Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Happy End

Today's post is about the third band (besides Internal Affairs & Right Brigade) where I try to get every record variation that is out there - Bitter End.
One record that I've been after for a while now, is the most recent version of their awesome "climate of fear" LP:


The "clear pilsner beer vinyl with silkscreened/cutout acetate covers sold at United Blood Fest 2009" out of only 54 copies.
This is really awesome. It's not just a silkscreened cover. They cut out a square and covered it with a transparent layer that is silkscreened/printed as well. This is supposed to look like a TV screen with white noise (at least that's what I think). Through the white noise, you can either see the record or the picture that is glued to the inside of the sleeve.


Six Feet Under (or Bitter End themselves) did a very good job with this one. I can't think of a similar special sleeve like this. And I really like how the TV idea fits to the amazing intro of the record with all those TV and radio samples. Well done!!
Okay, maybe one bad side note:
There are 5 different inside images amongst the 54 records....
I don't think that I need all of them... or do I?
In germany we say: "Irgendwo hört's dann aber auch auf..." :o)

The next one that I picked up is the "mind in chains" 7" repress on orange vinyl out of 500:


I didn't even know that Malfunction/Deathwish made a second press. I was surfing around at record trade posts on the Bridge 9 board and at howsyouredge, where I saw that various dudes had this variation. I was totally wondering and couldn't understand how I never heard of this one. After a little research, I found out that it was still available at the Deathwish E-store. Lucky me.
So that's two more records to add here:

Friday, October 2, 2009

Heroes from the past

Unlike all the other trendy kids (yeah, those kids you see at shows for a few months/years before they disappear, following the next trend) who started with the current "cool" bands, my musical life has been more of a progression.
A slow progression from metal to punk to hardcore (and maybe back at the moment.. with some side trips to recent and 70s rock stuff, but that's another story :o).
If you ask me about the band that brought me from punk to hardcore, I guess I have to say:


I loved them from the first tunes I heard and still do. I think they once played here with H2O, who opened the door for NYHC for me. I believe that I even saw them with Sick of it all, who later toured with Ensign... and so on.
As I was listening to one of their records, being sad that they split up, it came to my mind that Fat Wreck released their last show on vinyl. I knew I had to get it:


And this record blows my mind. Nice gatefold, handnumbered (#266 out of 1100) two different colours of vinyl (old school colours by the way, not that swirl or splatter bullshit that once was interesting, but nowadays comes with almost EVERY record), an awesome maybe 100 page booklet with thousands of pictures and HITS HITS HITS. I put the needle on the record and couldn't believe what I heard. I usually don't like live records, but this one almost made me destroy my room, moshing and dancing and singing along. There is not a single song where you think: "oh yeah, they have this song and they have to play it, because it is their last show, but I don't like it" NO, every song you think: "oh yeah, they have this song and they have to play it, because it is their last show and now I wanna smash my chair against the wall and want to scream the lyrics out loud!!!!". Awesome!!! It is such a pleasure to listen to this selection of songs in a row. I hope they make a DVD out of this. The sound is perfect. Not too clear, not too raw. Everything on this release is simply awesome. Now go get it, before it is sold out (by the way, for the first time I ordered something from Fat Wreck directly. I ordered the new Paint it Black 7" as well. It rules, but today's topic is "Heroes from the past". :o).


Although I really like Good Riddance, my favourite band back in the days was:


yes, NOFX.
A few weeks ago, Epitaph announced some coloured vinyl represses of classic records.
Unfortunately, I was too late (like so many times before). My favourite records were gone.
I only managed to pick up two releases. NOFX - Animal liberation on yellow vinyl out of 300 and:


Bad Religion - How could hell be any worse on red vinyl out of 300.
Both records rule. Actually I never owned this Bad Religion record. A while ago, I tried to pick it up on ebay, but was always outbid. So this was a nice way to pick it up.
I have "Animal Liberation" on CD for years now, but to be honest, I hardly listened to it. So this was also a nice occasion to give it a try again.
And man, there are some awesome songs on this....
Last words for today: "Beer Bong"......