Fear “Nice Boys (Don’t Play Rock n’Roll)” 2023. Fear Records/Atom Age Industries. Limited edition (tour only) blue vinyl. I’ve been sitting on this 7″ EP since last year when my friend Chuck picked it up for me at Punk Rock Bowling in ’23 in hopes that I’d get to see Fear. Those hopes came true last weekend when we caught Fear at a ridiculously late Club Show at PRB ’24 (like 1:00 am late). Last time we saw Lee Ving/Fear was sometime in the mid-90’s at the Rave, so around 30 years ago. He’s aged (as have we) – I know his health isn’t great but his voice is still powerful, his attitude just as “fuck you” as it’s always been, and he started literally every song with “1234, 1234!” which made me stupidly happy. We’re pretty sure only his drummer was part of the lineup we saw 30 years ago, the rest of the guys in his band were probably in diapers, if even born.

Fear at Punk Rock Bowling ’24

Fear at Punk Rock Bowling ’24

The 2023 3-song EP features that same drummer, Spit Stix, as well as a couple of heavy hitters: Slash on slide guitar and Duff McKagan on bass (those two were most definitely not at the PRB club show) on side A’s hard-rocking, metal-inspired “Nice Boys (Don’t Play Rock n’Roll).” It’s a cover of Australian metal band Rose Tattoo’s original from 1978 (Rose Tattoo was a huge influence on Guns N’ Roses and they also covered “Nice Boys” in ’86 on a live album). Side B has the menacing “I am an Engineer” and the short, whip-speed punk’d out “She’s a Leech.” Because this is Fear, the lyrics to all three songs are not….deep. At all (if you can remember the name of the titles you’re 90% there for remembering all of the song lyrics for each track). But it’s a fun little EP and I’m thrilled we got to see Lee Ving again as there’s no way we’ll be seeing him again in another 30.