File under "A"

   Hmm, this is odd, I only have two punk bands filed under 'A', Agression and Angst. Both are California bands from the same era, but oh so different. Agression is SoCal hardcore,or more specifically, Nardcore. They are one of the great skatepunk bands out of Oxnard, California. Up first was their second full length LP from 1985, the self-titled "Agression" on Mystic Records. From the first riff of 'Rich Kids' to the final shout of 'Ripped Off' these thirteen tracks make me want to punch stuff, hard. Favorite tracks include the bouncy 'Salty Leather' and a cover of Hendrix's 'Foxy Lady'. Up next was "Super Seven Record Co. Presents: Agression- Recorded Live At The Underground Railroad", six horribly recorded live tracks. This 7" record made me glad it was so short and reminded me why I've only listened to it once before. Two cool thing about this record are that it's a 33 1/3 rpm 7" and that the drummer had been in the band for only eight weeks at the time of the recording. Uninteresting fact: When I was a teenager, I dislocated an ankle at an Agression show. The ankle still gives me problems some twenty-five~thirty years later. Ah, good times.

      Angst, on the other hand, is not hardcore. They are a trio out of San Francisco who released five records from 1983 to 1988. Self-titled 7 song 12" EP (1983 Happy Squid Records. Reissued in 1986 as SST 064), Lite Life LP (1985 SST 054), Mending Wall LP (1986 SST 074), Mystery Spot LP (1987 SST 111) and Cry For Happy LP (1988 SST 206).

Unfortunately they didn't quite fit in with the hardcore scene that was so prevalent in the 80s, they weren't fast enough or loud enough. They were punky and poppy, with some country and 60s garage thrown in, because, why not? They've become one of my favorite bands of all time. Their only real claim to fame is that Frank Black (Pixies) liked them enough to tell Rolling Stone magazine that he would like to see them reunite and has mentioned that they were a great influence on him and his music. Mending Wall is my personal favorite at the moment, because it has a bitterly sung cover of Simon and Garfunkel's "Richard Cory". I can grab one at random and play it, doesn't matter which one it is, they are all good. I think that this was the first time I played all five in a row, might have to do that again. Uninteresting fact: According to Wikipedia, Frank Black and I might be the only people that own all five records, any of which would make a nice addition to one's collection.

I'm back (kinda)!

Wow, it's been a while. I'm going to go through my punk rock records from A to Z, clean 'em up, play 'em and bore you with a little reminiscing and thoughts on 'em. If something non-punk catches my eye in my travels I'll give that a spin, too. Anyone up for Glen Campbell?