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Thursday, October 22, 2015

Wucan - Sow the Wind + Bonus (German Retro Band Hardrock/Folkrock w. Flute 2015)


Size: 145 MB
Bitrate: 256
mp3
Ripped by: ChrisGoesRock
Artwork Included
Sourse: Japan 24-Bit Remaster

The Dresden heavy retro band WUCAN began their quick ascent in 2014. Despite their short history the young band is still able to look back at a remarkable success. Everything began with their first EP "Vikarma," released in November 2014 on Metalizer Records. 



WUCAN are a young heavy retro rock band from Dresden, Germany with deep roots in the late 60s and early seventies with a dash of blues, folk, progressive and Kraut rock. This sort of time-warp music is covering the gamut from the Woodstock generation to the modern rock sound, starting with acoustic guitar, traverse flute and Hammond organ and ending at the modern rock sound of the heavy kind.

WUCAN made the right choice of partners with producer and owner of the Big Snuff Studios in Berlin Richard Behrens and with Andreas “Lupo “ Lubich of Calyx Mastering for a successful debut in the retro rock scene. 


Richard Behrens, who is bassist of the 70s band HEAT and live toning of the genre heroes KADAVAR additionally to his producing duties, created an authentic 70s sound by using analogue machinery. Combined with the modern heavy surround of the band unfolds a fresh mix of yesterday and today, which bursts with lust for music.

This release, which quickly sold its first 500 vinyl copies, received many positive reviews. By taking their chances through their extraordinary, energetic live presence, the band quickly gained an audience at their numerable concerts. Some of their biggest moments include playing the prestigious Hammer of Doom Festival and a tour as support for Siena Root. 

Heavy metal veteran Karl Walterbach recognized these qualities and soon after took on the role as the band's manager. A record deal with Manfred Schütz' MIG Music sublabel Hänsel & Gretel followed. Lastly the band became part of Berlin-based booking agency Magnificent Music's roster, who agreed to support the band's live success. With all of this praise WUCAN entered the studio to record their debut album "Sow the Wind." 



The band worked at Big Snuff Studio in Berlin, a well-known studio in the retro scene, with pioneer Richard Behrens. He is infamous for producing quite a number of retro bands, working with Kadavar as their live sound engineer and is the bassist of the Berliner band Heat. Sow the Wind"'s striking sound was primarily achieved through analog techniques and fits perfectly with the late 60s and 70s vibe. 

The band also worked with new instruments such as a Moog synthesizer and a Moog Etherwave Theremin. Behrens was able to capture on tape the essence and dynamic of a WUCAN live show, which carries a hippy attitude with a modern rock sound. 



Andreas Lupo Lubich von Calyx added the final touches with his mastering skills. The result is six extremely diverse tracks, whose sound and composition could have more than likely originated in the 70s. 

However WUCAN does not imitate any artist but has developed its own individuality fitting somewhere between then and now. The band has always been able to create their own style despite their influences such as Jethro Tull, Renft, Lucifer's Friend, Birth Control and Krautrock in general. 


WUCAN presents changing hymns, from jamming passages to metal riffs with flutes doubled and the complete range of 70s folk rock to classical hard rock. andersmann' is a 16-minute song filled with psychedelic splashes of color and the just named influences. It is also the only song on the album sung in German. Even the powerful opener ather Storm,' the reefy and hard wl Eyes' and the melodicing Korea' bring a bright bouquet of 70s flashbacks. 

The key element is vocalist Francis Tobolsky's characteristic, energetic and emotional voice. The charismatic singer grasps her audience with her voice and catchy flute melodies. Rounding out this successful debut release is the eye-catching packaging. "Sow the Wind"'s artwork was inspired by a Rufus Segar art piece, an artist who is particularly known for his work in anarchist publications in the 70s. 

Divided in a seeing and screaming head in a stylistic representation, the cover and back perfectly fit the mood of the album. The storm which will be seeded with "Sow the Wind" figuratively hisses at the beholder before even playing the album. This CD is strictly limited to 500 copies.

Personnel:
Francis (Vocals, Flute, Guitar)
 Tim (Guitar)
 Patrik (Bass)
 Pätz (Drums)

01. Father Storm 03:57
02. Owl Eyes 05:50
03. Looking In The Past 05:43
04. Face in the Kraut 04:16
05. King Korea 07:04
06. Wandersmann 15:45

Bonus Tracks:
07. Franis Vikarma 05:37 
08. Frank 04:32
09. Big Red Bun 05:32
10. Wizard of Concrete Jungle 09:32 

1. Wucan
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2. Wucan
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3. Wucan

Buy Their Albums Here: Wucan Homepage or The Japan Edition with Bonustracks: Wucan - Sow The Wind + 4




Sunday, October 18, 2015

Menace - G.L.C. The Best of Menace (UK 1987)


Size: 100 MB
Bitrate: 256
mp3
Ripped by ChrisGoesRock
Artwork Included
Source: Japan 24-Bit Remaster

Menace are an English punk band formed in London in 1976. They are notable for being one of the immediate forerunners of the 'Oi' sound later adopted by skinhead bands.

Menace was a ‘second wave’1 punk band from Islington, London. The band was formed in 1976 after Morgan Webster (singer) met the members of a pub rock band, Stonehenge, Steve Tannett (guitar), Charlie Casey (Bass) and Noel McDonagh (Drums: known as Noel Martin) at a punk gig at the renowned pub venue The Hope and Anchor.

Menace’s forceful, simple yet musically competent and creative music is often described as having influenced, or even been the origin of, ‘Oi’ music, a subgenre of punk music associated with the skinhead culture. Traces of Menace’s influence can be found in the music of bands such as Sham 69 and The Cockney Rejects both of which became more popular and both of which were more closely associated with the skinhead movement. The band itself did not associate itself with either the mainstream punk movement or the skinhead movements; it attracted followers from both camps. 


As a result is often described as a ‘cross over’ punk/skinhead band blending the more critically aware and art-inclined punks and the more visceral working class protest strands of skinhead music.

In the 00's they reformed for the 2nd time with original vocalist Morgan Webster and guitarist Steve Tannett and a revolving door of drummers and bass players. They're reformation has proved very successful as they have had sell-out shows in Japan and in Europe as well as playing festivals around the world like the Rebellion Festival, Punk and Disorderly Festival, The Last Jubilee and Avenues and Alayways. They have had numerous lineup changes in the past ten years, but it seems that Tannett and Webster are the core members of the band

Menace formed in August 1976 when singer, Morgan Webster, met school friends Noel Martin, Charlie Casey and Steve Tannett at the Hope and Anchor pub in Islington. Their first gig at the now legendary Roxy was attended by Miles Copeland from Step Forward and Illegal Records who signed Menace straight away… The end finally came in late 1979 when after lack of interest from the record companies (due to their records being banned) and a lack of interest from the music press (possibly due to the working class ethics and the working class background of the boys in the band)… Menace’s last single Final Vinyl with the classic songs Last Years Youth and Carry No Banners, which lift the reputation of the band up another notch. After the split up the reputation of Menace continued to grow worldwide…

Following Menace the boys joined a feisty biker chick called Vermillion who was working with Steve at Step Forward Records.

The Ace’s, Noel Steve and Charlie sprang into existence during the encore of Vermillion and the Aces gig at the Lyceum Ballroom (If anyone knows the date let me know) when Steve launched into the Menace classic GLC. Needless to say we were sacked by Vermillion and the Aces were born.


One of the most eagerly awaited reformations of recent times has been that of Menace, one of the Godfathers of the Oi! movement and creators of the seminal punk classic “G.L.C”.

Oddy from Resistance 77 came in as vocalist and Uncle Albert was our friend Paul on guitar, who didn’t want his identity to be known. He came from the Stains, alongside Geordie who played with the Spitting Vicars.

I met Jonny at the 12-Bar Club, which figures a lot in the Menace story. I went to see the owner, Barnet, and a band called Bomb 45 were playing. Johnny was onstage doing a soundcheck, he said, ‘Hello Noel’. I vaguely remembered him but couldn’t recall where we’d met. I was very impressed by his playing

“I hear you’re looking for a new guitarist”. “You’ve got to see Finn, he’s great.” I didn’t know Finn, which is unusual, because Finn knows everyone – We had a chat that night and he seemed OK. We arranged a rehearsal. Charlie knew him from his days at Fresh Records days, because he had been in loads of bands; Headhunters, Bloodsport, Public Heirs, Junior Manson Slags, just loads of bands. Apparently we once played with him, as a member of Fuck All Else To Do, at the Royal Standard at an impromptu festival we did after a Punk Aid gig was cancelled.

Martin Sawtell on bass, with occasionally appearances from Charlie, Toby and Rob. Martin moves to New Zealand and Rob takes over.

Current members
Noel Martin − drums (1976-present)
 Rob − bass (1976-present)
◊ Finn Panton − guitar and vocal (2009-present)

Former members
 Steve Tannett - guitar (1976-1979)
 Morgan Webster − vocals (1976-1979)
 Andrew Tweedie - guitar (1997-2002)
 John Lacey - vocals (1997-2002)
 Charlie Casey - Bass (1976-2012)

01.Screwed Up
02.Insane Society
03.G.L.C.
04.I'm Civilised
05.I Need Nothing
06.Electrocutioner
07.The Young Ones
08.Tomorrow's World
09.Live For Today
10.Last Years Youth
11.Carry No Banners

Bonus Tracks
12.Last Years Youth (Bonus Live 1978)
13.Screwed Up (Bonus Live 1978)
14.I Like Chips (Bonus Live 1978)
15.G.L.C. (Bonus Live 1978)
16.One Way Street(The Aces)
17.Why Should It Be Mine (The Aces)

1. Menace
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2. Menace
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3. Menase
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