Here Come the Warm 45s...

GaryChching from Always Searching for Music got me going on these singles.

He posts such great stuff that I have never heard or haven't listened to in years & it got me thinking, I should dig through my 45s & (re)discover what my declining brain-cell count has forgotten.

It was quite an adventure.

The first set goes out with ASFM in mind, some Brit punk that I've always enjoyed (I've always been more of a devotee of US crust/street punk, but these tracks are da bomb!).


Discharge - Discharge 45, Clay 1, 1980.

Discharge was a very influential British punk band formed in 1977. The original line-up consisted of Terry 'Tez' Roberts on vocals, Tony 'Bones' Roberts on guitar, Roy 'Rainy' Wainwright on guitar, Nigel Bamford on bass & Akko on drums. Soon after forming, Nigel Bamford left the group, & Rainy moved to bass. This line up sounded much more like the Sex Pistols, but only recorded one demo. The line up as well as their sound changed in 1979. It became: Kelvin 'Cal' Morris on vocals, Bones on guitar, Rainy on bass & Tez on drums, which many consider to be the 'classic' Discharge line up.

The band pioneered a heavy, distorted, & grinding guitar-driven sound with anti-melodic shouted or screamed vocals focusing on anarchist & pacifist themes, frequently mentioning nuclear war. They were connecting to metal as well punk while maintaining punks political themes.

The back cover says...all lyrics & music by Discharge. Recorded at Redball Studios in 3 hours. Thanks to no fuckers. Sleeve design: Martin H. - rear photo: M. Stone - engineered & mixed by Steve Carr - produced & mixed by Mike Stone. for information: Clay Records, 26 Hope St., Hanley, Stoke on Trent.

1A - Realities of War---They Declare It

1B - But After the Gig---Society's Victim

Ripped screaming from its original vinyl
Enjoy
NØ


Subhumans - Subhumans, Bluurg XEP2, 1982.

The U.K. anarchist punk collective Subhumans formed in the Trowbridge area of Wiltshire in 1980, comprised of vocalist Dick, guitarist Bruce, bassist Grant, & drummer Trotsky. The band enjoyed success as one of the more literate & musically athletic British punk ensembles between 1980 & 1985, occupying the middle ground between the Clash's political song-craft & Crass' experimental warfare. Through five full-length records on their own BLUURG label (The Day the Country Died, From the Cradle to the Grave, Worlds Apart, 29:29 Split Vision, & Rats) plus six EPs (not to mention a bevy of D.I.Y. cassettes), the band challenged both the government & its citizens to not only rage against the world, but to improve it. The band, which had split off into Citizen Fish (Dick also spent time with Culture Shock in between), reunited in 1998 & reappeared in 2004 with two live releases, Live in a Dive on Fat Wreck & the All Gone Live DVD through Cleopatra.

The back cover says...Dick/voice - Bruce/guitar - Grant/bass - Trotsky/drums. Recorded Southern Studios, 31 Jan. 1982 - produced by Pete Stennett & Subhumans. All words/music/artwork by Subhumans 19@T2 - thanks to everyone who bothered.

I love the Subhumans. The lyrics & vocal delivery of "Cancer", some of the exquisite guitar leads of "Reason for Existence" & the twist ending of "Peroxide" all amount to some mighty tasty & also cerebral music. Ah, nostalgia...

Skull Side -
Big City
Peroxide

Bluurg Side -
Reason for Existence
Cancer


Subhumans - Evolution, Bluurg fish 2, 1983.
Bluurg Records, 2 Victoria Terrace, Melksham, Wilts. Same line-up as above, except backing vocals on "Not Me" by Pete the Roadie. Recorded Southern Studios, 29 Jan. 1983 - engineered by John Loder, produced by Subhumans. All words/music/artwork by Subhumans 19@T3, front cover by Nick Lant. The back cover has a list of cruelty free cosmetic companies, stating "sorry we do not print a list of companies that do test on animals as sadly the list would be too long."

While the call & response of "Not Me" is traditional punk, this is a much more rock oriented venture than the above 45. "Evolution" is just a classic rock 'n' roll song, Animal Liberation style & again, listen to the guitar leads & the rhythm section of "So Much Money". However, by far my favorite here is the Wire/Buzzcocks sound of "Germ", one great, great song.

Skull Side -
Evolution
So Much Money

Bluurg Side -
Germ
Not Me
uncredited track (Song #35 - thanks anon)
(maybe someone more knowlegeable than myself can 'Name that Tune')

ripped screaming from its original vinyl
Enjoy,
NØ