36 Inches of Punk Rock Part 1 (3x LPs)

12-08-2024: Originally these three LP’s were posted separately within three days back in 2014. While updating the entries from my original blogspot I thought I’d make much more sense to combine them into one entry and call it 36 Inches of Punk Rock, something I shall continue in the future.

The Humpers - My Machine LP

Label: Slusaj Najglasnije; Year: 1990; Format: Vinyl LP

Many people out there are probably familiar with the Humpers' output on Epitaph Records, mainly due to said labels' international distribution deals and high sales volumes. Before being signed to one of the best known labels in punk rock, the Humpers' beginnings were far more modest though and after The Suicide Kings' break-up (pre-Humpers '80s band) the band got together in 1990 and in the same year recorded this magnificent piece of a debut full length for the underground Croatian record label Slusaj Najglasnije (Listen Loudest). In fact, the band’s second full length from 1991 entitled "War is Hell" was released on a cassette on the same label as well, and then again as a CD-R in the early '00s after people in the war-torn regions of the former Yugoslavia were able to start new lives. At some point I will also review the 2nd album, for sure. Now back to the origins of this album, the Humpers' debut, which contains twelve songs recorded live in one day, resulting in a true garage sounding production which only adds to the greatness of this album and will most definitely kick your ass. All songs are just pure dirty and unfiltered punk'n'roll hits, filled with great guitar leads and hooks, and of course Scott Drake's incomparable vocals. Anybody out there reading this that is interested in the early stages of this bands' output should try getting a copy of this killer album even though it has become rare and hard to get. Even better, some label should really reissue this as I am sure many more people would just love to hear this one!

Label: Fanclub; Year: 199?; Format: Vinyl LP

First and foremost, let me tell you that this full length has been officially reissued two years ago by Spanish label Beat Generation so there is absolutely no need to hunt down a copy of this counterfeit release which came out about fifteen years ago when I had obtained it. It's a good thing that many of those releases that were first bootlegged in the '90s are now slowly but surely seeing the light of official reissues, becoming accessible to old and new punk aficionados alike. And even though I do not support or particularly like counterfeit releases, in many cases it is, or at least was the easiest and cheapest way to hear certain releases that one has nearly no chance of landing an original copy of. Before I bore you to death about that issue though, you will probably have guessed why you need to check out the reissue of this outstanding release, because let me tell you, it is an extraordinary good punk rock record, and does not contain a single daft song, nope. Los Violadores started life in 1980 and there is an excellent write up about the history of this Argentinian band that I found online, so please feel free to click on the link above. As for the twelve songs found on this platter I could write an entire book worth of praise, not kidding you. Why this LP does not appear on all these countless lists of best ever punk rock LPs really baffles me as honestly it should be plastered all over the place.

If people were looking to the United States or the U.K. in 1983 when this LP was originally released, then they found mostly raging hardcore punk on one continent, or the relatively boring sounds of countless UK82 bands on the other side of the Atlantic. One only needed to have an open mind and venture south to Argentina where Los Violadores were from. If you like your punk rock fast, yet tuneful and filled with melodic hooks and a loud and caring bass guitar, then this LP will satisfy your punk rock needs 150%. Think of D.O.A. at their very best, or New York's Kraut, Finland's Lama and so on, you get the picture. Plus let me tell you, Spanish is a great language and it works well with punk rock, doesn't it? The band continued to release more records since the early '80s, and even as recent as 2009, but from what I have heard they really became far more mainstream in the '80s already, and only their 2nd LP is still worth a listen. Still, it's about this release here which should be in everybody's collection!

Label: Opus; Year: 1991; Format: Vinyl LP

Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia, and at one point this rich in history city was situated in Czechoslovakia, which was before the split, and the subsequent formation of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Bratislava always had a small and active punk rock scene even way before communism ended as a result of the velvet revolution in 1989. The earliest punk rock acts from Bratislava were Extip and Zona A, and Slobodna Europa developed out of those two bands when some members of Zona A left the band and decided to form a new band around the charismatic singer Whisky. "Pakaren" is the bands's first full length album and was released in 1991 when publishing music became possible in post-communism  CSSR. I was born in Bratislava, hence I always had a keen interest in the punk rock history of my hometown, but by no means does one have to have such close ties to the place in order to appreciate this album. Sixteen songs are packed on to this release and there is not a single song I do not like, which means something for a full length.

All songs represent a great mix of early Rolling Stones, Sex Pistols, and Ramones influenced songs, paired with a good dose of the bands' own style including Slovak lyrics. The result is a great album celebrating Sex, Drugs & Rock'N'Roll in the best way possible, meaning that yes, some of the songs lyrically deal with substances that might numb you, but so what, it's a punk rock record, and some cliches are unavoidable. It is the music that is the absolute winner here, and the songs immediately grow on you no matter whether is is the upbeat ones, or the more melancholic ones, as they all possess a way to draw you in through great song writing, such as the inclusion of a saxophone in some songs. Slobodna Europa is still going strong to this day and has released three more albums in the meantime, developing musically and also lyrically. As often is the case though it is the first release that gets talked about the most, which is no different in this case. Should you have a chance to grab a copy of this record then don't hesitate if you don't want to miss out on eastern European punk'n'roll history!