The 86'ed - S/T LP (2009)

Tracklist:
01. America today
02. 5th and six
03. Not guilty
04. Going on dead
05. Society's underdogs
06. What's left?
07. Been done before
08. Sold out
09. American dream
10. Media
11. Revolution
12. 2nd class citizen
13. Manch firm

Released by Dim Records in 2009.

For a band that has been around since 1999 it was about fucking time they got their first proper release. Its easy to hear that they have a solid arsenal of hits to pick from since they started the band 10 years ago.
It's a surprisingly pretty album cover for being an Oi! band these days with the American eagle cluthin' and charging the neverdying snake of communism (ehh umm that might not make much sense but its pretty to look at atleast).
When i first got the record i thought most songs sounded the same and didnt really give them a chance. I loved the songs from their old split and the song Manch firm wich made me come back to the album over and over again. After 2 years now i can say that it's actually really good and those songs that didnt really stand out at first kicked in after i had heard them 10+ times.

I know it sounds stupid but give this album a second (and a third) chance and you to will probably see the charm with it.
8/10

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The record is still available for purchase at:
Dim records
Pure impact
Arrest records

The 86'ed & Reason to fight - Split 7'' (2005)

Tracklist:
01. Reason to fight - Up in arms
02. Reason to fight - Potter's Field
03. The 86'ed - America today
04. The 86'ed - Sold out

Released by United Riot Records in 2005.

Two bands from the Manchester Firm crew that has sprouted out a couple of bands through the years (some good, some not so good) like the hardcore band Word for word, The drunks and also the newcommers Yellow stitches.
I wont make no big band-introduction to these bands since they are still int he writing so to speak. Both bands are still active today with The 86'ed releasing their 2008 album America today and Reason to fight releasing their 2009 album Blood & glory. Instead i photoed the "inside" of the split where the bandmembers names are written so read for yourselfs.

Reason to fight represents the side of US Oi! that i hate. In my world hardcore is hardcore and has nothing to do with the skinhead scene but i know of your history and all but it doesnt mean i have to like it right. Their sound (dont know if i should call it Oi!core or NYCH or D-Beat or whatever) is not bad in any way if you enjoy this sort of stuff but for me it's a pain in the ass everytime i have to review these sort of bands.
The 86'ed on the other hand is more around my corner with their goodol' Oi! sound with some patriotic and workingclass oriented lyrics.
First song is a nationalist anthem with lyrics like "Send food and medicine overseas/While we're hungry and diseased/Ship our youth to broken down schools/Only to raise a nation of fools". The song Sold out basicly focuses on the same theme and questions the results of free trade and immigration.
Ying and yang split basicly.
6/10

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Convicted - United working class CD V.2.0 (2001)

Tracklist:
01. Aren't you the one?
02. She
03. Comming of age
04. What should i do?
05. United working class
06. The truth
07. Strip mall
08. I don't care
09. Tonight
10. Pick your heart
11. 45 days
12. C.M.
13. 10 long years
14. D.V.R.
15. Life in this hole
16. Every turn i fall
17. Broadway U.S.A.

Released by the band in 2001.

After being dissapointed with the result and sound of their mini-cd with the same name in 2000 they put this one out. 17 hard tracks of melodic street-Oi! or whatever this crossover sound should be called.
Fun thing with these tracks is that it doesnt feature a single track that was on their original demo from 1997. I loved that album and i would have enjoyed to see how they delivered those songs with 4 extra years of musical experience and a bit better recording equipment.

First thing that struck me when i listened to this record was the drums.... damn thats some great drums!
The opening track called Aren't you the one? is probably the best one tightly followed by 45 days and the "handclaporgasmic" song Pick up your heart. Listening to this and then listening to their first demo it's hard to hear the resemblences but both albums have their strengths and not so many weaknesses so be sure to download both of these superb albums.
Thanks yet again to Hank Saints for sending me these albums.
9/10

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Convicted - United working class (2000)

Tracklist:
01. 45 days
02. United working class
03. Cancer
04. Life in this whole
05. The truth
06. I don't care
07. C.M.



Selfreleased by the band in 2000.

This record was re-released in 2001 with 10 bonus songs since the band didnt really like the result of the album. I dont see whats not to like? Sure it's not perfect but where would the charm be in a perfect punk album.
Songs like 45 days and Cancer are both great songs with good lyrics with a nice rockin punk feeling to them.
8/10

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New album from The Barons.

A new album will soon see the light. The album will be called Songs from the Mason-Dixon and will be available for purchase sometime in the comming months. This song is taken from that album.

Convicted - Best of the best EP (1999)

Tracklist:
01. Last resort
02. Best of the best
03. XXX angel
04. Locked out
05. End construction

Self-released by the band in 1999.

Earlier this year Travis from American Defence sent me a demo with this band that completely blew me away. There was no info at all to be had about the band, not Travis or anyone i knew had ever heard of them before but i uploaded the demo anyway. Luckely a friend to the band Hank Saints saw it and helped me out with some info on the band (fun thing was even he didnt know that demo existed).
He sent me their other 3 releases and even if this one is the lesser of those three it's still a damn good album.

There is just something i like with their sound on the demo that reminded me about The unruly and 2 years later now they have changed their sound a bit but the gritty and grimey vocals are still there. To be honest i even think they had a bit of a RAC sound (just the sound not lyrically) on their demo but this time around they have softened it up a bit. If their first release hit you like a steamroller this one is more of a forklift. Not the same impact but it still leaves a plesant mark.
What i like most about the band is their nonstop energy in the songs and the way their drummer ads a sort of seigedrum feeling to the songs.
7/10

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Happy friday.

They are turkish, happy and i wish i could spend the weekend with them. Top guys that made my Friday atleast.

Rogues - March of the damned CD (1996)

Tracklist:
01. Christian warrior
02. Burning rage
03. Belly up to the pub
04. Resistance and revenge
05. Degenerate
06. In the midst of prophecy
07. Billy bones
08. Slaviska
09. Dead end
10. Wierd ciggars
11. Jockey boys
12. Cowards in the crowd
13. Belgian ale

A wierd album that doesnt really sound like their earlier ones. With this said it isnt bad in any way (well except maybe the few wierd songs like Christian warrior).

This was their last album and it sounds more like their brotherband Rival now. The first song on the record is called Christian warrior and confuced me a bit the first time i heard it. It is a militant religeous song with lyrics about tv preaching the gospel of satan and talks about how hard it is to be a christian in modern USA. I am myself an atheist but i always respect peoples choice in religon (as i do when it comes to politics) no matter if its Budha, Christ, Oden or Hare krishna but this song is just stupid. I cant really see the connection between a big fuck you attitude of punkrock and the tucked in shirt christianity that Rogues preach in this song.
Being religous has many sides and values that can be applauded but preachin the same "conform or die" as most muslums preach dont buy the album any points on my scorecard.

Witht he worst song cleared the good ones start to appear like Burning rage, Resistance and revenge, In the midst of prophecy and Dead end. The last one there reminded me about how they used to sound on their earlier albums and i can easily say its my favourite track on the album.

The band died out a year later but even if they never got the fame they deserved they somehow keep poppin up here and there as a nostalgic band. For instans they got 7 of their songs from their first release reprinted a couple of years back and they where also featured with a song on the skater Rob Dyrdeks show on MTV (funny that he was into them).
7/10

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Lyrics for Get out alive by Rogues

The clip is not made by me. Original creator is JosephJustinPio.

If you got a minute
I'll tell ya what i know
About an open sewer
That we call home
The place is so depressing
I see it in their eyes
Everything's so grey here
Buildt to match the sky

All i really want is
to get out alive
Get out!!
Get out alive

The city's for the loosers
Not for you and I
I know that they'll be stuck here
'Till the day they die
Reality is hard here
Ya watch it day by day
Although you keep on fighting
Your lifes are stripped away

All i really want is
to get out alive
Get out!!
Get out alive

Economy is bad here
And steadily going down
It's crime that really rules here
'Cause criminals rule the town
Locked inside your houses
With a gun under your bed
Don't know what you are scared of
'Cause your already dead

All i really want is
to get out alive
Get out!!
Get out alive

Rogues - Lost generation CD (1994)

Tracklist:
01. Crazy
02. Don't turn your back
03. Razors edge
04. Pacifist
05. Fear and loathing
06. Lost generation
07. Battle cry
08. No vacancy
09. So pathetic
10. Salvation

My copies have no releasedate and is branded as a BHCD release but i think it was originally released by Rock-O-Rama Records in 1994.

Not really as good as their last record but still a really strong record with high value in both the music and the lyrics. Before these songs where recorded Keith left the band and my guess is thats one of the reasons for the bit more nationalistic lyrics.

Lots of good tracks but the best one is Battle cry, a battleanthem with great lyrics. Someone once told me that the song is about the battle for Shusa in 1992 between Armenian forces and Turkish friendly forces of Azeri but i cant connect the lyrics to that political event. All i know is they dedicate the song to "Forces of Karabagh" and there was an Armenian group of soldiers called "Forces of Karabakh". Probably can be true but if someone knows exact information then please let me know.

Most "in your face" song is the track No vacancy, a song against immigration and the government's backyard sales of workingclass jobs to oversees counties. This all out of a nationalistic and realistic viewpoint and it is no way extreme to me but some might be turned off by it.

Another interesting song is So pathetic witch is a great track switching back and forth from a melodic ska song to an uptempo punksong about the fake MTV generation and the unity between subcultural youthgroups like skins and punks.

(sold them all) I have 3 spare copies of this CD so if anyone in Sweden wants to buy it contact me and i will let it go for 25sek + 25sek in shipping.(sold them all)
9/10

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Rogues - Zero street (1991)

Tracklist:
01. Get out alive
02. Factory line
03. Strike first
04. Aint gotta clue
05. Across the wrist
06. Corruption
07. Triumph of the will
08. Bought and sold
09. Long hot summer
10. Rogues
11. Zero street
12. Rotting free

This one was released by Rock-O-Rama Records in 1991 but was originally released by Force Majeur. When i dont know.

Damn this is a great record. Starting it all off with the superb track Get out alive that i think most recognise either from this band or Keith's later band Glass heroes. I like the fact that a band that was this far out on the right-wing doest feel the need to express it in their lyrics and to be honest the only political messages is those of any other workingclass band.
They take up subjects such as the downfall of the civilised society (Get out alive), workingmans struggle for a better life (Factory line) and the illusion of freedom's we think we have over the cheesy but good ska-influenced track Rotting free.

Dont worry they also bring more lighter subjects like some of the "good old ultraviolence" that can be ehard in the tracks Rogues and Strike first.

Best track on the album is Triumph of the will with great drums and a dynamic "fist-in-the-air chorus" that falls into the same lyrical I-pod folder as songs like Rise above by Black flag and Starkare by Perkele.
10/10

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Rogues - From the dead end Demo (1989)

Tracklist:
01. Dead end
02. Factory line
03. Rather be blind
04. Unemployment blues
05. Cocaine
06. Rogues
07. Corruption
08. Bleed

This was a demo but i think it was released as an EP/LP later on but cant back that up with any information.

This demo and the cassetteEP they released in 1990 called Get out alive led to their their first full-length called Zero street but this demo holds a lot of tracks that never made it onto that record so be sure to download it.

Two great tracks that didnt make it onto any of their other record are Unemployment blues an Rather be blind. That last one is still an "urban legend" today since it has some unclear lyrics. The correct lyrics on the chorus is "Rather be blind and not see" but many people still likes to think that they sing "Rather be blind and nazi". After hearing it over 500 times i can still today say that it's a bit shady but believe me it's "not see".

Their melodic yet rough rock'n'roll sound is perfect so be sure to download this little piece of forgotten awesomeness.
9/10

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Rogues (introduction)

One of those bands that has confuced a lot of people but have also stayed a secret for many others. Many people think of this band as a RAC band but even if their history is anything but clean they where always an Oi!/Punk band and nothing else.

The band started sometime around 1985 with members from various punkbands around Detroit.
First solid lineup was Jeff on vocals, Keith Jackson on guitar (was later replaced by Kirk), Chris also he on guitar, Bill on bass and Jim on drums.

Even if many people have completly missed this great band i think most people dont have a clue who the members actually was and what other bands they played in.

Keith Jackson was the first one to leave the band but actually one of the members that today tries to keep the memory of it alive. He played in various bands after leaving but in the mid '00s he formed the band Glass heroes that did several Rogues songs live and even did a "cover" of the song Get out alive as their first single. Glass heroes is sort of the freak baby of Rogues in my opinion since their sound is somewhat simulair to Rogues earlier sound.

Bill the bassplayer and Jim the drummer (who also played in Almighty lumberjacks of death) where active in the Detroit RAC band Rival at the same time they played in Rogues and i think this is the reason why most think of the band as a RAC band. After the breakup of both Rival and Rogues Jim went on to play in Max Resist and Bill formed what would be Liberty 37.

Another confusing matter when speaking about this band is the fact that no one really knows what pressing of their records is the original. The records i have bought (thinking it was the original pressing) have been one of those BHCD bootlegs of Rock-o-Rama LP's without any information about original release date or anything else of the kind.
I will post the records on what i know is their real releasedate so please correct me if i have put the wrong year on the records.

Almighty lumberjacks of death - Complete collection (2005) + some more tracks

Tracklist:
01. Soul of the storm
02. Staredown
03. Never never
04. Where are we now?
05. In the wind (Circus of power cover)
06. Almighty lumberjacks of death
07. Devil girl
08. Drink beer
09. Voices of the dead
10. Motor City trick or treat
11. Gangland
12. Working class kids
13. $100 sneeze
14. Chapter 1
15. Almighty lumberslut
16. Wake up and smell the pussy

Bonus songs that i added:
01. Legazy
02. This is the west side (live)
03. $100 sneeze (live)
04. End of the line (live)
05. Pitiful you (live)
06. Too late (live)
07. Mommy's just a whore (live)
08. The old mans nuts (live)

Released by Disconnected Records in 2005.

A great collection of songs in various production quality but all in all it is good, even the live songs. This collection contained both their cassettes and a whole lot of other songs but i had some other tracks i would like to throw in there (though these are not featured on the CD so dont get dissapointed if you go out and buy it after downloading it here).
Personal favourite's are Soul of the storm, In the wind, Working class kids and This is the west side.

Dont really have time to write a lot and instead i will just let you download this little piece of history and make up your own mind about the band.
9/10

Download

This record is still available for purchase from Disconnected Records homepage.

Almighty lumberjacks of death (bandintroduction)

A classic Detroit punkband that shared members with the extremly underrated rightwinged punkband Rogues. Even if the band didnt have a really long carrer they made an impact on the Detroit underground scene that few other bands have done before.

The band had various line-ups through the years have been plenty but the first proper lineup was Danny Mason on vocals, Big Dog on guitar, Scruff on bass and Jeff Gordon on drums. Danny and Big Dog shared appartment at the time and formed the monster that would be ALD. Their sound originated from their belief to go in another direction as the other bands did during this time, namely fast skate punk like Black Flag etc. This is the official reason but the truth told by Big Dog himself is that they wanted to play fast and be big and famous like all the other bands but their drummer Jeff was unable to keep up with the tempo and the band landed in some mid-tempo Oi! and just went with it (right deciscion if you ask me).
After a while Danny was replaced by Jimmy Doom on vocals and the band also started their own clubhouse called The West Side Boot Boys. This was a perfect place to "force" drunk people stumbling out from the pub at 3am to listen to them live and continue their fightin and boozin. Without knowing it they now had their own following in the Detroit scene and with that came the honour of playing bigger shows like they did with The Exploited and Social Distortion.
In the middle of this newfound fame Operation desert storm started and most bands in the scene started protesting the war without having a clue what they actually protested FOR. Many of the kids joined different communist groups just to give a middlefinger to the establishment so ALD did the opposite and pointed one hell of a finger back at those kids with songs like Sould of the storm. At a time when many kids burned flags ALD's crew with views from left to right waved the flags back in their faces as an attempt to defend their nations honor.
Around this time Jiney Jim (also played in Rogues) joined the band on drums and with that their sound shaped into more Oi! than before. He didnt stay for long though and was replaced by Cliff "born to kill" Hill. Also Scruff left the band and was replaced by Jimmy's younger brother Robby on bass (he didnt join directly though since he was only 14 when Scruff left, instead they let Pistol Pete from Scraps fill in until Robby had enough stars on his sleeves). This is probably the more known lineup of ALD.

In 1989 their first cassette called Always out of control but never out of beer was released and was a direct underground hit. This release show is one of the most notorious in Detroit punkhistory with fights everywhere and kids all over the stage after the bouncers had fleed the scene (true story). The same night Social Distortion was shouted of the scene since the kid's wanted the Almighty Lumberjacks of Death to get up on the stage again. In 1991 they released their second and last cassette called Soul of the storm that was as huge of a succes as their first tape but the band slowly died out and resulted in many new bands with Big Dog's later projects Cold as life and Sworn Enemy probably being the most succesfull.

It wasnt until 2005 that they really got the memorium they deserved when Disconnected Records (damn i love that label, they dont release much but when they do it is always releases of the highest quality) released a tribute album with both their cassettes and a couple of comptracks all escorted with a fullcolor bandhistory insert.
About fucking time if you ask me.