CLICK THE PICTURES BELOW AND READ THEM!

DON'T JUST SKIP TO THE DOWNLOAD BECAUSE THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE YOU WILL FUCK UP THIS POST FOR EVERYBODY ELSE.







THOU THAT SHALL NOT BE NAMED

RENALDO & THE LOAF - Songs for Swinging Larvae lp

Hard to write about something so near and dear to my heart. Words don't fail me as much as trying to pare down the sheer amount of love I could gush about this LP. How do you succinctly write a couple paragraphs about something that changed your parameters about what music was (and wasn't)? (sniff, sniff) DAMMIT! I love you Renaldo and the Loaf.................
I stumbled upon Renaldo and the Loaf (hereafter refered to as RatL) by way of a little set of videos called "The 1 minute movies" released by the RESIDENTS. I was already oddly fascinated by the Residents brand of un-music and eager to lap up anything they, or their record label, RALPH records put out. A friend of a friend made a trip to visit his sister at Parsons (sniffy art school) in NYC and brought back a vhs tape full of what became my obsession with this weird music for years to come. Within the group of losers and outcasts I hung out with at school, this video had become legend, like that of some mythologized snuff film, before most of us ever got a chance to see it. The owner of the said tape, again, a friend of a friend, wasn't willing to show just anyone the video. It got to be built up like he had captured a murder or images of Satan on that tape and not just anyone could see it. Finally, after some convincing, and the pledge to never tell anyone where we'd seen it, the video was played after school one day.

ERASERHEAD was the first thing on the tape and although creepy, I thought at the time, it was about an hour too long. Next were 2 short films made by some students at Parsons, both pretty forgettable (which I did). The last things on the tape were the earlier mentioned, 1 minute movies, by the Residents. WOAH, I was completely blown away. Like I said, I was already a fan, but getting to see moving images of these weirdos made quite an impression. Up to that point, I had only my young, very un-expanded brain to conjure up my own images of what the Residents were. Other than the music, and arresting graphics on their records, not much was know, including the identities, of the "people" that made this strange noise. But, enough about the "Eye Ball Guys" as my son calls them, I'll save my Doctoral thesis on them for another post.

One of the long video montages was titled Renaldo and the Loaf "songs for swinging larvae". I thought maybe this was a Residents"joke" band or the like, as I had never heard of them. For the next 5 minutes and 33 seconds, I was pinned to my chair with the genuinely disturbing images that flashed across the screen. I can honestly say that NOTHING ever made me feel that unsettled before. That video, which I later learned was actually 3 separate songs, was seething with imagery and ideas that society deemed taboo. Check em' out for yourself and prepare to be creeped. The music captured the precise feeling and look of the video (or vice-versa) and I was dumbfounded to find out who Renaldo and the Loaf were.

Two of the songs, along with several others, ended up being released by Ralph records as Songs for Swinging Larvae by the band Renaldo and the Loaf. I was pretty happy to see and actually hold a copy of this, fearing the videos I had seen were some elaborate hoax perpetuated by the Residents. Nope, RatL were actually a real band, from the U.K. and here was their debut LP. The first thing about this LP that smacked me in the face was the deranged art on the cover. Handsome chap courting the sexy insect lady? What the....... I couldn't wait to play this thing, as the artwork and anticipation were killing me. As soon as I could get it on the turntable, I did, and boy was I FLOORED!! Two songs from the video were there, but there was so much more. The songs oozed and squeaked out of my speakers, the next one weirder than the last. I sat, again, dumbfounded by what I was hearing. Even though the Residents had prepared my ears for disparate sounds of the avant garde, this was like hearing an inanimate object speak.These were the sounds of being held captive by a race of miniature people, breathing helium and entertaining you by tapping, tinkling, scraping any object within reach. These sounds were as exhilarating as they were ominous and I was hooked. Were these sounds, indeed, made by normal human being like you and I?

In the pre-internet days, it was sometimes hard to find out about your favorite artists, especially those who were purposely mysterious and this pretty much summed up everything on Ralph records. If you got on their mailing list though, they sent you propaganda about the stuff they were releasing. This was the entry from the spring 1981 catalog about the release of Songs for Swing Larvae: No synthesizers, no political stance, no great philosophies, no created images, just normal, inquisitive people who delve into their own world for inspiration and diversion. This is an album of primitive modernism, energetic, obnoxious noises, manic, high-pitched vocals, and sweet brilliance. Songs for Swinging Larvae is startling. Though if you know anything about Ralph at all, you're liable to realize right of the bat why Renaldo and the Loaf fits into the Ralph family: they're not afraid to be attached to the future. Still. no great amounts of information contained in that, but at least some light had been shed. I came to terms with simply enjoying this LP without knowing much about the band. It was only years later, through a couple of short zine interviews, that I knew anything at all bout these guys. Now in the Google age, I've found out every bit of minutia surrounding these fellows that I could ever possibly want to know.

Doesn't change anything though.....I still feel the same simultaneous pleasure and dread when listening to this as did the first time the secretive video tape was played all those years ago. Looking back, now I understand why the owner of the video tape was so reluctant to show just anyone what it contained. Even now, with our over-stimulated, over-technologized appetite for more, these videos are still pretty risky and taboo.......

Boom Boom Crash Crash

MAINSPRING - August 23 1994 - April 5 1996

I shared this with a friend this morning. So while the fucking download is up I may as well post it here.

I often feel that after the birth of emo and all that revolution summer stuff Detroit had an awesome and progressive emo/screamo scene through the 90's. Maybe one of the best. With all those closet dust collecting 7"s in every town anywhere who knows. This is a fucking weird ass time for emo or whatever and I just know that I was hearing a lot of play off the original bands going in all directions in most reaches of the dirty mitten (michigan).

I could post something more aggressive or screamo like Jihad or some shit (their split with ottawa was reissued recently. Get that shit. ottawa kills on that record.) I could up something more avant garde and experimental like Constatine Sankathi. But I fucking ain't doing it today.

I've been up for far too long doing far too much stuff so this is plain and simple MAINSPRINGs discography as far as I know with some live tracks. Thank you Cass Records.



Fucking, whatever...

CRASS - You're Already Dead 7" single

I figure there isn't a whole lot about CRASS anybody could say that hasn't been said already. With their seemingly love/hate relationship with music fans it is undeniable that CRASS is one of the most influential punk bands of all time. I must admit their sheer ineptitude with instruments is great. It allowed them to cultivate their own unique sound. I am not going to get into the same love / hate with their politics in the post. If anybody wants to duke it out on that subject go for it in the comments.

Now you probably wonder why bother making a CRASS post at all. Everyone and their mom has already heard CRASS. Well for starters this presents the songs in their original format. You're Already Dead in it's original format stands out particularly. As best I recall "Nagasaki Is Yesterdays Dog End" only appears on the CD Best Before... 1984 outside of this single. The song is changed for the Best Before CD. So here you get it in it's original form. The last reason I can think of to bother making posts about CRASS is for the layouts of their original vinyl releases. They are all remarkable in one way or another. Sleeves unfold into panel upon panel of their diatribes and manifestos and the awesome artwork of Gee utilizing every imaginable space. I am particularly fond of full on poster sized Gee collages versus the microscopic crap on all the CD's. So there you have it.


THEY WON'T FUCKING LISTEN

HUMAN EYE - Self Released Tour cd-r

I am sitting here hoping that a fair number of you that follow this blog... wait, does anyone give a shit about this nonsense we post? Yeah, followers or stumblers upon this little upload shop with shitty opinions and stories attached I hope you have at least heard of HUMAN EYE. If you have heard of these freaky humonoids but have yet to really feel the band out don't use this upload as your measuring stick. That would be like reading Cliff's Notes right before the test. This is more for the fanboy company.

In 2008 HUMAN EYE hit the road for a while right around the release time of their second album, Fragments Of The Universe Nurse. Accompanying them on this exploration of time and space was this self released cd-r. It boasts three songs and each cd is hand made so every one is just a little different. Vagobon sounds like they hit the studio for this recording. I haven't heard it anywhere else but this tour cd. Maybe it was a Universe Nurse reject? The very beginning of the song sounds like some They Came From The Sky stuff. That doesn't last long before it just melts into laid back jammy acid tripping experimental no wave. Next up is Serpent Shadow. Probably recorded on a good old 8 track in the basement judging by the sound. Maybe it is just coincidence that They Came From The Sky has song of the same name? Maybe this is the missing link in HUMAN EYE's creative process? All I know is this Serpent Shadow sounds nothing like the one on the album. The only common ground I can find between the two Serpent Shadows is maybe a few lyrics out of this demo version transferred to the LP song. The last number is Universe Nurse recorded live in Denmark. Excellent sound for a live recording. Has a nice HUMAN EYE "freak out" for a few minutes before they break into the song.

It's too bad they only made 50 of these suckers. Maybe they underestimated the supply and demand? If you managed to get your tentacles on one of these it is no doubt a cool release to have for the HUMAN EYE addict. Besides who doesn't like a cd jewel case held shut with duct tape.

SPACE CULTURE

ABUSE - Mordare 7" ep

This is some straight up, good 'ole face pounding raw noisy d-beat hailing from Sweden. The Mordare ep probably isn't going to make your top 20 raw hardcore records of all time list. Bands like this are a dime a dozen but this 7" ranks up there in that "Check this dollar bin destroyer I found!!!!!!!" category.

Naturally ABUSE has that unique Swedish raw d-beat sound going on. There are a few things that are atypical in ABUSE's sound. The guitars are more fuzzed out and noisy than a lot of your other favorite Swedes. Think ANTI-CIMEX Anarkist Attack. They also went to the other end of the spectrum for vocals. They ditch the deeper, guttural vocal and singer Zambone sounds more like Bob from DROPDEAD. Actually they sound identical.

Not to worry all the studs off your leather jacket yet. There is still enough MOTORHEAD inspired rocking d-beat to make you slosh more of that beer in your hand on the floor and your fellow punx than down your gullet as you mosh around like a drunk punk should. I could have skipped all this shitty writing and just said if you like CRUDITY then this is right up your alley. Why not be a pain in the ass though? Even though ABUSE is long gone somebody in the band still keeps an updated Myspace and Facebook page for the band if you care.

Mordare was released by Ben's pre-Armageddon label Crust Records in 1996.

MAKE NOISE NOT MUSIC

VENOM - Manitou Cassette

Somehow, it always comes back to heavy metal for me. Even when I was barely a teen trying to earn my punk merit badges, at least five of my toes were firmly planted in the cauldron of metal. I always deftly straddled the fence when it came to choosing allegiance to one side or the other. You gotta remember though, this a time when both heavy metal and punk, although microscopic sub-genres of the big picture in music, were still divided. Metal heads, which came directly from cro-magnon like hard rock fans, despised the punks and usually did anything they could to fuck with them (especially where I grew up). Punks on the other hand hated the head bangers right back, but having smaller numbers, didn't usually do too much to retaliate.

So what the fuck does this all have to do with the mighty VEMON you ask? Well. early on, they were the common denominator between both genres, for me. I don't mean that venoms music took me to some secret place in my head that wasn't understood or explored without them. I mean, this was the band that made NEITHER side (metal or punk) wanna kick your ass for what you were listening to. With the knowledge (and a few records) of bands like vemon and motorhead, you (or at least me) could navigate both crowds successfully and without being bloodied or bruised. I mean, it helped too that I was way into both scenes and had a better record collection than most of the lunkheads that wanted to beat me up, but I digress.....

So fucking VENOM, the retarded court jesters of metal. When I heard their first lp not long after it came out I thought, "fucking sloppy.drunken discharge". The noise, yeah NOISE, that came out of the speakers that first time almost made me blow a load in my pants. I couldn't believe the three guys on the back of the lp, who look like Swedish prog rock homos by the way, could pull off such a glorious din. It sounded like a pack of twelve year olds trying to play the first discharge single on newly stolen equipment. Every note on that lp was somehow, sloppily perfect and I proceeded to wear the fucking grooves on that lp to dust. I was hooked and thusly bought everything these geniuses put out (except the 6 live Lps that all came out within a year)

Eventually, the quality or their records got as thin as bassist Cronos hairline. I think it was a combination of them believing their own hype and learning to play their instruments, but "At War With Satan" was the last, truly great venom lp (their third of too many). Nowadays, every real and wanna-be corpse painted choad smoker, claims venom were the black metal "originators". I call bullshit on this theory. Look, there is no doubt vemon were pretty early in putting satan and metal together, but I'm quite sure it was just for the shock value and not to kiss the goat. These boys fancied a pint and some tits way more than any serious satanic shit. Probably even took a couple pages from black sabbaths "how scare people with dark imagery and still have time for a beer" manifesto. I guess if singing about satan (and pussy) the earliest gets you called originator, than so be it (I personally think it was BATHORY who blueprinted bm) All that "who created what" shit is totally subjective anyhow.......

This cassette was released right around the same time as At War.... with a bonus song not on the vinyl and the interview. Fuck, the interview is the only thing that makes this worth sharing (alright, the songs a pretty good too). I love how Neat records, who put this out, totally make the "not our views" disclaimer in the liner notes. Probably because venom talk so much shit about other popular metal bands of the day, mainly manowar. This is venom at their dumbest, drunkest and best. Like the cool uncle that used to come to your house for the holidays, drink too much, call your mom and dad assholes, make up, drink more, then slip a fiver under your pillow before he left............

Many punches and kicks......... Refreshed Link 1/15/14

THRASH OF THE TITANS I - LP Compilation

Through the mid 90's and into the early 2000's metal-core/mosh and fast thrashy hardcore bands were the thing to do. There really were not a lot of bands doing anything different. This record is of the fast thrashy hardcore nature.

This is also a period of time when many people felt putting out comps. was irrelevant with the internet now in many households around the world. Getting your hands on media could be achieved with a few strokes of the keyboard. For fucks sake I am writing this on a blog! Zines weren't exempt from this phenomenon either.

I ask, how many mix-tapes or cd-r's do you remember making during this time period? Compilations are a record label's mix-tape and in threat of dying at this time. Even now they don't seem as common or as relevant as they were in 1984.

I still like seeing comps. around and mix trading with friends. Thrash Of The Titans is a great example of why compilations are still relevant. This is a showcase of a ton of raging bands on one platter.

Thrash Of The Titans I was put out in 2000 by Know Records with 1,000 pressed I believe. Here are what bands graced this comp. with some songs.

DS-13
CAPITALIST CASUALTIES
BEYOND DESCRIPTION
ANAL CUNT
SCARRED FOR LIFE
RUIDO
DEAD NATION
HIRAX
STRONG INTENTION
LACK OF INTEREST
INSULT
D.R.I.
MK-ULTRA
FLACHENBRAND
CRIPPLE BASTARDS
FUCK ON THE BEACH
TRAGATELO

http://www.mediafire.com/file/5ov5cibat8fssiu/Thrash%20Of%20The%20Titans.rar

COLERA - R.I.P. Redson

There was always a plan to post about COLERA here. I didn't really want the reason for showing some COLERA love on here to be because of somebody's death.

Edson "Redson" Pozzi formed COLERA in Sao Paulo, 1979 making them one of the first hardcore punk bands to come from Brazil. Through their lifespan COLERA released numerous albums, a few EPs, a split LP with RATOS DE PORAO and appeared on tons of compilations. They did three tours of Europe and remained active from 1979 all the way through to the present day. Thus making them one of the longest running hardcore punk bands from Brazil.

Unfortunately this may have all come to an end . Lead vocalist, guitarist and founding member Redson died today from a heart attack at age 49. A blow to the punk world for sure.




In honor we're all gonna blast some fucking COLERA for Redson, fuckers! Below I have uploaded their split 12" with RATOS DE PORAO and their live European Tour album.
Rest in punk Redson.

RATOS SPLIT
LIVE IN EUROPE

CHEAP TRAGEDIES live from Cleveland

Now that I have upgraded computers, converters and camcorders I am back to getting videos on line. Plus Youtube allows files up to 20gigs now. No more chopping live sets into a billion different videos to keep the quality. I will be doing sets as a whole and may even take down all the old posts and upload them again as one piece. So here is the first of 130 some odd sets I will start tackling.

STRETCHHEADS - Five Fingers, Four Thingers, A Thumb, A Facelift And A New Identity LP

The most bizarre punk noise band to ever come out of Scotland and probably best punk band from Scotland ever. I am pretty sure these guys were a bunch of spazzes suffering the most severe case of ADHD. I don't think Ritalin was part of their diet either.

The lyrical subject matter covers topics you are likely to hear from the mouth of your favorite schizo crackhead bum. The vocals have best been described as "reminiscent of nothing so much as Sesame Street's Grover with electrodes affixed to his genitals". There is a definite KILLDOZER influence and super choppy guitar riffs with Rimbaudesque drumming bring CRASS to mind as well. STRETCHEDS has managed to take both those influences and play them heavier and faster. I'll be damned if you can tell what the guitar is playing, if anything at all, through 90% of this disjointed noise bomb. The bass, although heavily fuzzed out, is enough to keep your bearings on the riffs. There are even some studio effects and trickery tossed in. Something that sounds like a phone ringing, bursts of electronic hum and some free jazz saxophone.

STRETCHHEADS have a solid spot as one of the quintessential twisted avant-garde punk bands. If you disagree I think you're dumb. Now go blast this and have a seizure.

1,000 copies released in 1988 by Moshka Records

IF IT'S NOT SCOTTISH IT'S CRAP!

RUPTURE - Split 7" Picture Disc

This is RUPTURE......the disc in question is a split with another band, but they suck so why bother to mention their name. This is RUPTURES best record.....it's not "in my opinion" rather than it's a fuckin' fact. RUPTURE has loads of records that are all worthy of your goddamn time. You may have read or heard some negative shit about these fuckers....it's all true. Who really wants to listen to shit approved by politically correct scene police fanzines anyway? What'll that get you, two steps closer to emo faggery?

These 7 inches and 4 some-odd minutes of scorch are the only things that made me crack a sideways smile on this turd heap of a fucking shitty day........Get fucked

PS: This record was released by so and so on blah blah.....

Have a shitty day, fuckhead....

METAL DUNGEON - Blut Summen cassette

This could be and should be the score for every slasher gore genre film from the 70's and 80's that wasn't going to make it out of the grindhouse. METAL DUNGEON's minimalist industrial is the most dark, evil, stark sounding shit I have ever heard. Not only is this noise creepy as fuck it is punishing and harsh. Maybe they watched Rose Mary's Baby drowned out by white noise trippin on shrooms one too many times.

Largely inspired by Maurizio Bianchi METAL DUNGEON have made themselves indentured servants to his sound. MD is unrelenting in their paying of homage to Bianchi with continuous output that always bares his influence. I am even guessing that Blut Summen, loosely translated to Blood Hum, is also a nod to to MB's Blut Und Nebel (Blood And Fog) remix series.

That being said, the first thing that always comes to my mind when I listen to METAL DUNGEON is Riz Ortolani. Well the songs Adulteress' Punishment and Massacre Of The Troupe Ortolani composed for the infamous film CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST. Only METAL DUNGEON removes the orchestral parts from Ortolani and cranks the drone to unsurpassed brutality with electronic hell screams layered over top. Seriously there are sounds coming out of this cassette that are like cows writhing in knocker boxes at the slaughterhouse as they suffocate on their own blood!

All total you get 27 minutes of demented and evil sounding shit released by the defunct Nurse Etiquette cassette label. I can't recall when this was released exactly... 2007? There is also a mystery number run of Blut Summen. Somewhere in the land of 40 to 70 copies.

HORROR AND MAGNETIC TAPE

Crash Worship - What So Ever Thy Hand Findeth, Do It With All Thine Might 12"

Look, I'm no hippie sympathizer......I'm not talking about the yer average cheeb smoker with long hair and a beard. Nope, I speak of the tie-dye wearin', liberal cause havin',outdoor festival attendin', hackysackin', patchouli stinkin', drum circle jammin', freak variety......Just thinking of these peace loving "free spirits" makes me wanna shoot up goddamn Coachella or fucking Bonnaroo fests. Fucking Hippies........

"Jesus Surly, where ya going with this" you ask? Well this record I'm posting has a little to do with the rant above. You see, this slab of wax has its roots in some kinda that hippie culture bullshit. But, after one too many bad trips and the realization that the peacenik act was pretty vapid and could only score you so much free love with the little flower chicks, something went wrong.......horribly wrong. What started out as "free and loving" turned into a dark sound track for the Bacchanalian orgies that occur right after the High Priests chant and satanic rituals have been performed.

"Initially starting as a studio project, Crash Worship soon learned the power of a live audience. During performances, the band's members (or often provocateurs) would manipulate the crowd, involving them more deeply into the show, ultimately eliminating any boundaries between spectator and performer. The musicians would also mobilize their instruments on and off the stage into the middle of the audience (or outside), lighting explosives and hosing down the crowd with various liquids, including piss and blood and creating an atmosphere of celebratory abandon and mirth. Epileptic strobing lights, nudity, mysterious liquids, sex and smoke filled rooms (at next to zero visibility) were all a part of the average show.The chaos of these events often invited unwanted attention from cops who would later forcibly shut down most if not all of their show". Yeah, thanks interweb......

Got to see em' live twice and by fucking god, they lived up to the above hype. Loud, pounding and DANGEROUS might be a few words to describe what I witnessed on those occasions. Mind you, I may be a bit biased, as I was cruising the atmosphere on a fistful of mushrooms each time. Never have I been to a show that scared me more than just a little (King Diamond not withstanding) These events in question involved thick, almost choking smoke from various combustibles including shellacked wood, plastic baby dolls, clothing and various furniture. At its pinnacle, it was like swimming in vaseline. Where there's smoke there's fire they say and these shows had it in spades. Fire in corners, fire on the ends of swinging staffs the "band" wielded, in multiple containers, people lighting stuff, including fireworks, it was just everywhere. At one point, when the fire fog dissipated, I was hypnotized by watching this ugly hippie goddess with the most amazing Waylon Jennings (tits) dancing. As I gawked, for what seemed like an eternity, my trance came to an abrupt halt by a 2 ft. fireball sailing about an inch past my face. It seems some overzealous reveler decided it was a good idea to kick small metal garbage can filled with fire. Fuck, in my heightened state of conscience, I couldn't help spending the rest of that show imagining I might be on fire and looking and patting myself down. Add to all that, ear-splitting volumes and band members, running around with partial (and very portable) drum sets inciting the willing audience into a sheer mouth foaming frenzy. Look, I've been to a shitload of shows in Cleveland, but the Crash Worship shows I saw made that place and its antics look like a fucking catechism class in Sunday school.

So ummmm....This record is a far cry from the live shows I saw. Not because it doesn't accurately showcase the bands vibe (or sound), but because the vibe WAS its live show and can't be duplicated by listening to mp3s on your stupid Ipod. You want the full (i.e. closest) experience to Crash Worships live show? Take these mp3s and burn them on a cd. Then, borrow your little sister's boombox that she inherited from your Dad and take it into the bathroom. It may help if you huff some spray paint or glue at this point. Turn all the lights off and light two gasoline soaked bath towels on fire. Flame up a pile of your old G.I. Joes and let em' get good and smoky. Push play on the boombox and turn that fucker all the way up. With one hand, swing both flaming towels above your head and with the other hand flick the light switch on and off. Repeat, repeat, repeat......... This will probably give you a ball park idea of what this bands VIBE was......

REGIE SATANAS!

ANANDA - Habeas Corpus 12"

There was a time before loads of suburban mallrat sceney-boppers all sporting girl jeans, eyeliner and pixie cuts existed. You know who I am talking about. These 17 year old know it all shitheads you just want face smash every time you see one. This new generation of "emo" and "screamo" kids. The ones that somehow distorted the genres of emo and screamo and dragged it through the mud without ever hearing an emo or scremo band into their entire lives! Thanks dicks.

How did emo go from RITES OF SPRING, EMBRACE and RAIN to platinum albums and garbage like TAKING BACK SUNDAY and PARAMORE? Things are so bad that some don't even know it as music. Many only know "emo" as fashion. The same thing has happened to screamo with current puke like HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS, THE USED and STORY OF THE YEAR. This annoys the shit out of me if you haven't noticed. It's not just the shitty music. It's mislabeled shitty music. I'd be as quick to want to beat some ass if the masses believed zydeco music to be baroque. (Not that Zydeco or Baroque are shitty.)

Lets go back to the land that time is forgetting and stop the bitching. Remember when screamo was indeed screamo? Myriads of bands like MOHINDER, ONE EYED GOD PROPHECY, SAETIA, REVERSAL OF MAN, ORCHID etc. This is right where the lesser known ANANDA sits. While ANANDA did achieve some recognition in the punk and hardcore scene (and metal later on in their career) a lot of people have still never heard of them. So this post is to shed a little light on their existence.

ANANDA formed in 1994 just outside of Paris France. In their infancy ANANDA was a screamo band with great female vocals. After two releases under their belt, 1995's La Masque and Habeas Corpus they switched vocalists in 1998. This would mark a drastic change in their sound from screamo to heavy gloomy hardcore sludge. ANANDA played out all over France and managed to tour Europe. Their aforementioned obscurity may be attributed that, to the best of my knowledge, they never toured outside of Europe. Sometime in the early 2000's they disbanded or have been extremely inactive.

Habeas Corpus is still a stellar screamo 12" despite the lackluster production. The record is quite scratchy with lots of high end. I do believe several years later a remastered Habeas Corpus was released on CD. I would love to hear this if it is out there. By all accounts I can find Habeas Corpus was recorded in 1995 but not released until 1997 by Unfortunate For The Fortunate Records.

EMO FAG

CHEVEU - Belly Blade Visions Demo

Is it drugs? Is it because they're French? Who knows or cares. CHEVEU is all over the map on this demo just as they are with every release they have. CHEVEU pushes and bends the confines of minimalist lo-fi genius. Casio drum beats and quirky guitar riffs are the main force driving in their vast repertoire of styles. With their fingers dipped in waters of post punk, industrial, garage, punk and even forays that beat on the door of hip-hop.

To sum it up CHEVEU is fucking weird and out there. Despite that fact this trio is far more than approachable. This is an odyssey of sound that is easy to get sucked into and walk away from while still shadowing your memory forever. Especially when some of this is so damn catchy with juxtaposing respites of noise. There is nothing tedious about this.

I had to upload this with CHEVEU rolling through town next week on the 20'th @ El Club. Hopefully this will inspire some of you to get out to the show.

Sadly this demo came with no track listing. I didn't bother to try and tag them either because only a few of these songs have been officially released. So I have no clue what the name of 98% of the songs are.

Self released cd-r, 2006

Parisian weirdness.

TIME HAS COME - s/t 7"

The straight edge jocks in the sing along cover image and the band name itself scream predictable youth crew snooze fest. The throwback posi youth crew and modern era hardcore sound (that didn't really exist yet) usually don't work for me. Despite the foreshadowing album cover I knew somebody from FACE VALUE was in TIME HAS COME so I went out on a limb.

That whopping $1.99 gamble I took ended up being worth it. TIME HAS COME ended up a pleasant surprise. This record lands them in no mans land of their contemporary hardcore bands. TIME HAS COME has the aggression and speed of DOWN IN FLAMES, LIFE'S HALT and 97a meeting the burgeoning new era hardcore akin to BETRAYED, THE FIRST STEP and CHAMPION. The song writing is not entirely predictable nor the lyrics full on cheesy nonsense. They lean more toward the side of modern hardcore sound but overall there is just enough mixing it up to make this a great ep. It is no surprise a record of this nature would appear in the middle of a trend shift in hardcore. The anomaly here is that TIME HAS COME totally nailed it somehow.

Despite this nice debut release TIME HAS COME never received much attention. Getting lost in the fray means great things for you record scroungers. Keep those eyes forever peeled in the dollar bins. TIME HAS COME did another ep and couple of CDs after this. It's been a while since I listened to those but I can't recall them being of the caliber of the s/t.

Released in 1999 in CI Records. 500 copies pressed.

X UP

TV GHOST - s/t (white label) 12"

This isn't the first, and probably not the last, time TV GHOST will be summed up as an amalgamation of the media overload age. If this isn't the case then these Indiana psychos fill up 3x5 cards with band names, genres and adjectives and hang them on the walls of a room. Then they put an autistic kid in the room with 50 darts in his hand and then they run like hell. After spacing out on the tv for an hour, re-enter the room to see where the darts have fallen and get to work writing.

Either way TV GHOST has been making great records since 2007 proving they weren't just an adolescent one off acid trip gone beautifully wrong. Bizarre mic eating lyrics, spastic seizure skronk, post punk jangle, no wave, surf, noise, psychedelia all creep out at you from some dark place of hell. TV GHOST is the party jam for Swamp Thing, The Mummy, Frankenstein's monster and their other ghoulish buddies.

Die Stasi records released this 12" in 2008 and they seemed to have disappeared in as short amount of time as TV GHOST had burst on the scene. This could be a attributed to a low pressing run or TV GHOST had sequestered enough fanfare right off the gate to sell out records in few months. Die Stasi did a repress sometime around 2010 I believe.

http://www.mediafire.com/?7p4561nmqf25y75

Hammerhead - Load King 7"

Hammerhead were one of the few shiny spots in an otherwise turd of a musical decade, known as the '90s. Originally from Fargo, N. Dakota, they relocated to Minneapolis to follow their dreams as noise rock superstars (or to be closer to the ghosts of Husker Du, Princes' Paisley Park studios and the once a year drunken, Halo of Flies practices...). They eventually hooked up with Tom Hazelmeyers Amphetamine Reptile and released almost all of their recorded output through him and the label.

Paul Sanders (aka Stingray/Interloper, if you prefer), the guitar player, left in 1995. He was replaced and the group dissolved a year later. Jeff Mooridian (aka Sauce/Isolation dh-9) and Paul Erickson (aka Apollo Liftoff) quickly formed VAZ and continue to this day. Recently, they've reformed to play some shows and released a 7"/digital download, that's pretty true to their original sound.

This particular record is my favorite from their vast, and consistently fucking great,discography. It was some sort of limited tour deal (not sure how many?) and was sold only at their shows. The cover is a two colored, silkscreened affair that's 3/4 sleeve, like the old Dangerhouse records releases and it's pressed on gray,marbled vinyl. Both of these songs are rawer, earlier versions that were later re-recorded and came out on different releases,ethereal killer lp and evil twin ep, respectively.

Get you some......

EL-P Presents Featuring THE BLUE SERIES CONTINUUM - Sunrise Over Bklyn one sided 10" single

If you know EL-P you are aware of his beginnings with COMPANY FLOW, his balance of rapper, producer, founder of the Def-Jux label and solo work. EL-P was/is the face and king of independent hip-hop for over a decade. Personally I found his most outstanding asset was his innovative and progressive production. I listen to Fan Dam Plus more than Fantastic Damage.
GURU - Jazzmatazz from 1993 may be the first and most notable collaboration between jazz and hip-hop artists. In 2003 EL-P stepped outside the world of hip-hop with his production skills and inspiration from his jazz fanatic father in tow. He connected with MATHEW SHIPP, pianist and art director for the Blue Series, and Thirsty Ear Records. The following sessions would start with compositions and themes presented by EL-P to the Blue Series artists who would in turn play and improvise upon. Then these recording sessions were tweaked and sprinkled with a little El Producto. This is no banal jazz remix. Sunrise Over Bklyn is a 10 minute epic of progressive jazz that paints landscapes. Close, damn close to so amazing that Godfrey Reggio could have made Phillip Glass take a back seat for the Qatsi trilogy score, used this and still had a masterpiece. That is some big fucking statement. Considering this is just a collaboration I will stand by that.
https://www.yousendit.com/download/M0RxNU1LeFhQb0kwTVE9PQ

LA Drugs - One Sided 12"

These Massachusetts kids channel their love/hate for early So. Cal. hardcore and couple it with their musical ineptitude/boredom and come out the other side smelling like some "No New York", no wave castoffs. The shrieking,fuzzed out,maniacal and outright annoying skronk these miscreants create is pure fucking accidental genius. Like some demented, teenage John Hughes movie, but imagine if you replaced the protagonists heartache and misunderstanding with frustration,broken musical equipment, and solvent abuse and had Richard Kern directing; now you have an idea where this is coming from. "I'm not a nerd, I'm just on dope" indeed.

From the Decline of Western Civilisation samples to the Redd Kross-alike promo shots and the Sin 34 cover (sinful youth), these smart asses could've christened their lp "This is L.A., not Boston, Asshole" and not gotten the crap kicked outta them in after school detention by the mowhawk/dirtbag/av club crowd.

Originally self-released as a CD-R in 2002, it eventually found it's way to vinyl via Bostons Twisted Village record store/label. It was also supposedly released as a cassette around the same time period. Free your mind, punk..........

Posted by: .....JustSurly

Refreshed Link 1/15/14

BORIS vs. STUPID BABIES GO MAD Damaged split 10"

Japanese battle of the bands on vinyl! Actually this is more of a fun project part of the Damaged series. If you haven't been tipped off this is a homage to BLACK FLAG and their Damaged LP. The tribute to Damaged doesn't extend beyond the packaging design. I must admit the packaging on this split is over the top. The sleeve is this transparency type thing that is translucent with the BLACK FLAG bars on it and the 10" is a picture disc that appears to be shattered like the mirror on the cover of Damaged. Before you even put the record on you can't help but take a minute to admire the amazing effort put into making this release look cool as fuck. The addition of a DVD with live footage of both BORIS and STUPID BABIES GO MAD just adds to the perks of this split.
The A side starts with SBGM playing a BORIS cover, Ibitsu. It sounds like they run through the song twice or once and then just take Ibitsu and chop it up doing whatever they want with it. It is hard to tell if this is meant to be 2 tracks or 3. I have split it into to 2 tracks. There is no track listings anywhere so I suppose the SBGM side is still up for debate on what the hell is going on. Despite doing a BORIS cover this still sounds unmistakably like a STUPID BABIES GO MAD original keeping in line SBGM's So. Cal. rock 'n roll hardcore style. What sets this apart for SBGM is this recording is raw and noisy. The vocals are distorted and there is some sort of feedback nearly the entire way through. This nice addition of chaos and noise makes this, if not the most, one of my most favorite STUPID BABIES GO MAD records.
BORIS has the B side doing a cover of Double Vision by SBGM. BORIS adds a thunderous sound compared to the original (surprise, surprise). Starting off slow, gloomy and heavy before picking up into faster punk tempos and finally collapsing into squiggly guitar leads building to a gigantic wall of sound in the end.
1,500 copies pressed by Diwphalanx Records in 2007
http://www.mediafire.com/?oo5l8lyls0wz2b6  <-----refreshed link 8/12

SCREAMERS SCREAMERS SCREAMERS

There isn't much about the SCREAMERS I can type you couldn't learn with a quick Google search. One time member Paul Roessler was brother to Kira, BLACK FLAG bassist. That will be the interesting factoid for this post. Suffice to say the SCREAMERS are the most influential punk groups and one of the most important to have never been professionally recorded or put out a proper release. I think the closest you get to a proper release is some of the Target Video stuff. It is all bootlegged recordings, live concerts and demos for the SCREAMERS. To get a better understanding of what I mean check a discography of sorts HERE.
This month marking the eleventh anniversary of SCREAMERS front man Tomata du Plenty's passing due to cancer I felt it right to up a bunch of SCREAMERS recordings.
Inside there are 45 songs including the '77-'78 demo sessions recorded by GEZA X, Live At The Masque, Dec. '78 and the rest is a mish mash collection of some of the best recordings from wherever.
1977-1978 DEMOS
LIVE @ THE MASQUE
BEST & THE REST

BOOM BOOM KID - Con Amor Para: Ricardo Valenzuela 7" single

Keeping in line with the lack of a line in BOOM BOOM KID's music this record fits right in. BBK has more to throw at you than a major league pitcher. Expanding on prior band FUN PEOPLE hailing from Argentina, BOOM BOOM KID is wildly unpredictable. They can play anything from punk to goofy experimental tunes to pop to thrashing hardcore to bolero... An equally exciting live show just reinforces what a diverse, fun and amazing band BBK is. Venues become Carlos Rodriguez's (the man behind BBK) personal jungle gym, feather boas, crowd surfing on boogie boards, glitter and whatever else they have up their sleeve.
Back to how this record fits in with all this wildness. Why it is a tribute to the late rock rhythm and blues singer Richie Valens! If the name Richie Valens doesn't ring a bell his songs do. La Bamba anybody? Richie is also widely known for his death in a plane crash, dubbed The Day The Music Died, along with Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper. On the A side BBK presents a straight forward cover of We Belong Together. On the flip side they cover Donna in a BOOM BOOM KID way.
I have seen copies of this with and with out picture sleeves. Released by Rebeldes Unidos Records in 2006
https://www.yousendit.com/download/ZUd1SkhheFg1UjVjR0E9PQ

THE CANCER KIDS - Boston Cream 7" single

What little CANCER KIDS songs are out there I hope someday the rest get released. Not even a quarter of the recorded material by CANCER KIDS has been released. These guys are ex-members of BUCKET FULL OF TEETH and one of my favorite fastcore bands. Playing somewhere in the realm of less shows than fingers I have it's not much of a surprise many people aren't familiar with these Massachusetts killers. Years after their 12" release, The Possible Dream, on Youth Attack Records it's still available even at a 700 pressing run. If you're not a dumbass order yourself a copy and check out a sample song from that record.

I have to give credit to Clean Plate Records for being damn ballsy with the Boston Cream release. The most brutal song you may ever hear about donuts clocking a grueling 39 seconds on the A side. The flip is screen printed. Released specifically for a first live show in 5 years and only 150 pressed. You have to really love a band to do a release like that.
https://www.yousendit.com/download/ZUd2bUpUY1NsamZ2Wmc9PQ

CHUCK BERRY - Twist LP

The 34'th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death a few days ago brought about the grievances of a friend on the real King of Rock and Roll. I can't agree more. In light of this I had to upload this stalwart. Lets twist: To the King of Rock and Roll, to the King of Voyeurism!
Chess Records (one year shy of 50) 1962.
https://www.yousendit.com/download/ZUdzYlJVNkdJMHRFQlE9PQ

STATIC STATIC - Mutations b/w Satanic Speakers 7" single

This California transplant duo serve up their first course on this debut single. Minimalist post/punk/wave/dance combination is the name of the game. STATIC STATIC is John Henry on guitar and vocals and MissMassDestruction working the synthesizer and vocals. They use a drum machine on their records and it somehow works with those heavy rhythm laden songs that in fact may make you want to get up and shake a tail feather. During their live sets they introduce Lesley on drums alongside the drum machine for some extra kick. I don't want you getting scared off thinking these are just some tacky electro pop dance tunes though. The fuzzed out guitar is hard to discern from the synthesizer at times and wails into whirlwind dirges of sound. Add the distorted vocals to what is probably a bedroom recording and the end product is raw enough to keep you from disinterest and rhythmically dance driven in one nice package. STATIC STATIC have crafted their unique notch in the synth punk world without coming across as a SCREAMERS or SUICIDE clone. Two things you can always rely on STATIC STATIC for. 1. Hand silk screened covers of awesome artwork (this record fell a little short in the design department). 2. Pressing stats less than whatever stock you own.
This rip is from the second run on N.P.O. Records with only 150 pressed.
First pressing was done by Babytooth Records. A mere 100 copies. Both presses released in '07.
https://www.yousendit.com/download/ZUd0OGNXcWZLVlZFQlE9PQ

KURO - Revival Of Death 7"

At some point you may start to believe there is as much mystery surrounding KURO as there is G.I.S.M. Having been bootlegged like they were part of 20's prohibition and their records often coming out years after they were recorded it gets a little confusing with KURO. At least it has been for me. Revival Of Death hits you with two unreleased songs Black Empire and Hell Dive (live). The remainder of the record is a live version No More No and a re-recorded No More No that originally appeared on KURO's Who The Helpless 8" in '84. I hear this record is the result of KURO getting back together in the mid 90's. Not long after this record their singer passed away and that would mark the end for the band. Some people may shrug off KURO over their destructive and violent live performances. I'll let the music do the talking as they tread the line between pummeling noise and fast paced hardcore.
Released by Kings World Records in 1996. Rumored to a limited pressing of 666.
https://www.yousendit.com/download/ZUd2ZXQ1Qk45NVd4dnc9PQ

Close to four years dormant I plan to revive this blog. Within the next few weeks I should be up and running again.
-turn_coat