28 Inches of Punk Rock Part 3 (4x 7” Vinyl)

12-30-2024: Originally these four 7” EPs or Singles were posted separately between September 4 and September 16 back in 2014. While updating the entries from my original blogspot I thought it would make much more sense to combine them into one entry and call it 28 Inches of Punk Rock, something I shall continue in the future.

Tozibabe - S/T EP

Label: FV Zalozba; Year: 1986; Format: Vinyl 7”

This 3-piece female band hailed from Ljubljana in Slovenia and at the time of the release of this 4-track EP it was part of Yugoslavia. Tozibabe are probably to this day one of the best hidden gems when it comes to international hardcore punk acts from the '80s, mainly due to the scarceness of this EP, but more importantly because of four outstanding gloomy hardcore punk thrashers that could not have been any better. The desperation and urgency seep through in each song, and these ladies know how to write songs with an intelligent twist to them. A few years ago this was apparently bootlegged, but I for one sure hope that a label specializing in reissues of this sort will pick this one up soon to give it a much deserved wider audience. A true classic!

Update January 2025: In 2015 Ne! Records reissued the 7" officially. Unfortunately those copies seem to be hard to get by now. In 2022 and 2023 Radiation Reissues and Deanwell Global Music respectively reissued Tozibabe’s catalogue on an LP, again either one of them seems hard to get by now. It doesn’t surprise me that these records have flown off the shelves, as the band has been getting much more recognition in recent years, including from luminaries such as Thurston Moore as well as through reunion shows and interviews.

TZN-Xenna - Dzieci z Brudnej Ulicy/Ciemny Pokoj 7" Single

Label: Tonpress; Year: 1985; Format: Vinyl 7"

TZN-Xenna are one of numerous great Polish punk/hardcore acts that people in the West only started to discover well after releases as this one here have come out. Both tracks on this single are extremely well produced and fast-paced, but not to the point where the music just becomes noise and can't be distinguished from a Boeing 747 landing. The excellent production might be down to the fact that this mighty single was released on the state owned Tonpress label, just like many other early Polish punk recordings. The two songs are well crafted and it could be said that they boast a character of their own, probably due to the fact of having been recorded behind the so called "Iron Curtain". The band hailed from the capital of Warsaw and was founded as early as 1981, meaning they were one of the earliest punk rock acts from Poland. I need to seek out more recordings by this band that are in the vein of this 7" as this stuff is truly essential.

V/A - Vancouver Evolution EP

Label: Unknown; Year: Unknown; Format: Vinyl 7"

What we have got here is a must-have for everybody that loves early Canuck punk or KBD punk, simply because these four tracks on here are a fabulous time document of the very early Vancouver scene including the Furies, the Skulls, the Stiffs and Victorian Pork. True fans of Canadian punk will know that the Skulls became D.O.A, and the Stiffs evolved into the Subhumans. All four tracks originally appeared on the Double-CD compilation Last Call - Vancouver Independent Music 1977 - 1988, hence my assumption is that some bootlegger just took them straight from those CDs and slapped them onto an EP, which includes a copied insert with information on the very beginnings of the Vancouver punk scene. Let’s be honest, an official release would have been nicer, but it is what it is, and since it's still readily available I don't see why you folks out there shouldn't own a copy of this!

Lepers - I wanna be God EP

Label: Unclean Records; Year: 1984; Format: Vinyl 7"

Very little is known about the Lepers from Colorado, except that they released three EPs between 1983 and 1984, this one here being the last one. What you get on this one are four strong hardcore punk numbers that vary in speed and are far from your generic fast hardcore that was prevalent in 1984. Instead of that you get intelligent and sarcastic songs stuck somewhere in the middle between more traditional punk rock and '80s hardcore. I have never heard the other two EPs, but should they be equally strong as this one then maybe some reissue label should slap all three on an LP. Just throwing out an idea...