DECRY.

In my mind, a classic Los Angeles hardcore record - one that does not get the love that, say, the Adolescents got...

Underrated as fuck, the twin-guitar attack here is ahead of its time, the bass player "laying right in the pocket" (the way bass should be played), etc. Now add some suburban angst (peer pressure, drugs, violence, depression, cops,) and it all adds up to the perfect formula for some classic 1980's first-generation American Hardcore (the good shit).
None of this needs to be said though, honestly - let the music do the talking…

Decry - Falling

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DIE KREUZEN.

The pride of Milwaukee Hardcore, these guys need no introduction (at least around the L-RV)…

Here we have a promotional-only collection that spans their entire recorded output (although this one is lacking heavily in the early material department).
None the less, these guys were great all the way until the end - the flavor may have changed a bit over the years, but for myself (and many others), it's easy to say that they were a truly unique band that transcended the term "hardcore", yet were more hardcore than most when it came down to their approach to tone, melody, songwriting, etc. Dig.

Die Kreuzen - Internal

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WAYNE KRAMER.

As a kid growing up in a no-way-out / burned-out General Motors town in mid-Michigan, The Brother Wayne Kramer always "spoke" to me. His playing in the MC5 fanned the flames of many a revolt in the Seventies; be them political demonstrations, or of "the innner self".
Sadly, the MC5 went down in flames like only they could do it - they will always be legend.

They don't make protest bands anymore, kid.

Wayne has been there & done that more than twice, and has played with the likes of everyone from GG Allin to Red Rodney to Johnny Thunders to The Melvins & quite a few other bad-asses in between. These days, he spends most of his time giving hope to "correctional facility" prisoners via his Jail Guitar Doors foundation, as well as scoring the music for the "television-awesomeness" known as Eastbound & Down.

The man has risen from a dark past - to shine like a motherfucker - to say the least.

Ain't nothin' wrong with that - most of us can only hope to attain some semblance of inner peace, right?

Six strings and a grip of soul.
Fuck yes.

Wayne Kramer - The Hard Stuff + 4

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