In The Trashcan Records
GEM007
"Gothic, hardcore, trash, psychobilly, electronic pop
and more delicatessen. The 80s were boring? Come on..."
The Bananamen AKA The Stingrays were huge fans of The Cramps, hence this Ace release featuring three songs made popular by The Cramps. The Crusher was originally recorded by The Novas and sounded then already crude and trashy. This psychobilly approach is perfect for this punk trash item.
A Dutch band on their own label No Bluff. After a two years existence they became Holland's best known punk band in 1977 on WEA's sublabel Pogo. When they added a sax and a trumpet Ivy Green started a new life in 1983, after a 5-year gap of no recordings.
Heavily influenced by The Birthday Party, The Inca Babies are here with their debut 45 for Black Lagoon, their own label. Seven years later the band folded, leaving followers behind like Gallon Drunk.
"I discover love" is not a Fad Gadget song I particularly like, but this flipside is something different. It adds Residents weirdness and an atmosphere, that I can only find with label mates The Birthday Party, to this catchy tune, written by Frank Tovey aka Fad Gadget. It's Rowland S. Howard who plays the guitar on this track.
Flipside to "Sheep farming in the Falklands" on their own label, "Gotcha" remained one of their fiercest attacks on Thatcherian society during the Falkland war. Steve Ignorant never sounded more angry.
"The cutter" is an Echo & The Bunnymen classic recorded in 1982 and released in 1983 on WEA's Korova label. On the B-side you find "Way out and up we go", a non-album track, only to reappear on a sampler about 20 years later. Ian McCulloch's tormented vocals blend perfectly in this psychedelic tinted postpunk song.
Crass Records was also the home for starting bands some of which became big names in their own field. Don't forget that even Bjork and her band KUKL got a record release thanks to Crass. MDC, the band of many names: Millions of Dead Cops, Millions of Damn Christians, Multi-Death Corporations,… They began in 1979 in Texas. This is their 3rd release and surprisingly on the UK punk label Crass Records, although it was also released in the US on R Radical Records that same year. Their struggle against the US president Ronald Reagan however didn't have the same proportions as Crass' fight agains Maggie Thatcher. These hardcore pioneers are still active. In 2002 they played a sold out gig at Lintfabriek in Belgium. The live recordings were put on a CD to raise money for a Belgian ALF member who spent two years in prison.
Who doesn't know "Let's all go to the fire dances"? But have you ever flipped over that 45? It gave you already a small peak to how Killing Joke was going to sound like two years later. Or maybe you know the longer version of "Dominator" from the album "Fire dances" on te EG Records.
Wattie and friends are back again in 1983 with this terrific EP. Although they attracted right wing skins, they were also loved by the so-called redskins. They hated Thatcher and Reagan as much as Crass did, but on a completely different level. These two bands were the rival leaders in the world of UK punk in 1983.
"The walk" is a favourite to many Cure fans. Such a pity they often ignore the splendid flipsides. Innocent, almost childish, indie pop by songsmith Robert Smith. Like most of their early recordings this was release on Fiction Records.
Self-penned "Wake up" is a typical Danse Society song and together with "Heaven is waiting" their best known, although I prefer their "We're so happy". On the flip there is "The seduction" which became an instant favourite on the gothic scene. This was their 6th 45 release, the first one being from 1980. In 1987 the group disbanded.
"Le péril jaune" is my fave Indochine album and this song one of their best. They were very popular in France during the early 80s, mainly because of the good looks of the twin brothers Sirkis. Released on Clemence Melody, part of Ariola.
Popular postpunk from Bruges, Belgium, produced by TC Matic's Jean-Marie Aerts. Their best known track is "Can't live in a living room", but I always had a weak spot for this one. It was released on Parsley, a small Belgian record label.
I don't know about the rest of the world, but in Belgium the most popular Sisters Of Mercy song is "Temple of love". This is the B-side of their fourth 45, a Merciful release, their own record label. Heartland is slower and darker than Temple.
Electronic postpunk cult band from Northern London that released 45s from 1981 till the early 90s. "Big man restless" was their best known release. "Shine" is the B-side of "The last film", their fourth 45.
To end this volume, I picked again a B-side of a very well known gothic rock song. "Ignore the machine" is one of 1983 best indie tracks. I prefer "The gUrl at the end of my gun" for my own private reasons, backstage after a ASF gig when she was the girl at the end of my gun.
