So here’s the last of the Yeah God! vinyl I own, which ironically according to the catalog number was actually their first single on Chapter 22. There’s an air of optimism on this E.P. which I definitely wouldn’t associate with the band, with tracks titled ‘Love Is Like The Sun’ and choruses singing “Lift up your head and say that tomorrow will be a better day”. OK, so one of the tracks (the best one) is called ‘Eat Plutonium Death’, but the other tracks sound like Blink-182-ish uplifting skate-punk. So yeah, not my favourite release by the band but it’s not terrible either. Just a bit too conventional (verse, chorus, verse, chorus, solo, chorus) and optimistic to be the same band who would frequently use samples and pitched-down vocals and went on to record “Everything’s Not Fucking Irie, Man“.
Track list
01-So Far Down
02-Look Better Gone
03-Eat Plutonium Death
04-Love Is Like The Sun
Yeah God!’s debut release on Chapter 22 records. Title track Sumo On My Back is a storming tune, mixing rap with thrash and some chanting thrown in for good measure! Used To Even Care brings the death growwwwwls found on their excellent debut LP. The E.P. finishes with Beast In The Box – a ludicrously fun satire of rock cliches.
01-Sumo On My Back
02-Used To Even Care
03-Halitosis Girl
04-Hypocrite Carnage
05-Big Bad Noise
06-Beast In The Box
Yeah God! decided to change their name for some reason to Ugly Noize Inc. following the release of Noizgasmin 1989. Not quite sure why, but maybe someone out there knows? Anyway, in 1990 they released the humorously titled D*nce Like A Bastard!! The album is quite a departure from their previous one. While Noizgasm was rooted in thrash, and quite experimental at times, featuring unusual song structures, loads of samples and down-pitched vocals, Bastard is a lot more like conventional metal/hard rock. This is anything but an insult as the results are fantastic. The tracks are tighter and the album flows better. The lyrics are easier to hear and the riffs are fantastic.
While The Buzzard’s vocals were often death growls and shouting on Noizgasm here he sings quite a lot, and it works better in my opinion. Not to slate Noizgasm, I love that album and the vocals suited it, but I have to say I prefer this one as the songs are more memorable and the album is more accessible in general.
There are some outstanding tracks, complete with The Buzzard’s amazing guitar playing and darkly funny lyrics. Stand out tracks for me are “A Prayer To The God Of Obscure And Skint Independant Artistes” (“I ain’t too proud to take charity, gimmy all you got just as long as it’s free”), “Bitch, Bitch, Bitch”, the dubby/metal mash up of “Everything’s Not Fucking Irie, Man” and the rap/rock track “Dance Like Your Ass Is On Fire”.
Overall an excellent album which has been on constant rotation on my phone for the past few weeks. I’ve just ordered their E.P. Nitro Injected Trash Pop For The Deaf and I’m very much looking forward to hearing it! If anyone knows if the band had anymore releases please get in touch through the comments!
Edit 12/08/16 – Paul from the band had this to say –
We recorded and mixed this in just over a week at Brian Tatlers studio (the fridge?) in Stourbridge. All I can remember of it was there was a trivial pursuit coinop that I never got to play on!
1 Back 2 Reality
2 A Prayer To The God Of Obscure And Skint Independant Artistes
3 Offin’ The Good Guys
4 Scheherazade Jones
5 Hindsight Binoculars
6 Betterways
7 Bitch, Bitch, Bitch
8 Beirut Timeshare Love Affair
9 Everything Is Not Fucking Irie Man
10 Dance Like Ya Ass Is On Fire
11 Worst Bad
12 Ogres (My Guitar Dies Screaming)
Released on Chapter 22 records in 1989, Noizgasm explodes with heavy metal riffs and raw growlllllllllls. It storms along at about 400 bpm with The Buzzard (who featured on PWEI albums and wrote the riff for The Prodigy’s track “Their Law” which also featured PWEI) shreading his guitar like a mad man. Expect lots of heavy riffing, dive bombs, samples (I spotted the beat from “She Drives Me Crazy” more than once!) and a tongue-in-cheek sense of humour. A great LP to bang your head to.
Edit (12/08/16) Paul from the band had this to say re: the recording of the album –
Some good (and bad) memories of the making of this album … The funniest (story) I remember is that we had traveled to the studio under the impression that it was a residential place that fed the band too. Why we thought that on our budget I’ll never know! So inevitably we arrived with no food or even much cash. Towards the end of the album when we were surviving one piece of toast and Marmite each per day Pete’s (the owners) wife took pity and us and fed us ‘proper food’ ! bless her! I’ve been good friends with Pete ever since – nice guy.
Bugblot (aka Bugblot And The Shocking Confusion) released their debut single ‘Steeple’ on Gaye Bykers On Acid’s label Naked Brain in 1991 (Jan 14th to be precice!). Taking their infleunce from 60s garage rock and the likes of Captain Beefheart, Can and numerous Blast First bands, Bugblot recorded this driving, noisy, sometimes dark and often psychadelic EP. The title track “Steeple”, accurately described in their press release as sounding like a “year 2000 Stooges”, thunders along with heavy stoned riffs and catchy melodies. Up next is the psychadelic “Started Going Out” which somehow ends up sounding part-The Doors with a grunge-esque chorus (at least to my ears, anyway!) and features Noko of Apollo 440 fame on viola. The last track “Danny’s Psycho Jazz Tent” is a quick trash of crazy jazz metal which rounds the EP off in a noisey fashion. Well worth a download!
Tracklisting
1. Steeple
2. Started Going Out
3. Danny’s Psycho Jazz Tent
Bit of an oddity, this one. Hardly any information about this band exists online (aside from a blog post from 2008 and a Discogs page). The album was released in 1990 on Gaye Bykers On Acid’s label Naked Brain, and yet, no one from GBOA that I’ve asked can recall this band! (Possibly released without the bands consent by a manager of Naked Brain?). If anyone knows anything about this band and the album please write in the comment section!
Anyyyyyway, I discovered this album through the GBOA connection and it’s pretty damn good! Experimental-rock-spazz-jazz. Think Butthole Surfers with a dash of Frank Zappa and a tiny pinch of Bad Brains.
Tracklist
1. Philadelphia
2. Pump
3. Immortal
4. Decisions
5. Alaska
6. (Theme From) Johnny Scab
7. Should We Should We Shall We
8. Speakers
9. Cow On My Back
10. Young Apprentice
11. House O.D Blooz
12. Belly Of The Beast
13. Cardboard City Jam
14. Drums Like Cardboard Boxes
15. An Absurd Idea
Released in 1991 on Naked Brain, Bugblot & The Shocking Confusion’s debut album “Improve Your Petrol” is the last release on the defunct label ran by Gaye Byker’s On Acid. I’m a big fan of GBOA and I came across this band on discogs.com after searching through Naked Brain releases.
Fronted by Karl Leiker, who went on to form Hyperhead with ex-GBOA singer Mary Byker and Martin Atkins of Killing Joke and Pigface (along with Mary), Bugblot’s album is a great collection of alternative space/stoner rock tracks which engulf the listener through a kaleidoscope of sludgy guitar riffing, tripped out rock and tight bass riffs. Highlights include the upbeat ‘Double Decker’, the stoned groove of ‘Remembering The Future In The Past’ and the Middle East tinged sound of ‘Andy Sinatra The Mystic Barber’. A hidden gem and great music to lay back and zone out to.
If you like this, check our Bugblot’s debut single ‘Steeple‘.
Bugblot And The Shocking Confusion – Improve Your Petrol (12″ Mini Album – 1991)
1. Double Decker
2. Remembering The Future In The Past
3. Wellcum To The World
4. No Bombs
5. Andy Sinatra The Mystic Barber
6. Counting Still
Another Boring B Side 