Friday, December 28, 2012

Sonic Overload 12/17/12


I really don’t know what more can be said about the shootings at the elementary school in Newtown, CT that left over 20 people dead, most of them children. There are a variety of issues to consider, such as the availability of the weapons (which were licensed to the shooter’s mother and she was his first victim). It brings up the polarizing issue of gun control. There are questions of what causes this sort of unspeakable violence and, to what extent, mental illness factors into it. I talk about it a bit (perhaps clumsily) after the first song. I really don’t know what else to add here or could have added on the show.

Next week, it’s the holiday show and, the week after, the Best of 2012...

Sonic Overload 12/17/12

TRACK 1

ZERO BOYS-Civilization’s Dying (Nimrod)

TERMINAL STATE-Sick (Deranged)
CAREER SUICIDE-Means To No End (Dirtnap)
LOST BOYS-Nerds (Still Holding On)
ICU-AP (Put-On)

IN DEFENCE-Legacy Of Brutality (from “Welcome To Minneapolis,” Profane Existence)
FUGITIVE FAMILY-Paranormal Spies (from “Houston Punk,” Agrowax)
DISHONORABLE DISCHARGE-Superior Fire Power (Vex)
MANIPULATION-Choking Man (Fashionable Idiots)
STATE OF FEAR-Consumption (Profane Existence)
KIELTOLAKI-Korruption Kaupunki (Feral Ward)

HYGIENE-Hygiene (Sorry State)
LA URSS-Que Asco Me Dan (Todo Destruido)
RULETA RUSA-Delincuencia (Solo Para Punks)
INSOMONIO-The Darkside (Trabuc)

TRACK 2

LIFE’S BLOOD-Left Me Behind (Combined Effort)
VIDEO DISEASE-Destiny (Cowabunga)
GUS-Heterobash Was Flipper (Slow To Burn)
HONOR ROLE-Livin’ In The 60’s (No Way)
REBELS AND INFIDELS-Last Rites (Fowl)
VOID-Ask Them Why (Dischord)
KRUW-Seizon (Partners In Crime)

ARMITAGE SHANKS-Ambulance (Damaged Good)
BROKEN TALENT-Blood Slut (TPOS)
MIRRORS-Shiyougeki X (from “Get The Punk,” Doll)
NYX NEGATIV-Idioterna (demo)
HEADCLEANERS-Epidemic Infection (Malign Massacre)

DEFIANCE-How Much Longer? (Mind Control)
FLAT BOWL-Sticky (from “Beer City Underground Vol. #3,” Beer City)
PORTRAIT OF POVERTY-Portrait Of Poverty (from “10 Things Jesus Wants You To Know”)
BIRTH DEFORMITIES-You Can’t Catch Me (Cowabunga)
STUPIDS-So Much Fun (Boss Tuneage)
SUDDEN IMPACT-Keep On Truckin’ (Fringe)

TRACK 3

EFFIGIES-Below The Drop (Touch & Go)
GASOLINE-Killer Man (Egg)
MODERN INDUSTRY-Out Of Focus (from “Noise From Nowhere,” Toxic Shock)
NO MUSIC-City To City (from “High Road To Obscurity,” Grand Theft Audio)
LOS HUEVOS-Big Beef (Moo-La-La)
BLACK CLOUDS-5 Years Behind My Time (Ride The Snake)

COKE BUST-Under The Streetlights (Six Weeks)
SICK FIX-The Toll (A389)
NO IDOLS-Chop Chop (Grave Mistake)
NO TOMORROW-Liars (Profane Existence)
HASSLER-Pig Pen (Schizophrenic)
DROPDEAD-A Disease Called Man (Armageddon)

NERVOUS EATERS-Get Stuffed (Rat)
PLASMATICS-Corruption (Vice Squad)
SHRAPNEL-Combat Love (Salute)
THE JAM-‘A’ Bomb in Wardour Street (Polydor)
999-Emergency (United Artists)

TRACK 4

GOD BOWS TO MATH-The Ship That Sank A Thousand Faces (Muzai)
METZ-Sad Pricks (Sub Pop)
THE BOX-The Door (Plastic Spoons)
EYACULACIÓN POST MORTEM-La Mate Porque Era Fea (self-released)
SOFT MOON-Die Life (Captured Tracks)

THE PACK-King Of Kings (Rough Trade)
SNUFF-Not Listening (Sixth International)
SPERMBIRDS-You’re Not A Punk (Boss Tuneage)
THE BLOOD-Megalomania (No Future)

ANTI-NOWHERE LEAGUE-Snowman (WXYZ)

Friday, December 21, 2012

Sonic Overload 12/10/12

Sarah Kirsch (born Mike Kirsch) passed away last week from Fanconi anemia, a genetic disorder that can cause bone marrow failure or leukemia. She was only 42. Sarah had played in a number of bands for over the past two decades. Rather than rehash, here’s a link to an excellent tribute to her. R.I.P.

Yesterday (12/9) was the 25th anniversary of the death of Flipper’s Will Shatter, from a heroin overdose, at the age of 31. One always wonders if he could have been helped or if he even wanted to help himself. Some people take the attitude that heroin addicts or anyone afflicted with those sorts of demons get what they deserve, that they only have themselves to blame. But having a wife who has worked in human services for over 20 years means that I’ve learned, a bit at least, that things are a bit more complicated than that. I’ve heard countless stories about the difficulty her clients have had in overcoming the diseases of drug addiction, alcoholism, etc. And I think that people who have the “good riddance’ attitude need to look themselves in the mirror and wonder what caused them to be so callous and hard-hearted... Frankly, people with those attitudes are individuals I really don’t want in my life...

Sonic Overload 12/10/12

TRACK 1

BREAD AND CIRCUITS-Trophy Room (Ebullition) in memory of Sarah Kirsch

BAADER BRAINS-Year Zero (Clean Plate)
NAVIO FORGE-Hate Machine (Shadow Catcher)
TORCHES TO ROME-Life Led Idle (Ebullition)
PLEASE INFORM THE CAPTAIN THIS IS A HIJACK-Robot Rampage In Luxury World (Empire)

KICKER-Not You (Tankcrimes)
SLUGZ-Suit and Tie (Feel It)
NASA SPACE UNIVERSE-Holy Methography (self-released)
METZ-Get Off (Sub Pop)

IN DEFENCE-United Farces (Profane Existence/Rodent Popsicle)
APPALACHIAN TERROR UNIT-Lost In The Darkness (Profane Existence)
TRUNCHEONS-Kill The Fraud (Distort Reality)
CLEANSING WAVE-Snakes (Prgnt)
DUMBSTRUCK-Jehovah’s Bastards (625)
BGK-Arms Race (Alternative Tentacles)

TRACK 2

PONX ATTAX-Ponx Vacation (from “Welcome To Minneapolis,” Profane Existence)
THE SHAME-The World Is Ours (Profane Existence)
BOILS-When The Sun Goes Down (Creep)
86 MENTALITY-Life Trap (Grave Mistake)

IN SCHOOL-Apocryphal Scum (demo)
CONVERSIONS-Consolation Prize (Ride The Snake)
SOLITARY NEGLECT-Systematic Indoctrination (demo)
CIVIL CRISIS-Catch On (demo)
SELF DEFENSE-Freedom Fighter (Uncle Slam)
AMDI PETERSENS ARME-Stalinjugend (Kick n’ Punch)

USELESS EATERS-Malfunction (Manimal)
PRICHARD-Personal Holiness/Social Holiness (self-released)
RANK/XEROX-Helpless (Make A Mess)
POP. 1280-New Electronix (Sacred Bones)
FRANTIC ELEVATORS-Every Day I Die (TJM)

TRACK 3

HELMET-Bad Moon (Alternative Tentacles)
RETOX-Thirty Cents Shy Of A Quarter (Ipecac)
SAILBOATS ARE WHITE-Unfair Nitemare (from “Destroy Music, Start Your Own Band,” Schizophrenic)
YEAR ONE-Colony Collapse Disorder (from “Noise Ordiance,” Maximum Rocknroll)
SAGGER-Cranium (from “920 Blues,” Trick Knee)
A FRAMES-Futureworld (S-S)

SPIRIT-I Got A Line On You (Ode) in memory of Ed Cassidy
ESCROTO DE RATA-Enamorado De Un Espectro (La Vida Es Un Mus)
WEIRD PARTY-Sarah Palin (Sex & Death)
REPORTS-Turnaround (Ride The Snake)

TV FREAKS-Upper Hand (Schizophrenic)
DIVORCED-Stupid Shit (Untapped Resources)
SUNSHINE SS-Banned From The Record Store (Sacred Plague)
ANGEL SLUTS-Radio (Wrecked-Em)
LOVE TRIANGLE-Didn’t Die (Dire)

TRACK 4

PLAGUE RATS THROUGHOUT HISTORY-Molecular Dramaturgy (Primitive Air Raid)
BLOODY HAMMER-Hysteria (Cutthroat)
FYP-Ian Stuart As A Crash Dummy (Recess)
MANSON YOUTH-Saw Tomorrow (Dr. Strange)
SLUTS-Fuck You (Spread ‘Um)
ARTLESS-We Want Nuclear War (Placebo)
TH’INBRED-Hardcore Inc. (Alternative Tentacles)

FUEL-Remains To Be Seen (Sixth International)
EVERYTHING FALLS APART-Give Up (Art Of The Underground)
DISPARO-Tras El Cristal (Trabuc)
NO PROBLEM-What Have I Become (Debt Offensive)

FLIPPER-Get Away (Subterranean)
PIL-Public Image (Virgin)
BABY’S ARM-I’m Just A Wimp (demo)
BUZZCOCKS-You Know You Can’t Help It (IRS)

WARFARE-Burn The Kings Road (Neat)

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Sonic Overload 12/3/12

We’ve reached the final month of 2012 and, after this show, there are only two more regular Sonic Overloads before getting to the holiday show and Best of 2012—which I need to get to work on although I’ve already started to think about the playlist. In the meantime, this seems to be more of a loud/fast show than I’ve been doing of late, although I do throw in a few change-ups, breathers, what-have-you. Noisy music, to offer a twist on the title of this week’s show-opener...

Sonic Overload 12/3/12

TRACK 1

THE MAD-I Hate Music (Captain Trip)

SAILBOATS ARE WHITE-Monster Helicopter (Schizophrenic)
PRE-NODS-Puny Humans (from “Destroy Music, Start Your Own Band,” Hammer City/Schizophrenic)
NASA SPACE UNIVERSE-Peeping Toddler (self-released)
PUFFY AREOLAS-1982 (HoZac)
UV RACE-Raw Balls (In The Red)

DISSENSION-Telling Me (Bad Idea Music)
DAS KLOWN-Die With Your Boots On (Know)
SNAKEBITE-Fuckin’ A (Don Giovanni)
PMRC-Rich and Famous (Motorchest)
HUMAN TOILET-Low Life (Black Thirteen)
BAD AMERICAN-Dictator (Bad Recordings)

TRACTOR SEX FATALITY-Loveain’ Easy (Big Neck)
MANHANDLERS-Disposable (Criminal IQ)
SLOBS-Assembly Line (Cowabunga)
SINKS-Look Out (Fashionable Idiots)
PART-TIME CHRISTIANS-Strength Thru Bowling (Alternative Tentacles)

TRACK 2

TV FREAKS-Mall Punk (Schizophrenic)
LAMPS-Famous Chimps (In The Red)
EX-CULT-MPD (Goner)
LUBRICANTS-Activated Energy (Rave-Up)
DEAD WIFE-DWSYFH (Psychic Handshake)

RULETA RUSA-Destruye La Television (Solo Para Punks)
POLIKARPA Y SUS VICIOSAS-Libertad (self-released)
IN SCHOOL-Acid Burn (demo)
BLACK TIME-Middle Class (In The Red)
JESUS H BOMBS-Dead On Top (Bookoven/Tibs Ribs)
BRIDES-Pushed Around (Rip Off)

MIDDLE CLASS-Out Of Vogue (Joke)
SUICIDE-Ghost Rider (Red Star)
SECOND LAYER-Fixation (Cherry Red)
WALL OF VOODOO-Back In Flesh (from “URGH!,” A&M)

TRACK 3

NO PROBLEM-Living In The Void (Debt Offensive)
NO SLOGAN-KBG (Residue)
ESPERANZA-Next In Line (from “Histeria,” Lengua Armada)
ANCIENT FILTH-Pushed To The Limit (Shock To The System)
DISTORTED PONY-Jahr Null (from “The Big One,” Flipside)

HASSLER-Asphyxiate (Schizophrenic)
BLOODKROW BUTCHER-Useless Leaders (Side Two)
WHITE WARDS-Soaking Through (Iron Lung)
TOTALITÄR-Nord Mot Syd (Your Own Jailer)
CHAOS CHANNEL-New Stupid Piece Of Shit That Doesn’t Fuckin’ Work (Growing Up By The Magic Bullet)

THUMBS-Ribbon Men (Adeline)
SPOKE-Ruptured Seam (No Idea)
GRAY MATTER-Burn No Bridges (Dischord)
UPRIGHT CITIZENS-Swastika Ratss (BYO)
SAMIAM-Early Morning (New Red Archives)

TRACK 4

ANTHRAX-Exploitation (Southern)
BELGRADO-Zapomnijmy (Discos Enfermos)
NUCLEAR FAMILY-Doublespeak (Loud Punk)
IMPERIAL LEATHER-No Return (Profane Existence)
EXPELLED-Dreaming (Captain Oi)
PROLES-Soft Ground (Grand Theft Audio)

ART ATTACKS-I Am A Dalek (Overground)
LUCY-Never Never (from “Bloodstains Across The UK”)
MENACE-GLC (Rave-Up)
HARD ONS-Just Being With You (Waterfront)

WRECK-Song X (Play It Again Sam)

Friday, December 7, 2012

Sonic Overload 11/26/12

It’s time for the annual all-covers show. As in the past, no songs from tribute albums were played and I also try to avoid all-covers albums by an individual artist although I did make an exception or two. There are a lot of new additions to the playlist this year and some that haven’t been heard on the all-covers show in a number of years, along with a few perennials.

What makes a good cover version? I’m not looking for a carbon-copy rendition. Sure, some of the versions here are somewhat faithful to the original but many of them add a different wrinkle or end being a reworking. Occasionally, you can end up with a cover that eclipses the original, although that’s somewhat rare. It’s a long show, this week, stretching out nearly an extra quarter of an hour.
Sorry about my voice not sounding the best this week. I’ve had one hell of a cold for the past week or so and it’s taken a bit of a toll. If you think I’ve got it bad, Ellen’s had it for a couple of weeks now. Pass the cough syrup!

Sonic Overload 11/26/12

TRACK 1

LAST IN LINE-You Hate Me & I Hate You (GG Allin) (ACME)

WETBRAIN-Tight Black Pants (Plasmatics) (demo)
A-LINES-Agitated (Electric Eels) (SFTRI)
MONOSHOCK-Burn My Eye (Radio Birdman) (S-S)
ROPES-Down In Flames (Dead Boys) (demo)
RAW NERVE-I Am A Cliché (X-Ray Spex) (demo)
ANAL BABES-Wasted (Black Flag) (Big Ball)

DIE KREUZEN-Land Of Treason (Germs) (Touch & Go)
SPAZZ-Lost Cause (Negative Approach) (Slap-A-Ham)
BORN/DEAD-No One (Necros) (Yellow Dog)
BURNED UP BLED DRY-No More (Black Flag) (Slap-A-Ham)
FULL SPEED AHEAD-Assault (Big Boys) (Hell Bent)
ESTRELLA 20/20-Red/Green (Big Boys) (Estrus)

LOST GENERATION-LSD (Beatles) (Grand Theft Audio)
BOYS-I Call Your Name (Beatles) (Captain Oi)
WHOREHOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES-Straight Jacket (Adicts) (Inimical)
DEATH WISH KIDS-Whips and Furs (Vibrators) (Hopscotch)
VIOLENT ARREST-Back Of My Hand (Jags) (Boss Tuneage)

TRACK 2

NERVESKADE-Boiling Point/I Don’t Belong (SS Decontrol/Jerry’s Kids) (540)
SMART COPS-Cop Medley (various) (Hell Yeah)
ONE TON SHOTGUN-FU Blues (various) (Negi-Youth Organization)
FU’S-Green Beret (Barry Sadler) (Taang)
PTL KLUB-Green Acres (duh!) (Mystic)

HOT SNAKES-Time To Escape (Government Issue) (Modern City)
YOUNG ADULTS-Over The Edge (Wipers) (Amdiscs)
SCRAWL-Reuters (Wire) (from “Lever,” Simple Machines)
DEAD SILENCE-1/4 Dead (Rudimentary Peni) (Vinyl Communications)

ANGRY SAMOANS-Time Has Come Today (Chambers Brothers) (Triple X)
FARTZ-Children Of The Grave (Black Sabbath) (Alternative Tentacles)
DOA-Communication Breakdown (Led Zeppelin) (Friends)
DIDJITS-Lucille (Little Richard) (Touch & Go)
TEENGENERATE-Shake, Rattle & Roll (Big Joe Turner/Bill Haley & His Comets) (Crypt)
THE GAIA-Boys (Shirelles) (Six Weeks)

TRACK 3

BATTALION OF SAINTS-Ace Of Spades (Motorhead) (Nutrons)
THE LITTER-I’m A Man (Bo Diddley) (K-Tel)
WANNA BEES-Lucifer Sam (Pink Floyd) (Gaga Goodies)
THEE HEADCOATS-Love Comes In Spurts (Richard Hell & The Voidoids) (Vinyl Japan)
SPITS-Drink, Fight & Fuck (GG Allin) (Dirtnap)

SHORT CHANGED-Refuse/Resist (Sepultura) (Rodent Popsicle/Goat Power Recreation)
RAPEMAN-Just Got Paid (ZZ Top) (Touch & Go)
SEX PISTOLS-(I’m Not Your) Stepping Stone (Monkees) (Virgin)
KICKER-I Think You’re Shit (Fuck-Ups) (Tankcrimes)

LEATHERFACE-Message In A Bottle (Police) (Roughneck)
BLITZ-Vicious (Lou Reed) (No Future)
JESUS & MARY CHAIN-Ambition (Subway Sect) (Blanco y Negro)
PUPPY MILL-Automobile (Rings) (demo)

TRACK 4

DEVO-Satisfaction (Rolling Stones) (Warner Bros.)
MOTORAMA-Damaged Goods (Gang of Four) (Dead Beat)
NEW BOMB TURKS-Mr. Suit (Wire) (Crypt)
SONIC YOUTH-Hot Wire My Heart (Crime) (DGC)
DRAGS-Baby, You’re So Repulsive (Crime) (Empty)

BORIS THE SPRINKLER-Bad Guy Reaction (Rezillos) (Bulge)
SILICON TEENS-Judy In Disguise (John Fred & His Playboy Band) (Sire)
BABY BUDDHA-All Shook Up (Elvis Presley) (Posh Boy)
SLITS-I Heard It Through The Grapevine (Marvin Gaye) (Island)

HÜSKER DÜ-Eight Miles High (Byrds) (SST)