Tevun-Krus #102 - TrashPunk

Nablai's Nebula

July is here and let us spread some cheer. In this conflict infested world, kindness and acceptance make a lot of noise. Goodness is everywhere, we just have to care. We have a choice.

This month's sub-genre is something I haven't come across in the science fiction realm before. But it is there. Trash-punk exists. Though not quite in the way I'd have imagined. My research across sites like Google and Yahoo brought my attention to some amazing facts about this diverse sub-genre.

Trash Punk(also known as Garbage Punk) is a sub-genre of rock music. With so many terms applied to Trash Punk, its exact meaning is a bit hard to define. Basically, it is usually used to refer to garbage bands that are recruited with a couple of independent record labels and applies to even those who aren't signed by any particular brand, but who happen to play some variety of Punk.

In that sense, Trash Punk and likewise, garbage rock can be seen as a descendent of the Punk and New Wave movements of the late 1970s and early 1980s, as an unconventional movement opposed to mainstream corporate rock.

In the late 1980s and into the 1990s, a contemporary form of revivalist Punk started to brew in the back-alley of indie rock which later became known as "Trash Punk or Garbage Punk."

This sub-genre is evidently closely connected to garage rock revival. Rather take influences by the British Invasion bands and their imitators, most of these modern garage punk bands were inspired from some of the more austere proto punk bands of the garage rock genre, such as The Sonics, The Monks, The Stooges and MC5 through the early 1970s as well as raw, simplistic "Killed By Death"-era proto punk and early New Wave.

Some of the first Trash Punk bands to appear on the scene included The Gories, The Devil Dogs, Supercharger, The Mummies, The Supersuckers, The Rip Offs, The Makers, Teengenerate, The Oblivians, and Poison 13. Truculent and unsophisticated, low-quality recording with audible imperfections, constricted budget rock aesthetics were far more important to the development of garage punk than catchy melodies and fancy '60s-style clothes and vintage musical equipment. The outlook of which was reflected in the sound of the music: dirty, messy, shady, sexy, intimidating and just flat-out horrible.

The Trash Punk movement wasn't intent in copying the sounds and looks of the '60s so much as it was fascinated in just trying to churn out some straightforward, fierce and vague three-chord punk and rock'n'roll. Some of these bands like The Mummies, Phantom Surfers, Man or Astro-Man?, and The Bomboras also experimented with instrumental surf rock.

Here are some of the top Trash Punk artists:

- Lawnmower Deth

Lawnmower Deth are an English thrash metal band who parodied the genre and recorded three-and-a-half albums. Initially active in the late 1980s and early 1990s, they reformed in 2008. Lawnmower Deth were formed in Ravenshead, Nottinghamshire, England in 1987 by Chris Flint and Joseph Whitaker School mates Pete Lee, Steve Nesfield and Chris Parkes, along with Gavin 'Paddy' O'Malley from Colwick, Nottingham.

Their first official release was a split album with Metal Duck. Lawnmower Deth's side of the record was entitled Mower Liberation Front and positive responses led to their debut studio album, Ooh Crikey, It's... Lawnmower Deth. Lawnmower Deth's second studio album, Return of the Fabulous Metal Bozo Clowns, was released in 1992. For this release Paddy was replaced by Kev Papworth.

The band covered several famous songs in their time, including Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain", Motörhead's self-titled song, Squeeze's "Up the Junction", The Osmonds' "Crazy Horses", and Kim Wilde's "Kids in America" which was released as the band's only single in 1991. "Return of the Fabulous Metal Bozo Clowns" was released in 1992. The band's sense of humour extended into their cheap but enjoyable music videos. Both "Kids in America" and "Lawnmowers for Heroes, Comics for Zeros", the latter from Metal Bozo Clowns, were recorded on home video cameras and edited in an amateur fashion.

- Drop Dead

Drop Dead is also the name of all girl horror punk band from Novi Sad/Serbia.

Drop Dead were the all girl horror punk / metal band from Novi Sad (Serbia). They've played several shows in their hometown and surrounding cities and split up soon after this recording was made in the middle of 2004. They've existed since 2002. to 2004. 

- Razors Edge

Razors Edge is a thrash/punk band from Japan.

Osaka's "Blitzkrieg Thrashers" RAZORS EDGE broke into Pizza Of Death in 2003 with their eagerly awaited THRASH 'EM ALL!!,

Their albums include: Razors Rising!!!!, Sonic! Fast! Life!, MORE

Genre: Melodic hardcore, Thrashcore, Metal, Rock

Their members comprised of Kenji Razors, Taka Beef, Sono-Chan, SATOJI, Punk Taro, Krash, Aniki, Missile, Junya Sugar.

- Thee Headcoatees

Thee Headcoatees was an all-female vocal group (originally called The Delmonas) which was associated with Billy Childish and the all-male group Thee Headcoats.

The line-up was Holly Golightly, Kyra LaRubia and Ludella Black. Bongo Debbie often performed songs with the band when they played live (she left in 1999).

- Trashlight Vision

The band was formed in 2004 by Acey Slade (who also played with the infamous Dope and Murderdolls), and rather than waiting for the dollar signs of the corporate music industry to come to them, Trashlight Vision opted for the spirit of independence to build the band into the beast it has now become. To give full focus to his new project, Slade moved back to Philadelphia for a time to join up with his old friend Roger "Rags" Segal. Segal had been working with drummer Len Thomas, whom he brought into the fold, and the band was rounded out by Steve Haley on guitar. With the line-up complete, Trashlight Vision moved into their rehearsal spot, fondly known as the "Trashcan."

They released two independent EP's that quickly sold out, which prompted them to record their debut album, "Alibis & Ammunition." The album features 12 tracks of turbo charged rock 'n' roll. Capturing the spirit of the Ramones, the grime of Lars Frederiksen And The Bastards, and the danger of Guns N' Roses, Trashlight Vision aren't copyists, but they are most definitely creating their own spin on rock 'n' roll.

"Alibis & Ammunition" features foot-kicking, stomp-along anthems like "Screw Worm Baby" and "Horns And Halos," the slick "Black Apples," the dark-yet-punchy "Faceplant Pavement," and the sing-along first single, "Allergic To You." Throwing in a blinding rendition of The Ramones' classic "My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down (Bonzo Goes To Bitburg)", "Alibis" is packed to the hilt with edgy songs that embed themselves in your brain long after they've spun in your stereo.

- Septic Death

Septic Death (Boise, Idaho) is a hardcore punk band fronted by artist Brian "Pushead" Schroeder. Septic Death's hybrid of metallic instrumentation and blisteringly fast hardcore punk became a major influence on bands like Integrity, Citizens Arrest, Infest, and many other bands tied to the hardcore punk, powerviolence, crust punk, metalcore, grindcore etc. scene.

- Stupid Babies Go Mad

Hailing from Shizuoka, Japan, Stupid Babies Go Mad are as vitriolic as their name suggests. They have yet to release a 2nd full-length, but, as they say, good things come in small packages, and their EPs are no exception. Fans of Motörhead, GG Allin, and the Plasmatics will eat this band up. Mean & nasty punk rock suitable for a weekend drive into purgatory.

I haven't heard these bands as yet because this isn't my kind of punk. If you have any recommendations, you can drop them in the inline comments.

Well, this is it for now. Look forward to meeting you in August. Till then, this is Nab saying good bye and take care ❤️

Article by Nablai