Spain is different

What happens when you live in a country under a dictatorship during almost forty years, where all seems to be grey and boring, and society is very conservative and traditionalist – but then the dictatorship is over and a relative new freedom era begins? Try to imagine this situation being a teen. And now try to imagine you suddenly learn about Punk, Electronic music, Industrial, Goth, Synth, Psychedelia, and Two Tone Ska at the same time. Too many new sounds to discover that blow up your mind!

Well, this is the feeling I get anytime I watch these videos of late 70s and early 80s Spanish bands. They just did whatever they wanted to do and didn't care about anything or anyone. Now, let's enjoy!

Siniestro Total – Mario Derribos Arias – Europa Ejecutivos Agresivos – Mari Pili Maria Morticia & Los Decrépitos – Vamos a contar murciélagos Lavabos Iturriaga – ? Glutamato Yeyé – Todos los negritos tienen hambre y frío La Caída de la Casa Usher – Insecto vivo, insecto muerto Metal & Ca – Automáticas

Bush Tetras

Bush Tetras – Too Many Creeps (Ed Steinberg, 1982)

B Team

“Pop music by its very nature is supposed to be throwaway and disposable and I wouldn't have it any other way. It usually goes something like this – buy a 7", listen to it, fall in love with it, play it everyday for a week, put on a compilation tape, file the single and rediscover it in 5 years time.” Sean (Rough Trade)

Well, this is exactly what happened to me with this song by B Team. The difference is I didn't buy the record, instead I got Homework #104. Please, visit their website!

B Team – Caught

Less is more: Thoughts on minimal Pt. I

OK, minimal is electronics. But not only that. Minimal is the Ramones playing 3-chord songs in all their records (and not caring at all) and singing “Second verse, same as the first!”; minimal is Pink Flag by Wire (“Field Day for the Sundays” is 25 seconds long); minimal is the Urinals' Another EP and Six Minute War's More Short Songs EP; minimal is the Puritan Guitars and their love for repetition; minimal is Rondos, Tändstickorshocks and all the whole amazingly great Wormerpunk scene; minimal is the harDCore and Dischord “austerity attitude”; minimal is the back-to-basics and primitive recording techniques by Beat Happening / K Records; minimal is Young Marble Giants and Marine Girls, too. So maybe minimal is an approach, a way of doing things, an attitude, more than a music style itself.

Anyway, this post was only an excuse to share with you three topnotch minimal jewels I can't stop listening to. Honestly, “I'm Leaving” by A.B.C. is one of the best songs ever done. And now, let's spread the word: Less is more!

Guerre Froide – Demain Berlin (France, 1981)

L'Aventure Imaginaire – One More Night (Deutschland, 1980)

Absolute Body Control – I'm Leaving (Belgium, 1981) 

Narthex

Narthex was a DIY/Punk duo from Philly formed by guitarist Mike Ace and drummer Dean Sabatino (better known as Dean Clean), who later went to play with the Dead Milkmen.

 Narthex (Mike & Dean)

“If nothing else, we at least picked up the DIY inspiration and passed it along to a few more people, who have stories of their own to tell. We were all part of a unique episode in musical/cultural history. Rather than leaving it to the distortions of critics and corporations, those of us who participated should all be sharing our first-hand accounts. There's a million stories out there in the eternal city of vans and station wagons, soundchecks and set lists, beer puddles and all-night diners, tedious time-killing and those fleetingly fantastic moments onstage. Hopefully, everyone's story will be told and preserved somewhere out here in the digital stew.” Mike Ace


Narthex – Frustration [Recorded in Narthex basement practise space, 1980–83]

Wurm Baby

Wurm Baby @ the 12th St. practice space (DC, 1983)

“Our first Wurm Baby show was a Muscular Dystrophy dance. Don said, 'How many people are dancing for handicapped children?' Everybody cheered. 'And how many people are here to win a trip to Florida?' They said we were makig handicapped jokes so they pulled the plug. But we weren't.” Joey Aronstamn (Banned in DC)

Wurm Baby later morphed into Grand Mal. Please, don't hesitate to have a look at Malcom Riviera's website (Wurm Baby's guitarist).

Punk aversion Pt. I

Do you wear a leather jacket? Do you like tattoos? Do you like pierciengs? Don't you miss any punk/hc show? Are you part of the local scene? No? Really? And you don't give a fuck about all those things? Then please be welcome, and let me tell you I am so happy to meet you.

California Punks – Culturcide


Mohawk Man – Mr. Epp


Punker – No Trend


Punk (Aversion II) – The Ex


How Much Longer – Alternative TV

Vroammm!

Vroammm! – Punks & Bullen United (Berlin, 1981)

So, did you think those Bullshit Detector compilation bands were amateurish? Ok, look at this video and tell me this is with no doubt the most badly, awfully and inept song ever played. But this is the reason why I consider this video so great and a true masterpiece in music history. It represents people finding their own voice and way of expression at its best.

Vroammmm! was formed by Mutfak, Thomas Zinke and legendary german underground musician Max Müller, who played in Honkas, in the huge influential act Campingsex (a favourite of mine), and with Mütter. By the way, his brother was Wolfgang Müller, who fronted the avantgarde band Die Tödliche Doris.

Kate Fagan

This song by Kate Fagan has been on heavy rotation these days, and I think it is obscure enough to have a little bit of airplay. If I remember clearly, got this song via the great Cake & Polka Parade blog back in the day, but it seems nowadays the mp3 link is gone. So here you have the choice to listen to this little gem.

Kate Fagan was the lead singer of Heavy Manners, an early ska band from Chicago. They have reunited and you can see an early video of them here.

Kate Fagan – I Don't Wanna Be Too Cool

Kleenex Pt. I

Kleenex – Nice

An image is worth a thousand words… What a great way to start 2009!