BL'AST: SPORTMAN'S LODGE, SUN VALLEY, CA. 6.20.85. SOUNDBOARD RECORDING.

Hailing from Santa Cruz, CA and originally forming under the monicker M.A.D. (standing for Mutually Assured Destruction, of course) in late 1982, Bl'ast (the apostrophe was used to make their visual logo "more dynamic" according to vocalist Clifford Dinsmore) are of my favorite hardcore bands to ever exist. Detractors will often cite that they made a career out of imitating label mates Black Flag but this opinion doesn't lend itself to the fact that Bl'ast were a great band in their own right and definite forerunners of the stoner rock sound. Without question, guitarist Mike Neider and drummer Bill Torgerson selected a Dan Armstrong guitar and Ludwig Vistalite drums respectively because their heroes Black Flag made this look renowned. Henry Rollins mentions this briefly in a "Get In the Van" entry where he clearly discredits the band for being unoriginal and tacky.

Regardless of the fact that "Power Of Expression" LP has been permanently burned into my prefrontal cortex, I still get excited every single time it finds itself on my turntable. This soundboard recording is nearly just as powerful. This 1985 set recorded in Sun Valley, California showcases Bl'ast performing material that would find itself on their debut album shortly after. The sound quality is excellent and the mix is nothing to scoff at. This is a remarkable recording that should find itself in the collection of any self-respecting Bl'ast devotee.

Track list:

1. Our Explanation

2. I Don't Need It

3. Break It Down

4. E.I.B.

5. Fuckin' With My Head

6. School's Out (Alice Cooper)

7. Surf and Destroy

8. The Future

9. It's Alive

10. 12XU (Wire)

DOWNLOAD:

http://www.mediafire.com/?wlljwwmwd5m

BLACK FLAG: POLLIWOG PARK, MANHATTAN BEACH, CA. 7.22.79. AUDIENCE RECORDING.

After playing a handful of local gigs and making a small name for themselves during the first part of 1979, Black Flag was somehow booked to perform in front of little over 1000 people on a Sunday afternoon in Manhattan Beach's Polliwog Park on July 22, 1979. Clearly the event organizer had no knowledge of what Black Flag represented. The Tourists and Big Wow were two new wave groups that opened the show and I have read in some sources that Black Flag was a last minute replacement. Either that or Greg Ginn did his typical finagling when it came to speaking to a promoter; Ginn's angle to bypass a booking refusal was to tell a promoter that Black Flag were "a rock group with jazz influences".

The crowd of Southern Californian families had no idea what was about to hit them that afternoon. Expecting a relaxing Sunday afternoon in the park while casually listening to a tame, bearded Eagles type rock group, onlookers were treated to the unadulterated vitriol of a young Black Flag. One fan reflected on seeing Black Flag that day: "They played for my winning Little League team that day. They were a last minute replacement band. We threw chicken bones and watermelon at them". 100 or so ardent Black Flag fans turned out for the performance and acted totally unruly. A local newspaper described that crowd as "jumping up and down in the traditional punk pogo and pelted the band and nearby crowd with oranges, tomatoes, watermelons, cans, rocks, and bottles".

The audience source of this recording is indeed primitive sounding for the casual listener of Black Flag. Regardless of the quality, this is truly a significant and historic performance. It's incredible to think that this performance even lasted 24 minutes (6 minutes of it being an actual riot) and that the plug wasn't pulled on the band during one of the first few songs. Unfortunately there is considerable clipping during "Machine" and a drop out during "I've Had It". Regardless, this is an enjoyable listen and truly a lasting punk rock document from an era when bands were truly confrontational.

If anyone has a different source of this performance, I would love a copy.

Track list:

1. Don't Care

2. White Minority

3. I've Heard It Before

4. Machine

5. I've Had It (cut)

6. Nervous Breakdown

7. Spray Paint

8. Jealous Again

9. Police Story

10. Promoter speaking to the crowd/rioting

11. Revenge

12. Fix Me

13. Depression

14. Louie Louie

DOWNLOAD:

http://www.mediafire.com/?mj5dz0hldlc

STATE OF ALERT: WASHINGTON DC 12.18.80. AUDIENCE RECORDING.

When asked about the live performance history of State of Alert, Henry Rollins once claimed that the group's performances "were eleven to fourteen minutes in duration because the songs were all like forty seconds... and the rest of the time we were going, 'Are you ready? Are you ready?' Those gigs were poorly played songs in between 'Are you readys?" Henry did have a point since these guys never showed much instrumental or song writing prowess, but they certainly can be regarded as one of the purveyors of American hardcore by serving as a launching pad for later bands like Negative Approach and Agnostic Front.

It seems Rollins was also correct about this recording because the total length is just over 12 minutes and the playing certainly isn't virtuosic. Regardless, this is an enjoyable audience recording of a historic group that documents their teenage vitriol. The sound quality is decent considering the time and place this performance was recorded.

Track 9 seems to consist of an unreleased song not found on the "No Policy" 7", "Flex Your Head" compilation LP, or even the 1980 SOA demo cassette. Any information regarding this track would be appreciated.

Setlist:
1) Gonna Have To Fight
2) Riot
3) I Hate the Kids
4) Gang Fight
5) Public Defender
6) Draw Blank
7) Disease
8) Warzone
9) Unreleased song (???)
10) Stepping Stone

DOWNLOAD:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=QVV5FIHA

STATE OF ALERT: 1980 REHEARSAL. HOME RECORDING.

From Wendel Blow’s cluttered garage floor to your ultramodern computer hard drive, here is a long lost recording of a State of Alert rehearsal recorded sometime in 1980. Considering the quality of the greater majority of rehearsal tapes I have heard from this era, the quality of this recording is surprisingly excellent.

It is possible that this recording was considered as a demo recording prior to the band releasing their well circulated and vinyl bootlegged 1980 demo. This hypothesis doesn’t seem crazy considering this rehearsal tape features a recording of an ad for a Black Market Baby/ Minor Threat/ State of Alert show at the 9:30 Club. If you have any additional information on this recording, I would greatly appreciate it if you could share your insights with me.

Track List:

1) Draw Blank

2)Public Defender

3) Stepping Stone

DOWNLOAD:

http://www.mediafire.com/?njjktomjzdm

BLACK FLAG: ELECTRIC BANANA, PITTSBURG, PA 7.4.81 SOUNDBOARD RECORDING

For all intents and purposes, Black Flag was the first American hardcore group to exist. Emerging from a Southern Californian beach community, they gained international notoriety through incessant touring and undoubtedly shaped local scenes wherever they played. The emergence of their own record label definitively influenced the means by which independent artists could release their own material and thus the greater scope of American punk rock. Perhaps stating this is palpable and overt at this point. Regardless, the influence of Black Flag should never be understated.

This recording consists of a good soundboard recording featuring Dez Cadena on vocals. Perhaps Dez had the least prowess as a front man considering the efforts of Keith Morris and Henry Rollins, but nonetheless Dez shines on this tape. This one starts with a sarcastic thank you to the Pittsburg police department and promptly erupts into a vehemence of magnificence. The Flag tears through 28 songs with fierce tenacity. The recording is an excellent soundboard with some nice rough characteristics. There is a slight cut during “Revenge.” I believe this is on the original master because I’ve yet to hear a version that is complete.

This is the first of many Black Flag tapes that will be featured on this site.

DOWNLOAD:

http://www.mediafire.com/?t5zutmgllfz