Von Epic Problem habe ich das erste mal was auf dem Turbonegro Tribute Sampler gehört. Dort haben sie eine Version von “the nihilistic army” von Turbonegro zum Besten gegeben. Diese war schon fast geiler als das Original. Im Anschluss mit der Band befasst, für sehr geil befunden, herausgefunden dass Mackie von Blitz, eine der ersten Punkbands die ich gehört habe, teil der Band ist und letztendlich vor einem Jahr die Bühne mit ihnen in Manchester geteilt. Endlich kommen die vier Briten auch mal nach Deutschland auf Tour (Daten im Anhang). Passend dazu darf Sänger Jake euch seine grössten Einflüsse vorstellen. Um es in Joey Ramones Worten zu sagen: Take it away Jake!
Off with their heads – Home
Relentless from start to finish, angry & honest and aggressive but always melodic with it; Struck a chord on a personal level like no other record.
The Beltones – On deaf ears
Classic after classic, Bill McFadden is one of my all time favourite lyricists, the final track on this record “Let The Bombs Fall” still makes the hairs on my neck stand on end.
Leatherface – Mush
especially poignant with the recent passing of their legendary guitarist Dickie Hammond, but this record would be on this list regardless. Still as inspiring as it was when I first heard it when I was very young as it is now, no band has ever equalled or captured what Leatherface managed back in 1993 – tragically underrated, “Springtime” is probably my favourite track of all time.
Conflict – The ungovernable force
Although I first listened to this well after its release (I wasn’t born until 1991 ) I remember clear as day sitting at the edge of my bed at the age of 13 being completely blown away with just how aggressive and none stop this record was. Absolute distilled anger, still as relevant in 2004 as it was in 1984, and the soundtrack to a lot of my teen years!
Blitz – Voice of a generation
I remember listening to ‘Someone’s gonna die tonight’ on an old Punk and Disorderly compilation of my Dads, I enjoyed this track the most. It want until a while after that I found out that they were from New Mills, same as me! And that 2 of the members (at the time) were still around. Before I knew Mackie or anything, When I played in an old band as a kid Nige used to come to my mate Tommy’s Mum’s house and watch us practice but it didn’t really hit me how significant this was until I found this record and learned the history of the band. If ever me and my mates were going out getting drunk etc. This was the soundtrack.
Rancid – Rancid
There are a few rancid records I could put on here but their self titled from 2000 has to be the one. 22 hard, relentless and angry songs (there seems to be a pattern here ) in little over 30 minutes – in my opinion their finest hour.
The GC5 – Never bet the devil your head
A criminally underrated band from Boston USA, this record lifted me through an incredibly turbulent time in my life a few years back – I actually find it a bit difficult listening to it all these days because of this, but it definitely deserves a mention. I even got the cover tattooed on my wrist.
Pretty Boy Thorson – Loud and Ugly
I could’ve mentioned records from Jesse Thorsons other awesome bands (The Slow Death, The Falling Angels) but this solo record of his from earlier this year is the one that sits at the top for me. Alcohol heartbreak Melancholy with some of the best songwriting you’ll hear on plastic.
AC/DC – T.N.T.
For its time I can’t think of anything more fucking pounding, so incredibly pure and even innocent, Scott’s voice at its finest and of course the amazing teamwork of the young brothers means there’s rarely a week goes by without this being spun. “Rocker” is punk as fuck, ironically.
Roger Alan Wade – Stoned Traveller
Probably best known for his link to Jackass’ Johnny Knoxville (his cousin) and his song “if you’re gonna be dumb you gotta be tough” this record is a more serious story telling, with a constant tinge of what I look for in country/western records; grit, real sadness and fucking honesty. There are literally thousands more albums I could add to this but they’re the first ones that came to my head.
