Flyer - Saturday, February 29th, 2020

Flyer - Saturday, February 29th, 2020

Flyer - Friday, February 28th, 2020

Radio - Sunday, February 23rd, 2020

Tonight's show starts out with a tribute to the Wet'suwet'en protesters involved in the stand offs across the country. This is followed up by a feature on the Not Your Babe fest in Montreal. And we finish with a feature on Cali skate punk. Download the show here. 

Wet'suwet'en supporter set list
SUBHUMANS - For the Common Good (SST)
WEIRDOS - Hey Big Oil (Frontier)
DOA - Royal Police (Quintessence / Sudden Death)
DEATH SENTENCE - R.C.M.P. (Undergrowth / Fringe)
BLACK FLAG - Police Story (SST)
RESISTANT CULTURE - Civilized Aggression (Seventh Generation / Spiral / Profane Existence)
SAGO - White Lies (Self-Released)
AK47 - Dare To Struggle, Dare To Win (Self-Released)
LOS CRUDOS - Naciste con voz (Lengua Armada)
HASSLER – Trainwreck (Beach Impediment)
MDC - Destroying the Planet (Yellow Dog / Peculio Discos / Sudden Death)
NO PROBLEM - No Justice No Peace (Deranged / Taken by Surprise)
DISCHARGE - State Violence State Control (Clay / Telefunken / Havoc)
KNUCKLEHEAD – Loggerheads (Longshot / Whiskey Voice)
PROPAGANDHI - Oka Everywhere (Recess / G-7 Welcoming Committee)
ONE BLOOD – Indian Summer (Gern Blandsten)

Wet’suwet’en Standoff Timeline:
Dec 31, 2019 – BC Supreme Court grants Coastal GasLink an injunction for removal of obstacles
Jan. 1, 2020 – Wet’suwet’en First Nation serves Coastal GasLink with an eviction notice telling workers that they are trespassing on unceded territory
Jan 27th – BC Government appoints Nathan Cullen as provincial liaison
Jan 30th – The hereditary chiefs agree to seven days of meetings with the province
Feb 5th – Talks fail
Feb 6th – Protesters outside of Belleville start holding up railway traffic
Feb 7th VIA rail halts service in this transit corridor. CN obtains a court injunction to end the demonstration
Feb 8 – Protesters disrupt CP Rail in Toronto
Feb 9th Kahnawake Mohawk community members set up a blockade
Feb 10th – Demonstrators in Montreal disrupt commuter service
Feb 11th – CN stops trabnsport between Prince George and prince Rupert because of blockade near Hazelton, BC

Feb 12th - CN obtain court order for Manitoba protest. The RCMp say they have ended enforcement in BC, but they still have their trailers there.
Feb 14th – Blockade in BC is lifted as First nations agree to meet with Federal Government
Feb 15th – Indigeneous Services Minister Marc Miller meets with Mohawk First NationFeb 16th – A brief blockade shut down an Ontario border crossing
Feb 17th – Trudeau convenes an Incident response group for a national crisis. Moments later a brideg in the Thousand Islands closed as a result of a new blockade
Feb 24th - RCMP move in to close the blockade in Kahnawake. Another blockade opens up outside of Guelph

A Land Back Emergency Benefit show is set for February 29th at Baby G. Bands playing include Bad Waitress, Haxan, Cellphone, Bleeding Out, and Renuncio. 

Not Your Babe Fest is a festival happening in Montreal at the beginning of March. Here is some of those bands you can make the track to the punk capital of Canada. 

FLAT TEETH – Stand
THE AWKWERDS – Incel
PANDEMIX - Synthetix (Boss Tuneage / Dirt Cult)
CALAMIDAD – Pesadilla
CES CADAVERES – Petrificados (Self-Released)
OISEAU DE PROLE – Predateur (Self-Released)
SOGA – Es Tarde (Self-Released)
GAZM – Stupid Motherfucker (Self-Released)
BUG BITES – Creeper (Self-Released)
SPIRIT CRY – Darkness Provides (Self-Released)
OLOR A MUERTE – Fuck Your Macho behaviour (Self-Released)
RINA – Cansada (Self-Released)
LUX - Combat (Self-Released)

Some of these bands are playing in Toronto on Sunday March 8th at See-Scape, which includes Lux (from Barcelona), Soga (from Mexico), Maldita, and Bad Option.

DJ Waves was in Los Angeles last week and saw a lot of skaters which made her think about the origins of Cali skate punk.

BLACK FLAG - Wasted (SST)
SUICIDAL TENDENCIES – Possessed to Skate (Frontier)
ADOLESCENTS - Skate Babylon (S.O.S. / Triple X / Armageddon / Nickel and Dime)
FIDLAR - Wake, Bake, Skate
SUBLIME - We're Only Gonna Die For Our Arrogance (Skunk)

CIRCLE JERKS - Wild in the Streets (Frontier)
CRYSTAL FAIRY - Crystal Fairy (Ipecoc)
DEFTONES - My Own Summer (Maverick)
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS - Right on Time (Warner Brothers)
GERMS - Lexicon Devil (Slash)

FRAGMENT - Death Machine (Rawmantic Disaster / Desolate / Hardcore Hell)

Radio - Sunday, February 16th, 2020

As part of Black History Month tonight we are looking at the influence that Jamaican music had on the post-punk scene. Specifically the ska revival movement in the late 70's and early 80's. Download an mp3 file here.

We start with “Armagedeon Time”, a song played a few times on the show but only as the Willie Williams version or the Clash’s version, but never mixed together. The song was originally in Malton in 1979 for Coxsone Dodd’s label and was covered by the CLASH on “Black Market Clash” a year later. I took the Willie Williams version and mixed it with the two versions that appear on “Black Market Clash” to start out tonight’s show. We have prepared a number of mixes for tonight's show that start with the original and mmix in the cover. 

WILLIE WILLIAMS / THE CLASH - Armagedeon Time / Justice Tonight / Kick It Over (Coxsone // Epic / Nu Disc)

We start with an interview with Don Letts carried out by Donna G of "The More the Merrier" talking about the movie “Rudeboy” which is a new movie about Trojan Records. Trojan was a legendary label from the UK responsible for releasing so many of the early Jamaican records. The label is best known for ska. Donna G and I talked many times over the next couple of months about the interview, about the movie and she agreed to let us re-air this interview on tonight’s show. Here is the playlist in the interview

KING STITT – Fire Corner (New Beat)
TONY TRIBE / UB40 – Red Red Wine (Downtown / Fontana / United Artists // Virgin / A and M / DEP)
DAVE AND ANSEL COLLINS /THE SPECIALS - Double Barrel (Trojan / Techniques / Big Time / Wind / Sterling Sound / Island / Big Tree // Receiver / Trojan / Black Butcher)
BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS - Punky Reggae Party (Island)

Prince Buster was the biggest influence on the ska revival. The band MADNESS took their name from the song written by Cecil Eustace Campbell, better known as Prince Buster. The song was originally released as a single in 1962 and covered by the London ska revival band and released on their debut “One Step Beyond”. Here is the Prince Buster playlist....

PRINCE BUSTER / MADNESS – Madness (Blue Beat / Fab / Prince Buster / Sequel // Stiff)
PRINCE BUSTER / THE SPECIALS – Too Hot (Blue Beat // Two-Tone / Chrysalis)
PRINCE BUSTER / THE SPECIALS / BAD MANNERS – Al Capone / Gangsters (XYZ / Blue Beat / Spartan // Two-Tone / Chrysalis // Ska in the World / Randale)
PRINCE BUSTER / THE SPECIALS – 10 Commandments (Prince Buster // Island / UMC)
PRINCE BUSTER / THE ENGLISH BEAT – Rough Rider (Fab / Blue Beat / Prince Buster / Skank / Westmoor // Sire / Go Feet)
PRINCE BUSTER / THE ENGLISH BEAT – Wash the Pum Pum / Whine and Grind / Stand Down Margaret (Prince Buster / Skank / Westmoor // Sire / Go Feet)

Too Hot
There were other bands that covered Prince Buster. The SPECIALS took a B-side from a 1967 single called “Too Hot” and re-recorded it for their first LP.

Al Capone / Gangsters
Another song they did was a song the SPECIALS called “Gangsters”, but was known as "Al Capone". Prince Buster released this sing in 1965 and the SPECIALS released it as their first single which was a split with the SELECTER who are also from Coventry. 

10 Commandments
The 10 Commandments was one of Prince Buster’s biggest hits released in 1967. It was covered by many including the SPECIALS for their recent release “Encore” which does a proper 180 from the female perspective. It is probably my favourite of the ska era re-makes, which I originally heard on a podcast called “Ska-Phase” on Razorcake.

Rough Rider / Wash the Pum Pum / Whine and Grind
Then the ENGLISH BEAT also covered Prince Buster a couple of times on their first album “I Just Can’t Stop it”. Rough Rider was released in 1968 and “Whine and Grind’ which was titled “Wash the Pum Pum” by Prince Buster in 1969 and the English Beat turn it into one of their most famous songs which is a criticism of the Thatcher government and becomes an even greater insult knowing the original title.

***

Everyday (Times Hard)
Written by George Agard of the PIONEERS, a cousin of Desmond Dekker’s, this song was first covered by the SELECTER in 1980 and then by the RESTARTS in 1997. I first heard it in our studio 3 session with the RESTARTS back when “Outsider” was released.

THE PIONEERS / SELECTER / RESTARTS – Everyday (Times Hard) (Trojan // Two Tone / Chrysalis // Social Bomb / Active)
THE PIONEERS – THE ENGLISH BEAT – Jackpot (Amalgamated // Sire / Go Feet)
THE PIONEERS / THE SPECIALS – Long Shot Kick de Bucket (Trojan // Two-Tone / Chrysalis)
DESMOND DEKKER / THE SPECIALS – 007 (Shanty Town) (Trojan // Kuff / Virgin)

Long Shot Kick de Bucket
THE SPECIALS also covered the 1968 single “Long Shot Kick de Bucket” under a live recording from 1979.

Jackpot
Released in 1968 on a number of singles and an album, this was another of the PIONEERS hits. This gets covered by the ENGLISH BEAT and gets a memorable toast added by Rankin’ Roger in the middle to modernize the song.

007 (Shanty Town)
Originally released in 1967, Desmond Dekker wrote the hit along with so many others. In the movie Rudeboy, there is a scene re-enactment of Desmond being mobbed by a crowd. He was a star with songs like “Israelites”, “Many Rivers to Cross”, “Pickney Gal”. The Specials would cover him later in their career.

***

Rudy, A Message To You
Recorded by Dandy Livingstone in 1967 this song was the lead track on the SPECIALS LP and was probably one of the best known covers as a result.

DANDY LIVINGSTON / THE SPECIALS – Rudy, A Message to You (Ska Beat // Two-Tone / Chrysalis)
TOOTS AND THE MAYTALS / THE SPECIALS – Monkey Man (Universal / Island // Two-Tone / Chrysalis)
DAVE AND ANSEL COLLINS / SELECTER - Monkey Spanner (Techniques / Trojan / Interfusion / Big Tree // Receiver)
ROLAND ALPHONSO / BAD MANNERS – El Pussycat (Trojan // Magnet / Beograd)
CLANCY ECCLES / BAD MANNERS – Fattie Fattie (New Beat / Trojan // Magnet)

Monkey Man
Written by TOOTS AND THE MAYTALS and released in 1969 on “Sweet and Dandy”. The song would be covered by the SPECIALS and would be one of the more well known songs for it’s rawkousness.

Monkey Spanner
The opening intro should give you an idea of where MADNESS stole their bit for “One Step Beyond”. SELECTER did a cover later in their career to give the duo their due. This song originally came out in 1971.

El Pussycat
BAD MANNERS also covered Roland Alphonso’s “El Pussycat”. It was slightly rude and had the sexual double entrende. This was covered on their first album “Loonie Tunes”

Fattie Fattie
This song was written by Clancy Eccles who was part of Coxsonne Dodd’s stable. This song came out as a single and an album in 1969 and was covered by BAD MANNERS on their debut album “Ska ‘n B” It was an anthem for the singer who’s stage name is Fatty Buster Blood Vessel.

****

James Bond
Spies were an early theme in Jamaican ska and Jackie Mittoo did the theme song which was covered by SELECTER. Jackie Mittoo would have a song written about him by SUPERCHUNK called “me and You and Jackie Mittoo” and was a legendary keyboard player and producer in Coxsonne Dodd’s studios.

JACKIE MITTOO / SELECTER – James Bond (Mango / Island // Two-Tone / Chrysalis)
THE UPSETTERS / SELECTER - Return of the Ugly (Punch / Upsetter // Receiver / Trojan)

Return of the Ugly
Written by Lee Perry’s studio band the UPSETTERS and released as a single in 1969. Covered by a later period SELECTER in 2000 and released as part of a series of Trojan songbook tributes.

Skinhead Moonstomp
Symarip wrote this song in the studio in one take and it was released on Treasure Isle in 1969. It became an anthem, inspired many ska songs about the moon and was a tribute to the British born allies.

SYMARIP / ARTHUR AND THE SPOONERS - Skinhead Moonstomp (Trojan // Steeltown / Contra)

Flyer - Saturday, February 15th, 2020

Radio - Sunday, February 9th, 2020

We started out tonight's show with a song called "Outbreak" because of all the news about the coronavirus. You can download the show here. 

FOSTER CARE - Outbreak (Total Punk)

Top 10 - January 2020
10. FATAL BRUTAL - Veg von hier (Kink)
9. NUKKEHAMMER - Kills (Self-Released)
8. FREQUENCIA DE MUERTE - Capaz De Moria (Armageddom)
7. KONTAKTA - Blood Junkies (Militant Tendencies)
6. IENA - Con il sangue agli occhi (SOA / Timebomb)

5. BKS - DIY TNT (Savage Wolf)
4. FLAG OF DEMOCRACY – Cops and Teachers (SRA)
3. ELECTRIC CHAIR - Low (Iron Lung)
2. THE CRAWLERS - General Betray Us (Amok / Stealth Ordeal / Hooked)
1. MUTILATED TONGUE - Out of the Darkest Rut (Armageddon)

THE OBGMs - Paranoid Paranoia (Self-Released)
PLEASURE VENOM - I Can't Find My Black Lipstick (Self-Released)
SATE - Warrior (Ouch / Cristal)
DEATH - Keep on Knocking (Drag City)
CRYSTAL AXIS - Leopold (Self-Released)

PLEASURE VENOM - Deth (Self-Released)
BLXLTN - Blood on the Sand (Wolfshield)
MAAFA - Welfare (Self-Released)
THE OBGMs - Torpedo (Self-Released)

BAD BRAINS - House of the Suffering
RED ARKADE - Fuck that Shit (Self-Released)
THE TXLIPS BAND - Another Tear (Self-Released)
BLACK PANTERA - Rede Social
NATIONAL WAKE - International News (Fresh Music / WEA International)

MIDNITE SNAXXX - She Don't Want That (Slovenly)
HETEROFOBIA - Me das asco (Drunken Sailor)
BOOJI BOYS - Tube Reducer (Drunken Sailor)
DAYGLO ABORTIONS - Nuclear Supremeacy (Supreme Echo)
DROIDS BLOOD - Reality (Drunken Sailor)

MCRAKINS - Hey Deannie (Warters schlEchte)
HEART ATTACK KIDS - Plutonic Love Bomb (New Damage)
BLACK HALOS - Three Sheets to the Wind (I Used to Fuck People Like You in Prison / Liquor and Poker)
DEATHSTICKS - Fridge Nachos (Self-Released)

DEAD MILKMEN - A Message to You Rudy
SHRINKWRAP KILLERS - Stolen Electronics to Shove Up Your Ass (Iron Lung)

Radio - Sunday, February 2nd, 2020

Still Thinking was initially a zine that published three issues and then became a label that put out two releases. And although that doesn't sound like much there was a lot of unique things about this zine and label. The zine was the combined efforts of some regular and one off contributors which evolved around these kids who went to the same high school in Port Credit. I interviewed Shawn Chirrey (Tomorrow is Too Late) and Vik Adhopia (CBC radio reporter) who were two of the main contributors about the issues and the interviews that appeared in them. Vik worked at the school's yearbook and brought his early journalism and layout skills to the zine. And Shawn had a familial hook up to a printer and the zine was a four page saddlle stiched booklet that made the zine looked pretty professional. The zine stood out not only for their looks but for their coverage which was a mix of hardcore, industrial, metal, and other sounds that made up the alternative scene at the time. Then we talk about the label departure which started out with a local compilation that doubled as a benefit for Nicaragua. And finally the North American licensing of the Heresy "Face Up To It" LP that was not exclusive and basically sunk the label. A music playlist gets developed around our conversations that was not what I expected. Here is their story. 

DESCENDENTS - Suburban Home (SST)  
Still Thinking interview (CIUT)
THE CURSE - Shoeshine Boy (Hi Fi)
Still Thinking interview (CIUT)
7 SECONDS - Walk Together, Rock Together (BYO / Positive Force)
Still Thinking interview (CIUT)
HYPE - It's All Hype (Reuben Kincaide)
Still Thinking interview (CIUT)
THE CRUCIFUCKS - Hinkley Had a Vision (Alternative Tentacles)
Still Thinking interview (CIUT)
CORROSION OF CONFORMITY - Technocracy (Death / Combat Core / Fringe / Metal Blade)
DIRTY ROTTEN IMBECILES - I Don't Need Society (Death / Enigma)
Still Thinking interview (CIUT)
DAYGLO ABORTIONS - Religious Bumfucks (Fringe / Toxic Shock / God / Beer City / Unrest)
Still Thinking interview (CIUT)
SONS OF ISHMAEL - Slow Children Playing (Still Thinking)
Still Thinking interview (CIUT)
MINUTEMEN - The Only Minority (SST)
Still Thinking interview (CIUT)
DAG NASTY - One to two (Dischord)
Still Thinking interview (CIUT)
DEZERTER - Ku Przyszlosci (MRR)
Still Thinking interview (CIUT)
HERESY - Network of Friends (Still Thinking)
NUNFUCKERS - Be yourself (Still Thinking)

Shawn has been involved in a lot of important things in Toronto which are too numerous to mention here, but involve vegetarian stores, public health and the Tomorrow is Too Late book. And Vik does some important reporting on CBC radio  and tries to work in band lyrics into his headlines so if you catch his stories play name that tune with him.

Flyer - Sunday, February 2nd, 2020