This is a video I used to watch on City Limits.
Saturday, November 26, 1983
Flyer - Saturday November 26, 1983
This show had United States and BFG play. There was a preview of the movie "Not Dead Yet", which some folks have said was more a promotion movie for United States. I have also heard that the movie was an attempt by United States' manager to situate the band in the hardcore scene. I don't know many people who talk about United States as a hardcore band. But "Not Dead Yet" did have some of the only footage of the bands from the early Toronto hardcore scene. For that reason I think it is a great film. The sequel was less than impressive.
Friday, November 25, 1983
Release - V/A "It Came from Innerspace" LP
In Chris Walter's book "SNFU...What No One else Wanted to Say" we learn that the guy behind this compilation was a music loving truck driver named Barry Peters. He approached SNFU about being on the compilation in May 1983 and then recorded them in a makeshift studio that he put together in a warehouse that skaters used as a hangout in Edmonton. He recorded "Strip Search", "Grunt, Groan, Rant and Rave", and "Real Men Don't Watch Quincy". this would be SNFU's first recording. The band blew out the tweeters but they later replaced them.
The compilation featured most of Edmonton's top underground bands which included the Down Syndrome, Malibu Kens and Moe Berg's current band at the time Facecrime. Barry's label was called Rubber Records and he would move to Montreal and start up Cargo Records. Cargo Records would go on to release SNFU's "Better than a Stick in the Eye" and "The Last of the Big Time Suspenders". The songs that make up this compilation are :
The compilation featured most of Edmonton's top underground bands which included the Down Syndrome, Malibu Kens and Moe Berg's current band at the time Facecrime. Barry's label was called Rubber Records and he would move to Montreal and start up Cargo Records. Cargo Records would go on to release SNFU's "Better than a Stick in the Eye" and "The Last of the Big Time Suspenders". The songs that make up this compilation are :
1. The Touch - Nerve Gas Attack
2. The Thieves - What's Old is What's New
3. Route 66 - Where is She During the Week?
4. Facecrime - I Know Some People
5. Down Syndrome - You're a punk
6. Malibu Kens - Party's Over
7. SNFU - (Real Men Don't Watch) Quincy
8. The Standards - Break Out
9. Malibu Kens - 421-1111
10. The Thieves - Screams
11. SNFU - Grunt, Groan, Rant and Rave
12. Facecrime - Did I Hear You Right?
13. The Touch - Family Tree
14. Down Syndrome - Bums
15. Route 66 - Had Enough of This
Thursday, November 24, 1983
The Subhumans "No Wishes, No Prayers"
1. Canada’s Favorite Sport
2. Moron Majority
3. For the Common Good
4. Helicopter
3. For the Common Good
4. Helicopter
5. Slap in the Face
6. Screwed Up
7. America Commits Suicide
8. Hiroshima
9. No Wishes, No Prayers
10. Mobile Electric Chair
11. Breaking Point
12. Googolplex
11. Breaking Point
12. Googolplex
Sunday, November 20, 1983
Nils cassette
The Nils recorded this cassette release at CRSG in Concordia. The folks in the band included Alex on vocals, Karim on guitar, Fit on bass, and Terry on drums. The songs on here are:
1. In an Instant
2. The Back Flow
3. Scratches and Needles
4. Give Me Time
5. The Gathering
Below is the lyric sheet for the demo.
Saturday, November 19, 1983
Negative Gain "Invasion of Killer Bears" cassette
Not sure when this came out, but it was before the "Back from the Dead" recording. I think it might have 1983 or 1984. Above is the cover from the release, which was loaned to me by Steve Milo for scanning purposes. Below is the lyric sheet found in the cassette. The songs on here are:
1. Psychic Hours
2. Situation All Fucked Up
3. We Believe
4. Something for Everyone
5. Loss of Self
6. Descend on Youth
7. Knowledge Doubles
8. Military Aid
9. One Way Living
10. Presidents Women
11. Nothing I Can Do
12. Destinys Uncertain
13. When the Pounding Stops
Thursday, November 17, 1983
Friday, November 4, 1983
Negative Gain was founded in Toronto, Ontario by Peter Warner who wrote all of the lyrics and provided rehearsal space in his basement. Filling out the lineup was Grant C. Slavin on guitar, Steve Currie on bass, and Andrew Mosely on drums. All members were in their mid-teens at the time. Their influences included Minor Threat, Millions of Dead Cops, the Misfits, and the Dead Kennedys, as well as local TO bands Direct Action and Sudden Impact.
Negative Gain got their first break in ‘83 when we were asked by local Toronto promoter Jill Heath to open for Jodie Fosters Army at the city’s legendary punk club The Turning Point. After the show Pete and Grant went skateboarding with JFA. The evening was documented in a subsequent issue of Thrasher as JFA’s guitarist Don Pendelton was writing a column for the rag documenting their tour. Other memorable Negative Gain gigs around this time include warming up for bands like the Circle Jerks, Gang Green, the Descendents and 7 Seconds. The young thrash band soon went from listening to their favorite bands’ records on a daily basis to hanging out with them backstage and stealing their beer rider!
More help from Jill Heath came when the promoter sent Negative Gain’s 1985 demo tape, Attack of the Killer Bears, to Pushead for review. Pushead evidently like the tape so much that he offered to release a full-length LP for the band. Negative Gain recorded their album in Oakville, Ontario in about five hours on a Saturday afternoon, as studio time was limited to what the young band could afford to spend on the recording.
Wednesday, November 2, 1983
Jolly Tambourine Man "Apple Streudel Man"
I wrote an essay on topics of deviance on this video for a second year Sociology course. My friend and Giller prize winner Joseph Boyden loaned the band his snake for the video. It used to get played on New Music.