Shifting Gears

Grab 'em while you can! I think it's about time to shift gears once again on this blog. I'll be deleting all these posts in the next few days and starting fresh. I'm thinking of a new musical theme to go with. Maybe power pop, hip hop, or experimental music. Anyway, I just thought I'd let everyone know so if you want any of these death rock oriented albums now would be the time to get them.

nitegaunt

GG Allin - Banned In Boston

I know GG isn't really considered death rock but a.) he was rock and b.) he is dead. So here goes nothin'. This post was inspired by a recent conversation you can find in the comments here. It got me thinking about GG and listening to some of his stuff again. I really love his earlier stuff with The Jabbers and even some of his middle period is listenable and even enjoyable at times. The later work I can't say so much for. He sort of spiraled downward and his music deteriorated in unison with his life. By the time of his death his voice sounded like blood and gravel with a dash of vodka. But that is not the case with "Banned In Boston".
This collection of GG Allin's early work is essential punk rock and I think if you've got this, "Doctrine Of Mayhem", and maybe either "Dirty Love Songs" or "Carnival Of Excess" (his country album), then you've got all the GG you'll ever need. In other words, "Banned In Boston" is not an album for completists - it's GG 101! All the great poppy, catchy, rockers are here. From "Don't Talk To Me" to "Cheri Love Affair" and "NYC Tonight", this shit is classic great East Coast punk rock but it sounds like it could have come out of the same neighborhood as The Simpletones or The Dickies. GG's later onstage antics often overshadow the fact that he was actually a damn good singer in the early days. One can see hints of where he was heading, though, with tracks like "Gimme Some Head" and "Assface" but even those songs are catchy and fun! The band is tight, the tunes are rockin', and the record as a whole really has all the elements of great punk rock. If you've never heard GG or only heard his later growling chaotic stuff then definitely get this one! I've seen a couple of different versions of this same record but they are pretty much the sames songs in different order.

Tracks:

1. Don't Talk To Me
2. A Fuckup
3. Assface
4. Automatic
5. Beat Beat Beat
6. Bored To Death
7. Cheri Love Affair
8. Dead Or Alive
9. Gimme Some Head
10. I Need Adventure
11. Interview
12. Interview 2
13. Interview 3
14. Live In Boston (five or six songs from an awesome show in one track)
15. Live Fast Die Fast
16. Livin' Like An Animal
17. Loudenbomber
18. I Need Adventure (1980 version)
19. No Rules
20. NYC Tonite
21. On Man Army
22. Unpredictable
23. You Hate Me And I Hate You

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