Something I Learned Today

Something I Learned Today ain’t dead, but it is on life support. Comatose, if you will. At this point I’m not expecting that to change for another month or so. Unless the mood strikes, which hasn’t happened in awhile. But you never know.

How’s that for clear direction?

The past two weeks I’ve been constrained by work issues and a full load of house guests, both of which have made posting difficult. Things should calm down by this weekend, at which point I expect to have a couple of posts and a new podcast available. Stay tuned.

A couple of comments back someone asked me to repost my Chronic Sick tracks. Well, I never actually posted any Chronic Sick material, so it must be out there on some other blog. I could do some searching and throw out a link, but fuck it, I’m too lazy to track it down. Seeing as I have the tracks from an old CD-R from a couple of years back I might as well share.

The total output from New Jersey’s Chronic Sick included 1982’s 6 song 12″ EP Cutest Band in Hardcore and the 1983 3 track 7″ often referred to as Reagan Bands, both on the Mutha label. All you really need to know is that, despite the meathead lyrical sentiments, this is some choice ‘Shore Core’. That translates as surprisingly melodic punkish hardcore. The opening tracks “There Goes The Neighborhood” and “Dress Code” are 1-2 punch in the chops. Take a listen:

from 1982’s Cutest Band in Hardcore 12″
Chronic Sick - There Goes The Neighborhood.mp3
Chronic Sick - Dress Code.mp3
Chronic Sick - Public Suicide.mp3
Chronic Sick - Man Rape Blues.mp3
Chronic Sick - Mucho Macho.mp3
Chronic Sick - Pain for Profit.mp3

from 1983’s self-titled 7″
Chronic Sick - Reagan Bands.mp3
Chronic Sick - Crotch Rot.mp3
Chronic Sick - Blood Type X.mp3

Notes:
** Check out Chronic Sick @ Myspace
** Also, lot’s of info on Mutha Records here

One of the most frequent email, etc. requests I get is for the reactivation of the tracks associated with the Husker Du rarities post from July 2005. So, with nothing pressing at the moment and the stack of “to-be-blogged” material rapidly dwindling to nil I give you about an hour and 20 minutes of little heard Husker material. A couple of tracks (”Erase Today” and “It’s Not Fair”) were officially released on comps (Blasting Concept Volume 2 and Kitten), but most of the material here is from the Savage Young Du and Up in the Air boots and live tapes/CD-R’s. Best bet is the great sounding ‘80/’81 live material, but the Metal Circus and New Day Rising outtakes are pretty good as well. Broken down chronologically, with a huge debt of gratitude to Paul Hilcoff’s Husker Du discography (flyer courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society)

studio 1979 & 1980
Husker Du - Sore Eyes.mp3
Husker Du - All I’ve Got To Lose is You.mp3
Husker Du - Writer’s Cramp.mp3

live May 1980
Husker Du - Pictures of You.mp3
Husker Du - What Went Wrong.mp3
Husker Du - You’re Too Obtuse/Put Your Past Away.mp3
Husker Du - Sexual Economics.mp3
Husker Du - Industrial Grocery Store.mp3
Husker Du - Instrumental.mp3
Husker Du - Uncle Ron.mp3

live July 1981
Husker Du - Private Hell.mp3
Husker Du - Travel in the Opposite Car.mp3
Husker Du - Call on Me.mp3
Husker Du - Won’t Say a Word.mp3
Husker Du - Don’t Try It.mp3
Husker Du - Termination.mp3

studio 1982 (Metal Circus outtakes)
Husker Du - Today’s The Day.mp3
Husker Du - You Think I’m Scared.mp3
Husker Du - Won’t Change.mp3

live 1982 (included on Kitten compilation)
Husker Du - It’s Not Fair.mp3

studio 1983 (Zen Arcade outtakes)
Husker Du - Some Kind of Fun.mp3
Husker Du - Dozen Beats Eleven.mp3

live 1983
Husker Du - Drug Party.mp3

studio 1984 (New Day Rising outtakes)
Husker Du - Erase Today.mp3
Husker Du - Listen.mp3

studio 1986 (Candy Apple Grey outtakes, all instrumental)
Husker Du - All Work and No Play.mp3
Husker Du - Misty Modern Days.mp3
Husker Du - Just Be.mp3

live 1987
Husker Du - Never Talking To You Again.mp3
Husker Du - Get Along With Me.mp3

I swear to God, I’m planning on posting something soon. The past week has been tied up between out of town visitors and illness. The visitors are gone so maybe I can finally get back at my PC and stereo in the next day or so.

So here’s my first stab at a podcast, consisting of Boston area bands inspired by all the comments in response to the F.U.’s post below. I am by no means trying to pass myself off as an authority on the bands and the scene in question, just trying to group my favorite bands and songs from a deep and diverse scene. This is great shit. Hopefully I didn’t fuck this up (advice welcome). If you want more of these things let me know. Grab the file here (right click, save as):

Podcast #1 - Boston Hardcore & Punk 1978-1987 (68 minutes, 63 MB, 128 Kbps)

Playlist:
Last Rights - Chunks
The Freeze - Nazi Fun
Jerry’s Kids - Machine Gun
F.U.’s - Boston’s Finest
SS Decontrol - Fight Them
DYS - Stand Proud
Impact Unit - My Friend The Pit
Gang Green - Rabies
Negative FX - Together
Seige - Walls
Sorry - Doomed From The Start
Mission of Burma - Peking Spring
The Proletariat - Decorations
The Freeze - Trouble If You Hide
Nervous Eaters - Get Stuffed
La Peste - Better Off Dead
Lemonheads - Hate Your Friends
Stranglehold - She’s Not Leaving
Unnatural Axe - The Creeper
Moving Targets - Always Calling
Volcano Suns - Cans
Psycho - Kids Are For Tricks
Cancerous Growth - Corporation Vegetable
Deathwish - Condemned
Jerry’s Kids - Vietnam Syndrome
Gang Green - Sold Out
F.U.’s - Me Generation
Last Rights - So Ends Our Night
Moving Targets - Waiting For The End
The Proletariat - Recollections
Mission of Burma - Dirt
The Real Kids - Reggae, Reggae

I didn’t buy dick this year, leaving me pretty short on items to list a “best of” for 2006. So I have to rely on you to clue me in as to what the best new material was for the past year. Seriously, I’m looking for tips on new shit. You know what to do…

And by the way: Thanks to everyone that leaves comments, sends emails, post links, and generally offers encouragement - it’s the biggest motivator to keep things moving ahead here. I hope everyone has a great 2007. Happy New Year to you all!

Anyone else having issues loading this site? It’s been sporadic for me all day, and I’m trying to determine if it’s my issue, or an issue with my host. If you’ve been having problems let me know (and let me know how long). My hosting has been pretty up and down the past month or so.

I had hoped to squeeze another post in before I left for the holiday, but it doesn’t look likes it going to happen. I’ll be back early next week. I’d ask for recommendations on good record stores in the Houston area, but the chance of me breaking free of family obligations long enought to go hunting is pretty low. Hope everyone has a nice Thanksgiving (where applicable)

God, it’s been a bad stretch for music blogs of late. First, Agony Shorthand calling it quits. Then 100 Records getting shut down, and now the announcement that Scott is closing the doors at Strange Reaction. I was taken aback with the news, but ultimately not that surprised. It takes a lot of energy and drive to keep one of these sites up, especially for as long as Strange Reaction has been around. Not to mention running a one person show. Once you cross the 1 year mark these things tend to be kept alive on life support (ahem). Strange Reaction turned me on to some good stuff, which I’m appreciative. Scott, the doors are open here for you any time (before I pull the plug on this barely breathing corpse)