Best defense - Demo Cassette (1988)

Tracklist:
01. Intro
02. We'll smash you
03. Russian roulette
04. American skins
05. Politicians
06. Always willing to fight
07. Us against them
08. You can't fight them
09. You'r gonna drop
10. Best defence
11. We have no say

Released by the band in 1988.

First off all thanks to Michael Mance for rippin and sending me this very rare piece of American history. For a cassette that has been laying around in someone's basement for 22 years it's fantastic it actually has sound comming out from it.
First off all i wont rate this demo since it wouldnt be fair against the band. They rerecorded most off these songs in 1989 for what should have been an LP (read my old post about what happened).
The demo is lacking in quality and has an annoying echo on the vocals but taking it for what it is i cant really demand great soundquality.
It features some early versions of many classic songs from their full-length but the best song on the demo was never released on anything but this demo ad far as i know. The song is You cant fight them and has a great feeling to it with the bands friends acting as backup vocals in the background and i just love that simple bass it has slamming the whole track through. This stuff should be in the American museum of national history but untill then i guess i will safeguard it.
(And no i still stand firm by my words that this band is in no way WP even if the tapes cover might give that impression)

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Best defense - Six gun justice (1999)

Tracklist:
01. Boot boy
02. Its time
03. Armed with the truth
04. Come to an end
05. American & proud
06. Lost now found
07. We'll smash you
08. Six gun justice
09. American skins
10. Your defence
11. Us against them
12. Reaction rock

CD released by Pure Impact in 1999.

Basically this is Best defense's complete discography from 1987 to 1990. And if it wasnt for Pete at Pure Impact these tapes would probably never have seen the light of day.

The band formed in Pennsylvania around 1987 with Greg Olsen on vocals, Tom Walkinshaw on lead guitar, Dave Baiter on rythm guitar, Shawn Moyer on bass and Jim Rogers on drums.
Like most young skinheadbands they started making music that they would want to listen to themselfs but couldnt because of the very few bands around at the time.
All songs on the album are songs recorded around the 3 years the band was active a few was released on compilation albums but never on any proper release by the band.
Actually Roddy Moreno from The Oppressed was supposed to sign the band to his Oi! Records in 1989 but the label shut down before it could be done. Thanks to Roddy for releasing the master tapes to Pure Impact though.

Good old brutal Oi! with lyrics to kill. They make it clear where they stand from the first song, patriotic, anti-liberal, anti-commie, and anti-most-things but unlike what most people think they where always non-racist.
Most tracks have a good R'n'R feeling to them and on the track Lost now found i can hear clear influences from The Misfits (like i always do).
The quality of the recordings are surprisingly good considering the tapes has been laying around in a drawer in Wales 10 years before this cd was made.
Best tracks are Armed with the truth, Your defence and Its time (shouting out their coldwar hate with the lyrics Can you see the red flags rising, its time to put them in their place).
9/10

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Lyrics for We'll smash you by Best defense

Where have all the jobs gone/Look at what the big bussiness has done/They've taken all the jobs across the sea/Away from the workingclasses like you and me/Oi! Oi! Big business/Oi! Oi! do you even care/Oi! Oi! can you hear us/Oi! Oi! do you even care

Well i dont think you do/A day will come when well smash you/Well take away your money and power/It will be our finest hour/

Where have all the freedoms gone/Look at what the politicians have done/They take away more freedoms every day/They make more laws and make us pay/Oi! Oi! politicians/Oi! Oi! Do you even care/Oi! Oi! can you hear us/Oi! Oi! do you even care

Well i dont think you do/A day will come when well smash you/Well take away your money and power/It will be our finest hour