But What Do I Get, What Do I Expect To Find

Gut Instinct - Disturbing The Peace (Cornerstone Productions)

No Escape / Turning Point split (Gold) (Out of 200) (Temperance Records)

Ringworm - Demo (Purple Shell) (Out of 25) (Eat The Worm Productions)

These three releases have been on my wantlist for years and in the past few weeks I've been able to score each for great prices. I hadn't noticed until it was pointed out to me last night that the Gut Instinct cover has their name spelled wrong on it. I wonder how many people that own it have noticed this themselves. I love the style of older "tougher" hardcore The Icemen, Breakdown, Outburst, Raw Deal/Killing Time and they play. It sounds urgent, but like in a "you better listen to what the fuck I have to say" kinda way. I wish more bands would take note of that and pace themselves better. Not to say I haven't heard bands that have had that affect on me over the years but though I'm sure it comes natural to a lot of people trying to get sincere messages across I am sure some people tone it down when recording and shouldn't. How would In My Eyes sound if Ian MacKaye dialed back his "At least I'm fuckin' trying. What the fuck have you done?" 

Now as far as the No Escape / Turning Point split 7" its been a record I have wanted for well over a decade. The first time I found out about its existence was when I found a copy of the 12" version of the Rebuilding compilation at Magnolia Thunderpussy back in 2002 or 2003. I know that record was the first place I ever found out about No Escape but might also have been the first place I heard Burn. The original compilation was on a 7" and featured Turning Point, Burn, Gorilla Biscuits and No Escape. The 12" version had three times the number of songs as the 7" version. On its A side it includes the original 4 songs from the compilation with two additional songs by Turning Point and Burn. On its B side it includes The No Escape / Turning Point split with two more additional songs each being covers, with those songs being Turning Point covering Ignition's song Anxiety Asking and No Escape covering the Big Boys song No.

Lastly of  these pick ups, the Ringworm - Demo. Five masterpieces of Cleveland Hardcore, as they would say "All killer, no filler." This is a version of the cassette that is more recent (pressed for a show they played in 2016 with 3/4 of the original members who played on the demo) but is limited to only 25 copies. Its not a version I thought I would ever get. And though I would LOVE to have an original copy, purple is one of my favorite colors so I had to scoop it up. Strangely enough after I received it in the mail I realized a friend of mine from back in Columbus (who now lives in Chicago) had been the seller. Small world. 

KDC / Bleak split (Human Beard)

Throat Culture - The Nervous Episode (Sore Ear Collective)

Moutheater - No Ballet (Grey Shell) (Out of 20) (Swim Harder Cassettes)

These three cassettes feature a band who would either eventually or had previously been a band Head2wall Records had worked with. Both KDC and Moutheater will hold special places in my heart because they were the first two LPs we did and are both bands I had not just the opportunity to see but the privilege to book, with Moutheater being the first band I ever booked and KDC being the first band I booked when I moved to Las Vegas. Sadly I never had a chance to see Throat Culture but I am sure they were incredible live as the cassette and 7" we did for them are both fantastic.

Best Of 2014

Oops I've had this done since a few days before the end of the year but I forgot to post it. My bad. A lot of shits been going on. Most bad. But a bit good. 2014 was a big LP year. So many great LPs came out that I left a few off that I'm sure some people have as their number ones. As usual I'm all over the place with the music I like so If you like one band you might not like the next. I added some honorable mentions for the LP category for that very reason. Too much good stuff.

Top 10 LPS

1. Raspberry bulbs - Privacy
2. Spine - Time Has Gone
3. Moutheater - Passing Key
4. Homewrecker - Circle Of Death
5. Shellac - Dude Incredible
6. Goodtime Boys - Rain
7. Battle Ruins - S/T
8. The Flex - Wild Stabs In The Dark
9. Self Defense Family - Try Me
10. Dark Blue - Pure Reality

Honorable mentions for this category would be Midnight, Ringworm, Boston Strangler and Aviator.

Top 10 EPS

1. No Sir, I Won't - This World Is Fucking Shit
2. True Love - New Young Gods
3. Six Bells - S/T
4. Self Defense Family - Duets
5. Civilized - Dust And Blood
6. Vegas - Sagevisules
7. Razor Heads - S/T
8. Keepsake - Wanders
9 .Vanishing Life - People Running
10. Moral Mazes - Magic Tommy Jackson

Top 10 Splits/Compilations

1. Self Defense Family/Meredith Hunter
2. Retox/Narrows
3. Full Of Hell/Pyswarfare
4. Nothing/Whirr
5. Blood Lust Compilation (Civilized, Culture Shock, Need, Suburbanite And Cadaver Dog)
6. Benchpress/Martyrs Tongue
7. Joie De Vivre/Prawn
8. Full Of Hell/Merzbow
9. Integrity/Vegas
10. The Saddest Landscape/Frameworks

Top 8 Demos

1. Last Crusade
2. Acid Rain
3. No Hands
4. Western Medication
5. Red Death
6. xtrmst
7. PMS 84
8. Shranal

*only 8 demos because those are only ones I really dug.

Top 10 Shows

1. Anti Nowhere League @ Punk Rock Bowling (05/24)
2. United Nations/Silver Snakes/Caraveles @ The Dive Bar (11/12)
3. Self Defense Family/Goodtime Boys/Take Care (Acoustic) @ Hardhat Lounge (11/11)
4. The Flex/Violent Reaction @ Hellpop (04/30)
5. The Adicts @ The Hard Rock Cafe (11/02)
6. Life After Death/No End In Sight/Mental Prison/Acid Rain @ Eastside Joes (05/09)
7. Illustrations/Unfair Fight/Keepsake @ The Artistic Armory (07/13)
8. Fury/Barge/Zoom/Value/Acid Rain @ Tipsy Coffee House (08/16)
9. Judge/H20 @ Las Vegas Country Saloon (05/24)
10. The Hold Steady @ Vinyl (08/02)

Today In The Mail: Testing Testing

This came yesterday but it came when I was running out the door so this post was delayed till today. As soon as I saw the envelope I knew what it was (My Vegas/Moutheater Test Press). It came all the way from Belgium only eight days after I won it. Thrown in with the record were some stickers, a Sledgehammer record and a Vegas embroidered patch. I hope to win more records from the man himself, everything about this transaction is perfect.


Vegas/Moutheater (Test Press) (Out Of 10) (Thrashed Records)
Sledgehammer - Your Arsonist (Gold) (Specimen 32 Records)
And bonus HT goodies

Today In The Mail: Holy Terror Kind Of Day 2.0 + Lie And Wait Kind Of Day

The first package I opened was chock full of Holy Terror related items (It was from Holy Terror Records). Super siked. Each record is hand stamped and very limited. The Vegas Cd is something I have slept on buying for a bit now. And the Withdrawal - Demo CDR is also very limited (I love how my collection of Withdrawal related items keeps growing). The second package I opened was the Rhythm To The Madness record left out of my Backtrack - Demo 7" package I got earlier in the month. And last (but not least) was a package with one of each of the Lie And Wait 7"s I didn't have. Still can not get why people are not more into this band.


Moutheater - Lot Lizard (Holy Terror Records Version) (Out Of 15) (Thrashed Records)
Vegas/Moutheater (Holy Terror Records Version) (Out Of 15) (Thrashed Records)
Integrity - Walpurgisnacht (Holy Terror Records Version) (White) (Out Of 15) (A389 Records)
Vegas - Never (Frequency Deleted Records)
Withdrawal - Rough Demos (Out Of 10)


Lie And Wait - Awakening (Black/White/Yellow) (Out Of 300) (Triple B Records)
Lie And Wait/Overdose (Red/Grey) (Out Of 400) (Triple B Records)
Lie And Wait/LMF (Teal) (Out Of 50) (Wormhole Records)
Rhythm To The Madness - Soul Doubt (Out Of 425) (Powered Records)

Today In The Mail: Yesterday In The Mail Vol. 1

Well I wasn't home yesterday to open this package so it basically came today. I was waiting for what seemed like ages for this to come up for pre-order, and it came pretty quickly once it was. This tape has exclusive tracks from Hollywood, Moutheater, Feed and The Effort (and a few other bands I have no heard of). Also a few tracks of Thrashed Records related bands such as Lone Wolf, Die Young, Lie And Wait, The Recluse, Kintaro and Hostage Calm. If you have a tape player I suggest buying this, or at least checking these bands out. Oh and to check out mp3s from a few of these band's and some other great bands check out the Thrashed Records Winter Sampler 2008.


Thrashed! Records Mixtape Vol. 1 (Red) (Out Of 50) (Thrashed Records)
Thrashed! Records Mixtape Vol. 1 (White) (Out Of 150) (Thrashed Records)

Recap Of My First Show

From what Andrew told me my show went well (he was surprised that I got money out of some of our friends). Empire played great. New songs are awesome, definitely a band to be on the look out for. All My Strength Canceled. Supercontinent was really really awesome. Moutheater was really great. I am very happy with the turn out of the show seeing that Columbus has a very flaky hardcore scene. And almost everyone payed for the show (even Eric). I might do another one someday...

The First Show I Have Ever Booked

Flyer by Angry Andy*

So this is the first show (and maybe last time) I do this depending on how it goes. It seems like a decent amount of people are going to come out so hopefully the bands will at least get gas money. If you can't come out to the show check out Moutheater.