dc punk Archives - Vinyl From The Vault

Bad Brains “Black Dots”

sfilzen — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 22:49:48 +0000

Bad Brains “Black Dots” 1979/1996/2019. Limited edition (1500) on white vinyl. A collection of Bad Brains’ first studio recordings (at Inner Ear Studios which at the time was in Don Zientara’s basement) from ‘79, first released in ‘96 on Caroline Records. Crazy-fast punk from one of the original – and best – hardcore bands. The session at Zientara’s house (where, according to the liner notes, Dr. Know on guitar and Darryl Jenifer on bass got the main basement space, Earl Hudson wedged himself into the basement closet with his drum kit and H.R. was in the backyard doing vocals, along with some crickets and a little kid) includes infamous tracks that would appear, re-recorded, Bad Brains (1982) like “Don’t Need It,” “Attitude,” “Supertouch/Shitfit,” “Regulator,” “Pay to Cum” and “Banned in D.C.;” “Attitude” and “Banned in D.C.” also are on Rock for Light (1983). Other songs on Black Dots include “How Low Can a Punk Get?,” “Just Another Damn Song” and “Send You No Flowers.” While their later albums often contained a relatively balanced mix of lightning-speed hardcore and mellow reggae songs, Black Dots is pretty much all fast with a couple of exceptions: “Why’d You Have to Go?” is a sparse, practically acoustic bluesy number, same with “The Man Won’t Annoy Ya” which adds in a nice lilting reggae beat.

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Bad Brains “I And I Survive”/”Destroy Babylon”

sfilzen — Wed, 05 Oct 2016 14:36:20 +0000

Bad Brains “I And I Survive”/”Destroy Babylon” EP. 1982. Important Records. Side A: “Destroy Babylon,” “Coptic Times” and “Joshua’s Song.” Confusingly, Side 1: “I And I Survive.” All four songs would be included on Bad Brains’ full length 1983 release, the eponymous Bad Brains LP. Rick Ocasek produced both that record and this EP. Side A showcases Bad Brains’ prowess at lightning fast hardcore punk (from Joshua’s Song” – We’re going to have to draw the line/We’re gonna have to free our lives/It’s time for us to fight and die/This time for us and you know why…”) tinged with Rasta spirituality (i.e. from “Coptic Times” – “…so I choose to read the Holy Bible, and take what Jah has given me/It seems that all through life one fact prevails, that the righteous all live on/These are coptic times…”). Side A’s “I And I Survive” delivers mellow reggae beats, an empowered yet gentle shake of the dreads at the violent and greedy nature of the world:

Why must all the people keep on shooting and robbing. Why? Why must must all the people keep on killing and fighting. No, not I. I and I will would never try. No, not I. I and I would never try. And why must the rich man keep on hoarding all his money. And why must the this poor man, my living ain’t very funny. No, not I. I and I would never try. No not I. I and I would never try, try to live that way. And what did Jah show them. I and I survive. They tried to stop this nation. But I and I survive. To chant down creation, I and I survive. And once again a nation.

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Fugazi “Noize-Bleed!”

sfilzen — Tue, 03 May 2016 19:54:16 +0000

Fugazi “Noize-Bleed!” 1991. 7″ bootleg. “Kyeo (Silence is a Dangerous Sound)” and “Waiting Room,” recorded live. “Kyeo” appears on Fugazi’s 1991 LP Steady Diet of Nothing and on it Ian MacKaye “urges the listener to always remain aware, whether awaiting the enemy’s next battle move or remaining blissfully unaware of how people can be taken advantage of by others.” “Waiting Room,” probably Fugazi’s most well-known song, originally appeared on their 1988 debut EP Seven Songs and then again on Thirteen Songs, a combo of Seven Songs and the 1989 EP Margin Walker. “Waiting Room” is ridiculously infectious. As the bass grooves along, the listener is invited into the chant (“I wait I wait I wait I wait”) and gives us all an anthem for the doctor’s office or the dentist’s office which is something that, up until the song’s recording, was sorely missing from this world.

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The Teen Idles/S.O.A/Government Issue/Youth Brigade

sfilzen — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 15:49:53 +0000

The Teen Idles/S.O.A/Government Issue/Youth Brigade. 1980, 1981/2007. Dischord Records. 4 7″ EP’s originally released in ‘80 and ‘81 on one 12″ clear vinyl LP. 35 noisy punk songs jammed together, showcasing the DC punk scene of the early 80′s. (You can listen to samples of all tracks here). This Youth Brigade is not to be confused with (probably) better known Youth Brigade band from L.A. via Canada (featured in the film Another State of Mind along with Social Distortion). D.C.’s Youth Brigade was around from ‘80 to ‘81, vocalist Nathan Strejcek (also in Teen Idles) and drummer Danny Ingram attended high school with Ian MacKaye (in Teen Idles on bass, as well as of course Minor Threat, Fugazi and founder/owner of Dischord Records). This Possible E.P. was Youth Brigade’s sole release. The Teen Idles had one official release as well, the Minor Disturbance E.P. which pictures the black X emblem that became the symbol of the punk straightedge movement. S.O.A. (State of Alert) has the distinction of being fronted by Henry Rollins (going by his birth name Henry Garfield), S.O.A. being his first (and short-lived) band; they were active for about 10 months between the fall of ‘80 and the summer of ‘81, playing just 9 shows and recording the No Policy EP. Government Issue was the only band of the four featured to survive more than a year or so. After recording this first EP, Legless Bull, they would continue on with fluctuating lineups, breakups and reunions up to present day.

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