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What’s up Sorry Staters?

Yet another quiet morning opening the store where I find myself trying to cram a bunch of words onto the page last-minute. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Last night, Public Acid played in Richmond opening for Municipal Waste to commemorate their 21st anniversary of Waste ‘Em All. A couple other Tankcrimes-related bands played like Ghoul and Necrot. The show was at this theater-size venue in Richmond called The National, which I had never been to. Playing on a big ass stage with a barricade was a unique experience compared to what I’m used to, to say the least. I drove back the same night and arrived home at like 3:30am and immediately passed the fuck out. I had nightmares about giant foam rubber monster mascots… then, I woke up feeling like I was still sticky from various neon-colored fluids that were launched projectile style all over the audience. But deep down, I just knew that the Sorry State machine wouldn’t run properly without my face appearing behind the counter. So, here I am on another gloomy Sunday feeling as fried as a dried-out sardine baking on the hot sidewalk.

When most people say they’re into Government Issue, I would imagine they’re referencing the first Dischord single and maybe a couple other early releases. But when I say that I love Government Issue, what I’m telling you is that I unapologetically love every single album. I mean pretty much, I think? I guess I’m kind of a GI apologist in that way. People probably also think I’m crazy for thinking that Boycott Stabb is the better record over Legless Bull in terms of their early hardcore material. Yeah, I said it. In some ways, I might have been predisposed as far as gravitating toward the later GI records. Quick little story: when I was about 15, me and best buddy Randy basically decided we’d become punk together. One year, for my birthday, Randy got me a copy of the eponymous Government Issue album from 1986. Randy told me the story of his experience buying it as he gifted the record to me: Even back then, while Randy was in the record store, before Randy was able to grab the record in order to buy it, there was a group of older punks basically picking up the record and this one older dude was basically talking shit on it. Saying something like, “Oh yeah, this is when Government Issue got weird. Nothing like their hardcore older stuff.” Defiantly, even after having overheard this guy, Randy still said fuck that, I know Jeff likes GI.

Up until this point, the only GI material I had heard was the Dischord EP because I had that 4 Old 7”s on a 12” compilation—a great education for teenage me. The first time I listened to this self-titled 1986 album, it’s not necessarily that I was challenged by it, but I do think I was just a bit perplexed by it. It blended moodiness and intensity in a way that felt fresh, but confusing. I found something mysterious and alluring about the record. And over the next several months, I found myself repeatedly revisiting the record and falling in love with it.

What’s interesting about Government Issue compared to the other crop of bands that emerged out of the early 80s Washington DC hardcore scene is that they just… continued. Most of the 80s DC bands were done by ’83, and ex-members were starting to form new bands during the Revolution Summer period or whatever. And the GI’s endured through it all. And as the band “matured” (hate using that word), GI established a sound and identity more self-realized than it was reliant on their roots entrenched hardcore punk. I’m not sure if the band was intentionally contrarian or distancing themselves, but maybe GI were actually the black sheep breaking away from the flock? (Funny enough, Steve Hansgen played bass on the 1986 GI record and Brian Baker was a producer on it). If any of you are like me, once you find yourself interested in this later period of Government Issue’s catalog, you really start going down the rabbit hole. All the sudden, you don’t care about what other early 80s hardcore bands were on the same flyer as GI in 1982. Hell no. You’re too busy listening to You as it’s glued to your turntable playing on repeat and spending your free time trying to track down that particularly good live version of “Jaded Eyes” from 1988. The Strange Wine live album? Don’t even get me started. Maybe I’m projecting, but I feel like we are a special breed that self-identify specifically as “later era GI fans.” Tell me I’m wrong.

Anyway, we finally get to my staff pick. Yet another reissue we’ve recently stocked at the store is Government Issue’s 1985 album The Fun Just Never Ends. I kept walking by this record sitting right up front in the bins at our store. Stabb was just staring me down on that front cover, beckoning me: “WRITE ABOUT ME.” Reissued on the Dr. Strange label, this newer print of the album includes bonus tracks… namely different versions of a bunch of the same album tracks. Kinda makes me feel like I’m listening to an expanded version of the album on Spotify that has bonus tracks tacked onto the end. But whatever, they’re cool to hear I guess. Without the bonus tracks, this record is pretty short and snappy for a full-length. For all intents and purposes, the record before this one, Joy Ride, still feels like a hardcore record. The Fun Just Never Ends functions like a transitional record for the band, bridging the gap between the faster early stuff and hints at the more melodic, vocal hook-oriented sound they would end up moving toward. I know John Stabb’s quirky, sardonic approach to singing will not be to everyone’s taste, but personally, I find him special because he’s almost like the anti-frontman. And as accessible as I think the musicality of GI’s songs can be for most, there is an underlying feeling that the band is attracted to the concept of anti-everything conventional in general.

For my money, “Mad At Myself” is one of GI’s all time great songs. Still hardcore, but also super catchy. It’s just made to be a call and response vocal hook: “I’m just mad, mad at myself… MAD AT MYSELF!” The song starts with all the instruments kicking in together, but then the drums stop and a solo guitar introduces the absolutely KILLER main riff. In a way, that riff in particular is like everything I love about DC punk guitar, but it is simultaneously so singularly and uniquely Government Issue. Amazing guitar tone. Speaking of which, Tom Lyle has gotta be one of my favorite guitar players. And while he was certainly great on previous GI records, I feel like this album is where I really take notice of Tom’s playing. A moment where the ambition and intelligence you can perceive from the songwriting kinda makes ya go, “Wow.” It feels like Tom really comes into his own and finds his signature style. There’s something special about his left-of-center approach to playing, where over the changing notes in the bassline, he structures these droning open strings under broken chords that move between uplifting melody and moments of dissonance that make my hair stand up on end. Tension and release. The guitar playing in the song “World Caved In” is a perfect example of what I love about Tom Lyle’s guitar playing. It’s funny living in an age now where you can find Tom Lyle nerding out about records on Instagram. Thoroughly entertaining.

Anyway, those are all the thoughts I can muster this week. I probably could go into more detail if any of you really wanted me to. Nothing to do, bored to death. I’m so bored, I’m bored to death. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

I’ve been thinking about crossover a lot lately. A “genre delineation” you might say, and a meaning or concept that has been occupying my brain space for many different reasons as of late. Metal meets punk… Or punk meets metal? I guess you could lazily describe the sound in this way, but I feel like the term “crossover” references an explosive saturation of bands during a very particular moment in extreme music. During the mid-80’s, in the United States in particular, a flirtation crept to the surface between underground hardcore punk and the emergence of thrash metal. It’s wild to think about Metallica interviews appearing in DIY punk fanzines, likely around the time when Kill ‘Em All was still on an indie label, and well before Ride The Lightning brought the band over to Europe and they exploded in popularity. I do have a bit of North Carolina pride thinking about how Corrosion of Conformity was a prominent force during this era. Around the time Animosity was recorded, I think COC was practically fully embraced by the West Coast punk and metal scenes alike. I’ve personally drooled over tons of flyers from 1985 of gigs that COC played while in California, with like GBH and Metal Church on the same gig. Or at a venue like Ruthie’s Inn, a famous hub for hardcore/thrash metal crossover gigs, where COC played with Bl’ast! and Possessed on the same gig. Wild.

So, what is crossover really? Was it simply a moment when hardcore punk intermingled with heavy metal, and those bands incorporated elements of thrash as the once primitive hardcore musicians got better at their instruments? Sure. But as with all genre-defining terms, you can’t so easily confine every band into a box. For me, I like to think of crossover as maybe sonically resembling metal influence in the musicianship -- BUT also maintaining the politics and social awareness of punk. I mean mostly in the band’s attitude and in the lyrics, rather than singing about Satan or death and mutilation or whatever. I mean, yeah, beer-guzzling skids are gonna love it… also, the record’s gonna have insane, gnarly, bright and colorful Pushead cover art… And the record is gonna sound particularly fucking good while you’re watching a dude blasting a huge air out of a bowl while riding a Powell-Peralta Caballero board. It all goes together.

Now my point, if there’s one band that is emblematic of the balance between the over-the-top, dayglo splatter ridiculousness and radical social consciousness, then it’s Italy’s almighty Raw Power. Gah-deyum, I fuckin’ love Raw Power. And yeah, I know my opening salvo was all about punk and metal in the States, but I’m flying us all the way over to Italy for my staff pick. Certain friends of mine would probably argue that Raw Power isn’t really pure crossover. They definitely don’t sound like M.O.D. or some shit like that. But to me, they’re part of the conversation. If for nothing else, because of the presentation, the sound, and the era when Screams From The Gutter was released. Guilty by association, you might say.

Recently, Sorry State stocked a new reissue of Screams From The Gutter, and it seems like we haven’t really been selling many of them. My gut reaction is what’s wrong with yall? But I do feel like we’ve had several other reissues of this Raw Power record released on several different labels as well. I don’t wanna call Raw Power a “cheap date” or anything, but I don’t really understand why it’s been so easy for reissue labels to get the official license or publishing of this classic in order to keep re-releasing it. I would like to think it’s because these labels understand this record is such a colossal ripper that it needs to keep being in print! I remember Back On Black did a reissue a few years back. This most recent reissue that Sorry State is stocking is on the prolific FOAD label. I gotta say, because the cover art on this record is so iconic, the reissue had better do the image of that melting mutant emerging from the sewers justice!! Compared to previous reissues, FOAD’s treatment of the cover art looks much better – less dull, super vibrant colors. I might even say the palette uses more of a hot pink in exchange for the more subdued purple on my original Toxic Shock copy. Tangent warning: Speaking of Toxic Shock, there is a Raw Power and COC connection. I think Screams is Toxic Shock catalog #3. Then Toxic Shock #4 is the 80s repress of Eye For An Eye, which came out right after COC initially released it on their own No Core, which surely got their record a ton more distribution. Very cool. Funny enough, the Toxic Shock catalog insert pictured below was the inspiration for my recent design of the Sorry State ad for Deletär and Fugitive Bubble ;)

Okay, here’s the thing about Raw Power… They’re kinda ridiculous – and I mean that with the utmost love and affection. Compared to their first album You Are The Victim, the band’s iconic 2nd LP definitely opted for a more metallic sounding production. Big riffs, gratuitous hesher guitar leads, gratuitous and relentless double kick. And you know what? Raw Power may lack subtlety, but every time I listen to this record, I revert back to the neanderthal, over-caffeinated, sketchy, Beavis and Butthead-esque teenage impulse of going, “SO RAD!!” The band has 2 lead vocalists that alternate. The predominant singer’s voice sounds exhilarated and out of breath the entire time. The other dude sounds like a shrieking banshee. Now, as far as the lyrics, they are definitely confrontational and political. I personally can’t speak to the oppressive political climate of 1980’s Italy. And surely there’s a bit of language barrier, as I assume that English is not these guys’ first language. All that said, and trying to be polite, I would describe the lyrics as not the most “poetic” I guess? Pretty blunt. A little boneheaded? Haha. The first song, “State Oppression,” an all-time classic, is like a battle cry. The energy gets you all riled up like, “FUCK YEAH! Fuck the powers that be!! STATE OPPRESSION!!” Then you actually read the lyrics and you’re like wait… what are we talking about exactly? That one lyric, “The bastards, the motherfuckers, they’re everywhere!” And you’re scratching your head kinda going… “Uh… I guess? Oh, I mean, YEEEAAAHHH THEY ARE BASTARDS!!” I think they use the word “bastard” in like every single song. Some other lyrics are like, “Politicans, you are shit. Politicians, you are crap. Politicans, you sons of bitches,” I could go on and on. Pure genius. Another classic off this record, “Police” rallies for action: “Police, police… don’t worry, attack them in the streets! Officers, officers… Kill them, and be proud men.” The “don’t worry” gets me laughing every time haha. It’s like yeah, duh, obviously. But as much as these lyrics read as absurd and outrageous, there’s still something about the attitude behind them that gets me clenching my fists and all fired up. What really gets me is the intro to the song “Army”. It’s starts with a lone guitar riff and then the bass and drums stop and start hitting on these punches… But the singer keeps repeating in a declarative manner: “ALRIGHT!”, almost like he’s addressing the listener before the whole band launches the attack like, “You ready to rip, motherfucker? CHARGE!!” Then it’s non-stop double kick drum mayhem. Fuck yeah.

Wow, somehow that ended up being the longest staff pick I’ve written in a long time. Just speaks to how much I wanna get across my love for Raw Power, I guess. Much like Raw Power’s lyrics, forgive if my analysis was more passionate than it was studious. Thanks for indulging me.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staters?

The month of March has begun. Kinda hard to believe. Even with our additional Leap Year day, February still felt too short. Pretty soon, it’s gonna start getting warmer, the flowers will be blooming, and a thick layer of pollen will obscure my windshield. I had kind of a weird weekend, honestly. Hopefully, in the next few days I’ll be able to avoid bullshit and soak up some vitamin D. Anyway, no more needless exposition as I tend to do. Let’s talk about records:

If there’s any record that captures the feeling of absorbing sunshine with a cloud of doom and gloom looming overhead, then it’s this Bloodstains LP. It feels kinda silly to write about this record for my staff pick. Only because there was so much anticipation surrounding its release, and Sorry State’s copies sold out so quickly. But whatever, I can’t help it. I really like this record and wanna give Bloodstains some attention, even if the allure of this record is a bit obvious.

I read one description of this record as, “Orange County punks playing Orange County punk the right way.” There is something about Bloodstains where it feels like nothing is beyond the pale. I know I’ve chatted with the singer Cesar about records on social media, and he seems to be an expert and historian on all things southern California punk. This record is almost like an exercise in synthesizing the elements of early 80s OC punk into its purest form. In a way, I respect that. Especially because I can’t really think of any other band in recent memory that has attempted to achieve this sound and totally nail it with authenticity. First impressions when dropping the needle, the opening instrumental “The Last Rites” kicks in and I just remember thinking how great the production sounded. Super clear, sharp, and punchy. Glassy, organic and bright guitar sounds. Once the intro track finishes, Bloodstains launch right into “Public Hanging,” and once the guitar player starts doing those octaves, it’s like okay… Agnew has entered the building. Maybe I’m projecting, but there is something about early punk from Los Angeles and Orange County that sounds more “produced” and glossy than other 80s punk and hardcore. Like something seems more musician-oriented and professional than the raw 4-track, shoot from the hip records that might have emerged out of the Midwest or East Coast.

I don’t know what it is about punk from California. Even though punks are right by sunny beaches and their brand of hardcore tends to be more melodic and song-based, there’s still an unexplainable veil of darkness. When I think of Agent Orange or The Adolescents, and of course the death rock stylings of TSOL… It doesn’t necessarily have to with the production, but there’s an intangible, hazy fog of moodiness that creeps its way into the sound. I will say that if Bloodstains nails anything with their love letter to SoCal punk, they absolutely capture this intangibly dark atmosphere. If there’s any song that is like Bloodstains giving us a TSOL moment, then it’s the intro to the first song on side B, “When Men Were Men” with its ominous, satanic ritual by candlelight style arpeggiated guitar. They revisit their song “Anti-Social”, which also appeared on their demo as well as the 7” single from last year. Hey, I mean if the band think it’s their hit, then I don’t blame ‘em for including it once again.

It’s funny though, I remember riding with Daniel up to Richmond for a gig that Scarecrow was playing. On that car ride, Daniel played the Bloodstains record off of his phone, and that was the first time I listened to the record all the way through. As we were listening to the first few songs, I remember saying to Daniel, “Man, the only thing this record is missing is some Adolescents-style ‘ah-ah’ backup vocals.” Funny enough, right at the end the last couple songs “Suburban Suicide” and “Stray Bullets” scratch that itch. “Stray Bullets” is the final cut off of the record, and probably favorite. The chanted refrain, “Stray bullets! Stray bullets!” followed by the lead vocal, “in the sky-eye-eeeeyyye…” is standout moment for me.

What can I say? The boys in Bloodstains made a record that’s close to home for them, but it’s also right up my alley. Enough with all treble noise cranked on your EQ pedal. I want more Agnew guitar influence in my punk. Hopefully Bloodstains will repress this LP since clearly people are hungry for it. Anyway, that’s all I’ve got.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staters?

I’ve had a couple of wild weekends since the last newsletter. Daniel was cooped up in bed sweating bullets, and obviously was way too damn sick to get a newsletter together last Monday. Honestly, that worked out in my favor because my brain space was plenty occupied without having to think about writing a staff pick last week. Now we’re back baby!

Since last time around, Public Acid’s new record Deadly Struggle has finally been released out into the world! That record had been slow cookin’ in the oven since Spring of 2022, so we were all stoked to finally get it out there. We had a “soft launch” party in Richmond, which was a total blast. All the Virginia homies repped hard for us dummies. Then the next day, we packed way too many people into a van and made the drive up to DC, which was also a killer gig. I’ve been really stoked to receive all this friendly and positive feedback from homies and strangers about the record. And for those of you Sorry State readers have snagged a copy from us thus far, thanks so much!

Just a few days ago, I was in Richmond yet again. Scarecrow went up to play with Physique, Destruct, and a local band Fried Reality, who I’m pretty sure I hadn’t seen before. I gotta say, I thought Fried Reality totally ripped. Hope to see them at more RVA gigs in the future. Destruct crushed, as always, and Physique was insane. Scarecrow brought a few of our freshly repressed red vinyl copies of our first EP Revenge along with us. Stoked we’ve got that record available again. Hopefully soon Sorry State will have some copies!

Alright, now on to talking about records I’ve been listening to. Sorry State recently stocked a bunch of reissues of punk classics from Radiation, Puke N Vomit, and maybe even another distributor that we haven’t carried stuff from in a long time. It’s gotta be at least 100 fresh titles. Funny enough, one of the records I was most excited to see come into the store was The Mating Sounds of South American Frogs by Peter and The Test Tube Babies. Maybe I’m wrong, but I get the sense that a lot of folks out there, even those who are fans of Peter and The Test Tube Babies, usually don’t reference this record as one of the better moments in their catalog. Maybe people don’t even like this record? I dunno. But personally, I just love it.

Elements of the gruff, Oi!-inflected, street savvy sound of the band’s early material still work their way onto this record. Still some funny lyrics that are a bit cheeky, you might say. But even as Mating Sounds is their 2nd full-length record, I think it’s the band’s first proper studio album seeing as Pissed And Proud was basically a live album. Perhaps this is a strange comparison, but in many ways it feels like this is Peter’s Machine Gun Etiquette moment of sonic development. They exchange the beer-sloggin’ lads chant-along stylings of “Banned From the Pubs” to a much more decidedly melodic, ambitious approach to songwriting. That said, the vibe is also a little rough around the edges, not unlike their No Future label mates The Blood. The record feels more “produced,” I guess I would say. Lots of clarity in the production, super tight musicianship, big reverby drum sounds. It feels like the boys went into the studio and threw caution to the wind. Even the album artwork might make a London punker scratch their head a little bit: “Fack off, mate… South American frogs? What are these wankers thinking?”

The immediate distinction between Mating Sounds and the band’s earlier No Future stuff is noticeable right off the bat. The haunting intro of the first track, “September Part 1”, enters with the atmospheric chirping (which I assume are “mating ritual” sounds?) of frogs and slowly fades into this propulsive drum beat and bass. But when it launches into this frenetic guitar melody, it straight up gives me chills. In almost concept album fashion, they reprise this intro on the very last track on the record with “September Part 2”, with an added intensity and more layers of the harmonized choral vocal refrain repeating, “I can’t waaaait until September.” It sounds like they have some female vocal accompaniment adding density to the Test Tube Babies’ gang vocal. It’s fucking rad.

Most importantly for me, the guitar playing on this album is absolutely incredible. I wish I was more familiar with the guitarist, who is credited as “Greenback” on this record. I think his actual name is Derek Greening? I think he played guitar in the band from the beginning -- and no disrespect to the early singles haha – don’t get me wrong, I love “Run Like Hell” as much as the next guy, but it’s clear Green was holding Back. See what I did there? Hehe. This record is not just scratchy, fizzy guitar power chord riffs and Chuck Berry leads. It’s so obvious he’s a great player and his abilities are under-utilized on the early material. The guitars are super loud in the mix and have this beautiful, lush tone. Moments of these incredibly catchy leads soar over subtle layers of arpeggiated acoustic twelve-string underneath in tracks like “No Invitation.” He manages to create these melodic hooks that practically take center stage instead of the lead vocal. I find myself walking away from listening to this record finding the guitar melodies are more important, memorable and foundational to the songs than the vocals or lyrics. From memory, I might even have trouble providing the title of any particular song on this album, but I could easily hum you the guitar part. Glorifying the guitar in this way might make it sound like I’m totally diminishing Peter’s vocals, but of course there are still great sing-alongs on this record. Probably my favorite track on the record “Blown Out Again” is the perfect blend of a signature guitar hook announcing itself as a focal point, but then also squeezing in a big, attention-grabbing vocal hook. Even some subtle layered synth textures? Wild stuff.

I could talk all day about the multitudes contained within the brilliant Mating Sounds of South American Frogs. Strange and unexpected for a staff pick? Perhaps. But, while often I hate to overuse the moniker of “underrated”, maybe I’ll say this record just deserves more love.

Anyway, that’s all I’ve got. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staters?

What the fuck is happening? I feel like I was just writing for the newsletter yesterday. The course of my week just seemed to whizz by like one of those accelerated montage sequences in a movie, where I’m stuck in one spot but the color of the leaves is changing in front of my face. I’m at the store again with Dom and I’ve got an overwhelming sense of déjà vu. I feel like I need to commit more time to smelling the roses. But how can one do such a thing when life is so busy? By the time all you newsletter subscribers are reading this, it’ll be the week of Public Acid’s record release party. Strictly a listening party (*wink*wink), so bring your headphones. The following Saturday, we’ll be heading up to DC to play a sick gig with Destruct and Abism from New York, whom I’m very stoked to see live.

Also, I wasn’t sure when would be a good time to mention this, but Scarecrow is finally repressing our first 7”, Revenge. It’s been a long time comin’; our first EP has been outta print for a long time. Me n Usman got a whole bunch o’ covers to stamp haha. Scarecrow is playing with Physique in Richmond on February 23rd, and I’m hoping we’ll have a few copies for sale at that gig. I dunno, we’ll see.

Alright, let’s talk about this Violin record. For whatever reason, this seems to be a title on Iron Lung that isn’t garnering as much attention as the other last several titles released on the prolific hardcore punk label. Currently, even though we’ve had the record in stock for a few weeks, there’s no listing for this new EP on Discogs yet. Personally, I can understand why it maybe isn’t as attention-grabbing as other records on Iron Lung. Based on the band name and visual presentation alone, Violin might have been something I would normally glance over. I mean, just the name “Violin” led me to assume the band sounded like pretentious, artsy fartsy post-punk or something. Not that there’s anything wrong with that! I was dead wrong. Now, if any of my friends were to be like “what the fuck is up with this Violin band?” I would say, “Just buy it, dude. It RIPS.”

Let me stress this clearly, I was indeed surprised to discover that Violin is actually a hardcore band. Dropping the needle on this 7” totally caught me off guard. But before I get too entrenched in depths of rambling, let me talk about their first record before I dig into this new record: Violin’s previous LP was released on La Vida Es Un Mus back in 2022. Again, I can’t remember… maybe I gave it a quick listen? But I basically totally overlooked the record at the time. As far as I know, Violin is a project by just 2 dudes. On their initial release, I might describe Violin as what I often affectionately refer to as “weirdo hardcore,” or as Daniel describes in his write-up, “slightly left of center.” There are some quirky elements on the LP, while managing to still sound relatively heavy, which made me file them in a similar sonic category as a band like their UK peers Perspex Flesh.

On this new 7”, however, it feels like the boys in Violin made a conscious decision to strip down the sound, trim the fat, and bust out 4 songs of bare-bones, lean, mean, furious hardcore punk. I gotta say, I immediately prefer this 7” to their debut LP. I think taking a more direct approach to songwriting makes the band feel more explosive and powerful, and honestly, more memorable for that matter. For me, as much as I’m sure the visual aesthetic and presentation is an important element of the band’s “vision” or whatever, I think the artwork almost sells the record short. Violin’s propulsive take on hardcore is somehow air-tight in execution while also primitive and cavemanish. Harkening back to the tougher, meaner side of 80s US hardcore, there’s something about Violin that reminds me of Out Cold. In particular, the singer’s gruff, yet throaty, high-pitched voice reminds me a lot Kevin from the early Out Cold records. Only 4 songs, and every single one of them is fast. Not insanely fast, mind you… Iron Lung’s description deems Violin’s signature pace of 1-2-1-2 drumming as “violence tempo.” Which at first I was like, what the fuck does that mean? Then again, if I were to imagine this record as the soundtrack urging a pack of seething, rabid, frothing at the mouth degenerates to start raging, I understand exactly what it means.

Maybe due to the fact that this project is destined to be a raw, well-executed hardcore solo project sleeper hit not unlike Deaf Mutations, there was a part of me that wondered if Jonah from Career Suicide might be involved somehow. Come to find out that I fuckin’ called it, Jonah does in fact play drums in Violin. Daniel always talks about the concept of smart people making dumb music, and I think Violin falls into that category.

Violins? More like Vio-LENCE, am I right? If you haven’t even given this record a chance, I highly recommend you give it a listen. I’ll cut myself off there. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week (will probably be here before I know it),

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staters?

As I’m finishing up writing this, I’m gearing up to make the drive I’ve made soooo many times in my life, a good 2.5 hours on I-95 up to Richmond. It’ll be the first full Public Acid practice we’ve had in what feels like a very long time. I’m feeling stoked as we’re gearing up for our record release party in a couple weeks. That said, forgive me if my intro is a little brisk this week! Here’s my staff pick, a record I was excitedly anticipating:

It’s always weird when I put some energy out into the universe, and I’m rewarded with a totally coincidental reward in return. I revisited the matched pair of singles by Pura Manía from way back in 2014 a few months ago. These 2 7”s, La Estafa Musical and Música Para Gente Fea, were basically released back to back, and I remember them being a huge favorite amongst the crew here at Sorry State whenever we first stocked them. It had been years since the last time I listened to Pura Manía, and I just remember thinking, “Goddamn, these records are STILL so killer.” I even talked about them on Analog Attack’s podcast What Are You Listening To? back in November. And then, like a message delivered by angels descending from the heavens, I found out through the grapevine that Pura Manía had a new EP coming out on Roach Leg. What are the chances? 10 years later, I guess they decided it’s finally time. I didn’t even know how bad I wanted a new record from them until I found out it was happening.

First of all, this new record Extraños Casos De La Vida Real does not disappoint. I remember before I even had the chance to listen to it, Daniel described it as sounding pretty much just like their old stuff. Which I was like, if it does happen to be the case that they didn’t change much at all, then that’s cool with me! But now, having listened to it, I think Daniel might have undersold it for me a little bit. When you first drop the needle on the A side, it opens with an introduction of dramatic, atmospheric piano that reprises the guitar melody from the opening track on their LP, Cerebros Punk. I think making a callback to one of the band’s previous melodies that is immediately recognizable was super clever. Like a soothing blanket of familiarity. But then, like an unexpected, startling jump-scare, the band launches into the first track “El Viaje Al Interiro Del Cuerpo,” which kicks off with this Rezillos-esque walking bass line. What struck me right off the bat is that the production sounds much less like a raw, 4-track recording, unlike their previous releases. They make some buck wild, off the wall choices with the FX, dude. Experimental ideas, that perhaps with other bands, I’d think to myself “This is whack.” I mean, the bass is loud in the mix and drenched in chorus, which I would already expect for that New Age-era Blitz sound I assume they’re influenced by. But holy shit, on the intro to the 2nd track “El Mundo Al Revés”… it sounds like drums have like a crazy phaser effect on them. The drums do this heavy, pounding fill and then the super reverbed out choir of lads comes in. “Whoa oh oh ooooh oh oh.” Reading this, you might not get it, but this gang of burly dudes repeats this refrain for basically the whole song. It’s pretty cool haha.

They also do a cover by The Screamers… ahem, excuse me, “Los Screamers.” “122 Hours of Fear,” or “122 Horas De Miedo” in this case, is such a fitting cover for Pura Manía to choose. They totally nail the creepy intro. Then there’s that big break where the vocals cue the band to kick back in. I’m used to the original version, so hearing a Screamers tune sang in Spanish makes it sound totally rad and fresh to the ears. Pura Manía does have that kinda Oi! thing going on, but like I find with a lot of Latino punk, a bit of death rock creeps its way into the vibe of the sound. And somehow, early LA punk seems right at home for Pura Manía as well. Dom even commented, “Sounds like the bass player was listening to The Cure a lot before they made this record.” Haha. Side note: Funny enough, there was a short-lived band from Raleigh called Crete who covered this same Screamers tune. Brought a smile to my face thinking about both Crete and Pura Manía having good taste, each band bringing their own style to the table covering the Screamers.

I don’t know man, I guess you could argue this new record sounds similar to their previous material. I think in terms of musical style, sure, maybe they haven’t deviated drastically. Personally, I think that’s an indicator of a band’s signature sound more-so than they’re rehashing. In many ways, I think Extraños Casos De La Vida Real is an adventurous, yet refined enhancement of the Pura Manía we were already familiar with. It just feels more ambitious, more anthemic, heavier, denser. The band always had catchy guitar leads, but on the last track “Las Locas Aventuras De Horacio Gómez,” there’s like a proper, real deal Rikk Agnew style guitar SOLO. The musicianship and approach to constructing to this record just about makes me feel envious. I don’t know if “matured” is the right way to describe this new record. Let’s face it, the artwork is still a bottle of booze with a label that reads “punk” pasted onto it, which is pouring all over the band’s logo. It reminds of movies like Repo Man where the cans in the fridge just say “BEER” on them haha. This cartoonish, almost absurdist imagery on all the band’s records with goofy, borderline dumb pop art aesthetic is so attractive to me. It’s like… punk as all hell, dude. Staring at cartoon brains with sunglasses and Rat Fink lookin’ critters while the band is bangin’ out these killer, musically sophisticated, over the top but still raw and hooky classic sounding punk tunes? YUH, it fuckin’ rules.

Anyway, I’ll quit gushing. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staters?

Here’s to another morning where I’m working on getting heavily caffeinated and writing about records for all you fine people out there. Many cool things to announce on the personal front in the weeks to come. Firstly, Public Acid is finally announcing our record release part for our new 12” entitled Deadly Struggle, coming out in February on Beach Impediment. The record release party is on February 16th in Richmond. I’ve been playing in the band for almost 3 years already (holy shit), and this is the first proper new recording with me playing on it. I play guitar on the Beat Session tape that came out a while back, but I’m stoked for everybody to hear a fresh batch of new Pub Ass tunes. A lot of work has gone into this record, and I just hope everyone who hears it is stoked on it. Bunker Punks has some exciting news in the weeks to come as well, but I won’t spoil anything just yet.

Anyway, onto talking about records we’ve got here at Sorry State. Really, just in the last couple days, a TON of boxes of new releases have been landing at our doorstep. Iron Lung has a fresh batch of new stuff. I’m sure everyone will be jumping on that new Physique 7”. What really grabbed my attention from this new spread of Iron Lung releases is this Bog People record. I’d never even heard of Bog People, honestly. I assumed the record was just a new release. Upon further inspection, I come to discover that this recording session is from waaaay back in 2010. How appropriate that I’m writing about a band from Portland on this dreary ass morning in Raleigh. It sure fuckin’ looks like Portland outside. Apparently, the Bog Peeps from Portland were around for a couple years in the late 00s/early 2010s and basically only ever released tapes. Maybe there was a split 7” or something? I can’t remember. The band’s existence seems to be shrouded in mystery—a “boggy fog”, if you will. A bit of detective work on the good ol’ Discogs led me to find out that members of this band were in several Portland bands I’ve heard of, like Arctic Flowers, Bellicose Minds, Frenzy, Nerveskade, etc. But now, thanks to the fine folks at Iron Lung, The Bog People finally release their eponymous debut LP.

I feel like Bog People were kiiiiiinda doing what bands like Subdued are doing now. The description “UK82” doesn’t really do it justice. Bog People to me sound more like the anarcho-inflected side of early 80s UK hardcore. Maybe this is due in part to the heaps of chorus on the guitars, which is kind of a symptom of that 2010s timeframe I feel like, but in this case it totally works. Bands intermingling in that era of Portland punk do seem to have a cloud of doom and gloom that hangs over and infuses its way into the sound. One thing I will say though, is that this Bog People recording sounds convincingly old and authentic. Like seriously. I mean, come on, the band released a tape called ’81 in ’09. Pretty bold. But if I were to shut my eyes, and you were to try and convince me that this recording was from 1981 without any previous knowledge, I might believe you. What is also pretty convincing is my dude’s attempt at a British accent when he sings haha. There’s this one track on the record where after the band stops playing, you hear the singer say “I fucked that all up.”—and I was just laughing, thinking, “Yep, he’s definitely American.”

What can I say? I feel like fast songs sound like Legion of Parasites, AOA or Anti-System. Then there will be a couple slower, dirgey sounding tracks that sound like Part 1 or something like that. And I know making these comparisons it could sound like I’m just blowin’ smoke. Like, “oh sure, another band from the 2010s imitating UK82” *eyeroll*. I really think Bog People nailed it though. There’s this video of them playing on Youtube, and with the exception of the computery Windows Moviemaker title card at the beginning, the footage looks analog and grainy in a way that looks like it was recorded a loooong time ago. Then again, 2009 was 15 years ago, so I guess it has been a long time.

Welp, that’s all I’ve got to say about Bog People I think. Fack off, mate.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staters?

I’m once again writing this a little late. Whereas most of my fellow Sorry State crew probably had their staff picks written on Thursday or Friday, here I am on the Sunday before we release the newsletter trying to finish up last-minute. Classic. At first I thought that I might write about that new Ultimate Disaster tape, because I’ve got a couple buds in the band and people seem stoked on it. A surgical approach to Discharge-influenced hardcore, and they kill it. But it’s already sold out! Then I thought about writing about that new Comes live LP… But it’s already sold out! I don’t know why, but for some reason those records not being available discouraged me from doing a write-up for all you readers.

So yeah, I just ended up going in a totally different direction. As much as I am still digesting as much new punk and hardcore as I can, my attention has been diverted to some other types of music lately. I’ve been trying to dive into January with a positive attitude because I had just been feeling so bummed the last few months of 2023. Sorry for TMI. But there’s some used records coming through the store and Dom will just throw them on from time to time when we’re working together. Like right now I’m listening to this beater copy of a Cyamande record as I’m writing this. But for the most part, I’ve been gravitating toward The Meters a lot lately. What can I say? I want the funk, baby. From what I’ve checked out, I’ve enjoyed every record by The Meters so far. I just find them totally infectious. “Tippie Toes” is a killer instrumental track off of their Struttin’ album. Most recently though, a copy of their album Rejuvenation came through the store, and I just had to grab it. It’s a bit of a beater copy, so we priced it pretty cheap. But hey, I ain’t complaining. I feel like Meters records are meant to be partied on. I catch myself just singin’ along with “Peeeeeople say!” without consciously realizing I’m doing so. I feel like The Meters ride that line of down-to-earth, sweet sounding 60s soul on some tracks, but the dirtiest, funky grooves you’ve ever heard—like that wah-wahed out guitar riff that starts “Just Kissed My Baby”? Dude, it makes my hair stand up on end. On that track “Hey Pock-Away,” my man’s just singin’ “feel good muuuuusic!” It rules. You can catch me playing that track and dancing real badly while I’m cleaning in my kitchen or whatever. It’s hard to be in a bad mood while listening to The Meters. I’m jammin’ it on heavy rotation.

I guess this is a pretty short one this round. If you’ve been feeling down, I highly recommend throwing on some Meters. PS, if you were questioning, my picture this is week is definitely not Photoshopped. Anyway, as always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staters?

After the hours I spent constructing the epic “year in review” newsletter last week, it seems funny sitting down just to write a normal-length one o’ these bad boiz. I wish I had more to report on the personal front this week. 2024 is off to a decent start I’d say. Vibes are pretty good. Many fun things to look forward to in the months to come.

Anyway, let’s get into it. Not too long ago, Sorry State stocked this new record by Jerry A from Poison Idea in which he commissions a backing band, and they call it Jerry A & The Kings of Oblivion. This 6-song 12” EP, titled Life After Hate, features a handful of original tunes, and several cover tunes. So of course, speaking of “kings of oblivion”, they do a pretty killer cover of “City Kids” by the Pink Fairies. And of course, I love Jerry’s gnarly vocals in Poison Idea, but I was actually pleasantly surprised by his cleaner vocal approach and singing ability. He sounds great! My dude Jerry’s got some pipes.

But really, this Life After Hate record isn’t really what I actually wanna talk about. Ready for a smooth segue? The 4 dudes who act as the backing band for Jerry are a bunch of younger Dutch guys. Follow my lead, here. The first track on this record is also a cover tune, but I didn’t recognize it. The song is called “Degeneration,” and I was like damn man, I really like this song. Catchy as all hell. After some detective work, with Dom’s help of course (thanks man), I discovered that this song is a tune by an old band from Amsterdam called The Blitzz – yes, with 2 “Z’s” haha. I looked the band up on Discogs, and turns out that The Blitzz was short-lived, and only released 2 singles in 1978. These 2 singles were even released on a major label, EMI Holland. Crazy that the band even with a record deal never managed to release a full album. Kinda cool in a way. It only adds to the mystery. I come to find out that “Degeneration” is actually the B-side on The Blitzz’s first single entitled “So Free”. So, what I did I do? I immediately ordered a copy overseas from a seller in Holland. The single wasn’t even very expensive. Perhaps in the used bins in record stores in Amsterdam, this single is pretty easy to come by. But for someone like me, living in Raleigh, North Carolina, I was willing to pay up for the international shipping and add this banger in my stack of 7”s.

If I hadn’t known any better, I would have guessed that The Blitzz were English. For my money, The Blitzz sounds like one of those bands that could have shifted out of more of a power pop or “pub rock” kinda sound into the emerging punk rock movement. Almost like Chelsea or a band of a similar vein. I mean it just sounds like it should be filed in your “sound of ‘77” punk bangers bin. High energy, big, jangly rock’n’roll guitar sounds, and huge choruses. It rules. The singer’s voice has that slightly deeper, gruffer tone, which reminds me of Buzzcocks songs that Steve Diggle would sing lead on, like “Harmony In My Head” or other bangers. And though The Blitzz is devoid of any reggae influence to my ears, I could cite The Ruts as a pretty good comparison as well. “Degeneration” is just one of those tunes that I can’t believe I didn’t absorb into my consciousness before now. It RIPS, dude. When it gets to that refrain, “Everybody’s talkin’ about DE- GEN- A- RAAATION!” it stretches the corners of my mouth into a shit-eaten grin. But I gotta say, the A-side track is a total banger as well. “She’s so free! So Free! So Free! So Free!”

I feel so stoked that listening to this new Jerry A record, which functions almost like a loveletter to early punk and proto-punk, exposed me to a great classic punk tune I had never experienced. If any of you readers have never heard The Blitzz and my write-up sounds up your alley, I highly suggest checking them out. The songs are on YouTube. The other single sells for a significantly higher price point, but I’ll inevitably need to lock down that record as well.

Welp, that’ll do it for this round. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staters?

2023 has come to an end. Ooooooh and what a year it was. I was reflecting on all the dumb shit I got myself into and all the records I listened to this year, and you know what? Not too shabby. I always have my ups and downs, and SURE, there’s been some speed bumps along the way, but there’s also been plenty over this past year to smile about.

Here’s my Top 10 of 2023. Forgive me for the overly long write-ups about records I’ve probably already talked about plenty this year. Maybe it’ll be worth your time to read what I have to say. Or if you end up scrolling past a whole bunch of it, shiiit, I don’t blame you haha. I decided to not even mention anything released on Sorry State. Surely GUN, Sirkka, Mutant Strain, and even Koro would be mentioned.

Whatever, here we go:

1. Personal Damage: Apathy & Entropy 12” - Easily one of my favorite records of the year. When Personal Damage first emerged onto my radar a few years back, they caught my attention immediately. It seemed like they became prolific right out of the gate, beating me over the head with a tape, then a 7” flexi, then another tape, then a proper 7” EP. I was curious how well the band would make the leap to the full-length format, and they did not disappoint. You can hear the influence of early 80s LA hardcore like Circle Jerks or The Stains, but Personal Damage has their own thing going on too. Catchy, snotty, memorable, not to mention amazing sounding production and beautiful packaging. Killer.
   
   
2. Electric Chair: Act Of Aggression 12” – I think I may have mentioned the pre-release cassette version of this LP in my end of 2022 review and said something like “this will surely end up in my best of 2023” haha. So yeah, I’d already been listening to this record a lot for over a year now, but it was exciting when the vinyl version finally dropped earlier in 2023. The band’s first full-length LP took their already frenetic style of hardcore and added even more craziness to the mix. Insane shredder leads, weird sort of trippy, psychedelic passages in songs like “Security Camera” – it’s wild. But still the same awesome, outta control, catchy songwriting you’d expect. Electric Chair really got around this year. Even myself, I saw them multiple times, in Minneapolis for the Thrasher event, in Philly for Something To Talk About Fest, at Sorry State 10th Anniversary, and on Halloween in Richmond. I don’t know what it is about Electric Chair. All the dudes are funny as fuck, and there’s something cartoony and silly about them. But they are also undeniably one of the most dead serious, potent, explosive and raging hardcore punk bands out there. They rule.
   
   
3. Tozcos: Infernal 12” – This record snuck its way onto my list right at the tail-end of the year, but it had to be included. First non-NY band to be released on Toxic State? Tozcos have been active for over a decade now I believe. Infernal is their 2nd LP, and it is worth the wait. Tozcos brings an element of “song-based” hardcore punk that I think is sadly missing at the moment. There’s a really thoughtful, dare I say, almost “pop-oriented” attitude toward their constructing of songs. I don’t even speak Spanish very well, but I find myself continuing to sing the vocal hooks after I’m done listening to the record. Not to mention the monster musicianship in the band. Limon’s razor-sharp guitar tone, Corrina’s super in the pocket, pounding, groovy drumming… Also, Kevin’s gotta be one of the best bass players in the game. Walkin’ all up and down that neck. When I heard the bass break intro in the teaser track “Presos”, I was like “deeeeeeyum”. And Monsé’s vicious vocal delivery brings it to the next level. What a great record made by genuinely cool people. This is the real shit right here.
   
   
4. Sick Thoughts: Born To Blitzkrieg 12” – So, I will admit, I was way late in discovering Sick Thoughts. Even over the years with Drew releasing a TON of records, I just assumed I wouldn’t really be into it. I’m choosing this 2023 EP in part because I feel like an idiot for not even giving 2022’s Heaven Is No Fun a chance until way into 2023. I surely would’ve included it on my best of 2022 list, but it feels like I experienced it all in 2023. But Born To Blitzkrieg is so great too. There are 4 songs on this bad boy, and surprisingly, it opens with an eponymously titled ripping hardcore tune. What I discovered is that beyond Sick Thoughts’ sort of silly, crude presentation and lyrical content, my dude just writes great songs. “(I’m A) Hellraiser” is like somewhere between Generation X or Blitz mixed with some random raw, rockin’ KBD tune or something. The classy title of “Schoolgirls in Chains” is almost like early GG Allin, but then breaks into some straight up harmonized Thin Lizzy guitar leads? So sick. Then this EP ends with an unexpected tender moment with “My Heart Is Breaking Over You.” Consider me converted. I love Sick Thoughts.
   
   
5. Pyr Kata Voulisi: Thymata Eirinis 12” – I try my best to pronounce this band’s name NOW, but when we first stocked this record, I remember everyone referring to them as, “You know uuuh, the Greek band!” Haha. An unexpected ripper for me this year. It sounds like these Greeks take some cues from Swedish hardcore, namely I hear a little bit of Herätys influence in the riffs. Just a great hardcore record. I remember them getting some buzz this year amongst the true heads. I hope this band records something new in the not-so-distant future.
   
   
6. The Hell: S/T 12” – These Cleveland boys teased a few tracks from this LP on a cassette back in 2022. Putting the “punk” back in hardcore punk. Direct, to the point, raging. Clean guitars pumping out riffs like a machine. Snarling, aloof vocals somewhere between Stiv Bators and Danny Spira. Tight, fast drumming. 10 songs in 12 minutes. What more do you want? I hear rumors that they’ve got something new geared up for 2024. Can’t wait.
   
   
7. Deletär: S/T 12” – France’s finest, if you ask me. Deletär released a few records before this LP, but I think they really just nailed it on this round. From the moment you drop the needle, your face will melt immediately. Not unlike Pyr Kata Voulisi, Deletär definitely tips their hat to raging käng-style Swedish hardcore. The production on this LP is super dense and intense. Great guitar tone. And just one fist-pumping killer riff after another. Some of the guitar leads approach Skitkids territory. But for me, I like that Deletär have that heavier edge to their sound, but don’t quite cross into crust territory. They kinda remind of a band like Infernöh sort of. I saw Deletär at K-Town back in 2022, but I look forward to seeing this band live again soon. Also, there might be some cool news about this LP soon ;)
   
   
8. Nuovo Testamento: Love Lines 12” – This might be a surprising choice against some of the other records on my list. But if I’m being honest with myself, I listened to this record a whole bunch this year. I don’t know anything about Italo-Disco, really. I know that’s what Nuovo Testamento is going for with the name and all. But when I listen to this record, I just think about 80s NRG and freestyle synth-pop like Stacey Q and Samantha Fox. Maybe I don’t know what I’m talking about. What I do know is that I’ll throw this record on when I’m in my kitchen and shake my tail feather while I’m cooking dinner. It rules.
   
   
9. Tiikeri: Punk Rock Pamaus!!! 12” – Funny how a record with cartoon tigers and anarchy A’s inside of hearts made such an impact this year. The Finnish songsmiths were at it again this year with their first full-length. Maybe I live in a bubble, but a lot of people were super into this record this year, right? I’ll use the word I’ve used many times when I’ve described Tiikeri: INFECTIOUS. That’s the thing, it’s hard not to like it. When they make the cute battle cry of, “Okay, let’s punk!” You’re like, yeah I’m down. Saccharinely sweet poppy punk tunes about how “punk is love” and all that kinda stuff. A welcome positive distraction from the awful things happening in this world. Authentic late 70s Finnish KBD or Green Day? I’ll let you decide.
   
   
10. The Massacred: Post-Mortem 7” – Wow, the only 7” on my list this year. I had to pick at least one. Funny enough, Public Acid played New Year’s Eve of 2022 in Toronto. Then, our next show on that trip on January 1st, 2023 was in Boston and it was the record release for The Massacred’s first 7”. So technically, this record just barely made it in time to qualify as a 2023 release. What a great way to kick off the year. This band rips. An almost militaristically tight approach to hardcore punk. The Massacred definitely have some UK82 influence going on with big, chanted sloganeering style vocals. But then, a friend mentioned to me that the riffing reminds him of Headcleaners. Now I can’t unhear it. Soooo, like a tough as nails, stompy version of Headcleaners? Sign me up. Awesome packaging on this record too. I remember Usman and I gushing over the hand-stamped dust sleeves.

-----Honorable Mentions-----

-Golpe: Assuefazione Quotidiana 7" – I almost feel guilty not including this 7” in my top 10! I love me some Golpe. Them sweet Italian boys. Part of the Sorry State family, this new 7” offering on Beach Impediment has some the band’s heaviest, stompiest songs yet.

-Yellowcake: Can You See The Future? 7” – This band came onto my radar this year out of nowhere. I think they’re making a big impression in general. Not For The Weak did a great job with this 7”, but I think seeing this band live is really what did it for me. So powerful. The drummer is insane.

-Bloodstains: Anti-Social 7” – Orange County, baby. I love that this band is bringing back that melodic side of early 80s California punk. The sleeves on these 7”s look great too. Thanks again for hooking me up with a copy, Cesar. Gimme more Agnew, people!

-Fairytale: Shooting Star 12” – Another record that probably should’ve made my Top 10. This LP is just insane. For bands doing the “d-beat” style or whatever, I always thought Fairytale were a unique, kinda spaced out, psychedelic take on the sound. Lulu’s vocals on that track “Possible to Grow,” so killer.

-Nukies: Can’t You Tell That This Is Hell 12” – Another ripper that I digested in tape format first. Nukies from Sweden play super riffy, almost rocked out hardcore that’s often stompier and groovier than it is ripping mangel style. Great stuff.

-Factory City Children: S/T 7” – Mateo from Warthog transforms into a demon and wreaks havoc on the streets of NY. Nasty, raw, blown out but catchy punk tunes recorded over a drum machine.

-People’s Temple: I’m With The... 7” – When a dude from Orange County infiltrates NY and brings that catchy style of hardcore from one coast to the other. There’s things I liked and kinda didn’t care for with this record, but the first track “Think For Me” really stands out.

-Destruct: Cries the Mocking Mother Nature 12” – Had to mention my Richmond homies. Seriously one of the deadliestly (is that word?) tight bands playing Japanese-inspired hardcore at the moment. Those tom rolls, dude. Makes the kids go nuts.

-Hez: Panamaniacs 12” – Even though I know we had stocked previous records by this band a few years back, John Scott actually turned me onto this record. Totally raging hardcore from Panama. Kinda raw but also atmospheric like Destino Final or bands of that style.

-Class: If You’ve Got Nothing 12” – Another band that, for me, appeared out of nowhere and all the sudden was super prolific with their releases. I never really checked them out until much later in the year. I heard such positive endorsements from people around me. I finally gave Class a shot and now I totally get it. I feel like the term “power pop” gets a bad rap. Class just writes great, jangly vintage sounding punk tunes. I really love the track “Behind The Ball” on this new LP.

-Chueko: Tools of Oppression 7” – I think I just talked about this 7” in the last newsletter, but it’s continued to grow on me. Great hardcore punk from Portland by members of Suck Lords, Alienator, etc.

-Secretors: Comparing Missile Size Vol.1 7” – Another release from later in the year. I feel like this EP is just a barrage of intense, heavy hardcore that definitely has a couple nods to Japanese punk classics. Great riffs on this record.

-Laughing Corpse: Demented Thoughts Posed As Dark Comedy cassette – New band out of DC. I think this tape is really cool. My homie Connor killing it on drums, as always. Funny enough, I detect a bit of COC and Double Negative influence in the songwriting. Totally Raleigh-biased over here, and of course I’m so here for it.

Certainly, there are several other records released in 2023 that I could talk about. But I tried to narrow it down to a few choice favorites, and I still feel like I wrote too much. I didn’t even mention REISSUES! That’d be a whole other verbose series of ramblings.

Alright, more generally speaking, here’s a “Top 10” list of my favorite and most eventful moments this year:

1. Sirkka gig weekend – I just remember this weekend being really fun. It was toward the end of April. Public Acid played in Norfolk on a Friday. Then on Saturday, Usman and I spent the whole day Saturday in Richmond. I remember hanging with a big group of friends, we got breakfast, went to a skatepark by the river, got margaritas, and it was just nice having the crew together. Then on Sunday, both Public Acid and Scarecrow played with Sirkka. Sirkka ripped so hard. That was a great gig. It was great seeing Sanja again after Scarecrow had met her in Germany on our European tour back in summer 2022.

2. Public Acid Thrasher gig – People who regularly read the newsletter might be aware that skateboarding was super important to me when I was younger. It was super cool to get invited by Thrasher Magazine to go to Minneapolis, watch some skateboarding, and then rip a gig with Electric Chair at the afterparty. A no brainer. We were hosted by Will from Desolate and it was awesome. I got to meet Tony Trujilo, one of my favorite skaters. We hung with the Electric Chair dudes and, you know, went and rode a giant wooden mechanical wiener at a sex shop. The usual stuff. Then after the gig, all of us in Public Acid and Electric Chair went to a swimming spot by a lakeshore at night with some Minneapolis locals.

3. Shomo Fest 2023 – I know the fest is called Something To Talk About. I call it Shomo Fest affectionately. Jim put together one hell of a fest. If it wasn’t already killer in 2022, he really upped the whole shebang this past year. It was my first time playing the First Unitarian Church in Philly, which has been doing punk and hardcore shows for a loooong time. And seeing Vaaska and Warthog was killer. The Saturday shows at Foto Club were a blast, too. The Wanted, Invertebrates and Mutant Strain killed.

4. Meat House Tour – Even though this run of dates we did was short, this was easily one of the funnest tours I’ve ever been on. Meat House went out and played some Midwest gigs with Mutant Strain, and it was great. Even more than I remember the gigs, I remember just laughing and hanging out. Rolling up to a White Castle, making Shrek Juice™ out of bright green soda and tequila and actin’ a fool for hours. I’ll never forget those cool local dudes we met at the liquor store who asked if we were on Spotify and then wanted to take a group picture with us, and then the one dude preceded to pull out his gun to pose with for the photo.

5. Scarecrow / Vidro Tour – The Swedes invaded! Vidro are the coolest. So stoked we got to tour together. Scarecrow and Vidro did 10 days in a van together up the east coast and dipped our toes into the Midwest a bit too. There were many highlights. Staying with Andy and Elise in Worcester ruled, where their house had horror movie ephemera in every corner and Andy showed us his many wares and special herbs grown on the property. Loved getting to hang with Trevor in Cleveland and I also got a sick tattoo from Lia. Also in Cleveland, we went to check out the Great Lake and there was trash and dead rats on the beach. Awesome. The Richmond show was great; it was fun hanging at Chubb’s after the gig and jamming Ramones records. Our last night in DC, we involuntarily spent 2 hours in a tiki bar and then went and danced at a goth club. I can’t wait to see Vendela, Lucas, Staffan, and Melody again soon. Perhaps back on their home turf sometime ;)

6. Hangin’ with Tozcos in a graveyard on my birthday – This was yet another Thrasher magazine event where they recruited punk bands to play. This time, it was Scarecrow that played, and it happened right in our backyard in Charlotte. We got to the skate park too late to see the skating, which I was bummed about. But the gig we played later was with Tozcos! The gig was on August 19th, so it was my birthday right when the clock struck midnight. We all got cases of beer and celebrated in the graveyard TSOL style – Well, actually NO, not like that.

7. Sorry State Anniversary weekend – This should be number 1 on the list. The coolest thing that’s happened in Raleigh in all the years I’ve lived here. 2 days of pure punk bliss, thanks to our Lord Commander Daniel. A lot of planning and work went into organizing our 10-Year Anniversary, and I’m so happy it went well. Thanks again to all the bands who came and played and all the people who helped out. I’ll never forget it.

8. Tampa – Generally speaking, I’ve never been the biggest fan of visiting Florida. But prior to actually arriving, Mike from Warthog/Heaven’s Gate picking me up at the airport and driving me into Ybor, I didn’t realize I’d never been to Tampa. I must admit, I had a pretty awesome time. Seeing mofos roll cigars fast as fuck in the windows of local shops and seeing wild chickens roaming around, it was a cool vibe. The gig Public Acid played was cool obviously, but moments like drinking Aperol Spritz at fancy hotel pool with palm trees while Chubb wore a cowboy hat—that and going to this huge, famous S&M goth club were the best moments in my mind.

9. Screaming Death – Me and Usman’s label, Bunker Punks Discs & Tapes, released a record I’m really proud of this year. It was a project that was in the works for a couple years: a 4-way split featuring our band Scarecrow, Destruct, Rat Cage, and Dissekerad. The final product came out amazing, and we’re really stoked on the positive response we’ve gotten from the release. Thanks everybody!

10. This year in record collecting – So last but not least, I managed to score some records this year. Pretty much all the records worth mentioning are of the miniature variety. Not so many full-size platters, but I crossed off some of my major bite-size wants. I always convince myself I didn’t go too too crazy. Whoops! The SOA was a huge one for me, of course. I’m also so stoked I was able to lock down an original Zmiv 7”. I didn’t know if I’d ever see one. The Damned Stretcher Case was a record that eluded me for years too; I guess they were given away at gigs in the late 70s? Wild. Thankful that Colin from Sit & Spin in Philly brought that down with him while being a vendor at the Sorry State anniversary. Hell yeah.

There are several more things I could drag on about, like the Krigshoder/Indre Krig gig in Richmond, the Halloween show where I dressed as Captain Sensible and barely anyone got it, the under the bridge show with Nosferatu, Subdued, and Tower 7, seeing Appendix… the list goes on and on. I think I’m gonna try to wrap it up here.

2023 definitely had plenty to keep me busy. Seems like 2024 is already shaping up to be just as, if not MORE, busy than last year. Thanks to all you readers who have supported us here at Sorry State. Here’s hoping 2024 ends up being a good one.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staters?

Happy Holidays, everybody! Hope everyone is curling up by the fire with some bourbon-spiked vegan eggnog and the soothing sounds of depressive Satanic black metal. Or Bing Crosby. Whatever floats your boat. Me personally, I do all I can to avoid your typical played-out Christmas music that cycles ad nauseum on the radio and in grocery stores. There’s nothing worse than a white dude playing electric blues guitar while gruffly crooning about Santa Claus. Makes me wanna puke even more than the aforementioned spiked ‘nog. Don’t get me wrong; I don’t hate this time of year or anything. I just care more about the wholesome family time and couldn't care less about the whole colorful lights and Jesus part of it. Anyway, I won’t drag on about the holidays. I’m sure any of you Sorry Staters reading this on Christmas Day could use a welcome break from all that.

This week, I decided to write about the new 7” from Chueko we just got in stock. Chueko are from the Portland area, and I’m pretty sure the band has folks from Alienator, Suck Lords, and other bands from that whole crew. A buddy actually gave me a copy of Chueko’s demo tape back in 2022. I guess he’s chums with them, so the band hooked him up with a few copies. I immediately loved it. To my ears, it sounded like a pretty raw 4-track recording. Pretty clean, almost jangly guitar, but with a heavy, groovy rhythm section. This is such a corny adjective, but Chueko is just SLAMMIN’, dude. Stompy, punchy UK82-style punk would be my lazy description. But the singer has this gnarly, vicious voice and sings mostly in Spanish, which is rad and makes the band really stand out.

But now they’ve got this new EP, courtesy of Black Water. The production on this new 7”, titled Tools Of Oppression, is decidedly more blown out and noisy sounding. It’s funny, incredibly more-so than the tape, the bass player is totally killing it on this new EP. Like… SHREDDING it. Because the guitar sound is much more gritty, the bass sounds really pronounced in the mix and honestly comes across like the lead instrument haha. Fuck playing the bass heavy on the low notes to support the guitar riffs. Are you kidding? I’m talkin’ bout combing out that wild hair and rippin’ it up on them high strings, baby. It’s killer.

I did reference UK82 earlier, and the intro to the song “Stupid People” is like a direct homage to “Knife’s Edge” by GBH. But in a killer way. I was like, “oh fuck yeah.” One of the many strengths of Chueko is that they can write a catchy ass tune. I’m gonna sound like a total hater, but in recent years, I feel like punk bands coming out write a series of heavy riffs and stitch them together in a composition that technically qualifies as the benchmark for “hardcore tune.” But rarely these days do I feel like bands write actual SONGS. Sometimes, I’ll listen to newer bands and I just feel like the record just kinda… happens TO me, like a barrage of noise just washes over me. But for my money, Chueko have that knack to write these catchy sing-along choruses. There are gang vocal parts all over this record, and I’m absolutely here for it. It’s easy to imagine this band playing a gig and the crowd piling on top of one another to bogart the mic when the time comes for everyone to sing, “OUT TO GET YOU!” But even with the chanted vocals, I would not say this band comes across as “tough” exactly. The label affectionately describes the 4 characters in this group as a “cluster of weirdos,” which I felt like I could sense immediately. Chueko is queerer, weirder and more ripping than all you punk-ass mofos. Highly recommend.

Anyway, that’s all I’ve got this time. Catch our end-of-year wrap-ups next round. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next YEAR,

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staters?

Things have felt kinda hectic around SSR HQ lately. As for me, I just can’t believe we’re right smack dab in the middle of the holiday season. December really crept up on me this year. I’ve already seen some people posting online about their “best of 2023” lists, and I’m like: “WTF?? ALREADY???” I’m not even close to feeling prepared to even think about that yet. I’m still trying to figure out where the last few months have gone. It’s a weird feeling, being unprepared for the coming new year. Whatever.

I’m writing my addition to the newsletter late this round. I’m sitting behind the counter at the store and it’s raining. Another quiet, dreary ass Sunday. But at least there’s a new Tiikeri release! Damn, have I written in the newsletter about every Tiikeri record since we’ve started stocking them here at Sorry State? Whoopsie. I don’t know what it is, man. Especially around this time of year when it starts getting colder, I just gravitate toward listening to easily digestible jams that put me in a good mood. I mean even right now, I’m listening to the first Kim Wilde record as I’m opening the store! (a new wave banger top to bottom, but that’s for another newsletter). But Tiikeri has definitely fallen into that “puts me in a good mood” rotation as of late.

Now, even though I’m a fan, one of the criticisms I’ve made about Tiikeri’s sonic brand of punk and style of songwriting is that they could easily fall into the “way too pop punk for me” category. Have they finally reached a new stratosphere with this new batch of tunes? I guess it’s a weird move to have a “staff recommendation” and kick it off with a judgement. I’m just curious to see if other fans of Tiikeri agree with me. I mean, tell me I’m wrong: When I was listening to the 2nd track “Punk Rock – Hitti!!!” they do this one chord change where I found myself scratching my head. Then, they repeat this same motif a few times in a row at the end of the song… Then, it instantly clicked. I blurted out loud, “FUUUUCK, it’s Green Day.” The way they do the ending sounds just like “Basket Case.” (Chubb, you readin?) It can’t be a coincidence. They did that on purpose. It honestly made me chuckle. These Finns with pop songwriting chops know exactly what they’re doing. 70’s KBD MY ASS!! Nah, I’m just kidding. The songs are still really good and have that enthusiastic, uplifting peculiarity that keeps me interested.

Shit, I’ve blabbed on about Tiikeri for so long that I failed to even mention that this is a split 7”! The band on the flip-side of the record is called Vänsuut. Musically, this band sharing a platter with Tiikeri is a match made in heaven. Very fitting combo. But Vänsuut is maybe a little rougher around the edges. Their songs are certainly still super tuneful, but maybe a little more out of tune, a little more raw, and just generally less squeaky clean than their buddies on the other side of the record. For me though, I find the Vänsuut side very refreshing after the sweetness of Tiikeri. I’m not sure I prefer Vänsuut side exactly, but now I feel like I’ve got a new band to seek out other releases by. And actually, they might be even more authentically vintage KBD sounding than Tiikeri, if I do say so myself. Funny enough, even though they’re certainly trying to emulate early Finnish punk like Ratsia or something, it was a big surprise to find out that they’re Japanese! Pretty cool. Good work fellas.

Anyway, I’ll wrap it up. Not sure if Daniel will want us to an “end of 2023” roundup in the upcoming newsletter (or the one after?), but I need to start reviewing what records I even remember listening to this year. Hoping to jam some Tiikeri and Vänsuut and keep the spirits positive while having a nice holiday. Hope all of you readers do the same. Cheers.

As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff