A couple of things I wasn't expecting when I decided to start posting my favourite songs in a blog were
1) that anyone would read it
2) anyone would send me music to listen to and review
123,000 page views down the line and people are occasionally asking me to write about their records (which I'm always wary about as I've no pretensions to being a writer and I don't really want to post songs that I don't like). When Eric Evans from Modern Tribes sent me a link to their new ep, I knew I didn't have to worry about liking it (their previous single had featured in my best of 2015 list) but even so, I was a little surprised by how bloody great it is.
I was also frustrated as I wanted to share it and shout out from the rooftops "listen to this, it's brilliant!!!" but as it wasn't yet out I wasn't allowed. I had to content myself by giving my thoughts to Eric (which were these few enthusiastically fan boyish lines : "right, honest opinion on first run through : you sound dated. before you get the wrong idea, i mean dated as in you're reminding me of a time when there were a few great bands playing this sort of music. bands like mcluskey and the pixies. to be honest you don't sound much like them but you have that same sort of exciting vibe, i'm never sure exactly what i'm gonna get next from you. it's good old fashioned quirky rock that isn't in the least bit old fashioned. at your best, you match those great bands which isn't something i say lightly. there's hundreds of current bands that i've put in my blog and you don't really sound like any of them, you're tweaking a classic sound and making it fresh and exciting! ).
It's hard to believe that the band (who are from Oswestry, England) have only been together since Jan 2015, the sky is the limit for these guys. Check them out on their European tour which kicks off on April 22nd. Any queries contact them at ericevans1994@gmail.com or on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/ModernTribesUK
My favourite song of 2016 so far, this is Pam Beesly.....
From what I can gather, today's song is quite rare. Supposedly there were only a hundred copies pressed and the band, The Porno Cassettes, only ever played one gig.
It was one side of a single released in 1982 (the b side was Dead End Yobs), and it's called Your Face...
It was re released in 2014 on Radio Raheem Records and is really rather excellent.
Thanks today to Dirk Ceustermans for choosing a selection of Belgian punk songs. Dirk broadcasts a show on The Global Punk Network under the pseudonym Zaphod Beeblebrox where he plays lots of great European music and if you want to check some of those shows out they're saved here : http://mixlr.com/zaphod-beeblebrox/showreel/
Chicago hardcore punk outfit The Kreutzer Sonata blasted their way onto this blog early last year with a raging beast of a song called P.W.M. (Punks With Morals) http://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/the-kreutzer-sonata-pwm-punks-with.html. Now they're back with a song from their brand new Fight Songs ep (out now on Nothing New Records) and I'm glad to report that they're still the same bile spitting, hard hitting behemoth of a band they've always been.
Influenced by the likes of Leftover Crack, A Global Threat, Black Flag, Minor Threat etc, it's no surprise that their lyrics are as biting as their sonic assaults (sample lyric "I don't care if you're rich, I don't care if you're poor cause we're all equal in our lives and in the end I just care if you have virtue and respect your fellow man."). That lyric is from the lead track on the new ep, It's Getting Worse, and you can find it here : http://thekreutzersonata.bandcamp.com/.
They've also released this new video for the track No Empathy.......
Steaming in the madness of the social unrest Blinded views, vacant threats Always got a bone to pick, you're on the attack If you want empathy then give some back
There's so much hate Do you really know what you stand for?
Left or right, unite and win Work together, understand It will be uncomfortable No good change isn't
I see a broken society, the future makes me cringe Everyday I'm fucking sick Nuclear families at nuclear war With subcultures that mirror their scorn
You hate Have empathy Fate Or empathy
Dissent in the air and evil on the streets In the back of our mind no one agrees But you don't have to agree to make things work Just respect we all come from different worlds on this earth
The Ridgelands are a skate punk band from Chicago who feature Tall Doug (guitar/lead vocals), Mike Schultz (bass/vocals) and new drummer Victor De La Mora.
Attracting comparisons with the likes of Green Day, Moral Crux, Ann Beretta, Screeching Weasel, The Queers etc, they released their debut ep, Corey Webster Must Die!!! in 2012 and followed it up a year later with an album on Sexy Baby Records called Daggers Down (you can check that out here : https://sexybabyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/daggers-down).
In celebration of enlisting their new drummer, they've posted a new song which fast paced, catchy and is called Padded Rooms......
Another top 10 today, this one is chosen by Rookie Rochelle, who featured in yesterday's update with his band the Young Rochelles and who has also played bass with the New Rochelles and The Isotopes.
The Young Rochelles are from Long Beach, New York and formed in January 2013. The line up is Ricky Rochelle (lead vocals/drums), Rookie Rochelle (bass) and Randy Rochelle (electric guitar/backing vocals).
As with many of the bands on this blog, their influences include the likes of The Ramones, The Queers, Screeching Weasel etc. So far they've released a killer debut ep, Cannibal Island, they contributed a Queers cover to a 4 way Wedding split on Mom's Basement Records (which also features The Putz, Eaten Back To Life and Horror Section) and last year's Know The Code ep which came out on Greenway Records. You can check them all out (along with Ramones, Methadones and Parasites covers) here : https://theyoungrochelles.bandcamp.com/
Tomorrow's update will feature Rookie's top 10 favourite songs, I don't think I'm giving anything away by revealing it'll contain some catchy as hell pop punk tunes.
Speaking of catchy as hell pop punk tunes, the one you'll find below definitely matches that description. From the Know The Code ep, this is Stay-At-Home Man......
A punk rock legend on the blog today. Sonny Vincent is a New Yorker who's been involved with the punk scene since the mid 70's. He was a founder member of The Testors and has been in a number of other bands, including Sonny Vincent And The Extreme, Model Prisoners, Shotgun Rationale, The Dons, Sonny Vincent And The Guevaras and Sonny Vincent And His Rat Race Choir. He's also released an abundance of solo material and collaborations with a plethora of genre figures.
In January of this year, his son, daughter in law and grandson were very badly burned following a gas explosion and a fund has been set up to help pay medical bills. If you haven't heard about this you'll find more details here : https://www.gofundme.com/xnvynbcc
Today's song is by Sonny and it's the lead track on a compilation that's been released to help the family. Also featured on the album are a number of bands that have already featured in this blog (Ratbones, Kobanes, Slow Faction and The Prostitutes) plus a host of others. A great compilation in it's own right but also it's in a very good cause. If you can help out, please make a donation or buy the album (https://streamordie.bandcamp.com/album/sonny-vincents-family-help-fund-compilation).
Here's a taster, a song that was originally on last years Psycho Serenades album, it's called Infuse.....
School Damage are from Toronto and first appeared in this blog back in 2014 (http://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/school-damage-i-wanna-be-wasted.html) with a song from their Straight D's ep. Now the trio, Brad Manners (guitar/vocals), John Cabatan (bass/vocals) and Curtis Tone (drums) are back with a brand new album entitled Battered Lives.
Out 6th May on Brain Candy Records, you can either pre order it or snag the digital version here : https://schooldamage.bandcamp.com/album/battered-lives. Their ep's showed us that they were definitely a band to watch and I'm pleased to say that the debut album doesn't disappoint. A bakers dozen of quality punk rock tunage, make sure you check it out.
Today's update features a song that's being released on the 15th April on GoLoud Records with the aim of raising funds for the charity Muscular Dystrophy UK. All proceeds will go to the charity so check it out. There's a release party, the details of which are above.
LaFlamme formed in 2013 in Surrey, England and are comprised of Richie Lambert (guitars/vocals), Kieron Robathan (guitar/vocals), Dan Motchman (drums) and Ditch (bass/vocals). They mix up old school punk with '70's rock and have drawn inspiration from artists as diverse as The Ramones, AC/DC, Lou Reed, Blink 182, Iron Maiden and Biffy Clyro.
Early gigs saw them supporting The Ramonas and The Sex Pissed Dolls and they've proved popular enough to be invited to play the Isle Of Wight Festival. Recent times have seen them keeping busy working on a cd in aid of Muscular Dystrophy, a cause close to their hearts (2 of Kieron's cousins suffer from the disease).
The ep features 3 tracks and you can find out more about it, along with details on t shirts and various merchandise (the proceeds of which will also go to the charity) here : http://www.goloudpromotions.co.uk/#!store/lw6r1
If you want to know more here's a few contact details :
Press enquires: Robert Brockwell, GoLoud Promotions
Bob@Goloudpromotions.co.uk
Snide are from Maidstone, Kent and currently feature a line up consisting of Lou (vocals), Rob (guitar/backing vocals), Nobby (bass/backing vocals) and Yavor (drums). They formed in 2007 though the current line up has been together since Jan 2015.
Currently you'll find them busy gigging including an upcoming show at London's 100 Club on 16th April and they've also booked studio space so expect a new ep.
From Twat, this is the lead track, Hey Mr. Joseph......
The Nerds were an Italian "scum punk" band from Voghera who formed in 1997 and who lined up The Boss (vocals), King Taccio (bass), Marco Ferrarese (aka Monkey Motherfucker) (guitar) and El Pollios (drums).
In 2007 they changed their name to The Nerds Rock Inferno.
I received the I Don't Like You single in the post last week (thanks Angelo!) and it's definitely worthy of a place in this blog. 4 tracks of raw and rocking punk rock, it includes a cover of The Angry Samoans' The Todd Killings and the song you'll find below....
Catchy, keyboard driven new wave today from The Bloodtypes.
Forming in 2010 and from Portland, Oregon, The Bloodtypes feature Schneck Tourniquet (vocals/keys), I.V. Frehley (guitar/vocals), Jesse B Negative (bass/vocals) and Matt O Demic (drums) and are a band that are here to save your life. Injecting a transfusion of fun into what can sometimes be an overly serious punk scene, they sing about subjects like spies, space mutants, sexy nurses, Commies and cats.....
Their debut album, Just Your Type, came out in 2012 and it was followed a year later by the Johnny ep. Their latest release is on both P. Trash and Bomb Pop Records and is called Pull The Plug and you can check it out here : http://thebloodtypes.bandcamp.com/
Just what the doctor ordered, this is Surveillance State......
I’ve been the best that I can be Tried to conform to society It is clear that things got out of hand I’ve done the research, I’ve done the math I think I see what’s coming to pass A program to record all our plans
I no longer believe the lies they spread The NSA runs the government In this surveillance state
How can I live off the grid? When connection is my final bid I wish I could condition my brain We’re all seduced by chemistry That makes us think that we are free When every thought’s already been claimed
I no longer believe the promises The NSA is after what we think In this surveillance state
Lines of resistance forming in my mind Where is the cure that I’ve tried to find? Lines of resistance won’t be taken down They’ve run the state into the ground And are we so much safer now? Stop this surveillance state
The Hypnic Jerks are a pop punk powerhouse from Chicago who are influenced by all the best old school bands (Ramones, Queers, Riverdales.....). They've been together since 2007 and feature Pat Holland (guitar/vocals), Tony Trenkler (bass/vocals) and Mikey Cervenka (drums).
Their first release was a s/t 6 track ep in 2008 and this was followed up in 2013 with the Stay Home album. You can check them out here : https://hypnicjerks.bandcamp.com/
Last May they were in the studio working on a new album, Lost In Love, but I'm not sure when it'll see the light of day though Pat and Tony been keeping busy as members of The Parasites.
From Stay Home, this is Zombies.....
IT WASN'T AS BAD AS IT LOOKS AND IT WASN'T AS LAME AS IT FEELS. YOU CAN EAT ME ALIVE, HOW COULD I SURVIVE THROUGHOUT THIS PAINFUL ORDEAL. YOU CAN START WITH THE FINGERS AND TOES, YOU CAN GNAW YOUR WAY THROUGH TO THE BONE. BUT THE LOOK ON YOUR FACE SAYS IT ALL IN THIS PLACE I CAN TELL THAT TONIGHT WE'RE ALONE.
WOULD YOU BELIEVE IF ZOMBIES WALKED THE EARTH?
NOW THAT THERE'S NO ONE AROUND, WE CAN MINDLESSLY SCOUR THE GROUNDS. IN SEARCH OF A MEAL OR SOME BRAINS WE CAN STEAL BUT NOBODY'S MAKING A SOUND. YOU CAN START WITH THE FINGERS AND TOES, YOU CAN GNAW YOUR WAY THROUGH TO THE BONE. BUT THE LOOK ON YOUR FACE SAYS IT ALL IN THIS PLACE I CAN TELL THAT TONIGHT WE'RE ALONE.
A welcome return today to Sheer Mag, the Philadelphia band that are making quite a name for themselves with some of the grooviest, riff-tastic songs you'll hear. The combination of Christina Halladay's vocals and Kyle Seely's meandering and hypnotic guitar once again scores a home run.
The bands 3rd ep, simply titled 111, is out now on Wilsuns RC and Static Shock Records and maintains the high standards set by it's 2 predecessors. You can check it out here : https://sheermag.bandcamp.com/
All the songs are great but I'll go with the one they released a video for, this is Nobody's Baby.....
I can't contain myself when im looking at you i don't wanna dance with nobody else but i gotta know do you want me too?
i get a jolt when our eyes meet that i can't understand i wanna feel the midnight heat and my stomach drop when you take my hand
i've got a tender heart and i'm trusting you don't make me feel like a fool from the start but where've you gone why can't you
dance with the one that you brought treat me the way i deserve? i gave you my love but it's all for naught cause you don't know just what i'm worth
i'm nobodys baby i'm nobodys girl
i can't tell which is worse never having known or wanting you so bad that it hurts what's on your mind? you don't
A new band to me today, TV Crime are a 3 piece from Nottingham who line up with S Henchman, J Guilty and J Mosslad and who have just released what I think is their debut single. It's a very promising slice of power pop featuring a couple of tracks, Hooligans and Wild One and you can check it out here : http://tvcrime.bandcamp.com/releases
They claim to have "killer tunes shitty attitude" and going by the power pop gem below, I wouldn't argue too much with that. This is called Hooligans.....
Low Levels are a 3 piece post punk rock band from Vancouver who formed in September 2014 when vocalist/guitarist Al Boyle (Hard Feelings/WPP/You Say Party) got together with Invasives drummer Byron Slack and bassist/vocalist Emily Jayne (Devil Eyes/Learners).
Influenced by bands such as Wipers, Fugazi and Hot Snakes, they cut their teeth playing locally and are now ready to step things up a gear. They recently released a debut 7 track cassette ep on Shake! Records and you can check it out here : https://lowlevels.bandcamp.com/album/low-levels.
Unfun are from Vancouver and are a pop punk band that sound as though they play buzzsaws instead of guitars. They released their debut ep, Pain Prescription, back in 2009 and have been fairly prolific since then http://unfun.bandcamp.com/.
They announced a while ago that whilst they were no longer together, there was one final album that they'd recorded in 2013 but which was awaiting the final touches. It's been a long wait but finally it's here. It's called Waterboarding and they claim that it contains their best songs yet (I've not heard it enough yet to agree or disagree but it does sound bloody good). You can make up your own minds here : https://debtoffensiverecords.bandcamp.com/album/waterboarding.
The title track, this is the majestic Waterboarding.....
At the start of this month, London punks Slow Faction released the follow up to their highly rated Brixton Tapes album. It's an ep titled This Machine Kills Fascists and it's no doubt going to end up being one of the best records of 2016.
Mid tempo, '77 style political punk rock that not only has the message but also doesn't skimp on the tunes, it's the kind of music we need in a world who's political leaders seem to be more self serving and ignorant of the needs of the people than ever. You can check out the ep here : https://slowfaction.bandcamp.com/album/this-machine-kills-fascists
We need more voices speaking out against those that seek to oppress us. against those who seek to exploit us, against those who trample over the weak and the needy to worship at the alter of greed. This is called Woody Guthrie.....
Country boy with a guitar in his hand He travels far across this land and Documents everything he sees With songs of brutal honesty and He makes a stand He draws a line in the sand His truth is principled He’ll never sell it out
And now he’s singing This machine kills fascists Yes, he’s singing This guitar kills fascists
Small town in depression times No work, no hope, just blighted lives A harsh and violent, hateful place They thought black gold their saving grace but The oil men came They took everything They stripped the whole town bare And then they went again
So now he’s singing This machine kills fascists Yes, he’s singing This guitar kills fascists So now we’re heading for the great depression of the 21st century The clampdown’s happening So where can we find Woody Guthrie now?
He wrote his songs of liberty This land belongs to you and me But not all get to have their way If you’re poor or black you’ve got no say and He went to war To fight the racist state And then he came back home To find the same thing there....
A question I sometime see asked is, who was the first punk? My answer is always Woody Guthrie. It's a question with no proper answer but I think mine is as valid as anyone's.
From Okemah, Oklahoma, Woodrow Wilson Guthrie was born in 1912 and had a tough childhood which saw the accidental death of his older sister, Clara, the institutionalization and then death of his mother and the financial ruin of his family. He became a travelling man, hiking and riding freight trains in search of labour in order to support his family, he observed the goings on around him during the Depression years and wrote songs about his experiences.
Active in the New York folk scene, he was a protest singer with "THIS MACHINE KILLS FASCISTS" painted on his guitar. Hugely influential both through his music and his writing (check back tomorrow for proof of that) he was a voice of a generation who's message still resonates and is as relevant as ever . He suffered through his later years with Huntington's Chorea and eventually died on 3rd October 1967 in New York.
He left a rich legacy, including the song you'll find below (one of his best) which is called Ludlow Massacre......
It was early springtime when the strike was on They drove us miners out of doors Out from the houses that the Company owned We moved into tents up at old Ludlow
I was worried bad about my children Soldiers guarding the railroad bridge Every once in a while a bullet would fly Kick up gravel under my feet
We were so afraid you would kill our children We dug us a cave that was seven foot deep Carried our young ones and pregnant women Down inside the cave to sleep
That very night your soldiers waited Until all us miners were asleep You snuck around our little tent town Soaked our tents with your kerosene
You struck a match and in the blaze that started You pulled the triggers of your gatling guns I made a run for the children but the fire wall stopped me Thirteen children died from your guns
I carried my blanket to a wire fence corner Watched the fire till the blaze died down I helped some people drag their belongings While your bullets killed us all around
I never will forget the look on the faces Of the men and women that awful day When we stood around to preach their funerals And lay the corpses of the dead away
We told the Colorado Governor to call the President Tell him to call off his National Guard But the National Guard belonged to the Governor So he didn't try so very hard
Our women from Trinidad they hauled some potatoes Up to Walsenburg in a little cart They sold their potatoes and brought some guns back And they put a gun in every hand
We took some cement and walled that cave up Where you killed these thirteen children inside I said, "God bless the Mine Workers' Union," And then I hung my head and cried
"Forget your past and wipe the slate clean, create a new future from the ruins of this fucked up world."
East Kilbride's alternative gasmask rockers EK Decay return to Just Some Punk Songs with a new video to a song from their latest album, The Collective. Since forming in 2013, the band, David "Midi" Middleton (vocals), Rab Newell (bass), John Hunter (lead guitar) and Jamie Barnes (drums), have already gained a strong local following and have attracted plenty of attention further afield.
The new album, a follow up to 2014's impressive No Hope, features a dozen new tracks and you can order it here : http://ekdecay.weebly.com/
The song below is a rallying cry against world leaders who insist on the nuclear option whilst the man in the street would rather have an alternative, safer solution which safeguards future generations. This is called Nuclear Nation.....
Grim Deeds are from Foster City, California They play dumb punk songs with the emphasis on humour and vocalist/guitarist/bassist Deeds has chosen 10 songs for the blog. You can check out Grim Deeds' Bandcamp here : https://grimdeeds.bandcamp.com/music
Over to you Deeds.......
HAILS! The following tunes are Deeds-certified as “R4RE” and worth your consideration. Some may challenge your definition of punk, but all are catchy and well-written according to me. Dare to care!
10. Weird Paul Petrosky – Peanut Butter Recall
Weird Paul has been cranking out low-fi hits for the past 30 years and my recent discovery of his work has been nothing short of a giddy rush. Peanut Butter Recall perfectly encompasses his songwriting talent and penchant for making the ordinary seem extraordinary. Note his facial expressions throughout.
9. Mark Gormley – Without You
Following a priceless introduction by the one and only Phil Thomas Katt of “The Uncharted Zone”, Mark Gormley’s single immediately grabs you with its understated yet powerful riffs and hooks. The low-fi production adds a cheesy element that somehow improves the overall vibe of the song. I imagine this tune could’ve easily been beefed up for inclusion on an 80’s action movie soundtrack, but instead it’s accompanied by a hilariously low-budget music video with a wistful and romantic theme. The featured model has that “4th hottest girl in Pensacola” look, and the viewer is left to ponder her connection to the artist and Mr. Katt himself. Enter the Uncharted Zone!
8. Shadow Warriors – Fight For Be Free
Here’s a great example of something that can be crappy and epic at the same time, resulting in a net gain of listening pleasure. Shadow Warriors is Sam Totman from Dragonforce’s ninja-themed side project that mixes power metal with punk in the most demo-tastic way. Former (and best) Dragonforce vocalist ZP Theart provides the vocals on this track, and it’s fun to hear his unpolished vocal style. Some of the Shadow Warriors tunes later ended up being used for Dragonforce I think, but I prefer the drum machine and bedroom production values.
7. Ron Wasserman – Green Ranger
Ron Wasserman’s crowning achievement was creating the theme for the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series, but he recorded a ton of other excellent and underrated tunes for the franchise while employed by Saban Entertainment. This tune always stood out to me, both for its catchiness and its budget-level production. Ron would later go on to re-record a lot of the Power Rangers tunes, but I prefer this era.
6. The Rocket Jocks – What Can I Do
New Zealand’s pop punk duo The Rocket Jocks have crafted some of the catchiest and most underrated tunes in the Ramonescore genre. This is a great example of their songwriting genius – simple, concise, fun, and extremely catchy. These guys perform live with a drum machine, which earns them additional kudos from yours truly. Grab anything you can from these guys, they’re all great.
5. The Wanna-Bes – What I Want is You
This pop punk gem is my favorite track from their excellent yet unreleased album “Out Go the Lights”. A timeless rock vibe paired with tastefully understated arrangements – what a treat! Drummer Scott Matthews later formed the excellent band The Piniellas, and all of their tunes are highly recommended as well. But you should be more concerned with messaging Scott on Facebook to bug him about a physical release of this underrated and classic album.
4. The Richies – DT125
Germany’s best pop punk band is also one of its most rare gems. The 1991 Spring Surprise album is excellent from start to finish, but this track always stood out as a real ripper. An ode to dirtbiking, it captures a Descendents-eque ethos while delivering a pummeling and concise slab of high-octane punk rock. The Richies have recently been playing shows and Axel has mentioned a new album, so let’s hope he can finish recording before he becomes too distracted by the new Babymetal album.
Written at a time when they had “nothing to lose”, the Sack album remains Kody Templeman’s greatest songwriting achievement in my opinion. The songs are a blast from start to finish, mixing street rock with wild party vibes and an over-arching theme of not giving a fuck. This cut is my favorite – the Sonny Carson sample at the beginning and the “DANCE SUCKA!” before the lead makes this tune a favorite among favorites. HAILS!
1. After School Special – The Generation Game
David Jones was a dear friend and favorite songwriter, and I miss him every day. After School Special was indeed a special band. The songs are honest and unabashed, and the recordings have a comforting simplicity and rawness that perfectly capture what I consider to be the best qualities of 90’s pop punk. This cut demonstrates both the poppy and punk elements of David’s craft well before Enemy You’s debut. After School Special never played a show, which makes their existence and impact all the more intriguing to me. Jones never wrote a bad tune, so check out all of his work. RIP.
Dead On The Wire are from San Diego and they play "Fast, Loud and in-your-face Rock n Roll." They feature Tony (guitar/vocals), Jeremy (bass/vocals), Loogie (drums) and Weaver (guitar/vocals).
They released the Misery ep on Radio-Activity Records in 2012 and followed it up in 2014 with a very decent ep called Whiskey & Records (this has recently been re released in the UK). Now they're back, this time on the excellent No Front Teeth Records, with a 6 track ep called Lonely Hearts. You can find their music out here : https://deadonthewire.bandcamp.com/album/lonely-hearts
The title track from the new record reminds me very much of US Bombs (never a bad thing) and you can check it out below.....
Call The Police were a female fronted hardcore punk band from Portland, Oregon who featured Paul and Todd Burdette from Tragedy and His Hero Is Gone. Vocalist Ginger Vitus was later a member of Salted City alongside bassist Jason whilst the drummer was Jeffery Shadoan.
Their first release was a 2002 cassette on Ratpack Records called World Crashing In but today's song is taken from their 1984 in 2003 album. It was released, as the title suggests, in 2003 on Feral Ward Records.
