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What’s up Sorry Staters?
After the hours I spent constructing the epic “year in review” newsletter last week, it seems funny sitting down just to write a normal-length one o’ these bad boiz. I wish I had more to report on the personal front this week. 2024 is off to a decent start I’d say. Vibes are pretty good. Many fun things to look forward to in the months to come.
Anyway, let’s get into it. Not too long ago, Sorry State stocked this new record by Jerry A from Poison Idea in which he commissions a backing band, and they call it Jerry A & The Kings of Oblivion. This 6-song 12” EP, titled Life After Hate, features a handful of original tunes, and several cover tunes. So of course, speaking of “kings of oblivion”, they do a pretty killer cover of “City Kids” by the Pink Fairies. And of course, I love Jerry’s gnarly vocals in Poison Idea, but I was actually pleasantly surprised by his cleaner vocal approach and singing ability. He sounds great! My dude Jerry’s got some pipes.
But really, this Life After Hate record isn’t really what I actually wanna talk about. Ready for a smooth segue? The 4 dudes who act as the backing band for Jerry are a bunch of younger Dutch guys. Follow my lead, here. The first track on this record is also a cover tune, but I didn’t recognize it. The song is called “Degeneration,” and I was like damn man, I really like this song. Catchy as all hell. After some detective work, with Dom’s help of course (thanks man), I discovered that this song is a tune by an old band from Amsterdam called The Blitzz – yes, with 2 “Z’s” haha. I looked the band up on Discogs, and turns out that The Blitzz was short-lived, and only released 2 singles in 1978. These 2 singles were even released on a major label, EMI Holland. Crazy that the band even with a record deal never managed to release a full album. Kinda cool in a way. It only adds to the mystery. I come to find out that “Degeneration” is actually the B-side on The Blitzz’s first single entitled “So Free”. So, what I did I do? I immediately ordered a copy overseas from a seller in Holland. The single wasn’t even very expensive. Perhaps in the used bins in record stores in Amsterdam, this single is pretty easy to come by. But for someone like me, living in Raleigh, North Carolina, I was willing to pay up for the international shipping and add this banger in my stack of 7”s.
If I hadn’t known any better, I would have guessed that The Blitzz were English. For my money, The Blitzz sounds like one of those bands that could have shifted out of more of a power pop or “pub rock” kinda sound into the emerging punk rock movement. Almost like Chelsea or a band of a similar vein. I mean it just sounds like it should be filed in your “sound of ‘77” punk bangers bin. High energy, big, jangly rock’n’roll guitar sounds, and huge choruses. It rules. The singer’s voice has that slightly deeper, gruffer tone, which reminds me of Buzzcocks songs that Steve Diggle would sing lead on, like “Harmony In My Head” or other bangers. And though The Blitzz is devoid of any reggae influence to my ears, I could cite The Ruts as a pretty good comparison as well. “Degeneration” is just one of those tunes that I can’t believe I didn’t absorb into my consciousness before now. It RIPS, dude. When it gets to that refrain, “Everybody’s talkin’ about DE- GEN- A- RAAATION!” it stretches the corners of my mouth into a shit-eaten grin. But I gotta say, the A-side track is a total banger as well. “She’s so free! So Free! So Free! So Free!”
I feel so stoked that listening to this new Jerry A record, which functions almost like a loveletter to early punk and proto-punk, exposed me to a great classic punk tune I had never experienced. If any of you readers have never heard The Blitzz and my write-up sounds up your alley, I highly suggest checking them out. The songs are on YouTube. The other single sells for a significantly higher price point, but I’ll inevitably need to lock down that record as well.
Welp, that’ll do it for this round. As always, thanks for reading.
‘Til next week,
-Jeff