The Vermin - Go For The Throat A Go-Go

 
  The Vermin were from Las Vegas and were "fucking up Vegas" since the mid '80's as Vermin From Venus before amalgamating with covers band Godboy to become The Vermin in 1995. With influences including T.S.O.L., The Misfits, Adolescents and D.O.A. they were a trio consisting of tattoo artist Dirk Vermin (vocals/guitar), Rob Ruckus (bass) and Gerry "Turbo" Proctor (drums).

  They released 6 albums (Sex On Planet X, Push And Shove, Hell Or Las Vegas, The Vermin Vs. You!, Loose Women, Hard Livin' And The Devil and Joe's Shanghai) as well as a few singles and the comps A Fist Full Of Hell and the new career retrospective The Vermin Must Die.

  Vermin and Ruckus went on to star in the reality tv show Bad Ink. The band played what was billed as their last ever gig earlier this year.

  From their last album, this is an up tempo old school punk rock 'n' roller called Go For The Throat A Go-Go......

Doubtfire - Punk Rock Heart

  J Prozac is one of the nicest guys in punk. He's also one of the busiest. Not only is he responsible for a string of top notch releases with his band The Prozacs, he's also put out a solo album and a short while ago he was back with his new band, Stiletto Bomb.
https://theprozacs.bandcamp.com/
https://jprozac.bandcamp.com/album/here-is-my-heart
https://stilettobomb.bandcamp.com/releases

  As he's also juggling family life and working 12 hour shifts in his regular job, it's amazing that he's got any spare time to persue his love of music but I suppose if you give up non essential things like eating and sleeping you can just about fit everything in.

  Guess what? He's at it again. New band, new album, same high quality pop punk tuneage. The new band are called Doubtfire and this time around he's partnered by Bil McRackin, who's also enjoyed a long career with his band The McRackins. A prolific outfit with around 70 releases to their name, you can check out their latest here : https://dongiovannirecords.bandcamp.com/album/nuclear-sant-claust-the-mcrackins-split-7).

  Despite J living in Massachusetts and Bil in Vancouver, they managed to hook up long enough to record an album that's full of extremely catchy gems that are perfect for those hot summer days when you want something upbeat pounding out whilst driving round in the car. The way they've collaborated on the record is that the songs where J wrote the music are sung by Bil and the ones where Bil wrote the music are sung by J.
  Featuring one of Ole O'Brian's distinctive cover designs, the album has been 2 years in the making but is due to land on Jerk off / Ratgirl Records on the 22nd September but you can preorder or preview a few tracks here : http://doubtfire1.bandcamp.com/album/doubtfire

  The song I'm posting chronicles how a young Bil saw The Ramones in Rock 'n' Roll High School and how things were never quite the same again. 1-2-3-4.....this is Punk Rock Heart :

The Suburban Homes - Conformity In The U.K

  One of my favourite songs of 2014 was D.I.Y. which was a track on the debut single by Crawley lo-fi post punkers The Suburban Homes. I featured it here : http://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/the-suburban-homes-diy.html.

  Today I'm happy to bring you their new single. It's due to be released on September 15th on Total Punk Records and it's really rather good. A Suburban Homes bandcamp page is scheduled to launch in time for the release but the A side is up on the Total Punk page (at a rather offputtingly steep price!) :   https://totalpunkrecords.bandcamp.com/track/conformity-in-the-u-k.

  Earning comparisons with the likes of The Swell Maps, early Mekons and The Pop Rivets, this is a rather splendid critique of modern society. Conformity In The U.K.....

S.O.A. - Girl Problems

  Once upon a time, in punk's dim and distant past, there was a band called The Extorts. Their singer, Lyle Preslar, quit and ended up with Ian MacKaye, Jeff Nelson and Brian Baker in Minor Threat. The other members of the Extorts, Wendel Blow (bass), Michael Hampton (guitar) and Simon Jacobson (drums) dusted themselves down, hooked up with vocalist Henry Garfield and became State Of Alert (S.O.A.).

  They were only together between October 1980 and July 1981 but that was long enough for them to release one of Washington D.C.'s best hardcore punk records. A 10 track 7" on Discord Records, it was titled No Policy and it came out in March 1981. They also contributed 3 tracks to the Flex Your Head comp.

  After going their separate ways, Hampton played with The Faith, Embrace and One Last Wish. Blow joined Iron Cross whilst Garfield changed his name to Rollins and joined Black Flag (only a few days after S.O.A. had been Black Flag's support band in Philadelphia). He later formed The Rollins Band.

  From No Policy, this is Girl Problems.....

Call her on the phone; oh shit, she isn't home,
And you never know she ain't with someone else.
Better say the right thing; she might think you're a fool.
Gotta lie through your teeth to make her think you're cool.

I don't need no girl problems.
I got troubles as it is.
I don't need to waste my time.
I don't need more shit.

You lower your fuckin' pride 'cause you think she's what you need.
You don't mind the pain or the way you always feel.
It's just a fuckin' game; she's got you on a line.
Throw your feelings to the wind; she's fuckin' with your mind.

I don't need no girl problems.
I got troubles as it is.
I don't need to waste my time.
I don't need more shit.
  

Bad Mojos - If I were you

 This is going to be a short intro as I know pretty much nothing about these guys but here goes.....

  Bad Mojos are a trio of black balaclava clad reprobates who claim to sound like The Spits (fair enough) and Beethoven (that must be on the songs I haven't heard yet!). They play trashy but oh so catchy punk music and have several songs on Youtube which they say will be out soon on No Front Teeth Records (Possibly called Punx Faggots Freaks?). They might come from Basel, Switzerland?

  Aside from that I know sod all. Fortunately that doesn't matter as their music speaks for itself , I'm sure more info will be forthcoming shortly. Have a listen and see what you think, this one's called If I Were You.....

The Transistors - Riot Squad

  Another snappy English punk single from the early 80's today, this time from Croydon band The Transistors.

  Forming in 1979, the line up was Paul Easley (vocals), Keith White (guitar), Roy Tuppen (bass) and Steve Easley (drums). Tuppen died following a motorbike accident and was replaced on bass by Dave Cumming. They released a couple of 7"'s. on their own Open Circuit Records, the first was from 1981 and featured Riot Squad/636 Stop 63636 Stop 63636 Stop/Sniffing Glue. Four years later the line up had changed but they were back with a follow up featuring the songs Mothers Pride/Change Your Ways/Batman.

  From the debut single, this is Riot Squad......


Sick and tired of getting pushed around
The time has come for us to stand our ground
The government blame's it on our unemployment
But we're today's generation and we know what we want

Riot squad
We are the riot squad
We are the riot squad
We are the riot squad
Can't you see it's a political putdown

We're all together and we're gonna fight
For what we believe in, what we think is right
You've had your warning now don't get in our way
You'll finish your job then you're gonna pay

Riot squad
We are the riot squad
We are the riot squad
We are the riot squad
Stop telling us what we're going to do

There's police lights flashing right in front of my eyes
Sirens wailing, ringing through the night
The crowd is gathered and the atmosphere's tight
Cos we're going on a rampage and we're going tonight

Riot squad
We are the riot squad
We are the riot squad
We are the riot squad
I'm Alright and I ain't going nowhere

Crown Court - We Made You

  Crown Court are a band from London who are one of the best of the many new British acts that are springing up at the moment. They've only been together since November 2013 but have already released an impressive demo, Trouble From London (https://crowncourt.bandcamp.com/album/trouble-from-london-demo), and a 3 track 7" titled Ruck And Roll.

  Now they're back with another 3 track 7" which like the previous single is on Rebellion Records. It's called The English Disease and you can snap up a song from it here : https://crowncourt.bandcamp.com/album/the-english-disease.

  Taking their name from the song by On Parole (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6cj9CC5YFo), they're out to breath new life into the UK Oi/skinhead music scene. The members, Trev, Charlie, Nick and Tim also feature (or have featured) in a number of other bands including Arms Race, Love Triangle, Stomping Ground, Violent Reaction, DIE and Smear.

  From the new single, this is We Made You......

Top 10 Songs Chosen By Dave Ellesmere

  I've another top 10 for you today, this one is chosen by Dave Ellesmere, a veteran of the music business who's played drums in a multitude of bands down the years. Just to name a few, he's been a member of Discharge, Flux Of Pink Indians, Doctor And The Crippens, The Insane, Disgust, Brainless and many more. He's also worked at Manic Ears Records and Plastichead. If that wasn't enough he's also recorded an album as a guitarist for the Earache label and he's had a successful career as an electronic DJ and producer (this was a hit for him : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28W3V9cNcfA).
   He's currently releasing his own dance music and putting a new band together. Thanks to him for taking the time to compile this list.....


 1) Discharge - Realities Of War
(see below)

the first time i heard this i was on the mighty peel show it literally pinned me to the wall. immediately the next day i went on a hunt round wigan to find it and finally did in a small store in wigan arcade. by the time the third single came out i'd seen them twice and i had an enormous discharge mural on my wall. i never dreamed that would be playing on their next release. anyway real life changing moment and release for me

 2) Users - Sick Of You

this was the first punk record i heard. john peel had just played some long winded gentle giant (american folky stoner rock) tune of like 9-10 minutes long … and i remember when it finished his words were … And now for some of that punk rock stuff and then this dropped …. what a contrast short , loud noisy with tons of drive and energy totally blew me away …..



 3) Radiators From Space - Television Screen

ok so this was, while not amazing, was the first actual punk record i bought for myself cause it was the only one i could find in wigan at the time … later out of frustration for lack of good vinyl in wigan i started venturing out to manchester which where i discovered debbies underground market stall.



 4) Minor Threat - Minor Threat ep

a very young ian makay sent me this at the time of the insane along with the teen idols ep …. we wrote a few times and then lost touch but the speed of the songs on here was another mind blowing moment for me



 5) No Comment - Downsided ep

i bought this from phil vain - ENT (RIP) and again another huge leap forward in speed and intensity. I still listen to this once every 3-6 months and its one of the few 7 inch vinyls ive kept hold of



 6) Brainless - What She Sees

my last band in the uk together with wayne crippen and steve beatty from disgust. kind of hardcore pop with a lot of raw blues punk rawk songs. The lyrics on this are awesome and in typical wayne style. sadly before this was released id already left the uk. the other members went on to record the album ‘superpunktuesday’ but i wrote alot of the songs on it.



 7) Blondie - Hanging On The Telephone

this is here cause its maybe the best pop single ever. 2 mins 16 of songwriting perfection. i guess being 15 or 16 at the time Debbie Harry was my first MILF …oh no wait that was Suzi Quatro aged 12



 8) The Byrds - Eight Miles High

one of my favourite songs from the psychedelic sixties and one that stood the test of time ….. turn on tune in drop out



 9) Cabaret Voltaire - Extended Play ep

When i bought this record I was in a competition with barry the insane singer to see who could buy the weirdest sounding record … at first i was thinking what the hell is garbage but after 2-3 plays i was sucked into its hypnotic otherwordly groove. Still remain one of my favourites today and last year i finally saw them live.




10) Jeff Mills - Utopia

ok so right in the middle of Disgust days I was promotions manager at plastic head … We just opened a dance department and a box of 12 inches landed on my desk. This was the first one which came out the box and it changed everything for me … suddenly guitar bands seemed so dated and devoid of ideas … utopia was like nothing id ever heard from the first moment of its dark brooding build up i was transfixed. This was like music made by aliens in space …. i needed to know more and i took a headfirst dive into the world of techno. twenty years on and its swinging back the other way … i have my first new band in over 20 years … more details soon.



Thanks Dave, here's your number 1.............

Disorder - Air Raid

 There was more than one punk band named Disorder back in the early 80's but today's song is by the band from Sunderland, in the north east of England.

  Comprising of Mark Rough (vocals), Steven Halsted (guitar), Malcolm Comb (drums) and David O'Leary (bass), they formed in Town End Farm in 1978 (initially they were called Cranium Disorder). Whilst they didn't go on to achieve the fame of another local band, The Toy Dolls, they did release a couple of decent singles. The first of those came out on Ace Records in 1980, featuring the songs Air Raid/Law And Disorder, only 750 copies were produced. The follow up, Reality Crisis/1984 followed on Durham Book Centre Records later the same year.

  An incident at a Sunderland gig in which David O'Leary crapped in the sink of Revillos' singer Fay Fife led to them being barred from all North East Polytechnics!

  Steve Halsted left the band in September 1980 and they split up not long after, musical differences cited as the reason. There was an 8 track compilation released on Thought Crime Records in 2014 (which I've just noticed was mastered at North London Bomb Factory by Red Dons' Daniel Husayn). You can download today's song free here :  https://thoughtcrimerecords.bandcamp.com/album/disorder-fires-light-the-sky-lp

  This is a superb song that deserves your attention, it's called Air Raid.......



Bombers blasting Britain, death fills the air
bodies are scattered, there is a big scare
white beams of light, stem from ground
sirens wail, buildings fall down

Air raid, get down in the shelter
air raid, turn out the lights
air raid, grab your children
air raid, cos they're quivering with fright

The ground opens up, as bombers start to rape
destruction everywhere, there is no escape
violence can be seen, fires light the sky
bodies lie under debris, innocents die

Air raid, get down in the shelter
air raid, turn out the lights
air raid, grab your children
air raid, cos they're quivering with fright

Wingnut Dishwasher's Union - Urine speaks louder than words

  Pat The Bunny (aka Patrick Schneeweis) is from Tucson, Arizona and he plays acoustic folk punk songs (https://patthebunny.bandcamp.com/). He's also a member of anarcho-punk band Ramshackle Glory (https://ramshackleglory.bandcamp.com/). He first became the pin up boy for the diy folk punk crowd during his time with Johnny Hobo And The Freight Trains, the Vermont based acoustic solo project he began in 2000 which expanded over time to include trumpet, harmonica and washboard bass but remained acoustic and stuck to his original anarchist ethos.

  Following the breakup of Johnny Hobo in 2007, Pat formed Wingnut Dishwasher's Union, a collective which featured more instruments (though often live shows featured just Pat) but similar ideals and sound. Before disbanding in 2009 they released 3 albums (Toward A World Without Dishwashers, Never Trust A Man Who Plays Guitar and Burn The Earth, Leave It Behind).  https://diybandits.bandcamp.com/album/burn-the-earth-leave-it-behind

    From Burn The Earth....This is Urine Speaks Louder Than Words.....

I swear that someday
I'll tell you without lying
I was born to quit smoking
I was born to quit dieing
on that day, not doing heroin
will be easy as piss and on that day
I'll stop talking so much shit about the government

'Cause urine speaks louder than words
on a politician
or on a prison warden
urine speaks louder than words

I swear that today
I was born to be living!
I was born to be singing!
I was born to be fighting
but will somebody say
is this resistance or a costume party?
either way i think black with bandanas is a boring theme
I don't gotta tell ya
crackers are great with amnesia
when you wanna forget something like
centuries of racism
they say look at the man on
center stage and pay no attention
while millions get locked in a cage
riots break out in oakland

urine speaks louder than words
on a prison warden
or on a Bart policeman 
urine speaks louder than words

Propagandhi - I Am A Rifle (Rebel Spell Cover)

 






























  A while back I posted a song by East Vancouver's Rebel Spell and mentioned that singer Todd Jenkins had tragically passed away following a rock climbing accident (http://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/the-rebel-spell-last-run.html). Today I'm posting a Rebel Spell song that's been covered by Propagandhi which they did as a memorial to Todd and from which proceeds will go to the Wildlife Defence League and/or Unistoten Defence Fund.

  I doubt that there's many who haven't heard of Propagandhi so keeping the intro brief, they're from Winnipeg, Manitoba and have been together since 1986. A string of classic albums include How To Clean Everything; Less Talk, More Rock; Where Quality Is Job #1; Today's Empires, Tomorrow's Ashes (which is my favourite of theirs); Potemkin City Limits; Supporting Caste and Failed States.

  The original version of the song that they've covered in memorial to Todd came out in 2007 on Rebel Spell's Four Songs About Freedom ep (which was released on G7 Welcoming Committee Records, a label which was founded by Propagandhi members Chris Hannah and Jordy Samolesky). You can find the original version here : https://therebelspell.bandcamp.com/album/four-songs-about-freedom. Whilst you're there, check out more great Rebel Spell music.

  Propagandhi's excellent version of the track can be found here : https://propagandhi.bandcamp.com/track/i-am-a-rifle

  This is I Am A Rifle......

Built like a dream out of the past. 
Crushing generations with a foggy mass 
of seething anger and unhealed wounds. 
I can’t make this right but don’t be confused. 

I am a rifle. I am this blockade. 
I’m banners and violence and car-bombs and riots. 
I am a rifle. I am this blockade. 
I am the fire of a thousand murdered sons. 

Don’t look to me to give the future back. 
Don’t look to me to rework the past. 
I’m only here to bring things to a head. 
You can cover your ears, it doesn’t change who I am. 

I am a rifle. I am this blockade. 
I’m banners and violence and car-bombs and riots. 
I am a rifle. I am this blockade. 
I am the fire of a thousand murdered sons. 

I haunt the Chilcotin. 
I stalk Palestine. 
I fueled Rwanda’s worst. 
I held Lasagna’s hand. 
I’m one hundred shades of hunger. 

I am a rifle. I am this blockade. 
I am the fire of a thousand murdered sons. 
I am resistance. I am your problem. 
I'm not leaving and I am your fault.

Sub Grunk - Manufactured Rebellion

  The best bit about updating this blog daily is that due to having to always be on the lookout for songs good enough to excite me enough to want to add them it means that I often come across great new bands that I might have otherwise missed out on. If those bands happen to be new, upcoming UK acts then that's a bonus. I'm not sure how long the band I'm bringing you today have been together for but looking at fresh faces in their photos it can't have been long. For guys this young, their debut ep is extremely promising indeed.

  Sub Grunk are a skate pop-punk trio from Sheffield and features Daniel Dakin (guitar/vocals), Aidan Bellamy (bass/vocals) and Tom Pountney (drums). They're fans of the likes of Propagandhi, Descendents, NOFX, Minor Threat, Bad Religion, Operation Ivy etc and their sound is catchy, classic old school sing along punk which ticks a lot of boxes as far as I'm concerned.

  In March of this year they released their debut ep, a 6 track affair called Manufactured Rebellion, and it's really rather good. You can check it out here : http://subgrunk.bandcamp.com/album/manufactured-rebellion. They're looking for gigs so if you're a promoter or can help them out, get in touch with them. Quality new punk rock deserves exposure.

  This is the title track from the ep, Manufactured Rebellion.....

SPELLS - Jetset

  I've only just stumbled across today's song thanks to Red Dons' Daniel Husayn who's worked his magic upon it at his North London Bomb Factory mastering studio but my first thoughts upon listening to it were "hell, that needs sharing."

  SPELLS are a 5 piece "vacation rock" band from Denver, Colorado who feature the talents of "Little" Stevie Shithead (vocals), Charlie "Continental" Stimsell (guitar/vocals), Duke "Box" Standard (bass), Peter "P" Bohner (drums) and Ella Sugar (vocals/shaker/tambourine).

  You can check out their music here : https://spellsrules.bandcamp.com/

  The song I'm posting was released as a cassingle by Snappy Little Numbers Quality Audio Recordings at the end of 2014 and I think snappy little number describes it nicely. Driving cramped up all night in a van to play your typical punk circuit fleapits and sweaty basement clubs isn't on their agenda, they want to play shows in cities with beaches that they can fly to (L.A. or Mexico would be cool!). This is Jetset.....

Frau - Mira

  One of the songs that featured in my end of 2014 "best of" list was Punk Is My Boyfriend by London band Frau, the song also featured on this blog last summer (http://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/frau-punk-is-my-boyfriend.html). Happily they're back with a new single that is equally as good.

  The band comprise of Ashleigh (vocals), Colette (guitar), Nuria (bass) and Paula (drums) and they're building up a reputation as one of punk's most exciting and uncompromising new bands. Their songs are short, frantic blasts of discordant noise whilst live, they're more likely to stare an audience into submission than attempt to engage them in conversation but it all adds to the frisson.  

  Currently they're kicking up a storm in the US on a tour which will also see them play in Mexico, if you're in those parts you should check them out. You can also check out the new single here : https://fraupunk.bandcamp.com/album/mira. This is the title track, Mira.......

Screaming Bloody Marys - Johnny Fuck'er Faster

  Screaming Bloody Marys hail from Alameda, California and were originally together between 1989 and 1996 but have recently reformed and recorded new music, a taster of which you'll find below. There's been a number of line up changes down the years, guitarist Dave Dalton being the only consistent feature. In the new line up he's joined by Angelique X Stacy (vocals/theremin), Juan Barajas (guitar), Handsome Hans (bass) and Greg Langston (drums).

  They mix 77 era garage punk with rock n roll and cite as influences the likes of The Pogues, The Dwarves, The Clash, The Faces, Steam Punk and Northern Soul.  Bands they've shared a stage with include The Ramones, Nirvana, Cheap Trick, The Dwarves, The Muffs, The Adicts and many more. They've released an album (1995's Get In, Get Off, Get Out) as well as several singles and splits.

   Aside from being a veteran of several bands, Dave Dalton is also co-head (alongside Rob Trisler) of Die Laughing Records ( http://www.dielaughingrecords.com/).

  Here's one of their new songs, featuring Blag Dahlia, this is Johnny Fuck'er Faster....  

Supercharger - Take a Hint

Take A Hint
Oh Baby Won't You Take A Hint
And Get Lost.... 

   I first heard Supercharger back in 1993 when the late, great Radio 1 dj John Peel played a song by them called Way Out. The next day I rushed out and bought their Goes Way Out! album, and what a great purchase it proved to be. Raw, garage punk at it's finest and an album everyone should own. Unfortunately they didn't stay together too long after this, imploding after a European tour with The Mummies (though the members of the band went on to make plenty more killer music with the likes of The Rip Offs, The Bobbyteens, The Brentwoods, The Zodiac Killers, The Infections etc).

  Featuring Greg Lowery (bass/vocals), Darin Raeffelli (guitar/vocals) and Karen Singletary (drums/vocals), they formed in San Francisco in 1991 and despite still learning to play pretty much immediately released their self titled debut album (on their own Radio X label). A handful of great singles followed : Sooprize Package For Mr. Mineo, Icepick, Rev It Up, Don't Mess Me Up.....

  Rough and ready production, primitive but infectious songs, Supercharger were one hell of a rock n roll band. Lowery went on to release many classic records on his Rip Off Records label whilst Raeffelli found success as a producer and songwriter for The Donnas.

  Several of the songs on Goes Way Out! (You Irritate Me, Buzz Off, Bailin' Out, Get Out Of My House...) seem to follow a theme of discontentment, a theme that was also touched upon on the Rev It Up ep on the song that I've selected to post today. This is Take A Hint.....

Pardon Us - Only Pain

'cause everything's fine
and nothing is wrong
there's nothing to see here
so move it along
and don't be concerned
if you hear me complain
it's nothing serious
it's only pain....  


 If any of you has a really good memory, you might remember that a little over a year ago I added a really good song by Liverpool 3 piece Down And Outs (http://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/down-and-outs-yesterdays-heroes.html). Now, Morgan Brown from that band is back with a new outfit called Pardon Us and they've just released their first video. I added one of their other songs to youtube a couple of weeks ago with the intention of using it here but I'll go with their video instead (the song I was going to use is here if you want to check it out : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0q6ta1djEY).

  Aside from Morgan (guitar/vocals), Pardon Us also features Alex on bass and Gabby on drums. They announced themselves with a demo last summer (which features a version of the song posted below) and they've also released Time Gentleman Please & a cover of Naked Raygun's Home. They can be found here : http://pardonus.bandcamp.com/

  "burly, diy pop punk played by wimps" if, like me, you like what you hear they're currently looking for gigs so if you can help give them a shout. This song's called Only Pain.....

Anti-Pasti - Another Dead Soldier

 
  It's been a while since I posted something from way back so without further ado here's a classic from 1981.

  Anti-Pasti were from Derby and formed in 1978. The first record of theirs I bought was 1980's Four Sore Points ep which included their classic song No Government. That track also appeared on their debut album, The Last Call, which was a belter and also featured amongst it's aural delights the song that I've posted below (as did the Let Them Free ep).

  A second album, The Last Call, came out in 1982 and there were a few singles but they split in 1984 after one line up change too many.

  A brief reunion in 1995 saw them tour the UK and Europe but it wasn't until 2012 and the lure of an appearance at the Rebellion Festival that they had a more permanent reunion (though even this time around they nearly called it a day when their singer quit causing the cancellation of a US tour).

  Currently lining up with Gez Addictive (vocals), Ollie Hoon (guitar/vocals), Ben Hanson (bass/vocals) and Kevin Nixon (drums), they're still railing against life's injustices and a new album is on the horizon. Until then, this is one of their best songs, Another Dead Soldier......

Another Dead Soldier
Lying In The Street
Another Dead Soldier
Lying In The Street
He Stares At The People
As He Walks On His Beat

Corporal 123
That's The End Of You 

Ghost Mice - Free Pizza For Life

 

  A song that many of you will already be familiar with today but one that deserves a place in any blog celebrating great punk songs.  

  Ghost Mice are a diy folk punk band from Bloomington, Indiana and currently comprise of Hannah  (violon/vocals/bass), Chris Clavin (guitar/vocals/uke), Pascaloo (uke/bass) and Emily (mandoline/melodica/concertina).

  Since their formation in 2002 they've released a number of albums, eps and splits, many on Clavin's Plan-it-X label. You can get most of them (and today's song of the day), "name your price" here : https://ghostmice.bandcamp.com/
There's also a Plan-it-X  bandcamp with loads of great music here : https://chrisclavin.bandcamp.com/


  Based on a true story and originally on 2005's split album with Pretty Hot, this is one of those feel good songs that it's impossible not to love. Free Pizza For Life......

I'm gonna write this in a book one day
but for now this song will have to do
It's about the lengths you and I were willing to go to
to get some free food
it was 1997 something I cant remember
I'm bad with dates
you and I were living in my van
everything that we had we had to take 
and the saddest song ever heard on the radio

was 
let it snow let it snow let it snow 
let it snow let it snow let it snow 
it said we have no place to go
let it snow let it snow let it snow 
we didn't have any place to go
it snowed it snowed it snowed 

but wait

lets take it back a few years
to the day were first met
I moved to Bloomington to be a bum
you were here on a full 
mathematics scholarship 

I was from a small town 
you were from a small town
we became the best of friends 

Where our story begins
is where our trouble begins

I never had a dime to my name
you liked playing games 
a local pizza place had a deal 
10 coupons got a free 12inch
well here's what we did
you see the college kids
they never cut the coupons out 
wed dig through the trash and find them
a few nights work put pizza in our mouths

we started to wonder where the coupons went
after people turned them in 
so we looked in their dumpster and what did we find 
we found 140 of them 

sooner then later we started making our own 
when kinkos got the red copy machine 
one day they busted me
the manager said "we don't take photocopies"

So I jumped into the car
told the driver to drive 
as we sped off into the night we yelled

Free Pizza For Life 
Free Pizza for Life
Free Pizza For Life
Free Pizza For Life

A few years later you dropped outta school
we both spent a few months in our home town 
we've both been down and out 
but we were doing our best to get back up now 

One night we were sleeping in my van 
it was fourteen degrees below 
I woke up because I heard something crack 
you said it was your foot frozen to the window

Our desperation drove us to dishonesty 
we were criminals distinctive and vile 
declared most of the world to be our enemy

we stole checkbooks
and credit cards
signed signatures that were not ours
slice after slice we ate
pizza every night 
we always shared it with our friends
gave the driver a mighty tip 
in our simple minds we had
a slice of a paradise 

but I guess we took it a little too far
cause you ended up doing some time
when they slammed the door to your cell 
I swear I heard you yell

Free Pizza For Life
Free Pizza For Life
Free Pizza For Life 
Free Pizza For Life

On the night that we bailed you out of jail 
it was 2 weeks later you looked scared and pale 
to celebrate setting you free
we ordered some pizza 
and paid with forgery

cause when they knock you down 
you cant stay on the ground
you gotta keep getting up 
you gotta keep putting your faith in luck 
and as we can clearly see 
that we made some mistakes

for the most part I have no regrets 
at some parts I feel a little ashamed
but it all worked out okay in the end 
and I think I would do it all over again

sorry your the one they caught
I wish it coulda been me my friend
I'm not saying we were wrong
and I'm not saying we were right 
all I know is what we want

Free Pizza For Life
Free Pizza For Life 
Free Pizza For Life 
Free Pizza For Life

WIREHEADS - Boys Home

  WIREHEADS are an Australian garage/post-punk band from Adelaide who surfaced with a s/t cassette ep in 2013 :(http://majorcrimes.bandcamp.com/album/wireheads-s-t-mcr006). By the time they released their debut album, The Late Great Wireheads,  the following year they'd undergone line up changes and added more instrumentation to proceedings :  https://wireheads.bandcamp.com/releases.

  2014 also saw them put out the Country Space Junk cassette and then later that year they travelled to the Dub Narcotic Studio in Olympia where they recorded follow up, Big Issues, with Calvin Johnson (Beat Happening, The Go Team). https://tenthcourt.bandcamp.com/album/big-issues. Featuring laid back vocals by Dom Trimboli and adding flute & violin to the genre's usual guitar/bass/drums backbeat they're currently receiving glowing reviews and comparisons with the likes of The Velvet Underground, The Go Betweens and even Jethro Tull.

  Hypnotically good, this was the recent single from the new album, Boys Home.....

The Wunder Years - Hopeless Romantic

 

  From Berkeley, California, The Wunder Years (yep, that's Wunder not Wonder) were together between 1998 and 2001 and originally featured Brian Moss (vocals/guitar), Nate Jensen (guitar), Peter Sullivan (bass) and Adam Elliot (drums). Later line ups included Josh Staples (bass/vocals), Shane Stevens (vocals/guitar) and Caitlin Love (drums).

   Their first release was the Take It Off, Let It Go, Start From Scratch ep (1998), they followed this up with an album, Pitstops On The Road Less Travelled (1999) and finally there was 2001's Function Over Fashion ep. All were on Tomato Head Records.

  Their Pitstops... album is an example of how to make top notch emotional pop punk and often reviewers offer up comparisons with Jawbreaker or The Broadways. Raw, heartfelt songs about life and being a kid it's one of those albums that passed most people by but made converts of many of those who did discover it. Brian Moss later featured in The Ghost, Hanalei, Olehole and Great Apes.

   This is Hopeless Romantic........
     

Mickey Rickshaw - I'm Sorry Ms. Mahoney

 
  Are you a fan of The Pogues, Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly etc?  If you are then it's quite possible you're already familiar with Mickey Rickshaw. If not, you're in for a treat, here's a band that if they carry on progressing like they have been will soon be spoken of in the same breath as those acts.

   They got together in 2013 when Mike Rivkees moved to Boston, Massachusetts and met up with tin whistle player Shane Welch. Using a number of songs written by Rivkees whilst he was living in Australia and then Italy they quickly put out an ep called 16 Down And Back Again.

  Now fleshed out to an 8 piece they've recently released their debut album, No Heaven For Heroes, which mixes punk with folk to create one of the best records of the year. You can check it out here : http://mickeyrickshaw.bandcamp.com/

  This is I'm Sorry Ms. Mahoney......

The Orphans - The Government Stole My Germs CD

  The Orphans formed in West Chester, Philadelphia, in the mid 90's and featured Erik Petersen (vocals), Tom Johnsen (guitar), Drew Petersen (bass/vocals), Andrew Baxter (drums) and Joe D'Orazio (trumpet).

  At the time, high school student Erik Petersen, says he was angry at everything and that screaming in a punk band was a great way to relieve some of that anger. The band were very much a diy, anarchic outfit whose only merchandise was spray painted stencil patches. As far as releases go there was just some tapes and a 7" ep (1995's Anthems For Doomed Youth).

  By 2000 Petersen had moved onto form Mischief Brew but there's been occasional Orphans shows since then and in 2004 a compilation of remastered versions of Orphans material was released on Fistolo Records. You can check it out here : https://mischiefbrew.bandcamp.com/album/raise-the-youth

  This is The Government Stole My Germs CD.......

The government wants to overthrow it's subjects
GOP has issued secret codes
CIA has put them on our stop signs
FBI is tapping in our phones
Billy Bob's the slick one
But we've seen his dishonest smile to the crowds
I praise the press, i surf the internet
Hope i'm not revealed as a coward
Got my gun i got my flag
Believe everything i've read in all the mags
So paranoid and ready to kill
Shootin' kids from my windowsill
Insane, Demented, Paranoid, Pissed
But i'm gonna have to deal with it
Cause reform is bloodshed
Reform is hate
Reform is fear
Reform because
The government stole my germs CD
I sell my peace by forcing hate
The violence on the TV screen
I believe segments of hard copy
No one else knows where i've been
I'm just a nazi with old glory
Turning it into a confederate shroud
I cause anarchy and comfort
I gotta make my buddies proud
Got my beer and civil war mind
Blast from the past with much more lies
Seen as criminals not as us
True pacifists don't suck
The government stole my germs CD