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Hardcore '81

 
Album Review: Hardcore '81

  • Artist: D.O.A.
  • Rating: StarStarStarHalf Star
  • Release Date: 1981
  • Type: Contains explicit content
  • Genre: Rock

Review

This Vancouver foursome was already a band to be reckoned with on their first three singles and debut, Something Better Change, but they went for the jugular on Hardcore '81, producing a rare and astonishing moment for the ages, a direct precursor to the Replacements' first LP torch job later that year. With the greatest drummer in punk history in Chuck Biscuits and an equally smokin' bassist in Randy Rampage, 1978-1982 D.O.A. had an unbelievably intense rhythm section to back the heavy, two-guitar power of Joey Shithead and Dave Gregg. With chops that actually bettered their primary influence, the Clash, and a take-on-all-comers attitude, these guys rocked -- and they knew it. With the exception of the much different, faster, more thrash Bad Brains debut, nothing else in the then-new hardcore genre came close to this wild LP. These 14 songs whip by quick with great thrill and tumult, an unusual, fun mixture of drinking buddy "I Don't Give a Shit" party tunes ("My Old Man's a Bum," "Fucked Up Baby"), wry, sardonic culture commentary ("M.C.T.F.D." aka "Middle Class Television Family Daughter," "Unknown"), and sobering sociopolitical outrage ("D.O.A.," "Smash the State," "Slumlord"). But what you can't forget are the machine-gun Biscuits fills, triggered by the merest hint of any looming chord change yet totally anchored on Rampage's booming bass. Or Gregg and Keithley's hot riffs that are so thick and yet slippery that they threaten to explode. Or Keithley's likable bear-growl vocals, as full of bonhomie good-guy spirit and wicked humor as they are with his sweat and vigor. Or songs so catchy, you want to sing them as loud as your lungs will take you. But like the '60s Who, '70s Clash, and '70s Buzzcocks (other bands of this same rank), they just don't come around often. Good thing they made Hardcore '81 before they left us. ~ Jack Rabid, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
D.O.A. Joey Keithley D.O.A. (1:38)
Unknown Chuck Biscuits, Joey Keithley D.O.A. (2:30)
Slumlord Joey Keithley D.O.A. (1:55)
Musical Interlude D.O.A.
I Don't Give a Shit Joey Keithley D.O.A. (:22)
M.C.T.F.D. Joey Keithley D.O.A. (1:21)
Communication Breakdown Jimmy Page, John Bonham, John Paul Jones D.O.A. (1:38)
001 Loser's Club Susan Werner, Joey Keithley, Brian Roy Goble D.O.A. (1:57)
Fucked Up Baby Joey Keithley D.O.A. (1:54)
The Kenny Blister Song Joey Keithley D.O.A. (1:27)
Smash the State Joey Keithley D.O.A. (:16)
My Old Man's a Bum Joey Keithley D.O.A. (1:32)
Bloodsucker Baby D.O.A. (1:41)
Waiting for You (Lyrics) Joey Keithley D.O.A. (:54)
General Strike [Live] Joey Keithley D.O.A. (3:36)
Race Riot [Live] Joey Keithley D.O.A. (1:06)
A Season in Hell [Live] Brian Roy Goble D.O.A. (2:34)
Burn It Down [Live] Joey Keithley D.O.A. (2:34)

Credits

Randy Rampage (Bass), Randy Rampage (Vocals), D.O.A. (Engineer), David Gregg (Guitar), David Gregg (Vocals), David Lester (Cover Design), Bob Mercer (Cover Art), D.O.A. (Producer), Greg James (Drums), Chuck Biscuits (Guitar), Chuck Biscuits (Drums), Chuck Biscuits (Vocals)
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Wikipedia: Hardcore '81
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Hardcore '81
Studio album by D.O.A.
Released 1981
Recorded 1981
Genre Hardcore punk
Length 34:56
Label Sudden Death
Producer D.O.A.
Professional reviews
D.O.A. chronology
Something Better Change
(1980)
Hardcore '81
(1981)
War on 45
(1982)

Hardcore '81 is an album by the Canadian hardcore punk band D.O.A.. It is considered by some to be the first reference to the North American punk scene as hardcore.[1]

Track listing

  1. "D.O.A"
  2. "Unknown"
  3. "Slumlord"
  4. "Musical Interlude"
  5. "I Don't Give A Shit"
  6. "M.C.T.F.D"
  7. "Communication Breakdown" (Led Zeppelin cover)
  8. "001 Loser's Club"
  9. "Fucked Up Baby"
  10. "The Kenny Blister Song"
  11. "Smash The State"
  12. "My Old Man's A Bum"
  13. "Bloodsucker Baby"
  14. "Waiting For You"

On some CD re-issues of Hardcore '81 four bonus tracks from the EP Don't Turn Yer Back On Desperate Times are included: 1.General Strike 2.Race Riot 3.A Season in Hell 4. Burn It Down

Personnel

References

  1. ^ Paul Rachman (director), Steven Blush (writer), Dez Cadena (starring), Dave Smalley (starring). (2007-02-20) (flv). American Hardcore. [Documentary]. United States: Sony Pictures. http://www.sonyclassics.com/americanhardcore/. Retrieved 2008-12-18. "Joey "Shithead" Keithley of D.O.A.: "We had one big show up there [Vancouver]. It was us, Black Flag, and 7 Seconds, and it was called Hardcore 81, so it was the first time anyone really used that term."" 

 
 

 

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Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
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