Helmet – Meantime
Wow, it’s 21 years ago this monster of an lp surfaced. I saw the video for Unsung, and was blown to bits by its crushing heavyness and catchy riff.
I lived in a basement at the time, with my girlfriend Lisa, we were unemployed and out of cash, there was far between the record store visits. But I knew I had to get this one.
The release of Betty was yet another good experience music wise, and I guess I actually like Betty better than Meantime. But as I listen to it now, I’m reminded of the long borng pre-internet days in the basement with Lisa, where much of the entertainment came from visits from my buddy Heine, and our getting drunk in cheap beer and on one occasion cough syrup…
Later on I developed a profound hatred to Helmet, as I saw them as one of the reasons for the development of Nü-Metal (may it burn in Hell). And for many moons my Helmet records lay untouched.
But now I’m at peace with Mr. Hamilton et al. And it is good to have a spin of the old Interscope wax from 21 years ago.
Various Artists – The Hits Album 2
This is the best hit collection EVER.
Only one or two weak tracks.
Go find it, Tiger: http://www.discogs.com/Various-Hits-2-The-Album/release/936633
Melt-Banana – Fetch
It was worth the wait!
Beautifully packaged and full frontal audio assault.
Get it while you can.
Various – Violent Noise Party: International Blast Fighter Compilation
Various – Violent Noise Party: International Blast Fighter Compilation 7″
This is an absolute must have for the picky punk and grindfreak. Insect Warfare, Netjajev SS, In Disgust and plenty of other good, fast and heavy bands all in the space of a 7″ record.
Insect Warfare treat us with a brutal cover of the classic Celtic Frost Into the Crypts of Rays, and Rainbow of Death gives us one of the more bizarre sampled intros.
I have nothing but praise for this compilation, who needs 80 minutes, when 15 will do?
Godstomper/Gorgonized Dorks – Split 10″
This 10″ split is one of the best split ep’s I know of. The music from both bands is killer and it is sure to satisfy the cravings of even the most demanding noisepunk.
As a bonus the pink 10″ vinyl looks like something out of Candy Crush.
More info: http://www.discogs.com/Gorgonized-Dorks-Godstomper-Gorgonized-Dorks-Godstomper/release/3688363
The Cure – Concert: The Cure Live
I first learned of this live lp by The Cure recently. And I only had it as mp3 until today, where I happened to find a used but very decent looking/sounding specimen in an artsy bookstore in Istedgade.
I am pleased.
http://www.discogs.com/Cure-Concert-The-Cure-Live/release/437367
Napalm Death – Utilitarian
My love affair with Napalm Death began in the summer of 1987. My brother had gotten hold of a cassette with Scum on one side, and some Septic Death on the other.
Need I say I was blown to bits? It was – and possibly will be for ever – the most intense musical experience of my life.
As I sit here in my comfy couch, 42 years old, pudgy around the waist and with a severe case of receding hair line, listening to Utilitarian by a band with the same name, but with no band member left from the recording of Scum, I am somehow brought in sync with that skinny long haired wannabe-crusty I was all those years ago.
Scum is now older than Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was back the…That in it self is mindblowing and terrible, on the other hand, getting older isn’t as bad as the leeches in fashion and botox industry wants you to believe. And here is one of the many reasons for my contiuing love for Napalm Death. They have aged too, they have fat bellies and are going bald, but the mind reminds the same – or the essence of the mind does. Surely we are all wiser than those dirty long haired punks we were back in ’87. But I am still angry. Angry at greedy businessmen – sharks in suits – who neglect basic human decency and respect for life and our planet, in favor of a fucking irrelevant buck.
That anger and the following impulse to act differently than Nestlé and Monsanto wants us to, is the reason why Napalm Death will always be so much more relevant than The Beatles.
Maybe this isn’t very sophisticated or even very interesting, but to me listening to Napalm Death and getting my hopes up for a better world is a big deal.
Peace and love, make noise not war…
Sore Throat – Disgrace To The Corpse Of Sid
This lp is another lifechanger for me. Basically I have tried to mimic side A in most of the music I have made since 1989…
For fuck’s sake, look at the tracklist:
This still sounds way more extreme, than most of the so called extreme music to follow it.
Side B is very good too.
It was released as MOSH10 on Earache.
Infofofo: http://www.discogs.com/Sore-Throat-Disgrace-To-The-Corpse-Of-Sid/release/367330
PJ Harvey – Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea
I have liked PJ Harvey since To Bring You My Love. My friend Martin introduced me to her. In those days we were young and reckless students at The Royal School of Library and Information Science in Copenhagen.
We spent the days drinking beer, playing Magic: the Gathering and listening to music. We were bartenders at the weekly school bar, having themes for most of the (Elvis, Tom Waits etc.).
When Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea was released in 2000, I had graduated as a fully trained librarian, and also left that line of work completely. I still drank beer and listened to music though, so it was a given case, to buy this lp. I bought it at the legendary record store Baden Baden in Copenhagen,
I still remember very vividly the impact this lp had on me from the very first listen.
I love the part in Good Fortune, where she sings:
When we walked through
Little Italy
I saw my reflection
Come right off your face
I still love this lp very much.
It’s also by sheer strange qiurk of fate one of the most expensive records in my collection, according to Discogs this edition sells for between €60 and €150… I ain’t selling though…
Info: http://www.discogs.com/P-J-Harvey-Stories-From-The-City-Stories-From-The-Sea/release/415842
Napalm Death/S.O.B. – Split 7″ Flexi
I love this 7″. This is my third copy. I wore the two first out back then… Now they cost around € 20. Then about £ 1,5.
Read it all here: http://www.discogs.com/SOB-Napalm-Death-SOB-Napalm-Death/release/2195277
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