FLOWERS IN THE DUSTBIN

South London genre bending anarcho/art/goth punk circa 1982/3.  FLOWERS IN THE DUSTBIN seem to have lived on another plane(t), and the result on this demo is disjointed, awkward, out of tune and engaging dark punk.  There's a lengthy interview/history courtesy of Lance Hahn (from one of his many anarcho punk profiles in Maximum Rocknroll) that covers the band's past in great depth, and from that article you can hit the band's download page and enjoy their entire catalog (might I suggest starting with the brilliant Freaks Run Wild In The Disco?  yes, I might).  "All Fool's Day" appears on their 1985 Mortarhate EP in a much cleaner version, but for me, the out of time and out of tune approach to this demo is most excellwent.  In terms of influences, bassist Chas says: "Between the first SEX GANG CHILDREN album in 1983 and THE FALL's Bend Sinister in 1986, the only contemporary music that excited me was ours and the only contemporary band I listened to was the COCTEAU TWINS (THE DOORS I remember as being a band we all liked?)." And the singer's response: "I think we all liked the COCTEAUs, I hated THE FALL."

ALWAYS ANOTHER DOOR

WANT ON THOUGHT

Rudimentary 80s punk/metal crossover from the UK.  Seven tracks from WANT ON THOUGHT, but the track "Missile Of Peace" is really enough to make the whole demo worthwhile...mid tempo punks shits played by a band that seems like they want to be metal, they just haven't quite figured out how to not be punks yet (in that sense, they remind me a lot of FUNEROT, who I just saw in Olympia). DRI cover to finish off the demo, in case there was any question as to their motivations and inspirations.

ED BISHOP

I'm still on tour with LAUDANUM and BLACK GANION, drop by The Relax Bar in West Hollywood or The Boulevard in Boyle Heights Saturday and say hello.  Daily posts will resume on Monday.  Cheers...

INTENSIFIED

For years I was baffled by the punks' seemingly collective interest in ska and reggae, and then something just clicked. I'm still not a total fan, and certainly nothing approaching an expert, but I've amassed a few records, and I certainly enjoy putting them on from time to time (people still keep telling me that if only I smoked weed, all would become clear...in music and in life, but I digress...).  It shouldn't come as a surprise that in amongst a heap of tapes from an old UK punk were a few ska cassettes, mostly compilations like this one, titled Intensified.  The subtitle, Original Ska: 1962-66, pretty much explains it,  and here is 45 minutes of killer first wave jams to satisfy my self imposed friday compilation obligation.  Skank your week goodbye with the likes of TOMMY COOK, ROLAND ALPHONSO, STRANGER COLE and loads more.

INTENSIFIED

Also, I'm going on a short tour again...leaving in about 10 minutes in fact.  I'll be driving for Oakland's LAUDANUM and BLACK GANION from Nagoya, Japan, and both will be delivering heavy blows to cities up and down the west coast.  Stop by and say hello if you are in the area (or if we will be in yours), and expect another post around Thanksgiving day. Cheers...

PERDITION

Someone mentioned this New York band in a comment on the NERVESKADE post, and I was reminded that I hadn't listened to this bad boy in quite a while.  So I listened to it.  It's still noisy as shit. 6 tracks of rehearsal room recorded raw punk chaos from PERDITION...enough said.

There's Only Freedom In Death

SMILES

Bristol's SMILES fall right in line with CONVULSIONS among bands that have came out of the shadows of the past and knocked me right out of my seat.  These four simple songs are shoved right down your throat; up yer arse UK punk..."Junkie" is such a brilliant burner that it's worth the whole tape (unfortunately the song cuts off before its natural end...ordinarily I might have left it off the post, but the song is too fucking good).  This might be a tired statement by now on Terminal Escape, but I don't know anything at all about this band, so any information would be appreciated.  I have two tapes from 1985 and a pretty rough 50 minute rehearsal demo...all great stuff, but this demo takes the prize.  Enjoy!

SMILES

FALSE SECURITY

I was tempted to fuck with the band's song order and start of this tape with the second track, "Blockaded," because it has one of the best guitar intros ever...so simple, and so perfect.  But I can't justify distorting someone else's vision, so you get the tracks in their intended sequence, and prepare to have your face pummeled by FALSE SECURITY, a short lived hardcore band from Brooklyn.  The hollow menacing bass intro to "Closed Circle" brings to mind NEGATIVE APPROACH more than any of the dozens of bands who've tried to make a career based on aping Detroit's finest, and the frantic vocals in "Their Dark Places" sound frightened and urgent.  Hollow, menacing, frightened, urgent...all adjectives that should be used to describe hardcore.  Think midwest hardcore, think 80s rust belt depression, and that's the feeling that FALSE SECURITY dish out...well written and well delivered songs that never made it to vinyl.

FALSE SECURITY

NABAT

NABAT were a relatively prolific Italian skinhead band through about 1985, with a handful of EPs and several comp appearances under their belts.  I first heard them on the Skins E Punks=T.N.T. compilation EP along with RAPPRESAGLIA and DIOXINA (the latter has a live set on the other side of this cassette that I will post eventually) and thought they stole the comp.  This live set from 1983 is pretty ripping, save the hideously long pauses between songs (which I have edited for your listening pleasure, because I am a nice fucking guy), and there is something overly endearing about listeing to a bunch of skinheads shout Oi! this and Oi! that, and then wrap up the evening with a very polite sounding "Ciao!"

NABAT live in Cesena, Italy

OUT OF ORDER

An excellent dark punk demo from OUT OF ORDER.  They appeared on a couple of comps after this tape was released in 1983, but I don't think they ever made it onto a vinyl release of their own (please correct me if I'm wrong).  This reminds me of UK DECAY quite a bit, especially "Parental Upbringing,"and it seems that OUT OF ORDER could have easily gone a less punk, more new wave route, but fortunately for us, this tape is quality mid tempo brooding punk.  Highlights include the scorching "Sent To Slaughter" and the KILLING JOKE-esque "Death Trap." Hi-quality shits for your Sunday, enjoy!

Out Of Order

Also...for those who haven't checked it out, there's a killer blog that concentrates on Eastern European punk (specifically Czech Republic and Slovakia). Muzika Komunika is one of my favorite blogs, and today's F.P.B. post put them over the top.  Certainly among the best European bands ever, in my opinion, and you should really check it out.

HOUSECLEANING

Today is Saturday, and I got no plans other than cleaning the house and picking my wife up from the airport.  While I can't exactly carry an "airport arrival" metaphor over to Terminal Escape, I have been doing a bit of housecleaning of previous posts, so here goes:

THE DECEASED
All the way back to my first post.  Originally I was posting each song as a separate .wav file, which was time consuming for you and me both, and just generally inefficient.  Here's the demo properly mp3'ed and all zipped up.

THE CAUSE
Same as above. And yeah, Gabe, I know you still want the Violence demo.  It's coming.

SALAD FROM ATLANTIS
Likewise, this one is properly uploaded now. But more importantly, I think this is one of the weirdest (read: best) tapes I've posted, and I think it might have gotten lost in the early days of Terminal Escape.  Hopefully some folks will revisit this one.

THE SNAPPING BOGSEATS
Mark from THE SNAPPING BOGSEATS was kind enough to send me a cdr with the complete Feed The People demo, which came with additional art and a song that my tape copy was missing.  The whole thing is available here now, but feel free to drop him a line if you fancy one of your very own.  His email is in the comments section of this post.

C.K.N.
This Dutch demo is one of my most ragingest posts, but I rocked the songs a few weeks back and realized that the order was all fucked up and some of the tunes were cut off in a rather annoying manner. Apologies, but it's fixed now.

PRE-MENSTRUAL TENSION
There's a wealth of info (especially compared to the absolutely nothing I knew about P.M.T. when I posted this tape) in the comments section, but more importantly I've rezipped the demos with the tracks properly named and there is a link to their second demo as well (thanks to System//Sabotage//Chaos for both!).

STATE OF CONFUSION
This compilation was kinda confusing with the track order all jumbled.  Should be sorted out now.

OCCULT BLOOD
Somebody was kinda drunk when they posted this killer bit of Australian noise torture.  And apparently they forgot to post the second side of the demo, which is (of course) way better than the brilliant A side.  Get assaulted.

NEW ZEALAND MIX
Apparently "Son Of A Gun" was corrupt.  That's one of the best songs on the damn tape, and I can't let you people miss out on it!

CHEST PAIN
I know that the newer shit might not appeal to as many folks, but this Texas band fucking kills, and they were kind enough to send a link to their tracks from a recent vinyl release to go along with the demo.  Enjoy.

ANTI STATE CONTROL
This one was a mess, as I had tried to guess song titles based on drunken between song banter from the band members at the rehearsal where they recorded this tape.  Suffice to say: my guesses were not exactly correct.  Thankfully, Mark from ASC filled in the gaps, so I've renamed and rezipped the songs, this time as one 19 song download for your ease and convenience.  Mark also sent along a few photos which I've added to the post.

THE CONVULSIONS
This band of teenagers made one of my favourite tapes ever, so imagine my excitement when Phil from THE CONVULSIONS sent over a whole slew of songs I had never heard before (and some live shits, and even an more awesome version of "Electro Convulsive Therapy")!  These new tracks are now up along with the original demo, with Phil's blessing.  His email is in the comment section, and I bet he would sell you a copy of the CD he's made with all THE CONVULSIONS material.

I came across a few other posts, mostly from the earlier days, that I feel deserve an additional mention.  If nothing else, then perhaps someone new to Terminal Escape might feel inclined to go back and check out a tape they might have missed out on the first time around.  BILE is just a brilliant brilliant mess, I listened to this every day on tour, much to the annoyance of many of my fellow passengers.  New Zealand's SPERMICIDE are a sloppy feminist mess who made a killer tape. QUESTION are one of the best bands in the US currently, absolutely blistering.  And speaking of blistering, A Small Dose Of Anticipatory Retaliation from Australia's 4 THOUSAND MILLION is a total scorcher, and I would hate for it to get overlooked.

That should get us up to date, and now that I've cleaned up my virtual "man room," I think I should put away the dishes.  Cheers.

THRASHER THE CAT'S FAVES

Friday comp tapes are back, kids! To reward your patience during my recent absence, I'm dishing out a full 90 minutes of 80s punk and hardcore from Retaliation Records.  A few tracks from each band, and this comp has some serious heavyweights like LEGION OF PARASITES (whose tracks on this comp are fucking smoking, even if their sound quality is a little blown out...ok, it's a lot blown out, but the tunes rule), NEGATIVZ (don't know much about them, but they contribute my favorite songs here), Germany's ANEEB with some rudimentary D-Punk, minimal ska from 3/D SCREAM, killer early 80s USHC from THE DETONATORS (the only US band on the comp), brilliant tracks from Greece's EX-HUMANS (I never understand how some bands, like this one, are so totally ignored) and more (I know it's hard to imagine more, but I swear it's true).  I can only assume that Thrasher was indeed a cat, but thankfully this feline had impeccable taste in punk, and I thank her human for putting these bands together for us to enjoy. My tape came with photocopies of the label stickers...so I felt compelled to scan them in for you, which I'm certain everyone will appreciate immensely, right?  Happy compilation listening!

THRASHER LOVES THESE TRACKS - SIDE ONE

SHE LOVES THESE SONGS TOO - SIDE TWO

SEX

I did not return from Japan with overflowing bags of cassettes as I had hoped I would, but this one song, one sided demo from Tokyo's SEX pretty well makes up for whatever I might be lacking in the numbers department.  Totally over the top punk/metal done like no one outside of Japan could even dream of.  Screaming guitar riffs, drums that gallop along like...well, like Japanese hardcore drums (which are, it must be said, pretty metal), and those vocals!! This singer is what makes this song totally indispensable, he sounds exactly fucking like Baki from GASTUNK, and that is some seriously high praise.  Just one look at these kids should tell you that SEX is a total winner, even though (or perhaps because) the title of their demo is Vagina Fucker (When the bcaking vocals start chanting the chorus in unison, one can't help but smile).  They look like X JAPAN crossed with Shout At The Devil era CRUE, and they sound like any number of 80s Japanese bands (think GASTUNK, MOBS and other hardcore bands that took a wrong turn around 1988) through a filter of glam and American metal...brilliant.  If nothing else, this track will mystify you, but with any luck you'll love it as much as I do.

VAGINA FUCKER

a live shot from 2007, in case you still need any convincing: 

ABSTRACT CRITIQUE

This sticker is the closest you'll get to a cover for this killer UK demo.  ABSTRACT CRITIQUE had a couple of releases that followed, but this demo wins my prize for bizzaro peace punk with heaps of effects and liberal use of keyboards from start to finish.  And speaking of the finish, the 6+ minute eponymous "Abstract Critique" is a more than brilliant way to wrap up a demo tape...admittedly rather self indulgent ambient drones that owe as much to THROBBING GRISTLE as they do to some rejected  art track from one of the Bullshit Detector comps.  But the driving monotonous tracks "Coriolanus" and "Red and Black" should be more than enough to win over naysayers...totally unique punk.  Oh, and I had a very nice trip.

CORIOLANUS demo