From Power Pop to Power Violence
…and lots of stuff in between.
The Tourists – Luminous Basement (BMG) & Greatest Hits (Camden)
I love those early Eurythmics albums, so of course, after reading that Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart came from The Tourists, I was interested to hear them. Quite frankly, I was blown away by what I heard. The Tourists, led by Peet Coombes, perfectly synthesized new wave and power pop into energetic and original rock & roll. It’s a far cry from the cold, dark electronic brooding that Lennox and Stewart are known for, but it’s great music.
Raw Power – Screams from the Gutter (Ugly Pop)
Their name says it all. The release of this album in 1984 cemented Raw Power’s reputation for being Italy’s best hardcore punk band. 25 years later, this album still rages with intensity.
Dayglo Abortions – Unreleased 1982 Demo (n/a)
Erich, who runs the excellent Goodbadmusic.com music blog, calls Canada’s Dayglo Abortions, “The heaviest punk band in the world.” He’s probably right, too. These seven songs document a “lost” period of the band’s existence, between their powerful Out of the Womb LP (1981) and Feed Us a Fetus (1985), which I haven’t heard yet. It’s dark, noisy and heavy – a few of my favorite things.
Virus – “Dark Ages” 12” EP (Ratcage)
Virus are one of those sadly under-appreciated early NYHC bands, perhaps because this 12” EP was their only release. The band could play better than most of their peers and they weren’t afraid of veering into post-punk territory at times. It’s less Agnostic Front and more Reagan Youth, if that makes any sense.
Circle One – Live ’81 7” EP (Feedback)
This LA hardcore band always intrigued me because descriptions I’d heard made them sound like they took the Darby Crash cult thing seriously. Whether or not that’s the case, this is a phenomenal, blistering live recording by a rarely cited LA hardcore band.
The Sods – “No Pictures”/“Plaything” 7” (Stortbeat)
Not the Danish band that did the excellent Killed By Death classic, “Television Sect.” These British Sods played keyboard-driven late ’70s punk that could almost be mistaken for LA punk if not for the vocalist’s Johnny Rotten impersonation.
The Viletones – “Screaming Fist” 7” EP (Vile)
Damn good ’77 Canadian punk. What else is there to say?
DNA – “You & You”/“Little Ants” 7” (Lust/Unlust)
I’ve owned DNA’s Live at CBGB (Avant) CD for about 10 years and I’m only now hearing their first and only 7”. It’s a nice dose of thromping no wave skronk.
Septic Death – Now That I Have Your Attention What Do I Do With It (Pusmort)
This insane hardcore band hailed from Boise, Idaho and was fronted by Pushead, artist for Thrasher Skateboard Magazine and bands like Metallica and The Misfits. SD are sometimes credited as a big influence on the power-violence sub-genre, and it shows in their music, which is only slightly more melodic than that of their protoges.
Agnostic Front – Raw Unleashed (Grand Theft Audio)
When AF first started, they were awful – just listen to the “United Blood” 7” EP. This CD compiles AF’s earliest demos, alternate versions of “United Blood” and a rehearsal tape recorded by Don Fury. Needless to say, it’s completely hilarious, which is why I like it so much. The completely horrendous cover of The Animals‘ “It’s My Life” only adds to the hilarity. “Friend! Foe! Are you my friend or foe?!” Hahahahaha!!!
