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Black History Month and punk : Black Dots - 1985-1995
The continuing look at the impact that Black punks have had on the scene. Listen above or download a copy of the show here.
BAD BRAINS - Black Dots (Caroline)
DC Scene continued
Revolution Summer begins in DC in the summer of 1985 in which the original kids from the hardcore scene re-engaged with the punk scene by starting bands and working on a cultural revolution within that took a hard stance on violence especially at shows, a hard stance against sexism, and a re-engagment with political activism in the form of the punk percussions events. Musically they created the basis for Emo, but it started with a broad experimentation in sound.
There was no broader inspired band then BEEFEATER, who borrowed liberally from funk, soul, reggae and metal. Of course they layered everything over a punk bed. the band started in 1984 and didn’t start releasing records until 1985. They had a black guitarist named Fred Smith who brought the metal. He was a metalhead with leather jacket and studded shin guards. I saw him play at Ildiko’s where he put his foot through the wall. This is BEEFEATER with a song that Fred wrote called “Fred’s Song”.
BEEFEATER - Fred’s song (Dischord)
BEEFEATER - Satyagraha (Dischord)
BEEFEATER – Wars in Space (WGNS)
BEEFEATER – Apartheid (Olive Tree)
BEEFEATER – Freditude (Dischord)
BEEFEATER – Blind Leads Blind (No Master’s Voice)
BEEFEATER recorded three records and broke up in 1986. Fred Smith had the nickname “Freak” and would go on to play in a band called STRANGE BOUTIQUE in the 90’s. Sadly, Fred Smith was stabbed to death in San Fernando, last year on August 8th at the age of 55 s reported by MRR. In that last set comprised songs from everyone of their releases : i) Plays for Lovers, ii) Alive and kicking, iii) Need a Job, iv) House Burning Down, and v) The ALF is Watching and There is No Place to Hide.
FIRE PARTY were an all women punk band that also came out of the Revolution Summer. Tomas Squip, the singer for Beefeater, credits Amy Pickering, the vocalist for FIRE PARTY, for setting Revolution Summer in motion. FIRE PARTY’s drummer, Nicky Thomas, was black and experienced discrimination on another level. On a European tour, while FIRE PARTY were being dismissed as BANGLES wannabes, Nicky Thomas was being asked what was she doing at the punk show? The band defended her but the story demonstrated how racism was still an issue in a movement that was trying to bring this to light in the mainstream.
FIRE PARTY – Only Nine Mottos (Dischord)
DAG NASTY – Never Go Back (Dischord)
SWIZ - Sunstroke / Pet Tricks / Tylenol (Sammich)
Shawn Brown, was originally known for singing in DAG NASTY with a bunch of scene vets. In some liner notes to the Selfless Recording, Don Zientara, the sound engineer, said that Shawn brought the edginess to the band whereas the other members were starting to fall back on pop hooks which is evidenced in their next release “Wig Out at Denko’s”. DAG NASTY kicked out Shawn before releasing “Can I Say” and re-record it with Dave Smalley, which is still a monster release, but Dischord had the foresight to keep the recording and after much pressure release the Shawn Brown recordings in 2010.
Shawn was inspired by Bubba Dupree from VOID. Shawn was not deterred and starts a band called SWIZ in 1987. SWIZ strived to be a non-political band so even though DC is hugely political place like DC that had Positive Force and Revolution Summer. Shawn still wrote songs like “Sunstroke” and “Pet Tricks” comparison between black men and animals., and “Tylenol” about getting a headache from continually having to explain your presence in the scene.
NYC scene continued
1986 - UNDERDOG formed when Richie left YOUTH OF TODAY to start a dub mosh blended hardcore band. It was truly unique at the time. They would go on to release a number of eps and LPs and Chuck Treece from McRad would later join the band which seems like a natural fit in terms of sound and direction.
1986 - ABSOLUTION featured Djinji Brown on vocals. Djinji was from brooklyn and was the son of Marion Brown who was in the jazz scene. “Blogged and Quartered” described ABSOLUTION as “in a league of their own. They played some of the most creative, energetic, and powerful hardcore with some of the most thought provoking and intelligent lyrics the 80’s NYHC scene had to offer. They didn’t release much and there was a wealth of bands which has kept them in relative obscurity. They were part of the second wave of NYHC existing between 1986 and 1989. Known for song “Never Ending Game”, which is a song directed at other black folks who called him a freak because they didn’t understand where he was coming from. When Absolution break up Gavin and John formed BURN.
1987 - Chris Fist was the guitarist in CLENCHED FIST, who were a second wave supergroup for the NYHC scene. Chris Fist was in MENTAL ABUSE when joining CLENCHED FIST he would go on to start BREAKDOWN and jam with CITIZENS ARREST. He currently has a hardcore band named the WILDING INCIDENT.
ENUF were a New Jersey band that introduce Hip Hop into the hardcore sound.
1987 - TRUE COLOURS - were in a hardcore band formed out of members form OUR GANG and would go on to start CITIZENS AREEST. The contribute a song to the “New Breed” compilation titled “No Way to Live”.
UNDERDOG – True Blue (Revelation)
ABSOLUTION - Not This Time (Temperance)
CLENCHED FIST - Inner Strength (Self-Released)
ENUF - Fantasy World (Self-Released)
TRUE COLORS - No Way to Live
1985 – S.C.U.M. were a crossover band from Montreal. They appeared on the P.E.A.C.E. comp put out by R Radical Records. The singer’s name was Anthony and he was a black punk. He was known for break dancing on the stage. The band’s name is a ingenious slight on the Montreal police who were known as C.U.M. There were signs everywhere that they just spray painted an S in front of to re-name them cum – Society Controlled Under Murderers. That help explains why they had so many songs about police harassment.
S.C.U.M. - So M.U.C.H. Hate (Psyche Industries)
AFGHAN WHIGS – Doughball (Ultrasuede)
ANGRY RED PLANET – Mediocrity (Angry Red)
TRENCHMOUTH - Here Come the Automata (East/West)
1986 - AFGHAN WHIGS - a soul influenced punk band from Cincinnati, Ohio
Steve Myers – AFGHAN WHIGS
1988 - TRENCHMOUTH - post punk band from Chicago. Damon Locks was the vocalist. They did most of their recording between 1991 and 1995.
BURN would feature Chaka Malik on vocals. Members would go on to form ORANGE 9mm, DIE 116, and QUICKSAND. ORANGE 9mm formed by Ckaka Malik
ORANGE 9MM – Driver (Revelation)
BURN – Drown (Revelation)
ANASARCA -Stationary People (Planaria / Second Nature)
DUB WAR - Mad Zone (Earache)
CANDIRIA – Tribes (Rising Pulse)
1992 - CANDIRIA - progressive metal / hardcore band from Brooklyn calling their blend of metal, hardcore, hip hop and jazz “Urban Fusion”. Carley Coma was their singer.
DUB WAR – from South Wales, described as ragga rap punk. The singer Clive Webbe would go on to play in LOS HOOLIGANS and SKINDRED.
1994 - ANASARCA were a six piece demo band from Cockeysville, Maryland. They formed in 1994 and broke up in 1997. They recorded a demo and an ep and a split. The band pushed the screamo sound from the fury and intensity side of things. Jonathon Wilson was a black punk
1980 - POISON GIRLS an anarchist punk band from the UK that featured Vi Subversa on vocals, a middle aged mother of colour who wrote songs that explored sexuality and gender roles from an anarchist perspective. They are an important omission from last week which we will feature a few songs from different releases.
POISON GIRLS – Crisis (Small Wonder / Xntrix)
POISON GIRLS – Underbitch (CRASS)
POISON GIRLS - Dirty Work (CRASS)
POISON GIRLS – Take the Toys (Xntrix)
RUBELLA BALLET - Money Talks (Ubiquitous)
RUBY KARINTO – Chikotan (Self-Released)
STIFF LITTLE FINGERS – Bloody Dub (Chrysalis)
Vi Subversa passed away on February 19th, 2016. Her kids would go on to play in Rubella Ballet.
LANDFILL CREW - Youth Revolt (Pirates Press)