Chin-Chin – Sound of the Westway (Farmer Records Chin-Chin 2, 1985)
Now this is Switzerland again and this is something special. There are a couple of all-girl post-punk groups in the US of A that state that their sound was inspired by this 80s Swizz band. The sound actualy was Punk but later it was dubbed “C86” or “Schrammel-Pop” – all tags that i can not reconcile. They made energetic music, with limited abilities at the start and they where not afraid of “letting it all out”. They went to some fame as the were signed by the same lable as the Shop Assistents, a band that got a lot of fame in the UK. The verdict:
1977 – sure DIY! And plenty of Ramones, published by a cool lable – Farmer Records where a small and cool DIY lable from CH!
found in a cool shop – Konneckschen back then, sure thing!
catching sound – “Never Surrender” is a “ohhh-hoh-ohah” anthem of timeless beauty. Should have been covered many many bands – but by the looks it hasn’t been… not too bad words – yep, a real youth anthem!
I would realy like to know what happend to these girls!
The record got re-released in 2010 in the US of A and the marketing for that states:
In 1985, Chin Chin's album "Sound Of The Westway" was released on Farmer Records, containing 12 original compositions recorded and mixed in just 7 days. "Sound Of The Westway" is a brilliant mix of punk-informed crunch and buoyant pop melody that shows Chin-Chin tobe true pioneers of DIY noisy pop.
As it happens this combination of DIY punk ethic, fuzz guitars and bubblegum pop was also gaining traction in the UK with the nascent C86 scene. Featuring bands like Shop Assistants and The Pastels, C86 was a confluence of youngbands who were as influenced by Phil Spector as The Ramones, and Chin-Chin fit right in next to groups like The Rosehips and The Fizzbombs.
SNFU – If you swear, you catch no fish (Better Youth Records BYO017, 1986)
This blog entry already sends shivers down my spine. This is one of the bands that realy mean a lot to me and i have always adored (little did i know about the in’s and out’s of SNFU). Regular records, regular tours and both records and shows where great – with a bonus for a real energetic live show. Over the years they went silent and by the end of the 80’s they broke up. Only to re-surface in the 90’s even stronger, disappear again and pop by another time and then go bust when Singer Ken Chin decided on a full blown meth carrer incl. loosing all property and becoming homeless.
Nevermind, next to their 1996 Album “FYULABA” on Epitaph this is one of the best hardcore records from over there (and not US, this is CAN) and i think at least one SNFU records will make it into my alltime top 10. Thus the verdict:
1977 – sure thing. a variety of speed, great axe-work and eye-watering slow songs like “Black Cloud” – true 1977! published by a cool lable – Better Youth Records from LA, no question about coolness thanks to the Stern-Brothers of Youth Brigade/BYO fame (and a cool name too, btw) found in a cool shop – that was Konneckschen again, all my 70’s and 80’s records are from there! catching sound – if this is not catching you, then you have a musick-al health problem! not too bad words – a song about the struggle with parents who dislike the music with a small shiny light on record collectors feelings – i was touched forever, see yourself:
I pride my record collection,
it's the only thing I like to do
But, my dad insists they're evil things
with satanic messages in their grooves
He says he knows this for a fact
cause the good lord told him so
And he doesn't want the voice of Satan
raging through his humble home.
Those records are the devil's music
And no son of mine's gonna listen to them
Sorry son, but you have no choice
I just can't have you hearing that devil's voice
I told him to shut up and he punched my face
He then grabbed a sledgehammer from out back
and sabotaged my record rack
He crushed all my imports and rarities
He didn't even save the picture sleeves!
Afterwards I felt so weak
with each broken record died a part of me
Those records are the devil's music
And no son of mine's gonna listen to them
Sorry son, but you have no choice
I just can't have you hearing that devil's voice
Sorry son, you have no choice
i said you have no choice
do you have choice?
(c) 1986 Better Youth Publishing (ASCAP)
And, to round it off, the back cover shows the band with a hockey stick – something that did touch me even more, esp. as i spend all of the 80’s watching and supporting hockey in Hamburg.
And now listen up:
See them live, back then, Feb 1987 in Kansas:
And this is the 2014 re-incarnation in the rehersal studio:
And the downhill struggle for Kevin is a sad story and was captured in a touching movie, see the trailer:
Nowadays Kevin seems to be back alive – i assume he is trying to earn a living. Still – shivers!
SNFU, Kevin Chinn – THANK YOU! See their 2014 show in Hamburg featured here!
Sad update in July 2020:
Ken aka Mr. Chi Pig has passed away on June 16th, 2020. His medical condition was bad and i guess his body finally gave up. RIP Mr. Chi Pig – your leave a great legacy!
Big D and the Kids Table – For the Damned, the Dumb & the Delirious (One Side Dummy Records, 2011)
Ska-core is a Boston stronghold, but beyond the might of the Mighty Mighty BossTones there is more. Since the mid 90’s Big D and the Kids Table (what a name!) have added their abilities to the genre and with their latest record out in late 2011 (and beating the new Mighty Mighty BossTones record by a month) they have made it big, at least for me. And, yes, even after about 1 month of listening it is already in my all-time fav list (but, cool down, that list is long, very long).
As a life-long BossTone supporter surrounded by an even more die-hard BossTone (Frosch, that is) and a wife that likes Dicky’s voice (and the music) it is a hard to judge, but not too hard (as i dig it 🙂 ). The band actualy states:
"For The Damned, The Dumb & The Delirious" is filled with drivingska-punk bangers, leaping off the stage thrash, seedy dub and topped off with a lot of that good ol’ fashion working class,Boston bar room beer toasting anthems. It’s gritty, bratty and raw – confident, witty and fun.
The verdict:
1977 – now this is tough! is it in true spirit of the 1979 2Tone revival of Ska in the UK? published by a cool lable – SideOneDummy is a cool lable with a cool rooster, yes! And, bonus, it is a double-12″!
found in a cool shop – Burnout Records in Hamburg (currently the best shop in town).
catching sound – yes, the beauty of the ska-rhythm paired with speedy guitars – perfect!not too bad words – the decisive one – seldom before i have seen a better explanation why a musician is the way he is and why he hangs on and on and on, go read yourself:
One day,
I'll stop stealing beer from clubs,
toilet paper, paper towels,
light bulbs and even the cigarette stained rug
One day,
I'll stop hanging in the bars
With the late-night punks and lousy women
And all those toxic hangers on
And did you know,
Life is easier than they claim,
When you ain't obsessed with fame,
And the world knows you'll never be tamed
When gasoline soaked,
With an open zipo's flame,
Livin' life is a no-rules game,
And if I ever step in line - then I'm to blame.
No, don't wait around for me,
I'm stickin' to the first plan,
It's workin' out for me
No, don't wait around for me,
There's still a mess of countries left that I haven't seen.
Old friends have grown into American bodies,
Have given up on their hobbies,
And pull me aside and say "Don't you ever change."
An old man,
Take a seat next to me at the bar,
And we find out who each other are,
And pull me close and go "Don't you ever change."
So don't wait around for me,
I'm enjoying life too much,
I'm self-made free
Nah, don't wait around for me,
Go ahead with your own life,
But me....
I explode on mics,
Dive on endless heads,
Play with as much power to wake the living dead
Why I don't fear,
Adrenalize new heights,
I'll make your Monday into fuckin' Saturday Night.
No, don't wait around for me,
I don't agree with the values and interests of society
No, don't wait around for me,
What a decrescendo, Huh?
Humanity!
No, don't wait around for me,
To taste this whole world
That's life for me
No, don't wait around for me,
Gotta do my own thing,
I'm self-made free
(c) 2011 Big D and the Kids Table
Could not find a real good video of this song, but nevermind, at least you can listen to it:
One a side note (dated 2012): The band is like a poor travling gypsy type of thing (and that means they live for the music, the don’t make a living from the music) and when word came around in Nov 2011 that fontman David McWane was diagnosed with Thyroid-Cancer a rush of support set in (for us over in EU we need to remind ourselves how health care, insurance and the hospital system works in the US – seldom people have full insurance cover) to offer support (and that also in hard $). It looks he is covered and able to pay the bills (or, have them paid by Mass Health) but if you feel it needs support:
