Radio - Sunday, May 18th, 2014

NASH THE SLASH passed away last week. I found out about his passing in an editorial piece on Q. Here and Now also did a look back at Nash following it with the FM hit 'Phasors on Stun'. That was a song I knew very well having heard it many times on FM Radio. It was also a song that took me back to summer camp. A counsellor there had turned me onto FM. I would soon find out about NASH THE SLASH on after school video shows with the video for "Dead Man's Curve" and "Dopes on the Water". I went to the first Police Picnic where NASH THE SLASH unceremoniously had the plug pulled on him. The only Canadian act to get yanked from the stage in some Gong show fashion like he was some kind of a novelty act, which he was sort of. A mummy impersonator in top hat and white tails that played the electric violin and a few other instruments that includes a glockenspiel. But he was more than that. He was a guy who inspired Gary Numan, one of the first to start an independent label known as Cut Throat records and who sued Pepsi and won. I got to meet NASH THE SLASH on the air once. Jonzo from Mods 'n Rockers arranged for him to come in and we did a full on interview. It was an honour to meet this pioneer of the Toronto punk scene. I learned of his soundscaping to silent films like Nosferatu at places like the Roxy Theatre. He was doing a regular Halloween gig at a club on Yonge Street. Someone posted up a flyer for a Valentine's week massacre set of shows at the Edge. He was into gimmicks but there is no denying that he was a groundbreaker when it comes to punk in this city.  So we started off the show with some NASH THE SLASH material mixed together. 

Here is an MP3 for the show.

NASH THE SLASH - The Chase (Cut Throat)
NASH THE SLASH - FM Introductions (Cut Throat)
NASH THE SLASH - Phasors on Stun (Cut Throat)

SKUNX - Corporate Death (Chronic Disease / Skull Crasher)
GRUMP - Coherence (Self-Released)
THE PITY - Leather Jacket Separation Anxiety (Self-Released)
SNOB - Stay at home (Hardware)
NOT FRIENDS - Endless Delay (Self-Released)
ALL OUT PANIC - Panic Attack (Self-Released)
THE SOFISTIFUCKS - Self Discharge (Unknown)

DEAD BOYS - Flamethrower love (Sire)
BLACK KEYS - have love will travel (Bomp)
GUITAR WOLF - Wild Zero (Matador)
NEW BOMB TURKS - Drag Strip Riot (Crypt)
HUNCHES - Frustration Rocket (In the Red)

NUEVA AUTORIDAD DEMOCRATICA - Gente Mierda (Solo Para Punks)
BOILING POINT - Thrash the Railroads (Self-Released)
COKSKAR - Cokroachskar(Self-Released)
SLEIGHT - The Sickness (Self-Released)
KENNY KENNY OH OH - the Beauty of Absenteeism (Kontraszt! / Emancypunx)
LIFE CHAIN - Media frozen (Imminent Destruction)

CRIMPSHRINE - Sleep. what's that? (Lookout)
AVAIL - On the Nod (Lookout)
SURF TRIO - Almost Summer (Bomp)
BAD BRAINS - The Big Takeover (Roir)
THE CRAMPS - The Crusher (IRS)

FIT FOR ABUSE - Power Currupts
UPPERCUTS - First Thing's First
MASSHYSTERI - Tvivel
THE TAKE - Tonight
DEAD STOP - Bend and Break
MINORITY UNIT - Minority Threat

BURNING LOVE - No Love
DISCO VOLANTE - Burn In Hell
BROTHER INFERIOR - Who Want's To Live Forever?
BENUMB - Mesmerized by the Insignificant
LAST LIGHTS - U.S. Out of New England
INFERNOH - De Galm Och De Blinda

The Brass are from Vancouver and this is their demo titled "Psychopath". Hardware Records out of Germany has made the cassette available again and you can hear the recording at http://thebrassvan.bandcamp.com/track/psychopath.

THE BRASS - Don't look at me (Hardware)
THE BRASS - Can't (Hardware)
THE BRASS - Damaged goods (Hardware)
THE BRASS - 40 Laces (Hardware)
THE BRASS - Psychopath (Hardware)

COLUMN OF HEAVEN - Such Fragile Bodies (Flesh prison part II) (Absurd Exposition)

MRR Review - Sleight demo

Another great band from Halifax. The demo can be downloaded at http://sleight.bandcamp.com. 

This review appears in the demo section of MRR #369 (February).

Radio - Sunday, March 31st, 2013

Thinking about the ridiculousness of Easter and the story it is supposed to represent had me think of the Freeze song "Sacrifice not suicide" and did Cliff Hanger have something when he questioned what the difference was in the song that appeared on the "This is Boston Not L.A." comp. That's why I thought it was a fitting song to start a show on easter Sunday with. What's the difference between the two and should christian behaviour be treated with the same concern that mental illness is treated? You can download the show here.

THE FREEZE - Sacrifice not suicide (Modern Method)

The weather was off today in Toronto and tehre was an Easter Parade and my downer message at the beginning of the show deserved a song like Half Off's. I followed that by a band that took their name from the Half Off song. It must be a good enough song to name your band after them. Damn Broads are an all new girl group and this is their demo and they summed up my feelings on religion better than the traditional peace punk bands that have written on the subject to date. Weekend nachos was inspired by Payson (Purity Control's) story about how great they were at A389 fest. And the Glory Stompers song is about Ralph Klein. He passed away and al the eulogizing is painting the man as larger than life, but "Tory Crimes" tells of a not so glroious period. the artwork on the ep has a picture of Ralph's head that has a perforated line around his neck and goats Klein to "Cut Here" meaning his neck.
HALF OFF - Rain on the Parade (New Beginning)
RAIN ON THE PARADE - Eating Crow (Contention)
DAMN BROADS - War on Religion (Self-released)
WEEKEND NACHOS - Watch you suffer (A389 Records)
GLORY STOMPERS - Tory Crimes (Self-released)

I love doing Top 10 inspired by MRR so here is the top 10 releases we reecievd in last month that correspond with the review section in MRR.

ISTERISMO – Cattena di aversionne (540)
THE SHAME – Nothing Gained (Profane Existence)
APPALACHIAN TERROR UNIT – They’re all the Fucking Same (Profane Existence)
BLACK COFFEE – The push and pull (Self-Released)
IN DEFENCE – Don’t call me a moshist (Profane Existence)
WARTORN  – Under Oath (Profane Existence)
CRITICAL CONVICTIONS – Music as an industry …. / ... so cliche (Self-Released)
SNUFF – Bones for Company (Fat Wreck Chords)
UTANFORSKAPET – Kängor från rännstenen (Fight Back / Rawby)
DEATHRAID – Enough to make to you sick (World Funeral)
DESPERAT – Matte Djavulen ta er split (World Funeral)

A GLOBAL THREAT - Religious Scum
LOSER X - Participation (Snuffy Smile)
HEALTH HAZARD - Trapped (Flat Earth)
DEATHRATS - SXJS (To Live a Lie)
WOLFBRIGADE - Pheonix Rising (Farewell / La Familia)
THE VIPERS - I've got you (Mulligan)

SAMPLES - No such thing
HOLDING ON - Just another day (Havoc)
A MOOD OF DEFIANCE - American Love Song (Nu Alliance)
DEATH TOKEN - Self-Infliction (Spild af Vinyl)
HOMBRINUS DUDES - Ignorance is not Innocence (I Deal)
D.S.H. - Denk Nach (Self-Released)
SEA OF SHIT - Worried Sick (Self-Released)
GBH - Sick Boy (Captain Oi!)
LIBERTY MADNESS - QCKW

PILLSBURY HARDCORE - Ready to Fight (One Step Ahead)
POISON CENTRE - Poseur (Bad Compilation tapes)
MORTAL MICRONOTZ - The Police Song (Fresh Sounds Inc)
LEFT IN RUINS - Sound of Defeat (Torture Garden Picture Company)
BLOODPACT - Violent Straigh Edge Gains (Reflections)
STARSHOOTER - Pin Up Blonde (Pathe)
WRITE OFF - Smoke and Mirrors (Self-Released)
HERESY - Make the Connection (Self-Released)
AMERICAN NIGHTMARE - Sore throat Syndicate (Reflections)

FACIALS - Mom (Chaos Rurale)
PUNK LOREX - Liittoudutaan (Kamaset Levyt)
MIGHTY ATOM - Words (Buzz / A Mountain Far)
PAPER DRAGONS - Annhilate the Need (Firestarter / Wall Ride / Southpaw)
SABERTOOTH - Morning Breathe (Debt Offensive)

BAD NODES - Gamma Toatser (Self-Released)
RAW POWER - I do what I like (Toxic Shock)
ZERO PROGRESS - Hall of fame (Self-Released)
RAH - The Other Side (Climbin' Aboard)
NO COMMENT - Modern Moses (Deep Six)
9 SHOCKS TERROR - Remove the Pope (Sound Pollution)
CURSED - Guilt Parade (Goodfellow)

SLEIGHT are a new three piece from Halifax featuring members of LAST LAUGH. You can find the demo at http://sleight.bandcamp.com.
SLEIGHT - Western Eyes (Self-Released)
SLEIGHT - Fault (Self-Released)
SLEIGHT - the Hunger (Self-Released)
SLEIGHT - Lord (Self-Released)
SLEIGHT - the Sickness (Self-Released)