Friday, January 28, 2011

Sonic Overload 1/17/11

I’m recording this on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and, as always, begin the show with a snippet of a King speech. This year, once again, it’s from King’s “Beyond Vietnam” address, given a year before his assassination. And, as I always want to point out, there was a lot more to King than just “I Have A Dream.” He came out against the Vietnam War and increasingly addressed income disparity in this country.

I had a give and take on one of my Facebook threads with a right-wing nemesis. He claims himself to be an independent, moderate on social issues but conservative on others. That’s a distortion—he’s basically bought into the whole Fox News/Beck/Limbaugh et al nonsense. And he always brings up the fact that King was a Republican. Which is true—King addressed the Republican convention in 1952. Why? Because it was the southern Democrats who were the racists holding back desegregation and hostile to civil rights. Eventually, the “Dixie-crats” gravitated to the Republican Party. I asked the guy if he thought King would be a member of the current-day Republican Party but didn’t really get an answer. I’ll answer it for him—I seriously doubt it. What King preached would be excoriated by the right wing. Glenn Beck would castigate him as a believer in social justice, someone who is a danger to this country.

Please watch this four minute video of King’s speech that I excerpt on the show...

Sonic Overload 1/17/11

TRACK 1

STEPMOTHERS-Where Is The Dream? (Posh Boy)

7 SECONDS-I Have A Dream (BYO)
BLIGHT-The Dream Was Dead (Touch & Go)
PINKERTON THUGS-One Day (VML)
LIFE CRISIS-Warstarters (Get Revenge)

PMRC-SWAT (Motorchest)
BRAIN FLANNEL-So Dim (Grave Mistake)
RETAINERS-Teenage Regrets (Fashionable Idiots)
JEHOSAPHAT BLOW-I Wanna Smash Your Love (Donkeysick)
WINNING LOOKS-Gone (Waiting)
LE FACE-Tylenol Killer (Dead Beat)

DESCARADOS-Desiumbra (Stonehenge)
HERO DISHONEST-Like A Moth To A Flame (IfSociety)
PATH OF DECAY-Honour Killings (Ha-Ko Bastards)
TRAPDOOR FUCKING EXIT-Run Idiot Run (No Idea)

TRACK 2

GIT SOME-Trixie Loves Misty (1-2-3-4, Go!)
TOTAL ABUSE-Eastern Thoughts (Deranged)
FULL SPEED AHEAD-Overload (Manic Ride)
FUCKED UP-What Could’ve Been (Deranged)
JAWS-I Did This All Myself (MSI)

HUL-Dode Fisk (Hjernespind)
LOS VIOLADORES-Viejos Pateticos (Umbral)
RABATZ-Helden (self-released)
K-JELL-Struggle and Break Through (October Party)

SKEPTIX-Traitor (Captain Oi)
STATE CONTROL-Permanent Damage (Rodent Popsicle)
IRON CROSS-You’re A Rebel (GMM)
SUSPECTS-Mind Control (Torque)
ETA-I Got Problems (DeadAlive)
CLASSACTION-Stop Making Punk Rock Suck (Rodent Popsicle)

TRACK 3

CELIBATE RIFLES-The More Things Change (What Goes On)
BRIARD-Finndisc (Johanna)
VIDIOTS-I Get Around (Rivers Digital Press)
DEAN DIRG-Do It Right (Dead Beat)
STITCHES-Heartache (TKO)

FUNERAL ORATION-Nothing Sacred (Diehard)
TEENGENERATE-Do You Wanna Know? (Wild Wild)
CRIMSON SWEET-No Hot On Cold (On/On Switch)
TYVEK-Pricks In A Car (In The Red)
COLA FREAKS-Slukket (Hjernespind)

TEMPEST-Justice (Heretic)
CRUDE-Human Breaker (La Familia)
LIP CREAM-Grasser (Terror Shock)
VALVONTAKOMISSIO-O (Finn)
FASHION-Swells (Yibbida Yibbida)

TRACK 4

CROWD-Modern Machine (Posh Boy)
SKULLS (Los Angeles)-Victim (Bomp)
SKULLS (Vancouver)-Fuck You (from “Last Call: Vancouver Independent Music,” Zulu)
ALBERTO Y LOST TRIOS PARANOIAS-Fuck You (Stiff)
JOHNNY & THE SELF-ABUSERS-Saints & Sinners (from “Punk Lost & Found,” Shanachie)
NEO-Tran-Sister (Jet)

WEDDING PRESENT-Go Out And Get ‘Em Boy (Reception)
JOSEF K-Drone (Domino)
JAH WOBBLE-Betrayal (Blue Plate)
FIRE ENGINES-Candyskin (Domino)

HOWARD WERTH-Obsolete (Dangerhouse)

Friday, January 21, 2011

Sonic Overload 1/10/11

I don’t even know where to begin with the recent events in Tucson, AZ—the assassination attempt on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords while she was meeting with constituents outside a supermarket. She survived even though she was shot in the head but she has a long recovery ahead. Among the six people killed were a federal judge and a 9 year old girl who was born on 9/11/01. I don’t have the exact number of wounded people but I did say 11 on the show.

Forgive my rambling at the start of the show—my thoughts probably aren’t articulated particularly well. We still don’t know much about the motives, background or mental state of the suspect, Jared Loughner. People on the left are trying to tie him in with the visceral, violent rhetoric that’s emerged from the likes of Sarah Palin, various talk hosts and politicians, to say nothing of the ‘tea party’ crazies. There’s been an attempt to say that people on the left engage in the same kind of rhetoric and that Loughner is a leftist because of having the Communist Manifesto and “Mein Kampf” by Hitler on his reading list. Right-wingers have been attempting to paint Hitler as being a left-wing extremist, which is absurd. Beyond absurd, in fact. All I know is when Palin circulates a chart that has gun-sights on various Congressional seats up for grabs, including Giffords, we’ve got a problem. I occasionally fly off the handle with my viewpoints but I’m not showing up at political rallies with guns or engaging in any sort of intimidation or physical threats. And the people I mentioned have a lot to answer for.

You get the idea. I don’t see the same vitriol from the left as I do from the right. That’s a simplification, perhaps, but I’m sticking with my opinion... my heart goes out to the victims and their families.

LINK REMOVED BY THE DMCA NAZIS

TRACK 1

BIOHAZARD-Wrong Side of The Tracks (Maze)

INFEST-Sickman (Draw Blank/Deep Six)
NO TIME LEFT-Rise Of The Reactionary (625)
FIX MY HEAD-Absolute Power (Inimical)
CHRIST ON PARADE-No Truth (Pusmort)
HALF LIFE-Deathtrap (Get Hip)
PROBOT-Access Babylon (Southern Lord)

BROKEN NECK-Fights Over Nothing (Art Fraud)
FEAR OF TOMORROW-Neverender (Charged//Destroyed)
NIHILIST CUNT-Sodomize Religion/Corporate Terrorist (Suburban White Trash)
GASMASK TERROR-No Mistake (Solar Funeral)
GAUZE-Don’t Do Too Much (from “Thrash Til Death,” Pusmort)

SLAUGHTER AND THE DOGS-Boston Babies (Captain Oi)
GROUND ZERO-Nothing (self-released)
PENETRATION-Money Talks (Virgin)
UFO-Shoot Shoot (Chrysalis)

TRACK 2

INSANE-El Salvador (No Future)
MAU MAUS-Clampdown (Captain Oi)
WASTED YOUTH-Uni-High Beefrag/Born Deprived (Sandblast)
BLACK MARKET BABY-Killing Time (Dr. Strange)

VOLCANO SUNS-Bright Orange (demo)
DICKS-Lifetime Problems (Alternative Tentacles)
DEL-VETTS-Last Time Around (from “Oh Yeah!,” Sundazed)
BLUES MAGOOS-Tobacco Road (Mercury)

CONFIDENCE MEN-Funnypapers (Art Fraud)
TERROR VISIONS-Blood Is Sweet But Semen Is Sweeter (FDH)
CAREER SUICIDE-Cherry Beach (Sewercide)
NITWITZ-You’re So Cute (Vogelspin)

TRACK 3

DEATHWISH-Tailgate (Amory Arms)
SIEGE-Conform (Deranged)
HERO DISHONEST-Men At A Park (IfSociety)
DIRECT CONTROL-War All The Time (Tankcrimes)
DEVIANT LONERS-Deviant Loners (demo)
BRING DOWN THE HAMMER-A Butchery Most Sacred (Overdose on Records)

BREAKING CIRCUS-Swept Blood (Homestead)
VERSUS-Astronaut (Teenbeat)
KLEENEX-Ain’t You (Kill Rock Stars)
KLARK KENT-Don’t Care (IRS)

NUCLEAR FAMILY-More Of The Same (Loud Punk)
VICTIMS FAMILY-Friends (Mordam)
MEGA CITY FOUR-Severe Attack Of The Truth (Decoy)
THAT PETROL EMOTION-Can’t Stop (Demon)
POP WILL EAT ITSELF-B-B-B-Break Down (Rough Trade)

TRACK 4

TRUE NORTH-Rocknroll (No Idea)
THE SERMON-Luzerne County (Alternative Tentacles)
TRANS MEGETTI-Turned On (Gern Blandsten)
C.AARME-Tu Puta Mi Casa (Burning Heart)
TOTAL CONTROL-Meds (Aarght!)

AGENT ORANGE-A Cry For Help In A World Gone Mad (Posh Boy)
RUDIMENTARY PENI-Radio Schizo (Southern)
PARTISANS-Blind Ambition (Captain Oi)
THE MOB-Another Day, Another Death (Broken)
U2-Out Of Control (Island)

4” BE 2”-One Of The Lads (Island)

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Sonic Overload 1/3/11

Happy New Year to ‘ya—welcome to first Sonic Overload for 2011. On time, finished early in fact and under the influence of some rather potent coffee. The caffeine buzz or rush or whatever you want to call it lasted most of the day. I’m still feeling the after-effects, in fact, although there didn’t seem to be any sort of “crash.”

I mention this on the show but when I played “Transmission” by Joy Division, I checked my database to see when it was last played. It was January 3, 2005, six years to the day. That also happens to be the day I started recording this show at home, following the closing of Allston-Brighton Free Radio. A completely unintentional coincidence. That day, the  recording set-up was incomplete compared to what I have now. If memory serves me correctly, I had one turntable and I can’t remember if I had the CD mixer yet but I did complete the set-up within a few weeks and it’s been that way ever since. It still boggles my mind that I’m able to record this show in my house and people all over the world can listen to it.

The holidays are over, it’s back to real life or whatever it’s called. Hopefully, that signals the end of those infernal holiday commercials that lasted straight into this past weekend and I’m wondering if they’re FINALLY going to disappear. And, hopefully, this show and subsequent installments will at least partially help you get through the day/week. If not, try some strong coffee. Did the trick here...

Sonic Overload 1/3/11

TRACK 1

JOHN BROWN’S ARMY-Playing With Fire (Gloom)

DIRECT CONTROL-Herd The Cattle (Tankcrimes)
STATE POISON-Tache Difficile (Kick Rock/Flowers of Carnage)
GASMASK TERROR-The Cult (Solar Funeral)
HERO DISHONEST-Finger On A Button (IfSociety)
H100S-Ain’t Too Young To Die (Non-Commercial)

TOYS THAT KILL-Ass Mirror (& Puckered Lips) (Recess)
ANTEENAGERS MC-Cars (Plastic Idol)
CARBONAS-Trapped In Hell (Goner)
THE LEWD-Suburban Prodigy (Chuckie Boy)
MARKED MEN-Settle Down (Mortville)
CUTE LEPERS-Thanks For Not Showing Up (1-2-3-4, Go!)

DEADBEATS-Kill The Hippies (Dangerhouse)
VIBRATORS-Pure Mania (Repertoire)
THE POP-Animal Eyes (Automatic)
SUBURBAN STUDS-No Faith (Pogo)

TRACK 2

NEIGHBORS-Unanswered (self-released)
STRAIGHTJACKET NATION-Deadbeats (self-released)
THE SHINING-A Song For The Rest Of The World... Except You Of Course! (Pick Up)
AVO-All My Friends Are Fucked (Even Worse/Kangaroo)
CUT THE SHIT-Marked For Life (Gloom)
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT-Typical Tastes (Third Party/Nation Of Finks)
SET TO EXPLODE-Don’t Fuckin’ Care (Grave Mistake)
KNOCKDOWN-What’s Left (Youngblood)

MUNDO MUERTO-Maltidas Ratas (Mata La Musika)
LA URSS-Amad A Dios (Todo Destruido)
PARABELLUM-Osmoze 99 (Gougnaf Mouvement)
MEMBERS-Fear On The Streets (Captain Oi)

SEDATIVES-Backlash (Deranged)
THE STALIN-Swindler In Sewer (boot)
GENERAL INTEREST-Drunk Doctor (Ride The Snake)
SORRY-Satellite (Homestead)
VISION/DECAY-Insomnia (from “Barricaded Suspects,” Toxic Shock)

TRACK 3

INFERNO-Dein Bester Freund (Rise & Fall)
TOTALITÄR-Vi Brutaliseras (YOJ)
BRAIN KILLER-Here’s The Rope (demo)
MÖRPHEME-Ounou No Rensa (Prank)
WARGASM-Bullets & Blades (Profile)

LIGHTS OUT!-Destroy-Create (Dead Beat)
WHITE DRUGS-Black Wizard Gloaming (Amphetamine Reptile)
PREGNANT-Do You Feel It? (Burn Books)
STRAIGHTJACKET MIND-Erie St. (demo)
BOB SEGER SYSTEM-2 + 2 = ? (Capitol)

SHEER TERROR-Just Can’t Hate Enough (Blackout)
YUPPICIDE-Socialization (Wreck-Age)
FALSE PROPHETS-Somebody React (Alternative Tentacles)
SCREAM-Stand (Dischord)
MINOR THREAT-Salad Days (Dischord)

TRACK 4

WOVEN BONES-I’ll Be Runnin (HoZac)
DESTRUCTION UNIT-Race/Time (Empty)
THE NORMAL-Warm Leatherette (Mute)
FLIPPER-Get Away (Infinite Zero)
WEIRDOS-Helium Bar (Frontier)

SHRINK-Energy (Oval)
JOY DIVISION-Transmission (Factory)
PLASMATICS-Corruption (Vice Squad)
SHRAPNEL-Combat Love (Salute)

SVT-New Year (415)

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Sonic Overload 12/27/10--Best of 2010

Welcome to the best of 2010 show. Not a countdown, not in any particular order although the final set features my favorite records of the year (once again, not in any particular order). No social commentary, no roundup of world or cultural events, just the music. I’ve covered that ground quite a bit over the past year (and before that). There are a lot of regressive attitudes and sentiments in the air and it was reflected at the ballot box this year, for one thing, as the Republicans regained the House. The next two years are going to be so much damned fun, aren’t they?

I’m glad to see 2010 come to an end for any number of reasons, some of them personal, but it wasn’t a completely horrific year. While recording this show, I realized that a lot of good to great music did come out and that certainly provides a soundtrack to help me (and hopefully you guys/gals) maintain some sort of sanity. To provide a release. Recording this show definitely provides a release. And we’re all alive and, hopefully, the bastards haven’t completely ground us down.

Happy New Year!

Sonic Overload 12/27/10

TRACK 1

FOLDED SHIRT-15 Year Old Kids (Fashionable Idiots)

BILL BONDSMEN-Disaster Prone (Local Cross)
WHITE WHALE-We’re Dead (self-released)
REGULATIONS-Catholic Love (Deranged)
VIOLENT ARREST-State’s Evidence (Boss Tuneage)
SHITTY LIMITS-Selling Point (La Vida Es Un Mus)

MALE NURSES-Red White Blue (Deranged)
BOSTON STRANGLER-If I Was You (demo)
BLOODKROW BUTCHER-Nigh (Total Fucker)
DRY HUMP-Let Down (Shogun)
GERM ATTAK-Life In Exile (Loud Punk)
KVOTERNINGEN-Ett Svek (Feral Ward)

TYVEK-Future Junk (In The Red)
TELECOMMANDE-Telecommande (demo)
NINPULATORS-Lust Under Cover (demo)
INSERVIBLES-Yo No Se (Shogun)
HOMOSTUPIDS-The Donovan (Chop Chop Chop) (Fashionable Idiots)
LOGNHALSMOTTAGNINGEN-Nya Lognhalsar (Local Cross)

TRACK 2

SCEPTRES-Flatline Generation (Dire)
ARCTIC FLOWERS-Slouching Towards Bethlehem (self-released)
AUTISTIC YOUTH-Disciple (Dirtnap/Black Water)
DEFECT DEFECT-Stolen Ground (Residue)
NUCLEAR FAMILY-Believer’s Voice Of Victory (Loud Punk)

ACID REFLUX-Time To Move (No Way)
COLA FREAKS-Sniper (Hjernespind)
PATH OF DECAY-His War (Ha-Ko)
DISPARO-Miseria Y Hambre (Stomp)
SUNSHINE SS-Destination Oblivion (Death Agonies and Screams)

CEREMONY-Moving Principle (Bridge Nine)
THIS MOMENT IN BLACK HISTORY-Photonegative (Smog Veil)
RED RED RED-New Action (Big Neck)
TUBERS-High Tide It’s Inside (No Idea)
TRACTOR SEX FATALITY-Fail (Big Neck)

TRACK 3

HERATYS-Pelkkoo Pahoinvointia (Not Enough)
CIVIL VICTIM-They’re Coming For You (Loud Punk)
PYROKLAST-Wrong Side Of The Law (Profane Existence)
PAHAA VERTA-Kirje Intimate (Paha Tukka Elama)
ANTI-YOU-H-Bomb (Six Weeks)
RENEGADES OF PUNK-Same Old Shit (Thrashbastard)

FLAG OF DEMOCRACY-Glimmerglass (Motherbox)
MOOSHINE-2Hell2Nite (demo)
HOLY SHIT!-Put A Band Aid On It (Criminal IQ)
ZERO ZERO-Watch Out (demo)
CATBURGLARS-Banger (Criminal IQ)
GENBAKU ONANIES-Maelstrom (Trippin’ Elephant)

LIBYANS-A Common Place (Sorry State)
CONVERSIONS-Projectiles (Ride The Snake)
VILE BODIES-Monetization (demo)
PINKO & THE ACTION BOYS-Walker, Taliban Ranger (self-released)
CONFINES-Phoning It In (Labor Of Love/Side Two)
MURDER-SUICIDE PACT-Heavy Hand (demo)

TRACK 4

SECRET PROSTITUTES-Gadis Materialistik (Bad Hair Life)
RED DONS-Pieces (Deranged)
THE ESTRANGED-Lunacy (Dirtnap)
THE ENERGY-Destroy Imagination (Team Science)

MANIPULATION-Violence (Fashionable Idiots)
VAASKA-Destruye (Hardware)
DOUBLE NEGATIVE-In Patient Out (Sorry State)
EDDY CURRENT SUPPRESSION RING-Anxiety (Goner)
YOUNG OFFENDERS-Black Hands (Deranged)

EMBRACE-End Of A Year (Dischord)