I was nearing the completion of my earlier post last week when my PC suddenly having some issues with Google+ and having it to restarted again. Seriously that is not something for me to look forward to. The most unfortunate thing, bad luck hit me twice, that few nights after that, my Blackberry hanged and went bonked from there. I love technology and my work revolves around it but at times that kind of dependency that we put our life into it, can at times proves frail.
So here I am repeating the same process allover again. I wish I had the same word that I typed the other day as it sounds right and fitting but unfortunately, those memories just went the drain as I failed to picked up those pieces of remaining of whats left to be taken, as if there is any.
There is probably some other blog page who went straight into reviews and pictures of their collections but that does not sounds right to me. I always believe that there is an essence in collecting vinyls especially from the music and lyrics perspectives. I guess being a wax junkie, we at times are probably fault at looking the other side of music rather exploring the real details of every release and its not the colored vinyls or the gate-fold covers but instead, the true meaning behind their music.
It is nearing 12 and I do not want to sound pushy or PC (wow, did I sounds so 90s here?). I guess that was just being me, questioning and not swallowing the normality that has been set by others. Again, I am sorry that the blog has been stagnant at times but thanks for those who keeps visiting the page. It really means a whole lot to me. So hopefully the pictures earlier and this post would help to pour some more traffic into this page.
I probably talked a lot and I hope to those who have been communicating and supporting this, continue doing it and I really appreciate those fine words (if there is any :p). Your constant communications has been the pillar of why I am continuing this page.
The title above does not spark any revolutionary action in any way, its merely a reference of what happened in Washington in one fine summer. That summer brings a lot of bands and memories. As a reference to those event, I am copying that word to a context of my own and more importantly, of my own agenda which comes to the topic of : my collection of seven inches (ohhh you naughty kid, I know what you had in your mind)
I will start with few important release that means a whole lot to me and seriously, one of the stuff that I managed to get my hands into (or in the other hand managed to burn a deep hole in my pocket. Hobby works in both ways these days :p)
If you have not heard of Snapcase, you probably live in a different world back in the 90's. In mid 90s, bands like Earth Crisis, Snapcase, Strife grew to be a few of those popular bands at that times. Victory roster in those days would probably a must have for every kids in the HC scene back then. Snapcase was a band from Buffalo, New York. Though being Straight Edge, they were never really a band who pushed the ideas of SXE but would rather dived into personal and emotional side of their music. Their music was intense, stop and go, fusing metal, melocy and hardcore at its best. The ingredient was completed with the emotional vox thrown in together to form one of the best bands in the 90's. Steps was probably one of their biggest release. Probably the best and the most classic in my eyes.
Awesome. Period
Fortunatey or unfortunately, as hardcore evolves in the 90s, they were probably a few of the minority who never follows what others shares at that particular time. I guess I would refers them as the emo scene and the old school scene. For me, anything that moves me and effects me musically holds a place in my heart. Emo evolves from what DC has created to be a whole lot more fast with more urgency completes with half screaming half crying kind of thing that represents the emotional side of their music. Merel and Iconoclast are two bands that came from that era. Bands like Merel, Anasarca, Inkwell, Frail defines this genre a whole lot better. Again, a must for any emo lovers. For a rub of a salt, I seriously think that this is what emo sounds before it became a lot more easy listening and poppish (though I do loves some of those bands, sigh).
I have said it again and again, screamo rules in my books. This is Inkwell, another fine band from that era. For those who loves the Used and My Chemical Romance, go have a history of it. Emo was a whole lot better than dying your hair black and looks gothic.
To those who knows me well, they might know that I have a deep affection for Unbroken. An important bands from the 90s, they are one of the few bands that keep HC interesting with putting Slayer-esque riffs to their ready heavy music and pushed HC boundaries in term of defination of what HC music should sounds like. Their music was always associated with dark imaginery, personal lyrics about life and frustration. I guess at the end that what ends them. Eric committed suicide and they played one reunion shortly after that. I almost went for another of their reunion in London last year, I guess after all these years their music never stops affecting people. Picture in four separate release. All in seven inches and was released by Bloodlink, New Age and 3.1.G.
Mineral : another band who in the 90s creates a lot of buzz for their emotional music. For any slow hitters, they were only a few of the bands who do it right. Fire Theft, Sunny Day Real Estate, Mineral and later Gloria Record. Many would argue on this but Mineral despite their corny lyrics (often cited beautiful by emo worshippers) creates a powerful and moving music. They influenced hundreds if not thousand others to follow their footsteps unfortunately none ever come close to Mineral. Their seven inches and LP become an obscure and would often be very highly sought in ebay. Picture above as two release from them, one is released by Crank (another important emo label at that time) and the other one was a split release also by Crank together with Jimmy Eat World (another great emo band from the 90s) and Sense Field.
With good music also comes quirkiness and humor. Bands like Atom and His Package and Har Mar Superstar probably falls into that. Adding synthesizer and a whole lot humor in their music, emo was marred with a whole lot different character and perspectives in terms of music. Weird, unique and would probably sounds irritating to some, call them what you want. I just love their quirkiness
Emo (I cannot help it rather than to feel guilty typing these word) besides music also famous with their weird name, like Policy of 3, Three Letters Engagement, Three Penny Opera, Promise Ring, Texas Is the Reason, Party of Helicopters just to name a few. Policy of 3 again another important band from that era who helps to carve what screamo is all about. This was released again under Bloodlink. I probably love most of what Bloodlink ever released. Bands like Chokehold, Unbroken, Groundwork, Julia and Frail, those were important bands from that era though Chokehold came from a different genre.
Class of Eighty Four was a short-lived emo hardcore band from Arkansas. They released a self-titled 7"in 1996 on File 13 Records. This was probably their only release. Noisy, jangling guitar with odd beats and screamy vocals made up Class of 84. Probably one of the few release who would later be morphed into emo-violence in the later part of emo music.
Irony of Lightfoot is band from Long Island New York plays like no other bands at that time. They mixe jazzy, noisy, with a hint of emo and offbeat vocals. I cant really describe their music but again, this is an important stuff from that era and for a 99 cents, I am really happy to grab this. its all happened when Neil Rubenstein from Tetsuo went on to form Irony of Lightfoot and later Sons of Abraham, This Years Model and These Enzymes. Few of their band members would continue playin for other bands as well.
Severin was a band under Dischord (another great label runs by the infamous Ian Mackaye himself) from Washington. Their songs at once are melodic and chaotic, reflected the ecclectic nature of a thriving and independent music scene yet unspoiled by mainstrea and corporate attention. They broke many of the musical and social boundaries that seemed crucial at the time and somewhat absurd in retrospect. Another worthy 99 cents purchase from Ebay. Cool stuff
Emo as evil as it sounds opens a whole lot of new character and breaks a lot of borders in term of musical diversity. Milemarker was formed by peoples including two editors which consists of Al Burian who runs the infamous Burn Collector, Dave Laney, Ben Davis who also played for Sleepytime Trio amongst others, Their music was always about their eclectic stylings and unique sound, which shifted to an experimental electronic format to heavier alternative rock in more recent years. In their later years, they mixed a lot of heavy drums following winding guitars and vocal alternating from contemplative and narrative to shrieking and visceral. Very unique and weird yet this is truly unique in my eyes. They were probably sounds like Radiohead had Radiohead evolves from the emo scene. Good stuff.
I hope to continue this soon, again, thanks for reading.
