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Thank punk for hardcore!

It is rather fitting that since having a second coming of punk rock with many decent releases this year, that those nice people at Rhino would release this little delightful compilation of some of the great American Punk bands from 1980 – 1986.

It's British cousin, and some would say originators, had a punk scene that was more anti-social, and was created to counter act the make-up, and all loving 70's glam bands that were currently all over the charts. American Hardcore was formed in the early eighties in LA (although there was a very prominent New York hardcore scene emerging around this time too). This compilation surrounds the LA scene that grew up in the underground from misfit kids coming of age in the Reagon-era. It is the soundtrack to the book, and then film put together by writer and producer Steven Bush, and director Paul Rachman – American Hardcore – The History Of American Punk Rock (1980-1986).

We have all of the usual suspects here. Black Flag open up with their short blast of 'Nervous Breakdown', and it's then that you realise that what you think about when told the term 'Punk' or 'Hardcore', is not what it originally was. Often dismissed as quick, brash, unmelodic and sloppy music played by hyperactive, uncontrollable human animals, American Hardcore is about as far off as you can get from these labels. This is by no means chart-friendly pop/punk, but there is an edge of naïve amateur play that is strangely enchanting, but certainly more melodic than expected.

We have Bad Brains with 'Pay To Cum', a band that Beastie Boys have often cited as one of their influences when they themselves were a New York Hardcore band, D.O.A. 'Fucked Up Ronnie' which isn't a million miles away from Rancid, with it's rock'n'roll riffs. There is the angst ridden fury of MDC on 'I remember' which is a little like Ice T's Body Count, and it's about this time that I realise that Suicidal Tendencies are missing off of here which to me is a grave injustice, as they released their fantastic debut album in 1983 which was ram-packed with classics. Throughout the rest of the album you will find the usual suspects in punk history like Gang Green with 'Kill A Commie', 7 Seconds blasting 'I Hate Sports', D.R.I. and of course Cro-Mags.

All in all this is a nice little slice of history and for all punk fans, especially those who thought that punk was invented by the likes of Green Day, Offspring and Blink 182, it's a fantastic educational tool! The Sex Pistols may've started the ball rolling along with a number of other British punk bands, but this shows you that America were quite happy to take the ball and run with it, producing a more easier-on-the-ears versions, and crafting it into the multi-platinum selling sound that we are hearing today. Great stuff!