Tragedy strikes again. When someone told me Ron Asheton was dead. it didn't click at all. Then i realised it was the guitarist from The Stooges. I felt a bit sad. Apparently he died of a heart attack. Ron Asheton 1948 - 2009 Hopefully it wasn't the shock of iggy pop doing those car/home insurance adverts on TV at the moment.
Recently I have been digging back into the archives of what I used to listen to years ago ( when I was a kid ). Don't know if its nostalgia, maybe just random recollections or some sense of deja vu but I listened to all these records and still remember the effect they all had on me, even now, years later. Something that very few recent records have done to me. So I thought I would list them as you do on blogs and other social internet things. I ain't trying to sound cool and I know a lot of these arn't cool by any means. But no one is born with the "cool" records and shirts in there collection. Everyone starts somewhere. All these kids that pledge allegiance to Champion and Suicide Silence these days where listening to Billy Talent and Blink 182 a few years ago....like everyone else. Except me.
Turmoil - The Process Of.... (1999) Just really aggressive and agggro. Its an album that came out at a time when Victory had the metalcore market cornered, but it wasn't on Victory. It just kicks arse. Its dynamic, aggressive, forward thinking, pissed off and outright nasty. Everything a punk record should be. First time I heard this it gave me goosebumps, the opening track " Playing Dead" and its screamed start up do it everytime. Every track sounded so spot on but different as well. You can trace so many influences passing through this album but they all add up to something awesome.
The Get Up Kids - Something To Write Home About (1999) This was the perfect album to accompany my many late night bus/train/taxi rides to and from gigs and practises. it may be wussy in places and sometimes very hand-wringy but the quality of songs speak volumes. Containing more emotion and sincerity in a single track than most bands can muster in a life time is what TGUK's mastered. This album reminds me of so many late nights of thinking and doodling in my pad on public transport.
Downset - Do We Speak A Dead Language (1996) Somewhat forgotten about now but this album managed to bridge that gap between mainstream "Kerrang" metal and the West Coast hardcore sound. As Downset had there gfeet in both camps. On the surface it was a angry, polemic charged release. After many listens the tight ass musicianship shone through.It was the bass playing that got me on this album. It was so precise but simple. A definate influence without doubt. Orange 9mm - Tragic (1996) More often known as the band that supplied Helmet with a guitarist in there final years first time around. O9mm got the usual RATM tag being a ethnic fronted band applying hip-hop and rap influences to metal/hardcore. But that was really unjustified. I got this album during a long stay in California ina little record store in Las Vegas, it then accompanied me on all my skating trips around the West Coast over those four weeks. Bouncing bass lines and riffs. Its still a good album.
Saves The Day - Through Being Cool (1999) At the same time I loved this album I also loved Converge, Coalesce and Morbid Angel. I saw nothing wrong with that. Chris Conley was certainly ahead of his time as far as song writing was concerned. It was the soudntrack to morning train trips to work on this terrible line between Blackburn and Bolton.
Strife - In This Defiance (1997) One of Victory Records most important albums. Despite being a drinker and smoker, Strife, a hardline, vegan, straightedge band really grabbed my attention. I knew it was all SXE themed and that but the music just had a power and aggression that wasn't really heavy, just empowered with so much emotion and energy that it was impossible to sit still while listening to it. I still can't when it comes on. Check "Blistered" for proof. Vision Of Disorder - Imprint (1998) My introduction to dirty guitar sounds. By modern standards maybe its not but VOD influenced me no end with "Imprint". The riffing style and song structures stood out so much. They really showed me a thing or to about what could be done with guitars. Many a hour was spent in my bedroom apeing those sounds and riffs. In fact I still look to it for inspiration at times.
Thats what I have been digging. I ain't trying to act cool so don't stress yourself.
Christmas and New Year is finally over, everything can get back to normal. I don't like either so the less said the better. The Ergon Carousel has our first batch of gigs booked and ready now... Jan 16th - Subculture, Leeds Jan 17th - Yorkshire House, Lancaster Jan 31st - The Gander, Bournemouth Feb 13th - The Venue, Preston Feb 24th - Dublin Castle, London Feb 25th - TBA, Leicester
Come along and give us some shit or something. The EP is still available, not many physical copies with the hand-made packaging left but there are digital downloads a plenty. Whihc, lets face it, if you have to get the digital version then your a moron who didn't pull there finger out in time for the "actual" copies. Anyhow, this is what I have been listening to loads recently..The Warriors OST. If you don't know what The Warriors is then your an idiot. Its got an amazing late 70's/early 80's pop/rock/synth soundtrack. This 1979 film is by Walter Hill, its top...you need to watch it really. Simple fact.
After a very lengthy 5 minutes or so of hard..HARD thinking. I have decided that these are probally the most listened to albums and liked by myself and anyone else forced to listen to them on visits to my house of this year.
Cursed - III: Architects Of Troubled Sleep Yes, yes yes and yes. Like most people I heard this on the unmastered rip that got leaked onto the net a few months before its release..but fuck me..even then it was viscous. Cursed have always ruled, every album being a step on from the previous. III was no exception at all. Expanding on all the elements they displayed on I and II but pushing them ina more extreme direction. Compelte, aggro, pissed of hardcore with intelligence and vision. Still gutted they split up.
Aquila - Demo 08 A recent find in the last month but one which I am more than happy to add to this list as it demonstrates the capabilities of a simple setup ( bass + drums + voice) and shows what can be done with it. Moving away from the noisier end of power trios and drawing on melody and alternative rock. Its a really well crafted set of songs that incorporate effects, noise, melody and harmony's to great effect. Also there chicks. So it wins on that score as well.
Rolo Tomassi - Hysterics They did it, they produced a album, more out there and intelligent than the EP with media and press attention all over them. Seriously, some of the most talented kids I have ever had the pleasure of watching and spending time with. "Hysterics" has some of the most technical, well written, abstract music on it that you will hear all year or the next. This completly restored my faith in the youth of today for about 10 mins before I had to leave the house. But an awesome album.
Woven Hand - Ten Stones If you don't know Woven Hand then I am not going to describe them for you, this album is awesome. Simple as.
Desalvo - Mood Poisoner A band I had overlooked quite a lot until I was sent this album. Featuring a frontman with a David Yow thing going on and some screechy vocals and sharing a guitarist with indie muppets Idlewild. Desalvo are so good. Angry, angular noise rock with some nice metal touches. It all depends on if you like the sound of Norma Jean crossed with The Jesus Lizard and Today is The Day. I do, so thats why this is so good.
Trap Them - Siezures In Barren Praise They came, they ruled, they carried on ruling. I thought "Seance Prime" was good, but "Siezures..." smashed that away. I have heard them descrived as "Entombed, for people that missed Entombed first time around" which is a fair point but they deserve a lot more credit. How can a band that features ex-members of Backstabbers Inc, December Wolves and The Red Chord be bad at all? Thats right, it can't! Mega filthy, crusty, dis-influenced hardcore that destroys everything. Just wait for the final track " Mission Convincers" to kick in and you will understand.
Enslaved - Vertebrae I was pretty late getting into Enslaved, only a few years ago really. So I then worked back, and then forwards through there back catalogue. "Vertebrae" is the pinnacle of there career, the perfect, progressive, black metal influenced, modern, extreme metal album. Any band that reminds me of Rush on the opening track is a winner, and you can't fail to be won over by the chorus of "New Dawn" when it kicks in. Most highest recommended.
There you go...what Oliver reckons he likes...it will more than likely change..but thats cool, your all dicks. Nothing you do will ever be as good as this....
How much fun is it to be a kid? The band is Fang Island ( i believe they share a member with Daughters), this is pretty much what they sound like. This is from a Corleone Records DVD I got sent a while back.
