Contropotere
Formed in the mid 80s by a collective of anarchist squatters in Naples, Italy; Contropotere crafted their own unique version of dark, experimental hardcore. Their singer, Lucia, delivers some of the most gut wrenchingly heartfelt and POWERFUL female vocals known to punk rock amidst tribal beats and hauntingly beautiful piano.
I was first introduced to the band via their 1992 7” “Solo Selvaggi” and it remains my favorite. This four song masterpiece begins with the epic “Quello Che Hai” a song that begins softly, almost pleadingly then quickly exploding into fiery rage and ends with a brilliant version of the Italian folk song “Briganti”.
Contropotere are masters of playing with such ferocious passion that no translation is needed. This is what playing from the fucking heart sounds like...
[play-button:http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16850984/Contropotere/Contropotere%20-%20Quello_che_hai.mp3] Contropotere - Quello Che Hai Link source
[play-button:http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16850984/Contropotere/Contropotere%20-%20zona%20luce.mp3] Contropotere - Zone Luce Link source
[play-button:http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16850984/Contropotere/Contropotere%20-%2003%20-%20Naufraga.mp3] Contropotere - Naufraga Link source
[play-button:http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16850984/Contropotere/Contropotere%20-%20Briganti.mp3] Contropotere - Briganti Link source
Contropotere on MySpace.
"Solo Selvaggi" is long out of print, but occasionally pops up on ebay. Their equally beautiful 1989 album "Nessuna Speranza"
Stupids
That OFF! box set has kinda put me in the mood for some mid-80's hardcore of the Stupids variety. Their offbeat sense of humor, driving speed and amazing breakdowns set them apart from the standard hardcore band...could be their UK roots showing. All I know is they're beyond classification and not nearly as accessible as, say...Minor Threat.
Comparisons are easy...Redd Kross, A.O.D., Gang Green...but the Stupids encompass and surpass them all in one way or another. I'm not saying they're necessarily a better band, just that they've got a style similar to, yet trancendent of Redd Kross, Gang Green and A.O.D. They figured out 2000's punk in the 1980's...repetitive speed followed by a killer, hook-drenched, melodic breakdown...and did it better.
These 33-song discs are dropping for four bucks a pop on Amazon...don't buy that stupid Starbucks coffee...get one of these instead! Or, you could plop down 20 bucks and get the 67-song Stupid is as Stupid Does: The Stupids Collection
...your choice. Bruce Springsteen, eat your heart out!
[play-button:http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16850984/Stupids/05%20Jesus%20Do%20What%20You%20Have%20To%20Do.mp3] Stupids - Jesus, Do What You Have To Do Link source
[play-button:http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16850984/Stupids/27%20So%20Much%20Fun.mp3] Stupids - So Much Fun Link source
[play-button:http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16850984/Stupids/14%20Always%20Never%20Fun.mp3] Stupids - Always Never Fun Link source
...and the best Springsteen-ish cover ever...
[play-button:http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16850984/Stupids/32%20Born%20To%20F__K.mp3] Stupids - Born to Fuck Link source
Deja Voodoo
I recently saw a copy of Swamp of Love at gemm.com for $35.00 and wished again that I'd purchased it when I first heard it. This groundbreaking Canadian recording from 1986 is simple, humorous, out-of-print and amazing! If it weren't for all the other great music coming out at the time, this would have been the only album I listened to.
When we recorded the album "Squatters' Inc." in 1995, I asked Todd, our drummer, to rarely play the cymbals, if at all, and I myself only used the top three strings of my guitar...I had no idea we were following in Deja Voodoos' footsteps, but it all makes sense now. Their sound has all the growling distortion I love, and my tinnitus isn't bothered, because all the percussion is on the low end, too.
I didn't keep up with their other releases, either, always thinking there was no way the band could surpass the greatness of "Swamp of Love". I now realize I was wrong, partially. I found a copy of 1983's "Gumbo" cassette online over at the O Canadarm! blog, and also listened to a copy of "Too Cool to Live, Too Smart to Die" and find the same charm, although, without the same. Still, a song like "Cheese and Crackers", [play-button:http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16850984/Misc./Garage/05%20-%20Cheese%20And%20Crackers.mp3] Link source,
hearing it for the first time, can make beer squirt out your nose. Their humor is outstanding, this is not a novelty act, they rock!
So, all that said, Deja Voodoo are another one of those pioneering bands that pushed music forward, not only in Canada, but worldwide, and their DIY ethic is evidenced by the creation of their own zine and label, and several challenging tours.
Get ready to Blast Off!!
Check this shit out:
[play-button:http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16850984/Misc./11.%20Three%20Men%2C%20One%20Coffin.mp3] Deja Voodoo - Three Men, One Coffin Link source
[play-button:http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16850984/Misc./21.%20Don%27t%20Let%20No%20Ning%20Heads%20in%20Your%20Home.mp3] Deja Voodoo - Don't Let No Ning Heads in Your Home Link source
[play-button:http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16850984/Misc./Garage/16.%20Bad%20Book.mp3] Deja Voodoo - Bad Book Link source
[play-button:http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16850984/Misc./10.%20Coelecanth.mp3] Deja Voodoo - Coelecanth (sic) Link source
You should check out their MySpace page, because they certainly don't.
Here's the cover:
It looks like all of their LP's are currently available at gemm.com, if you've got the money.
• Cemetery (1984) (Og Music)
• Too Cool to Live, Too Smart to Die (1985) (Og Music)
• Swamp of Love (1986) (Og Music)
• The Worst of Deja Voodoo (1987) (Og Music)
• Big Pile of Mud (1988) (Og Music)
• Live at The Backstage Club, Helsinki Finland (1990) (Og Music)
Bad Times
Stumbled across this crazy piece of garage rock history last week. Imagine grabbing two friends, hanging out for a day, writing and rehearsing songs, then recording it all the next day! That's exactly how this recording came into existence, as the semi-famous Eric Oblivian invited the even more semi-famous Jay Reatard (May 1, 1980 – January 13, 2010 - R.I.P.) and King Louie to some real Bad Times...and what great Bad Times they turned out to be.
This 14-song monster of garage rock rage is the product of the greatest minds of Memphis music circa 2001. Hyper-distortion and supersonic beats collide to create what would have been a defining album for any other group of rockers.
Here's how Reatard remembered it..."We went to New Orleans, practiced once, recorded an album and played one show." Here's some of that...
...and here are some songs...
[play-button:http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16850984/Misc./Garage/04%20the%20jim%20miller%20bounce.mp3] Bad Times - The Jim Miller Bounce Link source
[play-button:http://www.recidivism.org/music/badtimesband.mp3] Bad Times - Listen to the Band Link source
[play-button:http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16850984/Misc./Garage/10%20trapped%20in%20the%20city.mp3] Bad Times - Trapped In The City Link source
Amazon is giving me a hassle about this picture and won't include it below, so here's what the CD looks like:
Teenage Head
If these guys had been from New York instead of Ontario, Canada they would have been huge. They get my respect by just naming their band after a Flamin' Groovies classic. I wouldn't classify these guys as strictly "punk", because you can tell they had actually listened to music BEFORE the New York Dolls or The Stooges. You can hear the influences on their 1979 debut self titled album. These guys must have worn out plenty of Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran and Little Richard records. This is some high energy stuff, poorly produced but great nonetheless. If you can't groove to "Picture my Face", "Curtain Jumper" or "Ain't Got No Sense" then you better go purchase some more Coldplay tracks from iTunes and slowly let your soul drown in the Abyss.
I absolutely think these guys could have been on the same field as the Ramones, but Canada didn't quite have the punk movement that NYC had in the late 1970's..... a shame, they coulda' been contenders.
[play-button:http://www.teenagehead.ca/mp3s/TopDown-withMarkyRamone.mp3] Teenage Head (With Marky Ramone) - Top Down Link source
[play-button:http://dl.dropbox.com/u/6571345/Teenage%20Head%20-%20Ain't%20Got%20No%20Sense.mp3] Teenage Head - Ain't Got No Sense Link source
[play-button:http://dl.dropbox.com/u/6571345/Teenage%20Head-%20Picture%20My%20Face.mp3] Teenage Head - Picture My Face Link Source
[play-button:http://www.teenagehead.ca/mp3s/Frantic_City/04-LetsShake.mp3] Teenage Head - Let's Shake Link source
[play-button:http://www.teenagehead.ca/mp3s/Some_Kinda_Fun/08-SomeKindaFun.mp3] Teenage Head - Some Kind of Fun Link source
[play-button:http://www.teenagehead.ca/mp3s/Teenage_Head/06-CurtainJumper.mp3] Teenage Head - Curtain Jumper Link source
This is as close as I can find to a real Teenage Head Myspace page...ok, well, this says Official, but doesn't supply the music to back it up...and here's the official website.
..and here's your chance to grab some Teenage Head from Amazon....or rare stuff from Gemm.
The Left
Another installment in the must have "grab a bands entire output on one CD" series.
After searching in vain for a copy of either "It's the World" or "Last Train To Hagerstown," by The Left, for several years, I'd nearly given up. I accidentally found this powerful compilation on CD Baby two years ago. Every sarcastic, satirical song recorded by this 60's psych punk/ 70's punk influenced Hagerstown, Maryland garage band is included; from 1983's "You're So," which appeared on Bona Fide Records' "Train to Disaster" comp, through the '84 EP & '85 LP, with 4 previously unreleased tracks from 1992!
I'd only ever heard a copy of the "Last Train to Hagerstown" LP from the shelves of KGLT in Bozeman, and numerous cassette tape dupes made from the very same album. It took me about 3 minutes to order this, followed by a month of heavy playing to break in the disc. The Stooges influence on The Left is obvious from the title of this compilation, and their inspired, note-for-note cover of "TV Eye", but they're much more than a Stooges clone. This is a sometimes dark, sometimes twangy, always energetic, look inside the small town, bigoted world of a bunch of kids who attacked that world with dark humor and great music.
Rumors are flying about that The Left are playing shows again...let's hope!
* Warning - Not for the humorless, "politically correct" crowd.
[play-button:http://boxstr.net/files/6731854_vgpxw/16%20You%27re%20So.mp3] The Left - You're So Link source
[play-button:http://www.georgebrigman.com/uploads/08%205%20AM%20the%20left.mp3] The Left - 5 A.M. Link source
Check out The Lefts' MySpace page, the Jim Swope MySpace page and the Voodoo Love Gods MySpace page to keep current on their travels.
The Nerves
Sometimes it feels like cheating when you grab up the entire back catalog of a band with just one purchase. Other times, well, you just feel lucky such a collection ever made its way into your hands.
While some might argue that the Nerves were never punk, I would have to disagree. They formed at roughly the same time as the Ramones and Radio Birdman, in 1974, and brought a fresh vitality to a dying genre of music. Granted, they are on the power pop side of punk, but the depth and simplicity of their music show a rebellion against the status quo of the time.
They played with the Ramones and delivered one of the great hits of "Parallel Lines" to Blondie in the form of "Hanging on the Telephone". Take a listen:
[play-button:http://www.alive-totalenergy.com/x/mp3/Nerves_Telephone.mp3] The Nerves - Hanging on the Telephone Link source
[play-button:http://dl.dropbox.com/u/11894993/07%20Walking%20Out%20On%20Love.mp3] The Nerves (Breakaways) - Walking Out on Love Link source
OFF!
Why does it take a bunch of old guys to create one of the most exciting, new bands to appear in a number of years? Keith Morris (Black Flag/ Circle Jerks), Dimitri Coats (Burning Brides), Steven McDonald (Redd Kross), and Mario Rubalcaba (Earthless/ Hot Snakes/ Rocket From the Crypt) form OFF!, a "super group" that lives up to the title!
It's been a long time since a band played with this much ferocity, and it's exactly what we need right now. 16 songs, in about as many minutes, translates to a wake up call, not only to the whiny indie scene, but to the frustrated masses looking for a soundtrack to tar and feather their (insert your favorite, real-life villain here) to.
The major labels, and independents, could learn a thing or two from the way OFF! are doing things. As you can see below, about 1/4 of the material they've recorded is readily available for free download. The original 7" pressings sold out in a number of days, and with roughly 2 days of recording under their belts, OFF! are being cheered on by notable indie sites for bringing excitement back to music. They've kept their expenses down and created an aura of anticipation around their next move. By re-teaming with iconic artist Raymond Pettibon, releasing energetic and unrestrained music and videos, and playing the 80's hardcore card, they're making products people want to own...not just download.
I'd prefer owning the First Four Eps 7" Box Set
[play-button:http://offofficial.com/Upsidedown.mp3] OFF! - Upside Down •Link source
[play-button:http://offofficial.com/Darkness.mp3] OFF! - Darkness •Link source
[play-button:http://www.viceland.com/blogs/en/files/2010/11/09-panic-attack.mp3] OFF! - Panic Attack •Link source
[play-button:http://downloads.pitchforkmedia.com/OFF!%20-%20I%20Don%27t%20Belong.mp3] OFF! - I Don't Belong •Link source
Wire
When Wire released their 21 song masterpiece, "Pink Flag", in late 1977, they opened rock music to a completely new form of expression and experimentation. While the album didn't initially achieve great commercial success, it has received high critical praise, with Rolling Stone & NME magazines counting it among the greatest albums of all-time.
Their early works influenced artists ranging from the Pixies to the Minutemen. A number of bands have built themselves up by doing Wire covers, including a couple of my favorite tracks, [play-button:http://www.piccadillyrecords.com/mp3/Minor%20Threat%20-%2012XU.mp3] Minor Threat's version of "12XU" •Link source and the [play-button:http://boxstr.net/files/6697941_x5c0m/09%20Mr.%20Suit.mp3] New Bomb Turks' cover of "Mr. Suit". •Link source
Don't forget to check out the Official Wire website, their Twitter feed and their MySpace page.
[play-button:http://www.pinkflag.com/assets/mp3/3_Girl_Rumba.mp3] Wire - Three Girl Rumba •Link source
[play-button:http://www.pinkflag.com/assets/mp3/Dot_Dash.mp3] Wire - Dot Dash •Link source
[play-button:http://www.pinkflag.com/assets/mp3/Want_To_Ex_You.mp3] Wire - 12XU •Link source
[play-button:http://www.pinkflag.com/assets/mp3/wire-two-minutes.mp3] Wire - Two Minutes (from the new album Red Barked Tree
Find all the great Wire titles @ GEMM!
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