City Rockers - A Tribute to the Clash

Here's a good and diverse (band wise and with the direction some of the covers take) compilation for your sunny and windy weekend.

I picked this CD up quite some time ago in a used bin at the local shop and its been worth every penny and then some. Many of you may have heard some of these tracks if you're a fan of the respective bands, but more than a few of these tracks have also slipped past recognition for far too long.

To say this track or that track are stand out tracks would almost literally take up the entire cd as each band either does a good traditional take on the song or adapts the song to their style and does it nicely. Whether it is the first track with Dave Smalley playing "Death or Glory" and channeling Billy Bragg with just his voice and guitar or Kid Dynamite's fairly traditional send up with hand claps and all- just with a snottier snarl to it (the same could be said for Saves the Day's cover of Clash City Rockers); the whole CD is strong throughout.

I will say that, of all the tracks here, my favorites are One King Down doing "London Calling" and playing it in its fairly intact original form, but as OKD (meaning as a metallic hardcore song), Demon Speed giving "Rock the Casbah" a psycho/rockabilly treatment (really, any treatment other than stripped out synth new wave punk of the original is probably a great treatment- NOTE: the live version Joe Strummer did with the Mescaleros is exceptional as it showcases the true strength of that song), and Lady Luck's introspective feeling "Lost in the Supermarket" shines with the soft female vocals. **I would say that I love the Dropkick Murphys cover of "Guns of Brixton", but the live track loses some of the energy and punch of the studio version they did which is included on their Singles Collection Volume One.

One King Down "London Calling":


The inclusion of some very good ska bands doing very good ska versions of songs is a huge plus for me, both as a fan of ska and a fan of the Clash. The Stubborn All-Stars do an almost ska-country version of "Lose This Skin" while Skinnerbox ends the CD with "Straight to Hell." As is always the case with these kinds of things, there are tracks any and all of us would have liked to hear which did not end up on the CD, but it is a good mix of some of the best known songs and songs that are a bit more secondary.

DOWNLOAD" V/A "City Rockers"

Lady Luck "Lost in the Supermarket":

No Mercy - Widespread Bloodshed - Love Runs Red

No Mercy were a thrash/crossover band mostly active in the mid-1980's. Hailing from Venice, California they shared members and compilation space with, you guessed it, Suicidal Tendencies.

It should be said that, Suicidal Tendencies is probably the band most responsible for the musical directions my life (and thus this blog) has taken since I began seeking out music on my own.

Originally featuring a different singer (with whom they recorded compilation tracks with), Mike Muir eventually joined when the original singer departed and they recorded this debut (and lone) full length which was released on Muir's Suicidal Records (which had also released the Welcome to Venice comp. which featured older No Mercy tracks).

The songs certainly show their age, in a good way, with heavy riffs that have just the right amount of crunch to give it what I consider that perfect 80's crossover sound of almost metallic punk/hardcore. This is the way Suicidal's "Join the Army" should have sounded - NOTE: I love Join the Army, but the record defanitely has a slower pace that almost frustrates me at times when I think of how those songs would have sounded if they had been more in line with the "Controlled By Hatred/Feel Like Shit" EP's.

Speaking of the 'Controlled/Feel' EP's, the No Mercy album is the bridge in the gap from the stellar "How Will I Laugh Tomorrow..." lp and said ep's. By the time Suicidal Tendencies would release the double ep No Mercy had folded and No Mercy founder/guitarist, Mike Clark had joined ST. Suicidal began playing and recorded No Mercy tracks Waking the Dead, Controlled By Hatred, Master of No Mercy, and My Own Way of Life.

Enjoy a fairly underrated crossover classic. And should it motivate you, feel free to find Suicidal Tendencies' "How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today" and "Controlled By Hatred/Feel Like Shit... Deja Vu"; as well as Excel's "Split Image" & "Joke's On You". Nostalgic skater childhood in full effect.

DOWNLOAD: No Mercy - Widespread Bloodshed - Love Runs Red

Gorilla Biscuits - Live in the Netherlands 2007

Here's a fun one from the Gorilla Biscuits re-union tour that happened in 2007. I missed the tour when it stopped off here in Southern California, but I hear a great time was had by all. If the pictures included with the audio (one of which you see to your right) are any indication, the shows were a hit everywhere.

On even the slightest off chance anyone finding themselves here does not know who GB is, they were a late 80's/early 90's hardcore band from New York. With a stellar first EP (it still gets more play than the LP for me) which was followed by a Full Length that laid the framework for many a hardcore band to follow. Fast and fun, it was also funny and intelligent- While the EP had a bit more of the run-of-the-mill topics of being positive in the face of adversity, betrayed friendships, shit talking, and the like, the record was still very fresh sounding and without the feeling of beating a dead horse, while the music definitely pushed the band over the top with that first record (High Hopes and Breaking Free are easily two of my favorite HC songs, period). The "Start Today" lp that followed in 1989 showed the band moving to a sound that incorporated a bit more of melody and the timely use of tempo changes & breakdowns that has been oft imitated and hardly ever matched. The LP also saw the band exploring topics of racism within the scene, vegetarianism/culture, and not wasting all of ones time be it to the TV (stand still), procrastination (Start Today), or changing lives (Time Flies). Not to say that they abandoned their previous topics, as songs like New Direction, Two Sides, and Forgotten all addressed topics similar to the first EP's.

Members went on to (as well as concurrently played in) many bands including CIV, Quicksand, Warzone, Side By Side, Rival Schools, and a nearly endless list of other bands.

I don't remember where I got this, surely it was from another blog a few years ago. All credit to the taper/photographer (there's 5 pictures in the folder) and the original poster. It's a really good quality live set, clear music, clear vocals; by the sounds of it one of the best audience recordings I have ever heard and easily an A recording. The vocals make me think that it isn't a soundboard.

Added bonus of a Judge, Warzone, and two CIV tracks- and of course, Sittin Round at Home which is actually a Buzzcocks song, albeit a bit different as GB has been known for doing it.

DOWNLOAD: Gorilla Biscuits - Live in the Netherlands 2007

Various Artists - "Rebuilding" 7inch

A Hardcore Comp. legend, in my books at least. How can it not be a great comp when the line-up is Turning Point, Burn, Gorilla Biscuits, and No Escape? A comp that contained those bands would be legendary, let alone one that is solely based around those bands.

At the time that it was released these songs were exclusive to this release. As most people reading this probably realize, the GB track ended up on the CD versions of both of their Rev. records, and the Turning Point track ended up on their discography that was released on Jade Tree.

This 7inch was later re-released as a CD/LP with the whole Turning Point/No Escape split ep as well as the Burn track from the "Forever" comp. Not really a comp at that point, so much as a Temperance Records collection; but nice none-the-less to have the stuff out there. This posting is just the 7inch, along with scans of all the artwork (another classic comp with the band pages- love it!!), as well as the scans for the animal rights pamphlet that was included with it; which is dated, to say the least.
Maybe someone can do proper Burn & No Escape discography's one day (No Escape does have some stuff that isn't too hard to find).

PS- I ended up locked out of Blogger for some time with updates they were making, apologies for that. Expect some more posts this weekend, later Saturday or Sunday. Now, its time for work... on a Saturday.

DOWNLOAD: "Rebuilding" Comp 7inch

CD, Tape, DVD, Zine Trading

Go It Alone - Tithemi: Redlands, Ca 2005

Something that I enjoyed in the past was tape trading. I heard a lot of bands, punk, hardcore and otherwise this way. I'm currently without a tape deck and to be honest, many people today probably wouldn't bother with the process to make one.

However, after a good run of coming across some bands that really excited me (Youth Avoiders, Zombies Are Pissed, and Black Spirals; among others), and some Zines I really dug (Just Say Yo! from France being my favorite because it arrived today and kicks ass), it got me in a mood for at least putting out there to swap CD's with people who are interested.

Local bands, new, old, whatever- you can get a vibe for what I like, and if you're here, I can take a stab in the dark at what you like. Yes, everything is so fucking easy to access, consume, and process. And there are things I like about that- I can get blown away by a band like Youth Avoiders that way. But there is still something much more to be said for getting a record or even CD of unknown music, a Zine filled with things to read, and so on. I remember the guy who ran Slug & Lettuce had a nice trade list going on where the first person sent stuff to the next person who signed up on the list and so on. Whatever you wanted to send, as long as actual music was involved. That was a cool idea.

Anyhow, Putting it out there- you can email me and I will gladly trade addresses. All are welcome, Out of State, Out of Country, everything. You can even send what you're most interested in. However, it needs to be actual mailed things, whatever they may be. No set standards other than music or music related.

it.follows.blog@gmail.com

PS- if you're looking at this 6 months or a year after this has been posted and the blog is still active, then the offer still stands. So send away!

Carry Nation - Face the Nation

Sorry, No Monday post. Bit of a crazy weekend- worked Saturday, found out we're having a boy, just a little bit going on- heh.


Carry Nation were a long running, little output Hardcore band from Southern California. Featuring members of TONS of hardcore bands at the time (and since); inc. running concurrently with No For An Answer & Insted, with whom they shared members. While surely fitting in with those bands, they took a bigger sound and bigger voice and put a twist on the standard late 80's sound.  Drums near the front of the mix, building bass lines, and a mid pace to some songs that wasn't yet quite so prevalent for bands that weren't heavier. Carry Nation also took on some larger subjects than the average hardcore band; but to expect less from a band fronted by Dan O. would be foolish.

Aside from this little 4 song 7inch they had two live tracks on Nemesis Record comps, a live version of "Protect & Serve" and the otherwise unrecorded "Temple Walls." It's too bad more wasn't recorded, Temple Walls shows a growing sound and members have said in interviews many years later, that the direction Carry Nation was headed was exciting.

DOWNLOAD: Carry Nation - "Face the Nation"

State - No Illusions E.P.

I discovered this piece of 80's hardcore fury when I picked up a bootleg comp. 12 inch that compiled this 7inch as well as records from Battalion of Saints, White Cross, Beastie Boys, & Deep Wound. Good quality boot with covers and insert info.

State "No Illusions" flat out rips. 7 songs in just over 8 1/2 minutes. Midwest hardcore in top form, this Michigan unit plows forward song after song hanging ever so close to the edge of free falling into noise. But they hold the course and stay above the noise and instead deliver a sonic dose that could put them on a bill with the Necros around the time of their IQ 32 record (which is their best stuff in my humble opinion).

A classic record that isn't necessarily the most well known, but probably should be. The band apparently did an lp and has done some other stuff, continuing into at least 2010 with sporadic shows and recordings.

DOWNLOAD: State " No Illusions e.p."

PS- it was not discovered until I had posted and uploaded the record, but track 3 & 4 are both listed 'Hardline', however, track 3 is in fact the song 'Attention.'

Various Artists - Empty Skulls Vol. Two 12 inch

This comp. is a little redirection from the recent run of 90's era Hardcore Compilations and takes us all the way back to some of the formative years of Hardcore and even crossover. Released in 1986 on Pomona, Ca. label Fartblossom Records (who also co-released yesterday's Justice League post), the comp. is a bit of a hodgepodge with more than a few notable bands, some that I am completely unaware of, and overall a very wide selection of bands from around the world (though the US is still the most represented).

Corrosion of Conformity, Crude SS, Justice League, & Pillsbury Hardcore make up some of the better know bands, while E.A.T.E.R., Legion of Parasites, & Colera make up some of the lesser known groups.

Stand out/favorite tracks include Pillsbury Hardcore (with 3), Justice League, Corrosion of Conformity (3), Stranglehold (who have a snotty, punkier Dead Milkmen feel), & Legion of Parasites (2). Nearly every one of the 21 songs is great, though there is one or two that stray far from the general fast & loud of these songs and another song or two that unfortunately suffer from inadequate recording quality. All in all, a very solid and diverse comp from the mid-80's punk/hardcore scenes of the world. Very worth the $1.99 I paid for it (especially considering the few copies I've seen since go much closer to the $30 range, not that I'm looking to sell it).

DOWNLOAD: "Empty Skulls Vol. Two: The Wound Deepens" 

FRIENDLY REMINDER- Record Store Day is this Saturday. Go to you local shop, then check the blog- there will be some extra posts this weekend to celebrate.

Classic Record: Justice League - Think or Sink 7inch

I know the Stuck In the Past guys do something similar; this isn't meant to be a bite of that, rather, a nod to both Record Store day and to a record I was already planning to post.

Justice League hailed from Southern California (particularly what is known as the Pomona Valley). Technically a Los Angeles (county) band, growing up they were always referenced as the first and foremost hardcore band from the Inland Empire. While PVHC might be a stretch for be associated with the Inland Empire, to be fair, members of this band would go on to be in one of the larger recognized IE bands (Chain of Strength). To truth to it all is, Pomona, Ontario, Chino, Riverside, Moreno Valley, and so on all kind of ran together as the parts that didn't quite fit LA and weren't San Diego. It's still largely this way today in the respective areas/scene.

Justice League carry the distinction of being one of the very first Straight Edge bands on the West Coast. Fast hardcore with a large nod to punk, Justice League put an emphasis on thought among the punk/hc scene and a Pro-Youth outlook both from themselves and the world around them. Think or Sink stands not so much as a genre defining record, but rather a very large marker on the path Hardcore was taking. A record that after its release; bands, labels, & fans could look at and say "Yeah, that's the look, that's the sound... that's the aesthetic." Not to sound corny, cheesy, or to imply that a singular look was what was acceptable. Rather, I look at a record like Think or Sink and it stands as a prototypical record- the cover drawing, the back live photo, the record labels, the lyric sheet folded and stuffed inside the jacket; everything about this record says 80's hardcore, southern california, and even straight edge. I get the same feeling holding RKL's "It's A Beautiful Feeling"or The Middle Class' "Out of Vogue."

Justice League would go on to record a full length with new singer Casey Jones, and eventually an EP with guitarist Ryan Hoffman handling a lot of the vocals. The band's sound progressed along the way, moving to a fuller hardcore and almost melodic punk sound; in my opinion by the end they had taken a direction similar to 7 Seconds with their "New Wind" record. Different members came and went from the band, many going on to other notable hardcore & punk bands (Chain of Strength-named for a Justice League song, No For An Answer, Eyelid, Ignite, Inside Out, & Drive Like Jehu) with the band running it's course in 1988. A discography was released a few years ago, but is currently out of print and unavailable. Perhaps it will turn up here at some point.

DOWNLOAD: Justice League - "Think or Sink"

RECORD STORE DAY IS THIS SATURDAY, APRIL 16th- go to your local shop, preferably a Mom & Pop and check out their regular stuff and the exclusives just for Record Store Day.

Pushed Aside, Against the Wall, Drift Again, Ignite: Randy Johnson

What we have here is a nice, big Saturday post of 4 different 7" EP's. They're all easily able to stand alone as their own posts, however, a few weeks ago I obtained my own copy of the Drift Again 7inch (I had ripped and scanned a copy belonging to a friend about a year ago) & as I was enjoying looking the record over and absorbing it a little (yeah, I'm a geek like that- as if this blog doesn't indicate that), when I was reminded that Randy Johnson had played guitar in this band.

No, not the baseball player, the OC Hardcore Randy Johnson.

Starting with Pushed Aside in 1989, whom he sang for; then Against the Wall where he played bass; followed by Drift Again where he featured on guitar; rounded out by Ignite where he was their second singer. It should be noted, Mike Hartsfield makes two appearances as well, playing guitar & bass respectively in Against the Wall & Drift Again (and guitar in yesterday's post of the Amendment 18 7 inch).

Pushed Aside is pretty straight forward, pissed off hardcore from Southern California. The vocals are kind of snarled at times, while the music is almost like a buzz-saw of guitars set to steady & precise drums. This is their demo from '89 that was later released by Indecision Records in the mid-2000's.

Against the Wall play a style of late 80's/early 90's hardcore that was starting to reflect more of the emotional outbursts bands were putting forward in their lyrics while playing a slightly heavier style of traditional hardcore. Songs that plow right into you only to pause briefly before building back up into a full sonic assault. The vocals, to me, almost have an east coast feel to them (like an accent)- either way, they are a big part of what appeals to me about this record; heavier hardcore with clear/screamed vocals.

Drift Again was a band I had heard about for a LONG time, the band that preceded Outspoken for Hartsfield, and had apparently played this mesmerizing hardcore. Indeed, I can see how that could be said. Drift Again brings forward a lot of what had always been 90's hardcore to me; songs that had a heavier sound to them, but not tuned down so far that it just chugged along, clear and almost singing vocals at times, a very noticeable bass guitar in the mix along with songs that start and stop on a dime within themselves. Factor in the emotionally driven and sometimes almost distraught sounding lyrics and then add in the little guitar squeals and it screams Southern California 90's hardcore to me.

Ignite, just about everyone has had some exposure to Ignite by this time. To most, Ignite is forever tied to third singer (and longest running), Zoli. But before Zoli & after first singer Joe Nelson, was Randy Johnson. If memory serves, this comes after the 5-song demo (and some other assorted songs) with Joe & just before Zoli joined. What's very interesting to me is that the songs sound very little like Ignite before or after this recording. Automatic & Where They Talk have a much more drawn out sound that compliment Randy's higher pitched sound (I know, sounds weird to say "high pitched" when Zoli is part of the discussion), & the song Turn is much more Ignite's sound as it is a song from the original demo and also later appeared on the "Call on My Brothers" full length. It's a good little 3 song offering, recorded right here in this blog's hometown of Riverside, Ca with Bob Moon (who it seemed, recorded a bunch of bands in the early-mid 90's).

To the best of my knowledge, the only things missing are the Pushed Aside & Against the Wall tracks from "A Generation of Hope" comp (which I do not own), the Solitude demo (pre-Against the Wall), Drift Again's track from the "Words to Live By" comp (which will be posted in the future), & the Ignite "Scarred For Life" CD which features two more Randy Johnson tracks on it (which may be posted in the future).

Enjoy this & enjoy your Saturday. Record Store Day is a week away!

DOWNLOAD: Pushed Aside - "self-titled (demo)"
                         Against the Wall - "Identify Me"
                         Drift Again - "Self-Titled"
                         Ignite - "Where They Talk"

Voicebox - "Silence Lies" 7inch DOWNLOAD LINK ACTUALLY POSTED

DOH! that one slipped by somehow. The original post is HERE, somehow I forgot to activate the link.
Check it out, good project band from Dan No For An Answer/Carry Nation/411/Speak 714/etc & Chuck McRad/Underdog

Voicebox - "Silence Lies" 7inch

Another entry in the list of bands & projects that fall into the category of "Dan O'Mahony" bands. From well known acts such as No For An Answer & Four One One (411 "Discography" on It follows HERE) to smaller bands like God Forgot, John Henry Holiday, or this little two track record.

Teaming up with Chuck Treece, professional skater and guitarist/multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire (McRad & Underdog), to put down two songs of rocking hardcore. The first song, "Cold Inside" is the standout track for me, with is running guitar leads and slight groove in the guitars; it calls up thoughts of some of the later 80's Bad Brains as well as bands that would come later in the 90's Post-Hardcore explosion.

Another release from Dan's Workshed Records (Blackspot "Check Out the Helmet" being another posted here already), this one was done towards the end of the 80's with Dan doing vocals & design, Chuck handled all of the music. A good little studio project and it would seem the birth of Dan's Silence Lies references (he runs a website now and referenced it in a Speak 714 song). Enjoy!

DOWNLOAD: Voicebox - "Silence Lies" 7inch

Various Artists - Discharged: From Home Front to War Front

Discharge stand as one of the cornerstones of hardcore punk, crust, and d-beat; laying the foundation for everything from Doom to Tragedy. Fast, overdriven, and in your face in the most blunt force-you-to-pay-attention kind of way. Their legacy is one hard earned & well deserved; as such, a tribute comp. like this 7inch is not only fitting, but almost dead on with the band selections paying tribute.

Nausea (who probably owe the most direct thanks to Discharge), Final Conflict, Neurosis, Four One One, & Extreme Noise Terror all turn in their own renditions of Discharge classics with Nausea & Four One One being the biggest standouts (in my opinion), though none of the songs lag.

I originally came across this while originally compiling the 411 "Discog." for the old What We Want Blog, when an attentive blogger noticed I didn't have their Discharge cover (of which I was not aware) and sent me a link to the whole comp that they had ripped. Very worth sharing on it's own, so enjoy!

DOWNLOAD: Discharged: From Home Front to War Front

PS- I do not own this and have only seen it go for some pricier numbers, so if you have a copy you want to part with, email me.

Inside Out - Live at the Anthrax June 15th, 1990

A real gem for this post, a live Inside Out set. Inside Out, for any of you who might be here and somehow not know who they were; were a hardcore band that existed all too shortly at the end of the 80's/early 90's. They pulled on the musical experience that each of them had from playing in notable 80's HC bands (Beyond, Hardstance, No For An Answer, Justice League, & Chain of Strength to name a few) and fused it into this extremely influential band.

With an all too brief studio output of the "No Spiritual Surrender" EP on Revelation Records and numerous accounts of lots of fully formed songs for their never-recorded full length lp, "Rage Against the Machine", this live set helps to show what was coming for the band before it splintered.

I don't remember where I came across this live set, whether it was another blog or by way of guitarist Vic Dicara. The assorted live songs in the secondary download here most definitely came from Vic, as he had shared them when I had been fortunate enough to go into his Static Void Studios with some friends who were recording with him. Something that always seemed to kind of sum up Inside Out's sound was something Vic once said when we had finally decided to start asking him questions in the studio; he said that essentially the Inside Out sound comes down to the rest of the band going for a Minor Threat sound while Vic was going more for a Slayer sound. Of course it was over simplification, but the general point rings true.

The Anthrax set with 5 unrecorded tracks as well as the entire EP (after uploading this, I discovered that End of Time is Undertone. I don't know who tagged this, but that's how it is. Burning Fight is also split into 2 tracks and inc. a fast 25-30 seconds that were either another song or a part of the song that never got recorded).
The assorted tracks are from various live sources completely unknown to me as Vic just gave the files to friends as is. For me, its a real treat for the early version of the Rage Against the Machine track "Darkness", as well as the song Rage Against the Machine.

Even with knowing how different Inside Out was, the live set offers some real surprises and some real wishes that they had recorded these tracks properly in a studio. Turning Face (also called Turn to Run in other versions) is probably my favorite, though there isn't a bad track.

DOWNLOAD: Inside Out - Live at the Anthrax 1990
DOWNLOAD: Inside Out - assorted Live tracks

*Both photographs pulled from the web, the first one I have no idea who it belongs to, the second one is credited to the great Ken Salerno.