!upstarter Punk Reviews » old school

Scream – Complete Control Sessions

teamupstarter — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 01:36:37 +0000

Washington DC’s punk rock is back!
By Stella Bruk

The boy’s grew up and went their separate ways, and now they return, and come back with surprises.

Since 1993′s Fumble album which was actually recorded in 1990, Pete, Franz, Skeeter and Kent haven’t met for a single project.

The idea of getting together began to take shape in 2009 when Pete and Franz played together at Black Cat in Washington on December 2009 and again almost a year later in October 2010 at the Echo in LA. They all met at the Redwood last February to an insane audience, with the presence of former band member Dave Grohl, as the ordinary fan. When Dave joined Scream in 1987 he lied about his age claiming he was 20 when he was actually 17. On that night they played old songs “Still Screaming” and “This Side Up,” and new ones that included – “Stopwatch” and the one off “Jammin’ at Redwood” (originally titled Jammin’ at 606). The barrier separating the audience from the band no longer mattered because Pete Stahl and members of the audience were crowd surfing in true punk rock style.

In February2011, the four original band members Pete Stahl (vocals), Franz Stahl (guitar), Skeeter Thompson (bass) and Kent Stax (drums), went in the studio to record plus the new guitarist Clint Walsh and Dave Grohl, who ‘indirectly participated’, coz the new album was recorded entirely at Dave Grohl’s Studio 606. They met and practised what would be the second album of the project Complete Control Session. These series of studio recordings are on Side One of Dummy Records co-owners nationally syndicated all punk rock “Complete Control Radio” show. The music is released on 10” vinyl and via digital download on August 16th, 2011 via Side One Dummy Records. The first official release in the series was done by The Bouncing Souls in April 2011.

To complete this and give the album the Midas touch, John Lousteau was in charge of producing the seven-track EP Scream’s Complete Control Session which features the following tracks : Stopwatch, Get Free, Jamin at 606, Elevate, The Year Bald Head Singers Were In, Move All, Demolition Dancing.

With loads of post-hardcore riffs, power chords, multi-tracked duelling guitar tones and raw screams, the EP makes us push the furniture to the side of the room and mosh like we did years ago.

Listen the track “Stopwatch”, on their website http://www.screamdc.com/

Punk rock is not dead that’s for sure!

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The Adicts – Life Goes On

Jerry Actually — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:35:02 +0000

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

I have to admit that I’m not terribly familiar with The Adicts at all. Sure I’ve seen their logo safety pinned to the backs of countless punk rock jackets. I even know them well enough to identify them by their Clockwork Orange style. I’m sure I’ve heard plenty of their material on comps and over the PA before shows, however this is the first CD that I’ve actually sat down and listened to; Better late than never, right?

As I’m sure you all know well more than I about the band, I’ll skip the drudgery of the last 30 some years and get straight to the fresh meat. Life Goes On is a 13 track peppy catchy punk rock dish that keeps interesting and lively throughout. And while I’m admittedly a bit in the dark about the band, I can certainly tell you that it is refreshing for a band that has been playing punk rock for as many decades as The Adicts to not have watered it down.

The majority of the tracks on Life Goes On will have you singing along. Some of my personal favs for the sing along bits are tracks 3. Reaky Deaky Boys & Girls and 4. I’m Not Scared of You. Honestly, its a pretty decent disc altogether. Its chock filled with quirky and somewhat sophomoric punk rock and albeit a bit on the cartoonish side, it still has the maturity of a band that has been at it for this long. My one gripe is track 12. Mr. Hard. Every time I hear it I just can’t stop thinking that it should be about Michael Caine instead. … oh well they can’t all be songs about Michael Caine.

–Jerry Actually

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Good Riddance – Capricorn One

Jerry Actually — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 19:22:53 +0000

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

I’ll admit that I’m not super familiar with Good Riddance. Ok, sure I know who they are. I have a couple discs but I was never that into them. From this singles collection that I’m listening to right now, I’m thinking that I have been quite remiss. Capricorn One is some seriously sweet punk rock that spans a career that I intend to spend more time looking into. The earlier more hardcore material easily evolves into the tighter more articulate punk rock that I am more familiar with.

My lack of familiarity notwithstanding, Capricorn One dishes up 21 track of to-the-point punk rock and leaves you wanting more. I’d like to note, however, that this disc, thankfully doesn’t leave me wanting more of a “Phenomenon of Craving” … not my favorite Good Riddance.

At any rate, if you’re a fan, get this. If you’re not a fan, start.

-Jerry Actually

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Damn The Empire – With Trends Like These

Jerry Actually — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 03:42:54 +0000

This CD works straight out the gate! Damn The Empire is pissed. The world is going to hell. The government is fucked. The music industry is right down the toilet. The scene sucks. Prius owners are self-righteous pricks. “With Trends Like These…” doesn’t hold back on the anti-everything vitriol. I find it refreshing. This disc has something that a lot of punk rock has been lacking as of late, conviction. Damn The Empire means it without being smug or overly attitudinal. The band is fuming about meaningful timely issues, almost as if they were culturally aware with what is going on in America. … Here’s the thing though, they’re from Melbourne. It really serves to hammer home the homogeneity of the problems of the world (at least the Western World) Despite the gravity of the content, the band, thankfully, isn’t humorless. Tracks like 3. The Last Gasp Of An Entire Scene, Neutered and 12. This Free Music Download Brought To You Courtesy of Metallica’s Lars Ulrich let in some welcome cynical comedy. So here’s what you get 16 tracks of punk rock that is about as real as anything out there. I detect a lot of H2O and Down by Law as I’m listening to it. Of note, this disc was mixed at The Blasting Room. There is something magical about that place I tell ya. Cheers to Damn The Empire for a damn fine disc from Down Under and for uniting the world one punk rock song at a time.

–Jerry Actually

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Pop Evil New Video Teaser Trailer

Jerry Actually — Sat, 30 May 2009 16:55:56 +0000

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U.S. Bombs – We Are The Problem

Jerry Actually — Mon, 03 Apr 2006 14:30:41 +0000

The U.S. Bombs are back with a new CD — fronted per usual by the venerable Duane Peters. Peter's is arguably one of the hardest working guys in punk rock with The skating, the shoe and clothing lines and of course the myriad of musical projects: U.S. Bombs, Die' Huns and The Duane Peters Gunfight.

"We Are The Problem" brings 15 new surprisingly diverse tracks of punk, from sing-a-long anthems like the opening title track, flanged out 50's style punk like "Just Like You" and near folksy ballads like "Guns of the West"

"We Are The Problem" shows that old punks need not fade away, but why? because they're a shit ton better than the bullshit radio baby pablum that the hot topic punks can muster today.

–Jerry Actually

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