No comments about Society's Victims.

3 comments about Rough Trade Shops: 25 Years.

1. Obviously with a compilation that covers so many musical epochs and genres there is going to be a lot of material you don't like. Indeed there are quite a few of the 56 songs here that I just don't care for, but there are just as many songs on here that I love that have introduced me to some artists that I mightn't have otherwise heard: Spacemen 3, Pere Ubu, Cabaret Voltaire, The Chills etc; this 4 disc set is like meeting someone with a great punk and indie record collection and having them play a whole bunch of stuff for you. Some of it you might have heard before, but there'll always be some songs that passed you by that you'll want to own. Don't be put off by the price either, for four discs of such classic music it's well worth the admission fee.



2. This is interesting - I think it must represent what Rough Trade had on their shelves at some time in the last 25 years (Has it been that long?) An interesting selection, though by know means a great one. Worth the cost of entry is 'Final Day' by Young Marble Giants, which I hadn't heard in 19 years (and it's still splendid)and the Television Personalities 'Part time Punks', neither of which, I'm almost certain, ever appeared on CD before. At the other end of the scale, Einsturzende Neubaten sound characteristically like a group of drunks trying to get home from the pub through a scrapyard, and the female lead of ...And The Native Hipsters has the most annoying voice of any human being in history. (I feel like sueing the group for the four minutes of my life that they claimed from me). For the rest, although there's a lot of filler in there, there should be something that everyone will like. Good luck, Rough Trade, I hope I'm around for the 50th Anniversary compilation. It's just a big pity you had to put the Native Hipsters on there.



3. Rough Trade is a legendary independant record shop based in London that has always been able to supply the clued up record collector with the latest cutting edge singles .

   The cultural significence of this shop is immense as it has always fanned the flames for new musical directions whether this was punk , or cool Jamaican roots reggae in the seventies , or the cutting edge sounds of today .

   This 4 cd box set has been released to celebrate 25 years of Rough Trade shops and it certainly does the company justice . Unknown artists sit side by side with musical legends like Pere Ubu , Joy Division , a young Bjork , The Pixies , Lee "Scrath" Perry , and The Smiths ( whose legendary legacy was released on the Rough Trade record label ) . The only thing that links the eclectic music on this collection ( apart from the quality ) is that all the songs were recorded by musical mavericks who were keen to push the sonic envelope back . If you want to hear four hours of exciting , groundbreaking music at a criminally cheap price . START HERE!

5 comments about If Evolution Is Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will Evolve.

1. This was my first jello biafra spoken word cd I have ever purchased, and it is truly amazing. Jello molds his sarcastic humor, intelligence, and capacity to think all into one great album. The first cd is probably the funniest, with things like 'Half-Time,' 'Depends on the Drug,' and 'Clinton comes to Long Beach.' But the talks on the death penalty and the space shuttle are true, and consequently scary as hell. The New Soviet Union is my favorite part of the first disc, and again is frightening, the comparisons that Jello makes.
   The second disc is on censorship but covers a wide variety of topics. A lot of it is about the media and how politicians and whoever are trying to censor cds and shows even more.
   The last disc is my favorite. The first and longest track is mainly about prisons, and some of the horrifying statistics and reports about them. Then comes 'Wake up and Smell the Noise.' It is truly a brilliant track, about 20 minutes of intelligence, thought, and everything you would want in a political type speech. I won't ruin it, however, but this cd is definitely worth buying. It will make you think, make you laugh, and is a must-listen for anybody even slightly interested.



2. I am a huge Dead kennedys fan, and am very fond of Jello's sarcastic, biting ideas and sense of humor. But this album, being my first JB spoken word album, really astounded me. Jello pulls you in immediately ( 'Watch a tv news report with the sound off...' ), and keeps you hooked throughout the disc. I listened to the whole thing all one night, because I litterally could not put my cd player down and stop. By the end it was like 1:00 and I was exhausted and amazed. Everything he says is so true and relates so much to our lives that its almost scary. Jello Biafra is truly one of the great revolutionaries of our time (up their with Noam Chomsky and Howard Zinn). Anyway, I can't wait to pick up Become the Media and I Blow Minds for A Living, and any radical activist, punk, anarchist, or hell, ANYBODY, should listen to this awesome album. It will pull ya in and open your eyes whether or not you want to. Great stuff.



3. This was an amazing comeback for Biafra. After a long vacation, Biafra came back with this new 3 CD set, and he sure had a lot to say.

   This album was more about his artistic "1984"-like visions than anything else. Much like his first album, Biafra dishes out more horrific visions and terrifying truths.

   This album is worth the small price you'll pay. It's entertaining, and even a few years later, it's quite informative.




4. With this release by Jello Biafra of Dead Kennedys it seems that his mind is only getting sharper. The only problem with this album is that it is all true! And he has had to see the hands of censorship upon him with Dead Kennedys.



5. Biafra talks about some very important issues that are funny , and frightening , but his voice is very irritating , and sometimes he drags on & on and forgets what he is talking about.

No comments about Paper Sleeve Box.

4 comments about You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory.

1. As far as a collection of discs go, for any budding Johnny Thunders fan, this is a great start. Beginning with the Heartbreakers' "LAMF Revisited", it may have been rehashed many times, but this mix is decent. As for the other disc go, two differing live show discs present two different sides to what Johnny Thunders was. The first, a more upbeat affair, brings the wilder, drug-driven side of Thunders to the fore, whereas the latter, a much more introspective look, still brings a tear to my eye with his cover of the Rolling Stones' "As Tears Go By", and perhaps captures Johnny's spirit more than anything else he recorded - even more than "You Can't Put Your Arm Around A Memory".



2. There are lots of Johnny Thunders / Heartbreakers live releases and this is a pretty good place to dive in if you are interested. Lots of very rocking good stuff here, the sound is great throughout and the performances are energetic.



3. This three CD set, priced nicely, contains four albums, all remastered. "LAMF Revisited," Johnny's high-end, punchy re-mix of the best ever rock and roll record; "DTK," the wonderfully representative live-in-1977-when-they-ruled recording; "Live at the Lyceum," which could be remastered on Mount Olympus and still be the stinkeroo it is; and "Line and Wasted--Unplugged," a swell acoustic set. If you are new to Thundersian muses give this a try. If you are a completest, it can't hurt to hear these remasterings.



4. just be aware it's NOT a JT career retrospective.

   Disc 1 is yet another remix of "LAMF".

   Disc 3 is "DTK- Live at the Speakeasy"; I know, at one point, you could get BOTH these titles on one CD

   Disc 2 is the Lyceum concert with some bonus tracks.

   So, it's a good basic "Heartbreakers" collection, but the Dolls and solo stuff isn't really represented.

   Great stuff, of course... but not what"Entertainment Weekly", for one, thought it was.

1 comments about Singles 83/84.

1. When I first heard of the Toy Dolls back in the mid-80's, this stuff was IMPOSSIBLE to find. I'm happy to have this box set, which contains their singles collection, the first ("Dig That Groove, Baby") second ("A Far Out Disc") and third ("Idle Gossip") lp releases, which replace the old cassettes I taped from friends over 15 years ago. The Toy Dolls are extremely silly and fun - imagine Chuck Berry records being played at the wrong speed in a playground for hyperactive Brit-punks. Olga Toy Doll writes almost all the songs (except when they're doing a zany send-up of 'Wipe-out" or their hilarious version of "Blue Suede Shoes") and pens many themes about characters or places with very clever titles such as "If You're In A Pop Group You'll End Up Paying A Fortune Practicing At Peter Practice's Practice Palace" (which may answer why Amazon hasn't listed them). Although I'd argue that all 4 discs could be more efficient with space (less that 40 minutes per disc), they are authentic to the original releases with original cover art. This is as fun as it gets, and if you think you'd like traditional style rock and roll forced through a pub-punk filter and played by a band that sounds like it's only 10 inches high, give the Toy Dolls a whirl and try to sit still.

3 comments about I Spit on Your Gravy.

1. Hardcore punkers unite!!! There are so few of us left of the original punkers in LA, now my kids are in to it, being married with a mohawk and having children, it finally grew out, but, the music stood with me. Now, my daughter Haydee, who now has met Joey Ramone, Dee Dee, Exploited has carried on the legend...Put this in your punk collection and put on your old Converse, Boots and old army fatigues and color your hair, but remember, it has to come from the inside first. ...



2. Hardcore punkers unite!!! There are so few of us left of the original punkers in LA, now my kids are in to it, being married with a mohawk and having children, it finally grew out, but, the music stood with me. Now, my daughter Haydee, who now has met Joey Ramone, Dee Dee, Exploited has carried on the legend...Put this in your punk collection and put on your old Converse, Boots and old army fatigues and color your hair, but remember, it has to come from the inside first. TO All the Old Punkers, remember this line,"Filthy Americans, non of us ... see, ... is ugly, none of your free hippee love ... 'ere!!!, slurping??!!!"" Heh! Heh!



3. if you like old school punk then this is the way to go. it has artists like the Sex Pistols, who were/are the most well known punk band of this era. forget the new wave of punk, this is punk at it's best and it's most original.

2 comments about Snap!.

1. It's always been hard to understand why the Jam have not made a bigger impression in the US - I suppose they were just a tad more British than some of the contemporaries - it certain isn't for the quality, variety and depth of their songs. This collection is certianly re-mastered - it sounds great, amazing and clean without losing the raw edges. For true completists, there are also two UK collections of UK singles which contains a few tracks not collected here - though you'll notice where the tarcks repeat, the sound quality here is so much better ... of course, you'll just have to get both ...



2. Paul Weller is often seen as Daddy Britpop. Maybe even more than the Beatles, he was the main influence behind the Britpop revival in the nineties. Bands as Oasis, Supergrass and the Verve all got to pay their dues to Mister Weller and it all started with the Jam.
   
   The Jam rose to legendary status during the dawn of Punk rock. Although they never sounded as raw as the Sex Pistols or the Clash they are considered to be one of the greatest bands of that generation. Their sound is deeply indebted to Northern Soul, Funky and thrilling. Their songs were Snappy pop gems, pure working-class poetry. Unlike other Punk Rockers, their image was pristine, with cool sharp cut suits or expensive leisure wear. They were almost a movement on their own within the Punk scene.
   
   Snap was originally released as a double vinyl (remember those) and then comprised to a single disc. Because not everything of the original vinyl release fitted on a single disc eight tunes were cut form the release. The bonus EP that came with the original release disappeared all together. For decades fans had to make do with either the complete discography on disc or lacking compilations. This atrocity is finally set right with the re-release on disc of Snap in it original form, including the EP and a beautiful booklet. This truly is a must have for anyone interested in British music and an essential for any Punk Rock fan.

1 comments about Femme Fatale.

1. i really enjoyed this compilation, almost all female vocalists and its nice to hear different obscure singers and bands. on the first cd, i am in love with prolapse's "chill blown" and nina simone's "my baby just cares for me" is quite lovely. on the second cd, i'm really diggin brix e. smith's "oringina" and rita lynch's "call me your girlfriend" is by far the sexiest lesbian love song ever! on the third cd, "teenile dementia" by the morgan is real wild to listen to and "strange fruit" by billy holiday is a pure classic. all in love, delicious and wonderful compilation!

5 comments about The Stiff Records Box Set.

1. i found this in a used cd store for $15 bucks when i was 19 years old, i bought it because i liked elvis costello, but i found it to be one of my most treasured possessions. my car was broken in to a few years ago, and they got 2 of the best discs- i still listen to the leftovers but i'm always looking to replace it. totally willing to pay $50 plus- highly recommended.



2. Don't be afraid to plunk down the $50+ dollars on this box set - its totally worth it. It features great songs you know by Ian Dury, Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello, which are all great to have in one location. But the real reason for picking it up is the gems by the groups you probably never heard of. Roogalator's "Cincinnati Fatback" is a undulating slice of glutinous, dirty funk from Porkopolis. "Between the Lines" by the Pink Fairies is the most scorching, out-of-control bar blues since the Rolling Stone's "Rip this Joint." Tenpole Tudor generally rocks, as do Madnesses' early hits. And there's some hilarious novelties like "Kill" by Los Trios Paranoias that is a affectionate poke at the punk aesthetic, a dead-on parody right down to its two note guitar solo and uber-nihilist lyrics ("I wanna cut me liver out and pin it on yer braces!"). There's three disks of great stuff (the fourth disk is pretty weak, actually), and its amazingly varied and fun stuff, from solid pop to pub rock to new wave to unclassifiable stuff. Not every song is great, but enough are. Highly, highly recommended.



3. Stiff Records was a renegade, independent record label formed in England that released all varieties of music from power-pop to punk to ska to reggae and everything in between. It was the label that artists like Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, Graham Parker, Ian Dury, Madness, Devo, Tracey Ullman, Dave Stewart & The Pogues got their start on. From its creation in 1976 to its demise in 1985, Stiff Records took chances on artists and put out records that may have not been released elsewhere. The label's first release shows it knew what it was doing, it is the brilliant Nick Lowe single "So It Goes" backed by "Heart In the City". Stiff gave the artists the freedom to experiment and push the boundairies of conventional music. The four discs are chock full of great songs and you get a generous helping of them with each disc averaging about 20 songs. To be honest, not all the artists are in the league of the above mentioned ones and many of the songs that are included range from forgettable to just plain bad. But this shows the spirit of Stiff. They left it all out there, from good to bad, from normal to weird, you hear it all. Nick Lowe summed up the general feeling towards Stiff wth his ode "I Love My Label".



4. The Stiff Records Box Set is one of those "best I ever bought" type things. With an average of 24 songs per cd, it was a terrific value, and I figure the only thing better would be to actually own the albums from which the songs came. Sure, the quality of selections is kind of scattered. And I do have the songs on album of some of the artists, so although they may be the best cuts of the collection, they don't hold much value for me. But the rest is terrific. For anyone who first got into music in the late seventies, (and didn't like Journey and the Bee Gees), it's like the best indie radio program ever. An all-time great.



5. This Box set is very fun. There is so much to listen to that you never get bored of it. On the other hand, some of the songs are pretty terrible. There are great artists and bands such as Ian Dury, Jona Lewie, and The Pogues.