Suburban Voice blog #40

TWO EVENTS, 25 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK

1982 was a transitional year. It was the year I graduated from college and the year I really started to get into hardcore punk as a live experience. Later this year it’ll be the 25th anniversary of Suburban Voice, originally called Suburban Punk. Two events happened in June of that year and both provided inspiration for starting my zine.

On June 7, I began my post-collegiate “career” as a retail management trainee for the Zayre department store chain. Zayre no longer exists. It eventually merged with Ames and then that company went out of business in 2002. I trained in the Woburn, MA store until the end of August and then was transferred to Saugus to begin the next stage in my training. That went so well that I quit two months later. Not coincidentally, my continuing immersion in hardcore and its philosophy probably gave me a nudge towards getting out while my sanity was still intact. I mean, listening to MDC’s “I Hate Work” while driving to a job I despised may eventually spur me into some action.

But let’s get back to June. At the end of my first week at Zayre, on Saturday the 12th, there was a hardcore show at the Gallery East, near South Station in Boston. The featured band was from DC and they were called Minor Threat. OK, I’ll stop being coy. Minor FUCKING Threat. It was a four band show and my first time seeing three of them. Minor Threat went on second, since the organizers wanted to make sure that they’d get to play in case it got shut down. No such worries. The show started with the Proletariat who, despite stylistic differences from the other bands, went over very well.

Minor Threat were next and, if anything sealed the deal on hardcore punk for me, it was seeing this band. I had just purchased their first 7” when I was in the DC area for a job interview and had time to spend at the record stores in Georgetown. It was my second Dischord purchase, after getting the SOA EP the previous winter. I also got the Youth Brigade “Possible” EP, as well, on that Georgetown excursion. What a fucking set. Ian darting around the stage and I kept my eyes on drummer Jeff Nelson and marveled at how lightning-fast he played.

After them, it was my first time seeing SS Decontrol and they were followed by the FUs. I don’t even remember all that many specifics except John Sox was congratulated on graduating from Boston College. Also, they had improved markedly since I’d seen them as a trio the previous fall.

I kept my distance from the craziness in the pit but it was pretty spectacular to watch. This was the first time I’d seen this type of show in a DIY venue. I mean, think about it—these four bands in an art gallery and there were probably less than 200 people there.

I tell this story not to rub it in. Honest—and, along with those memories, it boggles my mind that it’s been 25 years! I’m not going to have grandchildren so I guess it’s you folks who get to read these anecdotes...

MUSIC REVIEWS

ACID REFLUX

ACID REFLUX-s/t (No Way, 7” EP)
Well, I’d probably give the penmanship on the lyric sheet, cover and label around a B+ since there are corrections. The music on this 8 song EP (taken from their demo) gets a higher grade. Early 80s style hardcore punk somewhere between the Circle Jerks and some of the “Boston Not LA” bands—done with plenty of post-adolescent rage. Hating school, hating the military, hating work, hating chain restaurants (“Oh Good, There’s An Applebees”)—I agree about the latter in particular. With a song like “Customers Fuck Off,” you get the idea pretty quickly. In case you don’t, the first line is “Customers are douche bags/they treat you like your (sic) shit.” This reaches my inner 23-year-old and that’s never completely gone away—proudly, I might add. (3211 Idlewood Ave., Richmond, VA 23221, www.nowayrecords.com)

BESTHOVEN/VIOLATION-Split (Final Attempt, 7” EP)
On Besthoven’s side of the sleeve, it says “A D-Beat Holocaust!!!” and that’s accurate. Actually, there’s a stripped down, slightly distorted guitar sound and that makes it sound different from acts operating in this vein. Violation are from Philly and include folks from Another Oppressive System. They have the heavier, thicker approach and the songs are packed with power and volume. (PO Box 972, Bellmawr, NJ 08099, www.finalattemptrecords.computershateme.org)

CONDENADA

CONDENADA-s/t (Lengua Armada, 7” EP)
This Chicago band have really progressed over the past few years, especially when I compare the songs on this EP to the older demo versions. Mariam has an overpowering voice and such songs as “Not Yr Victim” and “This Fight Is Ours” convey true anger. Mainly mid-tempo punk and the guitar riffs are reinforced with some powerful drumming. (Condenada: PO Box 5027, Chicago, IL 60680, http://www.geocities.com/condenada_chicago/)

DIE YOUNG-Graven Images (Teenage Disco Bloodbath, LP)
As usual with the TDB releases, kudos must be given to the packaging—blue/white splattered vinyl and a glossy insert. This Texas band have a heavy, metal-meets-hardcore sound with lower-tuned guitars but it has a hard, driving edge that doesn’t get bogged down in chugalama too much. There’s an intellectual presentation in the lyrics and ideas, using quotations as diverse as Freud, Shakespeare, Kerouac and Greg Graffin (Bad Religion guy, in case you don’t know). Perhaps a tad pretentious but they’re also quite direct at times, such as “Fuck The Imperialists.” Ultimately, this isn’t my favorite style of hardcore but Die Young have some hard-hitting moments here. (www.tdbrecords.com)

DOUBLE NEGATIVE-The Wonderful and Frightening World Of Double Negative (No Way, LP)
Let’s see—where have I heard that title before? They “borrowed” it from a Fall album of the same name. That’s where the similarities end. The members of Double Negative range in age from 35 to 42 and this ripper of a 12” will school the young’uns. An early COC influence here, only without the metal and the songs here are fast and aggressive, powered by Brian Walsby’s drumming and slashing, jagged, feedback-enhanced riffs. Kevin (aka KC) stretches his raspy vocals over the songs, chafing against the grain, and it all culminates in the charged fadeout for “Pond and Prairie,” a moment to catch ones breath after the full-tilt ride over the course of the two sides. To use a hackneyed phrase, this once again proves that age don’t mean shit and, even if one’s youth can’t be recaptured, that doesn’t mean you can’t still kick and scream in the process. (3211 Idlewood Ave., Richmond, VA 23221, www.nowayrecords.com)

HAUNTED GEORGE-Bone Hauler (Dead Beat, CD)
This is very primitive. Haunted George, a one-man project masterminded by S. George Pallow, begins with an old soundclip warning about the forthcoming unpleasant noise. Then the ultra-minimalism kicks in. A dirty, primitive low-fidelity kinda bluesy/folky music that conjures visions of death and desolation. This sounds as though it was recorded in a shack, likely without running water or that’s at least the ambiance he’s trying to create. “Shotgun In My Mouth” stands out with its eruption into a fusillade of guitar craziness. Acquired-taste territory and I haven’t quite acquired it yet but this is a lot more fun than a lot of stuff trying to pass itself off as “roots” music or whatever the hell it’s called. PO Box 361392, Cleveland, OH 44136, www.dead-beat-records.com)

JESUS LIZARD-s/t (MVDvisual, DVD)
While watching this live DVD, shot in Boston in 1994 (I was there, by the way), it got me to thinking that there aren’t enough bands playing this sort of aggro-style indy rock anymore. Or maybe I’m missing it but I can’t imagine too many bands having the sort of explosiveness these guys had. A sound that stood apart from punk and hardcore but had the same level of energy. 1994 was when Green Day and the Offspring were becoming the “acceptable” face of punk and it’s about 180 degrees from the non-sanitized-for-public-consumption sound of this band. In fact, in the interview done with Shred from WBCN/WERS/etc, vocalist David Yow said Green Day were like the Knack, like the Dickies with English accents. The Jesus Lizard always knew how to put on one hell of a live show and Yow knew how to provoke, fuck with and bond with an audience. Half the time, he’s crawling over them and remains in full bray. You can’t understand what he’s ranting but it’s more the feel than the words. Yow is the focal point and but the three musicians who accompanied him shouldn’t be shortchanged and the multi-camera shots here capture their combination of finesse and pure wallop. Hypnotic, thumping bass-lines from David Wm. Sims, snaky and slashing guitar lines from Duane Dennison and incessantly crashing drumming from Mac McNeilly. A forceful tumult, a rollercoaster ride that culminates in their Chrome medley. The riffs that these songs are built on—the crunch of “Mouthbreather,” the sonic jolt of “Puss,” the nightmarish “Bloody Mary”—each have their own personality. There are also five songs recorded at CBGB in the summer of ’92 and the level of frenetic chaos is just as high. I’m often embarrassed about some of the music I dug on from the late-80s to mid-90s. Not these guys. They could probably still blow away most bands I’ve seen in the past few years. (PO Box 280, Oaks, PA 19456, www.mvdvisual.com)

THE JURY-s/t (Electric Mayhem/Loud Blaring Punk Rock, 7”EP)
TOTAL FURY/THE JURY-Split (Gloom, 7” EP)
A new five song EP by Albany’s Jury, plus a split with Japanese band Total Fury, with whom they toured the east coast in the spring. Mike still sounds as though he’s having his tonsils tortured by Steve Peffer from 9 Shocks Terror and it’d be lying to say that they’re not influenced by that band. Whatever the case, The Jury’s raw thrash attack hits hard and fast and the lyrics are a bitter, pissed-off complement. The production for the split sounds a tad punchier and also includes a solid cover of Gauze’s “Crash The Pose.” As for Total Fury, the three songs here aren’t nearly as good as on their “13 Songs” album, even though “You’re Too Old” is re-done. The sole new song, “Little Story,” sounds like a lesser “Think Again” (Minor Threat), although the cover of Scream’s “New Song” is OK. Flat production and I’d have to say their side is a bit disappointing. (Jury: PO Box 3067, Albany, NY 12208, jurypunx@gmail.com; Gloom: www.gloomrecords.com)

KIELTOLAKI-Totaalisen Tuhon Huominen EP (Moo Cow, 7” EP)
The sleeve is a throwback—bright orange, cut ‘n paste layout and it’s obviously paying homage to the classic days of Finnish hardcore. Kieltolaki keep the burn going throughout their new EP. Six songs of piledriving hardcore with a familiar sound—razor-slash guitar that also lets off squeals of feedback, incessant bass/drums and harsh vocals. Full-tilt all the way, even when hitting middle gear for “Pedofiilielukka.” Kieltolaki are definitely one of the better Finnish bands these days. (38 Larch Circle, Belmont, MA 02478, www.moocowrecords.com)

MAN THE CONVEYORS-Upheld By Fear (Final Attempt, LP)
Dual-vocal crust-core mayhem. In fact, the voices are so growly and nasty, it’s tough to tell the male and female vocalist apart—well, Christina’s is a little bit higher. In addition to the bleak picture of war, rampant capitalism and racism that they voice, there are few songs dealing with sexism and forced gender roles. They also exclaim that there can be a “radical future.” I’m pretty pessimistic about that, myself, sad to say. Pretty rudimentary instrumentation and drawing from the same well as Another Oppressive System, Disrupt and the like but it gets the job done. (PO Box 972, Bellmawr, NJ 08099, www.finalattemptrecords.computershateme.org)

OUT WITH A BANG-Few Beers Left But Out Of Drugs (Criminal IQ, 7” EP)
Not quite on the level of their previous EP but these scurrilous Italianos are still fucking nasty. Rough, twisted punk that has garage elements but not easily fitting that mold. For one thing, there’s some atonal guitar noodling throughout and that providing a nice (?) sonic muck-up. An ugly, dissonant clatter, hand off the chin in true vafancullo fashion—look it up, then hit ‘em over the head with the dictionary if they invade your town. (3501 N. Southport, Chicago, IL 60657, www.criminaliq.com)

PLEASE INFORM THE CAPTAIN THIS IS A HIJACK-Defeat Or Humiliate The United States Of America (Clean Plate, LP)
Recorded in ’03, mixed in ’05 and just now available for your consideration, listening, reading or some combination of the above. PICTIH take a stab at the grand statement—only they eschew slogans and opt for a highly intellectualized approach that requires one to work through the lyrics and accompanying mini-essays about each. Any explanation I attempt will be simplistic, in comparison, but there’s an anti-capitalist/consumerist bent. There’s also a booklet of sorts with a key on the lower right corner of the cover. Perhaps that’s meant to be the key to explaining everything but, instead, there’s unrelated, uncredited prose. On the vinyl, itself, there are sound collages of hip-hop and other musical fragments along with various soundbites—I even hear Maxwell Smart on one of them. The “regular” songs have a late 80s DC hardcore influence, which makes sense since vocalist Mike Kirsch’s older bands, Fuel and Bread and Circuits, certainly came from that muse, although there’s more complexity here. Nation of Ulysses had an album called “13-Point Program To Destroy America” released in 1991 and they also created an elaborate world to convey their message so such a comparison is inevitable. It’s a unique approach, perhaps too obtuse for some to absorb (like myself at times!) but it definitely breaks up the string of predictable releases. (PO Box 9461, N. Amherst, MA 01059, www.cleanplate.com)

TALK IS POISON-Condensed Humanity: The Prank EP’s (Prank, LP)
I never got a chance to see Talk Is Poison. I was in SF in 2000 but we left two days before they played a show at Mission Records and they broke up soon after that. This LP includes their split with Deathreat and their “Straight To Hell” and “Control” EPs. Talk Is Poison came and went like a lightning bolt in the late 90s/early 00s. Overpowering hardcore that occupies a similar territory as Deathreat and earlier From Ashes Rise. There’s a Scandinavian influence but there are also big build ups and tempo shifts. Bulldozing bass, a formidable guitar blast and vocals brayed over the intense clamor they create. I don’t even want to use the influence shorthand here. All that really needs to be stated is this was some of the most raging music of that time period and Talk Is Poison were a band that perhaps got overlooked a bit. Drawn from two 7”s of their own, plus their split with Deathreat, recorded in ’98 and ’99. Goddamn I wish I’d been able to stay there a few more days. (PO Box 410892, SF, CA 94141-0892, www.prankrecords.com)

Suburban Voice blog #39

… a nice long blog here, making up for the three week gap. Let’s get to it…

IN DEFENCE OF NUDITY: PHOBIA? HEAVEN OR HELL?

This is a not-so-clever way of tying together reviews of three recent shows I attended. Actually, there was full nudity at one and partial nudity at another. I remember years ago, when interviewing MDC, Dave Dictor referred to Woodstock and how it was about “everyone get their ya-yas out, taking their shirt off, let’s go ball in the woods.” There weren’t any woods, not any ballin’ but shirts came off at all three.

The show with In Defence happened in a basement in Allston and they played with Disaster Strikes and Rabia. There was one other band who opened up but I didn’t catch their name and their punk tunes were on the mediocre side. Rabia are a ferocious punk band from NYC who brought it with energy and aggression the whole set. In Defence were up next. They’re setting up their gear and I’m waiting for their vocalist Ben Crew to appear. Oh man did he appear. Ben wasn’t wearing one stitch of clothing. Completely nekkid. And he didn’t just stand around, either. He charged around the room like a maniac. Good ripping hardcore mainly at a fast clip although the mid-tempo “Boom Box Crew,” a newer song with thrashy bursts, got a nice circle pit going. Somewhere along the way, Ben cut his foot on some glass or a can and had to be fixed up by a nice woman who knew first aid. By then, he’d finally put something on. I can do all the describing I want but here’s a picture to show what you missed:

I hadn’t seen Disaster Strikes for a few years and they made a power-packed showing. I don’t think their recordings capture the live thing at all. Jeff’s also an in-your-face frontman but he did keep most of his clothes on. Actually, I think he shed his shirt by set's end.

Next, from the basement to the arena for Heaven and Hell, Megadeth and Machine Head at the Tsongas Arena up in Lowell. I don’t think I’ve been to a show of this sort since the Ozzfest in 1999 and that was with the Ozzy-fronted version of Sabbath. Heaven and Hell are the Ronnie James Dio version, with Dio joined by Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi and Vinny Appice. They have to use that name because Sharon Osbourne owns the rights to the Sabbath name.

In any case, I knew we were at the right place because of the sight of long-haired metal dudes, some young, a lot of ‘em old and let’s say quite a few of the guys were on the paunchy side and their vintage Sab shirts didn’t always fit them too well. Actually, it was a mixed audience that included plenty of old-timers. It didn’t seem particularly rowdy compared to the arena shows I used to attend in the 80s and 90s. The security check wasn’t quite as bad as at clubs like Axis, although people weren’t even allowed to bring in lighters. I mean, what about holding up lighters during the ballads? Isn’t there any respect for rock ‘n roll tradition anymore? Sure, you can hold up your cellphone but it’s just not the same. At least a few managed to get certain things past security and we’ll get to that.

Machine Head opened the show before a fairly small audience. The sound was absolutely abysmal—it did improve later in the show. Some of the guys have Bay Area thrash roots with the band Vio-lence and that shows up a little bit in their sound although it’s kind of subsumed by nu-metal and rhythmic impulses. The band have been around 15 years at this point, through various permutations and the musical hodgepodge is semi-successful, better when the older influences drive the songs. One interesting item of note is that Robb Flynn dedicated a song to Dimebag Darrell, stating that a right wing blog had called him talentless and his death was “good riddance.” I was expecting him to turn it around and criticize the recently-departed Jerry Falwell’s life as a hate-filled preacher being worthy of the same kind of scorn. I suppose I was asking for too much there.

Around this time, a very foul-smelling, rather large gentleman (probably in the neighborhood of 300 lbs), accompanied by his wife/girlfriend/significant other showed up and sat down a few seats away. It wasn’t far enough. Shortly after, he sparked up a joint and very generously offered us a hit, which I politely declined. Nice of him to offer, though. He and the lady kept getting up and coming back. Whatever they were doing, he must have been pretty stoned because. later in the evening, the guy had shed his shirt. Ellen tapped me on the shoulder and told me to look behind me and that’s an image I may not be able to shake off for awhile.

Megadeth were up next and rocked pretty well. They played the “hits” including “Hangar 18,” “Holy Wars," "Wake Up Dead” and, of course, “Peace Sells,” along with a lot of songs I wasn’t as familiar with, probably due to the fact my Megadeth collection ends with 1990’s “Rust In Peace.” I guess it’s an all-new lineup. In any case, hair was flying all over the place and Mustaine looked to be in good shape and their 40 minute set was entertaining. Total metal.

Then it was time for Sabbath, er Heaven, er... fuck it… Sabbath. Ronnie James Dio is 64 years old, may not be able to hit the high notes quite as much as he used to but there is little diminishment in his pipes or energy level. This was showmanship, complete with lighting effects, some explosions, the silly, obligatory drum solo and a too-long version of “Heaven and Hell.” Still, these guys have style. I’ve always like Tony Iommi’s stage presence. He doesn’t do the big rock showman moves—no windmills, no crashing down on the strings, just blasting out the powerchords and leads with class and panache. On the other hand, Dio does every clichéd rock move in the book—pointing the fingers, showing the devil sign, twirling the mike stand when he picks it up. And I’m a sucker for it. Naturally, the set came from their three albums together, plus a couple of new ones that lumbered along with crushing riffage. Not even the sight of the obese, shirtless guy could ruin the night. In fact, it probably made it more memorable, for better or worse.

Finally, a few nights later, it was back to the sweaty, stifling Cambridge Elks for a 7 band show—of which I caught four of ‘em. So hot that people were taking off their shirts here, as well. It's a trend! As for the bands, Strong Intention seem to have veered towards more of a straight-forward thrash style, albeit not completely abandoning the grind elements. Probably the best I’ve seen them play. Phobia were next and their drummer is unbelievable. One local drummer was looking on in complete awe by this guy’s lightning-quick technique and he made it look easy. Tight and grinding, with plenty of audience interaction. Speaking of interaction and craziness for that matter, it was non-stop for Toxic Narcotic’s first local show in over a year. From the moment they started playing, the audience went nuts and it didn’t let up for their whole set. It seems as though TN were the band most people were there to see, because the place cleared out significantly after they played.

EXTREME NOISE TERROR

As for ENT, their two vocalists weren’t able to get through immigration by the time the show happened, so it was just the four musicians and one of the guitarists doing the vocals. It was adequately raging but they only played 15-20 minutes and one could argue we were watching an ENT covers band. Oh well.

MUSIC REVIEWS

BLÜDWÜLF-Cryptic Revelations (Charged, CD)
Do I have the umlauts correctly positioned? That should indicate that you’re about to encounter something metallic and that’s the case with this Rochester, NY band on their first album. Lord Reverend Jimmi Sinn (or James, if you want to be less formal) has a lower-register snarl, along with the occasional demonic tonsil expulsion. There’s a pronounced NWOBHM influence and it’s often fused to speedier impulses and they also rock out on occasion (“Hell Razor”). The presentation is cartoonish over the top and probably more than slightly tongue in cheek. A whole lot of fun you can pump your fist to. (PO Box 3118, Jersey City, NJ 07303-3118, www.chargedrecords.com)

BURIAL-Hungry Wolves (HG Fact, CD)
Not a new Burial release but a CD anthology of their two 7”s, a comp track and a pair of unreleased songs recorded at the same time as their album “Never Give Up… Never Give In.” A German band but these guys have a punishing Japanese hardcore influence. Whatever you want to call it, Burial bring it with a non-stop charge of battering-ram drumming (including a tiny bit of cowbell on the title track), blazing guitars and harsh vocals. They do slow it down a tad for “The Incurable Fever” and it’s a first class fist-pumper. The rest will get the heart, legs and other body parts pumping, as well. (www.interq.or.jp/japan/hgfact)

CHARGE-Who’s In Control?! (Reaper, CD)
The first song is called “Souled Out Souls” and Charge, a four piece from New Jersey, play what I guess could be called soul core. That’s not really meant as a compliment. In the early 90s, they would have been playing on a show with 24-7 Spyz or whatever incarnation of the Bad Brains were around at the time—and if it was the Chuck Mosley lineup, you’re fortunate you didn’t see it. Hard rock with a groove/rhythmic element and played with precision. Just not that interesting. (PO Box 2935, Liverpool, NY 13089, www.reaperhardcore.com)

CLOROX GIRLS-J’aime Les Filles (BYO, CD)
The skinny ties have been broken out, the Clorox Girls are back. Well, one long-time Girl, that is. Guitarist/vocalist Justin Maurer is the sole original member but the emphasis remains power-pop/punk. While there are some good songs here, more than enough to get by, the burn and buzz from the first two albums is somewhat absent.. Make that largely absent. The songs are still sprightly and catchy but the guitars aren’t nearly as loud and that’s what’s needed. They’ve always been a better live band anyway, so perhaps these songs will translate better but this album is something of a letdown. (PO Box 67609, LA, CA 90067, www.byorecords.com)

CONQUEST FOR DEATH-Front Row Tickets To Armageddon (Wajlemac, CD)
CFD have added a second guitarist since their first EP and it beefs up their sound. Perhaps I missed it before, but I hear some Bay Area thrash crossover on occasion, especially for “Night Crew” and the tight track, complete with gang vocals. Various tempos, all of it executed with precision and power and each instrument stands out—rumbling bass-lines, searing, wank-free guitar leads and solid drumming holding it all together. There’s certainly a reverence for older hardcore but it’s just part of the equation, not the whole deal. I can even get past the semi-pretentiousness of some of the titles—I mean, “Within The Whitewashed Walls Of The Sepulchral City”? I suppose it spurns thought while the songs are bashing your brains in. Extra credit for the more straightforward sentiments “Circle Pits, Not Prayer Circles.” (PO Box 8039, Emeryville, CA 94662, www.wajlemac.com)

GERIATRIC UNIT-Nuclear Accidents EP (Plastic Bomb, 12”)
First, there’s the name of the band and, on the insert, it says “Old-Fast-Loud,” so I don’t have to make any jokes myself. They did the work for me. There are people from Heresy in this band and they’re doing what they know best—making a hard ‘n fast thrash ruckus. Vocalist Gords has the appropriate rage in his voice and “Waste-Line” is a declaration: “OK, we’re old but still here… we’re still angry like you/pissed forever, running through.” This speaks volumes to yours truly and it sure ain’t a pose. Trust me on that one. These guys have the aches ‘n pains, the insomnia, the depression and this is an explosive, effective way to express all of it. (www.plasticbombrecords.de)

MOUTH SEWN SHUT-Doomed Future Today (Rodent Popsicle, CD)
Another cheery missive from Mouth Sewn Shut who, in case you forgot, include Bill and Will from Toxic Narcotic. More reggae this time, albeit raw and rocked-up. Little dub, no horns, not even a cute little ska beat. Meanwhile, the faster, hardcore songs aren’t that different from TN and the album starts with the explosive “When Is It Going To End.” The commonality between both bands, of course, is the fatalistic world view. I hope that the powers-that-be don’t read the lyrics to “Ass Ass In 8” (say it fast) with its exhortation “Pull the trigger before it’s too late.” I like the sentiments of “We’re All Immigrants,” which states the truthful fact that the only ones who aren’t illegal immigrants are the Native Americans and takes a shot at the xenophobes who love to toss around terms like “illegal alien” and want to build electrified fences along the border, etc. I’ll admit I’m more enamored with the non-reggae songs but this is hard-hitter. (PO Box 1143, Allston, MA 02134, www.rodentpopsicle.com)

PURE COUNTRY GOLD-s/t (Empty, CD)
Not really country but these two guys do dish out some 50s inspired rootsy rock ‘n roll and, after all, rock ‘n roll was the bastard offspring of country and rhythm. Just guitar and drums and Patrick’s emotional vocals. Emotional in a bad-ass way, not some pimple-faced pining. There are some flat-out rockers here—“Sittin’ At Club 21” and “Don’t Blame Me,” with some nifty whistling but there’s murder on the mind—it’s the old you ain’t mine/you ain’t livin’ theme. This’ll get your rump shakin’ nicely. (PO Box 12301, Portland, OR 97212, www.emptyrecords.com)

RUIDO-s/t (Know, LP)
Ruido’s early material, from the late ‘90s. Raw thrash, with Gen’s low-register growls, joined by a second vocalist and they definitely drew on Extreme Noise Terror and the like. A bug up their ass about religion with “Church and State,” “Hate You God” and their cover of the Fartz’ “Bible Stories.” Their cover of 7 Seconds’ “Fuck Your America” is well executed, as well. There are a couple of noisy, annoying transitions and spotty sound at times but most of this is good ‘n throttling. (PO Box 90579, Long Beach, CA 90809, www.knowrecords.com)

SEVERED HEAD OF STATE-Power Hazard EP (Havoc, 12”)
An improvement over their last album, the uneven “Anathema Device.” This 8 song EP seems a little more focused and the production is punchier, for want of a better term. The opening drumbeat provides a brief thought that they’re going to break into a cover of Priest’s “Hell Bent For Leather,” but then the Scandi-core speedroar comes in. A familiar sound but they do it very well. The melodic intro for “A Sacrament Of The Sick” is a cool touch, as well. With the lyrics, along with the lamentations about the endless cycle of war’s destructiveness and the hopelessness of any resolution, there are also a couple of songs dealing with mortality. SHOS’ vocalist Jack Control was stabbed nearly to death in early ’06 and “Deaths Marionnette” and “Adversity” seem to be about that. “Deaths Marionette” states “Flirting with death... death laughs/Begging for death… death just laughs.” It sounds as though he’s laughing back at death with “Adversity” That song starts with the exhortation “They have already written my eulogy though I am still standing and I still breathe/No fear inside and no end in sight/ I am not even close to that endless night,” concluding “The shadow of death follows me and I don’t give a fuck.” The latter comes across as an exclamation of triumph. That’s enough analysis. A powerful musical and lyrical statement. (PO Box 8585, Minneapolis, MN 55408, www.havocrex.com)

Suburban Voice blog #38

THE STATE

FINALLY, THE STATE HIT BOSTON

The State, as in the Michigan hardcore wrecking machine. A quick schooling, if you don’t know who they are. The State’s history actually dates back to the 70s but their first 7” EP, “No Illusions,” came out in 1983 and is one of the more overlooked vinyl artifacts from that era and also one of my favorites. A raw, pissed-off hardcore sound that merged the brawn of the time with some innovative guitar scorch by Art Tendler. They stuck around until sometime in the late 80s. In ’03, three quarters of the “No Illusions” lineup reunited to play a benefit for an area record store, State Control Records, and have been back together ever since. 2006 saw their first new recordings in two decades, in the form of the “All Wrong” LP.

Time may have passed but the State sound just as pissed and agitated as ever. Vocalist Preston Woodward is all business, barking out the words and going onto the floor to get up in peoples’ faces and make sure they get the point. They began the set by playing the 7” in order, in its entirety and the balance consisted of songs from the LP, another 80s vintage song, “State,” one new song (they have 15 new songs recorded) and an encore of Discharge’s “State Violence State Control.” A friend of mine gets pissed when I bring up age, since she thinks it’s a state (no pun intended) of mind and she may have a point. Still, it’s pretty damned cool to see people in my age vicinity that are still committed to making a loud statement and don’t look ridiculous doing so. Hell, they could teach some bands half their age about the fine art of raging.

I didn’t get to see much of the other bands—I did see Mind Eraser’s intense, punishing set of speed and heavy crawl and a few songs from Scapegoat, who operate in a similar vein. Standing next to the PA during those bands is akin to having bricks clapped hard onto the sides of your head. I missed Psycho since I was interviewing the State at that point.

THE RETURN OF TOTAL FURY

Not to stereotype but it seems as though, no matter the style, most Japanese bands I’ve seen over the years know how to put on one hell of a show. This goes for garage punk bands like Teengenerate and Guitar Wolf, street punk like Tom and Boot Boys and such hardcore purveyors as DSB, Forward, Warhead and these guys. Total Fury were in the States in ’01 and ’02 and their pure rush of energy quickly won people over. Drawing heavily on early 80s hardcore, particularly of the Dischord variety but not restricted to that. In any case, it’s 2007 and they’re back and ready to raise havoc once again. No disappointment. Sure, it was chaotic, sometimes threatening to fly apart but the floor exploded when they opened their set with SSD’s “Glue.” Kenji held up a Red Sox logo as a tribute, although he did admit to me he’s a Yankees fan. That’s OK—I’ll give him a pass. Actually, except for the covers, there weren’t always a ton of people dancing. There was a sideshow that had started earlier in the evening with two guys doing low-budget pro wrestling moves. I was amazed they didn’t kill themselves while partaking in the elbow drops. The “TO-TAL FU-RY” chant was resurrected from ’01—think about the “Let’s Go Red Sox” and the rhythmic clapping that follows. That’s what the chant is based on. At the end, everyone’s sweaty and there’s a satisfying feeling. Hmm… that could be taken a few ways but I’m talking about the music’s effect. I counted 24 songs on their set list and it didn’t take them long to rip through all of ‘em. Their cover of Scream’s “New Song” was a pleasant surprise—very few bands cover Scream. One of those sets where it’s tough to fight off the urge to go in the pit and raise hell.

Total Fury were on tour with Reagan SS, who were on the east coast for the first time, and Albany band The Jury. Reagan SS have a whirlwind sound that was bookended by a heavy-as-fuck intro and outro. Matching Flying V’s for the guitarist and bass-player and that four-string plucker, Andy, was the weapon here. Wanton finger-picking and making the floor rumble in a Mikey Donaldson (Offenders/MDC) kind of way. Matt and The Jury’s vocalist Mike have something in common. Both scream until their voices are raw and their faces turn purplish-red in the process. The Jury are pared down to a four piece these days but the sound remains razor-sharp and aggressive.

REAGAN SS

There were three local openers and they all put in solid performances. This was my first time seeing Step Forward and I liked their brief, catchy hardcore blasts. Close Call have recently re-formed and they have a good blend of speed and heavier elements. Waste Management have a tough, muscular 80s-inspired sound. A great night all around.

MUSIC REVIEWS

BLACK SS/HOW WE ARE-split (Stop Whining, Start Winning/Specimen 32, 7” EP)
Black SS return with three more hearty, bruising hardcore punk songs. “Subhuman” is on a level with their album, the other tracks slightly less so. How We Are, meanwhile, merge hardcore and some melodic elements. Heavy and driving, but Black SS are the attraction here, by far. (SWSW: 58 Belaire Dr., Horseheads, NY 14845, swx2records@gmail.com)

BORN BAD-s/t (Fashionable Idiots, 7” EP)
Sheesh—this is bad-ASS. Raw hardcore punk in a stripped-down format. Three fast ones on the A-side but, on the flip, they slow it down a tad and get a little more rockin’ for “Walls” and “Dead Or Alive.” The lyrics fall into the rantology realm—“I don’t need your bullshit, I don’t need your fuckin’ rules” is the opening salutation for “Authority Bullshit.” Rantology coupled with bruiseology—you get the idea. (PO Box 580131, Minneapolis, MN 55458, www.fashionableidiots.com)

HOMBRINUS DUDES-Politi-Kill (I Deal, LP)
Ear canal-a-kill. A grinding/thrashing two piece that bash out some nasty sounds—subterranean growls and high-pitched shrieks and the lyric sheet is a necessity. It also helped me in figuring out the name of the band, which is pretty damned close to illegible on the cover. The duo’s lyrics about a world in decay are on the money. I just wish their brand of early Napalm Death-inspired brutality was more listenable. Nice “Supernaut” lick at the end of their cover of Sepultura’s “Anti-Cop.” (19 Goldsmith St., Littleton, MA 01460, www.i-dealrecords.com)

ICU-17 Minutes (Put-On, 7” EP)
All that noise is coming from just guitar and drums? There’s enough fuzz that the bass isn’t missed on this three song EP. Attitudinal punk rock/garage bashing from guitarist/vocalist Peewee and her drummer accomplice Memphis Mike for both “17 Minutes” and “AP,” while the flip is their volume-drenched take on Pink Floyd’s “See Emily Play.” Nice ‘n loud. (131 Grand St., Brooklyn, NY 11211, www.passoutrecordshop.com)

KVOTERINGEN-Bister Prognos (Terötten, LP)
I’d probably mangle this Swedish band’s name if I tried to pronounce it—I’ll bet I did when I played songs off this LP on the radio show. The band’s guitarist, Jallo, has logged time in Totalitär, Meanwhile, Krigshot and other prime units of raucous shredabililty. One side features new, unreleased material and the flip has tracks taken from two EPs and a split with Pisschrist, all recorded over the past few years. To say that Discharge is an inspiration on some of these songs would be an understatement—“Om 40 År” is a melding of “Death Dealers” and “Free Speech For The Dumb.” “Det Var Då Väl Det Va!?” is a take on “Protest and Survive.” That doesn’t go for every song but the pillaging and decibel level never wanes. What makes this album so goddamned good is the rawness and wanton way in which they smash out these songs. When this style is played too cleanly, it can detract a bit. No problem here. (distr. in US by Havoc, PO Box 8585, Minneapolis, MN 55048, www.havocrex.com)

SEX/VID-Tania EP (Dom America, 7” EP)
This band have an assaultive way of doing things. Over-the-top aggression fueled by shit-hot guitar/bass that creates unholy havoc. I’ve hyperbolized enough. Sex/Vid just bring it in no quarter hardcore punk fashion. Incidentally, the mid-tempo, bashing title track refers to Patty Hearst’s guerilla name after she was kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army and developed a case of Stockholm Syndrome. Killer… now, anyone want to hook me up with their first record? You can probably find this record through various distributors. The record only has a band contact—PO Box 2066, Olympia, WA 98507)

STATE-Nixed Life (Grand Theft Audio, CD)
It’s tough to beat an anthology that leads off with one of the best US hardcore 7”s of the early 80s. I’ve sung the praises of this band’s “No Illusion” EP since I got it ca. 1983. Even with the remixed version, it’s still a killer. Pissed-off sentiments and a sound that had the thrash elements, accompanied by some noise-damaged guitar ear-singe. That’s followed by a boatload of unreleased material—their ’83 demo, which showed the State playing up the bootboy angle a bit, while maintaining the razor-sharp hardcore. This is a raw as fuck recording and, even through the hiss, the power emerges. Then there are a few so-so rehearsal demos, rebounding for a smokin’ live radio set from 1983. The recordings reach as far back as 1980-81, when there was a different lineup, with guitarist Art Tendler on vocals, and the songs take more of a garage/rock ‘n roll turn, particularly for “I’m On The Outside,” which has Stooge Ron Asheton’s guitar playing all over it. Except for the political nature of some of the lyrics, there’s definitely a stylistic difference from what would follow later on. There are extensive liner notes that tell a very interesting story about this band’s evolution. Also, you should be grateful that they left off the not-so-hot 1986 LP, “False Power.” (501 W. Glenoaks, PMB 313, Glendale, CA 91202, www.myspace.com/grandtheftaudiorecords)

UV RAYS-Night Of The Living Dudes (Garagepop, CD)
I suppose you could spell it “rawk” for these upstate Noo Yawk rawkers. I’m sorry for the previous sentence but it’s accurate. In any case, this is fired-up fodder with loud guitars and a hint of sleaze, with the partyin’ lyrics but it’s a dark party. “Kick The Corpse” takes more of a political turn, for instance—visions of dead politicians and I imagine there will be one hell of a party after that happens. Of course, it’s not likely but it’s still a nice sentiment. The vocalist, who goes by the name of Ultra-What?, has a nasally-yet-confident cadence, like a more pissed-off Axl Rose at times. Furiousness on display. One minor quibble—the world doesn’t need yet another cover of Gang Green’s “Alcohol.” (PO Box 88003, Rochester, NY 14618, www.garagepoprecords.com)

VARIOUS-Brandon Hardcore: Music For The Kids (Burn Brandon, 7” EP)
A free compilation 7” (if you’re not a local, just send postage money to cover the shipping cost) that includes some kickass hardcore from the area. Brandon is just outside of Tampa and the scene centers around the Sound Idea store. I’ve been there a few times and it was refreshing to see such an enthusiastic hardcore gathering point in the midst of depressing urban/suburban sprawl. The bands are a mixed lot—I’m not too enamored of the grindier Small Talk Death, for instance, but Machete Attack and Bad Eating Habits rage with authority. Reckless Deerhunters’ sole song is a fairly rockin’ punk tune and Gross National Product’s straight-ahead hardcore has come quite a way since their demo. Control De Estado mangle the Pink Lincolns’ “I’ve Got My Tie On” beyond recognition. Hey, can’t beat the price. (sndidea@ix.netcom.com)

Suburban Voice blog #37

I ADAPT

There are times lately I’ve been suffering from horrible writers’ block, especially when it comes to the reviews. It seems as though I constantly use the same phrases and descriptions and reach for a new and unique way to describe these records, CDs and tapes. Even now, I’m trying to come up with an effective way to convey my frustration. The idea has always been to give the reader an idea of the band’s sound, influences and where it lies along the spectrum of greatness to garbage. Most releases fall in the middle but why dismiss something when it catches my ear, even momentarily? As much as these records, for the most part, aren’t really breaking new ground, many have a spirited, energetic (a word I use way too much) approach to their music and those elements make their recordings worthwhile.

On a more positive note, it looks as though there will be quite a few killer, kick-ass bands on tour throughout the spring and summer. In the coming months, there will be tours from Total Fury (with Reagan SS and The Jury), Look Back and Laugh, Pisschrist (from Australia) and, just this week, Out With A Bang from Italy, Brutal Knights from Toronto, The Vicious from Sweden and The Horror from the UK.

Speaking of overseas bands, I saw I Adapt play at the Museum of Fine Arts school in Boston on 4/10. The show happened in the lobby of the building and, even with the high ceilings, the sound wasn’t that bad. They’re the first band I’ve seen from Iceland and I resisted the urge to make Bjork jokes. Their sound is in the heavy, angst-filled/melodic style of a band like Modern Life Is War and that’s not always something I’m too enamored with but these guys have a killer live thing. The played with Coctopus, Blake and Phil from Bones Brigade’s new hard rock/wah-wah-oriented band and the hammering doom ‘n grind of Backstabbers Inc., make a rare local appearance. I didn’t stick around for The Body but, as I was walking back to my car, I could hear them from a quarter mile away. That’s how loud they were.

REVIEWS… HOPEFULLY NOT TOO INCOHERENT

ANNIHILATION TIME

ALABAMA THUNDERPUSSY-Open Fire (Relapse, CD)
So the label sent one of those lousy packages without the lyric booklet… just a cardboard sleeve with the cover art and one paragraph hyping the album on the backside. I generally refuse to review these kind of packages. I’m only reviewing it this time to point out the fact that it does the band a disservice in that their work doesn’t get a complete representation. Hell, I can’t even play it in my computer or use it on my MP3 player. Actually, I CAN but I’m taking the fifth on telling you how I did it. In any case, heavy, sorta stoner-ish rock with stentorian vocals from new mouth Kyle Thomas. His gruff pipes tend to overpower things, actually—maybe if they were subsumed in the mix a bit more. Good strong riffage and boogie chops, though—it’s retro without completely having that ambiance. While the more melodic elements detract slightly from the crunch and there are times some cheesiness sets in, it still rocks. That’s all you need to know. (www.relapse.com)

ANNIHILATION TIME-Cosmic Unconsciousness EP (Tankcrimes, 7” EP)
A five minute rock ‘n roll epic on the a-side (“Reality”) and the flip has two older songs originally done with their first vocalist. The rock ‘n roll meet Flag/Bl’ast-ish tendencies remain in place, especially in the guitar riffs and the sound is as fired-up as ever. In fact, these songs are better than just about anything on the band’s second album. The very psychedelic artwork, by Marcello Crescnenzi, is an eye-catching visual complement to this decidedly non-psychedelic band. Unless you’re talking about one bad motherfuckin’ trip. (PO Box 3495, Oakland, CA 94609, www.tankcrimes.com)

BEAR PROOF SUIT-Science Is Dead (Criminal IQ, 7” EP)
Bear Proof Suit have one of my favorite song titles so far in this fairly young year—“Prosecutors Will Be Violated” and it’s not just about the title. Furious punk with a Scandi-core guitar signature on that song.. There’s a convincing aggressiveness throughout, especially for the title track. “Sans Equity” offers a tad more complexity and sneaks in a coda of Blue Oyster Cult’s “Before The Kiss (A Redcap)” at the end. And it takes brass ones to cover the legendary Wipers and the band is up to the task with their version of “Up Front.” (3501 N. Southport, Chicago, IL 60657, www.criminaliq.com).

BRODY’S MILITIA-All Bridges Burned (Brickwoods Butcher, demo)
This cuddly band are back to bash your skull in. Six songs, which will all appear on various splits, except for the Nun Slaughter cover, “Slut Burner” (lovely) that is slotted for a tribute album to that band. Nasty, raw thrash and punk that occasionally hits grind-like levels of velocity. “Same Shit, Different Dress Code” stands out, with its street punk meets rock ‘n roll style. “Won’t Change A Thing” is also in more of a rockin’ vein and it comes as no surprise it’ll be on a split with Antiseen. Definitely not for the weak. (PO Box 377, Mount Orab, OH 45154, www.thrashyourface.com/butcher)

CIVIC PROGRESS-s/t (tape)
St. Looie, um, St. Louis has produced some pretty good hardcore bands in the past few years and Civic Crisis are among them. Full-bore, speedy hardcore punk with old school power, pushed along by pissed-off vocals and raw guitar. Civic Progress aren’t going to win any poetry awards for their lyrics—still, there’s something enjoyable about hearing someone yell the words to “Ignorant Fucking Assholes” and “Kill The President” Extra kudos for their song “Crimethinc Is A Joke,” where they’re called out for the “privileged idiots” they are. I like the angry attitude and the music complements it. (5216 Morganford Rd., St. Louis, MO 63116, civicprogress@hotmail.com)

DESTRUCKTIONS-Complete Destructions (Hardcore Holocaust, LP)
Vintage Finnish hardcore from the early 80s and this LP discography includes demo tracks, in addition to songs previously released on vinyl. Destrucktions kept to the blueprint of thumping bass and drums, distort-stun guitar and ranty vocals in a higher register. There’s sonic similarities to Disorder but they didn’t push the envelope as far into unhinged territory as a band like Kaaos. Still, this is some primo blitz and very nicely packaged with a gatefold sleeve and liner notes in both English and Finnish written by the band’s guitarist, Poko. (www.hardcoreholocaust.com)

DOA-Punk Rock Singles 1978-99 (Sudden Death, CD)
Another addition to the DOA catalog series or whatever you call it. In any case, it’s pretty awesome to have a collection of their rare early EPs in one place. And while the later stuff i.e. most of the recordings after 1983, aren’t quite as choice, they still come up a good track every so often, such as their cover of “Marijuana Motherfucker,” a reworking of a couple of David Peel songs. Still, the attraction are such miscreantic (?) treats as “Disco Sucks,” the first song and introduced with Joey Shithead’s bellowing of the title. If I’d heard this in 1978, I would have had my fist raised in anti-disco solidarity. Ask me about my less-than-enjoyable Senior Prom/Saturday Night Fever torture night, sometime. Some of the band’s best-known songs are here—some of which were re-recorded for “Something Better Change.” That includes “The Prisoner,” “13,” “Woke Up Screaming” and “World War 3.” DOA’s forte was always combining snotty punk energy and an inescapable catchiness. Also, DOA stuck to their punk rock guns during a time when there seemed to be a bit of a lull between the original ’77 era bands and the rise of hardcore. A devil-may-care attitude and punk rock defiance—always a good tandem and it’s good to see Joey (or Joe, these days) hang onto it as he’s hit his 50s. (Cascades PO, Box 43001, Burnaby, BC, CANADA V5G 3H0, www.suddendeath.com)

HAPPY BASTARDS-Box Of Hard Knocks (Profane Existence, CD)
Punk that defies expectations. The first song, “Nacimento,” is a quiet, Zoundz-like instrumental, a deceptive prelude to what follows. Rampaging punk tempered with melody and vocals that are sung, not growled or shouted. In all honesty, that was something of an acquired taste at first, but Christy Chatfield avoids excessive over-emoting. “Neither Here Nor There,” coming in the middle of the album, is a knockout. It begins with the speedy attack and alters the speed to a medium tempo, with Christy’s lead vocal complemented by a backing vocal carrying the melody. There’s definitely a subtle UK anarcho feeling here, especially the more tuneful passages but it doesn’t dissipate the impact at all. If anything, it enhances it. (PO Box 8722, Minneapolis, MN 55408, www.profaneexistence.com)

REPERCUSSIONS-11 Songs EP (540, 12” EP)
Strong hardcore punk from Texas and the guitar player is Stan from Signal Lost/Deathreat/Balance of Terror and there are also people from Pedestrians, Army of Jesus and other bands. A combination of US style hardcore, particularly Poison Idea, along with Scandinavian influences. And, to quote the rotund Oregonians, there’s plenty of pure hate expressed here, particularly on the topic of religion. “Bomb The Pulpit,” “On Your Knees” and “Body Of Blood” make that point rather succinctly. “Breeding Contempt,” meanwhile, lament “breeders,” stating “Do we really need more of us? (Timmy Hefner, 1012 Brodie St., Austin, TX 78704, timmythetexasturd@gmail.com)

SACRED SHOCK-s/t (tape)
Three former members of Army of Jesus, along with a new vocalist, Alex from Iron Age, among other bands. Good surging hardcore punk, a bit more melodic than AOJ but it’s still not radically different. Also, the tuneful qualities don’t overwhelm things—the aggressiveness is still at the fore. That comes out full-tilt for “Bridge Burner” and “Best Interest.” I hope to see some vinyl in the not-too-distant future. They’re ready. (www.myspace.com/sacredshockatx)

SOCIALICIDE-Sick Of The Pressure (tape)
Rippin’ fast hardcore punk. They’ve got it down, with tightness and rage and it blows by without let-up. Standard themes of alienation, confusion, etc. Goddamn, I remember those days. They’re still going on, actually. No complaints, here. (816 Nugent Dr., Chesapeake, VA 23322, myboilingpoint@hotmail.com)

WARCRY-Deprogram (Feral Ward, LP)
There isn’t one ounce of originality on this record, Warcry’s second album. Nada. This is a formula. A set method. Basic, crusty hardcore punk with a Dis-inclination, although it’s not really straight D-beat fodder. And, you know what? I fucking love it. Whether fast or at a more moderate pace, all the right buttons are punched. The identities are hidden but Todd Burdette from Tragedy/Deathreat/et al is the vocalist and this is clearly a loving indulgence of the style. Hoarse vocals, shredding guitar riffs and cool bass runs and the latter is a highlight on “One Last Warning.” When this style is played the right way, it’s a joy to hear. (www.feralward.com)

So I'm apparently a hippie!

... I'll occasionally indulge in some ego gratification by doing a Google search on my name and I stumbled across a blog by Henry Yu, a former MRR columnist. He was let go in '05 (which was ridiculous--he had a good column) and decided to analyze the various columns that were left, including yours truly's...

http://whatwedoissecret.blogspot.com/2005_08_01_archive.html

... quite humorous. I mean that--it made me chuckle. But I'll always defend liking CCR... no need to be defensive about it, actually.

Here's the column in question:

Having just wrapped up the review section for this column, I now have the radio on, tuned to the local sports station. I was all set to tear apart wackjob fundamentalist Pat Robertson for saying that Muslims shouldn’t be judges and for his sickening comments on ABC’s “This Week With George Stephanopoulos” where he said, in essence, liberal judges were more of a threat to America than “a few bearded terrorists who fly into buildings.” Just the latest shocker in a long history of demagoguery from this fringe character who still gets a lot more mainstream media exposure than he should. His words speak volumes and it’s frightening that he still has any sort of following.

So that’s what I was planning on writing about but what more needs to be said, really? It gets exhausting and seems like screaming at a wall, to be honest. Robertson will be back on the chat shows and this episode will probably pass from the public consciousness until he says something else that’s equally crazy. Anyway, I’m half-listening to the radio and they had an ad for the upcoming John Fogerty/John Mellencamp concert at the corporate rock shed in the sticks--it used to be called Great Woods but is now named after a stereo chain. As with many of these “shed” venues, there are plenty of boomer-friendly acts playing there. The oldies or nostalgia circuit.

There’s a snippet of “Fortunate Son” that plays in the ad. It’s not the classic CCR version but a newer rendition by Fogerty. The grit and anger in his voice is long gone. It sounds tame. No intensity. It sounds as though he’s trying to summon the Fogerty of old but it’s not quite happening. But I’m sure it’ll be crowd-pleasing, anyway. I can see the middle-aged patrons (and, yes, I know I’m also middle-aged) in their hideous patterned shirts covering their paunches (have one of those too!) swaying and singing along, before getting in their SUVs with the yellow ribbons and heading back to their homes in the ‘burbs.

CCR--PUNK AS FUCK!

When that song came out in 1969, it sounded ferocious, especially to this 9 year old kid who had just started listening to the radio a lot more. It was a song I always looked forward to hearing. I didn’t get the record for a few more years—it was kind of a beat-up copy I got at a thrift store but it remains in my collection. That sturdy bass-line, steady drum-beat, the spare guitar riff and then Fogerty’s gem of a voice. Vic Bondi from Articles of Faith called it “the voice of American rock and roll,” if memory serves me correctly. Snarly, angry, cantankerous. This wasn’t hippie pie-in-the-sky. Fogerty was from more of a working class background and this was song was about how people of his background got the short end of the stick. These were the kids getting sent off to fight that terrible conflict in Vietnam. “Fortunate Son” and the Bob Seger System’s “2+2=?” are my two favorite war-themed songs from back then. No flower-power, just pure rock ‘n roll. I didn’t know that much about the horrors of war at that age. A few years later, when I was 11 or 12, I became more aware of the horrors of what was going on over there and had fears that it’d still be going on when I turned 18 and I had a pretty good idea I wanted nothing to do with it.

Getting back to “Fortunate Son,” though, it’s been stripped of its meaning, hasn’t it? It’s not just that the new version sounds so weak. The original version was used in a commercial and I’m purposely forgetting the product but I think it was for jeans. You know, the clothing of choice for the counterculture. The commercial included the line “some folks are born made to wave the flag/ooh, they're red, white and blue” as there’s an image of a flag waving. Not so surprisingly, in this commercial, the next line of the song is omitted: “and when the band plays “Hail To The Chief,” oh, they point the cannon at you, Lord.” I know Fogerty probably had nothing to do with the placement of his song in this ad since he lost the rights to his back catalog years ago and, in fact, wouldn’t perform any Creedence songs for a long time. Still, if someone’s exposure to that song is only through the jeans commercial, they probably think it’s just a song about being a good flag-waving American. They don’t have the context. Something’s wrong about that. I could go off on a tirade about how a lot of songs I loved as a kid and teenager have been bastardized in this way but I don’t have the space.

So Fogerty and Mellencamp are on the nostalgia circuit. I just saw MDC play two nights in a row, with the original lineup—Dave Dictor, Mikey “Offender” Donaldson (one of the best bass players in hardcore), Ron Posner and even Al Schvitz. It was a bit loose at times but I’m not averse to a trip down memory lane and those songs still have meaning to me. They played well and they were playing DIY venues, touring around in a van and a trailer. No rock star trips. Doing it because they still want to, I imagine. It seems genuine and still heartfelt.

The songs on “Millions of Dead Cops” forever corrupted my thinking. At the shows, Dave talked about punk being a music for the freaks—I may not look like a freak on the outside, having never really gone in for punk fashion, except for wearing band shirts and some buttons on my jacket, but I always felt like one on the inside. A misfit. An outsider. “Business on Parade,” “America’s So Straight,” “Church and State” and “Born To Die” Those hit me goddamned fucking hard as I played a tape of the album while commuting to a much-despised job in 1982.

The thing is, unlike the probable audience for Fogerty/Mellencamp show, the audiences in Cambridge and Haverhill, Mass. were mostly made up of people who were born after the first MDC album came out. I don’t know if that’s the case elsewhere, but it was true around here. It made me wistful, in a way, because I wonder what happened to all those people I used to see in the 80s. There were a few older faces at both shows but it was a vast minority. In Cambridge, Dave put his arm around my shoulder and pointed out to the youthful gathering that I was probably the only person there who saw them in ’82. I’d guess that’s also true for their 1983 Rock Against Reagan show. But we’re both still here. I’ll leave it to others to decide if that’s cool or pathetic. I’m kind of happy about it, myself.

Suburban Voice blog #36

MY FRIEND THE PIT

That line is taken from an Impact Unit song. A friend of mine from Nevada was telling me about how she was at a punk show and how the pit (she calls it a mosh pit and I explained to her that it’s definitely not cool to use that term) had an unfriendly feel to it. We were talking about “friendly” and “unfriendly” pits. It got me to thinking that, for most of the shows I go to, the pit has a more or less “friendly” vibe. No karate moves or spin kicking, like you see at more tough-core or ’87-inspired hardcore shows—you know, the kinds of bands whose merch usually includes hooded sweatshirts.

It’s a contrast between something being communal and something being individualistic. I do think punk is about individualism and I’m also skeptical as all hell about the “communal” aspect but it’s a nice concept, at least, and the shows where people aren’t beating the living crap out of each other in the pit are more fun. With the martial arts pit crowd, it’s more a sense being self-centered, showing off your style and if someone gets in the way and they get clocked, too bad. They’re not HARD enough. Fuck that. So—to quote the Spark, circle pits, not karate kicks!

And, while I’m sure he’s so humble that he doesn’t want to be pointed out, a round of applause for Boston’s most enthusiastic dancer, Circle Pat. If you go to any DIY punk show around here, you’ll see him dancing like a maniac back and forth to just about any band. Hell, he dances to his own band, Apeshit. And the great thing about Pat is he goes nuts without crashing into people on the side. Even when he dives on people’s heads, there’s no malice. He’s so considerate that when I’m taking photos, he ducks down so he won’t ruin my shot. Agile as hell, too—when Benjamin from Blank Stare was engaging in some serious Roger Daltrey mike swinging and Pat came into the line of fire, he ducked just in time to avoid getting nailed. That’s probably the most impressive dance move I’ve ever seen from the guy.

PAT

Just the other night, I was at a show at MassArt that included three all-female bands, Condenada, Bruise Violet and Joda. Positive Reinforcement and Legion of Hell (watch out for these crust-metallers) started things off. During those three bands’ sets, the dance floor was taken over by the ladies and when a few of them started playing leapfrog, that was an awe-inspiring moment.

BRUISE VIOLET

MUSIC REVIEWS

TWO 7’S PREVIOUSLY REVIEWED AS DEMOS:

Two very good demos that I had reviewed before (is there an echo in here?) are now available in the vinyl format. The first is from The Youths, whose “We’re The Youths,” has been given a lovely yellow pressing on Criminal IQ Records (3501 N. Southport, Chicago, IL 60657, www.criminaliq.com). This Portuguese band hammer out five songs of catchy garage/punk snot and a slight amount of non-pretentious artsiness. When a song has handclaps and makes me want to clap along, as it the case with “Decontrol,” it’s a good sign. The other record is from the California hardcore band Nightstick Justice, a split release between Even Worse and Way Back When Records (WBW: Noel de Boer, Saenredamsraat 44-2, 1072 CH Amsterdam, HOLLAND, www.geocities.com/evenworserecords). This band’s boiling-over sound grabbed me with the demo format and it sounds even better on vinyl. No let-up, no breaks, except when you have to turn the record over, and it’s pure throttle. I guess they heard me when I said the demo “begged for a demo release.”

ENCROACHED-Shoot The Icons (Shock To The System, 7” EP)
Off-the-rails hardcore by this Japanese band and they have a sound that pays tribute to their forebears. Raw distorted production and an attack that merges howling vocals and a clamorous tandem of razor-sharp guitar, earth-moving bass and powerful drumming—all of it moving at high velocity. I have no idea what they mean by “I’ll sabotage the surface relation” nor “Get chance to the rusts,” but these songs make a direct connection and then some. (PO Box 300991, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, http://shocktothesystemrecords.com)

FRUIT SALAD

FRUIT SALAD-Blood Power (Teenage Disco Bloodbath, 7” EP)
Thrash, grind and heaviness from this local (well, to Boston) band with the oddball moniker and on pretty green vinyl. A combination of serious and not-so-serious lyrics. “Natures Revenge Association” (aka “NRA”) advises arming the animals… you know, protect the right to arm bears. I’m still more a fan of seeing grind bands live than on record but these guys have gotten better lately and this recording reflects it. Tight, aggressive playing. (www.tdbrecords.com)

LEFTOVER CRACK/CITIZEN FISH-Deadline (Fat, CD)
They toured together, so here’s a split CD (vinyl on Alternative Tentacles). Each band covers the other—plus LOC cover the Subhumans and Citizen Fish cover Choking Victim. Got it straight? LOC’s songs here are a lot better than on their not-so-great second album. Tuneful punk along with ska and the guitar lines grab ‘n singe. Best of all, I can listen to the songs without being surrounded by their godawful fan base. I have to admit I’m a sucker for their sense of melody. As for the Fishies, they also tread the ska/punk line. I sometimes think the songs that have horns would be better without them but it doesn’t sound like third wave garbage, at least. What’s interesting is the jaunty, upbeat feeling to the compositions even with the deadly serious subject matter. The best song is the urgent, driving punk of “Getting Used To It” that almost has a Rocket From The Crypt feeling to it. No real duds here. (PO Box 193690, SF, CA 94119-3690, www.fatwreck.com)

POUND FOR POUND-For Our Fallen Brothers (Surprise Attack, CD)
When I turn this disc on, I get the urge to start pumping iron. No joke—I was pantomiming some heavy lifting in my den here since I don’t have any barbells. In any case, stentorian hardcore with the requisite bellowing vocals and metallic riffage. Pound for Pound have spent as much time listening to “And Justice For All” and “Vulgar Display Of Power” as they have “The Age Of Quarrel.” As you can probably tell by the title of the record, the subject matter isn’t very cheerful. Such lines as “This world is so full of hurt. The tide of pain left to rip us apart.” I have to admit some of these songs have enough groove to get by but it still ends up being tedious chug-chug. Incidentally, there’s a sad sidebar to this album. It’s dedicated to their friends, at least some of whom were killed in Iraq (I found out by Google-ing their names). Such a tragedy for no legitimate reason. Just as sad is the desire to exact revenge, as expressed on “Stand Our Ground.” That enmity should be directed more at the madmen who had the idea to invade Iraq in the first place. (PO Box 63704, Philadelphia, PA 19147, www.surpriseattackrecords.com)

ROTTENFUX-s/t (Six Weeks, 7” EP)
The thumpa-thumpa drumming is kind of weak but this band’s super-raw early 80s hardcore punk sound is rife with feedback-laden guitar buzz and sputtering leads. The throat rippin’ vocals come from a gentleman who goes by the name Filthy. This sounds as though it could be some lost Killed By Hardcore EP from back in the day and that’s something to be impressed with, much in the same way I’m impressed with one of the guy’s Mecht Mensch hat. (225 Lincoln Ave., Cotati, CA 94931, www.sixweeksrecords.com)

TRANZMITORS-Teenage Tragedy/Invisible Girl (Deranged, 7”)
The latest in a string of singles and the A-side is driving pubby, piano-spiced punk and the flip taking a power pop/semi-glam direction, with nary a skinny tie in sight. Both songs have Thunders-without-the-sleaze guitar licks. The Tranzmitors seem to have multi-faceted pop instincts and I’m curious to hear their upcoming full-length. These two songs are good but don’t completely blow me away. 1166 Chaster Road, Gibsons, BC, V0N 1V4, CANADA, www.derangedrecords.com)

TWENTYSEVENSHOTS-s/t (self-released, 7” EP)
Surging hardcore punk with rock ‘n roll and melodic touches. The lyrics are brooding, “heart on my sleeve,” to quote the title of one of their songs and there are two vocalists/guitarists who take turns howling out those words. Dare I say there’s emotional content in there? Umm… perhaps but before you run away with your hands over your ears, these guys sound pissed off and not the type of guys who are going to cry onto their keyboards while writing LiveJournal entries. Nope—I’d call this a good solid ear-whuppin’. (2704 Garfield Ave., Apt. 1, Minneapolis, MN 55408, twentysevenshots@hotmail.com)

WAR ALL THE TIME/WHOLE IN THE HEAD-Split (Crimescene, 7” EP)
Two raging bands from the UK. Sned, one of the guys in War All The Time, sent a witty note that said “here’s some more stuff from grizzled veterans” or something like that—it was in reference to my review of Violent Arrest. Anyway, I don’t care if they’re 20 or 50, all that matters is their songs rip hard in a Scandinavian-meets-late 80s UK hardcore vein. Whole In The Head, meanwhile, come on like early Agnostic Front for “The Boy Who Told Lies.” Double-speed thrash and they also have some of the Scandi-core style, as well. Nuance, nuance, nuance. The first sentence I wrote actually sums it up the best. (Unit 3, Lodge Causeway Trading Est., Fishponds, Bristol BS16 UK, http://www.crimescenerecords.co.uk)