5
FROM THE UNDERGROUND
MEKANİK DESTRUKTÏW KOMANDÖH
Sixth International
On June 2, 1979, Mekanik Destrük-
tiw Komandoh made their debut.
They appealed to their audience be-
cause they refused to accept the
popular "No Future" theory of the time.
Instead, they sang about optimism
and scholastic ideals MDK wasn't
satisfied with being just non-trendy
they went out of their way to leave no
doubt in anyone's mind that they did
not conform to trends or fashions. This
was accomplished by showing up in
hundred dollar suits at a hardcore
show and utilizing elements of Ber-
tholt Brecht's Arbeitertheater in their
shows. After a two-year period of dis-
organization, MDK stabilized with five
members. The addition of Stephen
Schwietzke on saxophone was instru-
mental in the band's current image.
MDK went on to tour extensively in
Europe, sharing the ticket with other
bands wuch as Sprung aus den Vol-
ken, Yello, Malaria, Einsturzende
Newbaten, Slime, The Dead Ken-
nedys, Glen Branca, and The Birthday
Party.
Recognizing the necessity for an
American audience, MDK applied for
and received financial assistance
from the German government, for
they considered MDK exemplary of
modern German music. The result of
their efforts to reach an American ear
culminated in their first album-BER-
LIN
The music of MDK, characterized
by Schwietzke's haunting saxophone,
reflects rebellion against in-
stitutionaltzed life. "Berlin," the title
track, captures the essence of con-
temporary Berlin-divided by two
governmental factions-as it mirrors
human existence there. "Werewolf"
seems to express the thoughts of a
man as he metamorphosizes to the
state of being a werewolf, finds love,
and meets demise in the silver bullet.
Ter Tag Sclagt Zu" tells about the
struggle of oppressed peoples and
how they will eventually win their
struggle. This track can be summed
up by the quote: "Blessed are the
meek, for they shall inherit the earth."
"Die Babies Von Heute" is along the
same lines as "Der Tag Sclagt Zu, but
it is less ambiguous. It reveals the
mesmerization of the new genera-
tions-the loss of individualized soci-
ety. It warns that if action is not taken
soon, the oppressing society will to-
tally overwhelm them-"Links Rechts
Aust
The saxophone, which is deliber-
ately conspicuous, expresses the
yearning, the straining of strained per-
sons, extremely well.
It is essential to the mood of each
song, and with the well-written vocals,
it shows the brilliance of Mekanik De-
strüktiw Komandöh-a perfect exam-
ple of contemporary German music.
-Bear
MPK
M
AGRESSION
Don't Be Mistaken
Mark Hickey-vocals,
Henry Knowles-guitar
Bob Clark-bass, Mark Aber-drums.
This album is so new, it squeaks.
36
Just kidding. The band Agression
play and sound like their name. This
quartet are full-on skate punks. One
song, Intense Energy' is all about
skateboarding. It starts off with the
sound of a spinning wheel, then rolls
right into, "Have you ever seen a
skateboarder surfin' in a pool/Flying
over the coping with a skateboard as
his tool." And ends with "You know we
could be out busting heads/But we get
rowdy in the pool instead/Laybacks,
inverts, bio backsides, roll-ins, roll-
outs, gnarly slides, we're grinding it
They play pretty fast and some of
them were heavy locals over at Ox-
nard skatepark. They all claim to still
session heavily at a ramp in one of
their backyards.
On side one, 'It Can Happen, a
song about, you guessed it, impend-
ing nuclear destruction. In fact,
rumors have it that it might be in-
cluded in a National Lampoon short
movie about the very same topic. This
album rips and is right down the vein
of intense skate rock. A must, on
BYO, P.O. Box 67A54, Los Angeles,
CA 90067.
PUSZONE
Enter the Pus Zone, as a mad stylus
burns a torrid groove upon the platter
of firehouse vinyl, where the music is
faster than the revolutions of which it
turns.
Fast! Shattering all records set for
speed and consistency packed with
striking assaults of lyrical strength,
storms out of Houston, Texas...D.R.I.
(Dirty Rotten Imbeciles) whose debut
7 EP displays 22 rapid firing songs of
untamed aggression and explosive
acceleration. Brutal Chaotic drum-
ming highlights this maniac cyclone
which whirls guitar grinds and tongue
chasing vocal urgency into the quick
est onslaught of hyperactive flailing
run amok. Soon a 12". Wild D.R.1.1
Available thru Rough Trade and better
shops everywhere.
Mean! Portland Oregon's premier
hardcore band Poison Idea, kick in the
teeth with this abrasive, raw, hammer-
ing 13 song 7 EP. Outrageous guitar
work screams unrelenting fury, exu-
berant thrusts of speed and piercing
cranks of string power as insane, bois-
terous vocals throat out raspy
melodies of raucous manifestation.
Uncontrolled aliens waiting to burst
out with such monsterous numbers
ske "Underage," "Self Abuse," "Cult
Band," and "Give It Up." This record is
distinct and holds a force that bom-
bards each listener. Total enjoyment
from this non-hesitant blitz. $2.50
from 714 S.E. 148th, Portland, Ore-
gon 97233
Version Sound presents "Cows &
Beer, a superb EP of tremendous
ability cavorting aggressive swiftness
from Milwaukee's Die Kreuzen. Ener-
getic detonation of powerhouse exer-
tion displayed in buzzing velocity of a
total combined effort of guitar, bass,
drums and maniac vocal raspers
punched together giving a very light
yet determined brilliance that intensi-
fies with each vivid harmony. Die
Kreuzen outcry sudden surges of
anger and peace of mind in their ex-
pressionistic lyrics which hold a large
capacity of proliferous cargo. $2.50
from Version Sound, P.O. Box 429,
Yellow Springs, Ohio 45387.
Chaotic! Rambunctious disorder.
Bellicose noise. Fits of rage shriek
devastating ruckus. After 2 frantic 7"
EPs. Chaos UK. Thrust their brand of
raw intensity and unpersistent rhythms
onto a 12" slice of long playing jolters.
Unfettered exertion strikes hard with
jarring guitar and bass chords of shim-
mering savage untamed rawness.
Rapid doses of unrestrained scratch-
ings of speed and feroicious feedback
walls rigorously echoing lyrics sung
from a padd;ed cell of blistering insan-
ity as garroting drum booms haunt the
eardrums, Chaos U.K. (Along with
Mates Disorder) deliver a quick
unique blend of rumbling mayhem
that grits hard on the chaotic edge. On
Riot City Records.
Finally, after quite a long wait, Dou-
ble O'S EP is out, grinding furious
exhilarating momentum to spectacu
lar results. An incinerating approach
of musical quality and outrageous
flourishment that melts the mercury.
Double O were a true strength in the
norotious D.C. scene, this resplen
dent release is a highly representable
slice of the excitement and determina-
tion Double O created. On R & R/Dis-
chord. $2.50 from P.O. Box 25054,
Washington, D.C. 20007.
Pus Zone
SKIT SLICKERS Cracked Skulls EP
7 SECONDS Lp Demo
DISSIDENT MILITIA Demo
DOOMSDAY MASSACRE EP
KAAOS Totaalinen Kaaos EP
MISFITS Evilive EP
DISORDER Mental Disorder EP
YOUTH BRIGADE Sound & Fury 2 LP
SUB Compilation LP (Brazil)
Send cassettes or vinyl...or for info,
write...Pushead, 2713 Kerr, Boise,
Idaho 83705 U.S.A. Please send
S.A.S.E
SKATE ROCK! TANGIBLE EVIDENCE.
The first time the term 'skate rock
supposedly was ever mentioned, was
back in 78 when Del #13, Fly, Kiwi,
Kelly, T.L.. The Buck Bros, Mofo, Bug.
and Scott Foss, armed with various
pots, pans, ladels, and other utensils
began rhythmically beating upon fur-
niture after the local cable service lost
power. That night, they dubbed the
unique sounds Skate Rock. Since
then, the need for many skaters to ex-
press themselves musically became
apparent when Steve Olson joined a
punk band and has been going through
music personality changes ever since.
The same goes for Duane. First it was
The Sharx, now it's The Teddy Boys
Salba was in The Wild Ones as was
Craig Rowe.
The original idea of Skate Rock was
dormant for a long period of years.
Then, after a while it became apparent
that there was a considerable amount
of skateboard influenced bands. Bands
ike T.S.O.L, Minor Threat, Die Kreu-
zen, Agression, Crucifix, No Rules,
and on, and on, and on. There are a
hell of a lot of 'em.
The magazine decides to show-
case many of these bands in a feature
called Skate Rock, The response was
incredible. No less than 30 inquiries
came in the first week
It was pretty astonishing. One
would never have known that there
were so many skateboard musicians
Then one day, this guy named
Fausto is partying with photo/writer
Mofo out on Mo's veranda overlooking
the downtown San Francisco skyline.
When Fausto says, "You know what
would be cool?
"What?" asked Mr. Mo.
To have a recording consisting of
all skateboard bands."
I guess so." From then on, it was
history. Phone calls were made, deals
were swung, skateboards were
hocked, les were told, bridges crossed,
roads travelled, peaks were reached,
checks were mailed, hearts got broke
and gas was pumped.
The end result? Nine bands, all of
skate orientation. They were herded
into one stable, that was to consist of
this compilation tape. SKATE ROCK
VOL. 1. There's the Big Boys, Black
Athletes, Drunk Injuns, The Fac-
tion, J.F.A., Los Olvidados, Minus
One, Riot 303, and The Skoundrelz.
Leading off the tape on side one,
from San Jose CA, is Los Olvidados:
with Listen To You. This song has
been with the band since its first
stage. A song of a relationship gone
wrong
See right thru your charm and
grace See right thru your poker face
See right thru your steady eyes See
right thru your alibis. A very solid rock-
er song with definitive tinges of heavy
metal rock
Next is The Big Boys. This outfit
from Texas got together because of
skateboarding Their contribution to
Skate Rock comes in the form of a
varied nature. They mixed a funky
soul sound with sporadic hardcore
splashes and came up with a likeable,
danceable, thrashable, swivelable.
sound. A perfect example lies in their
only cut on the tape Red Green, Along
with mysterious messages at the be-
ginning of the song, the slow driving.
determined beat pumps you along
and leaves you with the final words,
Gnarly Whoopsters
Riot 303, from Calgary, Canada
have four songs on the compilation.
The first of which is the 3rd song on
this side, Murder The Prime Minister
The title speaks for itself
Minus One is a San Francisco Bay
Area trio with a sound likened to the
tradition of the early Who. Stuck on
You (Bored Of It), is about one of the
problems most often faced by males,
Girls Singer/guitarist Dana Albert's
power pop style wails on the lead
licks. Mike Henry (bass) used to be a
heavy skate sessioner on the San
Jose scene for years before moving to
the big City.
AUKI AUKI AUKI cry The
Faction. The Faction are fronted by
Gavin O'Brien, and backed by the
likes of Steve Caballero (bass), Adam
Segal (guitar) and Keith Rendon
(drums). The song basically calls
bullshit on the tendency of many
Americans to try and follow and be hip
with the latest English trends.
United Kingdom go away Re-
member you live in the USA
England's stale anyway
The Skoundretz are next with Exter
minator. Remember Tony Alva? Well,
he plays bass in this band. (The bass
is a popular instrument amongst skal-
ers) They are fronted by Kerry
and backed by Mike Ball (qui-
tars). Heid Roron (drums) and of
course, TA Exterminator is a song
about an assasin, it's fast paced last-
ing just longer than a minute.
No one would ever guess that
something like the Drunk Injuns
could come out of North Dakota. So
far, they've been very secretive and
reluctant to appear. Stemming from
one of the largest Indian Reservations
in the North, the Drunk Injuns, as the
lead vocalist Joey Headbone states.
"We've been skatin' and we've been
playin every single day that we cana
remember. They even use Indian
names There's Sitting Duck on
drums, Miguel Passing Wind on lead
guitar, Johnny Yuma on bass and
Stoned Wolf on the other guitar Their
song (the first of three on the tape)
Program portrays an eerie gloom. It is
from the vantage point of a GOD as he
sees the world and is somewhat dis
gusted with what he sees. It's not re-
ligious, just hypothetical. Sort of like
"Creator bumming on his creation
Blatantly, your history will never re-
member the tasks it's all the same,
they're not in vain It sets a course for
you. I'm GOD!
Heavy Dirge Metal music.
Then, from Phoenix, AZ comes
Jody Fosters Army. These boys, as
some people claim are the definitive
and original skate punks Each
member is a skater to the bone. This
song. Great Equalizer, is about the
glorious leader of the USA
We'd like to thank you uncle Ron
you went out and dropped the Bomb
Vocalist Brian screams the first words
Then midway through the song he
chants Bands of skaters in roving
packs we had the adaptability that
you lacked, as the rest of the band,
consisting of Mike (bass). Don
(guitar), and BAM-BAM (take a guess)
chop through a tightly executed field
of sound in motion. Definitely one of
J.F.A's best
I'm a skatin' punk with a skate on
my feet/Born and raised on a cement
street People say I'm too old for this
junk / man, I'm having fun
In Riot 303's song, Skate Punx, there
s no guessing on any hidden mean-
ing. Its message is loud and clear and
It don't take no for an answer. Ronny
Riot and those Riot babies tell their
tale well in this song Sessionable
Minus One. That's what you get
when you think in terms of the number
of members of the band, The Beatles,
who are living today In fact, this song
is about John Lennon. I guess I
never meet him cause now he's
dead We got some identity crisis
around the world/John Lennon winds
up with a bullet in his chest, but I re-
member John Lennon fans can really
hold a candle to this one.
Rounding off the first side is Los Ol-
vidados, with their song Don't Cry
This is powerful. It's aimed at promot
ers. Greedy ones. Singer Mike Voss
struts out sharp words. You come
around with a handshake and a smile
You tell me what you'll do for me
Well Fm not taken in by your posi
tion. I've had enough of your empty
promises I see your plan of attack
but I play dumb and then/you think
you've got it made / when you drop
your guard I'm gonna stab you in the
back! That's enough to make any rec-
ord promoter cringe when this band
comes around.
Side two blasts off with The Kids
Don't Skate Here, by Minus One. It
starts out telling about the demise of
Bombora, a cement 25' diameter pipe
in Los Altos, North California. Then
singer Dana bursts into Thrasher Mag
was in the making, about the inception
of the skaters journal. And all around
us, the records were breaking The
Kids Don't Skate Here.
I even refers to our own Dr. Black-
hart, about his early heydays. They
still remember the legend of
Blackman he rode his board like a
fotal madman in the pool he was
turning 360's the others sketched
but for him it was easy
Then the Skoundrelz come back
with Jimmy Closet. A song about one
of those kids whose parents lock them
up and won't let them out. Been in
deep dark all day Mommy won't let
me out to play/it's hot and muggy in
my room/especially when it's two by
two. This song is exactly the same
length as their other one. It's realistic
THRASHER Mag's favorite
Canucks. Riot. 303, here with
Depression Session Rocket Ronnie
complains about his surroundings
here. The girls are ugly and no one's
new I'm living inside a human 200
boring parties, no gigs in sight it's
such a drag I'm in all night
Here comes that band of Drunk In-
juns again. This song. Your Mama, is
more dramatic than the title seems to
infer at first It's about a young man
who feels like his life doesn't amount
to much
Say something bad to her, now
didn't you? Not so happy with your
self, you Eventually he goes over the
edge and takes his ile Razor blade to
your vein/ Your zero hour, here! A
tragic story
Jak's Team member Paul Castepl
is the singer for the Black Athletes
another SF. Bay Area band. Their
song Die Laughing is already a popu
lar number in their live shows This
combo plays along the lines of a salsa
oriented reggae with unconventional
vocals. The song takes a slim look fo
wards the topic of death Your heaven
is a le Because after all, Heaven
waits for none Die Laughing Pretty
deep.
The Faction's second song on this
release is Boredom Awaits Gavin
O'Brien, an expert on the topic, moans
the woes of boredom Boredom
awaits, it likes to lurk/Don't be its vic
bim, don't be its jerk The Faction are
cleaner sounding hardcore as far as
cound goes. But their hearts are as
rough as chainsaws
Los Olvidados' last song. Your
Dull, is a song for the ones you de-
spise. Who cares about what you got
lo say! Mike Voss lashes out with a
scolding tongue. Your dut/I just pity
you. Perfect theme song for your
enemies.
The song Nick of Time, by Minus
One, hails the rise of underground
type new music of its coming of age
and pushing aside the old crew. The
energy of so many sounds from the
underground is so inspiring The d
nosaurs of rock n' roll Are stuck in
side the corporate ice. Then it states
in relief, It came in the nick of time I'm
so glad that it arrived
Nightmares of a Different Kind by
Riot 303 deals with the unknown
chasms of your brain. Expeting the
worst of fears, it tells of the helpless
ness you have sometimes in your
dreams. A lonely room, a fixed blank
stare
The preacher's cool hand on
your head The reaper's noose
around your neck The preacher's
sermon wards off death. It ends with a
final sentence of warning Waiting out
side in the shadow at night Lonely
nightmares of another kind
Finishing off this bulging package of
skateboard ideology are those ine
briated Native Americans, the Drunk
Injuns, and their song Pumpshank
About a girl who asked for too much
and ended up getting nothing You cry
and you cry, you cry at me For our
love's ghost but can't you see That
thing's dead, no room for more Or
that stuff that you're craving for. But
the boy finds it too hard to live without
her and comes back with, But I still
want you around Kind of corny, but
it's one of those real Me situations that
almost everyone goes through more
than once
That's the SKATE ROCK tape. It's
unique. It's plausible, it's rock 'n roll
and its definitely not kidding With this
tape as a beginning, someday soon,
the Skateboard Bands" brand of rock
n' roll will rule the airwaves
Viaadimir Blutonair