2010 a year that we probably wont remember

Its time for me to do what every other serious blogg does. A 2010 summary.

Best 2010 American release:
Brassic - Voice of freedom
It took them over a year to finally release it but now its here and the silence they recieve outside of the states is not really fair. Buy it and promote it.

Best 2010 Swedish release:
Ticking bombs - Crash course in brutality
Its not Perkele and its not Battle scarred and thank good for that. This young band is something everyone should check out.

Best 2010 release over all:
On file - Breaking the rules
Best album released by one of my favourite bands it has to be the best of 2010.

Worst 2010 release all over:
The 4-Skins - The return
They called it the return but it was more like a bunch of old fart pissing themselfs in the face.

Best new acts of 2010:
The 96 brigade and Yellow stitches.
Even though the members from both bands have been in it for some now the bands are new and deliver two completelly different musical styles but equally great.

The release that never came:
Murderers row - The bully breed
A lot of records got pushed into 2011 but the one that i was looking forward to the most was this one. Wasnt this one supposed to be released in 2009 originally. What the fuck happened does anyone know?

The happening:
Sadly enough it was the passing of Kevin Geddes a member of Oxblood and dear friend to many active on the eastcoast. I never talked to the guy myself but i give respect where respect is due.

This years trend:
Recordlabels telling bands they are going to print their vinyl but after the band have put their own money and time to record the songs the labels back out leaving the artists in the cold. If you aint got the money to release 100 copies you should not call yourself a recordlabel to start with.

This years addition to my shitlist:
Bryan Scorch. Running a mailorder and playing in a band is not the best combination if you want to keep a good reputation for the band and rip people off through your mailorder at the same time. The fact that i you still ripped me off for 50$ after i blocked your paypal acount shows you have some balls but loyal supporters should be more important. Going from a straightedge hardcore kid to a closet Combat 18 supporter doesnt really give you many points in my book neither. Expect all your shit to be uploaded the minute it get pressed. FUCK YOU I STEAL!

A jolly good Yuletime.

Season greetings from 45 adapters.

Yellow stitches - Wrong place, wrong time Digital-EP (2010)

Tracklist:
01. Yellow stitches
02. Wrong place, wrong time
03. Tale of a fat fucking retard
04. Manchester party
05. FFB
06. Broken bottles
07. Home

Released by Arrest records in 2010. Availible as a free download on their Facebook (and here offcourse).

I have been working the nightshift the last 6 weeks and finally i have 4 days off and what happens... i cant fucking sleep. Well i might aswell do somework here since my restless mind wont let my body sleep even if its 05:00 here in Sweden.

First off all thanks to Jay IRC for sending me this (i refuse to even go near anything called facebook) and also converting the songs into MP3 files. Second, thanks to Arrest records for getting into the christmas spirit by giving shit away for free.

This is basicly the demo i uploaded a few weeks back with 3 extra tracks. I just loved the demo and the new tracks are all of the same quality. I like the sound that they bring to the scene. I was expecting the same hardcore tendensies that every new US band seems to bring but this is pure Punk with one exception... this band actually knows their way around the studio. No brawling, cookiemonster vocalists or garagesound here (not that its anything wrong with that) its all well pollished without getting to radiofriendly.
I am really psyched to hear some more from this band in the future
9/10

Download

Southern riot - Last mistake (2004)

Tracklist:
01. M.F.L
02. Reborn
03. American skinhead
04. Healthcare
05. Loyalty lost
06. Last mistake
07. Outro

Selfreleased by the band in 2004.

Oi!core band from Texas that started back in 2001 with "Scuba" on vocals and guitar, "Little E" on bass and guitar. The band went through a lot of lineup changes in their first years but ended up with the two founding members + Papa John (would later go on to play in Roots of exile) on drums and Steve-O (from Tried & true) on bass.
In 2004 they recorded this Mini-CD and did the distribuion all by themselfs and thats probably why it could only be bought from 1 store worldvide when i bought it and not a single soul who's not really, really into US Oi! has ever heard of them. After these recordings Steve-O was kicked out of the band for unknown reasons and they struggled on as a 3-piece band untill in 2006 when the cops closed down their recording studio and Scuba got into a whole heap of legal matters so the band was put to rest for good.

I first heard this band when i watched the Spring broke tour and was blown away by the pure impact they delivered on stage and that same feeling can be heard on the intro to the first track. To bad most other songs turn into some screamo bullshit but they manage to deliver two good songs in M.F.L and Healthcare and i must say i think the drums are really tight the whole record through.
A somewhat great record that falls short thanks to annoying vocals and the fact that they charged full price for a Mini-CD.
7/10

Download

This cd is sold out from the only store that sold it.

Infidels vs. religous subhumans 1-0

Stupid fucks cant even kill people with a bomb strapped to them so im not worried.

United blood - The Marco sessions 7'' (1997)

Tracklist:
01. Government warning
02. Can't loose it
03. Four people
04. Better off

Released by Cold front Records in 1997.

This is another one of those records that i have had on my wishlist since i started the site. It has been sold out everywhere and any true confirmation that it even existed is hard to find. But JAY IRC from Down Underground got his paws on it somehow and was kind enough to send it to me.

This record was released at the same time as their Sons of liberty 7'' but the sound is nowhere near. It sound more like a chaotic and poorly executed version of Ox's old band Special forces and except the first song Government warning i found it hard to listen to. To me this release is just pure bullshit and thinking that i have searched for it for years makes it even worse. I almost wish that i never hear this release since it de-glorified my picture of United blood somehow.
5/10

Download

Wellington arms - Living in America Demo (2008)

Tracklist:
01. Wellington arms
02. Living in America
03. Bordoms a drag
04. It will never end
05. Got to believe

These boys are basicly the loose ends of the Chicago skinhead crew known as Brew & Honour probably more known for their fanzine by the same name then this band. I have never really carred much about zines the last couple of years since its often the same old tired interviews by the same old somewhat succesfull skinheadbands, a couple of 4 sentence reviews and a bunch of photos of the writers and their friends in the pub. Since the miracle of computers came along i think it is an unnecessary part of the scene and the few "new and hot acts" that get featured in the paperzines has probably already been featured on several bloggs and other sites when its time for the paper to get printed.
With that said no i have never read their zine but i have followed their blog for some time now and i really like both their sound and their attitude towards an otherwise to PC infested scene.

The band started in 2007 but its roots has been around since 2002 in their vocalist Erik Scott that played in a band called Violent retaliation and wrote most of these songs for that band. After that band dispatched Erik hooked up with his friend Lauren on guitar and Kevin who had just moved from Seattle on drums. After a couple of shows Laurens boyfriend Rick joined the band on bass and it eventually ended up being just Erik (voc,guit) Kev (drums) Rick (bass).

If you want more indept info on the band then read the interview that Spirit of yesterday did with them (its excellent).

Their sound can somewhat be described as an Oi!, RnR fusion and before i go on i have to mention the great vocals done by Erik. It just suits the bands sound perfectly and adding both great drums and guiar riffs to that and im sold.
I could go on ranting all day but instead i'll just upload this demo that one of the members sent me. I believe the last song is not supposed to be on th demo but since i dont know where the hell it belongs i added it to the demo.
Someone please give this band a good record deal!!

Download

Shark-skin - Demo (2010)

Tracklist:
01. Oi! the fever
02. Warrior
03. No one
04. You dont know

Skark-skin started out as a one-man band from Cali in 2009. The founder, singer, drummer, guitarist, bassplayer and extraordinair Omar Ruiz has nowdays added Bryant on bass and Adrian on drums to the band and judging how good the band sounded on these recordings i cant wait to hear how they sound with a full band and some better recording equipment.
I found a lowquality clip on youtube some months ago that i posted here on the site searching for some info on this band but never really got any feedback so i got in contact with Omar through their Myspace. He was kind enough to send me these demo tracks.

Just like Bleach battalion i am surprised how great it can sound with just a single person performing all instruments (both track 3 and 4 is Omar going solo). The best songs though are the once wher he gets some help by his friend Bryant on bass (tracks 1 & 2).
Love the attitude and message of the song Oi! the fever and the fact that its a young band doing the song really gives me some hope for the future. Keep your eyes on this bad and lets hope that its here to stay.
9/10

Download

Interview with Scott Davis.

Being a longtime fan of Broken Heroes i have been worried the last year of members leaving one after another. But now they seem to have found some sort of stabillity adding one of the founding members of Armed Suspects Scott Davis to their ranks and getting ready to release their first propper release since 2005. I got in contact with Scott to sort some things out.

¤Hello Scott. First of all thanks for taking the time to do this interview. Could you please introduce yourself to the readers.



I play bass and write a majority of the lyrics for Armed Suspects. I am also the new frontman for Broken Heroes. My friends call me Scotty Violence.



¤I know you where one of the original members of Armed suspects but did you play in any other band before hooking up with Jay and the other guys?

Jay and I were in another band together when I first got out of the Marine Corps back in '02. I played guitar, and he played drums. We had an all skinhead line-up with a female singer and a female bass player.
People said we sounded like a mixture of Minor Threat, Black Flag and X, but we weren't very good.
I quit after a few months to go work for my friend Jim as the cook in his Irish pub; the song "O'Farrell's" was written about that bar. The idea to start Armed Suspects was actually conceived at O'Farrell's one night in December of '03 when Jay told me he wanted to sing for a band, and the bar was our regular post-practice hang-out.



¤How did you get in contact with Broken heroes and what happened to their other singer?



I have been a fan of Broken Heroes for a long time, ever since I heard "Skinhead Rock'n'Roll" on the Backstreets of American Oi! comp back in '96 or '97. When Armed Suspects first started out, we played a lot of gigs with Broken Heroes, and I booked them when I was working as a promoter; we became good friends and have stayed in touch over the years.
A record label was supposed to release a four-way split with Armed Suspects, Broken Heroes and two other bands. The label dropped out, and Pete and I got in touch via a mutual friend; we decided to put out the split ourselves, and now Oi! the Boat Records has agreed to help us release it.
Anyhow, Pete let me know that there were line-up issues, and I expressed interest in trying out. I've wanted to front a band for a while, and I thought Broken Heroes was a good fit. I went to practice, the guys liked what they heard, and we been plotting world domination ever since.



¤Many people has left Broken heroes the last couple of years. Now with you and Andy from Niblick henbane joining the band can we finally see a dedicated line-up?



As far as line-up changes, I really can't speak for other people and why things didn't work out for them. I like all those guys and wish them nothing but the best.
I do believe that Broken Heroes has a really strong line-up now, and that we'll be together as long as possible. We have a really good chemistry, and everyone is enthusiastic about being in this band; we even wrote a song together already. I'm really looking forward to our first gig.




¤The upcomming release on Oi! the boat will be a split LP with both your bands. Tell me more about that.



The upcoming split is called For the Punks & Skins, and it will be released as a 12" record next year, hopefully by early Spring, on Oi! the Boat records. The split features 8 new Armed Suspects songs and 10 Broken Heroes songs -- some old, some new, but an all new recording. The interesting thing about the Broken Heroes' side of the split is that it's the last recording with Fintzy on vocals, and I think it's the best quality recording that Broken Heroes have had to date. We had the split mastered by Mike Kalajian from 30/30 Club Studios, and the sound quality is pretty amazing.
I think fans of Broken Heroes will really appreciate that since their previous efforts never really captured their amazing live energy. Other than the first two 7 inches, Broken Heroes haven't had a really great sounding release, and I think this record changes that. I'm really looking forward to seeing it get pressed, because I was a Broken Heroes fan long before I joined the band.



¤Armed suspects has gone through a lot of changes musically since it first got started (thinking mostly about the latest release with Ol' Cheeky Bastards) what sound will you be bringing for this release?



As far as Armed Suspects' sound, this record is similar to the stuff we did on Time Will Tell. This Old Lonely Road, the acoustic split with Ol' Cheeky Bastards, was written, rehearsed and recorded in the span of a month, just to prove to ourselves that we could do it, and it was written with an outlaw country style (i.e. Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, David Allan Coe, etc.) in mind. The eight songs on this new split range from faster hardcore-influenced stuff to more melodic Oi!/streetpunk stuff. The major change on this split is that Jay wrote a lot of lyrics; he penned "...And On The Speakers," "My Life," and "Broken & Bruised." I generally write the majority of the lyrics for Armed Suspects, but I've always been a big fan of the stuff Jay has written, like "Be A Man" and "Through Hard Times" from Next Stop New Scene, and "For The Kids," "F.I.S.T," and "Working Class Thugs" from Time Will Tell. The stuff Jay wrote for this split is really interesting, and I think a lot of people will be able to relate to it, especially "Broken & Bruised," which is one of my favorite Armed Suspects songs. DJ also contributed lyrics for the song "Leather Tramp," which I think is a really interesting departure from other stuff we've done. It all falls under the banner of punk rock, but I think we're always trying to push ourselves to try new things and explore different approaches to what we're doing. The addition of Kurt on drums has definitely helped to broaden our sound a bit; he's been with us for a while now, and I think he's the most well-rounded drummer we've had and he contributes a lot to the song-writing process.
I think the main thing about the Armed Suspects sound is that we've always worn our hearts and our influences on our sleeves, and we've never really been afraid to experiment and do things outside of what would typically be considered Oi! or streetpunk. The only people that write rules for our sound is us, and if we feel like writing a country record, or thrash-metal like "The Noose," or power-metal like "Viking Quest," which is on the new split, we're going to do it, and we're going to do it to the best of our abilities. Hopefully our fans will appreciate it, but we only make music because we love doing it; we're four really good friends who love hanging out together and banging out some songs to break up the monotony of daily life. I think being such good friends is part of the reason we've stuck it out the last 7 years in spite of setbacks and line-up changes. If we were in it for money and accolades, we'd be playing Top 40 radio-friendly shit that appeals to the lowest common denominator, and we probably would have broken up years ago.

¤ I understand your mentality and appretiate your honesty to the stuff you do. With all those musical branches you must have a broad musical influence in the band. Could you name a couple of bands/albums that has influenced you the most.

As a band, our influences are all over the place and it would be hard to nail down a definitive list. However, I think Rancid's "And Out Come the Wolves," Cock Sparrer's "Shock Troops" and The Clash's "London Calling" are integral influences to our sound, but that's just a starting point. There's the obvious hardcore, punk and Oi! bands like The Anti-Heros, Menace, The Bruisers, The Pink Lincolns, Black Flag, Social Distortion, Dead Kennedys and The Oppressed, thrash metal like Nuclear Assault and Slayer, power metal like Riot and Iron Maiden, jazz great Django Reinhardt, alt-country stuff like Lucero and Austin Lucas, the Conan the Barbarian & Rocky soundtracks, Motown, Stax and old soul records, reggae, ska and rocksteady, glam stuff like Slade, The Jook & The Sweet, mod revival stuff like The Jam, Secret Affair & The Aces, straight up rock bands like Rose Tattoo, and a bunch of weird stuff like The Pixies, The Smiths and shit you wouldn't think we listen to at all. All of that stuff informs our sound, and we draw on a wide variety of influences. We all really love music, and I think we filter the best of what we hear and use it to help shape what we do.

Personally, when it comes to playing bass, I'd say I'm most influenced by James Jamerson, the legendary bass player for the Funk Brothers, aka the Motown house band on all those early hits; the dude doesn't get much credit outside of fellow bass players, but he reinvented the art of bass playing and put it in the forefront. Also, Steve Harris from Iron Maiden and Bruce Foxton from the Jam inspire me a lot. I am nowhere near as talented as those guys, but they make me want to be a more creative bass player and a better musician.

As for singing and wanting to front an Oi! band, I'd say Oi! & punk bands like Anti-Heros, Stormwatch, Combat 84, Murderer's Row, The Oppressed, The Bruisers,The 4-Skins, Forced Reality, Sham 69, The Templars, Oxblood, Those Unknown and Beltones, even Broken Heroes prior to me joining the band, and lesser known American Oi! bands like American Noise & the Anti-Socials had an impact on that. I used to go to American Noise practice when they were starting out, and I would screw around and fill in on vocals until Mike showed up; Andre always told me I should sing for a band, and I guess that stuck with me. While I love Armed Suspects and the stuff we do, singing for Broken Heroes means sticking more to my skinhead & Oi! roots and paying homage to those bands that went before while continuing to carry the banner, so to speak.

¤ Now on to the most important question of them all. What do you know about the great holy land of greatnes also known as Sweden?

My knowledge of Sweden is fairly limited. I loved the Swedish Chef on The Muppet Show and the Swedish Bikini Team beer commercials when I was younger, but I've never been to Sweden and I haven't met too many Swedes in my travels. I hear it's a beautiful country though, and I would love to visit, maybe even play a gig there someday.

However, despite my ignorance, I am a huge fan of the Swedish movie LET THE RIGHT ONE IN (Låt den rätte komma in); I think it's the best vampire movie ever made, and the American remake doesn't do it any justice whatsoever. I really need to read the novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist.

One of my favorite action movie stars is Dolph Lundgren. Alexander Skarsgard is another great Swedish actor that I like, especially in his portrayal of Sgt. Brad "Iceman" Colbert on the HBO miniseries Generation Kill, and no red-blooded heterosexual man can deny how fucking sexy Malin Akerman was in The Watchmen. Sweden has surely produced some of the world's most beautiful women like Victoria Silvstedt. Mini Anden, Elin Grindemyr and Marina Hedman. I'm sure not every Swedish skirt is a hot piece of ass, but damn, Sweden sure has contributed some nice eye candy to the world.

As far as music, I dig Perkele, The Bones, Bombshell Rocks, The Cliches, The Bristles and a lot of stuff on those Brewed in Sweden comps like Agent Bulldogg, Dim's Rebellion and The Headhunters; I noticed that Swedes generally have a great melodic sensibility that you don't find in a lot of Oi!/streetpunk bands (B: Yeah we tend to focus much on the guitars and no one can deny the impact early Skrewdriver and Templars has given the modern Swedish sound). I also have to admit that I own some Yngwie Malmsteem records. The Sounds are one of the best live bands I've ever seen, and I'd love to put it to Maja Ivarsson in the back of a SAAB or on an IKEA couch while downing some Svedka or Akvavit.

¤Any last words?

Thanks for your interest in Armed Suspects and Broken Heroes. Both bands are working on new material and will be recording again in the near future. I'm excited to be a part of both bands, and hopefully one day we'll get over to Europe and play a couple gigs in Sweden. Keep an eye out for the split on Oi! the Boat records.

Also, an interesting side note: my uncle Phil was briefly married to the famous Swedish pop singer/actress Bibi Johns for a brief period back in the '50s. My understanding is that she was quite a hot piece of ass back then. So there is a connection between our peoples after all. Hahaha!

Fully loaded & Pistol grip - Sound of the street split (2000)

Tracklist:
01. Fully loaded - Oi! warning
02. Pistol grip - Crucifixtion poltix
03. Fully loaded - Whats wrong with the kids?
04. Pistol grip - Get up to get shut down
05. Fully loaded - Chaus on the run
06. Pistol grip - Aristocratic state
07. Fully loaded - Kids of the 80's
08. Pistol grip - United streets
09. Fully loaded - I dont need your love (Skrewdriver cover)
10. Pistol grip - Claustrophobia
11. Fully loaded - Fully loaded
12. Pistol grip - The scoundrels

Released by Urgentin music in 2000.

This right here is two sides of punk that dont often mix to well but this release is one of the most overlooked through the years. Dont think many knows about this album at all even if it features an allstar team of Oi! veterans on one side and one of the few streetpunk bands that i think has made great music even when they went from shaven heads and boots to wearing matching leatherjackets and posing for magazine photos.
Pistol grip plays some really catchy streetpunk without getting to radiofriendly. This was their first ever release and has released 4 full-lengths after this one. I will be uploading more of this band in the future.
Fully loaded has gone through some lineup changes since their last release replacing Bill with Rollie on lead guitar and John on rhythm guitar. Mike also left and was replaced by Neil "El Chiyon" on drums. Adrian is still here and so is Stan Corona (also made the coverart) so the sound is still the same... but better.

Fully loaded delivers a whole heap of great tracks with a bit of a garage feeling to them. You can easily hear that Pistol grip had better recording equipment when they did the songs and even if Fully loaded sounds a bit hollow at some pint i actually like the echoing feeling that cheap recordings give. Their first song Oi! warning is one of the most livefriendly songs i have heard from the westcoast with great singalong parts in the choruses. They also do a great cover of the old classic I dont need your love and all of the covers that has been made i must say thuis is one of the few hat actually does early Skrewdriver right with an echoing and brutal bass matching Adrians voice. Their last song on the album is a bit more RnR then the rest and something gives me the feeling that they where drunk when they created this song (in a good way).

Pistol grip's songs are of better studioquality and even if they on some points in their carrer have stepped a bit to near the line of pop-punk i know atleast i have always liked them. This being their first release i am surprised how advanced they actually sound. Starting song Crucifixtion poltix sounds like the mother of all skainfluenced streetpunk with Stax solid voice flowing like butter in the sun (what the hell that is supposed to mean). Their song Claustrophobia is my afavourite on this album with some great midipiano tinkling in the backgrounf proving yet again that we need more piano in modern punk!

This album was a big surprise the first time i heard it and if you doubted westcoast streetpunk maybe this album will turn you hardheaded Oi!head around.
10/10

Download

This album is still for sale at Interpunk.

Fully loaded - Skinheads 4-ever 12'' (1996)

Tracklist:
01. Crazy world
02. Yearnings in bed
03. Kaos on the run
04. Skinheads forever

This 12'' EP was released by Vulture rock in 1996.

A top band started by some of the elite in the LA scene around 1995. Formed by Adrian on vocals and Mike on drums both original members of the Toughskins. Adding Stan Corona from Bovver wonderland on bass and Bill from The authority! on guitar and you might just figure out for yourself that it sounds pretty fucking awesome. They where featured on some comp albums but finally released this EP in the late 1996 through Vulture rock. because they all where bussy with their respective bands it took 'till 2000 for their next release wish was a superb split CD with the punkband Fully loaded. They where also supposed to have released a split record with Pattons legion in 2005 but no matter where i search and no matter how much money i am willing to pay fr it i just cant find any information about that release anyway. Maybe its just an urban legend what do i know?

A very high qualty on the songs and less "garage" than their later stuff. It has 2 great songs but if you look at their split from 2000 it stands short in comparison. The theme of the album is the same as most other US Oi! from this era. Drinking, fighting and being a cliché skinhead not that its anything wrong with those topics (if it was i probably would be listening to some deep alternative rock about opening mail, staring at the clock and drinking the).
8/10

Download

This album can still be bought as a vintage record through Toonorth records for 12$ or directly from Vulture rock for 3$. Though i think they have sold out because i remember seing Vultures account at Sit & spin posting it for 80$.

We dress hard we dress.... hard.

A new clothingstore has now opened with some really nice t-shirts by bands such as Anti-heros, Forced reality, Immoral discipline, Moonstomp, YDL, Youthfull offenders and a couple of random skinheadtees. Dot worry this is none off that "freestuff" bullshit i post just for some bullshit hoodie i get for free like other sites does. Go visit them at www.shopshogun.com I know atleast my bankaccount will jump back a couple of digits when i place my order.
//Bernando

Brassic videos from releaseparty.

Brassic taking a bit of a piss at Business and celebrates Skrewdriver.

Brassic playing their song Warriors.

Acoustic songs by Yellow stitches

Following the flower power theme on this site i decided to upload 2 great acoustic songs by Yellow Stitches that JayIRC sent me. The songs are Broken bottles and a great campfire version of their song Tale of a fat fucking retard. This is far away from their sound on the demo and far far away from their sound in their other band Word for word but to be honest i actually prefer this sound the most. Mabe its just me getting soft with the years. The songs are from a compilation by Arrest records. The whole 30+ comp album can be bought from the labels site for only 5 bucks.

Download

Armed suspects - This old lonely road (2010)

Tracklist:
01. From the cradle to the grave
02. Strugglin' to keep my head up
03. This old lonely road
04. 'Cause im a man (Pretty things cover)
05. Hope i find what im looking for
06. Straight razors & whiskey
07. Who's blood is this on my hands
08. I'll never get out of this world (Hank Williams Sr. cover)

Released by Acoustic Fury in 2010.

One of the members sent me these songs that was on an acoustic split with Ol' Cheeky Bastards in early 2010. This is one of those records that gets released but thanks to lack of promotional intrest by the labels its impossible to get ahold on it except from some fa away distro on the other side of the world. Most people dont even know this record exists wish is sad since its really good.
Keep in mind that this is only Armed suspects side of the split so for the full version go into Acoustic Fury's site and order it (its only 5$).

The first thought with the split was to make a pure Country album mixing Armeds punksound and Cheeky's fastpaced Eerie rocknroll sound but ended up something completly different. Its somewhere between Folkmusic and acoustic punk and even if these 8 songs where created and written in less then a month and then recorded during a 2-day session it has a very high quality both lyricaly and musicaly.

To be honest i disliked Armed suspects when they first came out and i was annoyed with their sound and Dropkick pop tendensies but they surprised me with their latest record in 2007 (old review by me here). Sittig down to listen through these songs i was really worried what i would hear from this band doing an aucostic album but it didnt take more then a quick listen to the first song to make me realize that if any band should do an aucostic album its these guys. The whole theme of the album follows the topic of being scarred and bruised by life in general and both Jay's and DJ's voices fitts the mood perfectly.

Most songs has Jay screaming his hardened whiskeythoat out and then DJ takes over for the chorus and smoothes it out and i really like the way that they complement each other. The best song on the album is This old road and has DJ singing solo wish he pulls of without any problems. Most songs are laid back but both From the cradle to the grave and the Hank Williams cover (actually the only Country song on the whole record haha) raises the tempo without loosing me on the way. It doesnt have to be laid back to be aucostic.

Armed suspects is as i write about to release a split with Broken Heroes (Scotty is a member in both bands) and i will try to throw together an interview to get more details about that release next week.
9/10

Download

The stouts - Band discography (1997-2000)

Tracklist:
01. Stouts (97 Demo)
02. Cowards (97 Demo)
03. Skinheads broke the bar (97 Demo)
04. We just wanna drink (97 Demo)
05. Smash the raves (98 Oi! it's streetpunk comp)
06. Aggro night (98 Oi! it's streetpunk)
07. Dead society (98 Longshot promo sampler)
08. Violence everywhere (98 Rockin' the streets comp)
09. No hope (98 Rockin' the streets comp)
10. Pervert (99 split demo)
11. Violence everywhere (99 split demo)
12. We rule the streets (99 split demo)
13. Land of the free (2007 Southland skinheads armed with the truth)

Released as a "bootleg" by me in 2010.

(Update 7th Jan 2012: One of the old members updated the correct bandinfo and some additional info in the comments section. Be sure to check it out)

One of the best skinhead bands from America that never got even a EP released through the years they where active.
The band is from Orlando, Florida and was formed in 1995 by Darryl Finn on guitar, Chris Hall on bass, Brian "Big G" on vocals and Jeff Morin on drums.
The band started up as a project to bring a scene that they felt that Orlando was lacking. They went in to the studio i 1997 to record their first songs that resulted in a 6-track demo. This demo brought them some fame and even if they never got any record release they got the chance to be featured on 2 international compilation albums in 1998 and also got to do shows with bigger bands like Blanks 77, Inspector 7 and Hepcat.
After this the band broke up just to get back together a couple of months later with some lineup changes. 3 of the original members had just started up a hardcore band called Loyal 2 None and decided to record a split demo with the bands in 1999. This demo was never released but somehow i got my hands on all those tracks except one. After these recordings the band broke up and a third attempt to unite the band around 2000-2001 failed cause of the new PC attitude that was in the scene of Florida around this time and The stouts did not fitt into their frame.

Well since no recordlabel seems to understand how great this band actually was i guess its up to me to make a bootleg album so people that ahvnt heard them can get a chance. I have had these songs for a long time now but i am still missing two songs and thats what has kept me from uploading it. After some years i have given up on ever finding those songs so what the heck lets get these tracks out there.

Tracks 1-4 is from their 1997 demo but all these songs are of the highest quality. The band sounds a lot like Boot Party but also has a lot of influences from the 80's UK scene. Many of the topics are a bit cliché but its all fitting the sound and the bands musical influences also shine through in the lyrics. WEven if most songs are about good old drinking and fighting (Skinheads broke the bar, Stouts, We just wanna drink, Aggro night) they also bring up typical Oi! topics like pedophiles (Pervert) cops (Coward), drugs (Smash the raves) and offcourse national pride (Land of the free).
All songs have a very raw and aggro feeling to them and in 99 when they had a new singer they even got a bit of a RAC feeling to the songs (not the lyrics).
This is a band that never really got the respect they descerved in the scene and i think its a shame so be sure to not miss these great songs.
10/10

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Yellow stitches - Demo (2009)

Tracklist:
01. Intro
02. Yellow stitches
03. Wrong place, wrong time
04. Tale of a fat fucking retard
05. Manchester party
06. Where are they now (Cock sparrer cover)

A new band from New Hampshire and just like members of the skincrew Manchester Firm from what i understand. To be honest i know nothing about this band except from what i hear on the demo.

Seing pictures from their concerts and of the people attending those shows beore i heard the demo i was expecting a hardcoreband or atleast some harder punk made for moshing but what i got was a bit softer Oi! perfect for some laidback skanking. Thank you whoever runs the show.
I have always been allergic to the whole wannabe prisonyard NYHC toughguy style that has been a part of the US Oi! scene since day one.

My guess is that even if the band is new the members are not new to the scene. It just sounds to damn good for a first demo. Starting the demo of is the selftitled skinhead anthem and also the best song by the band. Great singalong parts and just like the rest of the demo all members are right on point on all instruments. The band even manages to pull of a good cover of Cock sparrer that might not be as good as the original but damn close.

If you have a friend out there that likes Dropkick Murphys but dont really like any of the god music in the scene then this is a good start in the convertion. Pop friendly but at the same time true Oi!. Hope to hear more from this and soon.

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Various artists - The only spirit is... Unity! (1993)

Tracklist:
01. Ultima thule - Ragnarök (Sweden)
02. Headwound - Shut up
03. Straw dogs - Pride of our eyes (U.K.)
04. Oxblood - Die hards
05. Cannons - Figh & win (Japan)
06. Niblick henbane - Icy cold
07. Plastic gangsters - One law for them COVER (France)
08. Wretched ones - First song
09. Stormwatch - The seventh power
10. Ouka - Firm spirit (Japan)
11. Skinkorps - Pinard song (France)
12. Those unknown - The answer
13. Klasse kriminale - Giovani skins senza una chance (Italy)
14. Growl strike - Stop it (Japan)
15. Rabauken - Holligans (Germany)
16. Dead end boys - A pub with no beer
17. Boisterous - Oi! Oi! havin' a laugh (U.K.)

Released on both vinyl and CD by Dim records in 1993.

Compilation featuring bands mainly from America and Japan (both being my favourite Oi! nations) but also from some other nations.

Starting the record of is the only Swedish band representing our Oi! scene and its....... a vikingrock band!? I know Ultima Thule has a huge following around the world and that they where the founders of vikingrock as it is today but i have never seen the connection with them and the punkscene. While i was growing up as a teen only raggers and mentally disabled kids listened to them and when they didnt they where probably out in their cars hunting young punks to beat up. Anyway i was around when they where really big and going to many different partys with many different people attending them it was quite hard to avoid listening to it. This song featured on the CD is actually one of the few songs i can stand listening to. Still its sad that a viking band is the representants for Swedish Oi!.

The American bands featured n the CD are Headwound, Oxblood, Niblick henbane, Wretched ones, Stormwatch, Those unknown and an old band called Dead end boys (not to be confuced with the still active Oi! band from Baltimore). A good mix of bands and even if none of the songs are exclusive to this release its always nice to hear The seventh power and The answer.

Best song on the whole comp is the German group Rabauken with the song Holligan. Singalong friendly and instrumentally modest (damn its hard to make myself understood in english sometimes) Oi! with a happy feeling to it.

Worst on the CD is the french band Plastic gangsters with their cover of One law for them. Oh i know instead of listening to the superb original track i will listen to these guys that copy the song but at the same time rapes the English language. No.

All in all a fun CD that was better at the time it was released but still stands strong today.
8/10

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The album can still be bought at:

Oi! aint dead

Ebay

The homecomming.

The return of Sheer Terror with Templars and Step2Far as backing bands. I know i wouldnt have missed it if it was in Sweden.

The steeltown pubsters - Demo (2000)

Tracklist:
01. Fence jumper
02. Little world
03. Put on my boots
04. Steeltown pubsters

Selfreleased by the band in 2000.

After a really long break Shawn Leahy popped up as a vocalist in this Pittsburgh based band. Sharing the vocals with Lon Collins and with Mike Smyers on guitar, Tom Ley on bass and Chris Freeze on drums they where around for a short while in the early 00's playing a couple of shows and as far as i know only released this demo.

As much as i like hearing Shawn on something else then those old Immoral Discipline EP's i cant say i like this any much. I dont like taking a dump in the face of bands im just being honest. The demo has only one song that is worth any listening and that song is Put on my boots that has some nice guitar parts but other then that their whole sound just seems confused and childish. The last song takes all prices in awkardly placed singalong parts and sounds more like a bunch of drunken Canadians at a hockeygame.
5/10

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The closest thing to a musicvideo.

Somewhat of a music video taking livefootage from a gig at Hung Jury in 1987 and adding the studioversion of Whole worlds a battlefield.

Immoral disciplin - Selftitled 7'' (1989)

Tracklist:
01. Your life is a lie
02. Big mouth
03. Bad man (Cockney Rejects cover)

Released by Smash! Recors in 1989.

Their last release together and my least favourite record by the band.

The record has one good track though (Big mouth) since i am always a sucker for handclaps in Oi! songs. Sure the song Bad man is ok and it would have been a great song if it wasnt for the fact that its a cover and the original band did it 10 times better. I understand people's need to show respect to bands that has influenced them but why even make a punkcover on a punksong if you ant going all in and make it even better then the original.

Keep your eyes on my site for news on their discography album that will be released soon.
7/10

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This ep is still availible to buy from Dischord Records for 4$.

Immoral discipline - Battlefield 7'' (1988)

Tracklist:
01. The whole worlds a battlefeld
02. Liar
03. Redneck stomp
04. Coffee achievers

Released by Smash! Records in 1988.

The band was now a 5-piece band adding Brian Robinson on rythm guitar.

First off all i have to mention the coverart. Its simple but daaamn its nice. Appearently the guy that made the cover is called Tony Browning. Dont know if he has made any other vinylcovers but if somebody knows then please mail me cause i want that record for my collection.

This record is a bit twosided. It contains my favourite song by the band but the other 3 songs are crapp if you ask me. The whole worlds a battlefield is pure love since the day i first heard it. Kickass drums, great guitars and Shawn singing like a laidback and relaxed version of Roger Miret. Judging by the cover and the first verse one could think this was a warmongering song but its actually the complete opposite of that.
Liar is an ok track but the 2 last are not even worth mentioning.
Even if i dont even like 3/4 of the album its a classic EP with more bark then most bands that copies it.
8/10

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Believe it or not but this record is actually still availible to buy. Its on ebay and it costs 10$ but anyway. Bid on it here.

Alternative cover for ID demo.

Dont know if this is just fan-art or if it was made by the band. Not really advanced art but its a damn nice cover.

Immoral discipline - Boots and braces, stars and stripes DEMO (1987)

Tracklist:
01. Boots and braces, stars and stripes
02. Stupid
03. United we stand, devided we fall
04. Sudden change
05. No mercy!

A singlesided democassette released by the band in 1987.

This is the full demo not the 3-track version that has been floating around the internet since filesharing begun. Sent to me by Shawn after years of looking for it.

This is the first release and a demo but its actually my favourite one with the band.
Starting the demo of with my favourite Boots and braces, stars and stripes that always puts a smile on my face. It has that slow and slapping siegedrums sound that early US Oi! is known for. It also has Shawn using that slow and "retarded" singing style that many punkbands try to pull of but very few actually succed in. Shawn reminds me a bit about the way Rich sounded when First strike was around (or the other way around since ID was first).
Other great tracks are Stupid and No mercy!, the last one being new to me since i also only had that 3-track demo before.
Download and enjoy.
9/10

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Interview with Shawn from Immoral Discipline

I think everybody with any kind of interest into American Oi! and hardcore has heard about Immoral Discipline. After being one of the dominant forces in Washington D.C. back in the eighties they just disbanded and disappeared from the scene. Over 20 years on and the band is getting ready to release a discography album. But what happened back in 89? I got in contact with their singer to get some answers.

¤Hi Shawn. First of all thanks for taking the time to do this interview. Could you please introduce yourself for those who dont know about Immoral Discipline.

Thank you for your interest in the band and sending the interview. My name is Shawn Garard Leahy and I was the singer for the band and one of it's founding members along with lead guitarist, Bill Gerber and bass player, Jimmy Wood (R.I.P.) who was stabbed to death while he and I were involved in a street fight with some drunken assholes.The band formed in Washington D.C. in 1986 and broke up in 1989. We released a 5 song demo tape entitled "Boots and Braces, Stars and Stripes", a 4 song EP called "Battlefield" and a 3 song EP that was self-titled. We also had two songs on the Link Records compilation "The U.S. of Oi!" and two songs on the Oi!Core Records compilation The Spirit of Oi!-American Style". The band went through various line-up changes throughout it's history and the final line-up was: me on vocals, Bill on lead guitar, Chris Bodeen on rhythm guitar, Todd Greene on bass, and "Raven" on drums.

¤What happened after the St 7'' in 1989? I mean you got Chris Biondo to engineer the album and everything was going fine. Why did the band go separate ways?

Well, Bill decided to move to New Jersey with his girlfriend at the time (now his wife) because that's where she was originally from. Around the same time, Chris got accepted to Tufts University in Boston where he'd been wanting to go. Losing both guitarists at the same time was too much for the band to be able to handle. Finding a new rhythm guitarist wouldn't have been much of a problem because we'd had to replace those before, but there was no replacing Bill, he was a great guitarist and the band wouldn't have sounded the same without him. It just made the most sense to try to end the band on a positive note (going into the studio to record 12 songs and playing a couple farewell shows) and then call it quits.

¤When people talk about your band they often use the term RAC (and also described as RAC on Wikipedia). I dont remember you ever being politcal band in that way. Could this be because of the bands friendship with Brute Force?

I don't know where that label came from because we were never an RAC band as far as most people who are knowledgeable about music and the whole skinhead scene define an RAC band to be. We were not a political band and we were anti-racist. None of us were pro-communism of course, but we never touched on that point in our lyrics. As far as Brute Force goes, we were friends with those guys very early in their career and we played an Oi!fest with them in Linden, NJ which was like their second or third show. At the time they weren't an RAC band and they definitely weren't spouting any racist views. Eventually they changed as some bands do, which is unfortunate because they were real cool guys and fun to hang out with at the time.

¤After the breakup most of you went on to form other bands. Could you name a few and are any of these active today?

Bill went on to play in the New Jersey band, The Surefires who still play shows occasionally. Todd played in a band called Livid and is currently working on some solo tracks where he plays everything and does the vocals. I was in the Pittsburgh, PA Street Punk band, The Steeltown Pubsters. I am ready to start a new band, I'm just looking for the right band members to get the ball rolling.

¤Your forthcoming album is a complete discography album with 26 songs in all but when i count my Immoral discipline songs i only have 12. What is it i am missing that is coming on this record?

The 26 songs that are going to be on the CD are: the 5 songs that were on our demo, 1 song that we recorded during the demo studio session that we never released, the 4 songs off of the "Battlefield" EP, the 3 songs off of the self-titled EP, the 12 songs that we recorded that we planned on releasing as our first full-length LP but never did, and 1 live track from our last show in D.C.

¤From what i have heard the profits of this record will go to charity. Dont know if this has ever been done by a "skinhead band" before. Why?

I'm not going to speak for other "skinhead bands" as to how they choose to do things, that's up to them. With our CD, we didn't have any desire to make money off of a band that broke up over 20 years ago. All of the former members of the band go to work for the money that we earn and that's an arrangement that we're happy with (most of the time). It seemed like the right thing to do to donate our proceeds of the CD to charity, so that's what we're doing. We're putting the CD out because we want the music that we recorded to be available to anyone that might want to find it, it's as simple as that. Most of our releases are long out-of-print and about half of the material that's going on the CD has never been heard before, so it will be cool to get that out there.

¤I am looking at some of the bands you have shared records with like New glory, Arresting officers, Best defense etc etc. Why do you think the scene became so politically correct after this era?

Okay, first I'm going to set the record straight: We never planned on being on a record with New Glory and The Arresting Officers. When Sandy from Oi!Core Records first approached us about being on "The Spirit of Oi!- American Style", she assured us that there weren't going to be any racist bands on the comp. We took her word for it and turned over the two songs. Later, when the comp. came out and we got our copies in the mail, we were fucking pissed off when we found out who she had decided to put on the comp. because we never would have agreed to being on it if we knew about that in advance. As far as Best Defense, they were very good friends of ours and while they weren't "politically correct", they were NEVER a racist band EVER. I have had numerous conversations with people over the years that were under the impression that they were racist for some reason or another, and my response is the same every time- "No, they were not!". (I tried saying the same thing when i wrote about the band some time ago//Bernando) Now on to your question, I think that the scene became so "politically correct" correct after that era because people began to realize that times were changing and that some things were no longer acceptable anymore. More and more people learned to be more tolerant and that definitely started showing through more in the music and at shows. Lines were drawn even deeper and people were forced to choose a side instead of just standing in the middle like they might have done in the past.

¤Around the time you played you where basically making shit up as you went along and i know today many bands can say they where influenced by you but was there any specific bands that made you lace up the boots and pick up the guitar?

There are tons of bands that influenced us individually and as a band, here are some: Sham 69, Cockney Rejects, Blitz, The Oppressed, Section 5, Peter and the Test Tube Babies, Cock Sparrer, Stiff Little Fingers, Rush, Iron Cross, Purevil, Black Market Baby, Bad Brains, and Agnostic Front.

What current band are you listening to?

Some of these are actually older bands that have recently gotten back together, but are still great: Patriot, The Traditionals, Toughskins, Iron City Hooligans, Flogging Molly, Hard Skins, Paddy and the Rats, Crucial Change, Hepcat, The Aggrolites, Circle 1, The Dead End Boys, and many more.

¤Whats your thought on:
-Irish streetpunk disguised as oi?

I don't think anything should be disguised- you either are or you aren't.

-SHARP becoming red?

Well, that's just going to cause even more problems and more lines to be drawn isn't it? Not good for the skinhead movement. I think they need to take a closer look at the origins of skinheads and what has and hasn't worked throughout our history.

-RAC turning into pure racism (though a lot of bands are picking up the banner for what it really means nowadays)

Well, there's too many labels, too many sub-classes to those labels, and too many exceptions to those labels. It would be nice if there were clearer definitions as to what those labels were, and it would also be nice if people decided what the fuck they wanted to be labeled and stuck to it instead of flip-flopping around. Way too much confusion, I want to know who to kick.

-America still sucking ass at football?

It would be nice if America fielded some better teams, but you have to remember that football (soccer here) is relatively new to the U.S. compared to other countries. As it gains popularity here, our teams will get better eventually until we're kicking your asses like we do at just about every other sport. Until that happens (probably not in my lifetime) I'll be watching English and Irish football.

¤And now on to the most important question of them all. What do you know about the great land of ice and polarbears known as Sweden?

I know that it's really cold there. I also know that there are a lot of blond women there with very large breasts that love American men. I hope to go there someday when it's not so cold so I can have a few pints with you and sample several of your large-breasted blond women.

¤Thanks for the answers and the best of luck with the new record. The word is free so spill your heart out.

Oh, I almost forgot: you guys make great meatballs too, I love Swedish meatballs...good stuff! Oh, and Svedka...great vodka, I drink a lot of it, probably too much. Burp! Oops, sorry! Thanks for the interview and your support, Bernhard. Cheers!

ATF - A plague in our land (2007)

Tracklist:
01. A plague in our land
02. The almighty media
03. The syndicate
04. We don't belong
05. The streets turn red
06. Anti-U
07. Suffer the children
08. Out for a drink
09. The hidden hand
10. All seing

Selfreleased by the band as a demo in 2007.

Holy shit i have been wanting this since i first heard it existed. Its been on my wishlist since i first started the site and finally i got it. After the great split they did with Vanguard the band recorded this and American Defence Records was about to release some of the songs as a split with Total Annihilation but since the band broke up (or basicily emerged with Vanguard) it was only availible as a giveaway by the bandmembers themselfs. Since Bernando is more known for walking about in the Swedish forests then hanging around at streetcorners in North Carolina searching for members of underground punkbands it wasnt so easy to get ahold of. But thanks to my wishlist and Travis from American Defence Records i now got it.
It contains 4 songs from their split and one of the tracks that was on the Skinheads armed with the truth Vol.2 but other then that the rest has never been released on anything except this.

The theme of the record is quite clear from the first track. Luke and ATF depicts a horrifying picture of America today. An America where freedoms are being taken away and liberty is abused by the moneymakers in charge. Two political parties that both serve the same companys and the same corrupt world order. This subject is often talked about by many punkbands but what ATF is doing is tells the story of a plague in the land and leaves it at that. Unlike bands like Pressure point and others that complain and complain but never really has any solution to the problems American Terror Force basicly states that the problem is there. It's all very humble in a way i like and the fact that it is made through some of the rawest and best Oi! tracks to come out from US in the 00's doesnt make it any worse.

Every single track on the record is a solid song in my ears but since i like picking favourites it has to be Suffer the children from their "old" songs. From their "new" songs it has to be Out for a drink that reminds me about some mix between Templars and Bovver wonderland.
This record is as good as they get so be sure to download it.
10/10

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Intrepid A.A.F. playing at Gilman 20th anniversary

Orlando ranting and ripping his hroat out on stage. Some singers where just made for playing live.

Intrepid A.A.F. - Songs of battle 7'' (1999)

Tracklist:
01. Shadows of swastikas
02. Make the leaders fight (Special forces cover)
03. Common man
04. The hard way (United blood cover)

Released by Cheetah's Records in 1999.

Around the same time that Orlando was in United blood he and UB member Israel Branson branched of into this sideproject. Adding Erik Thomas on drums and Ryan P.Allen (that later played in Reducers SF) on guitars they did some shows and as far as i know only released this one EP.
Not in any way as good as United blood this is still some raw and straight forward Oi! that i think most modern skins around the world has never heard before.

Intrepid A.F.F. stands for Intrepid (basicly means big battleship) Against All Facist and starting the record of with Shadow of swastikas its not hard to figure out on what side of the political scale they stand. The song is about the latent threat of a facist takeover, unlike most other songs from US its not the big bad red threat but this time the blackshirts that are he target of fear. Great lyrics and all but after watching the last Washington Racemarch on youtube that had 120 nazis from across US marching and over 10.000 people manifesting against them i think that Orlando's fear is more built on AFA horror stories then on real life. A good song nevertheless.
Another great song on the EP is Common man about lifestory of a working man. The lyrics has all been heard before and its so Oi! cliché that you just have to love it.

This band wasnt around for long but it still somehow lives on today through Orlando and Israel that play in United Intrepid Forces playing United blood, Intrepid A.A.F. and Special forces songs together with Dave Chavez from Verbal abuse and Gabe from Oppressed logic. All i know this band was the closest thing one could get to a reunion of any of the old bands and that they did some show/shows back in 2006. Dont know if they are still around today though.
7/10

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Sold out everywhere.