Five greatest punk band compilations and breakfasts

I noticed that another blog, Lo-Res Viscera I sometimes read recently turned five and then wondered if this blog was that old and looked back at the start date and sure enough I missed the blog's birthday so it may well be upset enough to break down in tears or even leave me.


Since it's now year five right here too, here are my list of my top five punk band compilations.

Top 5 punk band compilation albums

5) Descendents - Somery(SST)

While The Blasting Concept LP's serve as a great introduction to the SST record label's roster of bands, "Somery" serves as a the ideal introduction to the most commonly misspelled band name on the roster. First time I heard this album was back in my tape trading days. Unlike most I heard Dag Nasty before any Descendents reached my ear canal and told one of the guys I was trading with during the late 80's that I really liked that melodic sound. A week later a recorded tape of "Somery" showed up in my parents' mailbox. I tried ordering it on my CD through my local record store at the time but was told it would cost what I was earning for about three hours work back then which was money I'd rather spend on other stuff back then. Songs about longing for girls and being rejected by girls struck a chord especially since they seemed more realistic than most of the dross covering the same theme on commercial radio. Key songs "I'm not a Loser, Sour Grapes, Good Good Things"



4)Dead Kennedys - Give me Convenience or Give Me Death

It really challenges the grey matter to even remember when I first heard the DK's. It was definitely in the early 80's on my local student radio station and the song was either "Holiday in Cambodia" or "Too Drunk to Fuck". I'd only heard the Sex Pistols' Holiday in The Sun for the first time about a year before. It was clear that under the surf guitar on "Holiday in Cambodia" was political with a sense of twisted humour. Jello Biafra's digs at cock rock like Motley Crue do seem a little dated now as does the politics of "Kinky Sex Makes The World go round".



3)Toy Dolls - We're Mad

My first exposure to The Toy Dolls was back in the day when there was a half hour music video show in New Zealand on Sundays called "Radio with Pictures" that covered more alternative artists. The song was the band's cover of "Nellie The Elephant". I came across this double album in a sale bin and its one of the wisest musical purchases I've made as I was unfamiliar with a lot of the bands other material. It took a while to listen to the second disk because the first was really addictive. A sense of humour runs through the bands super-catchy material. Olga's voice could be considered an acquired taste but is definitely a fit for the childlike fun the band offer.
Key tracks "James Bond Lives Down Our Street", Diedre's a Slag", "She Goes To Fino's", "I've Got Asthma".

2)

The Clash - The Story of The Clash Vol 1(Epic Records)

This is either the first or second double cassette I bought with my own money. I suspect the first was Pink Floyd's "The Wall" which I never felt the same connection to as many of my friends did. It's highly likely that the first song by The Clash I heard was "Rock The Casbah" as the radio thrashed the single but the first song that really clicked for me without hearing an album was "London Calling". Lyrically the drudgery of working and non-working life coupled with being on the dole hit close home in songs like "Career Opportunities" and "The Magnificent Seven". Comfortable numbness really never did.

It was always fun trying to convince people that hadn't really listened to the band that they were as much about punk as reggae. To those more in the know, only the first two albums are really from a punk band. As a compilation of The Clash especially as the next one was only cashing on "Should I Stay Or Should I Go" being on a jeans ad. As far as I'm concerned the only track missing is, "This is England" the only worthwhile track from "Cut The Crap".

Key tracks: "London Calling", "Career Opportunities" "The Magnificent Seven" "This is Radio Clash"

1) The Buzzcocks "Singles Going Steady"

My first exposure to The Buzzcocks was once again through Student radio and the song was "Orgasm Addict" which I misheard as Augasomatic so it wasn't until some time later after I'd read a number of letters from Name and Address Withheld in a man's magazine that two and two were put together and it was clear that the stains of the jeans weren't from an oily mechanical machine. The band play short catchy bratty songs that cover sex, aging, love songs and Murphy's Law.

Key Songs: All of them


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My top five breakfast choices

5) Milk and cereal
4) Pancakes topped with sugar and lemon juice.
3) Omlette
2) Pizza
1) Bacon and Egg




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Dead Kennedys - Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death

Dead Kennedys “Give Me Convenience of Give Me Death, 1987
(Alternative Tentacles)

This 1987 compilation of  Dead Kennedys tracks sourced from various recordings may not qualify as a proper album in the band’s discography.  Although the subject matter of “Police Truck” is the hypocrisy of the force,  probably to Jello Biafra’s disappointment, the lines “We’re goin’ downtown, gonna beat up drunks/You’re turn to drive, I’ll bring the beer”  create a great track to down amber nectar too. Too Drunk To Fuck” continues the drinking theme straight away cheerleading drunken punkness sticking a fork straight to the brain.   Although the cover of “I fought the Law” is twisted into a much more political Dead Kennedys fashion, drinking beer in the hot sun is still very much a part.  Turn the album up and get your buzzbomb on.

5/5

DEAD KENNEDYS “Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables”, 1980

The first wave of UK punk was at its tail end with anarchist politics often considered more important than producing interesting music.  In the US the first wave of heavily political punk bands “Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables” a provocative edge that messed with heads and lead to ongoing debates with right wing organizations.   Due to the speed the band play at some listeners could have been convinced that the record they were playing on 33 was mistakenly pressed and meant to be played at a slower pace.   As punk albums should the recording quality sounds like it was all done in one take using a walkman placed a safe distance away from Dead Kennedys explosiveness.   Jello Biafra’s distinctive nasally voice carries more than a side of biting sarcasm over East Bay Ray’s surf guitar tones and clenched fist tight rhythm section. A natural organicness punches through in the catchy choruses and breakneck speed of “Kill The Poor” and “Chemical Warfare”.  “Drug Me” mows along like a loud lawnmower as it cuts through the air with absolutely no messing around.  A nasty metallic raw edge throws razor blade spikes in “California Uber Alles” and the rapid rollicking classic “Holiday in Cambodia”.    After the similar “Plastic Surgery Disasters”, the band experimented more with speed in later albums whilst pointing fingers at authority figures and mindless sheep in the punk scene.  Short spastic blurs are barely contained within “In God We Trust”.   Despite being mostly filled with short and fast songs, “Plastic Surgery Disasters” feels bloated under a weighty grand total of 21 songs.   Jello kept busy with many musical and spoken word projects after Dead Kennedys split.  When the band reformed this century to do reunion shows Biafra was not involved due to ongoing legal battles with his former band members and many fans viewed this as a farce because the complete package wasn’t up for grabs.