NATIONAL WAKE "s/t" LP [WEA International, 1981, South Africa]

Today's post is of one of the most important bands to exist on a world scale in my opinion, NATIONAL WAKE from the apartheid state of 1981's South Africa. They pushed forth some of the most radical music for the era, and unfortunately they don't share a prominent place in a lot of people's minds when they think of crucial alternative/punk bands. I actually haven't come across any tracks past their recent anthology 2xLP released by Light in the Attic. So I'm ecstatic that I got my hands on their original LP and am able to share it here. It was great hearing five unheard (to my ears) songs. I'm also sure they have a stockpile of demos and outtakes that still haven't seen the light of day and I hope that happens sometime soon. This record sold around 700 copies before being withdrawn by apartheid government pressure. 

NATIONAL WAKE started in 1976 in Johannesburg in an apartheid designated 'whites-only' neighborhood, coinciding with the Soweto Student Uprising, a student protest against the mandate that Afrikaans was going to be the median language of instruction in public schools, and Afrikaans was seen as the language of apartheid, of oppression. This also coincided with the emergence of punk on a global scale and reggae coming to South Africa as well, which resonated with the South African experience in a profound way. They were incredibly subversive to apartheid in their mere existence in that it wasn't permitted for Blacks and Whites to socialize with each other and here NATIONAL WAKE was a mixed-race band composed of Black African Shangaan-Speaking brothers Gary and Punka Khoza and their White African counterparts Ivan Kadey and Steve Moni. Which is something that was completely illegal under apartheid. They all occupied a house together which caused their home to be raided by riot cops and under almost constant surveillance by the authorities. This all led to immense pressure to even keep the band going and felt like a war zone to the members at times.

NATIONAL WAKE effortlessly merges punk, rock, reggae, funk and African music such as Mbaqanga guitar together to create a completely unique and excellent musical experience. They participated in the first ever South African punk tour with fellow countrymen SAFARI SURFERS and WILD YOUTH, which eventually disintegrated because of the legal and logistical problems of NATIONAL WAKE being a mixed race band. The band continued to rehearse relentlessly and gig whenever possible. They also vacationed to independent Swaziland where they were able to perform sometimes and live temporarily without the paranoia that came with simply existing as a mixed-race band in South Africa. They also sought out alternative places to perform within South Africa such as the designated 'non-white' areas.

They were offered the opportunity to record through WEA international and they opted to record for a reduced rate at sessions that started after midnight in the studio. Unfortunately the release of the record only increased attention from the authorities and the pressure got to all members, which led to the band to dissolve. I highly recommend tracking down the anthology 2xLP released by Light in the Attic, it's amazing and well worth any price to hear those songs.

1 Dreams In My Head
2 Time And Place
3 Bolina
4 Xighangu Xamina
5 Kalabash
6  Wake Of The Nation
7  Supaman
8  International News
9 Student Life (Another Kind Of Blues)

10  Mercenaries

dl link:
National Wake!

BATH-TUB OFFENDERS "Re, Abraham Cross" CD [Roberts Hawaii / Meatbox, 2008]

I remember being 15 years old and getting my hands on the All Crusties Spending Loud Night 2002 DVD, it was right when I was discovering punk in Japan and starting to get into more abrasive and noisy punk music. Being so isolated and living out in rural Pennsylvania didn't allow me the ability to get my hands on a lot of records at the time so the DVD was one of the few alleys that allowed me to have access to the music. I watched the hell out of that DVD and one of the stand out bands/performances from their 2 songs on it were the mighty ABRAHAM CROSS. Ripping and brutal DOOM inspired crust. I was totally blown away by their tracks and they still remain one of my all time favorite Japanese Crust bands. 

And to add to their legacy, here is a very curious CD release. The phenomenon of Crust and Dance/Techno music crossover is a well known in Japan and this is a true marriage of both genres. From what I can tell this is an effort by artist Kemm Sunouchi. They took a chunk of ABRAHAM CROSS's brutal noisy crust onslaughts and remixed them as dance/techno/house music pieces. I think there are varying levels of success between each song but over all I think it's a great reinterpretation and definitely worth the listen for any fan of ABRAHAM CROSS. I think the tribal-techno rendition of ABRAHAM CROSS's, in my opinion, best song "Feelings In Soil" is particulary great. 

The artwork was done by Hiroshi Nozaki who was in COLLAPSE SOCIETY, DECONSTRUCTION, and now STAGNATION, who also has tons of connections to the Japanese Crust scene's push towards techno/dance music. Hiroshi and Kemm have another project called BUTTHEAD SUNGLASS that I haven't heard yet that is also experimental crust/dance music apparently. 

The singer of ABRAHAM CROSS also has a series of CDrs under the name DJ DISCHARGE that are ambient/dance/techno/soundscape pieces that are also worth looking into. 

dl link:
Bath-Tub Offenders!

J.M.K.E. "Kylmälle Maalle" LP [Stupido, 1989]

Today's post comes from the cold country of Estonia circa their forced annexation as a Soviet Socialist Republic. I think J.M.K.E. is one of the few punk bands to ever sing pro-democracy songs, but historically makes a lot of sense being that Estonia was forcefully annexed within the USSR and Estonians at large never necessarily wanted to be apart of Soviet communism. Amazing that they were able to sing outright anti-soviet songs throughout their early career and prior to Estonia getting its independence. J.M.K.E. formed in Tallinn in 1986 and were able to play concerts within Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Russia. Eventually there was a Finnish label created for the express purpose of releasing Estonian bands with J.M.K.E.'s first LP and few EPs being among the first. Musically I think they have a lot in common with their brethren in the north, Finland, but I think they have a catchier, more poppy approach to their punk rather than fitting into the raw Finnish approach. They're definitely more in the vein of APPENDIX or LAMA. Which makes you wonder how much access they had to the established Finnish punk scene throughout the 80s. Estonian and Finnish are linguistically very similar, so it would make sense that there was some cross communication between the two countries. In the future I'll have to post their 12" "Savist Saar" from 1991 and the EPs released around their LP here and that 12". Tere Perestroika is a very popular song in Estonia and there's even a video of them performing it on Estonian MTV or something with a choir, plus acoustic versions and old 80s videos.

1 Valge Liblika Suvi
2 Tere Perestroika
3 Mun Vanaisa Oli Desertöör
4 Tsensor
5 Käed Üles, Virumaa
6 Elab Veel Beria
7 Internatsid
8 Külmale Maale
9 Tbilisi Tänavad
10 Nad Ei Tea Mu Nime
11 Meid Aitab Psühhiaatria

12 Lõputu Laupäev

dl link:
J.M.K.E.!

LECH JANERKA "Historia Podwodna" LP [Tonpress, 1986]

Today's post is one of my favorite/most played albums as of the last two years or so and has been on the agenda to post in my head for a long while now. LECH JANERKA is a solo project of KLAUS MITFFOCH's bassist after that band broke up. This first solo album shows much more pop sensibilities than KLAUS MITFFOCH ever demonstrated, but still firmly rooted in the post-punk/new wave sounds. I like this album for the same reasons that I love BLONDIE, a lot of stylistic diversity between songs, incredible song writing and excellent production. Truly an album that is adventurous but doesn't falter in delivering infectious songs. My favorite being Jest jak w niebie, it's an incredible atmospheric, driven and catchy song, it gets stuck in my head frequently. Apparently there's an electronically processed cello throughout this album that I haven't previously picked up on too, pretty wild. Lech Janerka is also heralded as one of the most musically talented artists in the Polish rock history and has remained staunchly anti-commercial throughout his musical career and despite this first solo album and KLAUS MITFFOCH's LP being so critically acclaimed and universally loved.   

A1 Lola (Chce Zmieniać Świat)
A2 Epidemia Epilepsji
A3 Konstytucje
A4 Reformator
A5 Tryki Na Start
B1 Niewole
B2 Jest Jak W Niebie
B3 Historia Podwodna
B4 Ta Zabawa Nie Jest Dla Dziewczynek

dl link:
Lech Janerka!

PAXTA-CORE, Underground Uzbekistan [Tian An Men 89 Records, 2006]

Second post of the day follow the Underground Tajikistan LP below. The PAXTA-CORE comp LP is amazing, somehow an alternative music scene is able to exist in the dictatorship and kingdom of cotton Uzbekistan. The music here, like the Tajikistan LP, are varied in quality and style. I think the bands here have more of an overall distinct style that is uniquely Uzbek and the comp flows really well. Тупратикон's and then Броген Боген start the comp with some classic Siberian/Soviet inspired punk rock music followed by Слезы Солнца's great indie rock punk songs. Next is БГмольцы и ГрОбовержцы which by a name like that is definitely influenced by GRAZHDANSKAYA OBORONA, except their music is like minimal-siberian-synth-punk, great track! The final song on side A is by Хардкор Опа, a highly satirical, raw, blown out and noisy central asian styled punk band, with lyrics all in Uzbek instead of Russian, one of the highlights of the comp in my opinion.

Side B is kicked off with Red-Акция, absolutely brilliant example of political/critical Soviet/Siberian punk rock. Definitely my favorite tracks on the compilation. Скисерз and Сучий Потрох finish off the side with more classic sounding central Asian punk rock music, lots of fuzzy guitars and lo-fi recordings, brilliant stuff!

A1 –Tupratikon’S*  Бабушка КГБ = Grandmother KGB (Live)
A2 –Tupratikon'S*  Дегенерат = Degenerate
A3 –Brogen Bogen* Грязные Улицы = Dirty Streets
A4 –Slezy Solntsa* Hello Russian
A5 –Slezy Solntsa* Вверх По Течению = Upstream
A6 –BGmoltsy I GrObovyerzhtsy* Капитуляция = Capitulation
A7 –Hardcore Opa* Ленин Йўлидан = Lenin Yulidan
B1 –Red-Aktsiya* Война = War
B2 –Red-Aktsiya* Крассный Рассвет = Red Dawn
B3 –Red-Aktsiya* Победа = Victory
B4 –Red-Aktsiya* Путеводная Звезда = Guiding Star
B5 –Skisserz* Как Птица = Like A Bird
B6 –Skisserz* Попрыгунья Стрекоза = Poprygunya Strekoza
B7 –Suchiy Potrokh* Мертвое Тело = Dead Body
B8 –Suchiy Potrokh* Милая Моя = My Dear

dl link:
Underground Uzbekistan!

P.S. URGENT-URGENT-URGENT
I've discovered that more tapes do exist of Red-Aktsiya, Hardcore Opa and Skisserz, if you have any info of where to find mp3s, please please please get in contact with me!

Хардкор Опа ‎– A.A. tape 2002























Сучий Потрох / Skisserz - Сплит Demo 20??

Red-Акция ‎– Рожденные Революцией 20??

DUSHANBE PUNKERS AND ROCKERS, Underground Tajikistan [Tian An Men 89 Records, 2006]

Today I'm posting two of my favorite compilations ever put out. The first of which we have here, the amazing "Душанбинские Панки И Рокеры" Underground TAJIKISTAN LP released by Tian An Men 89 records in 2006. When Luk, the founder of TAM89 records, traveled to Tajikistan for his work, even his most well-informed post-soviet punk contacts were doubtful of him finding any sort of alternative music in the land of the Pamirs. But, lo and behold, there was a thriving scene in the poorest of all the post-soviet states. 

This LP has varied quality and varied style throughout, my personal favorite probably being the first band Зло, who have the best  characteristically lo-fi, stripped down, raw, not-over-effected punk approach that only Siberian and Central Asian bands seem to be able to pull off. They even do a KINO cover of one of my favorite songs "Малыш". There's even a band that performs a polished, well recorded metal song like MOTORHEAD. I love the indie rock song by Западны Квартал on the record too. Ночь also gives a stand out track on the comp in my opinion, more in the traditional Central Asian punk style.

A1 –Zlo* Скамейки = Benches
A2 –Zlo* Малыш = Baby
A3 –Zlo* Зто Больше Не Важио = It Doesn't Matter Anymore
A4 –Zlo* Моя Злость = My Malice
A5 –Kide & The Jeans Community Причастие = Eucharist
A6 –Ragnarock The End Of Something
A7 –Ieroglif*   Синоптики = Synoptics
B1 –Zapadny Kvartal*   Autumn To Blame
B2 –Noch'*     Окна = Eye
B3 –Khorog Rock Band* Theven Darna, Live In Khorog
B4 –Zvukovaya Artyel'* Только Два Раза = Only Twice
B5 –Zvukovaya Artyel'* Блудные Дети = Prodigal Children
B6 –Trush-Oba*     Unknown Title, Live In Chkalovsk

dl link:
Underground Tajikistan!

ONE MILLION BULGARIANS "Pierwsza Płyta" LP/CD [Razem, 1987/Noise Annoys, 2004]

One of the best Polish dark wave releases of the communist era, 2nd only to SIEKIERA's Nowa Aleksandria in my opinion. One Million Bulgarians recorded this album in 1987 with it being pressed by state run company Razem later that year but remained unreleased because of state censorship and its anti-communist lyrics until 2004 when it got a CD reissue by Noise Annoys. Interestingly, I just learned tonight that some physical vinyl copies from 1987 exist! According to the blog post [http://artbazaar.blogspot.com/2012/10/widmowa-pytoteka-2-one-milion-bulgarians.html] and an online translator, only a dozen or so copies exist and they are all in the hands of people who worked in the record publishing companies in Poland during that time period. I'd call this the holy grail of Polish punk record collecting or sure. If you want to sell me a copy hit me up! 

This album's atmosphere is perfectly summarized by it's dystopian nightmare artwork by the devastatingly brilliant Zdzisław Beksiński. Expect nothing but a decaying fantasy that has long lost its beauty and has rotten into eternal despair. The drums and bass are the forefront and really drive this record, the drums sound huge, like they were recorded in a gigantic, concrete factory, while the bass and guitars have the perfect tone to reflect a grey, polluted, industrialized, no future reality. 'Animal Love' is one of the catchiest songs of the dark wave genre that I can think of. Lyrically I wish I could comment more on it, but my Polish isn't good enough to absorb the two lyrics I've found so far, the first track and last... If you have more lyrics, please share them!

dl link:
One Million Bulgarians!

Wysadzony za wysoko (Blown Too High)

wydawało nam życie kolorowe aspiracje

upadają gdzieś w kącie moje nowe marzenia

zakręcony mam umysł obrotami waszych twarzy

już od dziś ulepszony eksperyment

test ważny

oszukany idealnie walę głową w stół

jestem wrogiem milczenia

tak jak kamień zaklęty

minimalnie skruszony jestem wrogiem brzydoty

dzięki hasłom wyssanym jestem teraz

ujemnie naładowany

połamane będą słowa

przyjdą myśli chore

połamane będą prawa

wysadzone jak mosty

wymierają wojownicy

wyskoczyłeś za wysoko

woda leje się z góry

zmyje łzy z twoich oczu

wydawało nam życie kolorowe aspiracje

umierają gdzieś w kącie moje nowe marzenia

zakręcony mam umysł obrotami waszych twarzy

już od dziś ulepszony eksperyment

test ważny

połamałem obie ręce o ścianę i podłogę

takie słowa są tylko

są tylko dla zdrowych

taką drogą nie wolno

nie wolno nam chodzić!

coraz głośniej słychać

jak spadają wasze głowy

połamane będą słowa

przyjdą myśli chore

połamane będą prawa

wysadzone jak mosty

wymierają wojownicy

wyskoczyłeś za wysoko

woda leje się z góry

zmyje łzy z twoich oczu

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Czerwone krzaki (Red Bushes)

czerwone krzaki daję kobiecie
i znowu jestem na drzewie

czerwone krzaki mogę wam sprzedać
i tak nie pójdę do nieba

maj - to wtedy kwitną kwiaty
pachnie gaj
to wtedy czarne diabły zjedzą was
to wtedy runie w dół fala i jazz
to wtedy pękną kwiaty, spłynie krew...

wyrwane z ziemi do samych korzeni
czerwone krzaki spływają w dół

wy tez dacie krzaki, będziecie na drzewie
lecz dzisiaj nikt o tym nie wie

ZIYO "s/t" LP [1989, Wifon, Poland]

"And what is behind us and next to us

It does not matter now, never mind now

And just sometimes, I want to change the world

Change the world, I want to change the world

And do not tell me

That the truth always lies in the middle

And do not tell me"

This winter I've been obsessively listening to Polish punk and cold wave from the communist era. All the bands are incredible, both musically and lyrically. 

This is a truly under appreciated gem old polish cold wave that should be mentioned in the same breath as SIEKIERA, ONE MILLION BULGARIANS, 1984, MADAME or MADE IN POLAND. However, ZIYO are more on the atmospheric side (like MADE IN POLAND's 2nd Tonpress EP) rather than the aggressive/dark cold wave that I would put SIEKIERA or ONE MILLION BULGARIANS in my head. This debut album is something to get lost in and let the music envelop your mind. 

ZIYO started in 1986 and played the legendary Jarocin Fesitval from which they had a lot of opportunities to record which eventually lead them to be offered this LP which was recorded in 250 hours in 1987 and then due to long productions wasn't released until 1989 by Wifon. Unfortunately, their subsequent LP was weirdly metal-influenced and nowhere near the quality of this first album. I'm unsure whether their later albums see a return to their great beginnings or not... 

dl link:

ZIYO 1989 S/T