The Great Brain - Satan Superman

 

Label: Sonic Swirl

Year: 1996

Here's one them Chicago noise rock bands from the middle part of the 1990's that may have flown under your radar. I don't think they toured too much, and the two 7" and one CD they released all come out on small labels that didn't carry the cache of a Touch And Go or Amphetamine Reptile or whatever. And the members were not from, nor did they go on to be in "bigger bands". They just sorta did their thing as The Great Brain, and then a couple years later went on to do other things that did not involve loud music (maybe).

I only became aware of them when I bought a Derek Hess poster for a Today Is The Day show in Chicago, with Big'N and The Great Brain opening (the show was in Chicago, not me. I think I was in Athens, GA or maybe San Diego, CA when I purchased it). In fact, I'm looking at that poster as we speak. It's cool. 

Big'N isn't a bad comparison for The Great Brain. Big'N mixed with some Arcwelder maybe. It's rocking and loud, but not abrasive (not to you or me, I mean. Your mother will find it irritating I'm sure [how cool is your mom anyway?]). 

DL

Harvey Milk - Live At Supersonic July 12, 2008

 

Label: Capsule

Year: 2009

Witness the ugly majesty of Harvey Milk churning at full tilt in front of a rapt audience on the occasion of their first ever visit to Blighty. This is the four piece incarnation, with Joe Preston holding down stage right and offering more volume and grim to the band's shit boogie mudslide. The sound quality is pristine, and the band were in top form, nailing material from their entire discography (to that point). As with any Harvey Milk performance (that I have seen, anyway), it is awe inspiring. In lesser hands this style of music is a boring slough through ponderous generic power chords (believe me...I'm guilty of it), but the musicality of this band, the control, the power, the restraint...it all makes for an unbelievable catharsis born of pounding noise and a swinging charge of grime. The band was fucking incredible, and I honestly will never understand how they weren't a bigger deal. 

This is a rip I made of the album, and since the band plays through between some of the songs I had to combine two of them at one point, and make some decisions on where to cut between the others. But, when you listen back it should all flow seamlessly. I think.

DL

Silver Salute - No Clue / What's New?

 

Label: Amphetamine Reptile

Year: 1996

I posted the other AmRep Silver Salute 7" a couple months ago, so for all the completists out there, here's the other one the label released the following year. They have one more record, their debut, but I don't have it...so...neither do you then.

Two songs, but both are super solid fantastic rocking jams. No flash, no solos, no big intros or outros, just the good old fashioned noise rock that you come here for. Done the way it should be done. Simple and effective and (insert chef's kiss here) tre enjoyable. 

DL

Geezer Lake - James Dean

 

Label: Thick

Year: 1995

The pride of UNCG, Geezer Lake were an art-damage noise rock crew that pulled from Butthole Surfers, John Zorn, Scratch Acid, classic rock (as evidenced by the riff reappropriation heard on this very record), post punk, and most everything in between. In a NC music scene that either went the direction of Chapel Hill styled indie rock, or straight up punk/hardcore blister, Geezer Lake stood out among their contemporaries playing something against the grain, but still highly listenable and dare I say, catchy. 

This 7" was the last thing they released after a brief 4 year run, and maybe their most polished.

Hail Hail The Old North State!

DL

Multicult - Open Fire / The Costume

 

Label: Amplified Noise

Year: 2010

Was this the debut from Multicult? Maybe. It's their first 7", but not certain they hadn't already put out that 12". Ultimately, it doesn't matter. Not even sure why I brought it up.

Sorry.

Just focus on the two songs, and how good they are, and don't sweat the chronology of things. Time is relative anyway, right? Hell, they are talking about removing a second from the World Clock because the Earth's rotation has increased over the last few years making our days slightly slower than previously measured. So, I mean, if them fools in Greenwich can't keep it together, why should I be expected to? 

DL

Fork - Fork

 

Label: Medical Records

Year: 1994

The original mission of this blog, if I may be so bold, was to highlight long forgotten gems of loud and unpopular music, that you would most likely be interested to hear. Assuming you got to this dank recess of the interweb in a purposeful manner, and not by accident. 

So, per that mission, may I submit to you, Fork. A three piece, Arizona based noise rock behemoth that came and went with only three releases to their names, but they were three massively great demonstrations in "the ugly arts". If you were a big fan of the middle and latter periods of Mama Tick's oeuvre (and...pull it fucking together...show Mama Tick some goddamn respect!), then you'll get it. Nothing polished, everything bleeding out, volume uber alles. 

Two thirds of the band went on to form Tomsk-7, and then went on to do all sorts of bands that I've never heard of. (cut me some slack!) This one is essential if you never heard it.

DL