Eskorbuto/RiP-Zona Especial Norte split LP (1985)

Another Spanish[/Basque] '80s punk classic, well-known but neglected by most Yankee punx. Eskorbuto ("Scurvy") was, by all accounts, one of the most notorious Basque/Spanish punk bands-numerous arrests, a violently confrontational attitude, and death-by-heroin for two of the three original members...uplifting stuff.

Eskorbuto bashes out 8 tracks of snide, mid-tempo punk. It's quite similar to the sound that crystallized on their classic LP, Anti-Todo ("Anti-everything"). Altogether they're one of my favorite '80s bands, and they sorta give you a sense of Billy Bao's historical context.

I can't find much, not reading Spanish, about RiP. But their 4 tracks blaze by in a rush of clipped drumming and ripping guitar that's close to Never Again-era Discharge, without slavishly imitating their English brethren.

Mierda! Mierda! Munster Records released a sick re-issue of this split a few years ago, with extra tracks and a 'zine. BUY THE FUCKER!

*EDIT, 10.31.12: Reup'd the file. Download HERE. *

Billy Bao-May '08 LP (2009)

Yes, dear readers, I'm still here. I've just been spending most of my days lately reading stuff that looks like this so I ain't got much time for dis heer punk rock,  nawmean?                                              Anyhoo, tonite's 3rd of July special is none other than the Basque Country's most terrifying thing besides the ETA, Billy Bao. I gave up long ago on determining whether Billy Bao's story is true or false-given how clear their debt to The Society of the Spectacle is, I doubt "true" and "false" are   useful categories here.                                                                             But you kiddies iz here for dee moosick, ya? Here's whatcha got: five pieces (NOT "songs") of very intelligently assembled, shrieking, horrifying noise that includes a Fela Kuti sample somewhere on Side A (how could I make this up?). Everyone's been screaming "Whitehouse this" and "Brain Bombs that" since these cats started dropping sonic napalm, but fuck that. Billy Bao's music is clearly and violently its own thing altogether, even when they thank Whitehouse in the text of that indecipherable cover. This is a terrifying, twitching manifestation of the social disease known as capitalism...or the demons dancing in your head after mixing speed and valium. I'll let the eggheads amongst you figure out if that's a false distinction or not.

I have to warn you that you will ABSOLUTELY HATE THIS THING if you're expecting standard punk music based on rock formulae. This is a sonic atrocity, not rock 'n' roll.                            

Fuck May '68, Fight Now! After detourning your own private spectacle, mosy over to Mattin's page and see if May '08 or any of Billy Bao's blunt objects are still in print. Big ups to DX at Distort 'zine for turning me onto these terrorists. Find some hilarious reviews here.

p.s.-sorry this post looks like shit. Blogger is being about as helpful as the Italian public transit system tonight.

*9.14.11-Ok. I'm the idiot. "Billy Bao." "Bilbao." Say the two words, then decide if there's actually a Nigerian dude in this band...yeah, didn't think so. Hahaha, joke's on us.*