Disguster!

Given that I attempted a retirement from writing between late 2007 and mid 2011, I missed a lot of great music while I was out of the game. So one of the things I'd like to do with this blog from time to time is to get caught up on some of the essential stuff I missed. Over the next couple of months, I'll be writing quite a bit about Zodiac Killer Records. Looking at the list of releases that have come out on ZKR in recent years, I definitely put this label among the very best in the punk world. ZKR has worked with everyone from legends like Electric Frankenstein and The Supersuckers to international sensations like Dead Vikings and Sonic Negroes to modern-day greats like The Hitchhikers and Stiletto Boys. I fully support Ron's mission to keep punk music dirty and dangerous. And one of the most representative releases of what his label is all about has to be Disguster's superb 2009 album Not So Sweet.

Disguster is notoriously one of the most acclaimed live bands in southern California. If you enjoy the gloriously unwholesome stylings of the Dead Boys and Dwarves or the classic SoCal sounds of The Humpers and Black Flag, this is definitely a band for you. I also hear strong hints of Bon Scott era AC/DC, which can never be a bad thing. Factor in two killer guitarists, a couple of Hitchhikers, and a creepy degenerate peeping Tom front man named KC, and you've got yourself some first rate sleazy punk rock n' roll! What I like about Not So Sweet is that it takes the wildfire energy the band is known for on stage and finds a way to capture it in the studio. Close your eyes while you're listening to "End of the End", and you're immediately transported to some club or dive bar that's about to have its roof blown off. And while I love the full-on ferocity of this track and the face-smashing cover of Led Zeppelin's "Communication Breakdown", this is far from a one-dimensional record. Not So Sweet finds Disguster working with a number of different tempos and really showing off their songwriting chops. "Feelin With A Dealin" is up there with the best of The Humpers' stuff, while "Secret Shame" is truly a punk classic of its time. And even if you've never ingested an illicit chemical in your life, you'll be hard pressed not to jump out of your seat and shout along loudly to the chorus of "Drugs". It's that catchy.

As the name suggests, Disguster is not a band for the easily offended. If you're ultra-PC or prefer your punk rock to be "nice", you might wanna steer clear. Not So Sweet is appropriately named, and it's darn near a masterpiece of its genre. This is punk music the way it was meant to sound - raw and nasty, with real guts and a sick sense of humor. I'm embarrassed to have been unaware of this great album for so long, but I've been making up for lost time in recent days...with the volume cranked way up! Check out http://www.zodiackillerrecords.com/ for ordering information!



-L.R.

http://www.zodiackillerrecords.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/pages/DISGUSTER/97402473773 
http://www.reverbnation.com/disguster 

On blogging...

In this day and age when any idiot can be a music blogger, it's perfectly logical to ask what role people like me should play. Should we be cheerleaders? Promoters? Critics? Entertainers? Are we doing a disservice to bands if we fail to offer constructive critiques of their music? Are we pompous jerks if we do offer constructive critiques of their music? Ultimately, I'd say it all depends on the intentions and goals of each blogger. I can't speak for anyone else who does the sort of thing I do. I can only tell you what I try to do with F & L. And what I try to do is to merely bring attention to music that people might enjoy. Which is why I only write about music that I genuinely like.

In no way at all do I consider myself a critic. For many years, I attempted to be one. And I am highly ashamed of every negative word I've ever written about any band in the past. Bands put their heart and soul into creating music, and they certainly don't deserve to have their efforts demeaned by some pretentious asshole who doesn't really know what he's talking about. I have no personal opposition to the idea of music criticism. I think when it's done well, honest criticism can be very constructive to bands. But I feel the person issuing the critique should be a working musician with technical knowledge and experience in that world. Me? I'm just a fan.

To me, part of what makes underground music unique is how we discover so much of it through word of mouth. I can think of lots of my favorite bands of both all-time (Replacements, The Boys) and present day (The Cry!, L.A. Drugz) that I came to discover entirely because friends went to the trouble of turning me on to them. I am so thankful for that and eager to pay it forward. I am neither qualified nor inclined to judge the "worth" of music. But as a music lover who finds everyday life greatly enriched by the joy of rock n' roll, I'm most definitely inclined to publicly share what I like. In the old days, I heard songs I liked and put them on mixed tapes for my friends. Now I put up links to streaming tracks on a personal blog. It's essentially the same thing.

I've been hearing from a lot of bands and labels lately, and I am deeply humbled by that. I feel bad that I don't have time to write about all the music that is brought to my attention. And I feel bad when I don't like something enough to review it. That said, if you've got a piece of music that you do want me to hear, I promise I will at least give it a fair listen with an open mind. I only ask that all submissions be digital. I am not comfortable accepting physical submissions since I know I cannot guarantee a positive review (or any review at all).

Thanks to all of you who take the time to stop by my insignificant corner of the blogosphere. Perhaps I still haven't mastered the concept of keeping my reviews short and letting the music speak for itself. But trust me: I'm working on it!

-L.R.

Indonesian Junk

You probably know Daniel James from cool Milwaukee based bands like Chinese Telephones and Ramma Lamma. When I heard he had done some solo demos, I figured they would be good. I figured right! Working under the name Indonesian Junk (best band name ever!), James home-recorded four songs Prince style - playing all the instruments himself. He liked the tracks enough to make Indonesian Junk an actual band - recently bringing Johnny Cyanide (bass) and Mark Fraaza (drums) into the fold. I imagine the trio will be recording together soon. In the meantime, Dan has made his solo demos available for free download. They're very much up my alley, and I'm super impressed that Dan learned how to play drums just so he could undertake this project. That's true commitment!

I'd describe these songs as ballsy powerpop/punk with a slightly dark edge. I don't know if the lyrics are based on personal experience or not, but there's a pretty intense heartbreak theme looming large. And it goes without saying that the lead guitar work is absolutely smokin'! Even with fairly blatant nods to the likes of the Stooges ("Shake It With You") and Dickies ("You Messed Me Up"), Indonesian Junk come off sounding pretty darn unique. Listening to these demos, I don't get the feeling that I've heard these songs a million times before. Dan sounds a little like Joey Ramone on "Now That It's Over", but I don't think that's intentional. A song title like "Shelly Shelly Don't (Break My Heart)" might have you expecting cutesy power pop. But it sure isn't cutesy, and it freaking rocks. Given that these are demos, this is just a rough idea of what Indonesian Junk is going to sound like in a few more months. Give these guys a couple months to get tight and write some more songs, and surely they'll deliver a debut recording that will knock all of our socks off! I am so psyched to hear more!

 
-L.R.

http://indonesianjunk.bandcamp.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/indonesianjunk 

The Fanatiques

On many occasions, I've gone on record declaring that '77 era punk rock is my favorite music ever. I love that classic '77 sound, and I've often lamented that there are not as many current bands in that vein as there used to be. So it's always great to hear newer bands that play that kind of style and really do it well. France's Fanatiques are totally up my alley. They're particularly inspired by those early U.K. punk bands that were the forefathers of Oi! - like Slaughter and the Dogs, Menace, and Cock Sparrer. By no means are The Fanatiques attempting a straight copy of that sound. But they certainly aren't trying to hide what their influences are. Their excellent debut EP can be heard in its entirety on YouTube. When I first saw the song titles "Where Are They Now?", "Where Have All The Bootboys Gone?", and "I Don't Like You", I thought maybe all the tracks were covers! But they're all original songs. Vinny from The Clean-Cuts (7" on No Front Teeth Records) is the singer, and his snotty vocals give these songs a little bit of a different feel than you'd expect. Imagine, if you will, The Queers playing street punk. That might sound a little odd, but these Frenchies really pull it off! The melodic guitar leads are definitely of a '77 vintage, and of course there are ample opportunities to sing along and pump your fist. If you dig further into Vinny's YouTube channel, you'll also find some songs from The Clean-Cuts. They had more of a '77 powerpop/punk sound, and were also quite good. Seems I can always count on France to get it done!



-L.R.

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCucDR0UyJn-sLZJ5jPFvEug 
http://uneviepourrienvinyles.bandcamp.com/album/the-fanatiques-ep 

Meet Showponies!

In an age when so many new bands are identifying themselves with sub-genres of sub-genres, it's nice to hear a group that just wants to kick you hard in the ass with some good, old-fashioned punk rock. Showponies hail from Tunbridge Wells in Kent, England. Their name comes from the fact that they rehearse in a stable that used to train horses for show jumping events. That's no joke, and neither is this band's music! They make a point to say that they're "punk and pop but not pop-punk". That's a very important distinction. The band plays a fast and aggressive brand of punk music that's tuneful and catchy. I bet they're super fun live! They just put out a four-song self titled EP, and I have to say I'm highly impressed. This is what punk music should sound like: powerful guitars, hard-hitting drums, ballsy vocals. Showponies do a good job of playing a classic style of punk rock without being derivative of any particular bands or eras. They're not trying to "sound like" anyone. And with clever lyrics covering such topics as gold diggers, retro girls, and the need for escape, these gentlemen really seem to understand the "sing-along" part of sing-along punk. "I Don't Wanna Be" had me won over from the start, but truly the whole EP is quality. Showponies have left me wanting more, and that can only be a good thing. Dig!

 
-L.R.

http://showponies.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/showponiesrnr

Jazzed Up And Bonkers!!

Being a child of the '70s and '80s, I grew up in the days when listening to the radio was still awesome. And while concentrated corporate ownership and automated playlists have essentially sucked the soul out of commercial radio in recent decades, so-called "alternative" formats have really picked up the slack. You've got college radio, satellite radio, community radio, Internet radio, podcasts....lots of places to find great tunes played by individuals who are passionate and knowledgeable about music. One of my favorite current radio programs is Jazzed Up And Bonkers!! - hosted by that dynamic duo of Travis Ramin & Dan Henry. It runs on KFAI- a community radio station in Minneapolis/St. Paul. You can stream episodes right off of the station's web site.

As the name of the show suggests, Jazzed Up And Bonkers!! is pure, crazy fun. Imagine a cross between Dr. Demento and Little Steven's Underground Garage. Travis and Dan engage in amusing banter, play lots of funny retro audio clips, do a few comedy bits, and of course bring you tons of great music. If you're even an occasional follower of this blog, you will love the selection of songs they play. I'm talking punk, garage, power pop, classics and rarities from the '60s, old country and rhythm & blues, novelty songs...basically everything that's good! The most recent episode (#25) features everyone from The Remains to Connie Francis to the Devil Dogs to Louis "Blues Boy" Jones to the Marked Men to Jimmy Dean. The theme of the episode is the 45th anniversary of the release of Kick Out the Jams. And my favorite rock n' roller, Tina Lucchesi, calls in for an interview with the fellas.  

I think what I like best about Jazzed Up And Bonkers!! is the way Travis and Dan combine their encyclopedic knowledge of music with a genuinely creative take on the radio show format. It's just fun to listen to these guys sit there and talk about music (well, I assume they're sitting - for all I know, they could be bouncing on trampolines or playing Nerf basketball). I totally connect with spontaneous conversations about The Undertones being The Searchers of the '70s or the mystery of why The Figgs left "Lynette" off their first LP. And since my pet peeve in radio is when people try way too hard to be funny (e.g., any morning drive show on the air today), I like that these two guys really are funny!

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that Jazzed Up And Bonkers!! is the only radio show in the history of time to play Ariane's "Tu Voudrais 'que Joublie" and Cactus's "Parchment Farm" back to back. Listen at work and enhance the quality of your day. Or better yet: call in sick, make yourself a big sandwich, shut off your phone, and enjoy the best radio program out there! Trivia question: what does this post have in common with my last post?

-L.R.

http://kfai.org/jazzedupandbonkers
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jazzed-Up-And-Bonkers/135567716500601
http://www.mixcloud.com/JazzedUpAndBonkers/

The great Gun Fury!

Through the marvels of the latest technology, I've had the chance in recent months to "rediscover" a whole bunch of my favorite bands from back in the day. And I am loving it! Just since the end of last year, there have been digital reissues of great recordings from The Prostitutes, Dimestore Haloes, and Jake and the Stiffs. Now add Lancaster, Pennsylvania's Gun Fury to the list. It's like I've found a portal to the '90s. Just make sure to stop me if I start telling Bill Clinton jokes or wearing Zubaz pants in public.

I am SO stoked that a Gun Fury collection is finally out! Rumors of its imminent existence have been swirling for years. This was a very important band in my "career" - with members going on to do such things as travel to outer space and bat cleanup for the Cleveland Indians. It was largely because of Gun Fury that I got turned on to all the '77 U.K. punk bands that I so famously adore. This was one of the first bands I ever interviewed as a young writer. And to be reviewing them now, some 19 years later, is just too cool! 

As the title suggests, Complete Studio Recordings is a compilation of every song Gun Fury ever recorded - with tracks dating from 1993 to 1995. The majority of the songs appeared on the band's two 7" singles, but there are a few "rarities" included as well. Gun Fury was doing melodic/catchy punk long before it was "cool". The guys in the band were huge fans of the Pistols, Clash, and especially The Damned (hence the name of the group). Yet Gun Fury had a sound that was all its own - playing upbeat, tuneful punk with humorous lyrics mocking such things as asshole bosses, crappy mainstream bands, tailgating motorists, and the lack of adequate soccer coverage on American television. Listening to this collection, I'm struck by two thoughts. One is that these songs have held up really well over two decades. The other is that I can't quite explain why this band was so overlooked/underrated. I don't know more than a couple people who actually remember Gun Fury. Even the Internet seems unaware of the band's existence. But with Gun Fury's complete recorded output now rescued from out-of-print obscurity, there's certainly a chance for some posthumous recognition of this tremendous band. With its timeless sentiment and classic hook, Shuba's "Boss" pleases as much today as it ever did. And Eric Apathy's "Over The Air" reminds us that bad music on the radio is hardly a new phenomenon.

For more information on Gun Fury and a free download of Complete Studio Recordings, visit the group's Bandcamp. Central PA, represent!



-L.R.

http://gunfury.bandcamp.com/album/complete-studio-recordings