9-17-2015

Setlist:

1. Demmier and Nico - Morning Cigarette
2. Debris' - Leisurely Waiting
3. Butthole Surfers - Hey
4. Bleach Boys - Chloroform
5. Blank Veins - Soaking Text
6. The Mentally Ill - Gacy's Place
7. The Electric Eels - You're Full Of Shit
8. Stick Men With Rayguns - Swastikas For Christ
9. Blue Sabbath Black Fiji - The Mixing Ship
10. Waves Crashing Piano Chords - Young Mouth / It Wasn't Even Worth My Back Seat
11. Cult Ritual - Cancer Money

1. Demmier And Nico - "Morning Cigarette"
Off the "Yelling At Sailboats" EP, Released on Orange SLS Records in 2014.

The "demo" EP that would later be aesthetically, sonically and ideologically when they'd go to record a full length album later that year, also named "Yelling At Sailboats." The Floridian Duo signed to Upper NY's finest Orange SLS have so far recorded the EP and LP, along with Demmier releasing a solo album , although future releases by Demmier and Nico are not out of the question. Although they aren't my favorite Orange SLS band, (that'd be The Cleptos) they are worth checking out.

>> Stream "Yelling At Sailboats" EP here <<
>> Buy the LP here <<
>> Buy Demmiers solo album here <<
>> Check out the label! <<

2. Debris' - "Leisurely Waiting"
Off the "Static Disposal" LP released independently in 1976. 

Debris', along with many other Proto-Punk band, have maintained a cult following, despite having only one release. Debris' aren't your average Proto-Punk band, though - they're different. Most Proto-Punk bands are from huge metropolitan areas with a "scene," - Electric Eels and Mirrors in Cleveland, Stooges and MC5 in Detroit, Modern Lovers from Boston, and so on. Debris' however, came from Chickasha, Oklahoma; which today has a population around 16,000.
Debuting around the same time as the Ramones, I bet it took a while for Debris' to get wind of the "Punk" movement - to me this sounds like a Sparks and Zappa influenced mesh that propels itself at Art Punk. Hard to go wrong.

3. Butthole Surfers - "Hey"
Off the "Brown Reason To Live" EP released on Alternative Tentacles in 1983.
13 years before "Pepper" invaded the charts and the radio, the Butthole Surfers ('Butthole Surfer' being old slang referring to Gay men) were a mysterious and equally infamous group from Texas. The album does very little to elaborate, the front cover is a repeated photo of a statue of a pregnant man whilst the back hosted a still from a Mexican TV show. No mentions to the band aside from their name - no names of the band members, no mailing address, no mention to their hometown - the only way to get a clue was to see them live.
In all its mystique, Brown Reason To Live tops it all of with 7 mind-blowing tracks. A blatant parody at Hardcore whilst an early example of their psych / noise rock influence, the album is wall to wall perfect - although I'd argue "Hey" is the best track. Strangely beautiful in a way that only the buttholes can pull off, "Hey" is BHS's strange way of a love story; with symbolic hints at the devil and hell thrown in for added drama.

4. Bleach Boys - "Chloroform"
Off the "Chloroform" single released on Tramp Records in 1978.

An infamous and highly sought out single from Britain's "The Bleach Boys," the oddly dissonant and sludgey Oi tune "Chloroform," with it's classic line "I feel like I'm bout to shit mine." The Bleach Boys would go on to be a full out Oi! group and lose this odd sound they had in their early days. Sad; as is life.

5. Blank Veins - "From One Head To Another"
Off the "From One Head" Tape released on UNC in 2014.

A Hardcore / Noise Rock explosion of sound, Blank Veins is a newer group that  is based out of Greece. You have to get that bankrupcy anger out some way, and Blank Veins does it by releasing walls of noise at the listener.
With a clear influence from the Brainbombs, (the trumpet, the guitar, the bass, the accent... all very Brainbombs reminiscent) Blank Veins takes an even more Lo-Fi and Free Form approach to this breed of Noise Rock. The 4 track cassette tape does hint at a great future for Blank Veins - definitely a group I want to hear more from!

6. The Mentally Ill - "Gacy's Place"
Off the "Gacy's Place" Single released on Autistic Productions in 1979.

The single that set the Chicago Punk scene in a confused frenzy, the purposely mysterious and oddball band made sure to never include any names of band members or play live shows - very little was known about them as people until they're reunion which saw them playing a few live shows. Oddly enough, an address is included on the 7" - reading "Join Our Fan Club - World Head Quarters - 180 N. Wacker 209 Chicago, IL." Some back covers hosted a different image - Lyrics and a different address, reading "If you want more of these records but can't find them send $2.00 for each copy to Autistic Productions, 26 Greenbriar, Deerfield IL 60015 (Allow 1 week for delivery)"
I guess they were so mysterious they couldn't even remember their address. 

7. The Electric Eels - "You're Full Of Shit"
Previously featured on 8/20/2015.
Recorded sometime from 1973 to 1975, released on the "Die Electric Eels" Comp released on Subterranean Records in 2014.
The legendary Cleveland, OH based Proto-Punk band have presented us with many recordings from their early to mid 70's sessions and they've almost always been superb. "You're Full Of Shit" is probably the Eels at a more cathartic moment - who can't relate to wanting to tell everyone that they're full of shit (and more importantly, that they know it's true.) and they're sick of it? The Electric Eels aren't about bullshit passive aggressive attitudes - they're pissed off and want you to know about it, and 40 years after the initial recording we still know that you're full of shit, and you know it's true, full of shit, full of shit, full of fuckin horseshit!

8. Stick Men With Ray Guns - "Swastikas For Christ"
Recorded sometime in the early 80s; Off the "Some People Deserve To Suffer" Album release don Emperor Jones Records in 2002.

Speaking of forward aggression, Stick Men With Ray Guns were the last band the world wanted, needed, or deserved. But still, this dissociated musical slur has been looked back as some of the finest of American Noise Rock - the Flipper-esque crunch of their music has found itself amongst the small group of Hardcore and Industrial (usual the Industrial sound was accidental) influenced Noise Rock bands such as Flipper, No Trend, early period Swans, Chrome, F/i, amongst others. A very unique aesthetic, sound and idea. 

9. Blue Sabbath Black Fiji - "The Mixing Ship"
Previously featured on 7/31/2015.
Off the "Mistake Of A Small Bird" LP released on Feeding Tube Records in 2010.
The French / Scottish duo end the A-side of their album in the best way possible - by being loud as shit. Well, thats how the whole album is - but the Whitehouse sound blasts of high frequency feedback is what makes it triumph over the rest of this nonsensical noise. Shame I have no clue what the fucks going on aside from that.

10. Waves Crashing Piano Chords - "Young Mouth / It Wasn't Even Worth My Back Seat"
Off the "Young Mouth" single released independently in 2014.
A more notable Power Electronics group to spring up the past few years, WCPC is a one man project spearheaded by one man; who happens to act and look like a Juggalo. As far as I know, he isn't. He also seems to favor his anonymity since I can't find reference to his name anywhere. WCPC is - in short - what Rochester, NY has been able to bless us with since their Punk scene burned out. 

>>Stream Here <<

11. Cult Ritual - "Cancer Money"
Off the "LP1" LP released on Youth Attack Records in 2009.
An ambitious Noise Rock / Hardcore release on a Powerviolence label, Cult Rituals fittingly named "LP1" hosts an A-side of Hardcore Tracks, while the B side hosts another Punk tune, but also gives us the 15 jam "Cancer Money" - clearly taking conceptual inspiration from White Light / White Heat - with "Cancer Money" being Cult Rituals "Sister Ray." What seems to start off as another Hardcore blast slowly progresses into a full on Noise jam, as it slowly loses its pace and ends. How elegant!