Tuesday, July 28, 2015

DISASTER AREA / DIE SCHLIMMEN-FINGER split EP


I am rabid for 80s German punk. There's so much awesome German punk, varying in so many different styles. Some of my favorite bands - SLIME, NEUROTIC ARSEHOLES, UPRIGHT CITIZENS, BLUT + EISEN - are German. One of my recent collecting goals is to acquire all of the EPs from the Pogar label out of Berlin (except for the VARUKERS EP they did...I don't really feel like I need that one). I've been slowly achieving this goal, most recently pulling together tough finds like the killer HONKAS and HARNRÖHRER EPs, via the simplest method: Ebay. The old-fashioned method of "digging at record stores" is not totally obsolete though. I recently attended a show at local Oakland record store 1234 Go, and while scanning the 7"s across the wall above the tapes I spotted a slightly crinkled, vaguely familiar pink xerox-style sleeve - you know, the kind that gets your attention, but once you get closer it may just be some shitty 90s dollar bin fodder. Low and behold this time it was this DISASTER AREA / DIE SCHLIMMEN FINGER split EP on Pogar records! Twenty bucks. I scoured the place for more, but as expected, there weren't any more 80s German punk records to be found there.

The DISASTER AREA stuff is fairly mediocre skate-punk stuff, though not bad. But it was the DIE SCHLIMMEN FINGER side that totally caught me off guard. I'm instantly enchanted by the huge singalong choruses and ringing guitars they display on here. It's almost like the COCK SPARRER side of Oi, but still unmistakably German punk. 

In case you're looking to unload them, my top priorities on the Pogar EP list at this time are VORKRIEGSJUGEND, VELLOCET, and MARPLOTS,  


Saturday, July 25, 2015

AURORA - Viszlát Iván LP


One of the few early Hungarian punk recordings to make it to vinyl, AURORA's debut album is a non-stop barrage of melody and drive. Virtually all the songs on here clock in over 3 minutes, breaking the supposed 2:20 punk-song rule, but it's still a strong listen all the way through. I still haven't managed to track down their EP on Empty Records out of Germany yet, but I've been told it's even better. I've heard earlier demo recordings on Youtube that sound really cool as well. The early Hungarian punk and hardcore stuff seemingly hasn't gotten as much reissue treatment as stuff from most other places. The bits of stuff I've seen, heard, and read are all really compelling and interesting. I'm sure it's only a matter of time, right? In the meantime, enjoy this classic LP.