Stars and stripes - Shaved for battle 7'' (1998)

Tracklist:
01. Skinheads on the rampage
02. American Oi!
03. Shaved for battle
04. Nothing to fight for anymore

Released by Gang Riot Records in 1998.

A release that screams unofficial moneygrabber bootleg from start to finnish. Some guy in Italy made this aweful artwork and printed 500 copies of the record under the name Gang Riot Records. He put some phony Japanese adress on the release and laughed all the way to the bank. The record contains classic songs by the band but since they have just been grabbed from the CD and put on vinyl without authorization from the band there is no way anybody should support this. Bootlegs should be fanmade or bandmade and should never include profit. If this was printed behind the bands back and given away for free then i would be all for it but since the guy made money on it i put it in the same folder as punk-websites putting up paypal links on their site. Faggoty "punk for profit" that need to get themselfs a dayjob.
Good songs by a good band but put on vinyl by some guy that deserves a beating.
3/10

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Slapshot "covering" Stars & Stripes '11

Slapshot has yet again reunited and even if the lineup is far from original the sound is the same. All we can do now is hope for a Stars & Stripes reunion (ignoring that awefull release some years ago). Video shot some months ago in Massachusetts.

Stars and stripes - One man army (2004)

Tracklist:
01. One man army
02. Running for your life
03. Subway stomp
04. Hang on (to your dreams)
05. Just fucking around
06. S.T.F.U.
07. Relegated (for Leeds)
08. Bored, bored, bored
09. 90 minutes of hell
10. Storm over Europe
11. Garden goons
12. Lets party

Released by I-Scream records in 2004.
Right after one of Slapshots greatest albums Digital warfare they made it official that a new Stars and stripes album was on its way after 15 years of silence. Everyone was pumped and pre-orders was made.
Got the cd and thought hm why did they put He-man on the cover or is this some sort of gay-flirtation joke cause none of the bandmembers look even simulair to him?
As soon as i put the cd in i found out that most things great and buried should often stay that way.
We have one of the entrepreneurs of American Oi! singing about "soccer" (like if a british punkband would sing about baseball) and partying (straight-edge-jack?).
I mean WTF? happened to the boisterous "fuck with us and we will bomb your country" songs we all loved?
With songs like S.T.F.U. (standing for Shut the fuck up) and Storm over Europe (talking about US beating the shit out of the world in hooligan streetfighting during "soccer" games hahaha) it seems Jack Kelly needs a reality check.
Only good track in the bunch is Hold on so dont make my mistake and just download this sorry excuse for a comeback.
5/10

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Stars and stripes - Shaved for battle (1989)

Tracklist:
01. Shaved for battle
02. Skinheads on the rampage
03. Where not criminals
04. In the right
05. Street kids
06. Here's one for the lads
07. American Oi!
08. The power and the glory
09. Dedicated
10. Proud, strong and free
11. Nowhere
12. Nothing to fight for anymore
13. Gang riot
14. Doc martens army
15. Drop the bombs
16. Time to live, time to die

This time released on Jack Kelly's own record company Patriot Records (also released Bruisers & Forced reality).

Oh dear lord where whould i start with this one i mean patriotism is one thing but now their just trying to piss people off. If your sensitive about nationalism and conservative views then stay away from most of the tracks (Drop the bombs, In the right, Dedicated & Proud strong and free) which by the way are the best tracks on the LP.
This album brought them a lot of heat from many promotors and fans but also brought in a whole new crowd to the Boston hardcore scene. Slapshot being one of the biggest HC bands out there it takes a whole lot of guts to say what you feel like on an album like this.
10/10 for the songs and 10/10 for the backbone to sing them.
10/10

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Stars and stripes - Drop the bomb 7'' (1989)

Tracklist:
01. Drop the bomb
02. Time to live, time to die





Band started in 1989 by members from infamous HC band Slapshot.
They all loved the british Oi! and wanted to create their own sound based on what they imported from uk. A band that was supposed to be a fun project where they could create something the hardcore scene wouldnt accept if it was released under the name Slapshot.
What they didnt know was how immensely populair it would become within the skinhead culture and that they still to this day are seen as one of the greatest bands ever to bless the scene.

It was released on Vulture Rock Records in 1989.
The sound is as far from hardcore you can come and also as far from PC you can get.
Say what you want about the title tracks lyrics about bombing the middle-east but its just to good to pass on.
Jack Kelly is one of my favourite hardcore singers and he fits just perfect to this more slow-tempo singing.
9/10

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