Great songs and plenty of commentary. I asked Joe to compile a Top 10 at 15 minutes past midnight on Friday, just as he was about to head off to bed. Being suitably enthused he made a late night of it, armed himself with alcohol ("I was going to go to bed shortly but now Im gonna get the Johnny Walker and give this my best........Jesus its nearly 5am") and came up with the following. Thanks Joe...
1) Angry Samoans - Lights Out
No other song could kick this off for me. Its thee perfect punk song. Dont argue with me cos if you do? You are wrong. Some things are opinion but this is cold hard fact. Short, fast, catchy and a kind of jingle telling the vapid, bland hipsters of their time to grab a fork and stick it into your brain via your eye socket, as it's the cool thing to do. Not enough songs about that I'd say.
2) Lightyear - Life Jacket, Water Wings
I spent years getting messed up, naked and pissing in each others mouths and ruining peoples house partys with these guys in the late 90s / early 2000s. Tho I hate pretty much all Ska-punk / Ska-core these guys did so much more with the second album. Always liked Chas' way of blending up this mix of reflective sadness and this gutteral, manic 'so fuck you!' lyrics and delivery. Chuck into that about 100 refrences to Derby and it gets me every time. This song gets me cos despite what it means to the band, to me its about reflecting on the best time of your life without the realisation that you're still in that moment. Jesus, Im feeling Emo tonight.
3) King Khan And BBQ Show - I'll Be Loving You
A few years back I nearly lost my love for music. Sure I liked playing gigs and playing my same old hit-list but my inspiration and passion was gone. It had been years since I heard a new band that I just went mad for. A bunch of good bands I was happy to listen to but nothing that gave me that 'holy shit!' factor I got all the time when I was in my teens. Then I heard this song and it was like a huge slap in the face. Picked up everything they did and all Mark Sultans solo stuff. He has the second best voice I've eaver heard. Some days thee best. It's a true rock and roll haunting voice without it sounding like some bland, trad covers band. They've made songs loads better than this but this is special to me as it jump started my passion for music. Plus when I realised that they are a 2 peace and one of them sIngs lead vocals, plays guitar AND drums at the same time? I'd sell my soul to pretty much anything for half of that talent.
4) PANIC - Her Familys On Drugs
I think I was given Gremlin Generation by paying £2 to get into a early Lightyear show? Ether way, before my massive erection for Ramones, before my HUMONGOUS lob-on for Dickies, Queers, Screeching Weasel, Undertones and Buzzcocks I got this album. My pocket money barely got me to the music shop let alone a free website with all the music in the world on it so when I got an album, even if I didnt like it at first, it was pretty much the new music I was stuck with for a few weeks for better or worse, and at first I could hardly stand this album. I was a kid. A bloody idiot. I had no appreciation for a stripped back 3 piece. I wanted everything to be changing every 2 seconds like Bob by Nofx or all that 'new fangled' oompah, ska-punk, shooting idiots in a barrel bullshit. But £4 a week couldn't get me that good, mainstream, easy listening Californian junk. It got me cheap booze and a free cd at a dive bar gig. And over a few boring as fuck weeks of selling out of date crisps to school mates and the ocasianal punch in the face from some posh, football twat I grew to love this album. I partly blame it for the mess I'm in today.
5) Captain Kaiser - 12 Years A Captain
To understand what I'm about to say you need to understand a lot of the time I'm an emotional mess of a person. A kind of shitty hermit that is at his best alone at home with my amazingly understanding girlfriend and my like minded dog and cats. So when I tell you that when I see a band that I really like I ether want to dance like a twat or watch them so intensely that I have to stop myself from crying like a little bitch. I hide it from EVERYONE but its true. SO we're in Belgium and Ricky from Priceduifkas tells us his friends are opening up for a gig we're playing. No big deal. About 15 people in a room but we're just happy we fixed the van and made it in time. Then these guys start and FUCK ME the singer grabs you. Its so easy for bands to fake emotions to fit a sound they want and to pretend they are something they aren't but I feel I can see through that so easy. Sasha has this draw that makes him look like he's about to break down at any moment and I hung onto every word I could make out. Easily the best new band Ive seen in years.
6) FYP - All Grown Up
Another massively under rated band from punk history. Went on to be the equally amazing Toys That Kill but finding Toilet Kids Bread at the same time I discoverd Crass was great. From feeling all this 'political rage' (blah) and taking everything so seriously to a song like this that still makes me want to bounce off the wall and lyirically means a million times more than Chomski's discography.
*the booze is REALLY starting to kick in and the video after FYP is Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps. Its making me all emo. Im fighting it off and it wont make the cut but you know. Its a good song god damn it!
7) TheBellfuries - Letter To My Maybe Baby (demo) NOT ALBUM VERSION
THIS GUY has the best voice in the world. Probably ever. His lyrics are perfect. Ive been lucky enough to see them live a few times and we cover a Bellfuries' song (Looser). Like King Khan and BBQ Show this band really made me fall in love with music again. If you dont know this band then please just go listen to all of it.
8) KISS - Room Service
IF NO PART OF YOU HAS A PLACE IN YOUR HEART FOR KISS THEN YOU NEED TO TAKE YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR BORING ARSE.
My only regret in life is not getting into KISS sooner. Whenever you feel anxiety or simply like you need a new Propagandhi record or your so called friends won't think your 'woke' enough? Get youtube out, type in 'heavens on fire' and watch the video. Watch some live 75 / 78 KISS and remind your self why you loved music in the first place. THEN check put the sweet Animalized live gig on youtube. Its like the greatest party on earth if the greatest party on earth was having 4 huge dicks slap you in the face for about 2 hours. WHICH IT IS.
And this barely heard banger is just as dumb and down right awsome as any pop-punk song.
9) Billy Bragg - Like Soldiers Do
When I first heard this I thought it was just a song about war. After years of working in factorys in small villages this song came on my playlist and I realised its about small town racism and how people just follow the same dogmatic bullshit handed down from the bored, hateful nutters that came before them.
10) Priceduifkes - I.K.A.W.
Loved them for years. The best thing from Belgium INCLUDING the beer. To me it's a gut punching unity song AND a Star Wars song so it wins for me.
Cool!
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