Saturday, July 21, 2007

Winepress

Winepress




Winepress were on Harmless Records who have sadly, after years, stopped releasing records. They have a myspacepage which states the following:

Winepress was a Chicago/Homewood pop punk band from 1991-1995. We released two 7 inches and a split 7 inch with The Fighters. We have been on several out of print compilations and finally the "Complete Recordings" on Harmless Records. We have played a few reunion shows and will play again if someone asked. Winepress has been covered by The Mushuganas, The Parasites, Walker and many other bands from the Homewood punk scene.

Winepress did ye old songs about girls and what it's like to be a hyper active suburban teenager, yada yada, you know the drill.

Winepress - Runnin back to you
Winepress - Girl that broke my heart

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

The Shots Heard Around The World

The Strike





From the web:

Hailing now from Chicago The Strike have quickly become the leaders of the leftist revolution. The story actually begins in the city of Minneapolis in early 1993. The band was started by Chad Anderson (guitar, vocals) and former guitarist Micah Garlich-Miller. They recruited Chad's brother Chris Anderson as their drummer and local Minneapolis bassist Kris Adams. Both Chad and Chris are originally from Winnipeg, Canada.

The band began a local following in the city of Minneapolis that resulted in a single on Johann's Face Records in 1995. They also released several other singles and compilation tracks including a short tour with Dillinger Four. In 1996 the recorded their first full length on Johann's Face titled ‘A Conscience Left to Struggle with Pockets Full Of Rust.'

In 1997 The Strike relocated to Chicago without second guitarist Micah Garlich-Miller and began playing their leftist political rock that caught the Chicago scene by storm. The band's has been involved with benefits for Food Not Bombs, the International Socialist Organization and performing at scooter rallies throughout the Midwest.

The Strike take their influences from The Clash, Stiff Little Fingers and The Jam. They know that revolutions can only be created by the working class, they try to make people aware of the political struggles both past and present
in their lyrics.



The Strike - Three Steps Forward
The Strike - Clockwise

Sunday, July 15, 2007

Play Cell

Tilt "Play Cell"




The first time I saw Tilt they opened up for Green Day at a shotty club named Plus Five in Ft. Lauderdale. It was my first show and my first introduction to anything punk rock. It was really perfect timing as Dookie had just came out and Green Day had not yet graced the airwaves of MTV. I'm not sure if I should thank my older sister for taking me or blame her for the years spent thereafter buying records, going to shows, getting drunk, smoking cigarettes and trying to out punk the very few people that I hung out in with in High School that shared the same affliction. Anecdote aside, Tilt hailed from East Bay (like many great bands) and were on Lookout! Records (like many great bands) and later signed to Fat Wreck Chords (no comment). Cinder Block, the lead singer, started her own T Shirt/Clothing company and is probably lighting her cigarettes with dollar bills these days as said company has been wildly successful (she has done T Shirts for AFI, Pixies, Weezer, Strokes, Bloc Party and Dashboard Confessional just to name a very few well known clients). Anyways, I liked her band. I like them a lot. They were good, catchy, ballsy poppy punk not unlike most East Bay bands at the time. They even featured a member of Crimpshrine and how many bands can say that? OK, nevermind, at least it wasn't Aaron Cometbus. Below are two songs off their album "Play Cell". "Fool to Blame" is sang by the guy that was in Crimpshrine as I may love Cinder's voice, Fool to Blame is probably one of my favorite songs.

Tilt - White Homes
Tilt - Fool to Blame

P.S. Sorry for the lack of posts lately.. I'll try to step it up a bit..