It was more than ten years ago when Karoline and I stopped by Martin's place in Chicago and he blasted these tunes for us. He dubbed them off as he did, and made an impromptu cover of sorts (pictured above), packaged the whole thing in a 7" sleeve and we were on our way, suddenly hip to this insanely killer new queer hardcore band. The demo recordings on this tape are pre-vinyl versions of tunes that would later wind up on their self titled 7" and 12", including a few tunes ("Man To Man," "Limp Wrist vs. Dr. Laura," [cut off by a too damn short tape!] "OD'd On Pop" and one more I can't seem to identify) with no vocals. There is a nearly constant track of guitar feedback present through most of these songs that I fukkn love - makes me wish that the vinyl version of "Brotherhood" had this much noise going on. I've had the pleasure of driving LIMP WRIST on tour twice, with two different guitarists, and can honestly say that I've never seen a bad show - raw, pissed, and saucy, even in their early days. This tape comes complete with false starts and fuckups that were absent on the Don't Knock It Till You Try It demo that featured six of these sixteen tracks. The flip side is full of songs from the recording session that became the first two records, and I threw them into the folder in case there are still some fools out there who have missed out. Crucial hardcore, no matter who is in the band or who they choose to fukk, but more importantly, it's crucial hardcore that addresses (or confronts) the awkward homophobia (and sex phobia in general) prevalent in punk and hardcore even to this day. LIMP WRIST are fun, but it's serious fun...and it rules.
As luck would have it, LIMP WRIST are playing this week in San Francisco. Coincidence, of course. Tonight at The Big Gay Warehouse (look it up) with LIVID, PERMANENT RUIN and NO STATIK, and tomorrow at El Rio (21+, sorry kids) with BRILLIANT COLORS and DRAPETOMANIA. After that they hit the West Coast, and then it's off to Brasil. I'm sure they will have a gay old time.
LIMP WRIST in Providence, 2006. Photo by Karoline, in case you didn't click on the link at the beginning of the post, you should do it now.
2 comments:
and sunday in portland w/lebenden toten! SO THERE.
ha, I think that's my head sticking out in the top left of that photo. that was the second time I saw limp wrist. total rager, makes me miss olneyville warehouse shows...
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