Something I Learned Today

Punk Rock and Other Assorted Bullshit

Th’ Inbred

December 17th, 2004 | Posted by: Eric | Category: 80's Hardcore

One of my all-time fav hardcore records is 1986’s A Family Affair by Th’ Inbred. Don’t be fooled by titles however, this isn’t a joke band or one-trick pony. Th’ Inbred specialized in skewering the left, right, and everything in between. Musically they were top-notch, playing an inventive, stylistic form of hardcore that doesn’t sound dated in the least. While their other releases were solid (1985’s 7″ Reproduction and 1987’s posthumous Kissin’ Cousins LP), this album stands far above. A Family Affair was originally released on Toxic Shock, and until recently been available as double cassette with Kissin’ Cousins. I can’t seem to find this now, though. Luckily, you can find MP3’s of both albums at Claustrophonic. A public service, really, as this thing is way OOP and I don’t foresee a reissue. It’s a shame, this is one of the great American hardcore records. (Apologies in advance for the surface noise on these tracks)

Th’ Inbred - Positive Song.mp3
A complete lyrical savaging of the whole 7 Seconds, posi-core movement here. This still cracks me up. Musically, this is one powerful song. The drummer simply rocks, and that guitar hits you right in the jaw.

Th’ Inbred - Exercise 1/Fool’s Paradise.mp3
I’ve cobbed together the opening instrumental and the second track into one file, as that’s how it ran together on the vinyl. When the howling starts you know you are info for a treat. “Play That Rock and Roll Music for Me”

Th’ Inbred - Exercise 3/History Lesson.mp3
Another cobjob, combining the last two tracks on the LP. At times the guitar almost sounds Greg Ginn like, from one of those instrumental Black Flag 12″ EP’s. This one meanders along nicely before “History Lesson” hits and kicks into high gear.

8 Comments so far

  1. Jim H December 18th, 2004 10:05 pm

    That’s another record I have that you have and that no one else has & like you always seem to comment, I had totally forgotten about them. Cool… if I have time maybe I can do some work on that surface noise.

  2. sascha December 20th, 2004 10:05 am

    naw, you’re not alone in this. I got this one too. with the first hardcore band that i was in we even tried to cover the positive song, but of course we couldn’t get it right. they were just too far ahead musically. thank you eric for digging up another gem.

  3. sascha December 21st, 2004 9:35 am

    also reminds me of another great hardcore record with a jazz edge. how about some ‘voltage & violets’ era victims family?

  4. timsum December 28th, 2004 12:33 pm

    A total inspiration to a bunch of us over here in the UK (even though hardly anyone else had heard of them).

    Love there attitude to punk/ life (+ lyrics & music) - sadly missing in todays music.

    p.s. cool pic of them here too:

    http://homepages.nyu.edu/~cch223/usa/thinbred_main.html

  5. sherman June 13th, 2005 9:46 am

    i still listen to this stuff all the time to this day, and even remastered the Family Affair/Kissin’ Cousins tape in Digital Performer so me and a friend could have good clean copies of that tape on cd… this is the BEST hardcore i’ve heard I think…

  6. Duff July 3rd, 2006 11:34 pm

    Thanks for the comments, the good ones here, and those more critical ones that exist elsewhere. –Duff, Inbred bassist.

  7. E. August 6th, 2006 7:50 am

    Oi - there’s another Th’Inbred feature, just follow the link: http://goodbadmusic.blogspot.com/2006/08/thinbred-reproduction-7ep-frozen-sound.html

  8. Billy Atwell June 13th, 2007 3:37 pm

    I’m following Duff a year later…LOL! This is excellent stuff. Thanks for being so…so…POSITIVE! Goooooo!!!!!
    Stay tuned. It’s not over yet. ;)

    - Billy Atwell, th’ Inbred’s drummer
    www.billyatwell.com

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