Murphy’s Law – Self Titled

People have all sorts of differing ideas about what they think is, but for me fun= Murphy's Law. Once after a super uptight girlfriend and I broke up I told a friend that "I could never date anyone that wouldn't be able to have fun at a Murphy's Law show. It just would never work out." Living on the East Coast for most of my life I probably saw Murphy's Law at least thirty times. When they were playing I would go through extra lengths to see them, including calling out of work or driving two or three hours in any direction. Murphy's Law's first album, which is self titled was my first real exposure to the band. I found it on tape for three dollars in the bargain section at Newbury Comics. I got home, put it in my tape deck, and my life would never be the same.

The first song on Murphy's Law's first album is called "Murphy's Law" and as one might expect this is the band's anthem and theme song. It starts out with a menacing guitar riff and then vocalist extraordinaire, Jimmy Gestapo announces "We don't care what you say- We're gonna mosh it up today." This may seem silly and of course it actually really is, but the fact that Jimmy G. was one of the original New York Hardcore guys who helped to create "moshing" (which is actually different than thrashing or slamming) gives the song a little more weight in the legend creating department. Anyway the truth is that Murphy's Law really doesn't care what you say! These guys do whatever the fuck they want even if it ruins your day and this apparently includes having dogs sing back up vocals on their songs as once it gets to the chorus they again make an announcement "We're Murphy's Law" and then, like I said for no reason it has a track of dogs barking and it sounds like the dogs are saying "Oi! Oi! Oi!." Totally fucking awesome.

"Murphy's Law" is a high concept album about parties, trouble making and full on debauchery. Murphy's Law have actually been known to cause quite the uproar just by being their fucked up selves. "California Pipeline" is a rare pro Reagan Punk song. Mr. Gestapo has since said in interviews that when they play this song live now that he does it with a tongue in his cheek but back in the day this song was not sarcastic and it totally pissed some people off. The lyrics aren't all that deep- "I'm a rad Republican and I'm proud to be American/I'm a rad Republican and I'd gladly sign the draft again."

"Crucial BBQ" similarly rocks some boats, advocating eating meat, having orgies, smoking weed, and hosing down women in tight T-shirts. The song warns that "Hare Krishnas better stay away 'cause eighteen bands are gonna play." While I myself am both straight edge and vegan I more than appreciate the fun loving spirit of this song and have been known to bring this album along with me to cookouts.

"Beer" has some similar bent edge lyrics meant to piss off people who are uptight and to promote partying. "Skinhead Rebel" and "Care Bear" are fuck off type songs warning people not to get in the way of Murphy's Law's right to party hard and cause trouble. "Ilsa" shows Gestapo guiding listeners through a fucked up fantasy about being tortured by a dominatrix. One of the coolest songs on the album is the band's cover of the Stooges' "I Got A Right" which I dare say may be even better than the original.

One look at the cover of Murphy's Law's first album tells you what you're getting into with cartoon depictions of skinheads, skaters, and Punks doing all sorts of crazy shit like smoking weed, having sex, and grilling a condom (or is it a sock?). Murphy's Law at one point did a tour with the Beastie Boys and I'd imagine that those shows were out of control. As far as early New York hardcore goes, this album stands strong next to "Age Of Quarrel," "Victim In Pain," "United Blood," and the Urban Waste 7" though it is far less serious or intense than AOQ or VIP.  Murphy's Law held a strong space in the big four along with Agnostic Front, Cro-Mags, and Warzone. Their original lineup featured Harley Flannagan on drums before he went on to start the Cro- Mags and they also had Todd Youth on guitar for quite a while. He went on to play with bands as diverse as Warzone, Danzig, Motorhead, and Cheap Trick (on their 2009 album "The Latest"). Murphy's Law helped to create the sound, aesthetic, and attitude of hardcore as we know it and to this day nobody can top Jimmy G's stage antics or ridiculous banter.

Unfortunately since Profile Records went under this album has been out of print for the mass public, but it has been released on vinyl, cassette, and for some time there was a CD version that also had Murphy's Law's second album, "Back With A Bong" which is also a great record and has the band's hit, "Panty Raid." The band may have some copies when they play shows, but it also shouldn't be too hard to find this classic record in the used bin at a record store or for fairly cheap on Ebay.

 

-Ditch-
Big Wheel Online Magazine
 

 

 

 

Music from the Used Record Bin

 

Sham 69 – Tell Us The Truth

When I was in high school I dubbed a tape of Sham 69's "Tell Us the Truth" album off of a friend and it became a staple in my Punk rock repertoire. Over the years the tape became pretty deteriorated and I recently felt compelled to upgrade to a vinyl copy when I found one used for a reasonable price. Although I am a big fan of "That's Life," "Hersham Boys," "Live and Loud," and even "The Game," it's "Tell Us The Truth" that really sticks out as Sham's crowning achievement. The first side is from a live performance and the second side was recorded properly in a studio, which I suspect was the inspiration for Shattered Faith's "Live" record, which is also phenomenal.

The live songs on the first side feature a band with fire in their eyes and an audience that was equally as passionate. Between songs there are plenty of soccer chants which is an indicator of the type of audience that Sham affiliated themselves with in the early years- later they would attempt to distance the band's name from this scene after developing a distaste for the violence associated with soccer firms. The first two songs- "We Got A Fight" and "Rip Off" are absolute burners and are among Sham's angriest songs. Some songs that had previously appeared on earlier singles make it onto the first side. "Ulster," and "Borstal Breakout" are pretty close to the studio recordings while Jimmy Pursey changes up the lyrics in "The Cockney Kids Are Innocent" to be "George Davis Is Innocent" in regards to a controversial bank robbery trial that was going on at the time. In later versions of the song it would be further varied to "All the Kids Are Innocent" and "Jimmy Pursey Is Innocent."

Side two features what I consider to be the band's most successful studio session in that all of the performances sound fresh and edgy. Dave Parson's guitar sound has a real mod feel to it that captures the tunefulness of early Who and the occasional taste lead in the vein of The Yardbirds. "Family Life" is a great song not only because it's so catchy, but that it actually has a positive message, reminding kids that even if it can be a drag to live with your parents that it's better than trying to survive on the streets alone. Perhaps some over privileged Punk rock kids could learn something from this message before they run away from home to become squatters. The rest of the songs on the record similarly deal with topics that remain relevant for kids of every generation, from "What About the Lonely" to "Hey Little Rich Boy" and "Tell Us the Truth." The only weak track is the closing instrumental called "Who's Generation," which is just totally weird and sounds like it could be the theme song to a Disney cartoon series.

As noted before Sham 69 continued to record some other great L.P.'s and singles and still continue to play live today in whatever form they can fit together, albeit without Jimmy Pursey. Sham paved the way for bands like the Cockney Rejects and Angelic Upstarts which eventually led to the advent of the Sounds Magazine "Oi!" compilation albums and a complete subsequent sub genre. The soccer chant esque choruses, big sounding guitars, and populist lyrics of Sham 69 fully lay down the blueprints for Oi! and street Punk, but really Sham would stand on their own as a classic band regardless of who they inspired.

 

-Ditch-
Big Wheel Online Magazine
 

 

 

 

Music from the Used Record Bin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Samiam – Clumsy

Samiam's 4th and only album released on a major label, "Clumsy" was released in 1994 on Atlantic Records. It might be one of the best and most overlooked albums released in the 90's! "Clumsy" offers  a mixture of emotional charged lyrics, catchy chorus', and melodically hard riffs. Samiam  has a genre defying sound has broken the boundaries between pop-punk, indie, alternative, emo, and even grunge.It's an oldie but a goodie!

This CD is great to listen to when your on a long drive. Look for it at your local record store because, even though this one isn't available digitally, it's worth a trip to the used bin!

 

-J. Moncrief-
Music scene reporter
Big Wheel Online Magazine
 

 

 

 

Music from the Used Record Bin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Toxic Reasons – Within These Walls

The Midwest is the Rodney Dangerfield of Punk rock: no respect at all. Which is crazy when you realize they're the ones who gave us Negative Approach, the Zero Boys, and The Meatmen (not to mention the Dead Boys and Iggy Pop). The Midwest also gave rise to Toxic Reasons, possibly the greatest ignored Punk band in history.

I will confess to owning some very silly records. I have a habit (though I hesitate to classify it as a "bad" one) of trawling used record bins and taking wild chances on album covers I like, or band names i find amusing. It's how I wound up with the entire Armageddon Dildoes discography, but it's also how I first stumbled across Toxic Reasons.

Their 1985 LP "Within These Walls" has been a mainstay on my turntable for nearly ten years. It's one of those albums that you just can't shut off once it gets going. It works its self into the fabric of your life, and before you know it, you're a dreamer.

Toxic Reasons first started in Dayton, OH in 1979, and released their first single "War Hero" in 1980. The band eventually moved to San Francisco in 1982, and true to so many other Punk outfits they underwent some 15 lineup changes over the course of their history, maintaining only Bruce Stuckey, who started on bass and moved to lead guitar and vocals, as the only constant member.

"Within These Walls" was recorded just after the band lost a lead singer, but picked up Zero Boys bassist Tufty. As a result, the album is a departure from their previous albums of solid rocking hard core. Each of the 4 band members take a turn on the mic, and the eight simple songs on the album run a surprising musical gamut, proving once again that whatever detractors may say, Punk and hard core musicians are in fact musicians, and many of them are better than anything you'll ever find scanning the FM dial. The album as a whole is a lot more subtle than most straight hard core, but the subtlety adds a dimension of urgency that makes it almost impossible to turn off.

The album starts with "Then Came the Rain", a song with vocal stylings that wouldn't be out of place in British post-punk, or melodic New York art punk, ala Television, and a mournful, haunting chorus. The underlying anger is still there, though. The song imparts all the frustration at the tendency to make the poor invisible, and the feeling of hopelessness than can engulf so quickly when the whiskey runs out.

This isn't an emo album though, and the next track "It's So Silly" is a tuneful sneer at social evolution, and the mainstream. Relentless bass lines drive lyrics reminding you "you're different from the rest of the crowd" and calling for an uprising. The album picks up speed through "Party's Over", the perfect theme song for all of us with that insatiable wanderlust, or the oh-so-punk jaded boredom that comes from one too many aspirating junkies in your bathtub.

The band then takes a quick two tone-esque reggae detour in "Guns of September", which is unexpected, but somehow fits so well with the mood of the album that it doesn't seem out of place.

"Dreamer" is the next track, and is the best on the album, and seriously in the running for one of the top songs of all times. The rhythm of the song infectious and undeniable. The lyrics are possibly the bleakest plea for peace you'll ever hear: "How I wish we had a vision of a world that wasn't so divided. Oh well, I'm a dreamer," ultimately building to the sort of naked controlled anger you'd expect from hard core.

Which isn't to say, of course, the second half of the album isn't great. It is. "Too Late" starts reminiscent of the Dead Boys and Stiv Bators at his darkest, then erupts into raw sound and fury, and "Sons of Freedom" is the type of song made to get you speeding tickets. The album rounds out with "All Known Confusion", possibly the most musically interesting of all the surprisingly complex melodies presented throughout the record.

"Within These Walls" was originally released for UK distribution by Rough Trade, but there are rumours that Beer City Records out of Wisconsin may be issuing a re-release in the very near future. Beer City has already released a Toxic Reasons DVD/CD set titled "Essential Independence" which includes the original "Independence" album, along with previously unreleased tracks, and, obviously, video footage. Beer City is http://www.beercityrecords.com/ Toxic Reasons is http://www.myspace.com/toxicreasons02, and you're on your own for finding a copy of this excellent album. Happy hunting!

 

-Jo Problems-
Big Wheel Music Scene Reporter
 

 

 

 

Music from the Used Record Bin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Half Off – The Truth

In 1987 Orange County had a budding straight edge hardcore scene with bands like Uniform Choice, Doggy Style, and Insted gaining attention on both a local and national scale. While Half Off were not as well known as some of these other bands they nonetheless were deeply involved in Orange County's hardcore scene. Vocalist Billy Rubin was particularly noted as being a staunch supporter of all things O.C.H.C. and expressed this support through his involvement in the band and through his fanzine, Think. "The Truth" which is Half Off's only full length record showcases the band in their classic form- playing snotty thrash with the occasional pause or brief breakdown. As history has shown this record has often been regarded as generic by critics. This is an easy statement to make as it is true that there is nothing in particular that sticks out as being unique in Half Off's sound. That is there are no arty interludes, unusual time signatures, or experiments with other styles of music. However it would actually be a real challenge to find any other record that truly sounds like "The Truth." Half Off's already raw sound is only further emphasized by the lo-fi recording which is an early example of the production techniques of Final Conflict's Ron Martinez.

Part of the band's charm is the complete disregard for professionalism and the sense that their songs could fall apart at any point if they just were a little less careful. It's hardcore in a pure form with no ambitions to be anything that it isn't. While every song on "The Truth" is either good or great, Half Off will always be remembered for "Rain on the Parade," a song which caused controversy within the straight edge community as it called out certain prominent members of the scene in a not so subtle manner for preaching the straight edge message to a point of being overzealous. While the song is meant to be anti- obsession rather than anti straight edge some people nevertheless took it to heart. Regardless of any controversy that the song may have inspired at the time the song absolutely rocks with an evil moshy intro and fast verses. Plus it's hard not to get wrapped up in the message when Rubin shouts out "With a narrow mind you can't claim to have an edge!" Beyond "Rain on the Parade" the record has some other jewels including "What Seems Right" which starts out with a catchy drum beat and also has some great gang style back up vocals during its bridge. "Not Afraid" has a grimey guitar sound and throat ripping vocals. The cover of D.Y.S.'s "No Pain, No Gain" is classic in its "fuck what you think" attitude. There certainly are not to many other bands who would choose to record a cover of a song off of D.Y.S.'s second record! Unfortunately I know of no reissues of any of Half Off's material. However "The Truth" is not terribly hard to find at punk record stores in the used vinyl section and is almost painfully easy to find on Ebay. Their "Shoot Guns Eat Pussy" 7" is even easier to find though it might be a little more difficult to find the band's self titled 7" that came out with It's Alive fanzine. Billy Rubin went on to start Haywire with some other former members of Half Off and went into a more dark/serious direction.

 

-Ditch-
Big Wheel Online Magazine
 

 

 

 

Music from the Used Record Bin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goldfinger – Self Titled Release

Goldfinger is one band that pops into your head when you think of 90’s pop punk. Their self-titled cd which was also their first CD, was released in 1996. I bought this CD at a garage sale in Orange County for just $1.00. After listening to it, I loved it. Goldfinger successfully blended different genres on the cd. It’s a mix of ska, pop punk, and even some reggae.

To some people, the lyrics may seem like your typical pop punk lyrics, but they express a range of different emotions. They are catchy, serious, and also humorous. Some songs are about the ups and downs of relationships, but Goldfinger uses lyrics that make the songs funny and not boring or whiney. A couple songs are fast and have a great punk rock sound. A personal favorite of mine, “the City with Two Faces”, is the hardest and fastest song on the CD. Another great song on this CD is “Answers”. Both songs give a pissed off vibe and are the perfect addition to the CD.

Overall, this CD is great. If you’re looking for something a little different with a great mix of genres, then you definitely should check out this self-titled release.

 

-Corrina P.-
Music scene reporter
Big Wheel Online Magazine
 

 

 

 

Music from the Used Record Bin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

« Previous Page — Next Page »