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What’s up everyone? I trust you are doing well out there. Summer is here officially, although we’ve had some three-digit temperature days already this year here in North Carolina. Hopefully you are keeping cool. Of course, if you are reading this in the southern hemisphere then this probably won’t apply to you. In which case, I hope you are keeping warm. Lol. Enough about the world’s weather patterns and let’s get on with this.

Some weeks I feel like I could write about anything and everything and other weeks I struggle to pick just one. That’s just down to me and my moods and how the ol’ noggin is feeling. Generally, I prefer to go with whatever I am feeling at the time, although I sometimes have things in mind for a future staff pick. This week it’s a combination of the two. I have wanted to mention my regard for this band here in these pages for a while and today whilst looking through a box of records we bought over the weekend for something to play in-store I found one of their records in it. As the record played, it seemed like now was the time.

The group in question is SRC from Michigan, USA who were active for about five years during the late 1960s through to the early 1970s. They were a part of a very flourishing scene in southeast Michigan. The teen bands of the area were influenced by the British Invasion but the tougher end of the spectrum and of course the sounds of Detroit and Motown. The members of SRC served their apprenticeships in various local bands, notably The Fugitives and The Chosen Few. The former being the house band at premier teen hangout The Hideout. There is an LP of bands that played the Hideout and some notable names such as Bob Seger and The Last Heard, The Pleasure Seekers (with a young Suzi Quatro) to name two groups put out early singles on the Hideout label. The other notable label at the time releasing new band sounds was A-Square run by local impresario Jeep Holland and it was he that put the members of The Fugitives together with Scott Richardson, lead singer from The Chosen Few. The band’s name at first was The Scott Richard Case, formed by shortening the singer’s name and adding the last of the guitarist. Jeep Holland taught the band a lot about stage presence and being in a band, and was instrumental in exposing the group to some of the hot new sounds coming from across the Atlantic. He had the band record a cover of Cream’s I’m So Glad before it hit in the US and as a result The Scott Richard Case scored a sizable local hit with their cover.

The group were popular with the local audiences as they covered the best of the new rock ‘n roll from the US and UK acts as well as their own material. They also had the flash Carnaby Street stage threads to go with it, famously making special trips to New York City to buy clothes. Eventually, though, the groups’ ambitions to play their own music clashed with the ideas of Jeep Holland and they parted ways. Through their new manager and producer, they were introduced to Capitol Records and scored a multiple album deal. The name was shortened to simply SRC and their debut album was released in the autumn of 1968.

That self-titled album contained all original compositions and combined the band’s interest in Eastern music, poetry and philosophy with good Detroit style rock. The album was a local hit and entered the Billboard charts for a few weeks and the lead single called Black Sheep was a definite highlight. Ex-manager Holland was a little peeved at losing the band, understandably as he had seen Bob Seger and The Rationals go to Capitol also. As a response, he released an earlier SRC cover version of The Pretty Things’ Get The Picture credited to The Old Exciting Scott Richard Case. I like their version of the tune and you should check it out. If you see the compilation on A-Square whilst digging in your local store, I highly recommend you pick it up. You’ll get these early SRC sides along with a ton of other cool stuff from the likes of The Rationals and MC5.

With the success of the first album came a decent advance from Capitol to record the follow up. With this cash and money earned from gigging, the band invested in building their own studio at their band house and were thus able to spend more time practicing and recording than if they had to rely on outside studio time, etc. The resulting album was titled Milestones, and came out in the spring of 1969. The record did well, better than the first, and gained the band fans abroad as well. Radio DJ John Peel was a big fan. His support helped the band get exposure in the UK to the point where EMI considered their records worthy enough to be released in their European markets. I like this record. There’s pop, psych and rock songs in equal measure. All originals apart from a medley of In The Hall Of The Mountain King with Beck’s Bolero, a feature of their live shows. I have always enjoyed Jeff Beck and Beck’s Bolero is a great tune. SRC cover it well. Highlight of the record, though, for me, is the song Up All Night, a total ripper. A true Detroit rock gem. The tune was released as a single but got buried in the aftermath of a backlash against songs with supposed drug references. Shame, it’s such a banger. Finding a copy of the 45 took me a while, but I’m so glad to own one. I love it. If you only bought Milestones for this song, it would be money well spent.

As far as finding their records, it has never been too easy, though. The first one is considered their “best” and most psychedelic and contains the hit Black Sheep, and thus is the most in demand. Copies do turn up but expect to pay a little for a nice one. The second, Milestones, sold well and strangely is not so in demand and thus can be picked up at a cheaper cost. We have one priced quite low in the store currently for a canny local. The third, Traveler’s Tale, released in 1970 was not well received and the lack of sales make it harder to find now and so prices are a little higher on this one. It’s not a terrible record and does have a couple of good tunes but key to its failure must come down to the fact that original guitarist Gary Quackenbush (his real name, his brother Glenn played piano in the group) left and was replaced by Ray Goodman. Goodman wasn’t a bad player, but Quackenbrush’s guitar sound was a major part of the SRC sound. He came back to the band after the failure of Traveler’s Tale and plays on the sessions for the group’s unreleased fourth album. They were dropped by Capitol and spent most of 1971 fulfilling touring dates and trying to find another deal. They released a one-off single on their own Casino label and briefly changed their name to Blue Scepter and released a single on the Rare Earth label. However, they reverted to SRC for gigs they had during 1972. Throughout this latter period, they were managerless, without a label, and broke. By early 1973, they played their last gig and disbanded.

Interest in the group stayed dormant for many years, but as the 60s psych and garage revival gathered steam in the 1980s and 1990s people began talking about them again and looking for their records. My first exposure was from a 1986 Bam Caruso compilation that I picked up in the 90s and from other sets that included some of their songs. It was the tune Up All Night though that cemented my love for this band. It really is up there with the best of them. If they had only cut that one 45, they would still be legends. I do own this record but spent half the night trying to find my copy. At the time of writing, I still haven’t located it. I have a less than perfect filing system at home. Lol. But it’s there, somewhere. Whilst digging though I did find my Bob Seger System 45 of 2+2+?, another classic, also on the Capitol label, and highly recommended. That and a reissue of The Pleasure Seekers single What A Way To Die, which features a young Suzi Quatro with her sisters. So not a waste of time and you should take a listen to those records if you don’t know them. The video link to the Pleasure Seekers tune is worth watching.

Okay, that’s enough from me. Blah, blah, blah. Thanks for reading and hopefully one or two of you out there share my love for this type of stuff. Have a great week and summer and we’ll see you around here next time.

Cheers - Dom

All I can think about as I’m getting ready to write this is that this might be my last “staff pick” that I’ll be writing for quite a while. This weekend, Scarecrow is playing the stacked lineup at SHOMO FEST 2022 in Philly! Then from there, the rest of Public Acid is picking me up in Philly, and then we’ll drive to New York and fly out on Monday to meet up with Warthog in Amsterdam. Warthog and Public Acid have a gig in Amsterdam, a couple dates in Germany and then we make our way to K-Town Hardcore Fest… So yeah, I’m losing my mind a little bit. But I’m diving into this trip with a positive attitude. I’m sure it will be a blast.

Anyway, enough about me. Let’s talk about records. Recently, I was obsessing over Sick Pleasure once again. Such a vicious and gnarly 7” that bridged the gap between early nihilistic punk and the blazing fast 80s hardcore to come. But Sick Pleasure isn’t what I wanna talk about. Listening to my copy of this 7” the other day had me looking back at other titles on the Subterranean Records catalog. While of course I love the San Francisco scene hardcore offerings like Sick Pleasure or Code Of Honor, there were also a lot of fringe and strange records released on this label. By weird coincidence, Sorry State recently purchased a collection from this dude that had a lot of old California punk and hardcore. While I was pricing this guy’s records, one of the titles that I stumbled on in one of these boxes was Music From Hell by Nervous Gender. I was relatively unfamiliar with this record, but it just happens to be on Subterranean Records. I was chatting with Daniel about it and he said, “Nervous Gender?? Oh, it’s great. I already have that record.” The record is predominantly a dark, synth-heavy and borderline-experimental record. Michael Fox from Sick Pleasure and Code Of Honor is credited as a producer, and also Don Bolles from the Germs seems to be involved with the production as well. I found myself intrigued. Now, upon first listen, I did find the record a bit challenging. It’s definitely a strange record. The layers of looping drum machine and synths patterns make me feel uncomfortable, but I also kinda feel drawn to it. It’s not unlike the Screamers or something, but the songs have even less traditional song structures, and the vibe is much stranger and avant-garde. Even a track like “Nothing To Hide” that has real drums and a more traditional, driving backbeat feels more like a stream of consciousness style rant than an actual song. I’ll be honest, I think I’m still grappling with whether or not I even like this record. I feel like I want to like it. It feels abrasive and confrontational in a way that tickles my interest. Like, maybe it’s supposed to freak you out? I could see how this record could be influential. And looking at the going rate for an original copy, it’s clearly a record that’s desirable and in-demand.

I’ll have to grapple with whether I need to take record this home. Maybe I’ll hide it before the synth/noise nerds have a chance to drool all over it at the store. I feel like I need a chance to throw this record on at home and listen to it super loud in the dark. Have a real weird time by myself. Maybe I’m enjoying a teeth-gritting, uncomfortable listen while I grapple with stress in preparation of international travel. I guess it’ll be a while before I have a chance to enjoy my records at home.

Anyway, if you wanna get have a real weird time this week, go ahead and give Nervous Gender a listen for me. That’s all I’ve got. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week (or probably not),

-Jeff

Visage: Fade to Grey: The Singles Collection 12” (original Polydor 1983, reissue Rubellan Remasters, 2022)

If you flip through my record collection, you’ll see long runs of multiple records by the same artist. The biggest run is the Fall, whose 12”s take up at least half an expedit cube, but you’ll also see other favorites like Wire, the Kinks, Miles Davis, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and many others that have several inches of shelf space devoted to them. When I hear a record or even a song I like, my first impulse is to get everything the artist released, to pull that thread and see if there’s even more. Sometimes there’s something even better than what first drew me in. Often there are duds, but usually I can appreciate those within the context of an artist’s larger body of work.

The first time I heard Visage’s song “Fade to Grey,” I was smitten. I love a track with a big hook and a strong beat, and “Fade to Grey” fits the bill. Originally released in 1980, “Fade to Grey” is darkwave before there was darkwave, its tough drum machine rhythms presaging 90s industrial music while the lyrics and vocals add a dash of glamor. Their sound is gritty and colorful at the same, like someone dressed to the nines making their way through a seedy section of town on their way to the club. Which is appropriate, since Visage was born under precisely those circumstances.

Visage’s original goal was to create music for DJ Rusty Egan to play at his London club nights, where dancers favored the cold and futuristic sounds of 70s Bowie and Kraftwerk. Egan teamed up with Midge Ure, his bandmate in the Rich Kids (Glen Matlock’s post-Sex Pistols band) and cut a demo as a proof of concept. From there, they put together Visage, enlisting Ultravox keyboardist Billy Currie and scenester Steve Strange (who had also performed in a few under the radar punk bands) as frontperson and face of the band. The lineup expanded again to incorporate three-fifths of Magazine: guitarist John McGeotch, keyboardist Dave Formula, and bassist Barry Adamson. Magazine is one of my favorite bands (another who has a few inches of space on my LP and singles shelves), and if you’re a fan of that band’s top-notch musicianship, Visage’s first album is an essential listen.

Fade to Grey collects six Visage singles released between 1980 and 1984. “Fade to Grey,” of course, is the biggest hit and their best song, but I like every track on the collection. Visage’s first album is essential (and you can find it pretty easily and usually for not much money), but Fade to Grey is most useful for collecting the best tracks from Visage’s later years. Visage’s second album, The Anvil, isn’t as strong as Fade to Grey, but singles “The Anvil,” “Night Train,” and “Damned Don’t Cry” are all bangers. Visage’s much-maligned third album (made after all the folks from Magazine left), Beat Boy, is represented by “Beat Boy” and “Love Glove,” and while I rarely pull Beat Boy off the shelf, those tracks stand up next to the earlier material despite their glossier sound.

I’d been looking for a copy of Fade to Grey for years, but they don’t turn up often in the US. When I saw this reissue pop up on one of our distributor lists, I jumped on getting copies for the store because I knew I’d make at least one sale to myself. The record looks and sounds great and even contains the Beat Boy-era tracks I mentioned above, which aren’t on the original 1983 edition. And the “blue smoke” vinyl looks pretty cool too. Maybe you’re a darkwave DJ who can blow minds by dropping one of these tracks into the retro portion of your set, but if you’re like me, Visage’s insistent dance rhythms are the perfect soundtrack for sweeping, washing dishes, and getting things done.

Pick up Fade to Grey at Sorry State here!

Swab: Big City 12” (Hardcore Victim Records) You’ll know whether Big City, the debut LP from Melbourne, Australia’s Swab, is for you after about ten seconds. The record opens with a careening five-second guitar lead that knocks the listener off balance, then drops right into a rapid-fire vocal that hits just as hard, but from the opposite direction. That’s the story for all eighteen minutes of Big City, a record that bangs you around like an old shoe in a dryer. The label’s description mentions Jerry’s Kids, an appropriate reference since the fast parts in Swab songs sound like a building falling in on you, drum fills raining down like falling bricks, and just when you get your bearings there’s a rhythmic change and the wrecking ball comes at you from the other direction. It’s not all thrash and bash, though. The vocals have this snotty, sassy vibe that reminds me of Judy & the Jerks, keeping the dense and often dissonant music from getting overbearingly bleak. Another band the label’s description references is the Comes, and while tracks like “Spit on Me” have a similar buoyancy, they’re generally followed up with something like “Cool Life” that pushes into gnarlier Siege-type territory. It’s a wild ride, recommended for anyone who craves hardcore that’s drives relentlessly forward without losing its chaotic, nihilistic energy.

Sorry State is participating in this year's second RSD Drops date on June 18, 2022, featuring titles that didn't make it in time for the main Record Store Day date in April. Our rules and policies remain the same from April's Record Store Day date:

- Sorry State still requires masks inside our store
- We open at 12PM.
- For everyone's safety and comfort, we may limit the number of customers we let inside the store at once. Everyone will be let in in the order in which they arrived.
- For customers who can't make it to the shop, all of our remaining inventory of RSD exclusive releases will go online on our webstore at 8AM on Sunday, June 19.
- As per Record Store Day's rules, we are unable to reserve RSD Exclusive items. All RSD Exclusive are first come, first served.

Check Sorry State's social media accounts for posts about RSD releases we're excited about! Instagram Facebook Twitter

Below is a list of RSD Exclusive titles we ordered. We cannot guarantee we will have any of these titles. Shipments get delayed, releases get bumped, things happen. But here's what we should be getting. Note also that many releases we will only get in very limited quantities, sometimes as low as only 1 copy.

RSD exclusive will be published on this page at 8AM on Sunday, June 19. Feel free to bookmark it!

Hi Sorry State readers! Hope all is well. Things are good here. Busy… but busy is good, so thank you for your continued support of the store!

The Hazmats is my pick this week. They’re a brand new indie power pop project released on Static Shock Records, and comprised of members of Chubby and the Gang, Big Cheese, and Game. But it sounds nothing like any of these bands. It packs a totally different kind of punch, and very much worth checking out.

This new UK-based band has been compared to Teenage Fanclub, and that’s not wrong. But I hear more Jesus and Mary Chain, and that’s great for me because I love JAMC. You’ll hear their influence right away in the super catchy hook that introduces the first song, Empty Rooms. You might wonder, “what does this remind me of?” I will save you the time. It reminds you of Head On by Jesus and Mary Chain. It “makes you want to feel, makes you want to try, makes you want to blow the stars from the sky.” Be warned, the song is five minutes long. In punk time, that’s called an EP. But despite their roots, they aren’t on punk time. If you do think the song drones on a little bit, there’s a sick melodic bass line and drum beat in the last 10 seconds of the song that mitigates that issue perfectly.

Today is the second song, and it’s my favorite of the two. Clocking in at just under three minutes, Today is faster, less shoegazey, less fuzzy wuzzy, and more crisp and jangly than Empty Rooms. It’s catchy as hell and I’ve played it many times. You can’t ignore the Brit-pop vibe to both songs really, but I feel like that’s kind of unavoidable when making this kind of music.

Anyway, I’m digging The Hazmats. I think it’s really cool and brave that these guys came together to bring us something different. A lo-fi, melodic, hazy shoegazey, power pop gem.

If you’re into other Static Shock bands like I am (e.g. Boss, Neutrals, Powerplant), or the big aforementioned icons like Jesus and Mary Chain and Teenage Fanclub, or you just want to try something new and support punk dudes not doing punk songs, you should pick up The Hazmats. It’s limited to 300 copies, so hop on it.

Take a listen!

https://staticshockrecords.bandcamp.com/track/today

Alright, we finally have the ‘new’ KAAOS 7” on Fight Records in stock!!! I say new in quotations cos it’s certainly not new material from KAAOS, but a recording session that was recently unearthed! I don’t know much about this 7" but I know it’s a completely unreleased session from 1982. However, there are two songs from this session that initially appeared elsewhere on a proper vinyl release. One song was on their split with CADGERS and the other appeared on the “Systeemi Ei Toimi E.P.” Those tracks were recorded at a different studio, though. These Huvikumpu tracks are different versions which, I think, were recorded later. I am also pretty sure one song has never been released at all until now! So sick. The Fight Records webpage said the other track was never released as a KAAOS song but it was actually given to BASTARDS. They released their own version on the “Maailma Palaa Ja Kuolee” EP. Fight also said it’s actually the guitarist of BASTARDS playing on this entire session! Both bands were from Tampere, so it makes sense to see this connection. I think most bands from this town shared a member or two during this time. This session was recorded by Sidney Salminen. I think I read he was the one with the original tape that evolved into this release as well. According to the internet, he played in killer bands like KAAOS, BASTARDS, ANTIKEHO, and PROTESTI. However, I can’t find much info on what he did on any records. Maybe he played live with them or just filled temporary roles? I do know he played a major role in PROTESTI, which I think is a bit underrated compared to other Finnish hardcore bands of the time. Maybe it’s cos the band never had a proper record back in the day. We have some copies of the excellent 7" reissue in stock actually if you haven’t ever checked it out. This band to me sounds more like BASTARDS with their ‘sloppy’ sound, rather than bands with more groove like RIISTETYT or PAINAJAINEN. Alright then, that is about it for today. I will leave you with this sick video of KAAOS playing lots of the material I’ve mentioned here, live in 1982. If you are a Finnish hardcore fiend, don’t sleep on this Kaaos 7", stuff on Fight usually sells pretty quick. The quality of the recording isn’t the greatest, but it’s definitely one for the archives. Thanks for reading, peace!

Hi there, everyone out in Sorry State land. How are you all? We missed you last week, but that wasn’t because we were slacking. There were gigs to play at, and record collections to be bought, which kept our glorious leader on the road for a good part of last week. The good news is that we have tons more cool records to get excited about. And that’s just the used stuff. As always, new releases and new issues of classics are coming at us thick and fast. Which is a good thing. We all need more records don’t we?

There has been a lot going on in the news these past couple of weeks. Here in the US the mass shootings are ongoing with the country being divided (amazingly) by that issue. We have the January 6th hearings about to commence. And it’s Pride month. Back in my old country they are still nursing their hangovers after a four daylong celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee that had all kinds of events happening across the land. Perhaps you saw some of it on television? My Mum loves everything Royal and decked herself and the house out in red, white and blue bunting etc. Personally, I have mixed feelings about the Royals and having lived here in America for more than half my life, I’m less excited by it all but seventy years as a sitting Monarch is still an achievement and I’m happy for the country and those that value this type of stuff.

For the radio show I do, I wanted to play something to mark the Jubilee but wanted to throw something in a little less obvious than the sounds of a military band or even say The Sex Pistols and their God Save The Queen. What could I spin? The question was answered when I pulled out a great compilation of Brazilian music we have at the store titled Brazilian Guitar Fuzz Bananas, which reminded me of the perfect track to play. The song is coincidentally titled God Save The Queen but has nothing to do with the Pistols’ version. It’s from a group called 14 Bis and was recorded circa 1972. What a banger it is too. Killer fuzz psych with a tasty drum break. This single was the only thing that the band recorded and was released on the cool looking Mad label. There is some confusion out there over the identity of these guys, as there is also another group with the same name, 14 Bis, but they were not formed until later in the 70s. Could they be the same guys? The latter group were a lot more pop sounding than this, although it has been conjectured that they could have been related to the progressive band O Terco, who hailed from the same region of Brazil. It’s probably not them, but who knows? Whatever their origin and identity, the single rocks and is rarer than rocking horse shit, so having it on this compilation is the easiest and cheapest way to own it.

Brazilian Guitar Fuzz Bananas was compiled by a Brazilian gentleman named Joel Stones and released on his own Tropicalia In Furs label in the late 00s. Assisted by World Psychedelic Classics and Egon, it’s a killer set of obscure and underground Brazilian music made between 1967 and 1976, some of which even the compiler himself didn’t know existed until he found the records. The double album comes with a great booklet featuring notes and photos about all the records compiled, has a cool inner gatefold art spread and even came with 3-D glasses to view the cover with.

I met Joel when I was living in New York back in the day. He sold records initially at shows and then had a small corner of a clothes boutique for a while. He then took over the old Wowsville Records Store spot on Second Avenue in the East Village and renamed the store Tropicalia In Furs. The store I worked at, Rockit Scientist, was just around the corner on Saint Mark’s Place. I loved the vibe at Wowsville. The owners were a lovely couple from Spain, Alberto and Sonia and it was a loss for the city when they had to return to Europe after just five years of running the store. Joel kept the spirit going with the new incarnation and soon turned the spot into the go-to store for Brazilian and other South American music. All whilst keeping up with the party atmosphere. Back in the 90s and early 00s there weren’t too many people selling quality world music. You’d be hard pushed to find anything. Some things were getting reissued and occasionally you’d find a store selling those, although a lot were “Fan Club” pressings of varying quality. Slowly but surely though legit reissues started to appear on the market and then it seemed like the flood gates opened and all sorts of great compilations became available. I had barely any Brazilian records, but thanks to the likes of Mr. Bongo in the UK and Tropicalia in Furs, I now have a few good ones. As with say, Reggae, Cumbia and Afro-Beat, originals are often impossible to find and expensive when you do, so it’s fantastic having some of this great music released on these modern reissues.

At the time of the original release of this collection, a short promo video was made, which is worth the view. It puts into sounds and images the spirit of the collection and shows glimpses of the old store along with the personality of Mr. Stones. Check it out. And check this compilation if you don’t already own it. We have a copy in the store currently for a wise and discerning local punter that might be intrigued. The 3-D specs are missing from this copy, so you’ll have to pull out your old Grand Funk album and use those. Come through, why don’t you?

Okay, let me leave you there. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you next time.

Cheers - Dom

What’s up Sorry Staters?

I’m gonna jump right in: God-DEYUM this Ammo LP rips! I remember seeing this band’s demo floating around a couple years ago. The band was always being described to me as the band that PJ from Nightbirds was doing vocals for. Of course, I remember PJ’s vocal talents from back in the Wormeaters days. Now we have this new Ammo LP and it is GNARLY. Don’t underestimate New Jersey hardcore. The dudes in Ammo are cut from that Mutha cloth baby. Self-identifying as “Jersey Shore Hardcore,” this shit is probably too hard even for Snooki. From the moment I dropped the needle on this LP, the record just sounds immediately explosive. It’s like Ammo is trying to cram as many intense and burly elements from all corners of the “killer USHC encyclopedia” as possible. The band weaves between totally ripping classic hardcore speeds but then breaks into Negative FX or Death Wish-style double-time ripping tempos. This batch of songs just sound so mean, rough, dirty, and forceful all the way through. I’ll be honest, there’s a few moshy passages that are like a total ignorant, pit-clearing call to arms. Generally, I’m not into super tough mid-paced breakdowny stuff. I had to ask myself, “is this too tough for me?” But I do like it when it’s done right. A homie pointed out to me that the pit-inducing riffs almost kinda sound thrashy like Attitude Adjustment. After a chin scratch, I was like damn… you’re right. The vocals are also totally demented. When PJ in a totally shredded, frustrated fervor howls “You FUCK!” just before the breakdown kicks in… I’ll admit, I got chills. He sounds so pissed. The anger feels so real to me, it’s palpable. It’s almost like the band got all riled up and recorded all these songs in a fury without stopping. Then I was like, FUCK, this all killer.

Luckily, I’ll have the pleasure of seeing Ammo shred at Shomo Fest 2022. Just black out… Fists start swinging… Remember nothing… Just kidding haha.

Sorry State got a big ol’ stack of these LPs, and we’ve already sold a good amount of copies. But to me, this is the kind of hardcore record that should sell out instantly. If you’ve been sleeping on this ripper… just buy it, punk.

That’s all I’ve got for this week. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

The Devil’s Anvil: Hard Rock from the Middle East LP (Columbia, 1967)

I’d been on the lookout for a copy of the lone album from New York’s The Devil’s Anvil for some time now, and this week one popped up in a collection I bought out in the Raleigh suburbs. I’m not sure where I heard about this record—it’s on streaming services, so an algorithm may have served it to me—but the title, Hard Rock from the Middle East, intrigued me. It turns out the Devil’s Anvil isn’t hard rock and isn’t from the Middle East, but it’s still an interesting LP.

Based on the artwork, you might think this was some kind of exploitation record, but my research tells me the Devil’s Anvil’s cultural bona fides are at least somewhat legit. The band was based in New York and the members were either from the Middle East or of Arabic heritage. The lyrics for all but one track are in Arabic and besides farfisa organ, electric guitar and bass, and drums, the Devil’s Anvil also employed traditional instruments like the oud and the tamboura. The compositions smash together then-contemporary rock sounds with traditional melodies and modes from across the Middle East. I wouldn’t call it hard rock a la Blue Cheer, more like 60s garage akin to the Standells or the Electric Prunes, though some songs lean more toward traditional music than rock.

Reading what people have written about Hard Rock from the Middle East is interesting because opinions are all over the place. Some people view it as an exploitation record, a brazen act of cultural appropriation. Most of these people condemn it, but I found one person who described it as “hilarious,” a cringeworthy statement. Even beyond assessing its political correctness, opinion is divided on the quality of the music, with some people viewing it as an unfairly forgotten psych gem, while others find it ham-fisted and cheesy. I quite like it. While it’s not as self-serious as something like Agitation Free, a 70s German progressive rock band who also mined Middle Eastern sounds for inspiration, I think the songs are legit and I love that it doesn’t sound like anything I’ve heard before.

Nearly everything I’ve read about the album online mentions that it didn’t sell, having been released just as the 1967 Arab-Israeli war was fomenting anti-Arabic sentiment in the United States. As we all know, anti-Arab sentiment in the US only got worse in subsequent decades. From what I can tell, the Devil’s Anvil disbanded after the album’s commercial failure, with producer Felix Pappalardi and guitarist / bassist Steve Knight working together again in Leslie West’s Mountain. I would love to visit an alternate reality where the Devil’s Anvil made more records, especially if they pulled in influences from bands like Black Sabbath and Blue Cheer who made hard rock much harder.

Ammo: Web of Lies / Death Won’t Even Satisfy 12” (Wallride Records) Web of Lies / Death Won’t Even Satisfy is the vinyl debut from this hardcore band from New Jersey, and it is a full-bore scorcher. Ammo plays ferocious US-style hardcore with a lunging, unhinged style that reminds me of groups like early Agnostic Front, Void, and Eye for an Eye-era Corrosion of Conformity… not so much in style, but in the way Ammo sounds like they’re maniacs who might materialize out of your home speakers in order to slash your throat. It’s a rare enough feat to capture this sort of wild energy on tape, but Ammo fuses this crazy energy with memorable songwriting, with tracks like “Black Site,” “Slam Slam Slam,” and “Ethnostate” hitting even harder because they’re so damn catchy. Sounding fast and crazy is Ammo’s forte, but their secret weapon is their ability to play at mid tempo, like on the crushing NYHC-style mosh part in “Known Unknown” and the singalong during the breakdown to the epic “All You Do (Is Want Me to Die).” I love music that expands hardcore’s boundaries, but Ammo isn’t that… they distill hardcore its essence, their sound ground down to the sharpness of a knife’s edge. This is not a record to sleep on.