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

Quicksand - Divorce & Dine Alone 7inches + B-Sides/Rarities Collection

Let's just say that somehow you're here and you have ABSOLUTELY no idea who Quicksand is. That having been said, they were a hardcore/post-hardcore band in the early/mid-1990's comprised of a who's who of 80's New York Hardcore bands. Taking that pedigree & experience, they traveled new ground in this band, exploring more mid-tempo music with layered guitars and sung, rather than screamed vocals. Drawing equal parts hardcore and rock, they fused a sound that has continued to strongly influence across genres for years.

That being said, the first two things in this download were posted on the old What We Want Blog, ripped from the actual singles themselves; which I must say, both kick ass. The artwork for the Dine Alone 7inch which you see to the left makes the 7inch worth having alone. To the best of my knowledge, the songs here are demos and follows the "s/t" ep released on Revelation Records, predating the first lp, "Slip."

The second 7inch here, "Divorce/Voice Killer" comes after the
"Slip" lp, but predates their final lp "Manic Compression" and was actually released as a promo single. Both 7inches showcase some of Quicksand's finer moments as they move further from a direct hardcore influence and more towards their own signature sound. Rich guitar layering & effects, an ever present bass guitar, and drums that drive things forward through a sound that almost bounces along at times.

The last inclusion here is the "Rarities & B-Sides" fan compilation. I've seen a few different versions of this in the last few years. Usually they contain the same songs, but in a different order and quality. All to often the downloads of this are ripped at 128 kbps, which is just about the musical equivalent of eating McDonals past the age of 10 years old. The one posted here is at 160kbps, save for the last track, Supergenius which I could not find on any of the 160k versions. This compilation features as it says, B-sides and unreleased tracks. There's a fair amount of demo tracks along with some live tracks and what are said to be songs from the record the band was working on when they had briefly reunited in in the late 90's (specifically '98/'99). There's a lot of good tracks here, including a version of the stellar track "Shovel", and my two personal favorites on the compilation, a cover of the Smiths "How Soon Is Now?" (bonus from an import of the "Slip" lp and the unreleased track "In the End." Listen to it, the song can just swallow you whole with that opening riff, and then the vocals just sail right over the song- I try to avoid any flair for the dramatic with the blog, but Quicksand tends to defy most conventions, even now, more than 10 years after parting ways.

Enjoy!

Download: Quicksand - Divorce & Dine Alone 7inches + B-Sides collection