tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484644.post110529086216476029..comments2024-02-01T01:40:36.805-05:00Comments on Vinyl Mine: Not So Quiet on the Western Front Jim Hhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14126808520365186688noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484644.post-89805425147373443152013-01-05T15:16:36.378-05:002013-01-05T15:16:36.378-05:00buy the 30th anniversary tribute cd here:
http://s...buy the 30th anniversary tribute cd here:<br />http://sluggisha.blogspot.com/2012/12/buy-it-now-30th-anniversary-tribute.htmlG O Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13057736939790370437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484644.post-1105824863813907772005-01-15T16:34:00.000-05:002005-01-15T16:34:00.000-05:00Thanks, Scott - your points are well taken and app...Thanks, Scott - your points are well taken and appreciated!Jim Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14126808520365186688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484644.post-1105822189052756702005-01-15T15:49:00.001-05:002005-01-15T15:49:00.001-05:00Dave is right - regional comps like this or say 30...Dave is right - regional comps like this or say 30 Seconds over DC, Big Apple Rotten to the Core, Flex Yoru Head, or Mastertape, have to be judged in context, or at least that really needs to taken in consideration. That is especially so when you are talking about idealistic 16 - 20 years olds with guitars. Whatever your feelings about MRR, I WAS a catalyst and an inspiration for many and it was the single most important punk institution to foster an international scene and expose fans from the US to Finnish Hardcore bands and Italian fans to Japanese hardcore bands. After Mykel Boards ROIR tape comp, MRR's international vinyl comp was the first of its type. <br /><br />Also, you need to know much more about the political workings of MRR and the people involved to make any insightful critique of them. Yes they were political or politically minded, but the dozens of people involved with it - from the radio show to the zine to gilman to epicenter record store - didnt fit into one political mindset, nor were they expected to. There was a basic credo - no sexism, racism, or homophobia - and that was pretty much it. Believe me Jeff Bale's politics did not jibe with Tim Yo's and Tim Yo's did not with Ruth Schwatrz and Ruth's did not with Jello Biafras, etc. There was (and still is a big tension there). However because it often came out as shrill and attacked large issues, like nuke war and US involvement in Central America, it is difficult to see the nuance. If you were there or around those folks or knew those folks, you would know that MRR was primarily a music rag and the interest of those involved was music first, politics second. However because politics were second, instead of say beer or hotrods or pussy, that often was their focus. <br /><br />Hamfisted? Sure. Heavyhanded? Often. But still, not as much as their critics claim. And less strident than many of their critics were in their anti-MRR-ism. <br /><br />A couple more things: As noted there was an insert, a 100+ page booklet with no political content that wasnt made by the bands. The bands had free reign on what their page was. Second Gilman St. is in an indudtrial area of Berkelely, not Downtown San Francisco. There has never been a punk club of any kind in Downtown San Francisco. ___Scott SAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484644.post-1105822173040749772005-01-15T15:49:00.000-05:002005-01-15T15:49:00.000-05:00Dave is right - regional comps like this or say 30...Dave is right - regional comps like this or say 30 Seconds over DC, Big Apple Rotten to the Core, Flex Yoru Head, or Mastertape, have to be judged in context, or at least that really needs to taken in consideration. That is especially so when you are talking about idealistic 16 - 20 years olds with guitars. Whatever your feelings about MRR, I WAS a catalyst and an inspiration for many and it was the single most important punk institution to foster an international scene and expose fans from the US to Finnish Hardcore bands and Italian fans to Japanese hardcore bands. After Mykel Boards ROIR tape comp, MRR's international vinyl comp was the first of its type. <br /><br />Also, you need to know much more about the political workings of MRR and the people involved to make any insightful critique of them. Yes they were political or politically minded, but the dozens of people involved with it - from the radio show to the zine to gilman to epicenter record store - didnt fit into one political mindset, nor were they expected to. There was a basic credo - no sexism, racism, or homophobia - and that was pretty much it. Believe me Jeff Bale's politics did not jibe with Tim Yo's and Tim Yo's did not with Ruth Schwatrz and Ruth's did not with Jello Biafras, etc. There was (and still is a big tension there). However because it often came out as shrill and attacked large issues, like nuke war and US involvement in Central America, it is difficult to see the nuance. If you were there or around those folks or knew those folks, you would know that MRR was primarily a music rag and the interest of those involved was music first, politics second. However because politics were second, instead of say beer or hotrods or pussy, that often was their focus. <br /><br />Hamfisted? Sure. Heavyhanded? Often. But still, not as much as their critics claim. And less strident than many of their critics were in their anti-MRR-ism. <br /><br />A couple more things: As noted there was an insert, a 100+ page booklet with no political content that wasnt made by the bands. The bands had free reign on what their page was. Second Gilman St. is in an indudtrial area of Berkelely, not Downtown San Francisco. There has never been a punk club of any kind in Downtown San Francisco.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484644.post-1105790145736188522005-01-15T06:55:00.000-05:002005-01-15T06:55:00.000-05:00Thanks Dave for clarifying what was in the insert....Thanks Dave for clarifying what was in the insert.<br /><br />Your points are well taken regarding how new it was at the time ... i tried to get that across and I hope I made it clear that some of the cuts are important.<br /><br />There was some 7 Seconds on the record but I didn't much like the cut so didn't bother to mention it.Jim Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14126808520365186688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484644.post-1105770876896550972005-01-15T01:34:00.000-05:002005-01-15T01:34:00.000-05:00I guess it hasn't aged too well, but in the contex...I guess it hasn't aged too well, but in the context of the time it was not only a document, but a road map to a burgeoning underground punk/diy scene and idea. They took a bunch of primarily suburban teenage bands with a stance and it went all over. Totally seminal, having the name of the band and where they were from on the back created a larger sense of a network and broad reach of this "thing." Each band got a page in the insert and put whatever they wanted on there. As for the one dimensional politics, it was a different time and that kind of political voice was unusual. I believe Jeff Bale later said something to the effect that if he'd known how thin and politically correct things would've got he would've done something like the Dwarves. Social unrest, mdc, 7 seconds (when they were good), and a couple of others. <br /><br />DaveAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484644.post-1105476993839857852005-01-11T15:56:00.000-05:002005-01-11T15:56:00.000-05:00any talk of MRR must note the "departure" point fr...any talk of MRR must note the "departure" point from when the zine went from being a unifying force to polarizing (sp?) the scene with it's rehashed yippie politics. <br /> One must remember to keep it in historical perspective though, in '82 the idea that hardcore thrash was a political act seemed like a valid one...this being before the umpteenth rhyme of "war" and "el salvador".<br /> that being said, I kind of like the crappy regional production values!...and the fact that a lot of different influences are still being tapped, as opposed to the generic hardcore that was to follow. <br /> ...even if was played like crap!<br /> I seem to recall Bad Posture, and Intensified Chaos being the standout favorites among friends.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484644.post-1105465368129297372005-01-11T12:42:00.000-05:002005-01-11T12:42:00.000-05:00This is a blast from the past. I agree with your ...This is a blast from the past. I agree with your asessment of the album--most of it's pretty awful, and a prime example of what was wrong with the punk scene, MRR and most punk bands c.1984 (or whenever this came out): the idea that being "punk" was more important than being "good," or that making some kind of political statement was more important than writing a decent song, or that "No War, No KKK, No Facist USA" and "System sucks, system sucks, system sucks, OK" count as political statements. On the micro-level of the local punk scene, I did like the idea that anyone could start a band, and the scene would support them no matter how lousy they were because it was a community, but when you get to the level of actually buying records by bands from another state, you should be able to expect them to be of some quality.<br /><br />Anyway, sorry for the babbling, I think you missed one really prime cut from that disc: "The Oven Is My Friend" by The Church Police." Granted, I haven't heard it since high school, but I remember it being kind of Flipper-esque and having a great guitar sound. It was my favorite track after the Flipper song.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484644.post-1105397949591932342005-01-10T17:59:00.000-05:002005-01-10T17:59:00.000-05:00The Jukebox Jury is in session...The Jukebox Jury is in session...Jim Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14126808520365186688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484644.post-1105395956495256942005-01-10T17:25:00.000-05:002005-01-10T17:25:00.000-05:00Jim... I didn't get around to posting on it. I did...Jim... I didn't get around to posting on it. I did Welcome to 1984 and I'm planning on They Don't Get Laid at some point soon. I was being generous with 50%, it's most likely less. It's so disappointing to listen to something you once thought was godhead and walk away scratching your head. The blogging experience has led to so many of those instances.Eric XXLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12005031279627032487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484644.post-1105390024992926102005-01-10T15:47:00.000-05:002005-01-10T15:47:00.000-05:00Eric, My assessment was worse than your general as...Eric, My assessment was worse than your general assessment of MRR comps - only about 25% was worth putting on the ol' iPod - I listed all the songs above. I'd like to hear sometime which songs you thought were keepers - I checked your site and you haven't reviewed this one yet (or at least the "google" search which I've noticed someetimes fails didn't yield a posting on it).Jim Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14126808520365186688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484644.post-1105374710717787562005-01-10T11:31:00.000-05:002005-01-10T11:31:00.000-05:00I'll check my copy and let you know about the inse...I'll check my copy and let you know about the insert. Of course, I've most likely lost it, as I have with about 75% of my collections inserts, lyric sheets, etc.<br /><br />The MRR comps really haven't aged well. It's now apparent that band selection was more of a function of geography and politics than actual music ability. On average only half of each comp is relatively listenable anymore. Just MHO.Eric XXLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12005031279627032487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6484644.post-1105302778811711462005-01-09T15:32:00.000-05:002005-01-09T15:32:00.000-05:00Y'know I may be totally wrong and the booklet incl...Y'know I may be totally wrong and the booklet included with this album DID document the bands - I just remember it as being mostly Winston Smith pictures... so forgive me if my memory is faulty. Does anyone know?Jim Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14126808520365186688noreply@blogger.com