In The Trashcan
Records GEM087
"The moral majority ain't no friends of mine;
they're waiting for the war while we pogo pogo and have
no place to piss..."
The very first European punk band? Bastard, from Brussels in 1975. Featuring Englishmen Alan Ward (aka Elton Motello), Brian James (pre-Damned) and Eef Kengen (pre-Raxola) who all used to live in Brussels. "Pogo pogo" was a song written by Lou Deprijck for Hubble Bubble, which featured Roger Jouret who was to become world famous as Plastic Bertrand. Ward changed the lyrics and recorded his own version as flipside to "Jet boy jet girl", the first English translation of "Ca plane pour moi", also written by Lou Deprijck. See vol 37 for the rest of the story.
"Nazi punks fuck off" is perhaps the fiercest song by Dead Kennedys. This is the flipside, released on Subterranean Records in 1981.
For punk lovers this was hard rock and for metalheads this was punk rock. Maybe that's why they never could break through. Later an anthology album featured all the other songs they recorded in the early 80s. This one is from 1981 (see vol 84 for the A-side).
Recorded in 1990 but released in 1995 by Mad Butcher Records from Germany. This is an Antwerp, Belgium anti-fascist punk band formed by the brothers Vantomme. "What about the children" is the title of this 4-track EP.
Arthur May is the writer of both sides of this terrific punk release from 1979. Frontman is Jeffrey Lennon aka Geoff Danielik, an American guitar player, who was also active in New York City powerpop outfit Peroxide and later in punk rock group Maloney's Touch. The second of two Cuntagious releases.
A 1993 Mortarhate release by Britain's strongest anarcho-punk voice since Crass stopped in 1984.
Legendary Brussels punk band formed in 1976. In February 1977 they recorded 4 tracks for this EP on Romantik Records, including a blistering version of The Velvet Underground's "What goes on", which can be found on several compilations. After 1 release they broke up and all formed other bands, such as X-pulsion, Contingent, Lunapark and even Snowy Red.
I saw them once, live at Lintfabriek, Kontich in 1999 and it was this song that really blew me away. 1977 punk rock but two decades later; only The Kids can do better. They hailed from Baltimore and I remember them also for being avid lovers of Belgian beer, especially La Chouffe. A 1995 American Punk Records release.
Mark Perry will always be remembered for his Sniffin' Glue punkzine. Recorded in 1977 and released right after the split. One of the few 'positive' punk tunes from '77. ATV was also a band Billy Childish loved a lot.
Crazy 1979 new wave tune by a Japanese band on a Japanese record label, Windmill. See vol 27 for the flipside.
See vols 4, 37 and 57 for more Discharge info. Stoke-on-Trent would never be the same again. Add some Motörhead metal madness to the fastest punk songs and you get this new sound that would be perfected by GBH. This is 1980, the dawn of a new (punk) era. Punk is dead? Hell no!
F.U. "Child in time", here's "Child of the times" by ex-Crass vocalist Steve Ignorant and his Schwartzeneggar, recorded in 1992 for Rugger Bugger Discs from London. Think Crass with added keyboards on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
"Banned from the pubs" will always be their anthem. I also love their "Moped lads" on the same single on No Future Records from 1981. Peter Bywaters formed the band in 1978 in Peacehaven (perfect name for a town when you are bored and banned from the pubs to start a punk band) and they are still touring and recording.
My second fave Sham 69 song is "Angels with dirty faces" and this is the violent flipside from 1978. Jimmy Pursey really sounds angry on this one.
For MDC's history, check out vol 7. It's still amazing how a political American hardcore band could release an EP on Crass Records and not on, say, Alternative Tentacles, although they were good friends with Dead Kennedys. This is a song about the homeless, living on the streets and even having no place to piss.
Howard Devoto and Pete Shelley were becoming punk's song writer's duo. Like Lennon/McCartney, Jagger/Richards,… in a new jacket in the late 70s. This comes from their very first release, an EP on New Hormones, recorded in December 1976 and released a month later. It includes "Boredom", "Time's up" and "Breakdown".
