DISASTER AREA / DIE SCHLIMMEN-FINGER split EP

I am rabid for 80s German punk. There's so much awesome German punk, varying in so many different styles. Some of my favorite bands - SLIME, NEUROTIC ARSEHOLES, UPRIGHT CITIZENS, BLUT + EISEN - are German. One of my recent collecting goals is to acquire all of the EPs from the Pogar label out of Berlin (except for the VARUKERS EP they did...I don't really feel like I need that one). I've been slowly achieving this goal, most recently pulling together tough finds like the killer HONKAS and HARNRÖHRER EPs, via the simplest method: Ebay. The old-fashioned method of "digging at record stores" is not totally obsolete though. I recently attended a show at local Oakland record store 1234 Go, and while scanning the 7"s across the wall above the tapes I spotted a slightly crinkled, vaguely familiar pink xerox-style sleeve - you know, the kind that gets your attention, but once you get closer it may just be some shitty 90s dollar bin fodder. Low and behold this time it was this DISASTER AREA / DIE SCHLIMMEN FINGER split EP on Pogar records! Twenty bucks. I scoured the place for more, but as expected, there weren't any more 80s German punk records to be found there.

The DISASTER AREA stuff is fairly mediocre skate-punk stuff, though not bad. But it was the DIE SCHLIMMEN FINGER side that totally caught me off guard. I'm instantly enchanted by the huge singalong choruses and ringing guitars they display on here. It's almost like the COCK SPARRER side of Oi, but still unmistakably German punk. 

In case you're looking to unload them, my top priorities on the Pogar EP list at this time are VORKRIEGSJUGEND, VELLOCET, and MARPLOTS,  

POGAR 08

LAPSILTA KIELLETTY EP

First EP from 1985 from this Finnish punk band. The key ingredient to this is the charming reckless and drunken vocal style that demands a singalong, bottle of vodka in hand, at least one time each track. Six songs on a single side, complete with crude drawings. I liberated this lovely record from Dirty Old Shop in Zagreb. 

LAPSILTA KIELLETTY

SKJIT-LARS - The Absolutely Last Shit 12" (one sided)

I hope you all don't hate me for not providing downloads for the "Random Shelf Pull" series. I needed a new format for posting without going through all the treacherous tasks of ripping files, scanning, photographing, resizing, etc. I know, "wah wah." I spent a little time ripping some records today to win you back...

I'm grateful for my sweet and thoughtful friends. Especially when they know my musical tastes well and go out of their way to gift me great rare records! This thing is limited to 100 copies and is a one-sided 12". Despite the fact that I find both of those details to be ridiculous and unfortunate, this record totally kills. If you're like me, you have only heard the disheveled and incoherent SKJIT-LARS track from the Welcome To 1984 compilation. This release shows the Norwegian punk wacko spurting forth 15 amazing, short, and catchy as fuck hardcore punk tracks, all recorded between 1981-1985. It's not so much in the tradition of the Norwegian bands you may be thinking of, but more akin to Swedish punk Gods MISSBRUKARNA. Bits of experimentation spice up the calamity but don't distract from the urgency. Many thanks to my friend Arndt for this! 

THE ABSOLUTELY LAST SHIT

K.G.B. - Party-Sahne EP

Picked this EP up in Bielefeld at Bluesite Record Shop after an amazing hungover breakfast from Hannes and crew. His band GLOOM SLEEPER played their first show with us the night before to a packed room at the university. After the show we were directed to a bar where one of the local friendly punks fed us too many beers and delicious but destructive shots. Most people elsewhere in Germany acted surprised about our shining report of Bielefeld. Needless to say, I highly recommend stopping there on tour if you're playing in western Germany. 

On to the EP - I picked up K.G.B's (KEIN GRUND FÜR BERUHIGUNG) first album many years ago at one of my regular digging holes in Austin and I remember liking a few tracks on it, but there was too much "screwing around," or too many covers or something like that...I can't remember for sure. Party-Sahne was released in 1985 and is a perfect blend of classic Deutschpunk and melodic Swedish punk a la ASTA KASK. There are a few signature riffs, notably the dancey one on "Sekt Ist Kaltgestellt," that made this EP worth the 5 euro and repeated listens after the fact, even among the giant stack of records I brought home from Europe. Give it a try...

K.G.B - Party-Sahne

BEYOND POSSESSION - Tell Tale Heart EP

Let's stay in Canada for another post for Calgary's BEYOND POSSESSION. This is their first EP before they went more metal. It's mostly catchy punk with snotty vocals, but some speed-picking, solos, and thrash elements are prominent on some songs. Somewhere between THE FARTZ and ACCUSED? They got tagged "skate punk" a lot due to their mentions in Thrasher, but this is more raging than most skate punk I've heard. Another often overlooked but awesome old EP. 

TELL TALE HEART EP

TALES OF TERROR - S/T Cassette

From Sacramento, TALES OF TERROR lived a short existence due to the death of their guitar player Victor Wong in 1986. This album shows them playing kind of immature and goofy, but great skate punk. This cassette actually contains a couple extra tracks that weren't featured on the LP, including a cover of THE STOOGES' "Search And Destroy." 

"I've got an Elvis tattoo, down on my cock..." Huh?

TALES OF TERROR

GEIZZ - We Wait For Song Of Geizz EP

One of the many bizarre but ruling Japanese hardcore EP's from the 80s. A touch of metal is present, but not enough to make this more of a metal record than a punk record. "Wild Boy's" would fit nicely anywhere on any hardcore mix tape. I'm not really sure what else to say about this because I don't know shit about the band...all that matters is that it's kinda rare and it rips. Think Lemmy really lent these guys his leather jacket???

GEIZZ

V/A - GBG Hardcore - 81 Punk 85 CD

A phenomenal document of 14 hardcore/punk bands from the early 80's in Göteborg, Sweden. Apparently this came with a zine, which I unfortunately do not have but would love to see. Many of the recordings seem to be alternate demo or live versions, or simply from rare records such as the ABSURD EP. Styles range from the familiar classic Swedish d-beat hardcore masters ANTI CIMEX and DISARM, to the catchy and upbeat sing-along punk of BUMSEN MUSS MAN and GBG PUNX. Particularly compelling to me are: 

1. the seemingly live DISARM tracks (it takes a few seconds for the person at the mixing board to get the levels right, but once they do it's devastating! Those vocals!). 2. The single track by INJEKTION is insanely catchy, but I mostly love it for the maniacal laughter at the end. 3. Three perfect crude blasts from youngsters NISSES NOTTER, especially the burp that kicks off "Pissefjong." 4. The tuneful TROUBLMAKERS tracks with undeniable swagger and unforgettable choruses! 

An overall essential collection!

GBG HARDCORE

SLAM - Tragedies!

SLAM was apparently considered the earliest of skate-punk bands in Sweden. This is the follow-up single to their great LP "Ingens Slav," and features two solid tracks of melodic and slightly dark mid-tempo punk. Side A is a regular mix-tape choice of mine, and may be the best song they ever released. Side B is a little weirder, considering the slower dirges employed as choruses, almost reaching heavy metal territory. Overall a winner in my book, and still easy to find at a cheap price compared to other Swedish punk records of the era!

SLAM - Tragedies!

V/A - VILAG LAZADOI HARCRA FEL 7"

Classic comp with some early Hungarian punk/hardcore, released by NEW WAVE Records outta France. Don't know much about the early Hungarian scene aside from bands like BIKINI and AURORA, but this comp leads me to believe there's some fascinating stuff to discover from there. Also, if anyone has a lead to a copy of the CPG 7" reissue that came out a couple years ago, pleeeease get in touch! Totally slept on that one...

Vilag Lazadoi Harcra Fel

V/A - Nå Eller Aldri EP (Norway)

I <3 <3 <3 Norwegian hardcore!!

Ote Kippersund and Gunnar Nuven's (singer of FEBER, SVART FRAMTID, SO MUCH HATE, KAFKA PROSESS) X-Port Platter label was without a doubt one of the best European punk labels in the 1980's. Based in Oslo, the X-port roster consisted of a who's-who of the exciting Norwegian hardcore scene from 1984-1989. This compilation is a brilliant display of the distinctly intense + passionate hardcore style coming out of Norway at the time. Ripping exclusive (at the time) tunes from BANNLYST (best track!), PSYKISK TERROR (BANNLYST members), KAFKA PROSESS (legendary!), SISTE DAGERS HELVETE, ANGKOR WAT (more "anarcho" punk styled), LANDSSVIK, and AKUTT INNLEGGELSE (pre TURBONEGRO, HA!). All X-port EP's were housed in awesome oversized poster-foldout covers with great art and layouts! I tried to take a decent picture of the poster...

NA ELLER ALDRI 

V/A - NOIZE OF NORWAY Cassette

So, a classic piece of Norwegian hardcore/punk here. I have to confess: this is a copied version of the comp that I bought off of a distro many years ago, so the sound quality reflects that fact. But tell me- what other blogs have this compilation available for download? Right, so for those who haven't head it and are as obsessed with Norwegian hardcore as I once was (and I guess technically still am), here's an opportunity to hear it! I mean, 3 exclusive SVART FRAMTID tracks!!?? Yeah, the tape quality is shit, but you have to hear them. One of my all time favorite bands form any region and era. Demo tracks from the mighty BANNLYST (their demo to be posted eventually, I have a decent bootleg tape), stuff from known bands like AKUTT INNLEGGELSE, ANGOR WAT, and SISTE DAGERS HELVETE, and some "shit-fi" quality stuff for lesser known bands like PSYKISK TERROR (BANNLYST folks), GONOREAGAN, NSG, AQUA VELVA, etc. 
So in summary, "sorry" to those who prefer top quality, and "your welcome" to those who have been searching for this rare tape. 

NOIZE OF NORWAY tape

V/A - PUNK TERRITORY VOL. 4: Italian Hardcore 1981-87

For you to obsess over throughout the course of your weekend: 33 tracks of full throttle hardcore from Italy! I love this CD because it offers some of the less celebrated names of the era, mostly from rare cassettes, and it still delivers the goods as much as a comp with WRETCHED, NEGAZIONE, CCM, and PEGGIO PUNX would. Here's the run down:

5 tracks by THE WOPS - USHC style reminding me of something like THE FIX // four tracks by WRONG BOYS - the first song is a dead rip-off of TSOL's "Superficial Love" in riffs and arrangement, while the other 3 are fast and punchy hc tunes // BLAXFEMA shreds through 3 thrashier hc tracks // 3 fast SoCal punk sounding tunes from CRAPPING DOGS, channeling DEAD KENNEDYS at times // One melodic upbeat oi/punk track from THE SKULLS // 6 catchy punk tracks by TRAUMATIC, taken from the Senza Tregua comp on BCT // 2 raw and hook-filled punk songs from WARHEAD // 3 punk tracks with a wild and expressive vocalist from DICTATRISTA // 2 rambunctious tracks from STAZIONE SUICIDA // finally, 5 more melodic and post-hardcore sounding songs from U.N.S - sort of a cross between HDQ and HEIMAT-LOS...or something...definitely the odd one of the bunch. 

PUNK TERRITORY VOL 4

GRAZHDANSKAYA OBORONA - Игра В Бисер Перед Свиньями

Here's another album from the Russian punk legends GRAZHDANSKAYA OBORONA. It is their sixth album, and the title translates to "In the Game Pearls Before Swine." This album employs an acoustic guitar and is devoid of driving punky drums, landing it closer to the folk end of the spectrum. The tunes are still great though, and I'd recommend it just as highly to any GROB fan as much as I would "Necrophilia" or "Optimizm." Such an incredible band!

GROB - Игра В Бисер Перед Свиньями

STIGMATHE - Lo Sguardo Dei Morti EP

I just heard a cool STIGMATHE reissue the other day, so I got inspired to post their second EP. This is definitely one of my favorite hardcore EP's from Europe in the 80's! On the two faster songs they captured such a primal sound, decorated with awesome dark guitar leads and urgent yells, and rooted by punchy bass and drumming. Even the reggae song on the B side is amazing - not the case with many failed attempts by other hardcore bands of the time! Check out their first EP here, and the reissue, which contains both EP's, comp tracks, and some rare live and rehearsal room stuff! The guitarist went on to play in a goth band called THELEMA, that apparently still plays. 

STIGMATHE- Lo Sguardo Dei Morti EP

KALASHNIKOV - Sub Version LP

After an incredible and now highly sought after EP, Denmark's KALASHNIKOV dropped this astonishing LP of melodic post punk. This LP covers the full spectrum of the genera; an impressive representation of the gradation of the many styles that can be described as "post punk." And most importantly, it's fucking fun! Palpitating rhythms - from angular to straight and fast, thick and punchy bass lines, ear-catching guitar leads, and captivating and melodic female vocals. "Skinnende Stål" is my pick of the bunch - familiar in melody, but manifested only in a way that KALASHNIKOV could do it - an amazing song! Rare LP, and mandatory for fans of punk, and post punk alike. 

KALASHNIKOV - Sub Version LP 1985

TILT - Runął Już Ostatni Mur... EP

Cool Polish punk 7" from 1985. This is the only material I've heard by TILT, aside from their track on the "Fala" compilation, but they also released a couple albums and singles. They play driving and upbeat punk, extremely catchy, with a fluttering but tasteful saxophone player. Not really much else to say here - I'd love to hear their other stuff. I know their material isn't hard to track down; I suppose I just haven't gotten around to it yet. Also it appears that someone decided to add a doodle or two on my copy...

TILT EP

SIOUXSIE ?

The other day my boss informed us that there was a stack of vinyl and a box of tapes up for grabs upstairs (which is really random, considering we make silicon sex toys). But we have an extremely laid back work environment, so over the years as people have come and gone, the place has accumulated a lot of people's random personal things. This particular stash seemed to contain mostly LP's rescued from the curbside (though I did snag some ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN LP's, a cool Goth LP from Oakland called FADE TO BLACK, and a few common 80's new wave pop gems), and a box of cassettes. I took some cassettes that seemed to be recordings from a radio station - sturdy old maxell tapes, perfect for recording over - and then this mysterious one marked "Siouxie?" Now, it doesn't come up in conversation as often as Eastern Euro punk or Norwegian hardcore, but I'm a huge SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES fan. Not like in an obsessive "collect everything and know every bit of Siouxsie trivia" kind of way...I just really love their music. A lot. And I've noted that there are so many cool alternate recordings and special sessions of SATB stuff out there, so I grabbed this hoping it would contain something like that...and I was in luck. I got a pen and paper and started listening, jotting down the names of the songs I recognized (it opens with my FAVORITE song), and checking the Discogs database for a match, and it looks like the recording is from a rare bootleg double live LP called "All Creatures Great And Small," but it's recorded onto the tape in reverse order - starting with side D, then C, then B, and then A. The recording is from St. James Church London, April 10th 1985 and is pretty decent quality, though it's a taped version of a bootlegged live record, so keep that in mind. Now, if you dig SATB as much as I do, you NEED to get this because there are a few songs that I had never heard before, and some searches lead me to believe that they haven't been released ANYWHERE else! And they're goooooood songs. They are called "Dance For Me," "Take Me Back," "Drink the Water," and "The Sound." Also there are a couple teasers on the tracklist that first appeared to be unreleased, but are just later released songs disguised with different names: "Judgement Day" is "The Sweetest Chill," and "Herald In the Rain" is "Cannons." 19 tracks total. I could go on about how incredible her voice was (it's actually kind of pitchy on this particular recording), how pumped I get about the guitar lines, how beautifully all the layers of melody interplay with each other in their songs, or how my jaw drops watching Budgie hit the drums on old live footage, but you already know how great SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES were...

SIOUXIE?

CONTRAZIONE ‎– Cineocchio! Storia e Memoria LP

Awesome anarcho punk from Torino, Italy - circa '85. They managed to cover a lot of ground on this 12" stylistically, which certainly helps them stand out among the vast amount of stellar hardcore bands from Italy of the time. That signature Italian hc churused-out guitar sound, dual male/female vocals, and fluctuating and pulsing rhythms all make for a unique and unpredictable classic. Oh, and great artwork helps! I first took note of CONTRAZIONE upon hearing their amazing track form the P.E.A.C.E. compilation (one of the best on the comp!), and they also did an incredibly rare and rad split LP with fellow anarcho-punkers FRANTI. Like the BEDBOYS EP? You'll definitely like this. 

CONTRAZIONE LP

V/A - GRAD IZOBILIJA - Yugoslavian Punk Sampler Cassette

Today I present you with a great tape-trader comp of early punk from Ex-Yugoslavia. Unappealing cover, I know, but the music is a great taste of the diverse punk/new wave movement in the 70's-80's in former Yugoslavia. Interestingly, the first thing I noticed is the absence of more well known bands like PARAF, PEKINSKA PATKA, and PANKRTI. This of course is exciting to someone like myself who wants to dig deeper and hear the lesser known stuff! Here's the rundown:

PRLJAVO KAZALISTE does 3 youthful 70's rock'n roll punk tunes // MRTVI KANAL play 3 incredible upbeat punk/postpunk jams with driving keyboard lines. Extremely dynamic! Easily the winner on this tape for me - "Oglasi" is an instant classic! // ZENEVSKI DEKRET does 3 solid mid tempo punk songs and a cover of "Chinese Rocks" // more mid-paced late 70's styled punk from ZONA RANE MASTURBACIJE // and one catchy and mysterious track from GOLA JAJA - you must check out their other astonishing demo material from the excellent Degenerik blog here! // a couple softer, but catchy and crafty punk tunes from ZABRANENO PUSENJE (NOTE: "Stanje Soka" has a painful stint of skipping halfway through the track, presumably because the material was dubbed from a heavily partied CD) // one cool post-punk track and one scorcher by PROBLEMI, the second track being one of the best on the tape // two interesting and weird post punk/wave tracks by BELINSKI ZID // GROUPA 92 do two great punk songs nuanced with flourishing keyboard lines, much like THE STRANGLERS! Another standout band on the comp. // SVE PO SPISKU does 2 catchy RAMONES-ey punk jams // N.B.G with 3 quick-paced punk ragers with memorable choruses, regardless of your grasp of the language // and last but not least, GOBLINI from Serbia plays 3 tracks of melodic and poppy punk with a great driving quality. They also sound like they maybe came a bit later, judging by the recording and style...but who knows. 

V/A - GAD IZOBILIJA

I should also note that I totally fucked up when I ripped  this cassette and accidentally started with side B, and am not knowledgeable enough with Audacity to fix this - so the files are sequenced as such. Doesn't really matter, right?