Well, looks like blogger might be the new internet-ghetto. Many of the people that inspired me to join in on this whole music sharing/festival of verbal onanism have gone on to newer, greener pastures like podcasts, tumblr porn, twit(ter), and other short attention span pandering suck&fuckeries. Posts have been sporadic or non-existent in many of my favorite internet haunts. I get it. I'm part of the problem. Hell, I'm almost too lazy to even embed links in this post. At one point the constant flood of music I was DLing became overwhelming. I just couldn't find the time to listen to all the sick shit people were posting. I still have albums on my HD that I've never listened to. As a silly man once didn't say, "There's more to life than blogs you know, but not much more." Well, I, for one, always enjoyed the flogging of a dead horse (or a dead hooker), so here I am posting without shame. To all those guys who created and contributed to the blogs over there on the right, thanks for all the good times and awesome tunes. I will continue to haunt these pages, and I will never leave you, until I do. For all the people that have sacrificed their time to read my bullshit, and to those who choose to communicate via comments and e-mails, here's a truly heartfelt "Thank you." Also, I'm really stoked to see Jason and Shelby out here on the Big Island real soon. You guys are champions.
And, speaking of champions, here is a truly majestic piece of work by the much-celebrated paragons of getting fucked-up and fucking things up: HICKEY's "US vs. THEM" e.p. Matty Luv is dead, yeah, but HICKEY is immortal. Ain't nothing in this world makes me happy like a HICKEY record. Matty's mad poetry and gonzo guitar attack and Aesop's nitro-fueled jalopy pump n' munch drums have inspired many a drunken night's regret-worthy hi-jinx. Great alone or with friends. When is somebody gonna write the book on HICKEY, already? Few bands have ever earned such a wild and debauched (not to mention dumb and crazy) reputation. Aesop said it best, "Hickey is a cult band. When they were around, nobody went to their shows. Now, everybody says they were there." LONG LIVE THE NAKED CULT OF HICKEY! People are always re-releasing their shit so go and buy some of it. I got the new 2x12" edition of "Various States of Disrepair" with all the extras, and I have already dry humped it twice, built a shrine to it, and stole it a baby; and that doesn't even scratch the surface of its potential.
I am not a music journalist, and I have no aspirations to become one. It's quite strange then that I should feel pressured into creating thorough and entertaining write-ups about the bands and albums that I post here. Part of it stems from the amount of respect I have for the music and the people who create it. Everything I post here on NKINW is intrinsically linked to my perception of self. I have defined myself, for the most part, by the music that I listen to and the politics, jokes, and values contained within these recordings. That isn't to say that I agree with everything a given band has to say. I can get past ignorant lyrical content if the music is good enough. I don't worry about whether my wardrobe is punk or metal. But, my point is, all of these records mean more to me than they probably should. I think in fragments of song lyrics. I drum my fingers on every available surface, keeping time with the playlist in my head. I rally behind bands that value integrity over mainstream appeal. And, sometimes, I can't think of a damn thing to say about a band that I feel does justice to their art. I get bored of trying to find new ways to say an album is heavy, or fast, or what-have-you. Of course, no one has asked me to do any of this. I'm only up against myself, and today, I am kicking my ass. I don't have anything clever or funny to say about Apeface. I don't know how to tell you that their take on crust is both unique and necessary. I can't tell you that it sounds like mid-90's Black Metal without feeling like I'm only trying to sell it to you by alluding to a passing revivalist fad. Look, Apeface is from San Jose, Ca., just like me. They were nice dudes whenever I met them. They sometimes played shows with the lights out, the stage illuminated by desecrated nativity scene lawn figures. Some of the other bands in the Bay Area made fun of them for writing songs that were too long. Or for not being punk enough, and too metal. Apeface rules, and that's all I can really tell you. Is that enough? Will you click the DL link? Am I only talking to myself? Do I care? Stay tuned for the answers to these questions and more, here on The 'Wave.
I really wish I could tell you more about Manson Youth. I know that they are from SoCal (Riverside?), that one of the dudes is a well known tattoo artist, and that these two kick ass E.P.'s were recorded around '84, but didn't see a release until the early nineties. As far as I know, that's all they released, which is a damn shame. I picked up "God's Fun Children" at Streetlight Records in San Jose, Ca., back when they had a legitimate selection of punk on vinyl ('95? '97?). I haven't stopped spinning it since. Seriously good, old school punk rock jams. Maybe you can fill me in on some of the blanks? Did you go to school with these dudes? See them live? Get beat up by them? Maybe you've got a rip of some third generation, cassette dub of demos or unreleased goodies. School me holmes. My two favorite tracks would have to be "Karen" and "Vulnavia", those songs do not get old:
(This isn't the cover art, it's what comes up when you search for it.)
Alright, so... way back in the first post on this lumbering, somnambulistic, half-rotten and stinking blog, I told you about my lust for Apocalypse Hoboken's music. Then, a short time later, I had the delightfully twisted, handsome, and well endowed singer of that band come by and share some thoughts with us. Todd Pot is many things. At least eight if you hear him tell it. Well, my dear, neglected little blog trolls: I'm half aroused when I tell you that there's more. As was mentioned before, Todd keeps pretty fucking busy in the world of music. Amongst his many projects that are currently playing and recording, there exists a fucking slice of key lime heavenly hair pie called The House That Gloria Vanderbilt. You'll forgive me if I'm brief, but let me just tell you that you're going to love this band. Exactly from the first track in. I don't know exactly what genre you expect me to pigeon-hole them into, and I'm not gonna try. Instead, I'll leave you with this metaphor: The House That Gloria Vanderbilt are the voluptuous swollen breasts of Lilith, as she methodically brings you to orgasm whilst you die, smothered. Buy their stuff on iTunes. Or, just contact Todd, he's a sweetheart, and he'll probably let you have it for free, you fucking peasant. Here's "Heavy Like A Feather."
Why do I love the sound of angry women so much? You would think I'd have had enough of all of their shouting by now. Between my six sisters, my mom, and all of the grrls who were damaged enough to deign me suitable boyfriend material, I've heard enough raised female voices to fill a whole hard drive. Why then am I such a sucker for the female vocalist in abrasive music? Possibly it is the juxtaposition of the typically 'male' traits of violence and anger in the lyrics and attitudes of these wholly feminine creatures. It could be that I've just grown accustomed to the sound. Has it become a need? Maybe I'm such a dick because I want to hear the cracking of a petulant woman's voice as she struggles to tattoo her message into my thick skull with her screams. Who knows? I don't, but thus is my burden. Regardless, here's my favorite Bikini Kill release. I don't think I need to give any of you a lesson on the bands history or importance. Washington state, Kill Rock Stars, Riot Grrrl movement, etc. All of that is well documented, and I don't mean to slight the significance of it, but... Well, but, I will. It's all well and great and life-changing if you are a teenage grrl. I don't know if I get many of those around the 'Wave. Even if I do, I'm hardly an authority on the subject. The important thing here is that you give "Pussy Whipped" a listen for it's sheer, punk-simple, unadulterated ugliness. It's been a favorite of mine since '95, and I hope you can dig it, too. Emasculation is such a nice word, don't ya think?
This here mixtape I put together for you. These are selections from my top 25 most played tracks on iTunes. Most of the artists on the comp can be found either here on NKINW (use that handy search bar at the top of the page), or on the blogs in my link list on the right. If there's a track that you really like, feel free to request more from that artist, and I'll probably have something to post for ya. These are the jams that I play almost every night of the week. These are the songs that get me pumping my fists, shredding on my air-guitar, singing along, dancing, stumbling, and sometimes they even give me a boner. That last bit was a lie. This is a decent place to start if you're new to the blog. I've been shamelessly pimping this thing like a motherfucker, but I still don't get too many hits, and almost no comments. What up with that? Well, now this shit's even on Facebook! Yup, once again, I've buckled to peer pressure and hopped on that shitty "social-networking" crap. Enjoy, fuckers.
I'm not sure what the actual track order is, because I'm too lazy to figure out how to get them in the sequence I want. (Click the image below to enlarge. Yeah, click it. Ooooh, just like that.) "Heaped upon impassive floors. Defeated by forevermore." (DL)
Having said that, I do enjoi a good love song. The Queers have been writing love songs, for retards like me, for days. I think this album, "Grow Up", has the best balance of the bands ooey-gooey, "girl, I love you" sap, and straight out rockers. Especially on side B, which opens with two of their toughest jams, "Junk Freak" and "Gay Boy"(combined here as one track). If they really were a Ramones rip-off, as some fingers have waggled, then these would be the songs penned by Dee Dee. This is a good go to album when you've got girls on your mind, but you've got beers in your gut.
Some Notes from the back of the LP: The Queers Are: Joe Queer Guitar Lead Vocals B Face Bass Vocals W/ JJ Rassler Guitar, Greg Urbatis Bass, Magoo Pirhana Bass, and Jeebs Pirhana Drums.
I know that it has been posted elsewhere, but I feel like this needs to be included on my blog, because this is my favorite album of all. You should own it. I believe it's even still printed in the CD format. Originally released on Nick Blinko's own Outer Himalayn Records, and distributed by the delightfully esoteric folks at Southern Records, Cacophony is possibly the most bizarre and fantastic album to come out of the punk and hardcore scene. Weird is a good word for it. But good weird, like the life and work of the man from whom the album's concept draws its inspiration, Howard Phillips Lovecraft. It's funny, but the first time I bought this album and listened to it, I hated it. I even tried to return it. At that point, I had only heard their early, more straightforward EP's and I wasn't ready. Not for the epic work that is Cacophony. For a song by song breakdown of how each track relates to H.P. Lovecraft's life and writing, check out this page. While you are there, dig around the rest of Piss In A Pod, it is definitely the most comprehensive page I have seen about the Peni and their enigmatic singer, Nick Blinko. They've even got some rare live recordings for the grabbing. (Unlike many of their peers, Rudimentary Peni don't tour, have rarely played live at all in the past twenty years, and only release new material every few years). Rumor has it that the initial tracks for this album were recorded in one take, so I tried to keep that stream-of-consciousness feel by making this a 'gapless album'. I hope you enjoy this record as much as I do, but remember that such things should not be writ, and I will not be held responsible for nightmares, madness, or temporal displacement resulting from the playing of this album.
I posted an album by The Rat Bastards before, maybe you got it. Today, I'm posting a rip of the "Contaminated Minds" - 7inch, complete with painstakingly put together scans of the bile green, multi-panel, fold-out cover. These tracks are a bit more raw than the later material, and I gotta say that this was the 7" that really got me hooked on this band. Just perfect, angry, bitter hardcore punk rock from Illinois. As a bonus, I have one extra, one-sided, version of the fold out poster insert (11"X16"). If you want it, tell me something interesting in the comments section. Whoever has the most interesting comment(judged by me, of course - and assuming anyone tries) will, within a couple weeks, receive said poster in the mail. Along with some other bits of worthless junk and ephemera I deem unsentimental enough to part with. Free swag, you dirty scum. Always remember that I will never, ever, always love you.
[Thought I would give Carnie a nod. This is Food on Stoned] A long time ago, The Onion ran this article about a new "Pizza Lovers Pizza". Now, I know The Onion is a satirical paper, but I always held onto the idea of making a pizza with smaller pizzas for toppings. Last night, the neighbors came down and we set to work making this dream a reality. I can gladly say that we put to rest any notions that there can be "too much of a good thing."
There are only an elite few, unique, well crafted films that I would ever consider as being my "favorites". Of that small group, there is one title that holds a place in my heart above the others. A thoroughly enjoyable, genre-bending, scary, and downright charming film that I never tire of. That movie is Phantasm. A while ago, I e-mailed Reggie Bannister, kind of on a lark. I figured that between acting in films, playing and recording music, and helping to run an independent film production company, the guy would be a little short on spare time time. I was surprised when, instead of the standard form letter reply, Reggie himself got back to me and thanked me for my appreciation. So, when I was thinking of subjects for "The Basics", I always figured he would be a nice enough guy to take a moment out for his fans. He's a cool, down to earth person, and I'm extremely grateful that he took some time out of his busy schedule to talk to us here.
Who? My Mom and Dad, who supported and encouraged my creative spirit from a very early age. Anytime I played music somewhere or appeared in a play my Mom and Dad were there. They even appeared with me in 'Phantasm.' If you recall the scene of Tommy's funeral, my Dad played the priest and my Mom was a mourner. My Mom was actually standing next to Don Coscarelli's Mom Shirley, who also played a mourner in the scene. Don's parents were obviously as supportive as mine.
What? Guitar. I was always a talented singer and performer but when I picked up guitar at the age of 15 it opened up a whole new world of entertainment for me. I was able to sing and accompany myself so, for the first time I was able to be a self sufficient entertainer. I took off on a musical career that led to concerts, TV and touring with icons of the time. From Bing Crosby, George Burns and Red Skelton to Chubby Checker, Sonny and Cher and Steve Wonder. I've had a remarkable musical career because I learned to play guitar.
When? The 60's and 70's were powerful times for people like me to mature in. There was so much creative camaraderie flying around it was like a giant circus and we were all ringmasters. It's when I met and was in a group with brothers Carson and Van Dyke Parks two of the greatest musicians I've ever been blessed to play with. It's when I met Steve Stills and had the opportunity to pick up a guitar with him. It's when you'd go to a party and you're having a drink with the Righteous Brothers and Jackie DeShannon joins in the conversation then you turn around and David Crosby walks in. Great time to be alive.
Where? Right here where I am. My wife and I live in a beautiful village called Crestline. We work from our home and have enjoyed a level of professional success that's been gratifying. I've worked on two film projects this year with one ongoing as I write. I've got several pictures ready for distribution this year and two of them will feature my music. so, Here is good. Why? Because in a larger sense, I really had no choice, other than to be who I am today. If you had asked me pretty much as soon as I was old enough to talk, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I would have replied that I want to be a singer an actor and a politician. I realized later that if you want to be a successful politician you need to drop music and acting and I wasn't willing to make that sacrifice...so much for politics. I've also had more than my share of day jobs. Everything from hauling hay in Washington State to driving Taxies in Long Beach California. Now, this is my day job.
How? When I met Don Coscarelli in the early 70's I had returned to college classes at Long Beach City College. I had immersed myself in acting classes and was performing in one play after another. After a weekend performance of original vignettes called "Circle Games" which I also performed the music for, I received a call from Paul Pepperman who identified himself as the producer of a film that was shooting locally. He said that he and the director had seen my performance that weekend and had an important character role that needed to be filled and asked if I was interested. That picture was called "Jim the World's Greatest." It was Don's first picture my first picture and Angus Scrim's first picture with Don. The point of this story is, if you greatly desire something just keep your head down and keep working at it. Eventually you'll look up and find yourself exactly where you want to be.
[Thanks again to Reggie and Gigi Fast Elk Bannister. Please take some time and check out the hot links in the intro paragraph (click on the green text), there is a TON of cool stuff in the sites.]
Jesus, two weeks is a long time to be away from home. We just got in, and I'm worn out. I've got a new feature that I hope will become a regular fixture coming in this week. It's a surprise, but hopefully you will be as stoked as I am. (See how I am tricking you into coming back all week? I learned that from watching cable Tv, while on vacation.) I won't bore you with my vacation pics, or stories. Pretty much we saw some friends, saw some family, and stayed drunk for the whole thing. Hope you all had a nice time while I was out. Thanks for not trashing the place.
Now, onto some tunes. I'm lazy, so this is an easy one: Slayer's, "Reign In Blood". I have this thing about finding something that can be used as a "perfect example of..." Track 10: "Raining Blood", is the "perfect example of Metal." If aliens were to land, and they were from some horribly weak suck of a planet, a planet with only Pop music say, and they came and asked us, "What is metal?" This is the track I would play. It hits you in the face within the first ten seconds. Soon, there's a spooky, atmospheric interlude, lulling you into believing that, maybe somehow when Tom asked, "Do you wanna die?", and you said, "Um, no thanks, sir." Maybe they heard you, and now you're out in the rain, cold, but safe. Then, POW! Two guitars come galloping out of the fog, and you're picked up by the throat. You're carried off on one of the greatest riffs ever, into a battlefield of double bass and frenetic picking. The General orders one last rush, and the solo comes in to annihilate what's left of the enemy. In less than five minutes, you're ass is totally handed to you, and then... nothing. That, my friends, is metal.
Alright, another one of my favorites here: New Bomb Turks - "Pissing Out The Poison". I've have owned no less than four copies of this CD. Three were stolen, and one may have been lost, or too scratched, but I definitely have owned it several times. There was a time when this style of sped-up garage rock held exclusive rights to my listening ears. For a couple years I couldn't get enough of bands like Zeke, Teengenerate, the Fumes, the Humpers, and the New Bomb Turks. Then, Epitaph records started snatching up everything they could get there hands on, and a few of these bands suffered. I don't know why, but Epitaph puts some sort of fart into the mix, and bands I've loved never put out decent releases on that label. But, before they were scooped up by the E., these guys put out the amazing "Destroy, Oh Boy!" and about 600 killer seven inchers. A grip of those singles are collected on this CD, as well as some previously unreleased gems. I'm especially fond of the tracks they recorded with Billy Childish, of Thee Headcoats. Several screaming covers: "I Wanna Sleep" by the Modern Lovers (Who I'll probably post soon), "Just Head" by the Nervous Eaters, "Summer Romance" by the Rolling Stones, and a few more that you can just read off the liner notes I scanned. I've always loved that these guys sound like they are having a shit-ton of fun when they're playing. In almost every photo I've seen, the singer is frozen three feet off the floor, and he's always whoopin' and yelling out "Ye-ah! Yee-ahh!". Joy.
I 'discovered' punk rock when I was eight years old. I had been skating for a couple years already, and if you recall, board graphics were pretty much uniform in design. Skulls, skulls, and more skulls. (Check out Sean Clivers' book, "Disposable" for the insider's history of skateboard graphics, it rules). My first deck was a Powell Peralta, Mike McGill, with the VCJ skull and snake. Well, actually, my first board was an Alva, which I stole from some kid down the street, and spray painted/stenciled a Batman logo on. (Sorry, Jesse Goodyear). But, the first board I got at a shop was the McGill. Point being, my family soon realized that anytime they were obligated to buy anything for me, it only needed to have a skull on it, and I would think it was 'radical'. My mom had a similar affinity for morbid imagery, and had bought herself a Misfits - "Die, Die, my Darling" Tee. Which I received as a hand-me-down in '88. Curious as to what the Misfits were all about, I bought the "Legacy of Brutality" cassette. It was awesome! A few years would pass, and I would pick up a couple of other punk tapes, as well as the usual crap that's marketed to kids. Yeah, I had the "Can't Touch This" single. Yup, I liked Vanilla Ice. Uh-huh, I wanted to be in the Beastie Boys.
By '94, though, I had restricted my musical tastes to Punk and Metal. Mostly the former, as I learned that if I liked the latter, I couldn't be "punk". Headbangers, Dirtheads, and Hessians were to be ridiculed, and if your hair was past your chin, you couldn't be in the Maximum RNR-Fun time-Circle of Punx. It would be a long time before I realized what a load of shit I was falling for, but little kids are dumb, and eager to fit in. Even if it means trying your hardest not to fit in. So, yeah, 1994. I discovered Mail-Order. There was a catalog from Subterranean Records, out of San Francisco, and they had everything punk/thrash/HC/surf under the sun. I ordered about six records the first time. One of them remains a favorite to this day: Apocalypse Hoboken's "Jerk Lessons", 10".
If you don't know, Apocalypse Hoboken were from Chicago, and apparently played about a million shows at the Fireside Bowl. Me, I missed all of them. I was here, on the left coast, never venturing east of the Rockies. They released a handful of albums, and a bunch of E.P.'s and 7"s. Many of the singles and E.P.'s were collected on CD, and they released a four-disc box set in 2004, in a limited quantity, only available through the band. Oh, how I have tried to track down that box set. The thing is, I have never met anyone who has heard of this band. Not in person. I don't think they really had any fanbase outside of Illinois. Why? Beats me, because I fucking love these guys. Perhaps its due to Todd Pot's love 'em, or hate 'em, snotty vocals. Maybe it's because they took some chances, and expanded their sound throughout the years. Maybe it's just that people like me haven't tried hard enough to spread the word. I've chosen to post the "Now Is Not a Good Time", 10". Why? Because no one else has. Finding this album is damn near impossible. It's not my favorite release (that would be "Easy Instructions For Complex Machinery"), but it does have one of my all-time favorite songs, "You're Momma's a Time-Bomb". Enjoy it, because if you don't, I don't think we can be friends anymore.
This site is a collection of music that I love, and I feel like many of these bands have slipped under the radar of most people. I try and keep the posts limited to albums that are out of print or obscure. If you've got a legitimate reason, I'll remove any music I have posted. GO BUY RECORDS AND SEE SHOWS! SUPPORT THE BANDS! Also, this is a sort of dumping ground for any cultural ephemera that may have held my interest. Sometimes I post shitty drawings and stuff, too. And, for Crom's sake: LEAVE COMMENTS! If you need anything else, e-mail me at: rygar1332@yahoo.com
PLEASE, let me know if any of the links are no longer working, I'll re-up them.
Alright, so... way back in 
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