Wednesday 27 August 2014

The Best of Brought To Life - 104

1. THE REJEX - 'Who Wants To March???' - Doublethink 7" - Australia - 1979
We'll start this one with the flipside of their sole 7" 'Niagara Baby'. From Sydney.
2. THE NASAL BOYS - 'Hot Love' - Periphery Perfume 7" - Switzerland - 1977
The first Swiss punk 7", with Rudolph Dietrich on guitar. After this they changed their name to Expo before Rudolph went solo.
3. THE VICTIMS - 'TV Freak' - Self Released 7" - Australia - 1978
From their second E.P 'No Thanks To the Human Turd'. Their first 7" was called 'Television Addict' but that was about somebody else. Clearly they had an affinity with the bloke.
4. NEGATIVE TREND - 'Meathouse' - Heavy Manners 7" - USA - 1978
From their sole E.P. It was re-released as a Subterranean 12" called 'We Don't Play, We Riot' in 1983.
5. THE LEFTOVERS - 'I Only Panic When There's Nothing To Do' - EMI Custom 7" - Australia - 1979
Back to the land of Oz for another track from their sole 7".
6. CHAOS - 'Day Doult' - Off Course 12" - Switzerland - 1979
From a split 12" with The Sick. 
7. THE CHOSEN FEW - 'The Joke's On Us' - A Few Production 7" - Australia - 1978
More Ozzie brutality from their sole 6-tracker, though there was also an expanded retrospective released towards the end of the millenium.
8. THE HELMETTES - 'I Don't Care What The People Say' - No Fun 7" - Holland - 1978
Primitive and snotty early Dutch punk. Their sole release.
9. THE ELECTRIC DEADS - 'Crossroads' - Electro Static 7" - Denmark - 1983
From their classic 3rd E.P. Like many Euro bands of the era they sang in English, presumably so they could be more accessible to a worldwide audience. Too bad. I prefer songs in their native language, if possible. I may not understand them but that doesn't stop me making a bold attempt to singalong regardless.The English-speaking world has never quite come to terms with the 57 vowels available across Scandinavia or the car crash of consonants which, to me, add a certain charm and identity to some of those Polish or Czech compositions.
10. THE ASTRONAUTS - 'We Were Talking' - Bugle 7" - UK - 1980
The standout track from their second E.P 'Pranksters In Revolt'.
11. ELECTROCHOC - 'Trois Minutes' - Oxygène 7" - France - 1978
The French weren't bothered about singing in English. Good on 'em. Sounds all the better for it.
12. RAZAR - 'Task Force (Undercover Cops)' - Able Label 7" - Australia - 1978
The flipside of debut single 'Stamp Out Disco'.
13. THE CHILD MOLESTERS - '(I Wanna See Some) Wholesale Murder' - Ace & Duce 7" - USA - 1979
Their second single. Hilarious.
14. THE CELIBATE RIFLES - 'Let's Get Married' - EMI Custom 7" - Australia - 1982
One from their debut E.P. curiously titled 'But Jacques, The Fish?'
15. JACK AND THE RIPPERS - 'No Desire' - Another Swiss label 7" - Switzerland - 1979
Nice chorus. This was their sole 7" at the time but there's a retro second 7" out there too.
16. DOW JONES & THE INDUSTRIALS - 'Ladies With Appliances' - Gulcher LP - USA - 1981
From the 'Red Snerts' compilation album.
17. THE LEWD - 'Kill Yourself' - Scratched 7" - USA - 1979
The 7" was decidedly more primitive than the album and was recorded during their earlier 'back-combing frenzy' period.
18. THE VICTIMS - 'Open Your Eyes' - Self Released 7" - Australia -1978
Another track from  'No Thanks To the Human Turd'.
19. THE FUN THINGS - 'Time Enough For Love' - EMI Custom 7" - Australia - 1980
From their sole E.P. From Brisbane.
20. SUICIDE SQUAD - 'New Kids Army' - Doublethink 7" - Australia - 1979
The flipside of 'I Hate School'.
21. THE CHOSEN FEW - 'Do The Maniac' - A Few Production 7" - Australia - 1978
Another from their E.P.
22. SOCIETY DOG - 'Bad Dreams' - Subterranean 7" - USA - 1980
The flipside of debut single 'Working Class People' (which drags a bit).
23. FRESH COLOR - 'The Source' - Periphery Perfume 7" - Switzerland - 1978
With multiple languages available in Switzerland they still decided to sing in English. It made no difference. No-one was listening. ***Note*** Dieter Meier sings on the A-side.
24. JACK AND THE RIPPERS - 'Don't Pretend' - Demo - Switzerland - 1977
From the retro second 7" I was on about earlier.
25. BELLEVUE - 'Deathwalk' - Self-Released 7" - Switzerland - 1981
From their first E.P.  A nice 3-tracker.
***BONUS TRACKS***
26. THE NASAL BOYS - 'Die Wüste Lebt!'
27. THE ELECTRIC DEADS - 'La La La'
28. CHAOS -' Get Out Of My Pocket'
29. THE HELMETTES - 'Half Twee'
30. THE VICTIMS - 'High School Girls'
31. BELLEVUE - 'Marchin' Men'
32. THE ELECTRIC DEADS - 'Fish In A Pool'

Get it here

Tuesday 26 August 2014

The Best of Brought To Life - 103

1. THE ACCIDENT - 'True Detective' - No Threes 7" - USA - 1979
The flipside of 'Kill The Bee Gees'. From Seattle. I'll forgive the haircuts.
2. THE JERMZ - 'Power Cut' - One Way 7" - UK - 1978
The spirit of '78 - recorded before they could really play. Only 500 pressed but they couldn't even sell that many back in the day. Wonderful. From York.
3. THE PLUGZ - 'Move' - Slash 7" - USA - 1978
A Latino punk band which wasn't quite as apparent on this, their first release, as it was on their albums.
4. THE DAMNED - 'Burglar' - Dodgy Demo - UK - 1978
From the Dodgy Demo 7". Better than the re-recorded version on the flipside of 'Smash It Up'.
5. THE LEGENDARY EARTHLINGS - 'Get Out Of Harm's Way' - Boswell 7" - USA - 1982
From their sole 3-song E.P. Ex-Cheese, if that means anything.
6. THE ROTTERS - 'Disco Queen' - Rotten 7" - USA - 1979
Due to the awesomeness of the A-side 'Sink The Whales (Buy Japanese Goods)' this is often passed over, which is a big mistake.
7. THE SHIT DOGS - 'Calling Dr Modo' - Pangolin 7" - USA - 1981
From their 2nd 7". From New Orleans. More bad haircuts.
8. PEER PRESSURE - 'That's Why They Call 'Em Moms' - Resistance 7" - USA - 1980
Slightly off kilter for a punk band, but hey, why not? 
9. THE LEPERS - 'Light Up A Pack' - Drome 7" - USA - 1979
Proving that late '70s Ohio wasn't all about the Pagans, though the 'Coitus Interruptus' E.P. was indeed released on the same label.
10. THE URINALS - 'Ack Ack Ack' - Happy Squid 7" - USA - 1979
From their second E.P. Later covered by The Minutemen. What it's all about someone else will have to tell me.
11. THE NEXT - 'Cheap Rewards' - Sharp 7" - USA - 1979
From the 'Make It Quick' E.P. Not as good as 'Mr Wonderful' but worthy all the same.
12. THE DOLE - 'Hungry Men No Longer Steal Sheep But Are Their Hanging Judges?' - Ultimate 7" - UK - 1978
The flipside of 'New Wave Love'. I have to disagreee with the title though - I knew a fella once who came back from a trip to the countryside with a dead sheep in the boot of his car. He said it 'died of fright' so God-knows what he was doing up there.
13. B.O.P. - 'Mothers Agony' - Faultline 7" - USA - 1982
From their sole 3-tracker, the 'Ouch' E.P. That's all I know.
14. UNNATURAL AXE - 'The Creeper' - Varulven 7" - USA - 1978
The only other notable track from the 'They Saved Hitler's Brain' E.P.
15. NEW YORK NIGGERS - 'Headliner' - NYN 7" - USA - 1979
Sole 7" from this multi-racial combo. Read more here.
16. THE SODS - 'Television Sect' - Medley 7" - Denmark - 1979
If the Jermz had come from Copenhagen they'd have sounded like this.
17. THE OFFENDERS - 'Lost Causes' - Suffering Sounds 7" - USA - 1981
Before the Offenders got into hardcore and cranked up the speed they sounded like this.
18. WESTERN HYSTERIA - 'Moving Target' - Swerve 7" - UK - 1980
Flipside of sole single. The rubber stamp on the sleeve claims that the record is edible. Anyone who knows why, please leave a comment.
19. THE SKULLS - 'Victims' - What? LP - USA - 1982
From the 'What Is It?' compilation album. Live version here.
20. KAOS - 'Alcoholiday' - What? 12" - USA - 1980
Another gnarly classic from the What? archives.
21. THE DONKEYS - 'Four Letters' - Deram 7" - UK - 1979
The flipside of powerpop classic 'What I Want'.
22. THE SNOTS - 'So Long To The '60s' - Edge City 7" - USA - 1977
From their sole 7". Another cool Seattle combo.
23. THE KLINGONS - 'Dr Jekkyl & Mr Hyde' - Kang 7" - UK - 1980
A lovely obscure post-punk effort with a suitably weird sleeve.
24. ROCK BOTTOM & THE SPYS - 'Rich Girl' - Bottoms Up 7" - USA - 1981
Another sole-release 3-tracker. You may be able to find one of the recent re-issues.
25. NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH - 'Video Sexxx' - Real World 7" - Canada - 1987
As the Disturbed tracks were so popular on the last post, here's one from the second release I put out, by New Brunswick's finest Neighbourhood Watch. Sadly, John Peel wouldn't play it.
***BONUS TRACKS***
26. THE URINALS - 'Black Hole'
27. THE LEPERS - 'Cops'
28. B.O.P. - 'Bob Ratchet'
29. ROCK BOTTOM & THE SPYS - 'No Good'
30. PEER PRESSURE - 'Sound Of The '80s'
31. WESTERN HYSTERIA - 'Computer Love'
32. N.Y. NIGGERS - 'Just Like Dresden'
33. THE SNOTS - 'New York Love Letter'
34. NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH - 'Acid Baby'

Get it here

Thursday 21 August 2014

The Best of Brought To Life - 102

1. THE DISTURBED - 'Who Do You Think' - Real World Records 7" - UK - 1988
We'll begin this sampler with the lead track from a little disc I released back in '88, namely the 'This Is Credibility' E.P. from Glaswegian legends The Disturbed. Sadly the pressing plant never quite got the idea behind one of the labels. The hole was marked on the 'flasher' side so that when you stuck the record on, the pin at the centre of the turntable would stick up to represent the flasher's knob. But of course they went and pressed it off-centre, so that little stroke of genius went completely unnoticed. Drat!
2. ASEXUALS - 'Be What You Want' - First Strike LP - Canada - 1984
The title track from their debut album which got picked up the following year by Psyche Industry. From Montreal. They settled on the name as none of 'em had girlfriends at the time and 'The Lonely Bastards' didn't have the same ring to it.
3. FASTBACKS - 'It's Your Birthday' - No Threes 7" - USA - 1981
One of many tracks on this sampler that I somehow passed up first time around. I must have been distracted. This, their debut 7", is singalong heaven.
4. HOLLYWOOD SQUARES -' Hillside Strangler' - Square 7" - USA - 1978
Only 500 pressed, so it might pay to seek out the 'Hillside Strangler: Restrangled' retrospective instead.
5. THE ACCUSED - 'Time Out' - Frantic 7" - USA - 1980
From their sole 4-song E.P. From Baltimore, Maryland.
6. THE EAT -' Jimmie B. Goode' - Giggling Hitler 7" - USA - 1980
The first of 3 songs from their 5-track 2nd E.P. 'God Punishes The Eat'. The poorly named 'It's Not the Eat It's The Humidity' sampler is the way to go if you want an official release.
7. DEFEX - 'Psycho Surfer' - Wacker 7" - USA - 1979
Their sole 7". There's a Rave Up album of live material but I aint heard it yet. Meanwhile here they are doing the B-side.
8. FIRST STEPS - 'The Beat Is Back' - English Rose 7" - UK - 1979
Their debut 7". Let Bored Teenagers tell you more.
9. THE MAIDS - 'Back To Bataan' - Anemic 7" - USA - 1979
Their sole release. Probably because they pressed up 2,000 but only managed to sell about 10% of 'em at the time. Unbelievable, I know.
10. THE NECESSARIES - 'You Can Borrow My Car' - Spy 7" - USA - 1979
Debut single, from New York. Produced by John Cale with a Modern Lover on bass.
11. THE KNOTS - 'Action' - Ideal 7" - USA - 1980
Their sole release. Read more here.
12. AUTHORITIES - 'Achtung!' - Selecta 7" - USA - 1982
First time around I posted 'I Hate Cops' from this, their 'Soundtrack For Trouble' E.P. This time around you get the other three tracks.
13. ICE 9 - '27.3' - Cool 7" - USA - 1979
Last time I gave you 'Out Out Out'. This one is less catchy but with a more aggressive edge. Read more here.
14. THE RETROS - 'High Energy Love' - Demo - USA - 1979
Hello St Louis! They never put anything onto vinyl back in the day but this and others can be found on the retro (geddit?) album 'Inner City Rockers' which was finally unleashed a couple of years ago.
15. REALLY RED - 'Modern Needs' - C.I.A. 7" - USA - 1980
Their second single with a very creative band photo on the sleeve. The song is actually about a different type of bondage.
16. THE SLIVERS - 'Black Hole' - Black Hole 7" - Canada - 1981
The lead track from their sole E.P. That's all I know.
17. UNCALLED 4 - 'Grind Her Up' - Tiger Tail 7" - USA - 1985
Rather than try to unravel the story behind this one, I'll let Break My Face tell you all about it.
18. THE EAT - 'Silly Drug Songs' - Giggling Hitler 7" - USA - 1980
Another from 'God Punishes The Eat'.
19. ASEXUALS - 'Contra Rebel' - Psyche Industry LP - Canada - 1985
Another from 'Be What You Want'.
20. THE NOISE - 'Let's Have Some Fun' - Wilson 7" - USA - 1978
From Kansas. 200 pressed. No picture sleeve, though a few came with a rubber stamp of the band name.
21. AUTHORITIES - 'Radiation Masturbation' - Selecta 7" - USA - 1982
Another from  'Soundtrack For Trouble'. Ridiculous lyrics.
22. DV8 - 'Guns On The Right' - Tough 7" - USA - 1981
Flipside of their only 7". From Chicago.
23. THE REDUCERS - 'No Ambition' - Rave On 7" - USA - 1982
Debut single, from New England. Available on the Redux compilation.
24. MIDDLE CLASS - 'Out Of Vogue' - Joke 7" - USA - 1978
From their debut E.P. Short and to the point. Guitarist Mike passed away this year. R.I.P.
25. THE DISTURBED - 'Diplomatic Insanity' - Real World Records 7" - UK - 1988
And another track from 'This Is Credibility'. Fine riffage here from a young (once) Johnny.
***BONUS TRACKS***
26. ASEXUALS - 'Asexual' 
27. THE KNOTS - 'Heartbreaker'  
28. THE ACCUSED - 'Bad Driver' 
29. ASEXUALS - 'Mr Rat' 
30. THE RETROS - 'Rock 'n' Roll Curse'  
31. THE EAT - 'Kneecappin' 
32. ASEXUALS - 'Three Chord Speed' 
33. FASTBACKS - 'You Can't Be Happy' 
34. AUTHORITIES - 'Shot In The Head' 
35. MIDDLE CLASS - 'Love Is Just A Tool' 
36. HOLLYWOOD SQUARES - 'Hollywood Square' 

Get it here

Wednesday 13 August 2014

The Best of Brought To Life - 101

Here's some extras from beyond BTL #2000 - plus tracks that were inexplicably left out first time around. 

1. BEDLAM - 'Lost In Space' - Buy Our Records 12" - USA - 1986
A generally disappointing release but who can resist a 1960s TV show theme tune?
2. DOW JONES & THE INDUSTRIALS - 'Let's Go Steady' - Hardly Music 7" - USA - 1980
From their classic 7". Love the backing vocal effects.
3. UK DECAY - 'Middle Of The Road Man' - Plastic 7" - UK - 1980
From their first solo release, the 'Black 45' E.P.
4. THE FLYS - 'We Don't Mind The Rave' - EMI 7"/LP - UK - 1979
The title track from their debut album 'Waikiki Beach Refugees' and the flipside of the single of the same name.
5. TUTU & THE PIRATES - 'Wham Bam Son Of Sam' - Demo - USA - 1978
Chicago snot-punk pioneers that finally got a retrospective album released in 2010 on Factory 25. Get it if you can.
6. XTRACT - 'Blame It On The Youth' - Pax 7" - UK - 1983
The title track from their sole E.P.
7. MORGAN - 'I Want More' - Topic Dream 7" - Sweden - 1980
Distinctive little single. This, the flipside of '80 Talets Melodi', is kind of a shortened version of the A-side.
8. XS ENERGY - 'Use You' - Dead Good 7" - UK - 1979
Their second single. You only got the B-side last time.
9. D.I. - 'Imminent War' - Reject LP - USA - 1985
A track from their best album, 'Horse Bites, Dog Cries'.
10. THE TABLE - 'Do The Standing Still' - Virgin 7" - UK - 1977
We used to get up to this at the local disco in the late 70s. And, yes, we just stood there with vacant punk rock looks on our faces!
11. THE DISTRACTIONS - 'Valerie' - Island LP - UK - 1980
One from their jangly little album 'Nobody's Perfect'.
12. THE FLYS - 'Waikiki Beach Refugees' - EMI 7"/LP - UK - 1979
Love the guitar line in this one. Not their best, yet somehow essential.
13. UK DECAY - 'Disco Romance' - Plastic 7" - UK - 1980
Another from the the 'Black 45' E.P.
14. THE PRESS - 'Hacker' - ETC 7" - USA - 1979
From their sole 3-track release. Read more at Punk Business Manager.
15. THE CORTINAS - 'Defiant Pose' - Step Forward 7" - UK - 1977
Their second single.
16. THE TABLE - 'Sex Cells' - Chiswick 7" - UK - 1978
Their somewhat pervy second single. No surprise that this is where it ended for them.
17. THE CHILD MOLESTERS - '13 Is My Lucky Number' - Ace & Duce 12" - USA - 1981
From their notorious 12" E.P. Very funny, all the same.
18. THE CIGARETTES - 'I Forgot My Number' - Company 7" - UK - 1979
From their legendary first 7".
19. DEMOB - 'Think Straight' - Round Ear 7" - UK - 1981
From their 'No Room For You' 7".
20. XTRACT - 'War Heroes' -Pax 7" - UK - 1983
Another track from their E.P.
21. PUPILS OF LOVE - 'Rock 'n' Roll' - Rock And Roll 7" - Australia - 1985
Let Wallaby Beat tell you all about it.
22. THE DISTRACTIONS - 'Louise' - Island LP - UK - 1980
Another from 'Nobody's Perfect'. Not all the songs are girls' names.
23. LE RITZ - 'Punker' - Breaker 7" - UK - 1977
Last time I included the flip, primarily because of the famous Trumpton Fire Brigade intro. This time you get the other side, mainly because of the marvellous keyboard solo.
24. THE CORTINAS - 'Independence' - Step Forward 7" - UK - 1977
The flipside of 'Defiant Pose'.
25. MORGAN - '80 Talets Melodi' - Topic Dream 7" - Sweden - 1980
The A-side of 'I Want More' that I referred to earlier.
***BONUS TRACKS***
26. TUTU & THE PIRATES - 'Jenny'
27. UK DECAY - 'The Black Cat'
28. D.I. - 'Johnny's Got A Problem'
29. THE PRESS - 'Disco Sucks'
30. UK DECAY - 'Message Distortion'
31. TUTU & THE PIRATES - 'Berlin'
32. ***Mystery Track*** 

Get it here