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What’s up Sorry Staters?

Before I get into everything else, my new band Meat House put up a preview track from our upcoming record on YouTube. Check it out. It’s one song from our upcoming 7-song 12” EP to be released right here in-house on Sorry State. Test presses showed up TODAY as I’m writing this! I’m stoked. Hope y’all dig it.

This weekend, I’m heading up to the great state of Virginia. Public Acid is playing a gig in Norfolk on Friday night. Then both Public Acid and Scarecrow will be rocking in Richmond with our friends in the Sorry State family Sirkka on Sunday night. On the Saturday in between, I guess I plan to kick it around Richmond and see what kinda trouble I can get myself into. It’s been a while since I’ve spent a few days outta town and actually been able to hang out. It’ll be nice to have a change of scenery and get to enjoy it with no pressing tasks on my agenda. Hell yeeee.

So Record Store Day happened already. Crazy right? With the exception of mountains of boxes arriving at the store and all the prep work I had to knock out to be prepared for last Saturday, I barely even noticed haha. I know Dom and John Scott were champs dealing with all the Swifties. True saints for ushering in the long line of eagerly excited customers before it started pouring down rain. Thanks for all you Sorry Staters for coming by on the day and buying stuff online afterward.

Alright, let’s get into staff picks: Y’all ever have a band that you’re aware of, you even know that they’re popular, they’re in your universe of music that you listen to, but you just never really give them the time of day? For me, one of those bands has always been Redd Kross. I mean, of course I’ve always loved the 1981 EP with early incarnations of Circle Jerks songs. But I’d never given a whole lotta attention to their material beyond their pre-teen years (not even joking). I listened to this podcast a couple weeks ago that broke down all of Redd Kross’s albums and distinguished the different eras and evolutions of the band. In the podcast, they included Teen Babes from Monsanto as an absolutely necessary listen in their discography. Now, if you weren’t already aware, Teen Babes is all cover songs. They played a clip of Redd Kross covering “Deuce” by Kiss. First of all, I LOVE Kiss, so maybe I’m biased. But I just remember thinking, “Holy shit, this rips!”

Then I went back and listened to their first full-length, Born Innocent. Within literally a couple minutes, I was like, oh… I know a bunch of these songs. Whether it was hearing them in passing or on compilations or something, I definitely have stumbled across songs like “Linda Blair” and “Notes and Chords Mean Nothing To Me” in my long journey in punk. And while this album is a little rough around the edges, I definitely don’t think it’s a hardcore record like the first EP. You can maybe even hear one foot stepping out in another musical direction even this early on. What I find so interesting about Redd Kross is the McDonald brothers are clearly unique and eccentric personalities. Even as teenagers, they must’ve had a deep and dark fascination with pop culture, having covered “Cease To Exist” by Charles Manson on this first album. Pretty wild. In moving away from punk, you can tell the McDonalds had interest in everything from glam to 60s psychedelia, and even like The Partridge Family. Apparently, there’s a documentary about Redd Kross that’s been long in the works, and there’s a preview clip that shows Stephen and Jeff in a room full of old albums. They talk about how some of those early Partridge Family records were just as good and important to them as The Beatles haha.

As I continued to venture through their discography, you can see their style evolve on 1987’s Neurotica and their major label debut, 1990’s Third Eye. For me, this is where the band gets most interesting compared to their early more “punk” material. If you want a perfect visual representation of their loud, outrageous and colorful style, look no further than the music video for “Annie’s Gone.” A total banger, by the way. A little bit of big hair, but without the metal. Maybe some bell bottoms. There’s definitely an element of 60’s acid-fueled psych meets the cartoonish world of Alice in Wonderland happening with the art direction. Then musically, you can tell Jeff has evolved, writing more sophisticated melodies with lush vocal harmonies and big, big HOOKS. I dunno, there’s also something about the band subverting expectations of what a former punk band is supposed to look and sound like that is so rebellious and attractive to me. Even beyond Third Eye, I love songs like “Jimmy’s Fantasy” off of Phaseshifter. The music video featuring Jason Lee early on his acting career is killer. Even as far into their career as 1997’s Show World has some glowing moments for me. Their cover of The Quick’s “Pretty Please Me” is so awesome.

Whether in podcasts or documentaries or whatever, I’ve often heard Redd Kross described as a “band’s band.” Which I suppose I understand? I’ve heard a lot of their contemporaries describe them as the coolest band ever. And that if you didn’t get them, maybe you just weren’t cool enough for Redd Kross haha. For whatever reason, even during the band’s most pop-oriented period, they never really broke properly in a mainstream “rock star” kinda way. I mean, their big major label album came out in 1990, which preceded the alt rock boom post-Nirvana. So maybe that has something to do with it? Bad timing? Or maybe Redd Kross was simultaneously behind and ahead of their time.

Anyway, I’ve been going through a Redd Kross kick lately. I find their story and evolution super interesting. Maybe I can’t convince some of you readers to check out “Annie’s Gone” any time soon, but definitely go blast “Annette’s Got The Hits” next time you get a chance.

That’s all I’ve got. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staters?

I’m in so much pain. Not even kidding. It’s kinda funny how it happened tho. Scarecrow played a local gig the other night after what felt like a long hiatus from NC punk gigs. And I don’t know if it’s because I didn’t stretch before we played, or if it’s a symptom of how hard I was rockin’ out (yeah right 🙄), but I’m feeling rough. The muscle running down my neck and down along my shoulder is sore as all hell. And I’ll be honest, when I go through my day focusing on how much my shoulder hurts, it’s hard for me to maintain a good mood. I was pretty cranky yesterday. The soreness also made me not really feel excited about getting up off the couch and flipping records. As soon as I got home from work, I went into full lazy couch potato mode.

But wha wha, I’m sorry to be a cry baby. One thing that I’ve been experiencing lately (besides the pinched nerve in my shoulder) is a pinch of nostalgia. In part because while I was lazing away my evenings, I was binging a bunch of punk documentaries on Tubi. Have y’all checked out this streaming site before? It’s free, and the selection of music documentaries and horror movies makes me want to cancel all the streaming services I pay money for. Lately Daniel and Usman have been buzzing about skateboarding. Which is rad. Daniel got a bit thrashed the other day, which I’m sure he’s not stoked about, but I thought it was so rad because it was evidence of getting out there and shredding!! Once my shoulder heals, maybe I’ll hop back on my board and skate around a little bit. Until then, I watched the Bones Brigade documentary for like the 100th time to tide me over. I also re-watched the Descendents documentary. I don’t know why, but content like this has been making me feel cozy lately I guess.

By funny coincidence, Sorry State recently purchased this collection chock full o’ pop punk bangers that I loved in my early teenage years. The other night, I decided to throw on Screeching Weasel’s 1993 banger Anthem For A New Tomorrow. Now, I understand that Screeching Weasel is divisive—for many reasons. Some people can’t stand Ben Weasel’s voice. Some people have written off the band due to Weasel’s very publicized on-stage behavior. I totally get it. But I didn’t know about any of this when I was in my innocence, jamming bands like The Queers and The Lillingtons. So whether people are turned off by them or not, I will say that for me at least, Anthems always stuck out to me as one of the band’s better records from the 90s.

I threw this copy on the turntable as I was closing up the store, and I actually found myself wanting to stick around and listen to the whole damn thing. When I was younger, I don’t think I made the connection that a good amount of Screeching Weasel’s records came out on Lookout! and that they were connected to that whole scene. I was somewhat tempted to set this platter aside for myself, but this copy we have at the store is an original copy in nice shape with a hefty price tag. I’m trying to practice self-restraint. But it’s funny, as I was listening, there were a bunch of killer moments on this record I totally forgot about: The awesome instrumental tune “Talk To Me Summer”… the moody, jangly guitar strumming in “Inside Out”… the catchy organ (or is it like children’s piano?) passage in “Peter Brady,” which also it sounds like Fat Mike does guest vocals on? Wild. I don’t know how these little details of the production seem to be wiped from my memory. This copy sounds fucking great, so all these little decorative extras in the instrumentation were really hitting me.

I had fun revisiting this pop punk banger from my youth. I guess this is more-so directed at shop locals who read the newsletter, but if you’re into that world of melodic punk and garage, then we’ll have some cool stuff hitting the used new arrivals for you over the next couple of weeks.

Anyway, wish I had more to contribute this week, but I think this is all I can muster. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staters?

Another end of the week comes around, and I’m feelin’ like a zombie like usual. But for good reason this time! Last night, the members of Scarecrow took a little field trip up to Richmond. Not to play a gig, mind you… just to go to see one. What a concept, right? Quite a stacked lineup with Indre Krig, Krigshoder and Last Affront. It was awesome to reunite with our friends in Indre Krig after meeting them last year on our Euro tour. Had a blast hangin’ with them. I gotta say, Krigshoder really stole the show. Those punks brought it. Even with their Norwegian singer, now that I’ve finally gotten to see them live, I can totally hear a bit of that Personal Damage flavor mixed in with the sound. We unfortunately weren’t able to hang with everyone after the gig because we all knew there was work to be done the following day for all you Sorry Staters out there. While Usman and Red were passed out the back seat, Daniel and I were laughing our asses off bullshitting on the drive back. It was a good night.

So what am I even gonna talk about this week? I don’t have an Iliad-length writeup about a sleeper new wave hit planned for this week, so I’m graspin’ at straws. Here’s an idea: Maybe I’ll talk about hardcore for the first time in a while…

Last time we got a bunch of reissues from our UK distributor, a lot of those reissues sold out pretty much instantly. And I get it, people love Sacrilege. But for whatever reason, people don’t seem nearly as excited as I am that Kill By Remote Control by Toxic Reasons is back in print! At first, I was like... Man, it’s weird that we have to get reissues of this US hardcore classic from overseas. But then again, if there was any 80s hardcore band that flew the flag for the US, Canada, AND the UK, then it’s Toxic Reasons haha. I mean shit, the alternate artwork on the UK Alternative Tentacles pressing depicts Reagan and Thatcher hangin’ out together.

The band is from Dayton, Ohio, but I’m pretty sure the tri-national flag represents the dudes in the band’s origins from several different places. I would like to think that when I listen to this record that no one’s faking a British accent, but the jury’s out on that one. Even so, the band’s sound is unique and decidedly not midwestern. They definitely don’t sound like Negative Approach or Necros. The UK influence is in there for sure. One of their early singles even has that reggae feel to it. It’s funny, Dom and I were listening to this Secret Records singles compilation right after listening to Toxic Reasons, and I swear Toxic Reasons sounds so much like Infa-Riot.

People talk about the Toxic Reasons’ first record, Independence, a lot. And I love that record too. It’s maybe even more decidedly UK-influenced. But I gotta say that this 2nd LP is where it’s at for me. Kill By Remote Control is delivered with a slightly harder edge than their first record. Toxic Reasons’ songwriting can have a more melodic, tuneful slant, like the opening track “Stuck In A Rut.” But once we kick into “Destroyer,” the gloves are off and your fist is flying in the air. You can hear a little GBH, maybe a little Motorhead, but then with power and snarl of US hardcore. Then a song like “Revolution?” is almost like a drunken shanty or something. “Jrs. Friends” and “Powercrazed” are total rippers. The first track on side B, “No Pity,” starts with this slow creepy dirge and then kicks in with this killer groovy single note riff. The total gymnastically frantic, intense drumming is so ripping. Then the big gang vocals and anthemic, shout-along choruses. This record just has well-written songs. Tuneful song structures, and especially on the slower songs, Toxic Reasons is masterful at building tension. I feel the hair on my neck stand up and goosebumps bubbling to the surface. Not to mention the earnest, but dead serious, political lyrics.

Anyway, if this is an 80s hardcore record you’ve had your reservations about, I suggest you put those feelings to bed. This record is killer and one of my favorites, and I think it deserves more people giving it some attention.

That’s all I’ve got. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staters?

How do I even start? I feel overwhelmed by all the choices of new releases to listen to this week. I’ll take a total left turn:

I know what you’re all thinking, “Here we go again. Jeff’s gonna rant about ANOTHER new wave record and convince us that we should care about it.” Yeah, so what? Cease rolling your eyes, please! I don’t know what’s wrong with me. The other night I was jamming “Kiss Me Deadly” by Lita Ford at like 2am and just loving it… But that’s besides the point. I’ll get back to being interested in hardcore again eventually (I hope haha).

Every now and then, I decide to raid our bargain bin new arrivals to try and find cheap records to check out. Recently, Sorry State purchased a collection that was chock full of new wave type stuff. Some pricier stuff like The Smiths and Echo & The Bunnymen, but then tons of cheaper stuff like Culture Club, Thompson Twins, The Motels, etc. One of the records in this stack of stuff we deemed appropriate for the bargain bin was Desperate, the first album by Divinyls. Now, I’m sure most people are familiar with the mega-hit “I Touch Myself” and don’t know much about the band beyond that song. Personally, I always thought of Divinyls as more or less a “one hit wonder”-type band. Do you wanna know how that infamous Divinyls song first came onto my radar? There was a Wayne’s World skit on Saturday live where Wayne and Garth count down their all-time Top 10 babes haha. After Garth’s Mom wins the top 3 spot, Wayne reveals that number 2 on the list is Kim Basinger. The two proceed to sing “I don’t want anybody else, when I think about Kim Basinger, I touch myself!” This memory is cemented into my young brain, but at the time, I had no idea this was a real song, let alone who sang it.

All that aside, did you know that the Divinyls’ mega-hit wasn’t released until their 4th studio album in 1991? And not only that, but that they had records released as far back as 10 years prior? Welp, neither did I. I think they were quite renowned and loved in Australia even as far back as 1982. I fear overemphasizing how great I think this first Divinyls album is, but I’ve been listening to it obsessively. I have a tendency toward feeling excited about dusting off an undiscovered gem. Then I wear out it out, listening to it repeatedly until I can’t stand it anymore. Jah bless me, I think that’s what I’m going through as we speak. For all intents and purposes, I think of “I Touch Myself” as a totally corny novelty song.

So whatever, let’s talk about Desperate! I’m pretty sure the track listing for the US pressing of this album that I have is different from the original Australian release. It must be that they re-worked the record to be front-loaded with bangers, because I swear the A-side of this record is damn-near perfect. Sure, it’s still pop, but the songs have so much more grit and it’s so much more rockin’ than what I had previously associated with this band. For 1982, Desperate has beautiful, clear and powerful sounding production.

Divinyls open the record with a ripper “Boys In Town,” an octane-fueled, driving, fast hi-hat banger with this stressful, anxious rock’n’roll tension. It’s got punk elements, but even without an obvious big radio-friendly chorus, it’s so damn catchy. “Only Lonely” has all these lush, arpeggiated guitar riffs that remind me of (and totally precedes) the UK indie/brit-pop sound. Kinda like something off of Creation Records. The vocal performance has this sassy, almost retro 60s feel to it. The 3rd song “Science Fiction” makes a jarring shift in tone, being the most notably quirky, overtly new wave sounding song. Chrissy hits these eccentric falsetto notes. Between her performance, wiggly synth sounds, and awkward herky-jerky rhythms, this track sounds not unlike Missing Persons or something in that vein. “Siren” breaks into an up-tempo, lighthearted feel, making a nice blend of male and female call-and-response vocals. The sentiment is totally teenage dream type scenario with “never let you go” type lyrics. Super just repetitive and catchy. Any use of elementary counting or the alphabet always cracks me up. At one point, both singers sing in unison: “I’ll never A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P-Q-R-S-T YOU go!” Very clever haha. Then the closing track on the B-side, “Elsie,” is the slow and dramatic number. Kinda sad actually, the refrain being, “Life can be lonely, life can be oh so sad.”

What strikes me more than anything is how damn charismatic and captivating Chrissy Amphlett’s voice is. Funny enough, being named Chrissy, I feel like she does kinda resemble Chrissy Hinde a bit with those bangs. But not so much in her vibe or the way she sings. Amphlett’s approach is raspy, full of attitude, and like the title says, desperate. Before hearing this record, her demeanor in my mind was more sort of sultry and playful, but now she comes across as more frantic, intense and full of rage. Apparently, Chrissy was directly influenced by the antics of a native Australian, Angus Young of AC/DC. That’s part of the reason why she wore a schoolgirl’s outfit. There’s live footage of her going wild, moving her body like she’s possessed. She would like smear lipstick all over herself and drench herself in water, pouting her lips and holding that lightsaber glowing mic stand with fists clenched and elbows up. So badass.

Did I really need to go through and review each song on the A-side of this record to try and convince you it’s any good? Probably not. I dunno man, I’m way into it. Maybe one day I’ll get to the B-side, but for now I just keep lifting the needle and playing the A-side over and over. I probably should take a Xanax or something.

Just watch this video and tell me it doesn’t rip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnOXYcO4zjg

Anyway, thanks for indulging me. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staters?

I know all you readers out there are stoked that your pre-orders for all the new releases on Sealed and La Vida are finally here! They’ll soon be on their way from your local mail carrier and directly onto your turntables. We appreciate your patience on those! I don’t know what it is about this week, but I’m feeling more sapped of energy than I usually do. Certainly, we’re busy here at Sorry State, but it’s not as if I’ve been slammed with other stuff going on (at least not yet haha). I haven’t even really been listening to that much music. I mean, OBVIOUSLY, I’ve been spinning the new Electric Chair on repeat, but that’s more like a religious experience than casual record listening.

Ya know what’ll make me feel more positive? The uplifting sounds of BL’AST! Let’s talk about Bl’ast! for a second: I feel like most people I talk to about this band think of them as this dirgey take on hardcore, and maybe they’re not everyone’s cup o’ tea. Which I guess I understand, but I always thought they were so killer. What happens when you take a bunch of Santa Cruz skate rats and have them condense and refine the most essential elements of Black Flag? You get Bl’ast! I mean right down to the guitar players using clear lucite Dan Armstrong guitars. You might say, “Man, these guys must reeeeally like Black Flag.” On the contrary, I think they ONLY like Black Flag haha. In a way, if all the sonic juices of Flag were strained and funneled through some cheese cloth, Bl’ast’s resulting liquid would be the sweetest and purest nectar. That said, I think Bl’ast’s take on this sound is more-so through the lens of mean skateboarders with a more gnarly and muscular approach to playing. Black Flag in some ways was much more “artsy”. That’s not to say Bl’ast! were non-intellectual, but whereas Black Flag grew their hair out, started getting into sensitive poetry, and went in different musical directions, Bl’ast always remained the most “core”. You might say their sound was incorruptible. And maybe because of that singular identity, it seemed like the band could only do one thing. But they did it better than anyone. The band is clearly borrowing musical ideas most certainly from Damaged, and maybe even a little bit of My War. And like I said before, by the time Black Flag got to their 3rd record, they went in a more experimental direction. And beyond that, certain moments in Flag’s catalog I find questionable.

The first Bl’ast record, Power of Expression, is an all-time classic. And then, It’s In My Blood is maybe evolving that initial statement they made on the first album and cranking it up a notch. But where do you go from there? Some acoustic interludes? Introduction of a horn section? No way, josé. You get MORE riffs. MORE heavy. MORE cacophonous. MORE intense. You get MANIC. Southern Lord just reissued Bl’ast’s 3rd album Manic Ride. I feel like this record gets much less attention than the first 2 records. If you can imagine the band pushing their sound even to the next degree, that’s what you get on this 3rd album. The band does incorporate some brief spurts of harsh noise and even some Sabbath-esque drawn-out doomy passages. So yeah, I guess they are trying some new stuff on this record. But they still lean into those powerful riffs with ferocity. The production is insane. So huge and over the top, but still somehow raw? The spidery, single-note riffs are even more… well I guess “manic”, and just all over the place than on the band’s previous records. Because of the technicality, the band sounds more metallic in certain moments. The manic ride is not exactly joyous, it’s a pure wave of adrenaline that is unrelenting. Like when you approach the crest of the first drop of a rollercoaster, but that anxious feeling as the pit grows in your stomach never really fades until the record drags into the dead wax.

Southern Lord sent us copies of this reissue on beautiful red vinyl, so grab one if you wanna take the ride. Also, come on… that has got to be the SICKEST inside gatefold design on any record I’ve ever seen. So rad! Let the world end, but not before I go out and shred.

Hmmm, yeah that’s all I’ve got to say about that. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staters?

Maybe it’s cuz Dom’s playing Richard Hell at the store as I’m writing this, but my brain is feeling extra blank at the moment. This week has just kinda breezed by. What even happened? I guess I’ve been nose-deep in mountains of boxes trying to price a bunch of jazz records for all you people. Mailorder has also been nuts, so thanks to all you Sorry Staters for buying up all those Zorn records. Before I know it, St. Patty’s Day is gonna whack me over the head. I’m sure I’ll be diving headfirst into a green beer by this time tomorrow (maybe not haha).

Yeah, I know, there’s been a bunch of cool new records coming through the shop. I’m sure Daniel will be covering it heavily, but I probably should just gush endlessly about how much I love that new Personal Damage LP. Not to mention the new releases on the Sorry State label. There’s tons of cool stuff. But what have I been doing over the last few days this week? Drinking red wine and listening to David Bowie… Typical. Slight change of topic (or is it?)… Funny enough, I stumbled across this YouTube video where this guy is breaking down the structure of the song “All The Young Dudes”. The chorus is strange, but oddly perfect at the same time. The chords kinda change key midway through, flipping from major to minor. And then there’s this oddly timed turnaround to start the chorus over. Anyway, nerd shit.

Now of course, this song has most notably gone down in history for being a classic tune by the Mott The Hoople. But even listening to Ian Hunter singing lead vocal on the track, you can hear Bowie’s DNA all over it. It’s one of those songs where even before I discovered that David Bowie wrote it, I totally knew that David Bowie wrote it haha. It’s so obvious. Being released in 1972, which was around the same time Bowie was in the Hunky Dory/Ziggy Stardust era, “All The Young Dudes” is basically like a cousin to some of his other moody, slower tunes from that period. It’s not too far off from “Oh! You Pretty Things” or “Moonage Daydream.” And it’s such a great song. Such a great song that Mott The Hoople made it the title of the album. And SUCH a great song, in fact, that Bowie must have realized he couldn’t let Mott totally claim ownership of the track. He couldn’t totally let it go, and shiiit, I don’t blame him. What I didn’t realize is that Bowie would perform the song in the early 70s. Sometimes, he’d even do a medley where “Moonage Daydream” would transition into “All The Young Dudes”. And guess what? It rules. I’m sure all the dudes in Mott were like “ooooh shit.” I only discovered the other night while a bit tipsy that there are studio recordings out there of Bowie doing a rendition of the song, even though I don’t think it ever properly appeared on one his albums. No diss to Mott The Hoople, but the song sounds pretty perfect with David at the helm. Not “better” exactly, it’s just kind of an “A-HA!” moment when you first hear it. “Oh, there it is.”

What are ya gonna do? I didn’t kick it in the head when I was 25, but man, I sure do need TV when I’ve got T. Rex. I guess I’m a dude, dad. Enough already. That’s all I’ve got this week. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staters?

You got your leather chaps ready? I know you coffin-dwelling freaks are waiting with bated breath for that new Zorn record. You can pair your leather wears with a fresh new Koro shirt on its way to you now. So yeah, we’re back after skipping the newsletter last week. As always, we’re slammed busy over here at Sorry State HQ and also, Scarecrow went to go gig in Richmond with our homies in Destruct for their LP release gig. Jah bless our buddy Kestrel for helping out lately. I’m still feeling wiped out. I’m hoping this weekend I get to recuperate just a little bit. I’m tryna see that Cocaine Bear flick. Any of you seen that movie yet? Is it any good? Sounds insane.

Anyway, let’s talk about stuff I’ve been listening to:

It’s funny, the other day I found that we had a Dr. Strange compilation reissue of Symbol Six that we’re selling brand new for $8. 8 BUCKS? I was spinning that a bunch in the store and I was like fuck it, I’ll buy this. I’ve been on an 80s SoCal punk kick for a while anyway. And recently, I’ve been jamming this new SoCal’s Parishioners tape. Y’all heard this band yet? We had the band’s previous tape also, which I think I only listened to briefly. But for whatever reason, this new one called The Big Blast… From SoCal! really gripped my attention. Honestly, the tape is pretty lo-fi, which might just be a rough sounding home dub. But actually, that almost kinda adds to the experience because it sounds OLD. These dudes totally nail that oldschool, early 80s, slightly melodic Orange County hardcore sound. But not unlike Symbol Six or Shattered Faith or bands of that ilk from Southern California, SoCal’s Parishioners totally sound like a band that could’ve been on Posh Boy in like 1981. Cool riffs and ripping guitar playing, Soto-esque walking basslines… but really, this band just writes catchy as fuck songs. Also, the lyrics are great. The singer nails that aloof, snotty, sorta irreverent vocal delivery. The first song “I Don’t Know” is killer, but it also cracks me up. The chorus goes something like, “I don’t know what’s going anywhere. Indonesia? Italy? I don’t care!” Homie doesn’t give a fuck, it’s so awesome. I’m pretty sure the lyrics not only mention skateboarding, but like multiple instances across the 5 tracks on this tape. Also, the way the band members are credited, Dagger on vocals, Mr. Flames on guitar, The Kid on bass… They’re like a gang. So rad.

We’ve still got a good stack of copies of this tape. If my endorsement makes people pay a little more notice to this band, then I’ll be stoked. I really think these dudes are killing it. Makes me wanna put on Thrashin’. Members of SoCal’s Parishioners are here to remind you that “breakin’ is a memory.” Haha.

Anyway, that’s all I’ve got for ya this week. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staters?

Another busy week here at the good ol’ Sorry State HQ. Beyond all the tasks on the Sorry State front, Usman and I have spent some late nights trying to get Bunker Punks stuff put together. I’ve hand-stamped so many sleeves that I’ve lost count. I’ve got blisters on me fingaz! Those of you reading who are still waiting on an order from Bunker Punks, thanks for your patience! We’re really stoked on how these bonus Koro sleeves came out, so we think it’ll be worth the wait:)

There’s been tons of boxes of new releases piling up at the store over the last couple days. Toxic State, Iron Lung, Relapse… so much cool new stuff to check out! But I gotta say, all these new 7” reissues on No Plan Records really caught my attention. Funny enough, the Jerry’s Kidz 7” had already been on my mind recently. A friend of mine who lives a couple thousand miles away posted his 2 copies of this 7” the other day… with both different sleeve variants (mad jealous). I think I even remember thinking to myself, “Damn, how come no one has reissued that Jerry’s Kidz record yet?” I had completely forgotten that we had a batch of squeaky clean new copies already in the mail and set to arrive just a couple days later. Funny timing!

Jerry’s Kidz, spelled with a “z” and not to be confused with the other Jerry’s Kids from Boston, were from New Mexico. This 7”, titled Well Fed Society, was their only release and originally came out in 1984. In my obsessive deep dive into the history of 80s USHC, I always wonder to myself if there’s at least one good hardcore record released from each of the 50 States. For New Mexico, I think this 7” is the glowing example. This 7” was also the sole vinyl release on what I can only assume is the band’s own label called Test Site Records—surely a homegrown reference to the Manhattan Project and atom bomb testings in New Mexico. I gotta say, the artwork on this 7” is right up my alley. I mean, come on, there’s a skateboarding skeleton on the back cover! What must it have it been like to be a young hardcore punk band in Albuquerque in 1984? I imagine if you’re in the middle of the desert in New Mexico, there’s gotta be some droughted-out drainage ditches that would be killer for skating. Jerry’s Kidz sound like a bunch of skate rats. The vocals carry a tune, but the singer’s voice is pretty snotty. They sorta sound like a little blend of Rebel Truth, but with the the snotty, haphazard desert flavor of peers JFA… not to mention the skateboard connection. The opening track “Marionetts” is so killer. The lyrics are pretty rad, a metaphorical depiction of being a puppet in life whose strings are being pulled by the powers that be until death. There’s a song about drinking and driving, “DWI, drinking and driving as American as apple pie.” Genius. This record is definitely a sleeper hit of 80s hardcore and seems to be not super well known. I remember we had an original copy come through Sorry State several years ago, and I regret to this day not taking it home with me. Seems like this record is actually pretty rare, because I’ve never seen another one. But now, thanks to No Plan Records, you can get a faithful reproduction for a small fraction of the price.

Welp, that’s all I’ve got this week. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staters?

It’s still unseasonably warm around here. What the fuck? The aftermath of Koro pre-orders has kept us busy over at Sorry State HQ. Also, I don’t know if you readers saw our little announcement the other day, but Scarecrow’s 2nd EP Crisis is back in print and now Sorry State has copies in stock! Speaking of which, as I’m writing this, Scarecrow is playing a gig later on tonight with Future Terror and new local band Rovagug. I don’t feel as if I’ll be able to eloquently piece together any other details about my personal life, so here’s some of my usual record blabbing:

So, I will admit, this new Sick Thoughts record came out and I really didn’t pay it any mind. I had several friends pick up Heaven Is No Fun here at the shop, and I guess I just kinda avoided checking it out. One buddy was like, “Dude… Jeff, you should really listen to it.” I FINALLY I got around to it… and goddammit, not only is it good, but it’s reeeeeally good. I love it. Honestly, some of Sick Thoughts’ earlier records I didn’t really care for too much. I lumped them in with a lot of “lo-fi garage punk” that is usually pretty hit or miss for me. And I don’t know if the greasy cover photo of Drew with his hair grown out, his shirt’s top few buttons undone and chest hair exposed is any indication, but I think his style’s evolved.

I don’t know if “produced” is the right word, but this record impressed me because it feels like the band put in a lot of effort from a songwriting and production standpoint. It’s a badass rock’n’roll record. Like homeboy is still snarling, but in-key with lush background vocals. There’s absolutely killer guitar stuff on here. While at its core, this record could still fit in the Goner Records camp, it also feels like there’s some heavy glam influence. Like there’s an injection of Marc Bolan swagger and Mick Ronson-esque guitar flourishes. That said, this still feels like a punk record. I can hear the best moments of the Carbonas. A pinch of Jay Reatard quirkiness. And then lyrically, humor is the predominant force, along with a dash of sneering attitude. “Mother, I love Satan.” “We hit the desert middle of the day, devil on my shoulder leading the way.” And honestly, the high-pitched call and response “yeah yeahs” on the opening track “I Hate You” totally reminds me of the catchiest songs on the first GG Allin record. Hate GG or not, that first record is basically just a power pop record. Then a song like “Someone I Can Talk To” is like the one moment of vulnerability on the record and almost lands in love song territory. There are fucking organ solos. I’m here for it. The record is snappy, doesn’t overstay its welcome. Every song is good. There’s ups and downs, but the songs always feel energetic and fun. It feels like a real album. A killer record front to back. I feel like I need to bust out a paisley button up, throw on some aviator sunglasses, grab a fifth of Jack Daniels, and hit the road while blasting this ripper.

I almost didn’t get a copy of this record for myself. I thought it was sold out, but I think might’ve snagged our last copy. Is it out of print from Total Punk already? If so, maybe it’ll get a repress before too long. It would definitely be worth it. This is probably retro-actively in my best of 2022 now.

Anyway, that’s all I’ve got this week. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staters?

It’s 70-some degrees in February here in Raleigh. Maybe it’s because of the heat emanating from this Koro repress we have available for all you HardcorePunkMetalFreaks! Very exciting. You’re about as likely to find an original copy as a pot of gold under a rainbow, and it will cost you about the same as a used car. So considering that, it’s pretty rad that this 80s hardcore gem is finally back in print with a loving attempt to capture the feel of the packaging and sound of the real deal. On clear vinyl no less! While you’re at it, me n’ Usman will have a special version of the Koro 7” available through our Bunker Punks webstore. AND Scarecrow’s 2nd EP, Crisis, is back in print! If you missed out on the first round, we’re happy to say that now you’ll have a chance to grab a copy. If you’re local to NC, Sorry State will also have a good amount of copies for sale in-store :)

This was already several weeks ago (oh how time flies), but a little while back Sorry State got in just about every single you could ever want from English punk group Chelsea. I’d heard a couple of their early songs like “Right To Work” from 1977, which I always lumped in with UK bands from that era like Menace or even Sham 69. Kind of that gruff, street-wise, working class kinda punk that to me still kinda sounds like it has a foot in pub rock. Almost like the English version of proto-punk. We’ve sold a good amount of them now, but when we first got all these singles, a big stack of 10 or more, Dom and I stood at the counter at the store and listened to every single one of them IN ORDER. I did not realize that I genuinely like Chelsea until this day. It seems like a few years later in the band’s career, once it got to be like 1979 or 1980, that Chelsea’s sound really evolved. The 2 singles I have pictured above that I decided to take home for myself, “No One’s Coming Outside” and “A Look At The Outside” (guess these guys like talking about the outside haha), really blew me away. Since I’ve taken them home, I’ve listened to them constantly. I didn’t realize that they exchanged their rough-edged rock’n’roll for this lush, melodic, anthemic sound. Great production, beautiful jangly guitar work, background vocals with lots of oohs and ahs, intelligent and catchy vocal melodies. Just great, great songs. And even so, it’s still TOUGH. It almost kinda reminds of the direction that Stiv Bators went in on Disconnected. Somewhere between early mod influence, Johnny Thunders, The Damned and like… I dunno, Badfinger? I just can’t get enough.

I even posted a story on Instagram basically saying, “Why didn’t yall tell me Chelsea was good?” I had several people message me, including this cool ass dude from Montreal that I follow who was shocked I’d been missing out. Apparently, French Canadians love Chelsea. Who knew? So, if you haven’t checked out this era of Chelsea and the comparisons I’m drawing tickle your fancy, I highly suggest you check these singles out. Little melodic punk gems. Whenever I make discoveries like this, I always start to wonder if there are cool periods of other band’s discographies that I’m missing out on. Time will tell on that I suppose. But that’s part of the fun, right?

Welp, that’s all I’ve got this week. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staters?

It’s been wet and cold as a freezer in Raleigh the last couple days. Good time to sit inside and write about punk. Things have been extra busy around Sorry State HQ lately. We’re holding off on announcing anything just yet, but expect some news from Sorry State, but also some exciting news from me ‘n’ Usman’s label Bunker Punks next week:)

Anyway, time to talk about records:

Thanks to the good people at Lärmattacke Records, Sorry State has been able to stock a killer batch of European punk reissues. Some of these titles have been out of print since the 80s. And while everyone is freaking out about Varaus (rightfully so), I gotta say that these Indirekt reissues got me excited. Indirekt is one of those bands that I can’t even remember how I first discovered. Their LP Op Oorlogspad is one of those records that I had on my iPod back when I had one of those, so I feel like it’s in my DNA after hearing it sporadically over the years. Probably a random addition when on my nerdy voyages into trying to discover more and more international hardcore.

Indirekt is from the Netherlands and was active as far back as 1982. Most notably what stands out about Indirekt’s sound is that they had a girl singer and her vocals are super tuneful and melodic. For a long time, I didn’t realize that the band had 2 different eras with 2 different women singing. The band’s first 7” from 1984 was when they had a singer named Marjolein, and then as of 1985 Anneke took over vocal duties, which is honestly the era I’m more familiar with. I mainly wanna talk about Op Oorlogspad, their sole full-length. Musically, the band plays that umpa-umpa 1-2-1-2 drum beat at ripping fast tempos with soaring, energetic melodies. The guitar sound is perfect in my book. It sounds like a cranked Marshall, and just great, anthemic sounding riffs. I love songs like “Nomen Scio,” which is like a total ’77 style classic punk tune, almost sounds like The Avengers or something. But then interspersed within the hardcore, every few songs or so, the songwriting gets quirky—and I mean like SUPER quirky. When it’s straight hardcore, then it’s great, but sometimes, the vocals are sing-songy to the point of almost sounding folky. It’s almost like a speeded out, Dutch take on Trallpunk, kinda like Asta Kask or something. But don’t let that put you off. I remember the first time I heard this record I was almost put off by the strange, goofy moments. Operatic vocal outros, rockabilly yee-hoos, reggae breakdowns… So yeah, it gets kinda wild. But upon further analysis, I get the impression that Indirekt was more light-hearted and had a real sense of humor. These unexpected musical ideas that kinda make you go “huh?” actually function like brief and welcomed moments of levity. I mean, really the cover art is pretty silly. But the hardcore contained within is killer.

This reissue has awesome goodies with the packaging, and all our copies are on green/yellow/blue mix vinyl. Each copy looks totally unique. The record comes with a poster, stickers and a nice full color booklet with photos, scans of flyers, a biography and interviews with the band. Whereas you might see photos of the Dutch Agent Orange wearing leather jackets, the photos in this booklet indicate that Indirekt’s vibe was more like Minor Threat t-shirt over a hoodie, lookin’ like a member of 7 Seconds or some shit. Not that Indirekt sound totally USHC or anything. They definitely exhibit musical influences that sound distinctly European. But they definitely sound more like Sin 34 than they do like Sacrilege. In my nerdy research, I tried to figure out if Indirekt played with other bands from the Netherlands like Nog Watt or BGK. Looks like Indirekt was from a town called Hoorn, which is many miles north of the Holland/Amsterdam region. And where Nog Watt and BGK sang in English, Indirekt actually sings in Dutch. Interesting distinction.

So yeah, there’s a little write-up about me re-experiencing Indirekt. Really, it’s my first time getting to check it out in a physical format, which was super fun for me. I highly recommend you give this record (or their 1986 7” Nacht Und Nebel) a shot if you’re feeling froggy.

That’s all I’ve got this week. As always, thanks for reading.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff

What’s up Sorry Staters?

Welp, here we are again in January giving you our run down of the year we just got done with. Man, 2022… What a year it’s been! But now it’s time to say goodbye with a little reflection. Prepare for yet another year-end wrap up with lots of over-indulgent blabbing:

As the years keep whippin’ on by, I still think to myself things like, “Whatever, 2013 wasn’t that long ago.” And then I have to slap myself and realize like, WHOA, that was 10 YEARS AGO. How does that happen? Speaking of which, 2022 was kind of a blur for me. I don’t wanna seem crude, and I’m trying to tread lightly when I say this, but 2022 is kinda the first year since Covid happened that almost felt… normal? Which of course, normal for me meant doing the most traveling I’ve ever done in my life! But, I went back and read my year-end review from 2021 and you can tell I was still in a place of being excited at the prospect of punk gigs actually being able to happen. Kinda wild. But to review, my bands went to a couple fests here on the east coast, I flew overseas to Europe not 1.. not 2… but 3 times! And not to mention, played some amazing shows, met some great people, ate some killer food, and picked up a few records along the way. Not too shabby. Let’s hope 2023 has similar good times to offer.

Really, even in the midst of a pandemic, the last few years have been really great and exciting for new releases in hardcore & punk, and 2022 was no exception. There are so many great releases that came out in the past year, easily more than 10 worth mentioning. I wanna try to touch on everything I enjoyed this year, but I’m still going to fully commit to the “Top 10” format, and I’ve narrowed it down to these:

1. The Annihilated: Submission To Annihilation 12” - The UK powerhouse. What a band. After that demo cassette (which I somehow didn’t manage to get a copy of goddammit!), this LP delivered on so many levels. The poster sleeve packaging and art is top notch. The recording is powerful, but raw. And I just feel like this band, particularly Bobby, the singer, embody the genuine spirit of true hardcore. Real as it gets.
2. White Stains: Blood On The Beach 7” - Funny to include a record for 2022… in 2023.. that has a song called “2021.” The music was streamable online over a year ago, but Sorry State didn’t stock the actual 7” until like March or something, so I gotta include this bad boy. What a great record. Mean and snarling, but also tuneful and catchy in the style of the California punk these dudes are clearly influenced by. Now this band is over with, but great records came out while they lasted. Kills.
3. The Wanted: Demo cassette - People might think I’m funny for including this cassette because I only discovered it recently, but man, I just love it. If you haven’t heard The Wanted from Salem, MA yet, then make sure you track down this cassette. Seriously one of my favorite hardcore recordings in recent memory. Great songwriting. Straight to the point. The singer to me is practically a dead ringer for Alec MacKaye, and the band even kinda sounds like early The Faith. The vocals feel intense and sincere. The drummer Nate was nice enough to mail me a couple cassettes with a hand-written note included pen-pal style. In the note, he said The Wanted has newer material coming soon that he thinks is better than this cassette. If that’s the case, I better buckle up.
4. Long Knife: Curb Stomp Earth 12” - The Portland vets have done it yet again. I feel certain that with the buzz that was happening around this LP that this will make many other people’s year-end lists as well. From their first LP Wilderness, I’ve kept track of Long Knife’s releases through the years. But this new LP felt really ambitious and kinda out there with the song arrangements and production. It felt almost risky to me, which I like. Almost like when The Damned got super lush with the instrumentation on their later records. Maybe not exactly, but you get the idea. Definitely a fun listen that remained on my turntable for several weeks.
5. Invertebrates: Summer Tour CS - My homies! This isn’t nepotism, I love this band. I liked the first cassette that Sorry State released, but the batch of songs on this cassette really knocked me out. Playing that ripping Career Suicide-style clean guitar kinda hardcore, which is what the world needs. If the amount of activity and attention this band has gotten within the last year or so is any indication, then they’re doing something right. Talk of the town is that Invertebrates are gonna release a 12”. These punks will lead us into the future.
6. Warthog: 5th 7” - I would be remiss if I didn’t include my Warthog boiz. More than 10 years strong, and now a ripping 3-song EP in 2022. All crushers. When I look back at my summer in 2022 and think about the run of shows Warthog and Public Acid did together, it really was the time of my life. Hope I get to see my Hogz destroy more audiences in 2023.
7. Indre Krig: Destroyer 7" - A band that snuck up on me in 2022 and now I feel like is going to murder it in 2023—especially after seeing them and hearing this 7”. I met most of the members of this band within just a few minutes of being at Ungdomshuset in Copenhagen when I was in Denmark for the K-Town Hardcore fest. All great people. But then, seeing them play later in the summer, I was like FUCK. When Scarecrow played with them, they covered “It’s OK” by Koro. Me and Daniel met eyes in the crowd and were like “hell yeah.”
8. Vidro: Glöd 12” - I could go into depth about how great this record is again, but you should just read my staff pick from like a week ago.
9. Gefyr: S/T 12" - A a sorta under-the-radar Swedish hardcore release this year. So stoked Sorry State was able to lock down a few copies for distro. Total No Security style. RIPS.
10. Peace de Résistance: Bits and Pieces 12" - I debated whether or not to include this in my Top 10, just because this release was so closely knit with Sorry State happenings this year. But if I’m being honest with myself, I listened to this LP consistently and regularly throughout the year. I remember a friend of mine saying early on when this record first came out, “I guess Peace De Resistance is cool, but I’d rather have another Glue record.” I couldn’t disagree more. What Moses created in this project checks so many boxes for me. Like a creepy Bowie or Lou Reed with Eno-esque melodicism and an aloof yet poignant vocal performance like Mark E Smith or Howard Devoto. Tasteful and understated, yet full of rock’n’roll swagger. What a great record.

Weirdly, I always feel strange including Sorry State releases in these sorta things, almost like we’re patting ourselves on the back or something. But man, I gotta acknowledge Shaved Ape, Yleiset Syyt, and Sirkka that we released this year. This is kinda cheating I guess, but if I had decided to do things differently, then they would also absolutely appear in my “Best Of” list.

--- Honorable Mentions! ---- I just have to throw these on here, because honestly, most of these should be on my Top 10 list because of how much I listened to them. Most of my favorites from this past year were actually cassettes, and I know that most of them are just previews of the proper records that will surely make my “Best of 2023” list:

• Electric Chair: Act of Aggression CS - Best of the best, as expected. Can’t wait for this record in LP format.
• Gripe: Déjame Solo CS - Even though I loved that LP on Neon Taste that came out this year, Gripe’s 4-song cassette is what really grabbed my attention. A band from Chile playing in ferocious style that reminds of Amde Petersen’s Arme? Sign me up.
• The Hell: Promo CS - This new band out of Cleveland gave me a stoke attack when I first heard it. I was almost hospitalized. Surely their LP coming on Not For The Weak will be a highlight next year.
• Nukies: Can’t You Tell That This Is Hell CS - Ripping new band out of Sweden. Members of Axe Rash I believe? I think this same recording is going to be a 12” on Adult Crash.
• Personal Damage: Violent Ritual CS - Another ripper from these LA punks. Do they have like 4? Maybe 5 releases now? This might be my favorite yet.
• Save Our Children/Stunted Youth: Split Tour CS - 2 bands that absolutely destroyed when they played in NC. Texans playing fast hardcore. Absolutely killer. I don’t play cassettes on the regular, but if this recording was pressed onto a split 12” and I’d listened to it more, I’m sure I would’ve put it in my top 10.

Also:

• Slan: Skiter I Allt 7” - Killer Swedish hardcore. US press coming soon ;)
• Stray Bullet: Factory 7” - My Sheffield hardcore punk boiz. They absolutely wrecked K-town. Hope to see my boy Crawford sooner than later.
• Straw Man Army: SOS 12” - I wish my tastes were refined enough to rank this in my top 10. It’s really that good. Adventurous and ambitious outer space kinda take on punk.
• Chainsaw: When Will We Die? 7" - A Boston ripper that came in right toward the end of the year. So fucking good.
• Ammo: Web of Lies 12" - NJ hardcore played mean, fast and tough the way it should be. Nuff said. Hope this band has more releases in the oven.
• Warchild: A Question For Today 12" - I know this band has other releases from years prior, but this LP really caught my attention. Swedish style riffing at its finest.
• Innocent: Architects of Despair 12" - Kinda crusty hardcore from Boston with high-pitched banshee vocals. Definitely killer. I think some of the same people are also in Lifeless Dark. Can’t wait to hear that new LP later this year.
• Savageheads: Service To Your Country 12” - Duh.

Another Top 10 of 2022 that has nothing to do with new records (more or less):

1. Best food. Damn, I ate so much so food in so many different places this year. But, it’s pretty hard to compete with a vegan full English breakfast with the company of Tom Ellis. We hit the same spot each time I visited London—once in the summer with Scarecrow, and the second when Public Acid went over for Damage Is Done fest. I’m craving some bubble just thinking about it.
2. Best record store visited. Really, I didn’t visit quite as many record stores in my travels this year as you might expect. If it were up to me, I would’ve hit a different record store in every city I visited this year. One of my favorites I did get to visit while in London was probably Lee Dorian’s store Rise Above Records. It was just cool to hang out in there, cool flyers all over the walls. But the punk section record bins were just stuffed full of og bangers in great shape for really good prices. I probably bought like every single Damned record I didn’t have. Another shop in London we went to was also great, simply called The Little Record Shop. Tiny little place, but cool and collectible records everywhere. Punk, but also reggae, psych, you name it. The owner was super friendly, just handing me and the gang huge stacks of punk singles he hadn’t priced yet. Okay, one more. I also had a great time visiting Second Beat Records in Copenhagen. I walked there from the venue in Copenhagen with no internet service haha. But I found it! Another pretty small shop, but they had a bunch of great rare punk 7”s for sale when I visited. I had to spring for one record, so I got my og Electric Deads at that shop. I had to buy something Danish, right?
3. Best record score. As far as collecting goes, 2022 really wasn’t my biggest year for scoring crazy rare or expensive records. Seriously! Of course, I grabbed a few records here and there, but I tried to watch my spending with all the traveling I did this year. I did manage one pretty big score. A special version of a record I wanted so badly that finally actually getting my hands on one… let’s just say it quelled my need to constantly hunt for records for quite a while. Most of my friends know I love Poison Idea. I may consider them my favorite band on any given day. This year, after many years of hunting, I finally locked down an original Portland Edition of Kings of Punk with all the posters, inserts, sticker, etc. A holy grail for me! Funny enough, 2022 also ended up being the year the Portland Edition was reissued with faithful reproductions of all the posters and everything. Who knew? While a copy with repro- posters probably would’ve satiated my hunger temporarily, I got the real deal on Pusmort, so I’m happy.
4. Favorite live band. Man, I don’t think I can narrow it down to just one. I saw so many great bands play this year. Seeing Warthog destroy crowds several nights in a row was pretty amazing. Uzi from Bogota was so killer. I got to see Electric Chair in Copenhagen AND New York, always a pleasure. Both Rat Cage and Stray Bullet annihilated at K-Town. Speaking of which, The Annihilated in Sheffield was raging. The whole gig at the new Lughole in Sheffield was a highlight of the year. Seeing Golpe like 10 times in a row (with Daniel on guitar!) touring with Scarecrow was awesome. Indre Krig in Copenhagen. I got to see Vidro twice, and they were totally killer. SHIT played the best set I’ve ever seen them play when I was in Toronto. They covered Crucifix and Blitz (mwah, chef’s kiss). I could go on and on, but I’ll leave it there.
5. Public Acid / Warthog. This trip was so fucking great. My first time in Europe! It was only 4 shows. Public Acid and Warthog played together at 3 of them, one show in Amsterdam and 2 shows in Germany, and then we made our way to K-town. A couple of these gigs were the best shows I’ve ever played. Even so, looking back the main thing I remember is just hanging out in the van and goofing off with everybody. At first, I definitely felt a little shy on the trip. But within a day or 2 I was having a blast. Those Warthog dudes are some of the funniest motherfuckers out there. I was laughing the whole time. Hope me and my dudes grab an Aperol Spritz and “do one” by a river real soon. Acid-Hog forever.
6. Scarecrow euro tour. What an adventure. My first full European tour, which is something I’ve always wanted to do playing in hardcore punk bands all these years. So many places, so many cool people. There’s so many details I could get into, but it would be a whole other full-length write-up. With the exception of breaking down in France and being stuck there for a few days, it was a life-affirming experience.
7. New band. My buddy Eric moved back to NC this year. Before too long, Meat House started. We recruited Alex who plays drums in Mutant Strain, and we got Keith who sang in White Stains to do vocals. I play bass, which is a nice change of pace from my other bands. I’m really excited about this band. We recorded in October, so hopefully we’ll have something coming out this year. Hell yeah!
8. Bunker Punks stuff. Me n’ Usman’s label put out 2 releases this year: The 2nd 7” by our band Scarecrow and a 7” by our other project Fatal. We’re stoked on how they both turned out. We’ve got some exciting plans for 2023. More news on all that coming soon!
9. New Year’s weekend. I’d never been to Canada before. Public Acid played a “SHITmas” showcase in association with Not Dead Yet. That ruled. Also, our show in Cleveland was absolutely amazing. You gotta check out Prototype Collective, it was the first show at this new spot and Cleveland is lucky to have it. But then, who would’ve thought I’d spend New Year’s Eve in Montreal? We were all wasted and went to get poutine at 4am. Pretty rad. Then, when trying to re-enter the country I got harassed at the border because apparently there’s a murderous criminal who has my same name? That was pretty wild. Then our show in Boston on New Year’s Day was killer. The show was over by 10pm, and 4 of 5 Acidz drove straight through the night back to Richmond. Woohoo!
10. Seeing old friends and making new ones. I don’t wanna get too mushy right at the end here, but one of the best things about this year was all the people I encountered. I mean, the last couple years before 2022, I felt lucky to get to see anyone at all. I don’t mean to sound cheesy, but one of the amazing things about all this punk nonsense is that it brings you to places you’ve never been and people you barely know are waiting with open arms and hospitality. Some of these people I got to see more than once in a single year. I feel so lucky. Some folks I only spent a little bit of time with, but now I feel like we’ll be friends for life. I was happy to see Jim and Amy from Philly several times this year. Richard and Lia in Cleveland. Christina hosting Public Acid and Scarecrow while we were in Copenhagen. Going to Sweden and having Mattis from Dissekerad just hop in the van and tag along on tour for a few days. Meeting Jocke from D-Takt and Poffen while we were in Uppsala. All the dudes in Golpe. Bry and Crawford in Sheffield. Paco and Tom Ellis. Nils and Monika carting around Warthog and Public Acid. Scarecrow’s tour driver Liese <3. I could go on and on. Puts a smile on my face thinking about everybody.

Alright all ya crazy punk-ass mofos, that’s all I’ve got. Here’s hoping 2023 is another good one. As always, thanks for reading, and being patient in indulging me and my incoherent ramblings.

‘Til next week,

-Jeff