More obscure American punk to make your ears bleed.
White Flag might be the most criminally underrated Los Angeles punk band. An antidote to the seriousness of hardcore, White Flag formed in 1982 to put some fun back into the scene, starting with band member pseudonyms like Jello B. Afro, Mike Mess, and Pat Fear. The band also had a steady rotation of ‘guest’ members like Kim Shattuck of the Muffs, the MacDonald brothers from Redd Kross, and Charlotte Caffey of Go-Go’s fame. The CD covers a lot of ground, including 1982’s ‘S is for Space’ LP, 1984’s ‘Third Strike’ LP, and assorted 7-inch tracks. ‘S is for Space’ is a typical hardcore record with a deliberate slant toward fun and pushing buttons. Their cover of the Germs’ ‘Not All Right’ is spot on and other songs like ‘Suzy Secret’ and ‘Go to God’ do a great job emulating the Germs’ chaos. ‘Cleocin’ reminds me of OG UK punkers Cock Sparrer. The ‘Third Strike’ LP is where the band really shines. Still poking fun at the hardcore scene while fleshing out complete songs and lyrics. The obsession with the Germs continues with ‘Over My Head,’ ‘Middle Class Hell,’ and LP opener ‘Cross Dogs.’ ‘Flipside’ is pop punk railing against the shitty music on MTV and middle-class suburbia. It’s fantastic from start to finish with various styles and sounds. “Ticket to Moscow’ sounds like Buzzcocks and “There’s A Place’ could be the Dickies. Releasing 10 albums and 30 singles so far, the band exists today with mostly original members. Unfortunately, band leader Pat Fear died in 2013. A documentary of his life was released earlier this year called, 'The Secret Lives Of Bill Bartell.' Check it out.
The three Shields brothers: Paul-vocals, Kevin-bass, and Don-drums, with Rodney Matejek on guitar got together as Detention in 1982. The pride of Hillsborough, New Jersey, they released the classic single ‘Dead Rock n Rollers’ in 1983 and a 20-track LP in 1985. This reissue includes the single, three songs from the LP, and a few early demo tracks. Overlooked in the shadow of the popular New York City scene, this is great punk with humorous lyrics. ‘Dead Rock n Rollers’ is a one hit wonder that perfectly combines snottiness with catchiness, and a hilarious rant. B-side ‘El Salvador’ is a political anti-war/anti-dying anthem. ‘Anti-A’ is 86 seconds of hardcore bliss with Paul clearly spitting the vocals as good as any punk vocalist before or since. ‘Beach’ is a garage-punk ode to the infamous Jersey Shore. Sadly, Paul passed away recently, but brother Kevin worked with Left For Dead Records to have this well-done retrospective released. You’ll come for the single, but the entire collection is awesome.
Christian Arnheiter was born in Panama some time in the 1950s and raised a military brat. His family eventually moved to Texas ending up in Houston where he would form the Hates in 1978, inspired after attending the Sex Pistols San Antonio gig. One of the first Texas punks bands, they would release four records between 1979 and 1982, all included on this reissue. The classic four song debut, 'No Talk in the Eighties” is a blistering 8:24 of fast riff-y punk. Christian's vocals are half-sung half-spoken with Rob Kainer's thick bass pushing the songs at a breakneck pace. 'Last Hymn' is a sarcastic mid-tempo punker about the Jim Jones death cult. On the second EP, 'Bored With The Boys' has a ferocious and raw guitar sound, while 'City On Ice' is the closest the band will ever come to writing a Power Pop song, with a really cool guitar bridge halfway through. 1981 EP 'So What' moves into hardcore with 'Not My Kind' reminiscent of Circle Jerks or Angry Samoans. Check out the double-time cover of the Lee Hazelwood penned and Dean Martin hit 'Houston.' The eight track “Panacea' EP from 1982 closes out the CD. Unfortunately one song “Cut The Shit' didn't make the cut. The rest maintain the quality expected of the band. 'Also Watched' sounds like fellow Texans Big Boys. The band is considered the longest continuously active punk band from the U.S. with a gig scheduled this March.
Mark Neill-guitar and Bruce Joyner-vocals were two broke musicians in Valdosta, Georgia when they decided to move to San Diego in 1979.They formed the Unknowns and quickly became one of the most popular bands in Southern California, signing a contract with Sire Records and opening for the likes of the Go-Go's, Wall Of Voodoo, and X. This CD compiles their self-titled LP form 1982 and five of the six songs on 1981's 'Dream Sequence' EP. The Unknowns play some of the most original garage punk ever recorded, paying homage to their influences Little Richard, Elvis, and the Everly Brothers as much as the punk and new wave of the day. The 11-track LP is a tour de force of rock energy. 'Crime Wave' has a country twang that points to their southern roots. On 'The Streets' atmospheric organ courtesy of Joyner creates a creepy 60s psych vibe. The calypso guitar and plaintive vocals on 'Rat Race' will have you dancing or bawling depending on your mood. 'White Trash Girl' and 'Pull My Train' are excellent garage ragers. The earlier EP has the band trying to find their sound and results in a couple a Power Pop gems in 'Actions/Reactions' and 'Suzanne' with some quirky new wave on the title track. Unknowns are at the top of my garage punk playlist along with the Fleshtones. Great find!
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