Various Punks: One Big Crowd

Big City Records, 1985

A NYC-metro "scene unity" compilation of which there were many in this time period. 20 bands, 25 cuts. One LP.

Doesn't mean it's all generic retardothrash, tho', boyos or by-the-numbers doofusmosh - in other words, don't let a dumb cover and lame premise throw you off the scent of potentially good tracks.

Side 1 is the New Punk City side with cuts from Unjust (Pukelyn, NYC), Armed Citizens (Asstoria, NYC) and a killer slice of nihilistic sludge and damaged thrash ("No Hope") from Shok(also Asstoria). A big ol' shrug for the rest of the cuts though which epitomize the worst of stinkhead NYC at that time (Sheer Terror, Psychos, Krieg Kopf, etc.)

Side 2 could be called The Revenge of the Burbs with a buncha of the best cuts coming from the underappreciated Buy Our Records stable on the New Jerskey side of the border. Yeah, there's some AOD (Vadgehall, NJ) cuts (including their thrash version of the Lost in Space theme) and I'm sure that was a major reason for people to buy it. The standout,tho for moi, is a messy maracas-shakin' stoner rock song ("Time") from Bodies in Panic of bUnion, NJ...

76% Uncertain also represents quite well, my dear, for Bridgepunk, Snottetticut with pre-DCemocore-inspired "Another". Also of note - Vatican Commandos, Violent Children and Pleased Youth also rate a digital nod here. Stetz, Bedlam, better luck next crime - I'm glad also that Sacred Denial finally explain just what exactly "Sacred Denial" is - I think it has something to do with Eddie Van Halen's guitar box. And it's way lame... I mean SUPPORT THE SCENE, DUDEZ!!!

NYC-Metro One Big Crowd '85 Mp3 Mix (Punk Fucking Rock):

• "Violent Children" - Violent Children
• "Time" - Bodies in Panic
• "Love Song" - Adrenalin OD
• "Cannibals" - Unjust
  
• "No Hope" - Shok
• "Another" - 76% Uncertain
• "Wonderbread" - Vatican Commandos
  

LINKS (not a lot - this record is out of print and mostly forgotten):

• Flex Discography short review
• Image swiped from the Spontaineous Combustion - AOD Interview page
• New Jersey's Got It is also somewhere in my collection and features more of the NJ bands featured here