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Diary of a B+ Grade Polymath ([personal profile] tcpip) wrote2009-06-05 04:47 pm

Recognition of Rusted-On Aesthetics

In my youth - about twenty five or so years ago - I found a strong association with that genre of music known as 'punk rock'. I blame, at least in part, people like [personal profile] reddragdiva and his journal "Party Fears" for assisting in this along with venues like The Red Parrot.

My particular tastes in this genre weren't terribly obscure. I was incredibly impressed by the musical diversity and socialist politics of bands like The Clash, especially the Sandinsta! triple-album. But from the other side of the big pond, I really liked The Dead Kennedys; although they weren't as musically diverse (usually sticking to a hard and fast delivery), they were musically very competent and, of course, I found much in common with their left-anarchist politics.

The final song on their second album, Moon Over Marin (youtube) I found particularly striking. A more melodic combination of surf music and punk rock the mental image of the lyrics portrayed environmental dystopia on the scale of science fiction (shades of John Bruner's "Stand on Zanzibar"). 'Marin' of course, is the rather beautiful coastline and peninsula of California that includes the Bay Area.

French punk band Les Thugs do an absolutely superb cover of 'Moon over Marin'. I've been playing it like a heartbroken or angry teenager today. I may as well just admit it; I'm an aging punk who never gave up on its values. No wonder a young shop assistant expressed pleasure at my Clash hoodie a couple of weeks back. I was a little surprised and slightly embarrassed; I guess young people today, like young people then, respect those whose stick to sound principles in politics and taste and don't sell out. I hope that will always be the case.

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/_zombiemonkey/ 2009-06-05 07:04 am (UTC)(link)
I love the Les Thugs cover of Moon Over Marin. Virus 100 (where the LT cover appeared) had some great DK covers on it. I quite like Nomeansno's a capella cover of Forward To Death as well. Canadian punks Nomeansno and DOA are well worth a listen. DOA is pure political + raw and angry, while Nomeansno is chilling and surreal on occasion.

Miss Sev recently thoughtfully bought me a doco on US Hardcore, which while it merely briefly referred to the Frisco scene and DK specifically (for then-current legal reasons?), bought to mind heaps of bands I wish I'd gotten into more at the time. Wanting to hunt down some MDC (Millions of Dead Cops) now.

[identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com 2009-06-05 07:15 am (UTC)(link)
Ah yes, that a capella version is really good. Very clever piece of work. Another band which gets a gernsey on the Virus 100 album is Alice Donut. Their song Lisa's Father (youtube clip, well worth it, creepy child abuse triggers) derived from a seriously fucked up Jack Chick comic a great piece of work.

MDC kept changing their name according to the single they were bringing out - Millions of Dead Children and Multi Death Corporation are two names I remember. I have the single of the former on vinyl...

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[identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com 2009-06-05 08:05 am (UTC)(link)
I think MDC beat JG Thirwell by a couple of years on that one..

[identity profile] charlycrash.livejournal.com 2009-06-05 07:40 am (UTC)(link)
Millions of Damn Christians :)

[identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com 2009-06-05 08:04 am (UTC)(link)
I was quite fond of their pro-vegetarian but rather silly Chickensquawk