Punk Luv Songs

This is a hurried-up post. I was supposed to post my Cupid’s Revenge CD for Valentine’s Day but somehow the computer can’t seem to read the CD. So there’s no way I can rip it. So I did the next best thing, I (tried) to compile every punk love (not!) songs I can think of and put it on a compilation. I was so immersed with what I’m doing that when I checked the list, it’s already 32 songs. And I know I still have tons of songs I left out. So forgive me if I left out song “obvious” songs that should’ve been included but I just got to stop at 32.

Even the covers are hurried-up. Anyways, I hope you like it.

Happy VD (valentine's day) to y’all!!!

Enjoy!

CD1

1. Teenage Kicks - the Undertones
2. I Have a Date - the Simpletones
3. Just Fade Away - Stiff Little Fingers
4. My Girlfriend's Dead - the Vandals
5. Rosemary - the Dickies
6. You're Too Possesive - the Runaways
7. Caught with the Meat in Your Mouth - Dead Boys
8. Ever Fallen in Love - Buzzcocks
9. Until I Say So - All
10. Nothing With You - Descendents
11. Next to You - the Police
12. Never Meant to be This Way - Betrayed
13. She's a Sensation - Ramones
14. Green Eyes - Husker Du
15. Love Song - the Damned
16. Another Girl, Another Planet - the Only Ones

Punk Luv Songs CD1

CD2

1. Gimme Some Head - GG Allin
2. Babby, Youre So Repulsive - Crime
3. Sit on My Face Stevie Nicks - the Rotters
4. Ballad of Extreme Hate - Halo of Flies
5. In My Eyes - Circle Jerks
6. Jealous Again - Black Flag
7. 1-2 Crush on You - the Clash
8. Cold Love - Cult Maniax
9. What is This Shit Called Love - the Pagans
10. Lipstick on Your COllar - the Saints
11. Gonna Make You Mine - Thee Mighty Caesars
12. In Love - the Plague
13. Sick of You - the Users
14. Forbidden Love - Slickee Boys
15. Teenager in Love - Erazerhead
16. I Hate You - Verbal Abuse

Punk Luv Songs CD2

Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes

My friend the Terrorizer gave me a CD compilation of 90’s so-called ‘alternative” hits like Liz Phair, Oasis, the Murmurs, My Bloody Valentine and so on. Though all of the songs are really good, one song stood out, lyrically, Juliana Hatfield’s ‘My Sister.’ It goes like…

“miss my sister, why’d she go ?
Shes the one who would have taken me
To my first all-ages show.
It was the violent femmes and the del fuegos,
Before they had a record out. before they went gold,
And started to grow.”

This song reminded me of my high school days and the radio station WXB 102.7 FM. This radio station opened the eyes of Filipino youth to the new music of the 80’s. From punk, hardcore, goth and new wave. They played everything from ‘famous’ like Depeche Mode & Echo & the Bunnymen to the ‘obscure’ like Under Two Flags, Half Man Half Biscuit and Classix Nouveaux. They also got this program called Capitol Radio for which they played punk, hardcore and other stuff.

Anyways, Violent Femmes received regular airtime thanks to Blister in the Sun and Gone Daddy Gone while the Del Fuegos received minimal airplay but they’re still given airtime as well. Man, good times indeed. I remember being glued to the radio every chance I get.

I’m gonna say it now, WXB 102.7 changed my life!

Enough about nostalgia and let’s talk about the posts. I’ve posted Violent Femmes’ debut album and their second ‘Hallowed Ground’ and Del Fuegos’ Longest Day & Boston, Mass. Just scroll down to find the links to the posts. It’s individually posted.

Enjoy!

Here's what AMG has to say about the VIolent Femmes' self-titled debut:

"One of the most distinctive records of the early alternative movement and an enduring cult classic, Violent Femmes weds the geeky, child-man persona of Jonathan Richman and the tense, jittery, hyperactive feel of new wave in an unlikely context: raw, amateurish acoustic folk-rock. The music also owes something to the Modern Lovers' minimalism, but powered by Brian Ritchie's busy acoustic bass riffing and the urgency and wild abandon of punk rock, the Femmes forged a sound all their own. Still, the main reason Violent Femmes became the preferred soundtrack for the lives of many an angst-ridden teenager is lead singer and songwriter Gordon Gano. Naive and childish one minute, bitterly frustrated and rebellious the next, Gano's vocals perfectly captured the contradictions of adolescence and the difficulties of making the transition to adulthood. Clever lyrical flourishes didn't hurt either; while "Blister In the Sun" has deservedly become a standard, "Kiss Off"'s chant-along "count-up" section, "Add It Up"'s escalating "Why can't I get just one..." couplets, and "Gimme the Car"'s profanity-obscuring guitar bends ensured that Gano's intensely vulnerable confessions of despair and maladjustment came off as catchy and humorous as well. Even if the songwriting slips a bit on occasion, Gano's personality keeps the music engaging and compelling without overindulging in his seemingly willful naiveté. For the remainder of their career, the group would only approach this level in isolated moments."

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Violent Femmes - Hallowed Ground

After the surprise success of their landmark debut, Violent Femmes could have just released another collection of teen-rage punk songs disguised as folk, and coasted into the modern rock spotlight alongside contemporaries like the Modern Lovers and Talking Heads. Instead they made Hallowed Ground, a hellfire-and-brimstone-beaten exorcism that both enraged and enthralled critics and fans alike. Like Roger Waters purging himself of the memories of his father's death through The Wall and The Final Cut, bandleader Gordon Gano uses the record to expel his love/hate relationship with religion, and the results are alternately breathtaking and terrifying. Contrary to initial public response, Hallowed Ground is not a parody. Gano, the son of a Baptist minister, may wear his faith like a badge of honor, but it's a badge, not a shield, and what keeps the songs so volatile is the fact that they're filtered through the eyes, ears, heart, and loins of a teenager. Like the first record, all of the songs on Hallowed Ground were written during Gano's high-school years -- he was barely in his twenties when it was released -- resulting in a perfect rendering of the sweetness and brutality of the postpubescent teen, especially on the album's centerpiece; a searing indictment of loyalties broken and the snitches that break them, "Never Tell" is the perfect balm for the bloody righteousness of youth, and when Gano screams, "I'll stand right up in the heart of Hell/I never tell," it's hard not to stand right beside him. Christian imagery aside, Hallowed Ground is not as polarizing as some make it out to be. The band explores gothic Appalachian folk and child murder on the banjo-fueled "Country Death Song," bawdy and bluesy Lou Reed-inflected infatuation on "Sweet Misery Blues," and nuclear holocaust on the brooding title track, leaving little doubt that this is the same band that penned underground classics like "Gone Daddy Gone" and "Add It Up." Even the decidedly politically uncorrect "Black Girls," with its free jazz mid-section that includes everything from jaw harp to the screaming alto sax of John Zorn and the Horns of Dilemma, is full of the same smirk and swagger that made "Blister in the Sun" the soundtrack to so many people's halcyon days. The Femmes are nothing if not true to themselves, and Hallowed Ground is a testament to their tenacity, courage, and sheer obliviousness to industry ogling. Each track is as naked as it is bursting with ideas, and as the landscape changes, the band changes with it, leaving the listener at a crossroads; with each incantation, growling invective, and honey-whispered promise, they're forced to either jump off the gospel train or ride it along with them into the mouth of Hell. [from AMG]

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Del Fuegos - The Longest Day

The Del Fuegos were proud sons of Boston, Massachusetts, but you might not have guessed that by listening to their debut album, The Longest Day, which mixed the swaggering thunder of heartland garage rock with the rootsy twang of Dixie-fried rockabilly and roots-conscious rock 'n' roll. While the band would later claim that producer Mitchell Froom slicked back their sound considerably from that of their raucous club shows, which earned them their hometown reputation, the results actually capture the band's swing and stomp without an excess of sonic affectation (something that would later become Froom's hallmark), reveling in the crack of Brent "Woody" Giessmann's drums, and the bark of Dan and Warren Zanes' guitars. And if Dan and Warren's songs didn't exactly stretch the boundaries of early rock archetypes, they honored the traditions in the best ways -- by playing roots rock with sweat, fire, good humor, and a lot of heart and soul. And you just can't argue the genius of this line from "When The News Is On": "And sometimes love is a lot like a shoe/ You run around too much and it'll fall apart." The Longest Day isn't the sort of album likely to change the way you look at rock and roll, but it will probably remind you why you love the stuff, and that's more than enough reason to slap it into your stereo and turn it up. [from AMG]

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Del Fuegos - Boston, Mass.

The Del Fuegos' debut album, The Longest Day, sounded like a great bar band roaring through a beer-fueled set on a Saturday night, but their sophomore effort, Boston, Mass., found the group sanding off a few of their rough edges and adding a touch of pop polish to their sound. While producer Mitchell Froom had added keyboards to a few cuts on The Longest Day, he's much more of a presence on this set, and the slinky romanticism of "I Still Want You" and the late night vibe of "Coup De Ville" are more adventurous in their conception and approach than anything on the first album. The Del Fuegos' energy and no-frills rock & roll attitude carried them over the rough spots on The Longest Day, and here it helps them skate past the slick spots of Boston, Mass.; the interplay between Dan Zanes and Warren Zanes' guitars may be tighter, but they still know when to crank up the amps and how to leave some space to breathe, and bassist Tom Lloyd and drummer Woody Geissman remain a crack rhythm section who keep this music in gear at all times. Beyond a bit more gloss than it needs, the greatest flaw of Boston, Mass. is that the band didn't have quite as many good songs at their disposal as they did on the debut, but while it's not the group's best album, it comes in as a close second and time has been kind to it. [from AMG]

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Lux Interior - Rest in Peace

This is kind of late post but I can't ignore the passing of one of my heroes. Lux Interior lived and breathed rock n' roll. During the early to mid 70's, while everybody's going the punk way, the Cramps went the other way. The most punk rock thing to do. They opened the door to future "stars" like Stray Cats and Pussy Galore. They also brought to my attention the musicians that should have been "lost & forgotten". Bands like the Novas, the Sonics... I could have passed these bands by if not for the Cramps.

I can still remember the first Cramps song I heard, "This one's dedicated to all you Gucci bag carriers out there, it's called You Got Good Taste." Damn, I haven't heard that song for some twenty plus years but the it's still in my head as if I just played it a minute ago.

Anyways, this one's for you Lux!

the Cramps - Psychedelic Jungle/Gravest Hits

Agression - The Best of

Agression was an American rock band from Silver Strand Beach, Oxnard, California, and considered[who?] one of the most influential founding bands of the Nardcore sound within the hardcore punk scene, and are generally considered the creators of the subgenre "skate punk", being the first band to fuse the skate culture with the punk scene- featuring a song about skateboarding (Intense Energy), and a skater in a pool as album art on the on the cover of their first and most popular album, "Don't be Mistaken".
Agression was very well known for its fast-paced, aggressive songs such as "Slammin' at the Club", "Money Machine", "Intense Energy", "Never Alone", "Go to War", and "Locals Only.”

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Amen - We've Come for Your Parents

This California, USA-based outfit transformed their underground status into mainstream success by ladling their high-energy take on nu-metal with venomous helpings of raw punk attitude. The band was formed in Los Angeles in 1994 by Casey Chaos (b. Manhattan, New York, USA; vocals) and Paul Fig (guitar). A veteran of the Californian scene, Chaos had enjoyed a brief spell with Christian Death and recorded with his own hardcore outfit, Disorderly Conduct. Drummer Shannon Larkin (ex-Ugly Kid Joe; Wrathchild America) and two former members of Snot, guitarist Sonny Mayo and John "Tumor" Fahnestock, completed the line-up which recorded Amen's independent label debut, Slave. Three years later the band achieved their major breakthrough when their second album was overseen by leading nu-metal producer Ross Robinson, and marketed through the partnership between his I Am imprint and Roadrunner Records. Chaos allegedly shed real blood during recording sessions in an attempt to recreate the near-anarchic energy of the band's live shows, arguably succeeding on tracks such as "Coma America" and "Whores Of Hollywood".
A troubled period followed, however, as the band embarked on a shambolic tour with Slipknot, Coal Chamber and Dope, during which Chaos was accused of destroying the latter's equipment. Relations with Roadrunner fell apart after several other incidents, and not long afterwards the band found themselves the beneficiaries of I Am's new distribution contract with Virgin Records. Robinson assumed the production reins once more for the recording of the band's wonderfully-titled sophomore set, We Have Come For Your Parents. Released in October 2000, this album saw the band's attacks on consumer society and organised religion reaching new heights of vitriol on the tracks "Mayday" and "Under The Robe".
Record company problems exacerbated the band members' tenuous working relatioship, and Fig left the band the following November. Larkin, Mayo and Fahnestock departed soon after leaving Chaos as the only original member. He was forced to search for another deal without a regular band, and began recording new material with a number of session musicians. Chaos eventually signed to the new label formed by System Of A Down's Daron Malakian and released Amen's fourth album, Death Before Musick, in summer 2004.(NME)

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Gothic Slam - Killer Instinct

Gothic Slam were a thrash metal band from New Jersey, USA that were formerly knows as Stryker. "Killer Instinct" was their first release and thus far has only been released on vinyl and cassette. Their style is urban thrash metal with a bit of groove and a whole lot of East Coast attitude. For the most part Gothic Slam stear clear of speed-for-speed-sake, technical wankery and artistic embellishment and rely more on heavy mid-paced riffs and memorable songwriting. Lyrically it's all about the morally sick society we live in, not unlike something you would expect from Suicidal Tendencies or Anthrax.

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Up Dharma Down

These posts of Pinoi artists is dedicated to another "Kabayan" blogger Dr. Stirring Rhod of The Doctor is In. I included Up Dharma Down with the Up Yours Comp and the Take 4 Collective Sampler since I know he's not much of a fan of the "noisy" bands that often graced these pages. I hope he likes Up Dharma Down.

As far as Up Dharma Down is concerned, they're a Filipino band that played a jazz-tinged music. I don't know how to describe their music but one thing's for sure I love it. Yeah I know, it's not my usual cup of tea and many eyebrows will be raised but f@*k it, I totally dig their music.

Here's a wikipedia entry for Updharma Down:

Up Dharma Down is a Filipino band that won the In The Raw Award at the 2005 NU 107 Rock Awards, and as Best New Artist and Best Female Award for vocalist and keyboardist, Armi Millare, at the 2006 NU 107 Rock Awards. Their first album, Fragmented, under independent record label Terno Recordings, was released in 2006.

Apart from that, Mark Cole's BBC show tagged them as the Asian band to most likely crossover to North American shores, and has been featured in numerous regional shows together with bands such as Arcade Fire (Canada) and Bloc Party (UK). Their eclectic music gave them the leverage to stand above most local bands in the Philippines, enough to be featured in the July 2007 issue of Time Magazine.

They performed as front act for Incubus' Light Grenades Pacific Rim Tour Manila stop at Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on March 9, 2008. In 2008, they received the Myx Music Awards for Favorite Indie Artist. The band released their second album, Bipolar, on October 24, 2008.

Members

* Armi Millare - keyboards, vocals
* Carlos Tañada - lead guitars
* Ean Mayor - drums and loops
* Paul Yap - bass

If you liked and downloaded any of the records posted here at my site, please go out and buy the original! Support the band, they needed it! The posts here are just merely samples for you to have a glimpse of the record (that's why I always rip them at 128 kbps only), but not an excuse not to buy the original.

Fragmented - Download Here

Bipolar - Download Here

VA - Up Yours!

Another great Pinoi compilation from Middle Finger Productions. Punk, hardcore, ska you can find it here. This only goes to show how alive and well the scene here in the Philippines.

If you download this comp. and/or the Take 4 Collective sampler, please leave a comment on what you think about the compilation/s.

VA - Up Yours!
1. Today, I Hate You (Strap On 7Inch)
2. Energy (Shrapnel)
3. All of These are Nothing (Red Corpse)
4. No Stage Actor (NSA)
5. Chaotic World (Ambassadors)
6. Dick & the Testicles (Cantoots)
7. Blown Up (Robinhood Crew)
8. Spirit of Rebellion (Signal 3)
9. I Call it My World (Bad Omen)
10. Waking Up (Left of Center)
11. Bow to Your Flag (Feud)
12. Underground Wanna-Be (Putang-I-Nas)
13. Fruitcake Rules (ADA)
14. Intoxicated (Critics)
15. She Left Me (Free 4 All)
16. Nowhere (Finger)
17. Pain of the Masses (Disabuse)
18. Sex Scandal (The Istukas Over Disneyland)
19. Be Brave (RDA)

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VA - Take 4 Collective Sampler

Take 4 Collective is an independent label here in the Philippines. They filled up the void TRC left, and it's a one big hole - but they're trying. So more power to you guys and keep it up.

This is a sampler that comes free when you buy their releases. It's raw and it's great! The bands are diverse - metal, punk, hardcore... And they came from all over the Philippines not just Manila. Bands from Cebu, Quezon, Cavite and others are given the chance to be heard thanks to the initiative of Take 4 Collective. Standouts are tracks from Half the Battle, Feud, Play, and Bystorm.

Tracklist:

Take 4 Collective Sampler

1. The Circled A (Feud)
2. In Your Hands (Play)
3. The Guest LIst (Half the Battle)
4. Eternal (Bystorm)
5. Divine (Sauna)
6. For the Love of Death (Richard Collier)
7. Iyong Katapusan (AOD)
8. Get Up & Go (Friendship 7)
9. Imus Plaza (Take Action)
10. Choose Your Destiny (Backfist)
11. Ugat ng Kasamaan (YFC)
12. Turbo Kabaong Showcase (Nuclear Punishment)
13. When Will It Stop (Forgiveness Denied)
14. Messiah Complex (Prayer of Endurance)
15. Digging Graves (Isvarah)
16. Hope Springs No MOre (Mindrape)
17. Beauty (Chokecocoi)

Download Here:

Youth Brigade - Out of Print

Howdy boyz & gurls!!!

I know it's been quite sometime but I've something special for you all. Last Christmas, I bought 3 CDs as a gift for myself, hehehe, namely Youth Brigade's Out of Print, Insect Warfare's Endless Execution Thru Violent Restitution and a band I barely know - the Havoc. Well, the first 2 records are already classics while the Havoc's Our Rebellion Has Just Begun is not a disappointment as well.

Anyways, I thought I share them with you. So here they are plus I included some Life of Agony records - Unplugged at the Lowlands Festival & their Best Of... CD.

"Once upon a time in 1982, L.A. hardcore trio Youth Brigade released a smoking hot LP called Sound and Fury. For some reason, after the first 800 copies hit the stores, the Stern brothers became so unhappy with it, they decided to re-record the whole damn shooting match. And while they were at it, they dropped half the songs and substituted newer ones they'd written. This too came out -- with a different cover -- as Sound and Fury, just to confuse everyone. The original version disappeared from memory, even though some of us maintained that it was perfectly good and didn't deserve to be dumped. Finally, the Stern brothers repair this, releasing the original sessions 16 years later as Out of Print. It still captures the collision of youthful, charged hormones, idealism, revolt, conviction, and positivism, as well as Shaun Stern's well-read mind. The total rush and tight-wound spring attack are familiar now, not only from this LP, but from the new scene the band chronicled on its label BYO with its other LP that year, the Someone Got Their Head Kicked In compilation. You can tell the Brigade liked their share of British Oi! bands (and Brit post-punk bands, the young New Model Army especially), but had too much of the four-year-old Southern California punk tradition in them to restrain the surprisingly poppy melodies and pro-involvement stances. And with this better mastering job (that's probably why they were originally upset), Out of Print is the much better of the two Sound and Fury LPs and stands as their ultimate release. The four bonus tracks, including their first demo, are a good addition, too. To borrow a fanzine phrase of the time, this shreds -- a touchstone hardcore album brought to the light again. (by Jack Rabid, The Big Takeover)"

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Insect Warfare - Endless Execution Thru Violent Restitution [CD Version]

The CD version of this includes the Insect Warfare debut EP, the split EP w/HATRED SURGE, and tracks from comps and demos. 29 tracks in total. INSECT WARFARE play a brutal onslaught of Gulf Coast grindcore. This has to be heard to be believed - laying to waste all the phoney math-metal grind you hear these days, INSECT WARFARE return to the roots of grind, citing explicitly early EARACHE as their alter of worship. This is the return of true grind.

Tracklisting:
Endless Execution Thru Violent Restitution
1 Repulsed By Radiaton
2 Law Of The Saw
3 Bestial Destruction
4 Chainsaw Justice
5 Execution Mania
6 Command The Guillotine
7 Behind Bars (Razor)
At War With Grindcore
8 After War Obliteration
9 Freebase Diarrhea
10 Amphetamine Psychosis
11 Destroyed By Tanks
12 Human Slaughterhouse
13 Death To False Grind
14 Brain Infestation
15 At War With Grindcore
Split EP With Hatred Surge
16 Negative Appeal
17 Obscene Creed
18 Reanimated Horde
19 But Now You Die
20 Hurricane Death
Gulf Coast Massacre Compilation
21 Punk Off And Die (Unreleased From First EP)
22 Untitled
Rehearsal Demo
23 But Now You Die
24 Hurricane Death
25 Amphetamine Psychosis
26 Negative Appeal
27 Death To False Grind
28 At War With Grindcore
Bonus Track
29 Into The Crypt Of Rays (Celtic Frost)

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the Havoc - Our Rebellion Has Just Begun

Hot on the heels of their self-released instant classic "Who's Gonna Die" EP, THE HAVOC have come to leave their mark on the punk rock world with their pulverizing debut album! The latest great addition to the Punk Core family, THE HAVOC bring something fresh to the roster with their relentless hooks and snarling dual vocals. Add a dash of older influences such as GBH and the DESTRUCTORS and some newer influences such as THE UNSEEN and DEFIANCE and you've got PURE PUNK ROCK! Just what the doctor ordered. (from Interpunk)

The sounds of snarling vocals, thrash guitar riffs, overdriven bass, and ferocious drumming are the perfect combination for punk rock angst and The Havoc deliver all of the above. On the hot streets of south Los Angeles, The Havoc was born in November of 2001. Shortly thereafter, they began playing locally and also released their first 7" E.P. entitled "Who's Gonna Die..." The band pressed only 1,000 copies and sold out of the E.P. on their first tour during the summer of 2002. This immediately began creating waves in the underground punk scene and the result was the groups signing to Punk Core Records.

Hot on the heels of "Who's Gonna Die... The Havoc released their debut full-length entitled "Our Rebellion Has Just Begun" in 2003. The 12 tracks on this record take the listener through a high speed, adrenaline fueled rampage that will leave you feeling as though you were hit by a cyclone of heavy punk rock!! An instant classic, the album conquered the punk scene and garnered rave reviews from almost every underground music magazine on the stands.

After touring relentlessly for an almost solid three years, the band then released their second E.P. on Punkcore Records in 2005, entitled "Road Warrior." Right away the maturity The Havoc had gained in their songwriting was not only evident, but kept listeners on the edge of their seats. Achieving a more unique sound than their first record, this effort shows a tighter, heavier, harder, more melodic band. While being compared to the early thrash antics of Metallica and Motorhead, "Road Warrior" destroys the notion that the band are confined to only one genre of music. In 2006 the band decided to lay The Havoc to rest, regroup and rename. They played their last show on September 22nd of 2006 at The Allen Theatre in Southgate, CA. They now play under the name Spades & Blades and are writing their debut album. (from the Havoc MySpace)

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Life of Agony - Unplugged at the Lowlands Festival + The Best of

Brooklyn, New York's Life of Agony formed in 1989. Singer Keith Caputo, guitarist Joey

Z., and bassist Alan Robert played the New York underground scene with several different drummers. They perfected their angst-filled hardcore/heavy metal hybrid along the way, obtaining a devoted audience in the process. On the eve of signing with Roadrunner Records, the band enlisted former Type O Negative drummer Sal Abruscato as a permanent member. The resulting album, River Runs Red, was similar to their stage show at the time -- straight-up energy and aggression in a hardcore/thrash format, with shards of heavy metal cutting through at times, and the group toured extensively upon its release. Once the tour was completed, L.O.A. went directly back into the studio to work on their next album, 1995's Ugly, which signaled a complete overhauling of the band's signature heavy-duty sound. The album resembled the sounds of the alternative stars of the day, especially Stone Temple Pilots, and it wasn't greeted favorably by the record-buying public. L.O.A. was still able to retain their audience, and the resulting tour was a success, as they opened for the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, Korn, Type O Negative, and Anthrax. Drummer Abruscato exited the band after the tour, and was replaced by ex-Pro Pain/Crumbsuckers drummer Dan Richardson. Their next release, 1997's Soul Searching Sun, followed essentially the same formula as its predecessor, and was again met by a varied response. Keith Caputo left the group before the tour, letting the members know that his heart was no longer in the music. The band was crushed, but because of their commitments they needed to fill the spot immediately. Former Ugly Kid Joe vocalist Whitfield Crane had told Joey Z. about his desire to play heavier music at an Anthrax show a few years before, so their manager spoke to Crane and he jumped at the chance. The new lineup had only a week to rehearse, and the band barely knew Crane when they let him join. Once the tour ended, they went back to the studio to record, only to realize that they no longer wanted to continue as Life of Agony without Caputo. They flirted with the idea of Robert singing with Stuck Mojo bassist Corey Lowery filling his spot, but the lineup was doomed from the start and the band officially disbanded in April of 1999. That was the final word on Life of Agony until 2003, when the original lineup reunited for two shows. The reunion led to a live album (River Runs Again) as well as the studio effort Broken Valley, issued through Epic Records in June 2005.

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Del Lords - Based on a True Story

Happy New Year to you all! Just got back from a long-deserved vacation. Now I'm recharged and ready to rock again!

This post is from one of my favorite bands, the Del Lords. They play a raunchy style of rock n' roll, which should always be the case. This is, in my opinion, their best effort.

Plus I posted two debut albums from Coil and Camper Van Beethoven. Two great bands on the opposite side of the spectrum.

Formed in the early '80s by ex-Dictators guitarist Scott Kempner, the Del Lords combined elements of '60s garage rock with country, blues, and folk influences to become one of the initial progenitors of roots rock. Kempner recruited former Joan Jett guitarist Eric "Roscoe" Ambel, bassist Manny Caiati, and drummer Frank Funaro, and the Del Lords released their first disc, Frontier Days, on Enigma/EMI in 1984. The album was noted for its guts, street smarts, and twangy guitars, a balanced blend of Springsteen meets Johnny Thunders. Their follow-up Enigma/EMI release, Johnny Comes Marching Home, found Pat Benatar producer Neil Geraldo at the helm. While the band had became tighter, Geraldo applied a poppy gloss that seemingly toned down the grittier aspects of their debut. All the right elements fell into place by the time their album Based On a True Story was released in 1988, with Geraldo commendably pulling back his slicker production technique, allowing the louder aspects of the band to break through. The album is also notable for the support of guest vocalists Pat Benatar, Syd Straw, Kim Shattuck, and Mojo Nixon.

The raucous EP Howlin' at the Halloween Moon captured the band in its live element, performing five tracks from the first three albums along with spirited covers of the Flamin' Groovies "Jumpin' in the Night" and Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon's "Tallahassee Lassie." In 1990 the Del Lords recorded their final album, Lovers Who Wander, and although some of the rough edges were smoothed out, the graceful emotional conviction made their swansong just as appealing as any of their previous studio releases. Eric "Roscoe" Ambel officially quit the Del Lords in 1991, as he had already released a solo album, Roscoe's Gang. Eight years later the Restless label finally got around to releasing Get Tough: The Best of the Del-Lords. (AMG)

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Coil - Love's Secret Domain

Though Coil's John Balance and Peter Christopherson were inspired by the acid house revolution of the late '80s, their drug-inspired "dance" album isn't quite as indebted to the style as the contemporary work of Psychic TV. The influence comes through mostly in the deranged effects and vaguely surreal air, though several tracks do increase the rhythmic wattage. For the most part, the duo retained the gothic synth pop of Horse Rotorvator, but with a special emphasis on stuttered cut-and-paste sections rather than organic instruments and environmental sublimation. (AMG)

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Camper Van Beethoven - Telephone Free Landslide Victory

They say "never say never," but it's still extremely unlikely something so goofily low-key, inventive, and fun will ever achieve cult status so quickly again, especially in terms of musical range on display. Not simply a rock group but not anything else, Camper Van Beethoven pulled off a series of entertaining fusions throughout its debut record, as the opening song "Border Ska" indicates by name alone. Eastern European folk, tropical grooves, post-punk atmospherics, country laid-back good times, psych/garage band aesthetics, lyrics about Mao, Greece, and more -- a lot of stuff went into the Santa Cruz band's brew, and most of it came up trumps on Telephone. Lowery's lead vocals aren't much like what his more famous work in Cracker would indicate, being more speak-singing through shaggy dog stories (even one about Lassie) of all stripes. Hearing his tale of woe on "Wasted" -- "I was a punker, and I had a Mohawk/I was so gnarly and I drove my dad's car" -- delivered in a "yeah dude" tone of voice is pretty darn funny. Segel's keyboards and violins color the arrangements with a fun touch, while rhythm team Krummenacher and then recently departed drummer Anthony Guess try out nearly everything at least once. The production is eminently suited for the proceedings, sounding a bit like the thick, fuzzy flow of many Shimmy-Disc releases but with just enough of a crisp edge. When it comes to humor, it's everywhere -- for instance, the plaintively sung chorus of "Where the Hell Is Bill?," not to mention the various speculative answers ("Maybe he went to get a Vespa scooter"). Or, of course, the song that kick-started the band's reputation, "Take the Skinheads Bowling," two and a half minutes of chiming, goofy nonsense with references to Jah and incomplete rhymes. (AMG)


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Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!!!