Top 10 Songs Chosen By Josh Louis Lingg

  A couple of days ago I posted a new song by French Anarcho-Punks Louis Lingg And The Bombs which is one of my favourites of 2015 (please check it out if you missed it : (http://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/louis-lingg-and-bombs-i-wish-i-was-dead.html). That post resulted in me asking Josh, the lead singer and guitarist of the band if he'd be interested in submitting a list of his 10 favourite songs. Unlike some of the people I ask (if you're one of these shift your arse ;) ), he was quick off the mark and sent back a really cool selection. He also added a comment which I'll copy and paste. Thanks for the contribution Josh.....

"Well there it is! I've been collecting music like a rabid dog for 22 years. I'm sitting in a room completely submerged by old records now. That's the way Louis Lingg songs get written. Like hip-hop songs we dig around in our record collections and sample and DJ mash-up some serious shit. Then we take it to practice and try and play it live! So many of my great legends didn't make it on the list. The 2 bands that made want to make music, The Velvet Underground and The Sex Pistols didn't even get on it! Beaten of by my favorite DJ mash-up and my fave K-Pop song! Crazy but true: My taste is questionable!"


 1) HELEN LOVE - Does Your Heart Go Boom
(see below)

 2) BUZZCOCKS - Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=terg_LPT3X0

 3) GREEN DAY - Welcome To Paradise
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOcrKFiB_ts

 4) APHEX TWIN - Come To Daddy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-9UvrLyj3k

 5) THE EPOXIES - Need More Time
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hFlT2K25-E

 6) HYUNA - Bubble Pop
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bw9CALKOvAI

 7) KID606 - Never Underestimate The Value Of A Holler (Vipee-Pee Mix)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agm3NLaqeKk

 8) ATARI TEENAGE RIOT - Revolution Action
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8JBUktSxvQ

 9) Bikini Kill - Rebel Girl
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOCWma5vOiQ

10) SOCIAL DISTORTION - Ring Of Fire
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HvXtadPpQw


From Wales' Ramones worshipping bubblegum punk heroes Helen Love, here's Josh's Number 1..........

Stray Bullets - New Prisons

   "Streetpunk Reggae" today from Boston, Massachusetts' Stray Bullets. Featuring Jon Cauztik (vocals/guitar), PG (guitar/vocals), Pickles (bass) and Caps (drums), they self released their debut album, The Slings And Arrows Of Outrageous Fortune, as far back as 2004. In 2006, Cauztik concentrated his energies on newly formed band Have Nots so it wasn't until the debut album's reissue in 2012 that things clicked back into gear for the Bullets. The album and The Anchor, a song which was written for This Is New England : A 100% Benefit Comp, can be purchased here : https://straybullets1.bandcamp.com/album/the-slings-and-arrows-of-outrageous-fortune.

  With Have Nots on hiatus, 2014 saw the release of a new Stray Bullets album entitled Ghost Town Rockers. Still featuring Suicide Machines/Rancid influenced political and socially concious tracks that really benefit from the addition of having the lyrics available to read and digest, you can find it on the Dying Scene Bandcamp page : https://dyingscenerecords.bandcamp.com/album/ghost-town-rockers.

  From that album, this is New Prisons.....

TWO THOUSAND ELEVEN, THE PEOPLE, IT SEEMED, REALIZED THAT THEIR LIVES WERE A PYRAMID SCHEME, THE AMERICAN DREAM JUST A FABLE TO KEEP THEM ENSLAVED, SO THEY TOOK TO THE STREETS AND THEY TOOK TO THE SQUARES, AMAZED UPON LOOKING FOUND SOMEONE ELSE THERE, AND IDEAS WERE SHARED AND A NEW SET OF OPTIONS WERE WEIGHED...FIRST CAME THE PROTESTS AND THEN THE ENCAMPMENTS, AND MEDIA BLACKOUTS DID NOTHING TO DAMPEN THE SPIRITS OF THOSE WHO HAD FOUND SOMETHING WORTHY TO SAVE, THEY BUILT MICROSOCIETIES FORGED ON COMPASSION, ON OPEN DISCUSSION, DIVISION OF RATIONS, AND CORPORATE FASCISM OILED UP ITS GUILLOTINE BLADE... 

WITH NO LEADERS TO SLANDER AND NO HEADS TO ROLL, THE MACHINE COULDN'T SEEM TO REGAIN ITS CONTROL, SO THEY CALLED ON THE CONGRESS THEY'D BANKROLLED TO BREAK UP THE THRONG, IN CAME THE GOVERNMENT, IN ON THE GRIFT, THEY SAID “FREEDOM OF SPEECH AIN'T A RIGHT, IT'S A GIFT, IF YOU STICK TO THE SCRIPT THAT WE WROTE THEN WE'LL DO YOU NO WRONGS”...BUT THE PEOPLE, AWAKENED, SAW WHAT WAS AT STAKE, THEY SAID “WE WON'T REPEAT ALL OUR PARENTS' MISTAKES, IT'S TIME TO RETAKE THINGS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN OURS ALL ALONG, ALTHOUGH WE'RE AFRAID WE WILL NOT BE DISSUADED, NO LONGER OBEYING A SYSTEM THAT'S PLAYED US”, THEY BUILT BARRICADES AND AWAITED THE RAIDS STANDING STRONG... 

IF YOU CAN'T FIND THE ANSWERS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, MAYBE IT'S COS YOUR QUESTIONS ARE FLAWED TO THE CORE, IN A SYSTEM DESIGNED WHERE THEY'VE MADE IT A CRIME TO BE POOR...THEY TAKE US FOR GRANTED, THEY TAKE US FOR FOOLS, THEY TAKE US TO TASK AND THEY MAKE US THEIR TOOLS, THEY BUILT A NEW PRISON WHERE CLEARLY WE NEEDED A SCHOOL... 

A YOUNG BOY WALKING BY GRABBED AT HIS MOTHER'S HAND, ASKED THE RIGHT QUESTION “WHY?” HAD THIS WHOLE THING BEGAN, UNDERSTANDING CREPT OVER HIS FACE AS THE WOMAN EXPLAINED, SAID “THESE PEOPLE YOU SEE ARE JUST LIKE YOU AND ME, AND THEY'RE CAMPING OUT HERE COS THEY WANT TO BE FREE OF THE MONSTERS WHO SCARE THEM, THE BULLIES WHO CAUSE THEM THEIR PAIN”...AND AS THEY WALKED AWAY ON THAT BRIGHT SUNNY DAY, HE TURNED BACK AROUND AND HE SMILED AND HE WAVED, AND I KNEW THEN AND THERE THAT THIS STRUGGLE, IT WASN'T IN VAIN, SURE, THEY TOOK DOWN THE CAMPS AND THEY PUT IN THE BOOT BUT VICTORY WAS OURS IN THAT MOMENT OF TRUTH, IN THE SEEDS TAKING ROOT IN THE MINDS OF THE YOUTH OF TODAY... 

IF YOU CAN'T FIND THE ANSWERS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, MAYBE IT'S COS YOUR QUESTIONS ARE FLAWED TO THE CORE, IN A SYSTEM DESIGNED WHERE THEY'VE MADE IT A CRIME TO BE POOR...THEY TAKE US FOR GRANTED, THEY TAKE US FOR FOOLS, THEY TAKE US TO TASK AND THEY MAKE US THEIR TOOLS, THEY BUILT A NEW PRISON WHERE CLEARLY WE NEEDED A SCHOOL.

 

Louis Lingg And The Bombs - I Wish I Was Dead (Remastered)

Acid rain is stinging your eyes as you marvel at the crumbling city walls 

around you. It's the end of the world and the last cop wants to beat you to 

death for planting the last flower without a permit. Tear gas makes you

 claw at your face as you gasp at the beauty of the sunset. Red upon red 

upon red. 

"Must be all the pollution", you laugh, before you lose consciousness for the 

last time... 

  This is one of those songs I want to highlight a little more than usual, a song that immediately jumped out at me and one that'll no doubt end up in my end of year "best of" list. It's a bit of a strange beast, read the lyrics and you'll expect a downbeat, depressing or possibly angry sound but it's nothing like that. Despite the bleak lyrics it's one of the catchiest, most upbeat songs you'll hear. Hopefully it'll find the audience it deserves.

  Louis Lingg And The Bombs were featured on here a few months ago (http://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/louis-lingg-and-bombs-destroy.html) and although it'd normally be a bit too soon to have them back, they've kicked down the Just Some Punk Songs' front door and demanded entry.

  As mentioned previously, they're an anarcho-punk band from Paris who take their name from the 19th century German immigrant and anarchist Louis Lingg.

  They've a new album in the works but whilst we await that they've released a mini album, called Songs For A Tear Gas Sunset, which contains today's song and which you can check out "name your price" here :  https://louislinggandthebombs.bandcamp.com/album/songs-for-a-tear-gas-sunset

  This is the extremely depressing and upbeat I Wish I Was Dead.....

Oh, it gets worse, it gets worse, it gets worse

the future
seems so bleak

So, our lives, corroding, corroding away
Acid rain
burns my skin

whoa uh uh! 

And we wait, for cancer, for cancer to form
for the norm
is to die 

And we watch, and we watch, and we watch the earth die

Jumpin off a bridge
Would be more fun

Chorus:
Oh, I wish I was dead
And oh, I wish you were dead
Oh, I wish I was dead
And oh, I wish you were dead

Oh, the great, great depression
This is the great, great depression
Oh, the great, great depression
This is the great, great depression

Oh, they take more, they take more, they take more

fucking rich
bloodsuckers

Oh it feels like I'm drowning I'm drowning in shit

Won't submit
Rather die

Oh, I wish I was dead
And oh, I wish you were dead
Oh, I wish I was dead
And oh, I wish you were dead

Oh, the great, great depression
This is the great, great depression
Oh, the great, great depression
This is the great, great depression

Dirty Fences - Judy (Don't Go)

"Full Tramp is filthy driving rock and roll with an air of irreverence that's entirely addictive"

  Anyone who's not paying attention and who just clicks on the video at the bottom of the page might initially think that I'm posting a song by an all girl band for the second day running. In actual fact, Dirty Fences are inspired on this one by the idea of The Shangri-Las, directed by John Waters, appearing on The Ed Sullivan show.

  The band are from New York City, were raised on a diet of Kiss and Motley Crue, discovered and fell in love with The Dictators and The Ramones and combined elements of both genres to create a style of 70's street level punk rock n roll that has a Tommy Ramone beat, with the attitude of Eddie Cochrane and harmonies galore. Attendees of the same Boston high school, Max Comaskey (bass/vocals), Jack Daves (vocals/guitar) and Max Hiersteiner (drums/vocals) have been playing together since 2009. Relocating to Brooklyn they added Max Roseglass (guitar/vocals) to the line up.

  They followed up a 6 track s/t ep with a debut album, Too High To Kross. 2014 saw them release the Ladies Choice 7" and a split single with Californian rockers The Shine. Now signed to Slovenly Records they've recently unleashed album number two, Full Tramp, which sees them raise their game and is attracting plenty of rave reviews. You can stream it here : https://soundcloud.com/slovenly/sets/dirty-fences-full-tramp   or check out the Slovenly Bandcamp page : https://slovenly.bandcamp.com/album/dirty-fences-full-tramp-lp

  For their earlier releases click here : https://dirtyfences.bandcamp.com/

  In summation, they're a little like the musical version of Quentin Tarantino, cherry picking the best of various genres and remoulding them in their own image to produce something fresh, fun and exciting. This one's called Judy (Don't Go)......

 

Abjects - Gone

“They’re classic 60’s but still sound relevant, have presence, confidence and are raw. They’re effortlessly cool” – Silent Radio

“Short and snappy with a lot of attitude”- Amazing Radio

“This international threesome have been smoulderingly good for the last couple of years and now they’re on fire.” – Sounds XP

  A new release today from Abjects, an all girl trio that are based in London and feature Noemi (vocals/guitar), Yuki (bass/vocals) and Alice (drums). They introduced themselves early in 2013 with a demo and followed it up later that year with the Fast Love ep. Both those releases are available here : https://abjects.bandcamp.com/ 

  Their sound is described as being "nuggets-esque garage with tints of The Pixies and The Cramps." Evidence of this can be found on their new ep, the title track of which can be found below. Limited to 300 copies of transparent blue 12" vinyl, it's out now on Stolen Body Records. You can check it out here : https://stolenbodyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/gone

  The girls have just completed a successful European tour which saw them play Germany, Czech Republic, Switzerland, France and Spain. Their star is very much in the ascendancy so hopefully we'll be hearing plenty more from them.

  Here's the bass driven new single, it's called Gone.....

The Lids - R.H.T.S

"No More School, No More Work".......  

Today's song is an upbeat, energetic number that's straight out of the garage. It came out in 2004 on Rip Off Records and is by Atlanta, Georgia's The Lids. The band were a short lived affair which featured Alix Brown (who's already appeared in this blog alongside Jay Reatard as part of Angry Angles : http://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/angry-angles-you-fell-in.html ), Bobby Ubangi (aka Benjamin Jay Womack, who was a founder member of Carbonas as well as a member of Gaye Blades and Black Lips and who tragically died in 2009 of cancer aged just 35), Dave Rahn (Carbonas, Gentleman Jesse & His Men), Mark Naumann and Valery Lovely.

  They released the 3 track Too Late 7" in 2003 (released on bassist Mark Naumann's Die Slaughterhaus label) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RD9C7Kc3M7Y) before returning a year later with their self titled album (Rip Off Records #067). Featuring high tempo, enthusiastic punk n roll songs which mix male and female vocals it's definitely recommended checking out. Most of the tracks are on this youtube channel : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmkxVPGUT3b7hK8KCr_kkiQ/videos

  A rather enthusiastic live review on Terminal Boredom by Rich Kroneiss ran something like this :

"Hitting in the third spot were The Lids from Atlanta, one of the bands I was most excited see all weekend. I fell in love with their single the minute it landed on my doorstep. I was a bit worried, as I had heard previous reports of incompetent live shows, but that was obviously bad information, because The Lids fucking killed it. Drummer, guitarist/singer, bass player, and a three girl harmony section front and center decked out in great duds and tambourines. And when I say girls, I mean the really good-looking variety. To steal a great description from my colleague Sir Mitch Cardwell, it was like "Supercharger meets the Shangri-La's in a dumpster" or something like that. They played the hits from the single and a bunch of other great songs. The girls had moves, and kept every guy's attention I'm sure. The one on the left was my personal favorite, but they were all lookers. Their bass player looked mean, and I quite enjoyed it when he kicked some dude with two-tone hair square in the face. Fucking cool. I later found out he was the guy who ran Die Slaughterhaus, and was a real nice guy. A frenzied dance party erupted in front of the stage. Girls were everywhere. The set was done, and I immediately gushed to anyone who would listen about how great the Lids just were. Most agreed."

  Currently stuck in my head, this is R.H.T.S..........

12 Gauge Pinup - Movin' Away

"I don't hear a single thing when you talk talk talk, talk to me......"


  Someone who's always been a good friend to this blog and who's never shied away from contributing when asked is Kevin Patrick McGovern. Kevin has previously featured herein several times, both with his bands The Prostitutes (http://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/the-prostitutes-1-2-3-go_25.html) and The Inversions (http://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/the-inversions-hung-by-phone.html) and when he kindly contributed lists of his all time top 10 songs and his top 10 of 2014.... (http://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/top-10-songs-chosen-by-kevin-patrick.html)  (http://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/top-10-songs-of-2014-as-chosen-by-kevin.html).

  He's a top bloke and he's been responsible for some kick ass music down the years so you can imagine my excitement a few weeks back when he sent me the rough mixes of some new tracks. He said he had a new L.A. based band called 12 Gauge Pinup and that the following week they were going back into the studio to incorporate a saxophone into the mix. Much as I wanted to add one of the rough mixes to the blog I decided to hold fire and wait for the finished article. And today, here it is....

  Kevin McGovern of The Prostitutes returns with his first proper band after 5 years of writing and reckless behaviour. Joined by legendary Vegas drummer Joe Mascolino and famed saxophonist Dale Behringer, dark and twisted rock sounds are deconstructed. Acclaimed filmmaker and LA musician Greg Carson plays bass whilst also acting as their audio engineer. A wrong turn into NYC punk and late '60s avant garde garage is the formula.

  There's a heady brew of influences that have shaped the sound of this release, including the likes of  Johnny Cash, Motorhead, Sex Pistols, Johnny Thunders and The Circle Jerks. With a sound that's firmly ensconced in the dark underbelly of punk rock, you can check out the Grind ep (and Kevin's earlier work) here : https://theprostitutes1.bandcamp.com/album/grind-ep-2

  This is Movin' Away.......

The Epileptix - self hate

  Yesterday's update featured a song that was an example of good old fashioned sing along pop punk, today's is anything but. From Detroit band The Epileptix, it's an obnoxious,  incomprehensible aural assault on the senses that is still manages to be as catchy as hell.

  Featuring Timmy Vulgar (Clone Defects, Human Eye, Timmy's Organism) on vocals , Nai Sammon aka Jack Shit  (The Piranhas) on guitar, Rob Low on bass and Tyler on drums they were short lived but fondly remembered.

  Active in the latter part of the 90's, they released the Kill Yourself cassette, the Self Hate ep (from which today's song is taken), the EP ep and the Punk Fuckin Rock Split 7" (with The Druggies). Their last release was the Greatest Fits album which came out in 1999 on Tom Perkins Records.

  If you like your punk music a little on the wild side, this is for you. Self Hate.....

 

The Donkeys - What I Want

  When the subject of pop punk crops up, many turn up their noses and say Blink 182 and their like aren't punk. I have some sympathy with this view as I'm not overly keen myself on a fair proportion of over produced "punk" that seems to have had any rough edges smoothed out and in my opinion seems sterilised and unexciting. Having said that, I certainly won't write off all pop punk as when it's good, boy is it good.

  One counter argument to come back at the pop punk naysayers with is that there's always been pop punk. I grew up on the likes of The Buzzcocks, The Undertones, The Boys, The Ramones etc so to say that pop punk ain't punk is quite frankly ludicrous.

  Anyway, the purpose of that intro was to give me an opportunity to say that one band from back in the day who would, in an ideal world, be spoken of when the topic of quality old school pop punk rears it's head are The Donkeys. Hailing from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, they were together between 1978-82 and whilst maybe missing the cutting edge, of some of their punk contemporaries I don't think anyone could argue about their ability to pen a catchy tune.

  Featuring future Chumbawamba member Neil Ferguson (vocals/guitar), Dave Owen (bass/vocals), Tony Ferguson (rhythm guitar/vocals) and Mark Welham (drums), they released 5 singles, a couple of which were much beloved by my younger self. First up was What I Want/Four Letters which was a 7" that should have been a massive hit (I think it stalled at number 90 in the UK charts). This was followed by No Way (decent enough but a step down from their debut), and then what was probably their most successful song, Don't Go. Single number 4, Let's Float, wasn't (in my opinion) all that good and finally by the time of Listen To Your Radio they'd pretty much ditched any punk leanings (they'd also re named themselves The Donkees). A couple of compilation albums followed many years later (Monkey Business/Television Anarchy) but otherwise the stable door was shut and the band were put out to pasture.

  I could have posted Four Letters or Don't Go but in the end I've gone with What I Want. Enjoy......

 

The Dubtones - All Systems Failing

  Today's update is from Dublin ska-punk band The Dubtones. The trio (Whelo - vocals/guitar, Gipo - bass/vocals and Stanto - drums) originally started life as a 4 piece in 2005. Influenced by the likes of The Clash, The Specials, The Ruts and The Jam, their first release was 2006's One For The Road mini album. By the time they recorded debut album (2010's End Of Transmission), they'd slimmed down their line up but they still had the same blistering sound.

  Gig wise, they've always been very active and have supported an impressive list of top bands (The Beat, Bad Manners, Rancid, The Members, The Damned, Selecter, The Lurkers, The Vibrators, Menace, The Outcasts etc....).

  2013 saw the release of the Asylum mini album which to these grizzled old ears was even better than their impressive early material. From that disc, this is All Systems Failing.....

The Gunflowers - Vote For UKIP And I'll Piss In Your Bin

  I started the New Punk Rock Music group on Facebook to provide people in bands, or people who came across new and exciting punk music, a platform in which they could share those new sounds with the world. (A bit optimistic to think that the whole world would get to hear some new punk music but as there must be millions (billions?) of Facebook users so at least a potential audience is out there). An added incentive was that great new songs would be added meaning that my task of finding updates for this blog would be a little easier.

  One such addition to the group was posted by Mott Spore (who if you aren't aware is involved with Musically Fresh, an independent music website that's "discovering up and coming talent and highlighting them to the world."  You can check those guys out here : http://musicallyfresh.com/).

  Anyway, the post that Mott made was The Gunflowers ep by The Gunflowers. The band, who hail from Bath, describe their sound as lo-fi punk though they have a range of influences running from The Clash and encompassing artists as diverse as The Libertines, White Stripes, The Orwells, The Cure and Pulled Apart By Horses. They consist of George Thornton (vocals), Bradley White ("guitar thing"), Alex Cairns ("big guitar thing") and Louis Cherniavsky (drums).

  Previous to the current ep, they released a debut single at the start of the year called Rotten Pills, both releases can be checked out here :  http://thegunflowers.bandcamp.com/.

  I uploaded a song onto youtube earlier today so that I could share it with you on here and already it's received the following comment :

"Hey uploader.... Friday prayers tomorrow and don't forget to hand in your  
daughters to the local mosque once they turn 9 years old.... That is the

Britain you have an active roll in creating for the future.... When the 

revolution starts, I hope you are killed..... BY MUSLIMS."

  Maybe you agree with the sentiments expressed in the song, maybe you don't, either way I hope you agree it's a catchy little fucker. It's rather snappily entitled Vote For UKIP And I'll Piss In Your Bin.....

Archie and The Pukes - I Got Worms

"It sounds like something from a sci-fi movie, but worms really can enter the digestive system and live there like parasites, feeding off the body.  Intestinal worms, round worms, tapeworms and toxacara worms can all cause a loss of appetite, nausea, tiredness, a painful or even distended tummy, fever, coughing, and in the case of the most common worm, the threadworm, an uncomfortable itch at night around the anus and/or the vulva. Once the worms have entered the body they start to lay eggs. The eggs hatch and the worms themselves work their way into the intestine, where more eggs are laid. Threadworms live for about six weeks. In rare cases, the worms can then move round the body and enter other organs such as the lungs or even the brain, in which case the condition is much more serious......" 

  

  I really hope that most of you haven't heard today's song before because if that's the case then you're in for a treat.

  Archie And The Pukes are everything a good punk band should be, fast, loud, raw, obnoxious and snotty as fuck. Some punk bands write about social or political issues, these guys however were more likely to bemoan the fact that they had worms in their ass! When your singer's called Mike Puke, it's probably an indication that you aren't going to be the most serious or pc band around.

  The trio were from Cincinnati and also featured Jeff on bass and Aaron on drums, As far as I'm aware they only released the one record, a 7" ep titled Straight Edge People Suck, which came out in 1995 on Centsless Productions and was "recorded on Andy's recorder, using Andy's equipment, in Andy's basement, under the influence of Andy's beer."

  Compared to the likes of The Germs, The Lewd and The Pagans, this is really awesome stuff and it's a shame their light burned out so soon.

  You can find this song on a new album called Destroy All Art which has recently been put together by Rock And Roll Parasite Records and it features "17 under-the-radar punk hits from the 90's."  There'll be more from this great album featured soon and if you want to check it out head over to Sorry State Records for more details : http://www.sorrystaterecords.com/products/various-destroy-all-art-12  

  This is I Got Worms.......

 

Downtown Boys - Wave Of History

COMING IN ON A WAVE...........  

  A reappearance on the blog today by a band who featured in my end of 2014 top 30 list and who had their own update in which I wrote "keep an eye on them, they're hopefully gonna be one of the most important bands of the next few years" (http://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/downtown-boys-kids-are-united.html).

  Not that I'm claiming any great foresight with that prediction, their was a buzz and an air of excitement already building about Downtown Boys, the only question was, could they build on that early promise and live up to the hype and expectations. If debut album Full Communism is anything to go by, the answer appears to be a resounding yes!  (http://downtownboys.bandcamp.com/).

  Featuring the intelligent lyrics and passionate delivery of vocalist Victoria Ruiz as well as Joey L DeFrancesco (guitar/vocals), Dan Schleifer (bass), Emmett Fitzgerald (tenor sax), Adrienne Berry (alto sax) and Norlan Olivo (drums) the Providence, Rhode Island sextet stand out as one of punk's brightest new lights.

  From the new album, this is a song which highlights how racial inequality and the exploitation of society's most poverty stricken has been a blight on American culture. It's called Wave Of History.....

Last Sons Of Krypton - Atom Bomb

 

   Today's song is a mid 90's slab of trashy, obnoxious brilliance that's "heading straight for you".....

  I'm only guessing here but I assume that Last Sons Of Krypton got their name from a novel by Elliot S. Maggin called Superman : Last Son Of Krypton which was published in 1978. What I do know is that the band were from Manitowoc, Wisconsin and that they were aged between 16-18 when they got together in 1995. The line up on today's song was Robert J Zeman (RJ) (vocals), Brad X (guitar/vocals), Ann (bass) and Trent Machut (drums).

  Influenced by bands like The Stooges, The Germs and by early Rip Off Records releases, they played a raw, primitive garage style of punk which was good enough to see them make the cover of MaximumRockNRoll.  RJ quit the band shortly after moving to Florida and despite Joe Lambert coming in on vocals they didn't last much longer.

  Fast forward to 2015 and they're back together again, 15th April saw them play their first gig in 18 years and a compilation album of their music called Teenage Trash has recently been released (you can check it out here : https://lastsonsofkrypton.bandcamp.com/album/teenage-trash).

  Not sure why but one song that doesn't feature on that album is Atom Bomb. A lo fi diy blast of pure teenage exuberance, you can hear it below......

 

Bomb Squadron - If Im Gonna Die

 

  Mid 90's street punk today from Reading, Pennsylvania. Forming in 1994, Bomb Squadron were a 5 piece which originally consisted of Ian (vocals), Ben Empty (bass), Andy Mehos (guitar), Chris (guitar) and Jarrod (drums) though tensions between Ian and Andy led to Fat Dave taking over on vocals. It wasn't long after this before they imploded after a series of drunken and violent shows, supposedly there were times when they couldn't even manage to complete any of the songs that they attempted, other times however, whilst slightly less under the influence, they were one of the best bands around.

  They broke up in 1998, according to Jarrod "Dave and I played a lot of shows, did a lot of travelling, we got sick of the band, some of the other members, some of their ideas, we just weren't happy with what we were doing."  Fat Dave and Jarrod went on to  play together in The Virus.

 Their discography (3 eps : Another Generation Lost, More Bad News and Smash Hits) were collected together and released by Doppelganger Records on the collection Another Generation Found 1994-1998.

Featuring original vocalist Ian, this was originally released on their debut ep and is possibly their best song. If I'm Gonna Die........


fuck you......
Gonna get some cider and I'm gonna drink it down
I'm gonna drink until I pass out on the ground
I wanna drink every night and every day
And I'll never join you fucking AA
If I'm gonna die
I won't do it sober X2
I'm gonna drink every day of my life
Its the only way I've got to deal with my strife
And I don't give a fuck about what you think
Just get out of my way cuz I wanna drink
If I'm gonna die .
I won't do it sober X2
Now I'm happy cuz I got my beer
Sitting at home and listening to FEAR
If you don't like to drink
Then tough shit for you
If it was up to me 
Thats all I'd ever do
If I've got to die
I won't do it sober X4

 

Boys Club - This Is My Face

  A timeless song today that came out in 2006 on Three Dimensional Records but sounds as though it could have been recorded pretty much any time during the last 40 years. It's by Minneapolis power pop trio Boys Club and it's the title track from their debut single (which can be checked out here : http://threedimensionalrecords.bandcamp.com/album/this-is-my-face). 300 copies of the single were originally pressed and quickly sold out so a further 200 were repressed with a Japanese sleeve and they were snapped up too.

  The band released a couple more singles, Girls Of Today/2-D World and the 2009 self titled album which are well worth tracking down. (The album's here : http://threedimensionalrecords.bandcamp.com/album/boys-club ).

  Slightly snottier and rougher around the edges than most power pop (which in my book is a good thing), This Is My Face is still catchy as hell, check it out......

 
 

J Prozac - Hey Hey Ole!

  Ole O'Brian is getting married to Kristin today (Fri 15/05/15). By the time I'm allowed to post this it'll be 10 pm in Germany so hopefully a great day is being had by all.

  Some of you will know Ole as the drummer with The Evil O'Brians, the "teenage horror bubblepunk" band from Braunschweig. You've probably also seen some of the many pieces of awesome artwork that he's created. If you aren't familiar with his work you can listen to some music here : http://rttb-records.bandcamp.com/album/rttb-29-14-the-evil-obrians-evilution-2003-2011 and check out some artwork and an interview here : http://moosterrecords.blogspot.de/2015/04/an-interview-with-artist-ole-obrian.html 

  As a thank you to him for the help he's given (and for being an all round top bloke), J Prozac and a few friends have recorded a surprise wedding song to commemorate Ole and Kristin's special day. The details of who did what are on the back cover of the song (below) but briefly, J wrote the song and provides vocals/guitar/percussion, Scotty Blood (Stiletto Bomb) is on bass, J Blood (Stiletto Bomb) and Karl Ourand (Engineer at  Plummer's Mines Studio) are on guitar duties whilst Evil O'Brian's frontman Hansel O'Brian also provides vocals. J says he did the best he could in the short amount of time available to him and with the limited resources at his disposal, personally I think he (and everyone else who was involved) has done a hell of a job. This is Hey Hey Ole!......


just a quick edit to let you know that the song is now available to download free here : https://rttb-records.bandcamp.com/album/j-prozac-friends-hey-hey-ole

   CONGRATULATIONS TO OLE AND KRISTIN!........


Hey hey hey have you heard? Ole O'Brian is getting married What what what what's the word? We're all so happy, very, very. .. Excited for you... Hope all your dreams come true... Here's a couple chords and best wishes from your punk rock family... From sea to shining sea... We raise or glass for you.... May this last a lifetime thru... You put your heart out for us misfits and us punks... You've lent your talents to us all... And we thank you... And wish the best in everything you do. Hey hey hey have you heard? Ole and Kristin are getting married. I I I I don't know her... I'm sure she rocks and is very, very... Excited too... Hope all your dreams come true... "Repeated " Bridge : And if there's anyone who can draw a perfect picture of your lives...Ole we know it's you. - J Prozac 2015

 

The Mr. T Experience - The History Of The Concept Of The Soul

 

  Here's one that most of you might already know but it deserves a place on a blog that celebrates great songs. It's from The Mr T Experience, a band that emerged from the Gilman Street scene in Berkeley, California in 1985 and who have been fronted throughout by vocalist/songwriter Dr. Frank (Portman).

  Supposedly still together but pretty inactive since their last album, Yesterday Rules, was released in 2004, they were one of Lookout! Records' most prolific artists. If pop punk's your cup of tea then no doubt you'll have several of their records in your collection filed alongside the likes of The Queers and Screeching Weasel.

  The song I'm posting was pre Lookout! Instead it was on 1988's Night Shift At The Thrill Factory which was released on Sixth International and distributed by Rough Trade (Lookout! re releasing it in the mid '90's). This is The History Of The Concept Of The Soul. Slightly more intellectual than most pop punk but no less catchy for it......

Homer didn't have a comprehensive word for mind.
the psyche and the conscious self had not yet been combined.
He understood events as repetition of the past,
and individual consciousness was not a part of that.
But early Greek thought played a role in the complicate history
of the concept of the soul.

By the time of Plato these ideas had taken shape.
The Phaedo and Timaeus are works which demonstrate
the consious separation of the knower from the known
and the dual nature of the body and the soul.
Modern thought was possible:
the complicated history of the concept of the soul.
Whoa!

Pythagoras and Orphic doctrines all came into play,
because Plato was a mystic in his own Platonic way.
The pre-Socratic Naturalists saw things in terms of "stuff".
But Plato's metaphysics showed that this was not enough.
This is the incredible complicated history of the concept of the soul.
Rock and roll.

Gleam Garden - Magic Touch

  This is probably going to be one of the shortest intros that I'll write on here so forgive me if I pad it out with a little waffle. Thing is, at 5am this morning as I readied myself for the journey to work I was waking myself up by quickly checking my Facebook notifications and I clicked on a song that Greg Mongroll had posted on his timeline. Suffice to say it blew any sleep related cobwebs away.

  Now I'm back home and have just played the song again and yep, it's still mighty impressive. So here it is, it's called Magic Touch and it's by a Japanese band called Gleam Garden. It's from a split ep with Browntrout that came out in 2008 and I think it's deserving of your attention. Turn up your volume and enjoy......

 

Pale Lips - Candy Song

  Moving away from the politics and social issues that seem to have dominated over the last week or so, today's update is a fun slice of "drippy mascara slopped rock n roll with sprinkles!

  Pale Lips play a poppy garage rock type of music that'll maybe not appeal to some of the harder rocking readers of this blog but which will hopefully get the rest of you smiling and tapping your foot. They're from Montreal, played their first ever gig in January 2014 and have just released their debut Got a Sweet Tooth single through the excellent No Front Teeth Records. You can check it out here : https://palelips.bandcamp.com/

  They've already shared a stage with the likes of Sonic Avenues, Needles//Pins, Average Times and Peach Kelli Pop and next month they'll be playing with Belgian punk legends The Kids.

  Here's the first track from the single, it's a song that'll give you a sugar rush and it's called Candy Song.......

 

Angelic Upstarts - Woman in Disguise

  A song today from a band that don't need much of an introduction. Angelic Upstarts formed in 1977 in South Shields and have been around pretty much ever since despite numerous line up changes and splitting up several times. Back in the day I had a decent number of their early singles in my record collection (The Murder Of Liddle Towers, I'm An Upstart, Teenage Warning, Never 'Ad Nothing, Last Night Another Soldier, England, Kids On The Street), I'd also rank their Teenage Warning album as one of my favourites from that period.

  One single I never bought was Woman In Disguise and it's probably because I didn't play it to death like some of their other classics that I'm posting it today. Also featuring on the Reason Why? album it was released in 1983 which is probably it didn't get achieve the high chart placing it deserved and which it would surely have got if it had been out a few years previously.

  A scathing critique of the Thatcher government, it's slightly more melodic than some of their earlier material but it's no less heartfelt and it's got a killer chorus. Not sure why I didn't buy it back then, I missed out on a good 'un.....

She's been through history, but always appeared as the foe,
I saw her on a sailing ship, it's name was the bounty and she captained it,
She spoke of blossoms that were to bloom, and the country whistled to her tune,
But the flowers were full of discontent, and the youth were raped of everything they had left.

[Chorus]
Man and woman, child and youth,
It must be now you know the truth,
She's the woman in disguise, she's the one who tells the lies.
Fight against the ugly race, and the idle wealth that's lost all face,
Man and woman, child and youth
It must be now you know the truth,
She's the woman in disguise, she's the one who tells the lies.

Deceitful heart that beats so strong, and it's our blood that pumps it along,
I must be happy, I must be free, It's your choice you've gotta see,
The birds fly free, but in the same cage as you and me,
I was born with nothing but not in debt,
I won't pay for something that I'll never get.

[Chorus]

Woman in disguise [x3]

Man and woman, child and youth,
It must be now you know the truth,
She's the woman in disguise, she's the one who tells the lies.
Man and woman, child and youth,
She's the woman in disguise