HOSTILE OBJECTS - YOUNG GOD 7" REVIEW AND LIVE 7" LAUNCH

HOSTILE OBJECTS – YOUNG GOD 7”

Available on limited green vinyl, and black vinyl, both with download.

There’s no mucking around here. It’s straight into the first song Turkish Knives “Fuck yeah”, and then it’s into the blendercore of Blackened Room, and Eat Your Money on side one. Flip it over for Young God and Send in the Clowns.

This is fast, tight, melodic, unrelenting, catchy hardcore. If ya don’t like this and ya like punk/hardcore, there’s something wrong with ya. The guitar is tough and melodic, the vocals shred, the drummer plays like he’s on some good amphetamines, and the bass holds it all down.  Hailing from Sydney Australia, Hostile Objects have been around for just over a year, with members coming from many other punk and hardcore bands.

This is a well put together 7” release. Nice cover art courtesy of guitarist Jimmy, available in two colours, with good quality cardboard sleeve. There’s a lyric sheet, and limited copies come with a cloth patch. Limited copies also are available on green vinyl, with downloads also featuring  a cover of Poison Idea’s Cop an Attitude. Sound is top notch here,  thanks to vinyl mastering via Alan Douches in NYC. It’s clean, but not slick, giving a strong sound with plenty of punch, and room for everything to be heard.  Great package, and great to see 7” releases out, and it’s the best way really to hear hardcore – slapping a 7” on the turntable.
 

HOSTILE OBJECTS – Young God
Available now on Inner City Uprising.
Order 7″ / Digital online [Here].

 

 

 

HOSTILE OBJECTS 7” LAUNCH
THE GLADSTONE HOTEL 29.11.13

Hostile Objects, Throwdown, Deadly Visions, The Fuck Outs

Ya gotta love a hardcore show in a tiny, dingy, sweaty pub. First band up are The Fuck Outs, and their raucous stripped back three chord punk. Good stuff. Just guitar, bass, drums, and a singer called Trouble whose wearing a pink denim sleeveless jacket. Next up are Deadly Visions with their straight edge inspired hardcore. These guys put in a very energetic set which was lapped up by the two arm – windmilling blokes up front. Long standing five piece hardcore vets Throwdown are third up. Their set is tight and catchy as fuck and includes a cover of Suicidal Tendencies Fascist Pig, and closes with a cover of Ace of Spades, both of which they make their own.

Tonight belongs to Hostile Objects and they own the stage. The PA sound has been patchy all night, and fortunately improves when sonic thrashers Hostile Objects come on to playing their furious hardcore in the vein of Black Flag and Poison Idea (whose Cop an Attitude they cover). Launching their new 7” Young God, they play all the songs off it “not in any particular order” says singer Rod. Guitarist Jimmy throttles his clear Perspex guitar over the pummelling rythym section of bassist Luke and drummer Grant, and Rod’s shredded throat. This is great old school hardcore, and they don’t let up for the enitirety of their 45 minute set.  Great bands, great gig.

 

 

 

 

MOTORHEAD - AFTERSHOCK 180gram vinyl REVIEW

 

Motorhead have a good history with vinyl – Great artwork, inner sleeves, and usually, a decent sound. There is also seemingly an ever increasing abundance of Motorhead vinyl reissues from all eras, on varying formats and labels.

Aftershock  is well suited to the vinyl format, it’s almost made for it and is almost tailored for a vinyl issue.  Everything is well done to a high standard and works well here – art, package, and sound.  It’s one of those records that although it’s a singular entity, works being split into two sides. The running order of songs works with this, and each side is demarcated by the tracks being numbered from 1 to 7, as opposed to side two commencing at number 8.  It works  well either playing it from start to finish, or playing one side at a time. It doesn’t lose momentum; although each track is separated, there’s minimal silence between the grooves, and each songs segues into the next.

The cover is well done; it comes in nice heavy cardboard with a gatefold sleeve. The classic warpig artwork is of course intact. The inside cover features a nice big picture of Lemmy and the boys, with Lemmy  (in his army regalia) cleverly centre and right to avoid the gatefold spine cleaving him in half. The inner lyric sleeve and gatefold cover are a fringe benefit of vinyl, but again it all really suits Motorhead, and Aftermath.

The record itself 180gram vinyl, yielding a great sound.  Although my copy came ever so slightly warped, there’s no hindrance to the sound at all. Production is courtesy of Cameron Webb, who’s been with them for the last 4 albums, and has given Motorhead a slightly revamped sound which is evident. It’s thunderous, as you’d expect, and the mastering to vinyl has worked well, the freight train sound is undamaged, and you can hear all the elements of the engine hammering away in there. As Lemmy himself says of the vinyl issue of Aftermath “it sounds fuckin’ amazing”, and he’s right.

As for the album itself, and what’s in the grooves of the record; well it’s Motorhead.............. For my ears there’s a groove on Aftermath that perhaps wasn’t as evident  on the last Motorhead release The World is Yours. It’s classic Motorhead, there are Motorhead hallmarks that are used to good effect  - your’e reminded of previous albums without them just being rehashed. It’s simply another fucking good Motorhead album, and it stayed on the turntable for quite a few days.

Opening with a couple of the faster songs, Heartbreaker, and Coup De Grace, it slows up momentarily with Lost Woman Blues, which actually gives a bit of space and breadth to the album. I thought I might be tempted to perhaps skip this one, but haven’t – it rocks in its own way. It’s back to business with End of Time and Death Machine.  Dust and Glass also slows the pace again and concludes side one perfectly.

Turning over for Side Two, we have another faster one, Going to Mexico, and Silence when you speak to me fire off the opening salvo. Queen of the Damned is the punk-est song on the album, and a highlight for me. Things barrel along nicely with Knife, Keep your powder dry, and the momentum keeps going with the closing track Paralyzed.

If your’e a Motorhead fan, there’s no reason not to get this. If your’e not a Motorhead fan, there’s no reason not to get this record.

(THE CLASH AND PUNK) ORIGINAL VINYL VS REMASTERED REISSUES

  ORIGINAL VINYL VS REMASTERED REISSUES

I’ve read many reviews extolling the virtues of “remastered reissues”, and their superiority, often to the original vinyl release. For me, I have to say, it’s a myth. There just ain’t anything wrong with the original vinyl. I have yet to hear a “remastered re-issue” that sounds superior, to my ears.

I recently read a review of a new Clash compilation – “Hits Back”. The reviewer’s opinion was that it shed a fresh new light on The Clash’s back catalogue. It prompted me to think I might get a copy of Hits Back, to hear these songs myself, in a new light. I was also prompted to give my Clash records a spin.

The reviewer recounted playing “Hits Back”, and being blown away by how it sounded. They also said they went to a shop that specialises in vinyl, and hearing “The story of The Clash” (which has a track list very similar to “Hits Back”) in the shop’s vastly superior sound system, didn’t stand up to “Hits Back” soundwise.

I played “The story of The Clash” album on vinyl. Sounded pretty fricken good to me.  Played The Clash first album on vinyl. Sounded pretty fricken good.  And I thought to myself, I could save the $20 I would have spent on
“Hits Back”, and buy some more vinyl.

The reviewer – now, the person knows their shit, and is on the money 99.9% of the time, and I have absolutely no interest in starting any kind of cyber war – but they’re a bit anti vinyl. Here’s a snippet of what they said in the review;

“You see, I know that some of you just love that crazy vinyl sound. It is so warm, so scratchy, so dusty, so coated in the turntable rumble of motors spinning and diamonds gouging away at your precious wobbly discs. It’s just so authentic. Pumped through the AM band and spewed out of transistor radios, we actually did hear music differently and our attempts to recreate these sounds created punk rock”.

We I don’t know about you, but I can’t hear the turntable rumble of motors when I play a record. And whilst I don’t have a top shelf sound system, it’s not some shitty old setup, but it is geared for playing vinyl. But I do love that (crazy?) vinyl sound.

Now, production on The Clash’s back catalogue increased exponentially with each record, you might say. The first album, while not being a benchmark of production qualities, isn’t some lo-fi distorted mono recording is it? Three cases in point; (depending on whether you have the UK or US version, of which I have both). “Clash City Rockers” is pretty shit, production-wise, and you’d have to change the entire sound of the song if you were going to beef it up, and it just wouldn’t be the same song. “White Riot” is a subject in point during the review of “Hits Back”;

“The bass is largely the central instrument even in the punkier first album songs (re-listen to White Riot and try to work out why you couldn’t play it in straight chords. It may be all hands on board for the intro but it backs off into sparse lead lines when the vocals come in and the bass is doing all the work). Perhaps this is why the remastering of this album has proved so successful. Paul Simonon’s playing skips and bounces. It damn near pirouettes”.

I dunno. The bass has always been pretty central and clear to me, on White Riot. And it sounds pretty bouncy. The diamonds haven’t gouged away the clarity thereof, either. And particularly on “Police and Thieves” the production is slightly better; the bass drives the song, the drums propel it, and Strummer’s guitar is through one speaker, complimenting Jones’ on the other.

The whole debate gets a bit arbitrary, really.

The question could be whether the person has actually listened to their vinyl recently, or do they have a system that can play vinyl properly, or do they have idealised notions of what the record sounded like, or is their stereo designed to play CD’s over vinyl, or do they actually like CD’s better, and so on.

The remastered reissues I’ve bought, just haven’t enhanced the sound of the album. “Your funeral my trial” by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds is a vinyl favourite of mine, even having to change the record every two songs. (That’s where it works though, it gives the sound a unique dynamic – it’s a 45 rpm, and 45’s are cued louder and mastered to vinyl differently.) The reissue was (apparently) remastered, but I played the vinyl and CD back to back a few times, and couldn’t detect any difference in sound, and still reckoned the vinyl to sound better. The CD version of “Songs the Lord taught us” by the Cramps, I have to say (sorry Lux and Ivy) actually sounds worse, too clinical and cleaned up. The vinyl version sounds way better; there’s more distortion, reverb, and bottom end in there.

 I got a “deluxe reissue remastered for vinyl” of The Damned’s “Black album”. I shelled out for that one after buying an album by the Supersuckers (Get it Together) on the label that put it out. The Supersuckers album sounded amazing, primo, superb, the sound on that vinyl record was just amazing, there is so much life and energy captured in those grooves. Again, I listened to the original Black album, and the remastered album back to back, and couldn’t see how it had improved.

I’ve had a copy of the Saints “I’m Stranded on CD for ages. It’s been reissued on vinyl, but I found an original copy at a garage sale for $1. Although it’s not the greatest copy, it’s a little worn, the cover is slightly tatty, and so y’know, if I was to put it on ebay, it wouldn’t really fetch much in that condition, but I was still very happy with that score. And I maintain it sounds more lively than the CD, even with the little pops and scratches in there. I put it on the turntable, smiled and thought to myself  ”Now that’s the shit”............. Then there’s the ones that sound good either way; “Feel the Darkness” by Poison Idea sounds pretty much the same on vinyl or CD.

CD’s have their merits of course, as I’m sure many remastered reissues do.  This isn’t so much the question of ”do CD’s sound better than vinyl”, it’s just in my experience and opinion, reissues rarely sound better. I can’t answer whether CD’s sound better than vinyl; I’m biased towards vinyl, obviously. And instead of getting an ipod and downloading all my music onto it, I still seek out vinyl, old and new. It’s a personal thing. If you’re into vinyl, you like and understand it.  It doesn’t mean it’s the domain of crusty old audiophiles, even though I myself may be getting  Old, Loud, and Grotty. 

THE BOYS NEXT DOOR

The Lost & Brave Exhibitions

of the Boys Next Door 1977-1979

 

This has been in circulation since 2009 or 2010, and judging by the amount of shops and dealers carrying copies, there are a LOT of them or it has been repressed several times. I passed on this one a few times and recently picked up a copy.

Whilst I was aware this was a bootleg, I thought though perhaps it was semi-official, and that all the songs were demo versions. WRONG. This record is bootlegged up the arse. The main attraction here is the inclusion of the unreleased demos of “Sex Crimes” (which is the better of these two) and “Enemy of the State” which open the record. To my knowledge they’re unreleased anyway. These two songs are at least worthy for the rarity factor, and that that they show the Boys next Door at their fastest and rawest. These two sound like they’re sourced from a tape. “These boots are made for walking”, (credited here as “Boots”), Masturbation Generation”, and “Boy Hero” are from the Lethal Weapons compilation record from 1978. These 3 songs have the best audio quality on the record, although they still sound like they were sourced from a CD or tape.  “These Boots” and “Boy Hero” were released as a single in their own right, and this 7” (which comes in a plain chequered sleeve) commands high prices on auction sites by virtue of being Nick Cave’s first recorded release. “Scatterbrain” was a rare giveaway single from 1979, and although is technically a Boys Next Door release, has been featured on previous Birthday Party compilations, where it probably sits better sound-wise.

Side Two is the entire first side of the original Boys Next Door LP “Door Door”, and as I say, I thought they were demos, they’re not, they’re ripped from a CD or somesuch, so there’s nothing new there, and the audio quality is shit.  As an overall collection of songs though, this is not a bad album, so it’s shame about the quality

Package wise this is pretty crappy, but pretty average as far as bootlegs go. The cover looks like it was supposed to be screen printed originally, although it’s just someone’s “arty” (ha ha) interpretive drawing of the band (sans Rowland S Howard, even though he is credited on nthe front). There are different pressings; this is a blue cover, there is one in red which has red coloured vinyl (and costs slightly more), but there is nothing on the cover to indicate this. Some earlier pressings have an index label on the record, but this is a generic bootleg that just has a plain blue label, and you need to look at the etching on the run out groove to see which is side A, and which is side B...... The vinyl quality itself is pretty shit as well. This one came warped to buggery, there is a fucking great warp on the outer edge, so much that the needle has to be given a bit more weight to play the thing.

If your’e a big fan of Nick Cave/Boys Next Door/ Birthday Party, there is perhaps some worth for the first two songs for their collectability and rarity.

 

DEAD MAN'S SHADOW - The 4 P's

DEAD MAN’S SHADOW

THE 4P’s (1997 Reissue)

Dead Man’s Shadow are one of the more obscure and overlooked bands of the UK 82 genre. Lacking the profile of a band such as The Exploited, or the Oi! credentials of The Business, they tend to be a little more forgotten. I wasn’t aware of their existence, and only discovered them recently when investigating some other UK82 bands. I checked out some of their stuff on youtube, prompting me to look out for their album the 4P’s on vinyl. A bit of a search led me to two choices for a similar price; the original or the reissue. I opted for the reissue, which is still available, new, from a variety of sources.

Starting out in 1980, the three piece Dead Man’s Shadow put out a slew of singles, including a split with the better known outfit Action Pact before putting out the 4P’ s (Pride Pacifism Passion Perserverence) in 1983.

The 4P’s opens with the punchy and melodic Neighbours which sets the trend for the rest of the album. Without the political bludgeoning of Discharge or The Exploited, they still get their point across, as with the second song When our blood is spilled. Other highlights on side one are the impassioned Needles and Greed.   

Side two opens with the choppy We can do it together, a plea for unity. Danger UXB and OHMS keep the pace up. For my money Perfect World is a killer track on this LP, with its suspense-laden opening, and melodic and powerful chorus riff.  The album closes with Anthem “DMS will play...........”

Musically, DMS straddle the line a bit between a 70’s and 80’s band, with the emphasis on the latter. You could almost say in a way they’re The Clash of the UK82 bands (There are some musical, lyrical and vocal similarities). They do have a more angular and jagged sound than their contemporaries, as well.

Package wise, this is very average, unfortunately. Italian reissue label Get Back (I’m unsure if the label is still going) has reissued a lot of UK82 stuff and that’s great. But with this, as most of their reissues, there’s nothing to rave about.  The legitimacy of Get Back’s reissues remains dubious. There are no lyrics or inner sleeve, no extra tracks, no remastering, and the vinyl is standard. Sound-wise it’s merely OK; the audio quality is questionable. The production is clean, but not polished. The sleeve itself replicates the original artwork. (Some of the label’s reissues feature inferior quality artwork). If you get the CD version however, you get the singles and EP’s as a bonus, and a booklet.  Still, if you want the vinyl, that’s how it is. I’d say search out the original. Captain Oi! has also reissued this on CD, and you’d be better guaranteed of it’s legitimacy with them.

OUTSIDERS CODE - EXILED FROM BIRTH

OUTSIDERS CODE

EXILED FROM BIRTH

(Black Vinyl - Coloured vinyl is available)

 

Abrasive, nihilistic, and heavy hardcore from Australia with one foot planted firmly in old school HC, and the other in the new school metalcore side of things. Exiled from Birth is unrelenting in its delivery yet infused with enough tempo variations and melodic sensibility to keep things interesting.

A point of reference soundwise is Madball, but they retain an individual identity and Australian flavour especially with lyrics referencing convict roots “Live with guilt/forefathers crimes/we’ve come so far/we bear the mark of antisocial crimes/OUTSIDERS FOR LIFE”.  There’s ten tracks on this record, and they all vary slightly in their character, all the while angry and pissed off.

Package wise this is pretty good. Great cover art front and back, nice thick cardboard. There’s a big fold out lyric insert similar to ones that came with some of the old school straightedge records like Judge or Youth of Today. Top notch production courtesy of Zeuss (who’s worked with Madball, Agnostic Front, and Hatebreed amongst many others). All the elements are clear in the mix – vocals, bass, guitar and drums are all there without competing with each other, and the sound gets a little more drive by virtue of being a 45rpm, the cuing is louder, giving the vinyl an extra lift. It’s also one of those “mystery records” where the speed and the playing sides aren’t indicated on the record.

Download code included. 

Oi! THIS IS STREETPUNK VOLUME THREE

Oi! THIS IS STREETPUNK VOLUME THREE

Compilation, black vinyl

(Obviously) the third instalment in this excellent showcase of current oi!/streetpunk bands from around the world. Although  I’m more up to speed with getting this one, it’s been out for a while. I get’em when I get ‘em.

It’s good to see Garry Bushel’s THE GONADS leading the charge here in typical (lowbrow) style with “Go Motherfucker”, a bass driven oi! singalong number. Great to see these oldies still kicking, as they did on the original 80’s Oi! comps like Oi! Chartbusters.

Thing with compilations is that you get introduced to bands that you may not otherwise heard. With volume three there’s quite a few bands I’m unfamiliar with,  including EPIC PROBLEM and their pop-punk styled “Not dead Yet”. DIRTY FILTHY MUGS are up next, with a slightly faster number “Drinks on me” that also has a pop punk flavour . CRASHED OUT deliver a bit more of an oi!/punk sound with   “Get a Life”. RUNNIN’ RIOT are more straightup punk with “End of the line”. CUSTOM FIT close side one with the female fronted vocals of” Love Hate”, which has a kind of oi!-garage rock sound, which sounds  fresh and unique. 

Side two is perhaps the stronger side overall, and opens up with BAD CO. PROJECT and their punk singalonger “Mission Mohawk”. The first of two Australian bands RAZORCUT are up next with the flat out Oi! of “Combative Attitude” which is a stand out track here. BONECRUSHER have kind of a MISFITS/hardcore sound going on with the rousing “Fight for freedom”. THE SHAME get us back to more of a punk/oi! Sound with “Daytime drinking” for you to singalong next time you skive off work and have a couple of beers. The other  Australian band STRANGLEHOLD is next and I always enjoy their buzzsaw guitars and razor throated female vocals, and  they don’t disappoint with “Trouble” which is one of the stronger songs on this comp, and is also one of the better sounding songs here production wise.  Maintaining the pace are TWOPOINTEIGHT and their melodic punk “Cannibal”. Closing side two is STRONGBOW  with the buzzy and melodic “Almost gone”.   

Another great compilation in this series. Vol 1 had 11 songs, Vol 2 had 12, and with Vol 3 it’s gone up to 13. Maybe Vol 4 will have 14!

Package wise this is slightly disappointing in that it’s again minus a back cover, and there’s no info on the bands, and just a front cover thingy. There’s not even a plastic or paper inner sleeve for the record itself. But hey, ya get what ya get, and ya should know what ya get when it’s the third volume, right? The front is a collage identical to the first two. And there’s a badge included with this one! This one is black vinyl (not sure how many or if any were pressed on coloured vinyl). Overall the sound is good and pretty lively but some cuts are a bit patchier than others, which wasn’t apparent on the other volumes, but all in all a good slab of vinyl. Again, download code for those  interested.

VINYL OBSCURITY OF THE MONTH

 

 

THE CHEATING HEARTS

SELF TITLED (2006)

This was one of those records you pick up on the way; it looks interesting, and it satiates the need for the vinyl junkie to get a fix. I got it a market stall for a pretty reasonable price, which always adds to the appeal.

I had absolutely no inkling what the band or record was like – apart from the dealer’s note on the price sticker; “red wax  - ltd 200 copies - crushing garage”. Enough to prompt me to shell out.   I also had no idea when it was released, since he was carrying quite a few copies, and it was new. I assumed it was a new (ish) release. Turns out it was released circa 2006, so I’m way behind the times with this one. No matter. I get ‘em when I get ‘em. Other than that, I was only able to surmise it was released by an Italian label.

I also guessed it was perhaps another garage duo thing going by the cover which has a picture of a couple on the front - the girl is holding the guy’s heart she’s ripped out , and may or may not be going to have a bite. Turns out it’s actually a French  band, and there’s three of ‘em,  two guitars, and drums.

The first song “Miss Bad News”  took me by a bit by surprise, with its plodding riff and distorted vocals; I had to play around with the speeds and at first I thought it was supposed to be a 45RPM. Once I got my head around that and put it back to 33 and gave it another go, I realised it sounded not half bad, and once it got into the next song, it got a bit more momentum and kind of went from second gear into fourth and kept going.  There’s a pretty good garage-punk thing going on throughout here, and it rocks pretty fricken good. It’s mainly sung in  English (though the vocals are distorted, which actually works ok)

 Out of the first side, the pick is probably”Guess I’m fallin’ in love”.  Side one closes with the quieter, melancholy  “Semblant de Rien”.

It’s back into gear on side two with “My baby she’s a Heart Attack”, and again the pace keeps going,   closing with a raucous live cut, ”I won’t crack”

Package wise this is pretty good; simple and effective.  I like the red and white cover, and matching red vinyl. There’s a nice little insert with some pics and flyers etc on one side. There’s a blurb from the band on the other side. Here’s an excerpt ; “ We wanted to be the Heartbreakers so bad at one point, I think we believed we were” . There’s multiple references to drugs and a couple of garage acts.  The production details, credits etc are written in French so I couldn’t decipher that, except that it was recorded in 2003. The production on this record works pretty well I reckon, the two guitars play off each other, and get a left and right channel each, so the stereo separation is great (one guitar on one speaker, one on the other). The drums are also up enough on the mix that they’re audible enough to drive everything along. The vinyl gets a great, full, warm sound and vinyl is probably the best way to hear this kind of stuff.

Apparently there are many related bands to the Cheating Hearts, and this was one of the more obscure bands of ringleader and garage troubadour Choyce. 

Garage rock doesn’t always tick the boxes for me, but when it works, it works, and this has become a bit of a staple on the playlist since I got it a while ago. I have no idea if or what kind of CD distribution this had, this record is one of 200, and as I said it sounds great on vinyl but  once again, you can download it if you want to.

(JOHNNY THUNDERS AND) THE HEARTBREAKERS ORIGINAL MIX vs THE LOST ’77 MIXES - CHINESE ROCKS/BORN TO LOSE 7”

JOHNNY THUNDERS AND) THE HEARTBREAKERS

ORIGINAL MIX vs THE LOST ’77 MIXES - CHINESE ROCKS/BORN TO LOSE 7”

(Johnny Thunders and) the Heartbreakers Chinese Rocks/Born to lose 7”  has been rereleased by Jungle records recently.  The LAMF album has also recently been given the “definitive deluxe reissue” treatment (albeit on CD).

The original mixes are infamously and notoriously sludgy. It’s the stuff of legend, and countless opinions. It also caused the demise of the band. Several  remixed reissues surfaced later; including one by Johnny himself in 1984 that still failed to deliver the goods. ‘L.A.M.F. The lost ’77 mixes’ surfaced in 1994, the supposed “final selection”, which involved innumerable ears sifting through countless mixes; 300 odd mixes were shortlisted to 50, then culled again for the album. Finally, the expanded definitive deluxe reissue appeared  a while ago, in a 4 CD (CD’s ferchrissakes) box set with ‘LAMF - the lost ’77 mixes’, ‘ L.A.M.F. – the Track LP restored’, ‘L.A.M.F. – the demo sessions’, and L.A.M.F. – the alternative mixes’.  The Chinese Rocks 7” is/was available in a variety of coloured vinyl as a separate entity. The reissue is the cover as shown in the picture (credited to Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers. The original '77 7 inch record has no band title on the front, and credits the Heartbreakers on the back) 

So, without going through the entire LAMF album, here’s my two cents worth on just a couple of the available versions; Chinese Rocks/Born to lose  – the original mixes vs ‘the lost ’77 mixes’.  

I put my original 1977 7” on Track Records up against the versions on ‘the lost ’77 mixes’ and listened to them both back to back several times.  

For my money, these ears favour the original versions. The original versions have a certain appeal for sure. The original 7” still sounds OK, I reckon. It’s heavier, and has more bottom end. Johnny’s little solo twirls fill in nicely on the right channel on the speakers. Naturally, it’s more ah, sludgy, and therein lies its appeal, I say.  The Heartbreakers (as they were, at the time, without “the Johnny Thunders and” prefix) in all their foggy  drug fuckedness. The essence of the Heartbreakers  is captured here in a way, gloriously unpolished, as it was recorded. Sure, the vocals are a bit lost in the there, but it rocks Like A Mother Fucker (pun intended), and it’s dirty and raw, just as the band probably were. You get more of the feel of them hangin’ out for a fix with this version of Chinese Rocks. Same with Born to lose, it having more of a gritty sensibility on the original muddy mix .

Not that there’s anything wrong with the versions on ‘the lost ’77 mixes’. They’re  a  bit punchier, cleaner, and clearer. Most people favour them, and prefer the mud washed off. The liner notes on ‘the lost ’77 mixes’ reference cassette tapes of the album at the time, and say the cassette version  sounds as if it had a shower, shave, coffee, and a cigarette compared to the sludgy vinyl version. I’ll reverse that analogy and apply it again in comparing ‘the lost ’77 mixes’ to the original versions. While it may be good to hear the refreshed versions that have had a shower, shave, coffee, and a cigarette, the version that is dirty, strung out, had a few drinks, and smoking a cigarette also has its merits.

So. You could trawl the net for an original 1977 7” or a new coloured vinyl version, should you choose. Long live Johnny’s legacy.

THE CORPS - KNOW THE CODE

THE CORPS

KNOW THE CODE

Tough as nails Sydney outfit The Corps have put out a slew of vinyl (as well as CD) releases over the last few years and Know the code is their latest.

While this comes under the general banner of streetpunk/oi!, there’s a whole range of stuff going on here as well; hardcore, punk, and straight up rock n roll all  stake a claim in the sounds on this record.

“Talk is over” sets  the tone;  there’s no mucking around. “Fortune” and “Bad man” are also flat out, while “Wolfman” ups the tempo again with more of a hardcore flavour.

Side 2  opens with “Know the code”  (Well he knows the code but he don’t need a scene and he does whatever he suits/ Well he knows the code but he ain’t a machine and today it’s too hot for boots”) with a chugging riff. “Draw the line” has a more melodic sound to it, and the two guitars playing against each other and the backup vocals on the chorus go down really well here.

The Corps have a distinctly Australian sound, and this is especially evident on songs such as “Bad to worse”, and “The chase”, which  sees them come across  almost like AC/DC  playing oi! The Corps retain their own sound, all the while  the guitars trying to outdo each other (including a very Aussie sounding slide guitar), and the vocals threaten  come out of the speakers and grab you round the throat.

Package wise, this is a great release as well. Simple and effective black and white suits this album, the cover features artwork by vocalist Alex who also works as a tattoo artist, the back features a group shot. There’s a lyric sheet, and the coloured vinyl (clear with black splat) is a bonus. The production works on Know the code works well, and the vinyl itself produces a nice and full sound.

Good stuff.

KILLING JOKE LIVE REVIEW 8.6.13 and EARLY VINYL ALBUM OVERVIEW

KILLING JOKE

THE SINGLES WORLD TOUR

METRO THEATRE, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

 8.6.2013

 

 

 

The few songs I saw of the support band were an endurance test.  A goth-rock pantomime, all in makeup, they took themselves too seriously, becoming an unwitting self parody. Their  attempted stadium rock Marilyn Manson/Wednesday 13 shtick, schlock and posturing were unable to hide the fact the  throwaway electro rock tunes and pallid vocals are more suited  to a teen-goth audience . Why sub standard bands  get support slots for bands of Killing Joke’s calibre is beyond me.

The wait is finally over and Killing Joke walk onstage amid the dry ice commencing with a muddy yet  commanding Requiem. After  the dub-influenced Turn to Red, is the ever formidable Wardance.  Jaz Coleman is in his element, indeed they all are, well seasoned in the midst of their singles world tour. Geordie is at one with his Gretsch guitar, his playing  effortless. Youth’s bass solid and fluid. The reformed original lineup is incomplete tonight by virtue of drummer Paul Ferguson’s absence due to acute tendonitis. His replacement is perfectly adequate, and quite happy to be behind the kit, though his style is a little more straight up rock and lacking the tribal feel and unique fills of Ferguson. Likewise the  keyboard player is obviously chuffed to be onstage with Killing Joke, and supplies the keyboard parts spot on, not overdoing his role.

Unfortunately, the sound at the Metro Theatre is often sludgy, as is the case tonight, and Geordie’s wonderfully discordant guitar is mostly inaudible.  The mix favours the rhythm section, and on the more keyboard oriented songs such as European Super State the guitar is drowned out completely. The inadequate sound however is unable to dilute the powerful riffs in The Empire song, Chop Chop, and Eighties, all of which were highlights tonight.

Throughout it all, Jaz is as zoned into his performance as ever, long black hair and thick eyeliner his warpaint, glaring at the audience, clasping his hand to his head, and dancing around the stage in jerky  yet imposing movements. In a  live  setting, Jaz’s prophecies of doom become more realistic, the apocalyptic and tribal nature of Killing joke’s music is realised  fully in their performance.  Geordie and Youth provide a firm backdrop to Jaz’s calamitous worldview and a grounded juxtaposition to Jaz’s more manic side of Killing Joke perhaps, playing with natural precision, warmth and workmen like ethic. Live, it’s apparent that Killing Joke is the sum total of their parts.  Looking at the near/capacity audience, a mix of punks, skins, metal heads, goths,  alternative music fans and average Joes, Killing Joke’s influence and undying appeal is evident

The sun goes down is hypnotic,  Asteroid,  from the self titled album of 2003 is intense as is of course The Wait, which is another highlight. Also played were the more  techno flavoured Whiteout, Money is not our God, and Corporate Elect  (from the recent album MXIII) which Jaz appropriately dedicated to Rupert Murdoch with hatred and bile, whilst another diatribe was directed at Monsanto, the multinational chemical company.  The set closes with Pandemonium.

The encore  brings a few more highlights, with the instrumental Bloodsport, Madness (the only song from ” What’s THIS for...!”  that they played tonight), The Death and resurrection show, and the manic Pssyche. The crowd called out for more, but that was it.

All in all, a pretty amazing performance despite the shit sound of the venue.  For me, another song off  What’s THIS for...!  would have balanced out the more keyboard themed mid-period selection of songs. And, this being the singles tour, Love like Blood was conspicuous by its absence (from my point of view, anyway). Still, they played half of the seminal self titled album from 1980. Minor quibbles aside, a ferocious show from a band that’s 35 years young, this was no going through the motions to pay the bills gig, this was Killing Joke at the peak of their power, which would have been mightier yet if the venue had b een able to yield a better sound.

 

 

 

KILLING JOKE

EARLY VINYL OVERVIEW

Killing Joke have always been a staple in my vinyl collection Some of these early albums in particular I revisit quite often. I’ve familiarised myself more thoroughly with their subsequent releases, over the last few years, unfortunately though most of them, particularly the most recent ones are difficult to source on vinyl.

KILLING JOKE (1980)

 After listening to friend’s copies of the first self titled album Killing Joke, I got my own copy a bit later into my music/vinyl collecting  life. It stands as one of my favourite KJ records, and in itself  it’s a classic that still holds up. Some opinions believe it lacks focus, that its sounds too much like a bunch of demos, but I disagree. It’s brutally minimalist. Not only is it brutally minimalist in its approach, but it contains a strong set of songs. Opening with the anthemic, slow but powerful  Requiem containing  guitarist Geordie’s   to-become – signature serrated guitar, and  the powerfully chugging Wardance, it moves onto the haunting Tomorrow’s World and the jagged industrial funk of Bloodsport. Side two opens with two more classic KJ songs in The Wait and Complication and finishes with the almost funk driven bass of Primitive. The post-punk musical landscape on this album shaped KJ’s future musical excursions. There’s elements of punk, heavy metal, and what would become industrial music here. They may have been a young band starting out but their talents  are all evident. Jaz Coleman’s vocals are unique, his lyrics angry, Geordie’s guitar is heavy ,melodic and toothed, Paul Ferguson’s drums are solid and precise and tribal in their feel, Youth’s bass also solid and precise, and adds a distinct element to the early KJ sound; songs such as complication and primitive have a dance-driven  feel. The production I think also adds to the sound. There’s a minimalist feel at work here as well which allows all the instruments and Jaz’ vocals room to be heard clearly and effectively. There’s a good stereo sound, and I think this album in particular sounds good on vinyl, there’s room for all the sounds to breathe. Put it on a good stereo and crank it up.

Package wise I’ve always loved this record as well. The black and white cover speaks of social unrest with mysterious black figures against a desolate backdrop and “Killing Joke” spray painted on the wall. Some issues of this album come in a single sleeve but this is the gatefold version, which I recommend seeking out. The inside graphics also contain a stark black and white montage containing images of crucifixion, kids chucking rocks, bald smoking man, and a mysterious religious? shrouded figure giving what looks like a two fingered salute.

 

what’s THIS for...!  (1981)

Many hail the follow up what’s THIS for...!  as superior. There’s no doubting overall it’s heavier and more relentless, but personally I like the self titled LP better (which is just my personal preference). Showcasing  Paul Ferguson’s unrelenting drumbeats, there’s more “classic” material  on it, which, again still holds up today. It’s a more industrial sounding album, opening with The fall of because which is a highlight.  Tension, Unspeakable  and Butcher complete the cacophonous quad of songs on the first side.

The thundering drums, unsettling keyboards, serrated guitar and hypnotic bass continue on side two with Jaz’s rants over the top. Follow the leaders, madness,  and Exit further hone the template set on the first album and cement the directions Killing Joke would explore in the future; industrial, metal, punk, and dance music formats are all on the table for KJ to experiment with.  With this album KJ cemented the tone for what would become their future. Production once again gives this a good sound here.

Package wise again, I like this album. An eerie  black sky  is being stared at by a man in  white shorts and short sleeve shirt. To his left the bald man from the first LP has seemingly made a return, peering out of a wall. I don’t believe a lyric sleeve was included with either the first album or this one. It somehow adds to the mystique, especially on  what’s THIS for...! Oddly, most vinyl copies of this  album seem to have come with slightly rounded edges.  

 

REVELATIONS (1982)

Revelations is a beast that is the same but different. The last album in the recorded by the original lineup (until  2010’s “Absolute Dissent”), sees the sonic themes explored on the previous two outings refined; in many ways a combination of the first two melded, a more technical, vicious bastard offspring in its own way. Another of my own favourites in the KJ canon, it’s no less intense than the first two. The first side is the strongest, it features sings that stand alongside other KJ classics new and old. It commences with The Hum, with a bludgeoning riff (Wardance in more refined mode) accompanied by an  unsettling keyboard drone. Geordie’s riffs are perhaps more slightly up in the mix on this album which adds to the albums dynamic.  Chop Chop, and The Pandys are coming are all strong songs that have been featured in KJ live sets in recent years.  Overall there is an  experimental feel, and the guitars are more skewed than ever. Good Samaritan is the softest KJ song to date. The rhythm section is a little less in the background than the previous album, and Youth’s bass in particular seems a little lost at times.

Package wise, not bad.  Simple but effective. In terms of covers,  a bit restrained in comparison to the two previous LP’s.  It has “Killling Joke” in ribbon form over a satin sheet.  This was the first album to feature a lyric sheet. 

FIRE DANCES (1983)

The follow up to Revelations, Fire Dances is the first to feature new bassist Raven. To my ears, it’s  not  quite focused. It’s not a bad album, but, in comparison to the previous releases a bit diluted and not fully realised as a collection of songs. The production also leaves the songs a bit thin; Geordie’s guitar lacks a bit of oomph, despite the noticeable lack of keyboards on  most of this album. The standout songs for me are the first song, The Gathering, and Song and dance on side two.  Dominator also indicates future (dance oriented) directions the band would explore later on in later albums. The cover is also perhaps not one of their strongest, featuring  a figure with warpaint  holding out a palm of fire. Fire Dances also contains a lyric sheet, and is the first  to feature a picture of the band. There are some memorable Geordie riffs on it, and overall it’s worth a listen and  worth getting if you want to complete your Killing Joke collection

 

NIGHT TIME (1985)

Night Time was KJ’s most commercial outing to date. Some deride it for this, but get past that, and it’s a damn good album, which isn’t as watered down as the commercial appeal of the singles may have suggested. The synths may be a little more overt, but this is a strong collection of songs. There are some monster riffs on here, and the collection of songs are more focused. It’s as simple, effective, and brutally  uncomplicated as the first album in its own way. Crank this one  up as well. Opening with the manic and jittery Night Time, you can’t deny the sheer juggernaut appeal of Love like blood, Kings and Queens on side one. Side two opens with the no less powerful Tabazan and closes with Eighties, a veritable beast of a song in itself, (and we all know the sorry saga of who ripped this one off). Jaz’ vocals are often urgent , his unique voice used to great effect here. Raven’ s bass uses the template of previous albums and comes into his own on this album, his style a bit more straight up and slightly heavier than Youth’s. Paul’s drums  anchor everything down more than provide a tribal backbeat. Geordie’s riffs seem huger than ever here, pared down to their base nature and unleashed.

Package wise,  this is  pretty straightforward. The cover has a blurry image of Jaz with head in hands in front of the other band members alluding to the bleak atmosphere (in the UK) at the time. A lyric sheet is included. The production seems pretty sharp, yielding a strong  yet more accessible sound.

 

BRIGHTER THAN A TOUSAND SUNS (1986)  

The first KJ record I got was Brighter than a thousand Suns, which I got on the strength of hearing Love like Blood, Kings and Queens, and Eighties from Nigh Time. Whilst Brighter than a Thousand Suns may not be their best, it has its moments and it has grown on me over time. 

More synthesiser –heavy than its predecessors it has a bit of a gothic feel to it. Adorations has intensity, Sanity  is more dance flavoured, Chessboard  harks back to the heavier side of KJ, and Rubicon also retains some of the heaviness of old. Overall yes, it’s much mellower than any of the previous album, and  Jaz‘s vocals are a bit more sedate and melodic,  his anger more tempered here. Geordie’s riffs struggle a bit to be heard a bit more through the grandiose production and synths, as does the rhythm section.  It’s a bit more of an 80’s period piece, but it’s not a total loss. Accept it’s taken on a different atmosphere, and there’s a decent KJ record here.

Package wise, this is interesting. It’s a gatefold, all four covers featuring brooding shots of the band. There’s no lyric sheet, and the vinyl is about as thin as it comes.   Again, there are some memorable Geordie riffs on it, and overall it’s worth a listen and  worth getting if you want to complete your Killing Joke collection.     

THE DAMNED - NASTY DAMNED

THE DAMNED

NASTY DAMNED

For fans of The Damned, there are an infinite number of compilations containing demos, unreleased songs, live songs, different versions etc that one could possibly collect. Almost too many even for the serious collector, and this is but another in the myriad compilations of The Damned. This one is fairly “recent” and has been out since 2008. I found it at a major chain store in the discount bin. I’ve always loved The Damned, always will, so the 60% discount (off the hefty already over inflated “import” price tag) made it an easy choice to overlook the bootleg-style cover and add to my Damned vinyl collection. 

As I’ve said before I’m not here to promote labels one way or the other. I do have to call this one out and say the Russian record label Lilith has a lot to answer for on this here record, and I’m sure The Damned themselves haven’t seen a cent from this. Apparently a “boutique” label specialising in reissues, this is neither boutique nor a reissue. Some quick research brought up results on the label and this record in particular; allegations the songs were lifted directly from other records – copied or taped, if you will, and transferred onto vinyl. The audio quality attests to this – it’s bloody awful.  Whilst there is a sticker on the front saying “demos and live recordings”, it’s not enough to account for the (lack of) audio quality. Some may say that demos and live recordings don’t equal fantastic audio reproduction, but again it’s not enough to disguise what’s in the grooves. There’s only two actual demos, three previously released songs, the remainder being live.

The first demo Love Song is OK in its own right, and I’ve heard a similar demo of the same song that sound a bit rough, as with this version.  Still, because it’s a demo doesn’t mean it needs to be shrouded in hissing noise. Ditto the second demo of I just can’t be happy today. Thanks for the night, Nasty,and Do the Blitz are from the hard to find 12” version of  Thanks for the night, and are the same versions that are on the record – they are not demo or live versions, and lack any sort of dynamic or stereo separation  that should be apparent, i.e. they are in mono. There are bits “missing” from these songs. Do the Blitz at least has some appeal by virtue of it not being widely available, and seems to have the best audio quality of anything here. Most of the songs need the volume cranked way up to squeeze anything out.

The rest of the songs are live versions. Stab your back is suitably vicious, as is You know.  These two I have to admit, are at least passable for live versions (from 1977) You know sounds like it is from the widely circulated bootleg “Live at the Electric Ballroom ‘78”, when they were “The Doomed” for a short period,and features Lemmy on bass. Although that particular song isn’t on that bootleg, it certainly sounds like Lemmy’s bass on there (it’s very similar to the sound on the ”Electric Ballroom”), so this perhaps may have some appeal to people.  Idiot Box is memorable for Captain’s intro and, I guess isn’t bad for a live ’77 recording either.  The rest, from 1982, sound like they were recorded in the toilet while the band was playing. Stranger on the town, Happy Talk, (which is at least rambunctious in Captain’s delivery), and Curtain Call all have a nice little hiss in the background. There would have been a lot more to these songs if they could have been polished up somehow and gave a better indication of the live sound of The Damned at that period. Curtain Call in particular sees Captain rip a little bit more here on the guitar than on the studio version, and Vanian’s voice is in fine form.

Package wise, this is pretty average. The cover features a picture of the ’77 line up of the band, and just has the aura of a bootleg. There is a sticker on the front indicating this is a collection of demos and live recordings, which as I’ve discussed, isn’t strictly the case. The sticker is misleading, and claims the collection spans from ‘77-‘82, which is incorrect. Do the Blitz is from ‘85, the other two studio tracks are from ‘84. Sorry to be pedantic but the lack of accuracy betrays the fact that this is a bootleg.

The back cover also features a picture of the band circa ’77, although this lineup  may or may not feature in only three songs on the album. Some other pics would have been good, instead of just chucking any old thing on. There is no information on any of the songs bar the titles; where or when they were recorded, and if they are live or demos. (Brief information on this provided on the record label itself, though). Although the vinyl is “180gram virgin vinyl”, it can’t atone for the crappy audio quality. If you do want to seek this one out, the CD has two extra songs.

At least all eras of the ’77-84 version of the band are represented here. There are songs from all the studio albums, and two of the three studio songs are of a handful that the unique post-Strawberries pre-Phantasmagoria lineup recorded. There are some OK versions of songs on here but this could have been so much better if only some love and care could have been afforded instead of this being a cash-in job designed to make money.