Zine - Smash It Up, November 1980

This issue of Smash It Up is all about politics. This issue came out in November 1980.

It starts out with an article on the KKK trying to start up a chapter in Toronto and the writer calls for a media blackout of the organization.

This article is followed by a piece on Rock Against Racism which looked at how the organization evolved in Toronto. They mentioned the English roots to the organization with bands like Elvis Costello and Gang of Four and the Specials and the Clash. And then there was references to local punk bands like the Sharks who write a tribute to Albert Johnson called "Metro's Number one Problem". And Young Lions had a sing with the lyrics "One little nazi is one too many".

There is an interview with the leader of the Young Communist League of Canada, Sylvie Baillargeon.

There is a piece on Leon Trotsky.

And there is a note about a cancellation of a Clash gig and Maple Leaf Gardens that Teenage Head was supposed to play.

This issue appears here courtesy of Dhaibid James's archival collection. Dhaibid is host of the Moondog's Ballroom on CIUT 89.5 FM.

Pointed Sticks "Perfect Youth" CD

The Pointed Sticks had gotten Dimwit from the Subhumans to play drums. He records on this. This recording was done in Vancouver after a frustrating tour and recording session in the UK. Quintessence releases this in November 1980 and the record sells very well. Sudden Death re-issues this on CD in 2005 with some bonus tracks. The songs on here are:

1. Marching Song

2. Perfect Youth

3. No Use for U

4. American Song

5. When She's Alone

6. True Love

7. 1-2

8. The Witch

9. Real Thing

10. Way You Do

11. Out of Luck

12. Part of the Noise

13. Somebody's Mom

14. Destitute

15. American Song

16. Angeline

V/A " No Pedestrains" LP

This was the secon Toronto comp that contained punk bands on it. New Wave was started to impact the scene so you get abnds like the Sharjs and True Confessions, but you also get the Arson, the Secrets, Tyranna, and Zr04. Here is the back cover which had lots of awesome photos.

The songs on here are:

1. The Sharks - Get off the Radio

2. Winston Hancock - Girls, Girls

3. The Secrets - All the Words

4. Arson - We've Gotta Get Out of This Place

5. S.S. - Working Girl

6. Winston Hancock - Leavin' Tonight

7. Tyranna - Back Off Baby

8. Zr04 - Blood

9. True Confessions - Fourth Base

10. The Secrets - I'll Cry Tomorrow

Pointed Sticks "Perfect Youth" LP

"Perfect Youth" was the band's only full length. It was a re-recorded version of the album that got shelved by Stiff when they went under. Quintessence would put it out but they didn't pay for the pressing and 5,000 out of 10,000 were destroyed by the pressing plant. This is one of many factors that led to the band's break up. You can find some details about this release at O'Canadarm! The songs on here are:

1. The Real Thing

2. Marching Song

3. True Love

4. All That Matters

5. All My Clocks Stopped

6. Nothing Else To Do

7. Careless

8. All I Could Take

9. Part of the Noise

10. How Could You

11. Middle Aged Teenagers

12. Worse

13. Love or Money

14. American Song

15. New Ways

16. Apologies

Flyer - Monday, November 17th, 1980

 

Contributed by CRAZYSTEVEGOOF@HOTMAIL.COM

Flyer - Sunday November 16, 1980

Crash Kills Five "What Do You Do at Night" ep

Three members of the last lineup of Buick McKane (Brian, Reid and Alex) were originally from Calgary and left for Toronto after Buick McKane broke up. They added Don Pyle on vocals and formed Crash Kills Five. CK5 was a punk band more in the spirit of the Ramones than in the sound that Don, Reid and Brian would have with Shadowy Men.

Shortly before the "What Do You Do at Night" ep was recorded, Brian left the band and was replaced by Mohammed "Eddy" Nagdee (from the Toronto punk band The Dents) on guitar. The initial lineup was :
Don Pyle - vocals
Brian Connelly - guitar
Reid Diamond - bass
Alex Koch - drums

The second lineup, which recorded the ep was :
Donald Pyle - vocals
Alex - drums
Reid O'Matic - bass
Nagdee - guitar

Taking their name from a local newspaper headline, Toronto-based Crash Kills Five got their start in 1980 when transplanted Calgarian Reid Diamond hooked up with singer Don Pyle, leading to the release of this swell EP later that year. The band plied their sound around the Toronto punk circuit to moderate success, later opening for Ireland's Protex at the Edge club in September of that year. The three songs here are all taut slices of late seventies pop/punk. The slower a-side seemed the obvious choice for radio play at the time - this back in the relatively new wave-friendly airwaves of Toronto in the late seventies and early eighties - but the punchier punk and spiky edge of 'Special School' on the flip is the clear winner here (To wit: "They say I'm not too smart / that's why I go to special school"). With the initial run of the EP close to sold out, Crash Kills Five entered the studio to record eight more tracks, but money issues and lack of label interest lead the band to pack it in. Crash Kills Five would have earned a place in the dustbin of punk history had it not been for the fact that Diamond, Pyle and guitarist Brian Connelly would go on to form the near-mythical instrumental combo Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet.

Mohammed "Eddy" Nagdee, who was originally from The Dents, went on to play with the Young Lions; Alex Koch joined brother Steve Koch and former Forgotten Rebels member Chris Houston to form The One-Eyed Jacks and later Coolmine and The Sticklebacks.

Flyer - The Feds "Calculated Crimes" ep

Contributed by CRAZYSTEVEGOOF@HOTMAIL.COM