Flyer - Sunday, September 29th, 1985

Flyer - Friday, September 27th, 1985

S.C.U.M. "Born Too Soon" LP

S.C.U.M. stood for Society Controlled Under Murderers. The police in Montreal were known as the C.U.M. (Communaute Urbaine de Montreal) and they had street signs up for them so this was an easy grafitti thing to do was to put S's in front of their acronym. The4 band released "Born Too Soon" on Psyche Industries back in 1985. Sonik's Chicken Shrimp re-released all of SCUM's material on a CD, including the P.E.A.C.E comp song and the 'It came From the Pit" song. The songs on the original album are:

1. Home Away from Home

2. Ain't No You

3. American Mould

4. Double Cross

5. Bunker Life

6. Go To War

7. Junk Head

8. Beer Can Nightmare

9. Pyramid Mall Blues

10. So M.U.C.H. Hate

11. Pool Hunt

12. Exit Death

13. No Hope Religion

Various Artists "Questionable"

This was a comp largely put together by Al.istair James of Living Proof and Glenn Jones of the Animal Stags, who recorded these bands in their house or jam space. Using Glenn Jones' last name he called the label Jonestown. According to a Now Magazine article the comp was a fundraiser for the DMZ which was a hardcore club that BFG started running on Spadina just south of College. The songs on here are:

Side A
1. LIVING PROOF - To Be a Young Man
2. LIVING PROOF - Strange, Sunday Strange
3. LIVING PROOF - Been Runnin' Around
4. ANIMAL STAGS - Slinkin'
5. ANIMAL STAGS - For You
6. ANIMAL STAGS - Teenage Blowjob

Side B
7. MADHOUSE - Arrowhead
8. MADHOUSE - Ain't that Funny (about love)
9. MADHOUSE - Road to Glory
10. BUNCHOFUCKINGOOFS - Destroy All Automobiles
11. BUNCHOFUCKINGOOFS - Alcoholiday turned Alcoholocaust
12. BUNCHOFUCKINGOOFS - KAL 007

DOA "Let's Wreck the Party" LP

This record was given out at a record release show tha band did in Toronto. There was handfuls of them around in used record stores for years after. And to be honest it was a fall from grace. This is the first time DOA started to venture into more commercial territory like the Clash did with "Combat Rock". DOA were a band that politically motivated m,e so it wa shard to take covers of "Singin' in the Rain" had I need seen them do this at the Upper Lip many years prior and where the crowd spontaneously starting gobbing in the air to make it rain. So although it seems like a weird choice for a cover DOA had given the song a punk context. Sure songs like "Race Riot" and "General Strike" still had the fire but they were songs that were from an earlier time and they finally made it to vinyl. Here is the cover of the UK press that Music Ruined My Life posted up. They have a great piece on this release.

Here are some reviews of the record collected by Kill From the Heart.

Sometimes when you go after a certain thing, you have to sacrifice something else along the way. DOA may be sacrificing a few of their earlier fans who don't care or understand their new, cleaner sound. Or the sax. Or the keyboards. But they have a much more powerful sound than on their earlier records, and it is more of a "rock" sound. included: their cover of "Singin' in the Rain" and "General Strike."
-Dogtowne (from Maximum Rocknroll #25, May/June 1985)

Let's Wreck The Party?? A juvenile or political statement? Need you ask? This is D.O.A., and their latest album is one fine production of music and thought. This album is packed full of energy and just like their real show it carries you through levels of intensity with powerful songs like "Our World", "Dangerman", "Murder in Hollywood" and "Trial by Media", mixed with the D.O.A. version of "Singing in the Rain" and their funk song "Dance O' Death" (I think you could break dance to this one).
An overall quality production from beginning to end and even the packaging is great, pretty much what you've come to expect from D.O.A.
-Bill Bored (from Warning #15, April/May/June 1985)

Overall, a disappointment for me. The production was supposed to be so good, but it sounds so shallow. In fact, I'd say that's the worst thing about this record. I respect D.O.A. so much, but now they lack the unbridled energy of the Chuck Biscuits era. Yeah, I know they've changed their sound. I don't expect them to play as fast as they used to. The Peel Session is proof that they can sound good with this line-up, but it's not so evident here. Even if "Singin' in the Rain" was a mistake, the rest of the lyrics are excellent, as usual. I'm sure the next D.O.A. record will sound better.
-Brian Trudell (from Ink Disease #10, Winter 1985)

While DOA veer a bit into a more commercial orientation and slicker production, their energy and sense of commitment are still intact, proving the band to be a survivor. From the opening "Our World", to the anthemnic title cut to the final strains of the rerecorded "Burn It Down", DOA fail to disappoint. An added maturity in terms of musicianship, songwriting and musical structure gives the record an added kick with Joey's vocals cutting all the deep and bringing up the overall guitar sound immensely. Still as vital a band as ever.
-Mike Gitter (from xXx #12, Fall 1985)

1. Our World
2. Dangerman
3. Race Riot
4. Singin' In the Rain
5. Dance o' Death
6. General Strike
7. Let's Wreck the Party
8. Shout Out
9. Murder In Hollywood
10. The Warrior Ain't No More
11. No Way Out
12. Trial By Media

Alternative Tentacles was responsible for this release.

Zine - The Pig Paper #22

Click for download

MRR Scene Report - Ottawa, September 1985