As it's Halloween today I'll take the opportunity to post a classic track from one of the biggest names associated with punk rock. Siouxsie And The Banshees formed in 1976, founder members Siouxsie Sioux and Steven Severin had met the previouss year at a Roxy Music gig. They went on to be regular attendees at gigs by a new band called The Sex Pistols and were part of a group of kindred spirits that the press labelled The Bromley Contingent.
The first ever Siouxsie And The Banshees gig was a hastily arranged support slot at the 100 Club Festival and saw Sioux and Severin joined on stage by Sid Vicious (on drums) and future Adam And The Ants guitarist Marco Pirroni. From these humble beginnings, they coalesced into what The Times dubbed "one of the most audacious and uncompromising musical adventures of the post-punk era."
Fast forward to 8th August 1981. This was the date of one of the very first gigs that I attended, it was at Lancaster University and was on their Juju tour (supported by John Cooper Clarke). All I remember from the gig, aside from it being bloody great, is that Siouxsie took time out to bait a group of leather jacket clad local punks by telling them The Banshees had more in common with Duran Duran than they did with bands like Discharge.
The line up for the Juju album was Siouxsie (vocals), Steven Severin (bass), John McGeoch (guitar) and Budgie (drums). It was their 4th studio album and came out in June 1981 on Polydor. By this time the band were veering away from their punk rock roots and helping to kick start the 80's goth rock scene.
No prizes for guessing which track from Juju that I'm posting today. This is Halloween......
The night is still and the frost it bites my face I wear my silence like a mask and murmur like a ghost Trick or treat, trick or treat, the bitter and the sweet Trick or treat, trick or treat, the bitter and the sweet
The carefree days are distant now I wear my memories like a shroud I try to speak but words collapse, echoing, echoing Trick or treat, trick or treat, the bitter and the sweet Trick or treat, trick or treat, the bitter and the sweet
I wander though your sadness Gazing at you with scorpion eyes Halloween, Halloween Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
A sweet reminder in the ice-blue nursery Of a childish murder of hidden luster and she cries Trick or treat, trick or treat, the bitter and the sweet Trick or treat, trick or treat, the bitter and the sweet
I wander through your sadness Gazing at you with scorpion eyes Halloween, Halloween Halloween, Halloween Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
I think it would be remiss of me if I didn't eventually get round to posting a song from one of the best albums of 2015. Released a month ago, Mutiny At Muscle Beach by Night Birds "brims with an epileptic energy that defies the listener to sit still." It's the sort of album you'll be playing in the car and without realising it your foot will be pressing down harder on the accelerator than might be wise, an album that zips by and prompts you to leave it to play through again.
Last year I posted one of their older songs (Thrilling Murder) and I think if you compare it with the new disc you'll agree that time (and signing to Fat Wreck Chords) certainly hasn't led to a toning down of their frenetic, tuneful aggression.... http://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/night-birds-thrilling-murder.html.
It's not easy selecting a favourite song from the album, they're pretty much all favourites but I'll go with Golden Age Of Tv......
A song today by a new band called Patsy who describe themselves as punk, glam, glitter, gloss, glue and who hail from New Orleans. They feature members of a band called Swampgrass (who I'm not familiar with) and Mystic Inane (who I posted a song by here : http://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/mystic-inane-manhood.html.
They've posted the following on their bandcamp; a cover of The Misfits' In The Doorway, another cover (my favourite of the two) of Kleenex's Hitch-Hiker and a 3 track demo which came out in January and features the song I've posted below. They were brought to my attention by those bastions of good taste over at Total Punk who have just released one of the tracks from the demo, Tuley Tude High, as a 7" (check it out here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUycyYXNBB0 ).
Featuring Candice Darby's off kilter female vocals over a gloriously discordant backbeat, hopefully we're witnessing the start of the band's ascent to punk rock greatness. This is Nazi's Are So Plain......
Demon Smiles are a melodic punk rock band from Brighton who formed at a Banner Pilot gig in 2012. Influenced by the likes of NOFX, Lagwagon, Tilt and The Lawrence Arms, they take the 90's skate punk sound and give it a bit of a modern sheen.
They released a debut mini album called Burn It To The Ground in 2013. The Handcannon ep followed a year later. Currently featuring Cat (vocals/bass), Jazz (guitar/backing vocals) and Steve (drums) they released their latest album a few months back on 13 Stitches Records. Titled Amped, it's a fast paced, female fronted aural delight, it's definitely their best so far. You can check it out here : https://demonsmiles.bandcamp.com/album/amped
This is Fuck You.......
I'm running out of words I don't know what to say My brain is telling me I've got to get away Each time I see your face I don't know what to do I'm running round in circles when I think of you My smiling eyes this laughing mouth, it's all fake You just remind me I'm the path you didn't take I hate the way you look at me like I'm your fool And all I really want to say is 'hey! Fuck you!'
If you never hurt you'll never feel OK Because you never get to feel relief from the pain There's nothing I can do I'll never be the same But I'm done with sad and feeling bad, now hear me rage You threw me scraps, I ate it up, now I feel sick But there'll come a day not far away when I'll be fixed I'll see you 'round, this time I'll know just what to do And I'll be like 'yeah whatever love, and by the way FUCK YOU!'
Yeah you!
There'll come a day not far away when I'll be fixed There'll come a day not far away when I'll be fixed There'll come a day not far away when I'll be fixed There'll come a day not far away when I'll be fixed
I've got to be honest, I've never properly watched a baseball game, being from England it's probably unsurprising that cricket is my favourite game involving bats and balls. Having said that, I must declare that some of my favourite songs from 2015 have been baseball themed.
Step forward Vista Blue. The power pop outfit from New Orleans have featured on this blog several times this year and I make no apologies for including them again. They've just released the third part of their 2015 baseball trilogy, it's the Take Me Out ep and it's a celebration of the World Series. They're fans of The Cubs so even though in my ignorance I haven't got a clue about that team I'll hop on board and shout Go Cubs!
As seems to be the case with anything Vista Blue record, the songs are heavy on melody and hooks and are catchy as hell. This is the lead track from the new ep, If He Hits One Here.......
Criminal Damage are a punk rock/oi band from Portland, Oregon who have released 3 great albums on Feral Ward Records (s/t, 2006; No Solution, 2007; Call Of Death, 2013) and who feature members of bands such as Tragedy, His Hero Is Gone, Walls and Deathreat. Members include Crystal Fisher (drums), Kevin Purcell (bass/backing vocals), Paul Burdette (guitar/vocals) and Tom Wassum (guitar/backing vocals).
Early on they drew lots of comparisons with legendary British band Blitz, the order of the day is catchy, melodic punk rock that wouldn't have sounded out of place back in the early '80's.
From their Call Of Death album, this is Anxiety......
Today's update is one of the best I've brought you, it's a top 10 chosen by Randy Smith from Rebel Time Records. Not only has Randy chosen some awesome songs, he's also added commentary, links (where available) and uploaded some great images for the brand new Youtube videos he uploaded especially for this update. Many thanks for all your hard work Randy
You can check out Rebel Time Records here, it's definitely worthy of your attention :
Massive thanks to Mick for allowing me the opportunity to share some of my favourite bands and music. Much appreciated! As I have a ton of favourite bands and songs, and as Rebel Time Records is a 'political punk rock' label, I narrowed it down by picking only Canadian bands and songs that mean a lot to me both on a personal and political level; songs that both move me and make me move; songs that make me want to raise a pint (or a least, a virgin Caesar) and a fist. Not a complete list by any stretch of the imagination...there are just so many other great bands that could have/should have been on this list...cheers!
Action Sedition : Classe Contre Classe
About 3 years back I noticed that a band called Action Sedition was starting to play out in Montreal. Great name, I sez to myself, but what the heck do they sound like and what are they singing about? My answer came in the form of their 8-song demo Rapport de Force which came out in 2012. Holy Head of Jesus What a platter Left-radical, anti-capitalist, anti-fascist catchy political streetpunk done up just the way I like it The first song I listened to was Prisonniers Politiques and I was stoked to see/hear the lyrics namecheck a political prisoner I used to correspond with back in the day. Fast-forward a couple of years and I'm proud to say that Rebel Time Records has put the band on tour in Ontario and has also helped to release some top-tunes from the band. Action Sedition is a band walks the talk...members are active in such groups as the IWW, Montreal Red and Anarchist Skinheads, Montreal Sisterhood and they do Revolution Fest (3 days of feminist, anti-capitalist and anti-fascist music) in Montreal every year.
One of the guitarists from Broadcast Zero, Phil D, and I started Rebel Time Records back in 2008. Our first release was the first Broadcast Zero album Yesterday, You Could Change The World. This song is from their second album Some Concerns Regarding This Revolt, which, personally, I think slipped under the radar a bit and didn't get the attention it deserved. Faster, angrier tighter and more focused than the first album, with insightful lyrics from singer Nick, who said at the time that the album takes on a theme of deconstruction, raising questions of personal accountability and participation, and stressing the importance of looking in the mirror before pointing fingers. Or, as one reviewer put it a unique union of societal concerns and life lessons. The band toured Canada/North America 3 times in about 3 years. Though broken up, they have reunited on occasion for very worthy causes...
No Justice No Peace This song was first released back in 2000, on The Class Assassin's original demo CD . Since then, it has come out in different versions, on different releases. This version is from the No Justice... 7, and, 15 years in, it's still one of my favourite songs by one of my favourite bands, with a message that is as pertinent and powerful now as it was then. Timeless, catchy-as-heck, anthemic, sing-a-long streetpunk with something to say. The guys in the band are a veritable who's-who of Toronto punk rock...over the past 20 or 30 years they've been in such bands as Bitter Grin, Hockey Teeth, Direct Action, 2-Pump Louie, Sinkin' Ships, Problem Children, Chronic Submission and more. Stoked to have a couple of Class Ass releases under our Rebel Time Records belts
I'm a Fallout-booster. There is just no getting around that. I shout their praise (and rightly so!) from the mountains and the roof-tops. This 3-piece combo has been described as 'straight-up, stripped-down political punk rock,' and one sage reviewer noted that " Their catchy-as-hell, sing-along, three-chord punk rock packs a definite punch and is coupled with well-crafted and well-articulated, socially-conscious lyrics that crackle with heartfelt anger and urgency." I couldn't have said it any better myself! Me, I find their first full-length "Turning Revolution Into Money" to be an absolute classic. This particular song, Peace Love And Anarchy serves as the theme song of Rebel Time Radio (Wednesdays, from 9:00PM to 10:0PM on SoundFM100.3, broadcasting out of Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario). Fittingly, it's about building genuine and caring communities outside of corporate culture. Pat from Brutal Youth / Class War Kids has recently joined the band on bass, and word on the streets is that new material is forthcoming...
No less a punk rock luminary than Damien of Fucked Up fame has declared the record this song was on 'the 10th best punk rock 7" to come out of Toronto.' He says: "The opening of this record has a sample from a Nazi on Geraldo espousing his beliefs before he's cut off by one of the greatest anti-fascist songs ever: Not So Long Ago." Hey, who am I to argue with that! In the spirit of full disclosure, the two guitarists from this band (brothers Chris and Dan) went on to form the aforementioned The Class Assassins. Hockey Teeth was a band that walked the talk. As Mark, the singer, said recently: "I am ...proud to say that my friends/band mates over the years have done our best to help every organization that we could playing as many benefit shows as we did...whether it was in support of Womyn's shelters, Animal welfare, human rights/dignities, equal rights, and food banks/shelters etc. We may have been a small thing in the scope of things, but I know we helped many. I know we may have been a small change in the world, but if you start to act locally, it can have a great effect globally. " Nice one Hockey Teeth!!
Hold A Grudge / Jeunesse Apatride : Build Something Great
Two for one! Originally released by the late, great Hold A Grudge on their "Doing Time" album in 2010 and covered and released by the late, great Jeunesse Apatride on their "Jusq'au bout" album in 2014 .Two great bands from Montreal who just happened to share both a bass player and a positive political attitude, as exemplified by this tune. It's an upbeat, uplifting and inspirational call-to-arms. Take they lyrics to heart!! Honoured to have had both bands play Rebel Time Records shows and Rebel Fests. Having Jeunesse Apatride play the very first Rebel Fest was amazing. From what I understand, it was their only show (aside from European shows) outside of Quebec. Merci!! Note 1: Hold a Grudge recorded a second album that has yet to see the light of day…fingers crossed that it does... Note 2: The first 3 Jeuensse Apatride albums can be downloaded FOR FREE at their bandcamp page...
"Hardcore Against Capitalism," that's how Killing Fields described themselves. Raging political HC out of, yep, Montreal. This song came out on their 5-song cassette tape release "Down To My Last Round," released in 2009. First came across this band on Myspace (!) and was intrigued. Another Quebec band that Rebel Time Records was able to convince, back in 2010, to make the 8 hour trip to Hamilton to play one of our Sunday afternoon Punk Rock Matinees. Sadly, the band broke up shortly thereafter, but, happily, recently, they have threatened to reform in one shape or another. Hoping that happens! In the meantime, you can download their 5 song cassette release FOR FREE on Bandcamp...do it, do it now!
One of my favourite songs (both in terms of music and music) from one of my favourite bands and the last song on what I imagine will be the last album from the band. The first time I heard this tune, I got all verklempt (and still do when listening to it) The death of singer Todd Serious back in March 2015 hit us all hard, no doubt about it. We're still in recovery mode. I couldn't listen to anything by The Rebel Spell for quite a while, but, when I decided it was time to do so, this was the song I chose to start off with. For me personally, a song that fundamentally encapsulates the band's ethos...committed, caring, uncompromising and compassionate. Inspirational and incendiary. Can't say enough good things about this band and the people who comprised it. DIY political punk at it's best. Please check them out and please fight for the sun...
"S.C.U.M. stood for Society Controlled Under Murderers. The police in Montreal were known as the C.U.M. (Communaute Urbaine de Montreal) and they had street signs up for them so this was an easy graffiti thing to do was to put S's in front of their acronym." - Equalizing X Distort Quite simply, one of the great anti-cop songs of all time, from Montreal's S.C.U.M. The anger is visceral and palpable and, 30 years after this song was first released, still righteous and relevant. I mean, just this week 8 Quebec cops have been suspended for alleged sexual assaults on aboriginal women and in Toronto, the trial has started for the cop who pumped 9 rounds into Sammy Yatim. The last line of this song alone is worth the price of admission...”Your funeral is my party, pig.” This song plays in my head a lot. I mean, a lot! It's my all-purpose, go-to tune when The Man is pissing me off...
Zeroption : Traitor Red
1983. Sitting in a PoliSci class at McMaster University in Hamilton. Reading a copy of Black Triangle, a local punk zine. Dude sitting about three seats down on my left sees me reading it and whispers over "Hey, I'm in that zine!" Hmmm. I flip through the pages and, lo and behold, I see a picture of the dude. His name is Gord, and he plays bass for Zeroption. And, hey, I just happen to love Zeroption! I'd recently picked up the 'TO Hardcore '83' compilation tape which featured a bunch of Toronto punk/HC bands, including Zeroption. Red Scare is one of the 3 tracks of great political punk rock they contributed to the comp. Long story short, we got to talking and it turned out that both Gord and the band's guitar player, Stuart, were attending McMaster. Of course, we all bonded over a shared love of punk rock and political science.I remember Gord made up a mixtape for me with stuff like Bad Religion, Die Kreuzen, SSD and Personality Crisis. He also gave me a tape with 8 or 10 Zeroption songs. Sadly, both tapes are long lost.
Occasionally, in the New Punk Rock Music group on Facebook, there'll be cool posts featuring songs by bands I've never heard of from Estonia. I would imagine most of you guys wouldn't have heard them either and as this blog is all about entertaining and educating I decided to pounce on the person behind those posts and ask him to give me a list of 10 of his favourite songs. Kristo Magi (aka Rakvere Pets) lives in Tallinn, which is on the Baltic Sea and is Estonia's capital. He's in a band called Huiabella Fantastica who you can check out here : https://huiabellafantastica.bandcamp.com/
Pioneering punk fanzine Sniffin' Glue issued a call to arms back in '77 when it proclaimed "here are 3 chords, now form a band." It was a suggestion that was acted upon by a generation of bored kids who were discovering that you didn't have to be a talented musician to be in a band and make music.
One band who were a prime example of the punk diy ethos were The Desperate Bicycles who formed in Dalston, East London, in March 1977 and who's intent was to record and release a single on their own label (Refill Records). They booked a local studio for 3 hours and for the princely sum of £153 produced the Smokescreen 7", a debut single which turned enough of a profit to finance the follow up, The Medium Was Tedium.
Next up was the New Cross, New Cross ep (from which today's song is taken) and then another single called Occupied Territory. Their only album was a Porky Prime Cut (if you're an old bugger like myself, you'll possibly remember that record engineer George "Porky" Peckham would etch his trademark into the run out grooves of many of the eras vinyl discs) called Remorse Code.
One more single followed, Grief Is Very Private, before they split in 1981. It's not easy to get hold of their records nowadays as they've never wanted to go down the road of re releasing or reissuing.
This is Advice On Arrest...... it won't happen here they can't do it to me i've got nothing to fear never seen the spg we've got democracy who needs solidarity this is what to do when it happens to you!
shout out your name take all their numbers make witnesses for your defence at the station they will search you make a list of your belongings don't sign for something you don't own at the station there'll be questions don't answer, see a lawyer first don't make a written statement without legal advice
A few months ago I posted a song called Little England which appears on the excellent album The Brixton Tapes. Released towards the end of 2014 by London band Slow Faction it's definitely worth checking out : https://slowfaction.bandcamp.com/album/the-brixton-tapes.
"Slow Faction is a 1st generation-influenced punk band with a real London 77 sound. The aim of Slow Faction is simple – to make the music they want to hear; politically-charged songs with big hooks and choruses, reminiscent of the 1st wave of British punk. Slow Faction’s live sound has been described as a cross between The Clash and The Buzzcocks."
Today I'm bringing you the latest in a series of popular top 10 lists, this one is by John Youens who is guitarist and vocalist for the band and who also helps to put on gigs as part of the South London Punk Collective. If you're interested in learning more about this diy collective check out their facebook group : https://www.facebook.com/groups/941656509182301/
John's top 10 contains a number of classics that you'll probably be familiar with, he also adds comments (which is always a nice bonus). Thanks John, over to you.....
Thanks very much for inviting me to list my top 10. I could have filled the list with songs from just 1 or 2 groups but have decided to list 10 favourite songs from 10 different groups who have influenced me on the way.
1. The Clash: Complete Control
On any other day this could be White Man in Hammersmith Palais, Garageland, Stay Free or countless others but today it’s Complete Control – once described as a band bitching about their record label and turning out one of the biggest 2 fingers to capitalism ever made…love the single version but find myself increasingly turning to the live version on From Here To Eternity…
2. The Sex Pistols: God Save The Queen
Possibly the greatest ever 3 minute pop song committed to vinyl…this has all the ingredients which made The Sex Pistols (at their best and on form) absolutely unstoppable. I saw one of the reunion shows at Brixton Academy in 2007. I was very sceptical about going in the first place but to hear THOSE songs played by the original Pistols was magical.
3. Stiff Little Fingers: Suspect Device
SLF was the first punk band I saw live at Malvern Winter Gardens in 1979. This was at the time of Inflammable Material and the whole concert was a riot from start to finish. Jake and Ali were skinny, good looking and sharply dressed – looking and sounding like the best rock n roll should. Unfortunately, for me, this was SLF at their peak. I was disappointed by the songs and production of Nobody’s Heroes…it just didn’t spit out of the speakers like IM did when you put the needle down.
4. The Stranglers: (Get A) Grip (On Yourself)
The Stranglers seem to get written out of punk history or at least not credited amongst the forerunners but they were hugely influential and at my school there seemed to be as many Strangler badges on uniforms as Clash or Pistols ones. Rattus Norvegicus was the first album I ever bought and I spent hours listening to it and staring at the cover, which was an unnerving one to say the least. Of the early singles, Grip has to be my favourite.
5. The Jam: Going Underground
I have a strange relationship with The Jam. Although All Mod Cons is considered a classic I don’t think it has aged as well as other punk albums of the time and The Jam always seemed to be lacking a bit of humour and a sense of mischief that other bands had. However, as a singles band I think their output is superlative and Going Underground probably the best of them.
6. The Ruts: Something That I Said
THE great lost punk band. They had everything – great lyrics, a great frontman, brilliant musicians and intelligent songs. After The Clash had gone down the drugs & world music route and lesser talents had discovered the delights of unlistenable hard core, The Ruts had the talent & ambition to take punk in a new and more interesting direction into the 1980s. Unfortunately, Malcolm Owen’s tragic death changed all that.
7. The Congos: Children Crying
Punk and reggae go hand in hand for anybody of my generation and for me, it’s roots above all which I love. From reading and trying different samplers I explored the music of The Abyssinians, Culture, Israel Vibrations, The Gladiators, The Mighty Diamonds, etc but it’s always The Heart of the Congos which I come back to. The Lee Perry heavy lo-fi analogue tape production actually enhances the vibes you get when listening to this and Children Crying is one hell of a beautiful song
8. Manic Street Preachers: Motorcycle Emptiness
I have very little music in my collection from 1982 through to 1990. Throughout this period I hated the politics, I hated the football and I hated the horrible, overproduced rubbish music – have you ever noticed how dated 1980s music sounds with all those heavily reverbed drums? Anyway, this was the period I just went into Inner Emigration and smoked dope everyday…but as we left the 80s and entered the 90s, even though it wasn’t my music, you could sense that with the Stone Roses and Happy Mondays something was beginning to stir again…then came these beautiful Welsh boys offering to save/destroy rock n roll and split up after one album…rock n roll should look good and sound good and the early Manics achieved this in spades.
9. Rancid: Ruby Soho
I just love Rancid. All their albums are slightly different and I go through phases of listening to each of them in turn. I think Tim Armstrong is a punk renaissance man and a great, characterful and story-telling lyricist. As with The Clash I have different favourite songs on different days but Ruby Soho, with all it’s obvious, classic punk influences (and lifts) will do for today.
10. Green Day: American Idiot
Apart from a couple of exceptions, I don’t like what is characterised as Pop Punk…I was watching a top 50 pop punk collection on E4 Music the other day and it was depressing…every song sounded the same and every video looked the same…it was music for beer-swilling boneheads and was as appealing to me as a Nuremberg Rally… Now, I’m not saying that was my earlier impression of Green Day but I do remember buying Dookie and Nimrod to check them out and feeling decidedly underwhelmed…All that changed with the album American Idiot which is to me a brave and courageous album, a concept album to boot, and filled with self-righteous anger which for me is the hallmark of punk…American Idiot the song captures all of that self-righteousness in a classic 3 minute pop record.
Anyway, that will do for a Top 10…no Ramones, or Buzzcocks, or Rezillos…or countless other bands…away from punk I love early Elvis, Eddie Cochrane, the Brian Jones era Stones and classic Soul but that’s for another day and another list…
