Flyer - Saturday, December 31st, 1983

Crucifix from San Francisco played Ottawa on New Year's Eve in 1983. Heart Attack from New York City were also on the bill as were Reagan Youth and False Prophets. This is an incredible line up. This flyer is courtesy of Lisa Deanne's archive.

Direct Action at the Turning Point

New Year's Eve at the Turning Point.

Various Artists "Medium Raw" tape

I get the sense that this was teh first ever comp to document the Victoria scene. This is almost excusively bands from vancouver island with a few exceptions. The comp was put out by BYO and Tim Yohannon had this to say about it "An excellent long-player's worth of British Columbia's current crop of bands. The Neos appear with some previously released material, but the rest (Automatic Shock, Chronic Submission, Jerk Ward, LSD, House of Commons, Red Tide, the Infamous Scientists, SS Top, Da Jeep, and the cool Dayglo Abortions) all chip in with new material, most of which is fine. Very little filler." -(from Maximum Rocknroll #12, March 1984)

1. The Neos - Typical Obligatory Anti-Government Song2. The Neos - Life Sentence
3. The Neos - I Don't Want to Be
4. The Neos - Sexual Revolution
5. Automatic Shock - Mushrooms
6. Automatic Shock - Fuck Off
7. Chronic Submission - Sick of Reality
8. Chronic Submission - Narc
9. LSD - Ursula
10. SS-Top - Swamp Stomp
11. House of Commons - Way Down South
12. House of Commons - Do You Feel Low
13. House of Commons - Feed Us Feed Us
14. House of Commons - American Patriot
15. Jerk Ward - I Love the Girls
16. Jerk Ward - Major Threat
17. Jerk Ward - UFO
18. Infamous Scientists - Noise 'n' Rhythm
19. Infamous Scientists - I Can't Get the Sounds I Want
20. Da Jeep - Anti-Sex
21. Red Tide - My Son Is a Kuwahara
22. Red Tide - NATO Actionaut
23. Dayglo Abortions - Bedtime Story
24. Dayglo Abortions - Proud to Be a Canadian
25. Dayglo Abortions - Arg Fuck Kill
26. Dayglo Abortions - Nuclear Supremacy

Suburban Menace demo

Suburban Menace were a band from Victoria and more recently appeared on the "All Your Ears Can Hear" comp. This band was the band that would develop into Red Tide. They released a demo in 1983 that was self-titled. The songs on it were:

1. Outta My Way

2. Serena Dunk Fuck Off

3. What's So Wrong?

4. Fear to Live

5. Surf Zone

Flyer - Thursday December 22, 1983

Flyer - Saturday December 22, 1979

Flyer - Wednesday, Decemeber 21st - Thursday, December 22nd, 1983

This was WRATH's first Toronto show. According to Pierre, the guitarist of Wrath, MICRO EDGE got them this gig.

Flyer - "Sin" 12"

Flyer - Friday, December 9, 1983

Flyer - Friday December 9, 1983

The Terminals and 10,000 Screaming Appaches were from London, Ontario. They came down and played a show at the Turning Point and Direct Action, Chronic Submission, and BFG opened up for them.

DOA Bumper Sticker

Flyer - Sunday December 4, 1983

BFG plays the Quoc Te, which was across the street from the Fort.

Video interview - L'Etranger on New Music

Daniel Ritcheler of New Music did an interview with L'Etranger on their front porch. Thanks to Chalrie Angus for sharing this link.

Flyer - Saturday December 3, 1983

I have heard about Quarantine. One of the members went on to become Blue Demon. This show took place at the Upper Lip, which was a club on Yonge Street across from the Gasworks. I think Buzz from Direct Action and Andy Ford played in A.P.B.

Scene reports in MRR

Although these are set up to be scene reports the first section on Winnipeg os really an interview that Vic Bondi of Articles of Faith did with the Stretch Marks. The second report on Montreal is an interview by Lisa bat with S.C.U.M. The third page is a scene report about Victoria. The main news is about the "Medium Raw" comp. These three piece appeared in MRR #10 which came out December 1983. Click on the image files to enlarge the reports to a readable size.

MRR Review - S.C.U.M. "So Much Hate" tape

Tim Yohannon write this review for MRR of the S.C.U.M. cassette. I had no idea that there was aa tape that came out before the album. This appeared in issue #10, which came out in December 1983. Click on image to enlarge it to a readable size.

MRR Review - Personailty Crisis "Creatures for Awhile" LP

Steve Spinali wrote this review for MRR of the Personality Crisis. This appeared in issue #9, which came out in October 1983. Click on image to enlarge it to a readable size.

Flyer - Thursday December 1 - Saturday December 3, 1983

Three nights at the Turning Point (192 Bloor Street West) with the Young Lions.

L'Etranger "One People" video

This is a video I used to watch on City Limits.

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.

Flyer - 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 :

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

The Subhumans "No Wishes, No Prayers"

This was released on SST in 1983. The songs on here are:

1. Canada’s Favorite Sport

2. Moron Majority
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

For more on the Subhumans discography check out http://subhumans.ca/discography/.

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.

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

Flyer - Thursday, November 17 - Friday November 18th, 1983

Here is a post from http://www.last.fm/music/Negative+Gain which is a pretty good summary.

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.

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.

Quarantine

Quarantine live at the Turning Point

Chronic Submission "Why"

This was footage from the Turning Point.

Raw footage from Not Dead Yet video.

Personality Crisis "Creatures for Awhile" LP

Personality Crisis were from Winnipeg originally. This was an LP recorded back in 1983 and has been recently re-issued on a label called Worker Cooperative. The songs on here are:

1. Vampires Dream

2. Mrs. Palmer

3. Twilights Last Gleaming

4. The Advocate

5. Double Take

6. People in Glass

7. The Look

8. Creatures for Awhile

9. Scavengers

10. Wild Game

11. Namedropper

12. Tyrants

Flyer - Friday October 28, 1983

This is a Hallowe'en show out at the Music Hall on 1087 Queen Street West. The Viletones headline over the Effigies who came in from Chicago. Direct Action opens up and so does the new band of Mike Nightmare's who are called the Wild Things.

Flyer - Thursday, October 27, 1983

DOA plays a free gig for Rock Against Racism in MacArthur Park with Gears and Silencers.

63 Monroe "Henry VIII" ep

This single came out on Savvy Records in 1983. The songs on here are:
1. Henry VIII
2. Soup To Nuts

At the time 63 Munroe was Steven R. Stunning - vocals, Marky Burnaway - guitar, vocals, Pete Dekoker - bass, vocals, Jeff "Rooster' Rooth - drums, vocals, and back-up vocals by Susie Creem Cheese. This record was produced by Davin deKergommeaux, Rob Nation and Joe Vaughan at Emac Studios.

Flyer - Friday, October 21, 1983

Stretch Marks "Who's in Charge" ep

One of the all time greats from Winnipeg. This is one of the all time classic Canadian hardcore records. Stretch Marks, along with Personality Crisis, were at the forefront of the Winnepeg punk scene in the eighties. Mixing a love for wrestling with Minor Threat-style hardcore, they put out a 7” on their own Headbutt label in 1983 and toured Canada and the United States. Songs on here are:

1. Who's in Charge
2. Force Fucker
3. Dog's World
4. Barren Cities
5. Sik Pleasure
6. Professional Punks

Various Artists "T.O. Hardcore '83" cassette

This was a compilation put together by Brian Tailor, the singer of Youth Youth Youth. Brian was very active in the early Toronto hardcore scene. He was able to record bands for short sessions at Accusonic, which is how this comp came together and has unique recordings for all these early hardcore bands. As the cover says, 7 bands for 23 songs featuring A.P.B., Chronic Submission, Dead End, Direct Action, the Young Lions, Youth Youth Youth, and Zeroption. The track listing is as follows:

1. Bonehead Music – Oh Canaduh
2. A.P.B. – Constant Threat
3. A.P.B. – Know My Name
4. Chronic Submission – Go For It
5. Chronic Submission – Cops Ain’t Tops
6. Chronic Submission – I Hate Preppies
7. Chronic Submission – They’re Fucked
8. Dead End – Youth Now
9. Dead End – We’re Not Dead
10. Dead End – Government vs. You and me
11. Direct Action – 19AD4
12. Direct Action – U.X.B.
13. Direct Action – Eat the Rich
14. Young Lions – Shithole
15. Young Lions – Progress
16. Young Lions – Lizard for a Day
17. Young Lions – Defy the State
18. Youth Youth Youth – White Reggae
19. Youth Youth Youth – Wanderlust
20. Youth Youth Youth – Made in England
21. Youth Youth Youth – Domination
22. Zeroption – Traitor, Red
23. Zeroption – Live Your Life
24. Zeroption – Rain of Terror

Young Lions 3rd Cassette

I am guessing that this came out in 1983 or 1984. Songs found on this cassette release are:

1. Pray for Julie

2. Guns and Children

3. Young Amerika

4. National Security

5. Royal Killers

Youth Youth Youth "Sin" 12"

This is my favourite Toronto hardcore record of all time if not my favourite hardcore record of all time. The music is amazing. The lyrics are amazing. It was released in 1983 by Fringe Product, which was a label that the Record Peddler did to put out local stuff and license imports domestically. The record was reviewed by Jeff Bale of MRR as "Canada's Y.Y.Y. play real fast punk rather than thrash. The tempos are driving, the guitars are plenty loud, the singing exhibits a lot of emotion, and the lyrics are very thoughtful. I like every song individually, but then played back-to-back, they tend to run together a bit due to the unusually consistent tempos and vocal inflections. It's a high-powered debut, though." Tracks found on "Sin" are:

1. Greed
2. Philosphy
3. Wanderlust
4. Headline Hunters
5. Fire in the Rain
6. White Reggae
7. Sinistre

Dead End - Where Do We Go From Here cassette

Dead End were a first wave hardcore band from Toronto. Like so many of their contemporaries, Dead End self-released their full length recordings on cassette. Cassette was a legitimate format baxck in the day and allowed bands to released smaller runs and to run them off on their tape decks or take them down to Accudub and make copies of 50 or 100. "Where Do We go From Here" is one such release. Click on the song titles to download an MP3 version of the song. The song titles on this release are:

1. The Subversive Pool
2. Sheep Don't Care
3. The System (Its Got You)
4. North Scout Guard
5. Company
6. Blindsight
7. Pickup
8. End of the Rope
9. World So Shit

10. How Do You Love

Click here for full sized AIFF versions of the songs.

Dead End "Where Do We Go From Here" cassette lyrics

Here are the lyric sheets that accompany the "Where Do We Go From Here" cassette.

Flyer - Saturday October 1, 1983

MRR Review - Silent Minority "Jungle of Lies" cassette

Tim Yohannon write this review for MRR of the Silent majority tape. This appeared in issue #9, which came out in October 1983. Click on image to enlarge it to a readable size.

MRR Review - Red Tide "Rundown" cassette

Tim Yohannon write this review for MRR of the Red Tide cassette. This appeared in issue #9, which came out in October 1983. Click on image to enlarge it to a readable size.

MRR Review - Living Proof ep review in MRR

Jeff Bale write this review for MRR of the Living Proof ep. This appeared in issue #9, which came out in October 1983. Click on image to enlarge it to a readable size.

MRR Review - DOA "Right to be Wild" in MRR

Jeff Bale write this review for MRR of the DOA single "Right to be Wild". This appeared in issue #9, which came out in October 1983. Click on image to enlarge it to a readable size.

Flesh Columns "Schweigen vor dem Storm" ep

This Windsor band had a release on Touch 'n Go Records.

Tim Yohannon reviewed the ep as "Buzzsaw fuzzed-out guitars, pounding tom-toms, nimble bass playing, echoey singing, slightly metallish arrangements, and "destroy the system" lyrics characterize the first release by this Windsor, Ontario band. Most of the songs are more punk than thrash, though the tempos do pick up at times. This record has a '78 feel to it, which makes it a nice alternative." in MRR #11, January / February 1984. the songs found on this release include :

01. Where Did They Go
02. Muammar Khadafi
03. Time's Up
04. Ban Nestles Products

Chronic Submission "Sick of Reality" tape

This came out on Brain Taylor's tape label N.R.K. This was the fifth release by the label or it was labelled NRK 005 as a category number. Tim Yohannon described the tape as "one with some rippers. Chronic Submission mainly produce mid-tempo punk. The high-quality recording highlights the guitarist's fine licks." MRR #11, January / February 1984. This was released in 1983.

1. Sick of Reality
2. Walked Away
3. Kill the Press
4. Pantyhose
5. Plastic Punk
6. Streetcar Windows
7. Baby Killer
8. No Remorse
9. Bulldozer
10. Get Lost Bitch
11. Psychopath
12. In Hiding and On the Run
13. Death Squad
14. Whose Right Is It?
15. Chronic Submission
16. Narc
17. Go 4 It
18. Cops Ain't Tops
19. Kids, Krime and Kaos
20. Nuclear Threat
21. Take Action
22. Running with Anger
23. They're Fucked
24. I Hate Preppies
26. Oscar

Making Time for Thoughtcrime has a download for this tape, but the songs are in a different order.

Toronto scene report in MRR

This scene report was written by Ron Barnes and it appeared in Issue #8 of MRR which came out in September 1983. Ron reports on the state of clubs at the time mentioning that Jill heath was starting to book all ages shows. There is mention of an MDC show where the band got busted for possession and got in a whole heap of trouble after that. Chronic Submission were about to record the Sick of Reality tape. The YYY 12" was just about to come out. Direct Action had to cancel a recording session because Xig stabbed himself by accident. There was also mentions of the next wave of hardcore bands which included Dead End, A.P.B., and Afhakken.

Flyer - Saturday, August 27th, 1983