Tokyo Electron - AZ 238 (FDH Records / Certified PR Records, 2009)

Oh me, oh my, definitively Tokyo Electron grew up like giants. As most of you enjoyed the two 7" that I posted on the old Down and Roll, you could totally understand what I'm talking about after listening to AZ 238 (2009), the swan song of these Arizona guys—with Ryan Rousseau focused on Earthmen & Strangers and his solo career the project seems to be finished. After they had become a quartet, the songs grew sounding more thickness and complexes, but they still sound in a Tokyo Electron-style. Is just they moved a step forward from their desert garage-punk—in their own words. As former releases, the LP was limited to a very few copies, in this case they were 500 in green-marveled red vinyl.

Die Rötzz - Tugboat 45 (Die Slaughterhaus Records, 2005)

Die Rötzz is one of these bands with a gift: they are really capable of composing songs which will immediatly grasp in your head. It's a shame that this awesome band has so little references released; just a bunch of 7'' and a home-made compilation tape. Tugboat 45 (2005) is their second EP, released by Die Slaughterhaus Records, a record label which is quality guarantee. The artifact contains four punches right-to-your-nose, really catchy and addictive. And the funny thing is that there are no secrets, the songs are really simple and flourish-free. They are "just" great. Dammit, I need more!

Spizzenergi - Where's Captain Kirk? b/w Amnesia (Rough Trade, 1979)

In somewhere between the Buzzcoks and the Undertones there were Spizzenergi. They released only four 7" as Spizzenergi, but under different aliases—Athletico Spizz 80 or Spizzles—they came also a couple of LPs. "Where's Captain Kirk?" b/w "Amnesia" (1979) is, no doubt, the band's most famous and well-known 7". It's also one of my favorites all-time punk/new wave singles. Released by Rough Trade, the single came with a terrific pop-art cover. It's a shame that "Amnesia" was overshadowed by the tremendous success of the titular song, but it is also perfectly understandable: "Where's Captain Kirk?" is a classic, catchy song, which won the band their place in music history. The best Star Treck-related song ever written, John Peel dixit.

Sin City Six - Tonight Tonight b/w Tell It (Screaming Apple, 2000)

The last formation of Pleasure Fuckers—without lead singer Kike Turmix—and Lee Robinson—singer of the Fortunate Sons and former of the A-10—formed the Sin City Six in the last years of the past century. This terrific line-up released three singles and one LP, a killer record I never get tired of listen to—and which I posted in Down and Roll. After the LP Lee Robinson passed away and the Sin City Six released another good record—Home of the Brave (2003)—, but not as good as the first one. "Tonight Tonight" b/w "Tell It" (2000) was their third 7", which contains two songs included in their first LP, but different versions, recorded by Mikel Biffs (from Safety Pins). This record is the first contribution of our new member and collaborator Tony DevilDog. Thanks for the record, mate!

Larsen - ¡No! (a.k.a. Frontera francesa) (1983) (Radikal 1977 Records reissue, 2006)

From the myriad of bands influenced by Dead Kennedys that crowded Spain during the early eighties, Larsen are, no doubt about it, one of my favorites. ¡No!, also known as Frontera francesa (1983) was their debut, a four-song 12" EP. "Frontera francesa" ("French Border") is about an old incident —which still happens, from time to time— between Spanish and French farmers. The Spanish fruit trucks were burnt and tore down by some French farmers at the border, because of cheaper Spanish fruit would ruin them, they though. The Spanish media treated that like a national scandal and an unforgettable offense, so everybody was really pissed off with our neighbors. You know, that sort of nationalist shit. So, you can see, this record was about giving the finger to the Frenchies. But, hey, French brothers, if you understood the Spanish lyrics, you'd really realize that this is just a stupid lyric among other three stupid lyrics ("Throwing up Blood", "Born from a Punk's Puke", and "Fight against Techno"), just punk junk made by punk teenager shitheads, so no hard feelings!

Tokyo Sex Destruction - Black Noise Is the New Sound! (BCore, 2004)

Between the MC5 and the (International) Noise Conspiracy they are the Barcelona-based band Tokyo Sex Destruction. I mean, they were when Black Noise Is the New Sound! (2004), their second LP,  was released, because since then their music is under a continuous evolving, going far, far away from its first influences. In his subsequent albums, 5th Avenue South (2005) and The Neighborhood (2009), the psychedelic and soul components have grown, resulting in more complex and polyhedral songs. But we are in the past now, when Tokyo Sex Destruction were a highly-politicized garage-punk-soul machine. You can feel it in these eleven blasts the band shot restless. The CD includes stereo and mono mixes, the last ones just for you purist sixties lover! By the way, "ソウル・ミュージック・パーティ" seems to mean "Soul Music Party".

 

Cerebros Exprimidos (as Squeezed Brains) - Another Day (Sympathy for the Record Industry, 1990)

Sqeezed Brains was the war name of our beloved Cerebros Exprimidos beyond the Spanish borders. Another Day was a three-song EP released by Sympathy for the Record Industry (nicknamed as "Simpatía por la Industria Discográfica", in Spanish) in 1990, the very year the band from Mallorca started their relationship with Munster Records releasing Más suicidios. The side A is for "Another Day", a punk rock blast with the band's name stamped on it, is sang in English, which only happened in their overseas releases —like Kill the Pope was going to be, but finally wouldn't. The side B is quite cinematographic, with "Gritos en la noche", the Spanish tittle of the first Jess Franco's movie, and the instro "Heater O'Rourke's Nightmare", dedicated to Poltergeist's child actress. And it's curious that the O'Rourke's sister Tammy acted in Pennies from Heaven, and the F.U.'s had a song of the same title which Squeezed Brains covered in Bonzomanía (1991). The loose ends close themselves!

Thee Spivs - It's True b/w Taped up (Almost Ready Records, 2011)

You fall in love with someone, with something. You know, that sometimes happened, and as the Who sang, "you can't explain". You just let it be. Why this particular song, why this very band, why this specific record? Who cares? The thing is that you just love it. And that's how I felt in love with Thee Spivs. Since the first time I listened one of their songs. It was "I Don't Wanna It", and thank to Goddess the day my mate Critical + posted it in his Rock 'n' Roll Saved My Soul. Since then, I became a fan. The "It's True" b/w "Taped up" 7" (2011) contains another two catchy, terrific songs to add to their own list of catchy and terrific songs. Their mixture of punk '77, new wave, power pop and ramonesque sound is not new. Not even original. But they're fuckin' good. Why they? I just... can't explain. Let's enjoy; the new three-chord wonders are here!

Siouxsie and the Banshees - Mittageisen b/w Love in a Void (Polydor, 1979)

Founded by Susan Janet Ballion (a.k.a. Siouxsie Sioux) and Steven John Bailey (alias Steven Severin, in homage to "Venus in Furs" by you-know-who), Siouxsie and the Banshees has been one of the most important post-punk/pre-Goth rock bands. They started in the middle of the English punk rock scene (vg. they first drummer was Sid Vicious) but they quickly evolved towards these dark sounds that influenced the future generations of the Goth rock bands (vg. Robert Smith was one of the band's guitarist). "Mittageisen" b/w "Love in a Void" (1.979) is they fourth single, and contains two non-LP tracks. The front cover is the John Heartfield's photo-collage Hurrah, die Butter ist Alle! ("Hurray, no more butter is left!"), which shows a family at a diner table eating metal pieces, an acerbic turnaround of the words of Luftwaffe Major and later Nazi Minister Hermann Göring: "Iron has always made a nation strong, butter and lard have only made the people fat". Turning back to the Banshees, "Mittageisen" is the German version of "Metal Postcard (Mittageisen)", included in the band's first LP The Scream (1.978). The song is an ominous post-punk theme, driven by the martial rhythm and the fine bass line of Mr. Severin. "Love in a Void" is a little more punk rock-esque with its noteworthy bass line (again) and the kickin'-ass guitars.

Siniestro Total - Sexo chungo b/w Me pica un huevo (1983) (Munster Records reissue, 2004)

Julián Hernández and Miguel Costas, members of the Spanish punk band Siniestro Total, composed "Me pica un huevo" ("My ball itches") and "Sexo chungo" ("Bizarre Genitals") after TVE —the Spanish public TV— had invited the band to perform at the music program Caja de ritmos two new and unreleased songs. But the fate was quite different. After the band could appear at the program, it was canceled due to the performing of Vulpess' "Me guta ser una zorra" ("I like being a bitch"). That was a national scandal, and Manolo Tena, the show's director, resigned. So the band never played at the show but fortunately they recorded the new songs and "Sexo chungo" b/w "Me pica un huevo" was released as a 7" in 1983. It was also the last record with German Coppini on vocals. No doubt, this is one of the most jocund 7" in the history of Spanish punk: the lyrics, the parody of London Calling's cover, the "Double B side" printed on the cover... hilarious. Originally released by D.R.O., the single was reissued in white vinyl by Munster Records as a facsimile: gatefold sleeve and a complementary poster.

Psychosurgeons - Horizontal Action b/w Wild Weekend (1978) (Crypt Records reissue, 2012)

Let's start this Club well. The Psycho-Surgeons or just Psychosurgeons were a seminal band of the Australian punk'n'roll scene. They were Radio Birmand's partners in crime, and as a lot of legendary bands their musical legacy were quite little, as little as one 7". "Horizontal Action" b/w "Wild Weekend" was released by the local label Wallaby Beat. Two punk rock kicks influenced by Stooges, of course, but also by the weird punk of NY. I can even taste a subtle flavor of power pop. The mates of Crypt Records reissued this fuckin' milestone last year, with an entirely new artwork and meaty liner notes. Now you have no excuse to not know them.