I was a teenage pencil neck geek.

I was recently browsing eBay for records when I came across this one. I'd never seen it before and it clearly looked like a bootleg and I had to have it. Why? Because it's their 1980 Demo. Duh! Well actually, it's partly because of the fact that it's their demo and partly because it seems to be something that mocks Henry Rollins.

Maybe this cartoon is old news and I somehow missed it, but I needed to see it for myself. It shows a scrawny Henry Rollins on the beach with a girl and some bigger guy runs by and kicks up sand on them. Henry is bummed by the whole thing and the bigger guy says that he would smash his face, but decides against it since he's so skinny. Henry's girl even busts his balls by calling him a "little boy" after the exchange.

Later, you see Henry throwing a temper tantrum and dreaming of being bigger all thanks to "hardcore punk rock" and getting lots of tattoo's and scowling. You then see him more muscular and with his trademark tattoo's and punching out the beach bum from earlier. His girl is even swinging from his dick at the end by saying "oh, Henry! You are a real man after all." Quite frankly, that ending sucked. He should've kicked his chick to the curb and picked up the other chick on the beach that was jocking his new build.

The back side of the sleeve is an advertisement for a book that Henry recommends. Apparently, it will help you be a new man. Screw the music, I'm gonna make this my summer reading! I need to look my best for all the ladies out there.

D.C.S.

No Slam Dancing, No Stage Diving, No Spikes: An Oral History - The Exploited riot

Nowadays you're hearing all kinds of people asking for donations to fund their projects. I had never heard of Kickstarter until a few months ago. Quite frankly, I'm sick of hearing about Kickstarter. Seems like everybody and their grandmother has something that they wanna get done and are asking for donations to go towards their Kickstarter. But this project is one that I can totally get behind.

It's a documentary called No Slam Dancing, No Stage Diving, No Spikes: An Oral History and it's about a club called City Gardens in Trenton, New Jersey. City Gardens is like Trenton's own CBGB's or 9:30 club (the old one, not the current one.) Lots of great bands from all over the place have played there like Youth Of Today, Fugazi, The Dead Kennedy's, Gwar and The Exploited.

The last band is what has prompted me to do this entry. The Exploited. First, I love this band. They are easily one of my favorite European punk bands. Records like "Horror Epics" and "War Now" to even their later stuff like "Beat The Bastards" are solid punk tunes. If you're not familiar with their later material, check it out. It's worth it.

But back to City Gardens. I remember hearing about the riot that took place and involved The Exploited, skinheads, and a band called The Uprise. I've heard it so many times over the years and it never gets old to me. I've heard so many different versions of it that I didn't know what to believe? And then this little diddy popped up on my computer today. Do yourself a favor and read this entry because it's really good. 

One thing that I found hilarious was the fact that the tour manager for the Exploited would let Wattie babysit his kids! That's priceless. Wattie and the band continuing to play while people are giving them the finger and spitting at them is just crazy to me. Dumb fuck skinheads trying to intimidate the band and everybody else that was at the show is just crazy too. 

The book of the same name looks like it's going to be great and if you can donate to their Kickstarter to get the film going, I'm sure they would really appreciate it. According to their site, the book should be released later this year and I am totally going to get my hands on one.

D.C.S.

http://www.citygardensnj.com/Exploited.htm

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/436065921/no-slam-dancing-no-stage-diving-no-spikes-an-oral

 

Imagine this man babysitting your kids. 

 

War Now - EP

The Top 20 New York Hardcore and Metal Albums of All Time - According to the Village Voice

Top 20 lists are always going to get bashed for not having someone/something on it, but this list is just ridiculous. I like some of the bands, but I would never, in a million years, say that they're in the top 20 of hardcore/metal albums of all time. And there are a couple of bands that I've never even heard of! Where's Nuclear Assualt - Handle With Care?! If Twisted Sister is going to be on this list, then why not White Zombie? Here's my take on some of the bands on the list. 

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/2013/07/top_20_nyhc_metal_albums_all_time.php

 

Twisted Sister

Life of Agony - River Runs Red is a kick ass rock album, but it doesn't belong on this list at all.
Made Out Of Babies - WHO?!
Riot - Again, WHO?!
Winter - Doom metal makes me want to rip my hair out. Boring.
Brutal Truth - They're ok, but come on! Top 20? Spare me.
Biohazard - Urban Discipline has a couple of good songs, but I've always thought the band was highly overrated. 
Agnostic Front - Cause For Alarm over Victim In Pain? Not in my book. 

D.C.S.

Another chance review

The D.C.S. Team  presents a new segment where we go back and give bands and or albums another chance. Over the years there have been many bands that have put out records that disappointed their fan base for whatever reason. We're going to see if our opinions have changed over the years.

First up is Dag Nasty - Field Day. Now, the D.C.S Team is divided on this one since I've always hated it from day 1. But for some reason, the other half of the team thinks the album is "enjoyable." He might also be the founding member of the Brian Baker fan club. But lets give this record another try and see if it grows on me.

The first track "Trouble Is" could easily be a Fugazi song that didn't make it onto their album "The Argument." And that's not a bad thing because that album is great. The next couple of songs pick up the tempo and are ok, but the lyrics are a bit suspect. "If you doubt it, let me remind you, I'm in love with you." BARF!

"Ambulance song" is downright horrible and "Staring at the rude boys" sounds like it belongs on the "Top Gun" soundtrack and that is terrible. Next few songs are no better and then we get to a Dag Nasty classic from "Can I Say" which is "Under your influence" and I immediately want to drag Brian Baker out into the street to have him tarred and feathered. This album went from terrible to blasphemous. Good job of ruining a great song with those vocals and that horrible breakdown. Ugh!

Overall opinion of this record is that it still blows. But I do like a song or two on here and that is more than what I liked over the years. One thing that the D.C.S. Team can agree on is that we would both recommend Dag Nasty in their glory, which is indisputably "Can I Say?"

D.C.S.

 

Happy 4th of July!

The D.C. Sniper Team would like to wish you all a safe and happy holiday. Now go listen to some Murphy's Law!

D.C.S.