MRR Column #300

So, as you can tell by the cover, this is the 300th (!!!) issue of Maximum Rocknroll. (Well, I guess since there was an issue #0 it’s really the 301st and if you count the photo zines, it’s the 303rd, but still…) Hopefully it’s obvious that what we tried to do is focus on the goings on of the NorCal punk scene, much in the same way that issue #1 did. I think on the whole Cissie and I have done everything in our power thus far to stray as far away as possible from the whole nostalgia/punk as an artifact trip and focus on the now with the mag but in this case, our goal was to show a bit of NorCal’s history/punk’s history/MRR’s history/OUR history without it venturing even close to a “those were the days”-type of wasteland. We wanted to show that “Fuck Yeah! There’s still tons going on up here,” by including plenty of the here and now. I’d just like to extend a huge pat on the back to all those that helped us out with digging up content for this issue, and I’d also like to point out how truly honored I am to be a part of this milestone. And on that note…
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This month gave birth to one of the most furious hair-ripping records in recent memory—I’m referring to the Hardcore Hell EP from Japan’s Kriegshög. We’re pretty spoiled around here since we get to hear practically every punk record to come out each month and it’s a rarity when something like this shows up unexpectedly to blow the fucking doors off. Nothing too groundbreaking here but Kriegshög know what they want to do, and they do it so fucking well. The guitar/bass riffs are simple. The drumming is super rudimentary. What really makes this stand out are the layers of fuzz and noise thrown in to every possible nook and cranny and the fucking throat ripping vocals. It’s really hard not to pump my fist and bang my head every time this is on the turntable. Aaaarrgh! One of my favorite moments of this beastly EP is at the end of side-“Suicide,” I assume it’s in the song “Rotten,” where by the end of the song the guitar sounds so incredibly out of tune and it doesn’t matter one slight bit because it just shows that they are pounding so hard and rocking so hard that they had no time to mess with a pesky tuning proble. That shit is fuckin’ punk. If you fancy yourself a “fan” of bulldozing, noisy Japanese hardcore like Disclose, Framtid, Frigöra, or other bands of that ilk, I order you to do everything in your power to track this EP down. FUKK! So good.
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I will have finally seen Criminal Damage by the time you read this. Woo Hoo!
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On another note, we here at Maximum are very proud to be co-releasing an album along with Smooch records (run by another MRR staff member) from the early-’80s Denver hardcore band Bum Kon. When the band recorded their classic Drunken Sex Sucks EP in ’83, they recorded 25 songs. “Bum Kon,” “Forced Away,” “The Draft,” “Drunken Sex Sucks,” and “Slow Death” were released on the 7" but the other twenty tracks sat collecting dust until now. In my opinion, all of the songs are just as good as the EP, and if I do say, some of them are even better. The CD should be out by the time next issue comes out and the LP will follow a little down the road so, keep your eyes peeled for that and possibly look for interviews from some old Denver punks in these pages. I’ve heard some of the stories and this will be most definitely an entertaining read. While you’re waiting, check out Smooch’s Local Anesthetic comp of more old Denver stuff until the Bum Kon album comes out.
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So, it’s now that time in today’s programming for everyone to get out their checkbooks ’cause MRR can now accept your donations as a non-profit. We have signed on with Indy Arts and Media, a company that basically works as a middle man so that organizations involved in the arts can accept tax-deductible donations of any dollar amount, or even goods and services. We are still finding out the details of these donations can be made, but the contracts are signed, so, if you have anything you think we might need like a copy machine, computers, $$$, rich punks with even more $$$$$$$$$, toss us a line.
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This month was brought to you by: Meat Puppets 1st 7", Billy Bao 10" and LP, Kriegshög EP, and No Peace Zombie Brains EP. And how could I forget how fucking ripping Fy Fan were at Gilman?! It’s been quite some time since I’ve seen a show where band and audience exploded with so much energy.
I need a V/A-THE NEW HOPE LP. Got one? Get at me dog!