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Yet another fine collection, some real garbage, but a lot of gems. Note there’s another
Poison Idea “Getting The Fear” 12″ in here w/ poster and it’s lookin like it will go high like the last one. IMO each of those songs is easily worth $40 American, so I guess $80-ish is reasonable.

Got a Blast “Power Of Expression” on Wishingwell in here. I passed one of these up like a fool recently because I just assumed it was the SST press when some friends and I were dipping through a personal record sale by an acquaintance. I’ve always kind of wondered how “Fuckin’ With My Head” didn’t get voted down at Blast practice. Like how was anyone able to defend it?

Clifford: I dunno guys, I mean, it’s basically just Can’t Decide by Black Flag.

Neider:  Dude c’mon, it’s not THAT much like Black Flag. There’s goes “dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun” but ours goes “”dun dun dun-DUN dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun”…

Producer of Ice Ice Baby (to self): Note to self, remember what that guy just said and use it as a defense later…  

 Bill Torgerson: You know what else? It’s sad that I’m going to be a severely under-rated drummer in 20 years. I have groove!

I’ll discontinue my Blast fan-fiction here, but why did they think no one would notice? Nevertheless, this is one of the very very best of the mid-80s in the USA. No one can deny the power or the way they play so deep in the pocket, that even the fast parts feel like you’re in slow motion (and that’s a compliment). Now someone please: reissue the M.A.D. demo (please not Brian GTA). 

Got a 
Murderers Among Us comp up in the mix there… Obviously worth it alone for the 2nd best Absolution song (Dead and Gone), which is also the best Absolution mosh part. The level of sophistication that they were able to operate at on a track such as this one, while still sounding so rabid and unhinged, is something I feel has rarely been matched since then, and there was really no comparison to at the time. If they’d chosen different songs for their 7″ ep (Fall Of A Nation, Take Control, Not This Time, Dead and Gone, Blessed With Awareness) their legend would be more properly cemented. Absolution is without a doubt the best example of a “should-have-been”. The  people that were there know, or if you were born too late, and have only had the videos and dubbed cassettes to study, maybe you know too, but for the most part, they can’t be talked about without discussing what a misrepresentation their e.p. is. Oh the rest of the Murderers Among Us comp? I guess if you want the worst Born Against song (yea I said it), an average Life’s Blood song, and a subpar Nausea offering, we could talk about it. But I’d rather just hear Dead and Gone 4 times in a row.
Some other cool stuff up in here…
Swiz, Judge, DRI, Warzone, Cro Mags, you can have a look for yourself.

Now this is nice. Just some classic 80’s hardcore. Only 5 auctions here, one of which is a great lot containing no less than the following:

• Murphy’s Law “Back With A Bong” (still the best/funniest punk album title ever)
• Teen Idles/SOA/Youth Brigade/GI’s - 4 7″s on a 12″
• V/A - It Came From Slimey Valley
• Minor Threat - 1st 2 7″s collection
• V/A - Cleanse The Bacteria
• Verbal Assault - Learn
• Meatmen - We’re The Meatmen and You Suck
• Circle Jerks - Group Sex
• Suicidal Tendencies - s/t
• Dayglo Abortions - Feed Us A Fetus & Here Today Guano Tomorrow

Pretty much all original, if not first pressings. I’m not really sure why this dude wouldn’t wanna sell all those seperately but whatever, it could mean a good deal for you the buyer (reader).

Besides that there’s also auctions for these single lps: MDC - Millions Of Dead Cops (og. with white border), Christ On Parade - Sounds Of Nature (og. on Pusmort), AOD - Wacky Hijinks, Raw Power - Screams From The Gutter (og. on Toxic Shock). Personally I would say 3 of those are greatest of all time status, with MDC being an over-rated embarassing slab of white guilt, moronic political slogans, and generally uninventive song writing. Yea. I went there. Definitely for my money one of the worst “classic” hardcore records. I’m sure some old timer who saw them at Jack’s Crab Shack in nowheresville in ‘83 had a really powerful experience, but thousands of people go to NASCAR events frequently. Just because they’re having a good time, doesn’t mean I don’t feel like I’m watching cars drive in a circle, which is more or less what listening to MDC is like for me. True story. It doesn’t matter when you hear Silvio belt out the “RAWWWWWWWWW POWWWWAHHHH” yell on Screams From The Gutter.

Seller blueninja99 has always been pretty well known for wheeling and dealing Japanese hardcore and punk. The listings he has right now are no exception, a stack of the most well known records in the style mixed with a bit of newer stuff and this lone
Anti-Cimex “Scandanavian Jawbreaker” lp. Tons of marquee names like Bastard, Deathside, Acid, Disclose, Poison Arts, Gai, Gauze, Cobra, G.I.S.M., Stalin, Laughing Noise… just to name a handful. It seems like, especially over the last 5 years or so, Bastard’s Wind Of Pain 12″, has been the entry point for a lot of people’s interest in this genre in the United States. Aside from having production that seems to be perfect, and a running time that’s too brief for sure, there’s something about the way the riffs cut that’s maybe just a tad more accessible, than some of their peers. Or maybe it’s just that the opening riff to Misery is one of the most devastating show stopping riffs in all of rock music. Like up there with Back In Black, For Whom The Bell Tolls, and Born In The USA. One of those things that should be admired from a distance to really take its scale. Or maybe it was the popular opinion (which I believe originated in New Jersey) that the songs mine a post-Motörhead, Dischargy territory similar to the Age Of Quarrel (which surely offended many USHC haters who saw this as a short sell… idiots). This is one of those records that’s probably never going to dip in value again, unless there’s like a catastrophic event like a serious nuclear holocaust where people stop caring about entertainment, but barring that, the price is only going up so get it now or get it later on.

Okay here’s a new little feature I may do now and again: cheap picks. I don’t have a catchy name for it like Metal Monday, maybe from now on I’ll do it on Friday, and call it Frugal. Anyway… here’s the
Madhouse 12″ on Fountain Of Youth recordings that I find to be very under rated. Female fronted, and punky, not too far off the Avengers, or maybe like a better & American Vice Squad, it also features one of the guys from Youth Brigade (DC). As I remember it keeps up a pretty good clip in terms of speed, and never lapses into ballads or overly new-wave type tracks. There’s maybe a bit of goth like early 45 Grave mixed in but it’s hardly overbearing. I think it’s from ‘84? I’m certain at least that no one cares about it, and it’s a pretty good album. Total sleeper.

Metal Monday vol.333:

Oh my lord, blasphemy of blasphemies… this guy has a straight flush. Metal Monday aint gonna be this good again for a while; OBSERVE: Bathory - s/t lp, catalog number BMLP 666-1. The yellow goat on the cover denotes that this is the first pressing of what really is the first black metal record (in sound, not merely in name). 1,000 made, rare as hell, and frankly, out of my price range. The yellow on the cover looks so much better than the white you’re used to, it’s a shame it’s so rarely seen. But that’s not the half of it muthamuchachos… the very same seller has listed an Age Of Quarrel with Run-DMC label on one side. As you may know this is the most collectible Cro-Mags record, and even though it’s metal monday, I can’t NOT mention it (anyway they toured with Venom, among others). I’m writing this on friday and my hands are shaking with anger. Here are 2 of the coolest collectible records (in my book), that are going to pass me by. If you have the money, put it up. That’s all I can really say. The value is only going up on these records. This could end here. I mean the guy could be selling 3 dozen junker 90’s emo 7″s and he’d still be killing it. It ain’t like that though. Instead, it’s fine fine pedigree of “tasty bites” that he’s got on the unholy auction block. Right now, this is like Metal Monday took a trip to that shoe store that you can’t go in unless you’re a celebrity and make an appointment. Everything is under glass and they sell those Nikes from Back To The Future 2 right next to Darth Vader’s boots.

Just to give you a rough idea, we got Metallica - Creeping Death on Blue, 1st Mercyful Fate 12″ on Rave-On, Kill ‘Em All picture disc on Megaforce, Hell Awaits picture disc on Metal Blade, Black Metal picture disc on Neat, Hellhammer - Apocalyptic Raids on Noise/Metal Blade, Morbid Tales on Noise w/ poster, Saint Vitus s/t, Phantom Lord lp, a Cloven Hoof 12″… I’m out of breath here. Oh right in the middle of all that is a nice
Feederz - Ever Feel Like Killing Your Boss, and plenty more. Absolutely overwhelming, if nothing else, click through this stuff and marvel at how almost nothing sucks.

I split up the post from Jan 1st showing highlights of jrk1332’s collection cause it was too much to take in at one time and was screwing up the layout of the page for some reason.

1. Husker Du - In A Free Land - 2nd 7″ by Husker Du, this might be one of several cheap deals in this lot because the right corner on the sleeve is all chewed up. This phase of the band is kind of under-rated and overshadowed by lps like Zen Arcade which have more critical acclaim and thus, are the ones you always see written about. Husker Du as a hard core band though were like a graft of Beatles melodies onto a kinda Minor Threat delivery. I’m not sure if that’s entirely accurate but you can always hear a little 60’s pop influences even in their early days. Bob Mould - reppin’ a Roland Jazz Chorus. I hope mine is fixable.
2. Graven Image 7″ & Honor Role 7″ w/ limited cover?! - Not one but 2 7″s on ESKIMO RECORDS. If that name doesn’t immediately jar your brains, I’ll just remind you of 2 of the least interesting 5th teir bands from the less interesting part of Virginia in the early 80s - Norfolk. However, Sami if you’re reading this, please laugh with me at a band called GRAVEN IMAGE on ESKIMO RECORDS. HA! Okay, first of all you got your Graven Image - Kicked Out Of The Scene 7″. Imagine (if you will), a less good, more generic 7 seconds clone band (as in a clone of a clone band) with the worst vocalist, and some song about being kicked out of the scene. If that weren’t enough you’ve got the Honor Role 7″, another slab of generic 82-core (at least it’s actually from 82), with an even worse singer than Graven Image, however, notable because it has a limited cover. Frankly I’m only pointing this out to say how bad these records are. They shouldn’t be worth more than the dollar-bin mystic fodder. As we say about records like Cross Purposes and The Eternal Idol, “FOR COMPLETESTS ONLY”. Regardless, if you are that level of completest (the kind that can talk with me about why Glenn Hughes ultimately fails as a vocalist on 7th Star — if we continue the previous reference) you may want this Honor Role e.p .
3. Necros - IQ32 - This is the most listenable record by what I consider to be an over-rated, middle of the road band. The Necros were big in their time. I’m not sure how or why. Maybe they just had songs that were good to skate to. Maybe they had a live sound never captured on record. Maybe. Or maybe there just wasn’t a whole lot to choose from at the time, and often times, the bands that are the biggest are the most boring, and just work the hardest. Still this is a collector’s piece, and much better than the coveted, but musically worthless, Sex Drive 7″, or the over-long, mid-pacey, Conquest For Death (which like this is still okay, and not bad).
4. Code of Honor - What Are We Gonna Do - Skate rockin tunes. Only they don’t really rock too much. Like 30 seconds deep in the first song the singer busts out a preachy talking part and from there I’m tuned out. People love to love Code Of Honor, and I think maybe that’s a big reason why I love to hate them. Maybe I’m a sad sack, but I greatly prefer Sick Pleasure who they went on to do a split with. Sicky Nicky looks like a homeless freak now, but he wins the contest of snotty vocalists in punk. To put it in Scooby Doo terms, if Sick Pleasure are Shaggy, then Code of Honor would be Velma.
5. Final Conflict (WI) - Ah the other Final Conflict. The one without a Ronflict in it. Produced by Bob Mould and there’s an evil zombie guy on the cover which is sort of cool… I guess. I don’t have a lot to say about this one, but it’s desirable, and thus being noted.

I started compiling a hi-light list a couple days ago for the Jan. 1st post so it would be ready to go the day of, and then I noticed the dawg selling all that stuff is also posting a lot of cool O.G. foreign HC tapes from around the same time as the above like a Declino/Negazione split tape, Pandemonium - Are You The One tape, Inferno - Anti-Hagenbach tape, and some records of similar ilks. There’s plenty of cool North American stuff I haven’t already mentioned that they’re selling in addition, like NOTA, Rebel Truth, sleeveless Articles Of Faith - What We Want Is Free & Agent Orange Blood Stains (wonder what this will go for), Drinking Is Great & Process Of Elimination comps, as well. Something for everyone sort of (but not really), keep your eyes on this one. PS. Happy new year.

Holy crud. Here’s another one of those collections I like to post so much. Most of the notable items I would say sit in the 2nd teir of USHC, but there are a few top shelfers too. In addition I noticed some “nice deals”. I whittled out a list of 10 interesting, or good items, but somehow it ended up actually being 11:

1. Kraut - Unemployed 7″ - Doug Holland. Such a distinguished career. 5,000 copies pressed of this but it still pushes between $75-100, maybe in part because it was comped on the first volume of Killed By Death.
2. A.O.D. -Let’s BBQ - Let’s BBQ is the template for at least 50% of the current 82-core bands around right now whether they know it or not. Suburbia is one of the finest lead-off tracks you ever will here, and my favorite thing about it is the guitar solo. Well more specifically, there’s a spot where the solo should go but instead, an extra guitar track comes in and plays the same riff the rhythm track is already playing. This is a classic trick on older punk and HC records that is scarcely employed now, and I love it whenever I hear it. Please note readers: this is first press (red letters).
3. CIA - God Guns Guts - Well i believe grand theft audio sufficiently jacked the reissue of this so you’ll never see it any time in the next 10 years. What a scumbag that GTA guy is. This is the best record of the collection and I also expect it will go the highest. I love the jangley breakdown in Commie Control, I love the guitar sound, this is a stylistic best. A perfect encapsulation of what 80’s American Hardcore sounds like.
4. The Mob- Step Forward - This, the best Mob release (IMHO), is for some reason not included on their now semi-irrelevant (because it’s also out of print) collection cd on Profile. I was once at Smash Records in Georgetown with Clif Shumaker (Iron Age roadie, My Luck singer, long time record collector) and passed by this very record thinking “it must be a boot, it’s only $4″. Clif pulled it out and declared “you missed this Mob 7 inch, awesome!”, and so ended that evening. The “Bust-It!” used in the title track is one of the earliest instances of the term, and the surfy breakdown it leads into is sorely under rated. Why did Mental (or failing that, Dumptruck) never use a surf breakdown? If anyone has this record on black vinyl, I demand you stand up and be counted (unless your name is Kyle Hughes, we’ve already counted you buddy).
5. Artificial Peace / Exhiled split - Here’s another DCHC, also ran combo. Artificial Peace is a weird band. First of all there’s a semi legitimate discography of them on Lost and Found, complete with tracks of their precursor band, Assault and Battery, that runs 3o or 40 tracks. The pieces all seem to be in place for classic tuneful DCHC circa-82, but whenever I try to listen to it, I feel things never catch fire. I do sort of like the song Suburban Wasteland from the Flex Your Head comp, but even that I’m not in love with. Nonetheless they were one of the seemingly bigger (or at least more active) local bands of the time, with this being their only non-compilation or demo release. Kind of weird. Some of them went on to Marginal Man, who are even less appealing to my ears. Exhiled are 2nd teir at best, but probably 3rd is more fitting. Just totally vanilla American Hardcore of the time. This is the first release on Fountain Of Youth records, a weird DC area label with pretty much nothing but “also-ran” type releases, other than a couple Government Issue albums and singles. I like Fountain Of Youth though, there are some gems.
6. Mecht Mensch - Acceptance - This is a record I’ve always wanted and never persued. Someone outta boot their split w/ the Tar Babies. It’s about that time for someone to do this, I mean it’s 2008, you know. Great 2nd rate midwest HC. Like a baby Die Kruezen.

I think my friend Timmy is having these items sold for him, or they used to be his. A couple of painkiller records rarities in here, including a test press of the Breathing Fire 7″, which was really only made in a large quantity for a show in Sherbrook… i’m not sure why really. Breathing Fire are the most powerful and brain melting band I’ve ever been able to “work with”, and by work with, I mean beg to reform and record an album (which will be out soon on Painkiller). There’s also tests of the recent Hard Skin 7″ on Feral Ward, The Government Warning lp, and the Doom/No Security split (which I’m under the impression there’s at least 50 of).

A good record that I expect is gonna set a new high due to the 80’s USHC craze we’re drowning in right now, is “F - You Are An E.P.” 12″. The first song on this one is really well written, a call response that is a little more advanced than many. It never really reaches the same heights after that but it’s a good record. I bought one for $6 once. It was a cool day although I got a parking ticket when that happened.

In a similar vein, and class, is Subculture - I Heard A Scream lp, on green vinyl (I feel like I see green more than black). This band as you might know had the singer of recently acclaimed, Double Negative. This really isn’t as good as Double Negative, not even close. It’s good, but I don’t love it. Sounds like the first COC album watered down by some Mystic style punk. A lot of songs about girls (do I even need to say how bad those lyrics are?), one or two mellow moments that kill the momentum, and is kind of long IMO. People are looking for this though, and with 80’s No Namer HC records all going for more and more loot, how long will it be before either A) you want to buy that Morrally Bankrupt album off me (members of DRI & Pissed Youth… lol) or B) the whole thing falls in on itself and $10 lps become $10 lps again. There was once a time when the first Token Entry lp was clearing $50… and I’ll take this moment to point out, it’s more worthy than a dozen Subcultures, Th Inbred’s, and whatever other mediocre crap someone’s going to dredge up. Then again, I’ve been known to rave about the Infection - “Legal Limit” lp (Deleware), and I may just be crashing from a sugar high (thanks for the cookies mom). I’m giving Subculture a hard time which isn’t really fair. It’s not a bad lp. But it’s also the kind of thing that should be found for under $20.

I’m kind of curious to see if this Fair Warning - You Are The Scene 12″ will start getting any value. After all it’s as worthy as whatever already is. I think the cover art is better than the actual music. It’s French Canadian, like The Omegas, and America’s Youth.

Lastly, don’t forget the Amebix - No Sanctuary on Spiderleg… not sure if it was ever issued on another label but probably. A veryfine non-punk, punk band. Seems like kind of a battered copy but maybe you’re looking for it.

I’ll be honest. I’m too busy eating figgy pudding and  Wasailing to make this a very detailed post, but for anyone peeping here’s a quick post of “good jams”. I’m not going to talk like I’m an O.G. with this stuff, or even that I know the most, but I know hits when I hear/see them.  This dude’s got ‘em for sure…Stalin, Judgement, Lipcream, LSD, Tetsu Array, Ghoul, Death Side, Outo… these are all names in Japanese HC/punk.But what would any Japanese record sale be without some Madball and Next Step Up? Incomplete I tells you. I once saw Next Step Up open for Biohazard in Hagarstown MD. Rob from Straight Ahead was playing guitar. That doesn’t make it cool to admit that I was seeing Biohazard in the late 90s though, but I was merely an adolecent, I had no idea.

Anyhow, I’d like to volunteer, that while it’s the most common of their 4 singles, and after the departure of Nori from Bastard, Judgement’s - “Haunt In The Dark” is one of the top 5 riffs of the 90’s, fuckit, of any genre. An opening riff like the one it has might play itself, but it didn’t write itself thats for sure. You’re blessed with a riff that good. Where from? Wherever you want to believe, it doesn’t matter, but something that dominating only comes every now and again. It’s the musical equivalent of He-Man, dominating with its authority and control, and also righteous, good, and very likeable. It feels like an anthem hardwired into your brain from birth being accessed by the correct password combination, it’s familiar, or it feels that way as it takes hold.  Well that’s a pretty mellow dramatic take on it, but it is a really good riff, and song, and single. In fact all their single are worth their weight to the 10th power in gold. You’re not going to find Process up for sale here though.

Today shall be part 2 of unionpride69’s auctions, there’s still some really crucial items here. Before that, thanks to everyone for the really good response so far. I’m expecting there will still be a couple things to work out over the next few weeks to get everything looking and running smooth, and when he has the time I’m sure AJ (who birthed this site into being) will be on it, so hang tight, and we’ll try and keep the content coming.

There’s 5 more real cool items that I haven’t mentioned here yet.

• 3 of them are first pressing Minor Threat Records, the Filler 7″, In My Eyes 7″ on red vinyl, and Out Of Step 12″ w/ black back cover. This is it. The best pure USHC around, the best straight edge band. Just the best. I heard Filler when I was maybe 14 and it really didn’t make a bit of sense to me, but a couple years later things really clicked and its been important music to me ever since. I always sound like a douche talking about these records because I automatically revert to like, a 3rd grade essay on my favorite food. You can’t really say why pepparoni pizza is the best because you’re 10 and you just know you really like the taste. There is nothing but delighted bias towards that pie, and any attempt to reason out why purreed tomatos and melted cheese go together so well is swallowed just by the fact that they do. Price wise both of these 7″s are forging on and will probably hit $500 sooner rather than later, then again Nervous Breakdown w/ bricks on the cover was going for crazy ammounts for a minute and now it has cooled off big time. With any luck (for me) the same will happen here. I also feel everything here might go for more than normal because this is such a visibile set of items. When you sell a bunch of related stuff together it tends to go for more than if you sold each item alone. People get into the idea of just winning something from the lot even if it’s not their first choice. So… beware.
• Faith - Subject To Change Lot - Well I’ve never seen this. All four colors of the Faith lp in one place. I’m really interested to see how high this gets. Sami (of www.heatunitreport.com) says there’s nothing like the Faith, and he loves it. Me… I used to love it, and I kind of don’t anymore. This is a forerunner to like Marginal Man and Dag Nasty I guess, and there are some catchy tracks, but I just always wished it would either deliver something a little more complex, or a little more angry and unhinged. I feel it walks a middle ground just too middley for me, although I still have a blue vinyl copy in the archives. I think I definitely prefer their tracks on the split with Void (though it must be embarassing to be so out matched), you can’t deny a perpulsive riff like It’s Time. Btw if anyone has a good quality copy of the Faith demo, that’s another instance of the demo versions being better (rawer) than the re-recordings that made the record. There’s a shitty bootleg of them that the Grand Theft Audio guy did (SOA & Youth Brigade too) but they sound so generated and crappy they might as well be an American Tapes boxset. Here’s part of a Faith interview:

TS: Have you guys ever seen Trouble Funk?
All: Nope.
Alec: Like to. They used to play every Wednesday night a block away at the Paragon II. Ian and Henry and a whole bunch of people went to see them one night and some kid got killed–an 18 year old kid got shot. Shit like that happens.

Chris: I’ve driven through after a show.
Alec: I used to walk through that shit. A lot of those bands, like Mass Extinction, are supposed to be anti-drug in their songs but it’s supposedly a big farce, they’re really into it and shit. They played at my school and like four people got stabbed. So I don’t know, I don’t know what the deal is.

• Where The Wild Things Are test press - totally switching gears here. I actually owned one of these once although it looked like mine had been used to cut lines of coke up on. I traded it and then later took part in reselling it. This comp is legendary if you know anything about New York City Hard Core, or as we like to refer to it NYHC. NYHC: The Way It Is comp (the updated version of the Together comp) did have a little bit of the rougher side of the scene covered (Breakdown, Sick Of It All, YDL), and there were weird flukes (like Trip 6 and Nausea) included, but it was mainly a comp to spotlight the wave of straight edge bands that were coming out of NY (Youth Of Today, Bold, Side By Side, Gorilla Biscuits, sort of Warzone…). Where The Wild Things Are has a totally different side of New York and arguably a more accurate one on display for evaluation. You probably know this already, I’m not sure why I even need to say it, but there it is. The meat of this record is really the Breakdown, Raw Deal, Uppercut, and Outburst cuts (and maybe Maximum Penalty too). Bands that were chunkier, meaner, not straight edge at all, and probably more relavent to the future sound of NYHC. They all have a common sound, the kind of scooped metallic crunch that the guitars on records by Cro Mags, Crumbsuckers, AF already had, but with less attempt to mimic thrashy speed picking big on the crossover circuit, and more of just the musical equivalent to getting a brick thrown at you. It’s a paradigm shift for a lot of people when they get their first dose of Breakdown and Outburst, and many a positive youth never make it back, hate-moshing their way into the future. With all that though, let us not forget the Sheer Terror and Life’s Blood cuts here (frankly if I never had to remember Norman Bates and the Shower Heads or this throw-away Gorilla Biscuits cover, I’d be fine). Sheer Terror, pre-lp I think, still nihilistic, and still with the Tom Warrior crunch, I especially love. Life’s Blood, get a little to oi for me, but their 7″ sort of saves their legacy. On this here test press… well I’d imagine there’s a lot of them because the bands probably all got copies, I’d guess this will run about $150-200. The shreded one we sold got like $100, I bought it for $15 though. Great pick up.

I’m heading home for the holidays this weekend but plan to be posting during the week next week (and beyond). See you then!