Revenge of the Psychotronic Man - Get Pissed, Talk Shit, Dance Like An Idiot

 

  Yeah, I know pretty much all the songs I post on here nowadays are new or recent releases (which to me is the sign of a healthy punk scene) and I know the song you're getting today came out a good few years ago but it's a great song and so I'll use the excuse of it being re released as part of a greatest "hits" package as good enough reason to feature it today.

  Most of you will probably know that Manchester hardcore punk heroes Revenge Of The Psychotronic Man are calling it a day at the end of the year. They formed in 2004 and over the last 14 years have given no less than 100%. But life moves on and rather than slow down they'd rather go out whilst still at the top of their game. Andy Davies (bass/vocals), Matt Woods (guitar/vocals) and Chris Hinsley (drums) will be bowing out (no doubt noisily) with a final gig, an all dayer in Manchester, in December alongside a host of other bands. You can get more details here :  https://www.facebook.com/RevengeofthePsychotronicMan/

  To bid them farewell, and to highlight just how bloody good they are, TNS Records have released That Was Just A Noise (2004-2018). It features 26 tracks, mainly cherry picked from their back catalogue but there's also a few new ones. It's fast, it's loud, it's wonderful and it's here :  https://revengeofthepsychotronicman.bandcamp.com/album/that-was-just-a-noise-2004-2018

  As well as digitally, it's also available on vinyl, cd and cassette :  https://www.tnsrecords.co.uk/just-noise-final-release-rotpm/

  The song I'm posting today is one of their early ones. It was released in 2008 on the TNS compilation Vol 1 People Who Drink Cider In The Gutter (https://www.tnsrecords.co.uk/label-2/discography/tnsrecords-vol-1-music-by-people-who-drink-cider-in-the-gutter/).  It then resurfaced on the 10 Years Of Revenge 7" in 2014 (https://revengeofthepsychotronicman.bandcamp.com/album/10-years-of-revenge-7). Now it's back as the lead track on their swansong.

Goodbye guys, you'll be missed.

Get Pissed, Talk, Shit, Dance Like An Idiot.....

 

Unlovables - Fuck The World

  Somedays, nothing but a classic old cover version will do......

  Unlovables are a catchy as hell female fronted pop punk band from New York City who've recently returned after a 7 year break. First time around they released a couple of albums, Crush, Boyfriend, Heartbreak (2005) and Heartsickle (2007) which you can check out here : http://theunlovables.bandcamp.com/

  Now back with a line up of Hallie Bulleit (vocals/bass), Mikey Erg (drums), Frank Leone (guitar) and Fid (guitar), they've recently released a split album, along with Dirt Bike Annie, called Reunion Show. Time apart hasn't affected their ability to pen sugar rush feel good tunes, check it out on Whoa Oh Records' Bandcamp : https://whoaohrecords.bandcamp.com/releases.

  The song I'm posting isn't from any of those releases, it's taken from 2008's God Save The Queers tribute album and it's their awesome version of Fuck The World......

I called in sick to work today and stayed in bed 'til noon
And now I just don't care what's going on outside this room
Things aren't getting better
My future's not too bright
Fuck the world I'm hanging out with you tonight

Me and you will walk around so pointlessly
Smashing things, jacked up on way too much caffeine
I'm really going nowhere
I hate this shitty life
Fuck the world I'm hanging out with you tonight

Seventeen Again - Nobody Knows My Song

  The last few days have seen songs by bands from Germany, Italy, Australia, America and France so today I'm continuing my globetrotting by posting something from a country who's punk bands all seem to be as energetic as hell.

  Seventeen Again are a band I know very little about but my research tells me they're from Japan, formed in 2004 and feature Yabuson (vocals/guitar), Osawa (bass) and Ushi (guitar).

  In 2008, they released a split ep with No People and today's song was one of the two songs they contributed. The song, Nobody Knows My Song, also turned up on debut album, Never Wanna Be Seventeen Again (2009). They've since released a couple more albums, Fuck Forever (2012) and  少数の脅威  (2015). There's also a cassette only label run by Yabuson called I Hate Smoke Tapes  http://ihatesmoketapes.tumblr.com/.



  The video for Nobody Knows My Song will hopefully have you bouncing round your room......

The Okmoniks - Teenage Timebomb

 The Okmoniks formed in Tucson, Arizona around the turn of the Millennium but moved to their current location of San Francisco in 2009. Fuelled with the love of a long list of bands that played garage rock n roll (a list that includes The Cramps, The Mummies, The Sonics, The Bobbyteens, Thee Headcoates, Reatards etc....) they're a rock band that make you want to dance.


   In-Fi Records released a string of 7"'s : Take A Spin With The Okmoniks , Rustle Up Some Action With The Okmoniks and Compact 33 but their only album to date, Party Fever!!! came out in 2008 on Slovenly. You can check it out here : https://slovenly.bandcamp.com/album/the-okmoniks-party-fever-lp

  The line up currently features married couple Helene 33 (vocals/organ) and Sam Claiborne (guitar) as well as Trent Pardy (bass) and Justin Champlin (drums). Some of you might know Champlin better as Nobunny .

  It's been a few years now since they released any new music but they're still gigging occasionally. Arguably the highpoint of their catalogue and taken from the fantastic Party Fever!!! album, this is the highly infectious and very danceable Teenage Timebomb.......

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......

Razors Edge - Dicky Trois (Snuff Cover)

  Back in November on my birthday I posted my top 10 songs of all time (http://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/its-my-birthday-so-today-you-get-my-top.html). Included in that list was Dicky Trois by Snuff, a wonderfully upbeat, driving punk singalong that I love.

  In 2008 there was a Japanese tribute album to Snuff featuring various artists, one of which, Razors Edge, covered the aforementioned Dicky Trois. The band formed in Osaka in 1996 and can be neatly summed up as "thrash, hardcore, punk, rock."  You can find out more about them on their blog.... http://razorsedgejapan.com/

  The best compliment that I can pay them is that their manic version of Dicky Trois matches and maybe even surpasses the original. Check it out.....

Dirty Revolution- I Love Reggae

 

  One great thing that's come out of blogging is that it's led to some really good conversations about music (some of the best of these just consist of "what about this song?" "yeah that's awesome but what about this!....") with people I didn't previously know. There's some very knowledgeable and very enthusiastic punk lovers out there and one of those is a guy from Leeds called Ashley Colman who's just sent a couple of mix cds crammed full of great songs, many of which I've not heard before and some which will make their way onto here once I've had a proper listen. Now the reason for mentioning this, aside from saying thanks, is that one of the songs he's included is by a band called Dirty Revolution, a "tropical reggae punk" outfit who were based in Cardiff and were together from 2007 till 2014 (although much more of the Conservatives in government could lead to them reforming!).

  Influenced as much by The Specials, Bob Marley and Public Enemy as they were by The Clash, they were one of a number of like minded bands that were having success back then (King Blues, Sonic Boom 6, Capdown, Lightyear all spring to mind as old post millennium favourites).

  The song I was sent was Where Are The Police but it's not the song I'm posting today, instead I'm going with the first song of theirs I heard. It was from their 2008 mini album, It's Gonna Get Dirty, and it's called I Love Reggae and is probably the song by them that most people remember. If you haven't heard it yet, you're in for a treat......

He was dressed the same as me
Doctor Marten boots and turned up jeans
Standing alone under Blackpool pier

He was dressed the same as me
Doctor Marten boots and turned up jeans
Standing alone under Blackpool pier
I went over and offered him a beer
I was feeling full of love and unity
Talking to him about the bands I'd seen
Thinking I'd found a kindred spirit
Not realising I was putting my foot in it

I said I love reggae, I said I love ska
He said he loved Skrewdriver

He looked a bit puzzled when I didn't react
Kept turning round looking behind his back
Then he said that he had somewhere better to be
Stood up and walked away from me
You can call me naive, call me stupid
I didn't know people still listened to Nazi music
I'm not naive, I'm not stupid
I don't wanna listen to Nazi music?

I love reggae, I love ska
Wish I'd never heard of Skrewdriver

He had a Nazi salute and a steel-cap boot
But him and me share the same roots
He had a Nazi salute and a steel-cap boot
And me and you share the same roots
He had a Nazi salute and a steel-cap boot
You and him share the same roots
He had a Nazi salute and a steel-cap boot
We all share the same roots

I love reggae, I love ska
Wish I'd never heard of Skrewdriver
I love reggae, I love ska
I don't give a fuck about Skrewdriver

Gleam Garden - Magic Touch

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

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

 

The Powerchords - Think I'm Gonna

 "... think I'm a gonna" is a true must have for all friends of euphoric, 

 two minutes pop anthems and fans of bands like THE BUZZCOCKS,

 UNDERTONES and ADVERTS"........



  The Powerchords were a catchy as hell power pop/punk outfit from Chula Vista, San Diego who featured Jon Hammer (vocals/guitar), Eliseo "Seo" Parra (guitar/vocals), Craig Barclift (bass/vocals) and Austin Ballow (drums).

  Very much influenced by The Buzzcocks, their debut release was the Unattached Strings/Dream Girl 7" which surfaced on Mean Buzz Records in 2006. This was followed by their only album which came out on Screaming Apple and was titled Think I'm Gonna. A couple more singles, Nightmare and More Than Me were released in 2009 but that seems to be about it.

  This is the album's title track.....

Teenage Bubblegums - Lets Go To The Moon

  A band today that I've been listening to quite a lot recently, they come from Forli and they are  "an Italian power punk rock trio who all dress in black, playing fast, no stops, love songs only."
  Just like The Ramones, they're all siblings, Ally Bubblegum sings and plays bass, Billy Bubblegum sings and plays guitar whilst Mingu Bubblegum pounds the drums. 2012 saw the release of their debut album (released on Monster Zero), Learn From Yesterday, Live For Today, Pray For Tomorrow and this was followed up in Feb 2014 with a Valentines split ep (with Maladroit) which contained a couple more killer bubblegum punk love songs.
  Long time readers of this blog might remember me banging on about how great The Bat Bites album was earlier this year, Teenage Bubblegums aren't a million miles away in both style and quality. Please, if you love your punk to be upbeat and sunny, check 'em out..... http://teenagebubblegums.bandcamp.com/
  Besides the album and ep, they've also had a couple of songs released on Groovie Ghoulies tribute albums. this is one of my favourite Ghoulies songs and they've done it proud. Let's Go To The Moon......

Wild Billy Childish And The Musicians Of The British Empire - He's making a tape

 

  Today's song is by someone who's featured on this blog previously but not in this incarnation. Wild Billy Childish, according to wikipedia, was born Steven John Hamper on 1 December 1959 and is an English painter, author, poet, photographer, film maker, singer and guitarist. With all those irons in the fire you wouldn't think he'd have much time for music but he's one of the most prolific artists around. Just a few of the acts he's been involved with include Thee Milkshakes, Thee Mighty Caesars, Thee Headcoats, The Pop Rivets, The Buff Medways, The Spartan Dreggs, CTMF and the band who'll be featuring today, The Musicians Of The British Empire.
  Released in 2008 on the Thatcher's Children album and featuring Childish's wife, Nurse Julie, on vocals, this is He's Making A Tape......

HiFi Handgrenades - Detroit Has A Skyline

Dont ya just love having to get up at 5am on a saturday to go and work a 12 hour shift! So with that happening I'm going to quickly knock up an update before I head off. HiFi Handgrenades were from Detroit, Michigan and got together in 2006 following the demise of power pop band The Fags. Comprising of Fags vocalist/guitarist John Speck plus ex Suicide Machines drummer Ryan Vandeberghe and bassist Rich Tschirhart, as well as Grande Nationals guitarist/vocalist they released a very decent album called Carry On (in 2008) from which this excellent cover of Superchunk's Detroit Has A Skyline is taken.....

The Tranzmitors - Who's Gonna Tell Mary

One of my favourite records back when I was at school many years ago was Who's Gonna Tell Mary by Northern Ireland new wave/power pop band The Moondogs. If you've not heard it look it up, it's an upbeat account of a guy in love with his girlfriend's sister and it's very fine indeed. I'm not posting it here though as I'm going for a cover of it instead. The Tranzmitors are a power pop band from Vancouver. Formed in 2005 they've released a couple of albums and a plethora of singles and eps, this version of Mary comes from an ep released in 2008 and you can either listen below or get the track free here : http://thetranzmitors.bandcamp.com/track/whos-gonna-tell-mary

The Riverdales - Countdown

Sometimes, after a long day at work, all you want to do is chill out and stick on some catchy, fun punk tunes. This is one of those tunes. Taken from the 2008 re release of their Phase 3 album, this is The Riverdales with Countdown.....