Tracklist:01. Infiltrators - Troublemakers
02. Infiltrators - Paycheck to paycheck
03. Infiltrators - Probation
04. Infiltrators - Boot bullies
05. The krays - Radio
06. The krays - Won't get fooled again (The who cover)
Released by Welfare records in 1997.
Infiltrators is a band that i dont really know much about except for the information i can take from the records they have released. Dont know anyone that used to know them or anything like that either but here i go trying to make an introduction to the band anyway hehe what the hell here goes nothing.
The Infiltators are a fastpaced "Oi-core" band from Brooklyn consisting of Dennis on vocals, Eric Kullbeck on drums, James Spinello on bass and John Harway on guitar. The band started in NY around the middle of 1990's and even if it wasnt longlived they managed to release a demo, 2 split 7'' and a full-lenght record. The band had close connections to the rest of the scene around the Ny area at that time and appeared on liveshows with familiar NY bands like Templars, Oxblood, Step2Far, First strike, Fed Up! and Bottom of the barrel.
This record is the first real release after their demo from the year before (those demotracks where later released on a split with Squiggy that you can download here). Even if they are described and foldered as Oi!-core i dont really think theres really that much hardcore about their sound. I would more describe them as a bit faster paced Oi! with moments of what we in Sweden call trall. Even if all these songs where released on their full-length in 1998 these songs have a bit difference in sound from those versions. One of the biggest difference is a female backup vocalist on this split that i guess was one of the members but since Welfare completly forgott to write down the bandmembers names on the cover i guess she will remain unknown.
All songs by Infiltrators are great and it contains my alltime favourite track Troublemakers.
The krays is a band that i will do a real introduction on later since i am still missing two split records from their discography (they are not for sale anywhere but if you got one of them listed in my wantlist i am willing to buy).
The first song by The krays is an actually radiofriendly antipop song called Radio. This track sounds layed back after listening to Infiltrators side but really its that classic sound that The krays had before going a bit softer.
Their last song on the record is my biggest issue and its a cover of The whos song Won't get fooled again that also Skrewdriver did a cover of in 1977. In the paper that came with the vinyl The krays write this, "We've heard that Skrewdriver had covered this song. Well, we're taking it back for The who. And it goes out to all you RAC listening cunts. If you want good music make your own". First of all their calling me a cunt but thats not the issue, the issue is that if they would have known anything of their British punkhistory they would have known that this cover was made in 1977 by the punkband Skrewdriver and not the 1982 band Skrewdriver that only had one of the original members and absolutely no tie except that inbetween them. This band was probably one of the biggest selling amd most influencial bands at that time and two of the members where actually socialists. And even if it would have been the later band what are they talking about. Just because a band doesnt share their political ideals evrybody that listening to them are cunts? Isnt that a bit judgemental and prejudice?
Now what really pisses me of is that their version isnt even nearly as good as Skrewdrivers cover cover of that song. So if YOU want to listen to good music listen to early British punkrock (or as The krays call it, RAC).
8/10
This record has been sold out for years.
Love the music, makes me miss a lot of bands we used to enjoy and drink with 20 years ago.
SvaraRaderaBut... "Isnt that a bit judgemental and prejudice?" when whining about being called a cunt for listening to RAC? It's called "Rock Against Communism"... the music genre already has prejudice in it's name. It's like listening to the tiresome republican assholes here that rant about "PC wimpy pinko liberals", but then complain about their "christian values being attacked" or say they are scared about gays, blacks, or muslims in their neighborhoods. Who really are the whiny ones?
I enjoy and agree old skrewdriver, though not phenomenal, are decent and not political... good. And I like patriotic oi!, Patriot through Stormwatch and even Stars & Stripes, but lyrically most "RAC" is just as bitchy and whiny as the liberal hippy shit. I prefer politics, working class aside, be left out of my skinhead music.
Basically I agree... RAC would have a hard time arguing that it isn't cunt-like.
I know RAC is prejudice. Thats the whole point im trying to make. This band stands above that by..... hating people for not sharing their values. You see where im getting.
SvaraRadera1977 Skrewdriver had 2 Socialist members: Ian and Grimey. The other 2 were not political, just racists.
SvaraRaderaI heard that some of the guys in those unknown was farleft socialists. Does that make them a commieband then?
SvaraRaderaThe female vocals in that recording were the girlfriends of the bands. So basically it was the Devotchkas. They recorded everything but that Who cover together for that ep. I had to work that day, but from what I remember it was like a goddamn party in Tom's tiny studio.
SvaraRaderaAs for the RAC remark. The best way that I can explain it is that a lot of the skins here really started to get heavy into it. Which was funny due in part that a lot of the skins in NYC at the time were not white. But with that shift came a lot of knuckleheaded ideology. Shows were getting smashed apart, people were seriosly getting hurt and in retrospect it kind of sucked. It is what it is, but The Krays just really wanted to play and have a good time. Sadly, playing with the rest of the bands in the city meant you may not get to play. Which is kind of frustrating.
Now if you can appreciate anything, Jon recorded that whole Who song in it's entirety on his own. Starting with the drum tracks. He played every instrument on that. That's not an easy thing to do. And for that I applaud it.
And people have to be white to enjoy RAC? What about all the RAC from Central/South America? ANd the whole werewolfscene in Japan?
SvaraRaderaFirst off--don't accept any information about the Infiltrators unless it comes from one of the Infiltrators--certain people habitually misrepresent what we do and did and say and think and I'm going to start calling muthufuckas out on it. Anyone who ever hears anything about us, first suspend judgment, then message me at facebook under Dennis Farr. Let me demonstrate how muthufuckas don't know shit but are happy to spread misrepresentations: this wasn't recorded at Noise Floor Studios by Tom Gajewski. When we did record our full-length there it was just us and no one but us and Tom, so there was no 'party' going on at Noise Floor. This 7-inch was recorded at Coyote Studios [out of business], by Mike. Usually we have James Spinello doing the bass, but this time bass was split between me and Carlos. If I recall somewhat, Stephanie, Elaine and Mandee from the Devotchkas were at Coyote with us, NOT Noise Floor--but I definitely remember Stephanie being there and anyone with ears can recognize her vocals. And Jon from the Krays played drums for us on the 7-inch, but the full-length was with Eric Kullbeck. --Infiltrator Dennis
SvaraRaderaThanks for the info Dennis.
SvaraRaderaDidnt know anything for sure and thats why i keept the introduction as bareboned as you can see above
I appreciate that you did that and I noticed it, and I appreciate you letting me respond. There are lots of muthufuckas in the New York scene that owe me personally and I say to them: Sleep. Dream even. Wake comes.
SvaraRadera