the time to answer my questions. Song of the day is another one from their classic ep, this is Leave Me Alone......




Sunday 29 June 2014

Top 10 Songs Chosen By Paul Caporino



I've already featured a few top 10 picks from people that have one way or another ended up on my Facebook friends list but today's chart is a result of my deciding to try and get in touch with people that don't know me but have released music that I like and that I think will contribute some interesting choices. Fortunately the person I approached first was only to happy to help me out so I'd like to thank him for his generosity. M.O.T.O. have already had a song featured in the blog but today founder member, songwiter, vocalist and guitarist Paul Coporino gives us an idea of where he gets the inspiration from. He replied to my request for a top 10 with the question "just punk songs or any genre?" Being a blog for punk songs the easy answer (and maybe the boring answer) would have been just punk songs but when has punk ever been about imposing boundaries and restrictions? I told him it would be far more interesting if it was his top 10 of any genre so if you've read this far and only want punk songs then maybe come back tomorrow ( or even better, go listen to a song by M.O.T.O. : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rrqg7J8jjzs ). For everyone else, enjoy the Top 10 songs of all time chosen by Paul Caporino.......

in Paul's words :

Here's 10 of my favourite songs by other people - no particular order, and will probably change tomorrow (or even later today - I like a lot of songs). Forgive me if some of the titles are a little weepy.

 1) Kathryn Grayson - Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (recorded by many artists but my favourite is sung by   Kathryn Grayson in the film Lovely To Look At (1952)

 2) Stevie Wonder - All In Love Is Fair

 3) Mose Allison - If You Only Knew

 4) Allison Moorer - Dying Breed

 5) Eddy Arnold, Ray Charles - You Don't Know Me

 6) Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones - If I Loved You

 7) Willie Nelson - Night Life

 8) Sammy Davis Jr - E-O-Eleven (From the movie Ocean's Eleven)

 9) Doll By Doll - Stripshow (R.I.P. Jackie Leven)

10) Brownsville Station - Smokin' In The Boys Room (Forget the lame Motley Crue remake - ugh!)

This was the song that Paul chose as song of the day...........


Saturday 28 June 2014

Earth Girls - Wrong Side Of History



Hailing from Chicago and comprising Liz Panella, Joey Kappel and Jeff Rice, Earth Girls are creating quite a buzz with their bouncy female fronted garage pop punk. They released a demo earlier this year (name your price : http://earthgirls.bandcamp.com/album/demo-2014-2 ) and this has been followed up with their debut ep, Wrong Side Of History (check out punknews.org's 5 star review here : http://www.punknews.org/review/12674/earth-girls-wrong-side-of-history-7-inch ). This is the title track.....

Friday 27 June 2014

The Wheelz - So Neat



  I don't know much about The Wheelz (so if you read this guys, feel free to add any info you want to the comments section), but from what I can make out, they formed in 2012 and are from Tulsa, Oklahoma. They make the kind of snotty retro (retro in a good way) punk rock music of which I'm particularly keen. Influenced by the likes of Blanks 77 and The Briefs they've an ep out on the excellent No Front Teeth label, called Are So Neat. From that ep, this is a cover of The Partisans' So Neat.....

Kelvin Klein and Reebok 
Your making all the money that I ain't got
I wanna keep buying but I know I am not 
Clever in my pocket that way 
Shaking in some sweat shop 
The kids are living lives that they ain't got 
I wanna keep trying so I know I am not 
Selling all the names for free 

I wanna have it all 
Going to make the world just like me 

Meanwhile in the night street 
There's a 24 something shopping in his gold feet
Got a credit card for brains 
that's so neat 
And he's selling all the names for free 

I wanna have it all 
Going to make the world just like me

Just do it if you want some
Keep running around and get some 
Just do it if you want some
Gotta keep buying 

I wanna have it all 
Going to make the world just like me

Wednesday 25 June 2014

Top 10 Songs Chosen By Kevin Patrick McGovern

As promised, here's the top 10 songs of all time of Kevin Patrick McGovern, vocalist with The Prostitutes and editor of Fear And Loathing In Long Beach online punk/art zine ( https://www.facebook.com/FearLoathingInLongBeach )

10) The Replacements - Color Me Impressed
 9) Gaunt - Weekend
 8) Iggy Pop - Five Foot One
 7) Prole - Generation Landslide
 6) The Nuns - Walking The Beat
 5) Blondie - X-Offender
 4) Wire - Ahead
 3) New York Dolls - Human Being
 2) The Nubs - Job
 1) Sex Pistols - Bodies

A big thanks to Kevin and here's his number 1 song........

The Prostitutes - 1-2-3-GO!



  Kevin Patrick McGovern has already featured in this blog with his spin off band, The Inversions (and his all time top 10 songs will be published very soon), but today it's time I posted a song from his best known band, The Prostitutes. Forming in the mid 90's in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (before relocating to Long Beach, California), they released some great pissed off punk music and also drew a loyal following to their often drug and alcohol fuelled gigs. You can read some excellent in depth interviews with Kevin on Angelo Ruggiero's blog ( http://rawkunroll.blogspot.co.uk ). Fingers crossed there's new material which should be recorded very soon, until then you can check out their back catalogue for whatever price you can afford here : http://the prostitutes1.bandcamp.com/ . This is 1-2-3-Go!.......

Tuesday 24 June 2014

Suspect Parts - Change Your Mind



  Featuring members that have also at one time or another been involved with a smorgasbord of great bands (The Briefs, Thee Spivs, Clorox Girls, Red Dons and LA Drugz just to name a few), Suspect Parts produce music that's sweet enough to rot your teeth. Combining the harmonies of the best 60's pop bands and adding a little of the edge of bands like The Ramones and The Buzzcocks, they take a classic retro sound and give it a modern day sheen. So far they've released 4 singles (and a cassette which collects the singles together) and garnered a raft of great reviews. My pick of their singles, this is Change Your Mind......

Monday 23 June 2014

Loli & The Chones - Radiation



Back to the top 10's soon but today here's a song from Loli & The Chones. Hailing from Boyle Heights, California and active between 1995-99, they released a couple of killer albums (P.S. We Hate You and Total Fucking Genocide) and a couple of singles. Playing blistering garage influenced punk rock the Latino trio (Michelle and Chris Santamaria and Vince Maldonado) were one of the hottest and most influential bands around but come the dawn of the new millennium they went their separate ways. A fine example of their awesome body of work, this is Radiation.....

Sunday 22 June 2014

Top 10 Songs Chosen By Jeffrey Thunders

I'm going to add another top 10 list today, this one by Jeffrey Thunders who's singer/guitarist with New Haven punk band The Lost Riots ( http://thelostriots.bandcamp.com/ ). As he's not numbered his list I'll just publish them in the order he wrote it.....

The New York Dolls - Personality Crisis
The Damned - New Rose
The Clash - Should I Stay Or Should I Go
The Kinks - You Really Got Me
Ryan Adams - Dear Chicago
Against Me! - Pretty Girls (The Mover)
Bad Brains - Big Take over
The Suicide File - Some Mistakes You Never Stop Paying For
Rancid - Avenues And Alleyways
Black Flag - American Waste


The song of the day is from veteran Californian hardcore legends Black Flag, this is American Waste.....

The worlds got some plans for me 
Courthouse, jails and factories 
Black and whites on the street 
For me for me I see my place in American waste 
Faced with choices I can't take 
American waste American waste 
On my own I see my fate 
On my own on the way out 
Small enough its all spelled out 
I know what I see what I want 
The doors are closed in this maze 
I see my place in American waste 
Faced with choices I can't take 
American waste American waste 
On my own I see my fate 
Boredom looks for its kicks 
Going down on death I see it coming I can't do anything 
Not for me not for me 
I won't end up in the heap 
I want out I'm free Burning Burning 
I see my place in American waste 
Faced with choices I can't take 
American waste American waste 
On my own I see my fate.


Saturday 21 June 2014

Top 10 Songs Chosen By Greg Mongroll

Something slightly different today, the first of several top 10 lists from various people that are connected with the world of music. They may be in bands, write music blogs, dj or whatever but the one thing they have in common is a love of great music. I'm not limiting what they choose to punk songs, they have free rein to pick what they like, hopefully this way some interesting lists are compiled. I'll then choose one of their picks to make my song of the day. First up to chose his all time top 10 songs is Greg Mongroll. Main man of Massachusetts band The Mongrolls ( you can hear them here : http://www.reverbnation.com/themongrolls ), Greg says his top 10 aren't in any particular order as they change all the time but as he numbered them that's the order I'm going with.....

10) Descendents - I'm Not A Punk
9)  Undertones - Teenage Kicks
8)  Autographs - While I'm Still Young
7)  Beat Farmers - Bigger Stones
6)  The Heats - Sorry Girls
5)  The Clash - Safe European Home
4)  Beatles - This Boy
3)  Teenage Confidential - Sha La La
2)  Replacements - Rattlesnakes
1)  Thin Lizzy - Get Out Of Here


The song of the day is from Japan's Teenage Confidential. Taken from their 2004 album, Rock'n'Roll Kiss, Greg says it's "So friggin' great. Kick ass leads, killer riffs, harmonies etc....One of my all time favourite records! On Screaming Apple records" This is Sha La La......

Friday 20 June 2014

The Filaments - B.P.C



  I think it's about time there was a great upbeat skacore track added so here we go. The Filaments were formed in Chelmsford, Essex, in 1999. Influenced by the likes of The Clash, Rancid and The Specials it's not surprising that they aren't afraid to mix up punk, ska, dub and even psychobilly. Renowned for their killer live shows, they released a couple of albums, Skull And Trombones and ..What's Next? before calling it a day in 2005 when lead vocalist Jon Fawkes emigrated to America. He didn't stay there too long though and the band were soon back together and in 2013 they released their 3rd album, Land Of Lions. From ..What's Next? this is B.P.C.

Benfleet punx crew is the name of the firm so dear to me.
You'll see them on the cider 
and keeping it real out on the street.
We like to drink with them and sing with them 
thats how its always been.
We spent our teenage years like a punk rock family.

Through all the party nights and pissed up fights, 
a lot of shit went down
But we always stand together, we're unified and proud.
Back to those early gigs we were kids, 
but we knew how it had to be
The benfleet punx and chelmsford crew in solidarity

Hey!
Hey!
Hey!
The B.P.C.!(x3)

Hey!
Hey!
Hey!

Done down on southend seafront, a DIY gig.
The BPC gathers and they're busting out the drink
there gonna have a beer and have a laugh 
thats what its all about.
And then it's back to Benfleet 
the hometown have no doubt.

Hanging out on street corners 
where its punx against the pricks.
nothing can confront us when musics in the mix
Nothing could be better than when I'm drinking with my friends.
BPC this one's for you united to the end.

Hey!
Hey!
Hey!
The B.P.C.!(x3)

Thursday 19 June 2014

Conflict - Young Parasites



Does anyone still make mixtapes? One never changing constant throughout my life ever since i started properly getting into music is the love of compiling cd's (or cassettes before the cd era) containing great songs. It's often a good way to start these mixtapes with a nice upbeat instrumental just to set the tone for things to come. Formed in 1981 in Eltham, London, Anarcho/Hardcore punk veterans Conflict probably wouldn't be the first band to come to mind when thinking of a catchy, upbeat instrumental opener but on their debut album, 1983's It's Time To See Who's Who, they provided exactly that. Sounding as though it would fit right in on an Operation Ivy greatest hits disc and ideal as a great intro to any collection of your favourite songs, this is Young Parasites.......

Wednesday 18 June 2014

Holograms - one time only



As far as offers you can't refuse go, the chance to get to biblically know someone in the back of their go-kart is up there with the best of them. To be fair, I probably would thank The Dwarves' Blag Dahlia and then respectfully decline his offer, on the other hand if it was L.A.'s The Holograms doing the asking as they are in this version of one of my all time favourite songs then the temptation to rev it up would be high.....  Cutesy pop punk girlband The Holograms have been described as being like "Josie & The Pussycats getting harrassed by G.G. Allin at a really cool slumber party while loaded on donuts, diet pills and cheap champagne." Upbeat happy sounding tunes abound but with song titles like Scene Whore and Your Ex Is Turning Tricks Again you can tell these ladies have got bite. Their album, Night Of A 100 Ex-Boyfriends was produced By Blag Dahlia himself, this is the type of up tempo pop music that it's ok to enjoy. Oh and that promise of go-kart fornication, it's a one time only offer..........

Tuesday 17 June 2014

Primetime - Tied Down



Sometimes i get good info for the bands i post by checking out their facebook "about" section, today though pretty much all that tells me about Primetime is that they're from London, they consist of Claudia, Flora, Lucy & Maria and that they're Chaotic Neurotics. They remind me a little of post punk favourites Delta 5 and you can check out 3 of their songs here : https://soundcloud.com/thisisprimetime  Hopefully we'll be hearing a lot more from them soon. This is an infectious song about wanting fun times without the hassle that goes with it, they want to get tied down but not in a relationship, this is Tied Down.....

Monday 16 June 2014

3FT - Anarchy



  A band I've only just recently stumbled across on the blog today. Hailing from Whittier, California, 3FT are influenced by your staple pop punk bands like Green Day, Blink 182, New Found Glory etc but they aren't just another pop punk band, allowing the heavier sounds from other influences (Pennywise, Bad Religion, Black Flag...) seep in. Forming in 2009, they've been honing their talent in 2013 released the Set Sail ep, from which today's song comes. According to their bandcamp, their debut album (Make Or Break) will be released in November of this year and I'll be interested to hear how they've progressed, frontman Ken Snow (Ken Gonzalez) promises they're getting faster and louder. Available for name your price here : http://3ftmusic.bandcamp.com/track/anarchy     this is Anarchy......

Sunday 15 June 2014

Showcase Showdown - Police, Police



Fuck Authority.......There's been a long list of anti police punk rock songs, many of them have been very good indeed and a few have already appeared in this blog. Here's another..... Showcase showdown were a Boston band who were active from 1993-2000. They put out a couple of albums, Appetite Of Kings (1996) and Permanent Stains (1999) as well as several cassettes and singles. Describing themselves as "a super fast pogo punk band" they featured Albert Genna (vocals), Tom Cloherty (guitar), Victoria Arthur (bass) and Steve Maxwell (drums) (Arthur and Cloherty later formed The Spitzz). Click the link below, crank up the volume and pogo round your room to todays song, this is a song that was later covered by Social Circkle, this is Police, Police.....

Well, take us back to another day,
(When) they'd give you a helping-hand,
And then get out of your way,
When they were dressed in long blue coats,
And their pockets were stuffed full of crispy notes.
POLICE POLICE, bring back the friendly police!
They'll take you downtown is what they say,
They hide their badges each and every way,
When the clock says two am,
You'd better stay away from them.
POLICE POLICE, bring back the friendly police!
They don't leave their cars to patrol on foot,
Better hope they never give you a second look,
They'll run you down or they'll shoot you dead,
Cuz there's nothing running in their heads.
POLICE POLICE, bring back the friendly police!



Saturday 14 June 2014

Fatal Microbes - Beautiful Pictures



One of my favourite things about this blog is that there's been quite a few inventive and awesomely wonderful  and quirky female fronted post punk tunes from various points down the years. I think it's time we had another. Far from the most prolific of bands, they only released 3 songs that I'm aware of, Fatal Microbes formed in 1978, and consisted of 4 teenagers ( Holly Bane (vocals),  Pete Fender (guitar), Gen Stone (drums) and It (bass). Future members included Sid Attion (drums) and Scott Barker (bass). Stone and Fender's mother was Vi Subversa of The Poison Girls and it was with that band that they released a split ep, entitled Violence Grows, in 1979 on Small Wonder. It was popular enough for the Fatal Microbes tracks to be released on their own single (with a bonus track). They managed a few gigs but didn't last long before splitting up. Bane went solo, Attion played with Rubella Ballet and also featured on Flux Of Pink Indians' classic Neu Smell ep, Stone also joined Rubella Ballet, as did Fender. From "that side" of the single, this is Beautiful Pictures......

Friday 13 June 2014

Twat - Sanity Bomb



  Twat are ugly drunk bastards with guitars, at least that's how they describe themselves and as they're new to me I won't argue with them. Featuring Afab Matty (vocals/drums), 8-Baull (vocals/guitar) and Savage Steve K (vocals/bass), and listing Fat Wreck Chords and Off as influences, they're an energetic dose of heavy punk rock that deserve your attention. They released their debut ep No Heroes ( http://twatrock.bandcamp.com/album/no-heroes ) last year but the song I've picked is the lead on their recently released Degentrification ep (available here http://twatrock.bandcamp.com/album/degentrification ), it's called Sanity Bomb......

Thursday 12 June 2014

please help keep punk music on radio 1

if anyone could sign a petition to keep the punk show on radio 1 it'd be appreciated....

http://www.petitions24.com/keep_the_punk_show_on_bbc_radio_1

Wednesday 11 June 2014

The Lost Riots - Last Night Was Fun



  Something slightly different for todays blog entry, instead of writing an intro to the song myself I asked Jeffrey Thunders, vocalist and guitarist with The Lost Riots if he'd like to contribute his own intro. He was kind enough to agree so here it is.....

"The Lost Riots hail from the shoreline of Connecticut in the city of New Haven.  What they do is familiar to most people but the way they do it is their own in their own right.  Four lads in sleeveless jean jackets with patches, buttons, and spikes, inspired by bands such as The Heartbreakers, The Replacements, The Damned, and The Dead Boys with their own style and flair to add to the more traditional punk rock sound.  Playing some of New York City’s biggest stages  ( Mercury Lounge, Hanks Saloon, Don Pedro’s) The Lost Riots are taking the northeast underground by storm and sharing those stages with the likes of The Virus, Union 13, Youth of Today, and CJ Ramone.  With a slew of records out and a blitz of shows it’s only a matter of time that these two time award winners (2013 and 2014 Connecticut music award winners for “Best Punk”) conquer the world.  With a new record about to come out - released by Connecticut label Obscure Me Records – The Lost Riots are setting their sights high. Recorded by Paul Kostabi ( Psychotica, White Zombie, Youth Gone Mad) the riots titled the record “Shorter, Faster, Louder”. They also have a blistering single off the new record called “Last night was fun”. Check out the video and look into one of New England’s best punk bands. The Lost Riots prove that punk is not dead. It’s alive and well and those roots lay about ten feet from train tracks that lead to New York City in the practice space that this band calls home and masters their craft. They are raw, they are rock and roll, they know their roots. They are punk!"

 
I'd just like to add that they've made their 2013 album Crown Street Stories available free here : http://thelostriots.bandcamp.com/album/crown-street-stories

The song I'm posting is called Last Night Was Fun, have a listen and you'll discover why they've been voted best punk band 2 years running.......


Last Night Was Fun (Official Music Video) from #NHV Music Scene on Vimeo.

Dustin's Bar Mitzvah - To The Ramones



I'd like you to help me out here and answer the question "what's the best song about The Ramones?" There's plenty of them out there. Personally I think the song I'm posting today takes some beating. Formed in 2001 and consisting of Dave Lazar (vocals/guitar), Dr Robert (guitar/vocals), General Wolfe (drums/vocals) and Baco (Bass/vocals), Dustin's Bar Mitzvah were from Acton in London. They had moderate success in the UK, releasing an album called Get Your Mood On and a handful of singles but it was Japan where they were most loved. A collection of demos entitled Dial M For Mitzvah made the Japanese top 40 album chart (as did Get Your Mood On), they also played a sold out tour over there. Supposedly one of those gigs (in Tokyo in 2006) was attended by North Korea's Kim Jong-un who was impressed enough to try and book them to play a gig in Pyongyang, they'd have been the first western band to play there since 1944 but unfortunately it fell through. They split in 2007 following the departure of their drummer and disagreements with their record label. They reformed in 2011 but aside from a free single that they gave away online i don't think they really got going again?  This is their classic tribute to the godfathers of punk, To The Ramones......



Tuesday 10 June 2014

Angry Samoans - Posh Boy's Cock



An oldie today from a band that were formed in 1978 in Los Angeles. The Angry Samoans were responsible for one of punks most fondly remembered albums, 1982's Back From Samoa. Full of classic songs such as My Old Man's A Fatso, They Saved Hitler's Cock, Steak Knife and my personal favourite Lights Out, I'm sure you've all heard it but if you ain't, go check it out. The song I'm posting isn't from that album but it's a reworking of Steak Knife which appeared on 1990's Return To Samoa. Early in their lifetime the band had released a song called Get Off The Air which was a biting attack on dj Rodney Bingenheimer, this time round they also included California based Posh Boy Records in their rabble rousing. It's not big and it's not clever but it is a damn good song, this is Posh Boy's Cock......

Monday 9 June 2014

Slaves - Where's Your Car Debbie?



From Tunbridge Wells in Kent and comprising of Isaac Holman (drums and vocals) and Laurie Vincent (guitar), Slaves have recently been signed up by Virgin EMI Records. Formed after the breakup of previous band Bareface they meld their wide range of influences into an exciting garage/punk/indie hybrid sound that's earned them a growing following and plenty of positive press. Released in January of this year, their single, Where's Your Car Debbie? will give you a taster of a band that you'll be hearing more of soon.....

Sunday 8 June 2014

Neighborhood Brats - Suburbia



  Forming in 2009 and situated in Los Angeles, Neighborhood Brats aren't looking to be your typical flavour of the week band. Influenced by the classic punk bands they grew up worshipping, the ones who were just interested in putting out great records or playing killer gigs, the ones who valued substance over style, they've already released a handful of killer singles and eps. They also put out a compilation album last year called No Sun No Tan. Comprising of Jenny Angelillo (vocals), George Rager (guitar), Mike Shelbourne (drums) and Dan Graziano (bass) they're a furious blast of hardcore reminiscent of Black Flag at their best. There's a new album on it's way called Recovery and this is from it, it's called Surburbia......

Saturday 7 June 2014

The Copyrights - No Knocks



From Carbondale, Illinois and playing proper pop punk rock music since their formation in 2002, The Copyrights have 5 albums already under their belt (my personal favourite being 2008's Learn The Hard Way), as well as several ep's,  split releases and last years Shit's Fucked compilation. They're planning a new album later this year. Seeking to release fun songs that are "short, catchy and to the point" they've built up a sizeable fan base who no doubt will lap up their new single which is released by Fat Wreck Chords. From that single, this is No Knocks.....

Friday 6 June 2014

The Tranzmitors - Who's Gonna Tell Mary



One of my favourite records back when I was at school many years ago was Who's Gonna Tell Mary by Northern Ireland new wave/power pop band The Moondogs. If you've not heard it look it up, it's an upbeat account of a guy in love with his girlfriend's sister and it's very fine indeed. I'm not posting it here though as I'm going for a cover of it instead. The Tranzmitors are a power pop band from Vancouver. Formed in 2005 they've released a couple of albums and a plethora of singles and eps, this version of Mary comes from an ep released in 2008 and you can either listen below or get the track free here : http://thetranzmitors.bandcamp.com/track/whos-gonna-tell-mary

Thursday 5 June 2014

Lurkers - Love Story



One of the original punk bands on the blog today. The Lurkers formed in Uxbridge, London in 1976 and were one of the most popular acts around (both live and on record) without ever quite reaching the heights of The Pistols or The Clash. Despite a string of killer 45's and a couple of popular albums their label, Beggars Banquet, started to lose interest in the fading punk scene and the band split in 1980 due largely to musical differences. They returned for a spell between 82-84 but it was only when bassist Arturo Bassick was inspired (and financed) by German punk band Die Toten Hosen into giving it another go that they made their comeback proper. With Arturo the only remaining original member they've been around ever since. Original members Pete Stride, Nigel Moore and Esso have reunited in GLM (God's Lonely Men) and released an album called Chemical Landslide, they're also hoping to record a new album soon. One of my favourite Lurkers song was the b side to their classic Shadow single, this is Love Story.......

Wednesday 4 June 2014

Valley Boys - Drone Attack



Clocking in at barely over the 1 minute mark, today's song is an energetic blast of hardcore from Toronto band Valley Boys. Very kindly they're letting you name your own price for the ep on their bandcamp so there's no excuse for not supporting them http://vboys666.bandcamp.com/album/drone-attack-ep . Featuring members of Brutal Knights, Career Suicide and School Jerks they don't fuck around, concise, hard but still catchy they remind me a little of early Discharge, have a listen to the lead song, Drone Attack.......

Tuesday 3 June 2014

Cracked Actor - Nazi School



I wonder if the titular character in yesterday's update used to go to the establishment in today's? As far as I'm aware, this single from 1981 was Long Island band Cracked Actor's only proper release (aside from a demo ) until an album of their stuff was put together in 2010 by 1977 Records. The b side was a cover of John Fred And His Playboy Band's Judy In Disguise whilst the A side concerns itself with the regimentation of the education system. This is Nazi School....

Monday 2 June 2014

The Unreleasables - I Hate My Nazi Girlfriend



     London's The Unreleasables have been together and hating the world since 2008. Their first release was 2010's Six Songs For Sick Minds ep which came out on P Trash Records, this was followed by the Bat Shit Records' release of the Crewe Boys ep the following year. Their latest single saw the light of day on the wonderful No Front Teeth Records label in 2013 and comprised the songs I Hate My Nazi Girlfriend, She's An SS Bitch and Fuck The Third Reich. As you might guess, it's all good clean fun, you'll enjoy this.....

I HATE MY NAZI GIRLFREIND 
I HATE MY NAZI GIRL 
I HATE MY NAZI GIRLFREIND 
N - A - Z - I -HATE HER GUTS 

walking round the house in her red and black boots 
she probaly grow a a tash if she only could yeah 
dreaming of Adolf on a friday night 
turning up the gas makes her feel alright yeah 

chours 

she love to be part of the ss team 
driving a tank or a submarine yeah 

she wants to be with hitler in a deep dark bunker 
but all she got was punk rock loser 

chours 

hey little girl yeah i think you should know 
im a jewish guy i thought i told you so 
come little baby baby cant you see i really dont think your the girl for me

my mum hates MY NAZI GIRLFREIND 
my dad hates MY NAZI GIRLFREIND 
my sister hates MY NAZI GIRL YEAHFREIND 
my rabbi hates MY NAZI GIRL YEAHFRIEND

Sunday 1 June 2014

Tragics - Mommi I'm A Misfit



Once upon a time there was a band called The Misfits. Actually, there were 2 bands called The Misfits so this lot from New York had to change their name to The Tragics. Comprising of Bob Gori, Brian Golduc, Tom Collins, Wayne Haskins and on vocals Liz Davies, as far as I'm aware they only released the one ep, in 1981. This is Mommi I'm A Misfit.....