NZ PUNK // PUNK, INFL BANDS!!!

Apparently, New Zealand punk in the late 70s/early 80s fukkn ruled. DESPERATE MEASURES' opening tune "1984" with its simple droning repetitious riff might be the best song of the next 90 minutes (a bold move when making a mix tape), but the entirety of their 1984 EP is included here, and it's a fucking winner start to finish. Five tunes from UNRESTFUL MOMENTS follow, classic snotty punk with killer HUSKER DU-esque guitar leads set to brooding music with bizarrely affected (with effects, no doubt) vocals. THIS SPORTING LIFE appeared on the last New Zealand mix that I posted, brilliant post punk that mustn't be missed, and side A closes out with a phenomenal female fronted, horn laden track from INSTIGATORS that gives their British namesake a serious run for the money. The flipside is packed with goodies from JOHNNIES, 1ST IV (whose quirky jams like "Fascist Tango" are entirely too infectious), NEOTERIC TRIBESMEN's post punk arty goodness, two tracks of excellent JOY DIVISION worship from CHILDREN'S HOUR, straightforward punk from AFTERSHOCK and FINAL SOLUTION, plus two songs from RIOT III that question my theory that DESPERATE MEASURES take the prize on this mix....the song "Move To Riot" by RIOT III might just surpass DEAD KENNEDYS' "Riot" as my favorite riot song ever (and for the record, the word 'riot' appeared in that sentence quite a few times). As with Australian punks from the same era, there's just something tweaked about most of these recordings - something that makes them strangely kiwi, even though I don't quite know what that means. Hats off to the fellow and/or lass who crafted this mix, because I'm completely smitten with the music in contains...as you will be once these bands enter your musical database. And for the record, I am referring to the database in your brain, not the silicon one on your desktop.

NZ PUNK/PUNK INFL BANDS