Bottom of the barrel & Templars - Oink! skinzine 7'' (1997)

Tracklist:
01. Templars - War heroes
02. Bottom of the barrel - We won't forget

Released as a free EP with the 4th issue of the Oink! Skinzine in 1997.

This is probably as good as it can get.

Templars has the A-side and delivers a great version of (to me) one of their best song ever. This band has always impressed me and even if it is so unlike most other US Oi! it sort of personifies the 90's sound. I get a lot of mails about adding this band (and YDL) and i will do it soon. Both bands have released so many records and has a huge history so it's not really something i can do while having 2 hours free on a sunday. Be patient.

Bottom of the barrel also delivers even if it's nowhere near as good as the A-side. Their song has sort of the same theme as War heroes about sacrifice and rememberance. A great themed EP that speaks to me with it's non blind patriotism. A healthy waving of the flag without any sight of other banners anywhere nearby.
9/10

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Bottom of the barrel - A couple of songs

Tracklist:
01. We'll win the fight
02. Bottom of the barrel
03. Kids today
04. Punks not grunge

A classic NY band and another one of those that never really got the recognition they deserved. A band consisting of various loose ends and drinkingpartners from the backstreets of the Long island area.
They where around in the mid 90's and even if they only had one proper release (a split with Templars) they still made their mark.
The band had loose members but their singer stuck it out from the begining to the end, namely Gerrard who now sings in 45 adapters. Other members of fame was Kevin Geddes who later played in Oxblood (and met his demise last year), the Swede J.H who played bass in Agent Bulldogg also picked up the bass for this band at a couple of shows.

These songs never had a proper release (track 2 was on a Helen of Oi! comp though) but they are all of the highest quality and the first song We'll win the fight is up there on my top-20 favourite US Oi! songs (gotta love those drums). With a skilled vocalist like Gerrard i have a hard time seing how this band never made it bigger than they did.
Top songs. Top top band.

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