THE ROTTEN…Rebel Fest…March `12, 2011
Lots more video on it’s way…stay tuned…
What The Fuck You Looking At/’50 Pontiac/No Good At All
Punk Is Dead…
Sonic Reducer…with guest vocals from Mr. Chris Crash of The Steeltown Spoilers…
Posts Tagged ‘The Rotten
09
Apr
11
the rotten – rebel fest
02
Apr
11
tour dates – the rotten
THE ROTTEN…heading east, then west, across this great country of ours…Happy Trails…
26
Feb
11
free 2 song ep from the rotten…
27
Aug
10
THE ROTTEN: BACK IN ACTION!
After a bit of a hiatus, THE ROTTEN are back in action! We here at Rebel Time Records couldn’t be happier, for a couple of reasons. A) They are a kick-ass band and kick-ass people. As the article below, from this week’s Echo Magazine, points out, they’ve been around for 11 years and have remained true punks in every respect and that’s to be respected. They are PUNK, in the best and truest sense of the word. And, personally, I’ve always appreciated the fact that they were instrumental in helping to drive the neo-nazis out of Kitchener-Waterloo, through their involvement in Anti-Racist Action. The Rotten have remained true to their ideals and that counts for something. B) Ang is back behind the drum kit! And that’s proof that she is kicking cancer’s ass. As you can read in her blog Oops! I Wet My Pants, Ang has been dealing with breast cancer for the past half a year or so. Serious shit. But, like she says in her blog: “Fuck Cancer.” Personally, I kind of know what she’s been going through, as my better-half has had breast cancer twice in the past 4 years. It really takes it out of you, both physically and mentally and it just plain sucks. Ang is done her treatments and to see her back on the drums is testament to her scrappiness and fighting spirit. Kind of embodies what The Rotten are all about.
My advice: regular breast self-examination. Seriously. It’s easy, it’s free and it might just save your life.
Here’s a just-published interview with the band, followed by a full-album stream of “Enemy Of The State”…
ROCK GOES ROTTEN
For the four piece that formed back in 1999, their career has been marked with an onslaught of gigs, tours and various fan responses that include everything from ‘whoa, the drummer is a chick’ to ‘Jan’s eyes are so captivating.’ An ode to 70′s punk, The Rotten have dominated their genre and forced the attention of music fans alike. “1970′s punk rock that was all about monkey-wrenching the societal norms and wearing your grandma’s hand-me-downs,” the band writes in an email interview about their influences, “Punk isn’t a fashion statement. As for bands, we love all kinds and it is thanks to the eclectic variety of music that each member of The Rotten listens to that we have managed amalgamate everything into what The Rotten is today; a little punk, a little rock and whole helluva lotta attitude.”
And it’s certainly paying off. Even as they describe it, The Rotten has been served well in Canada, springing up at shows alongside artists like The Forgotten Rebels. “A lot of thanks to the good people at Rebel Time and the tight-knit community that is the punk scene, The Rotten has always had support at every show they play,” they say. “In the punk scene the definition of “making it” is to be as well-known as other Canadian punk bands like DOA and Forgotten Rebels. The Rotten has made a name for themselves in Canada so yeah, we’re making it. Times can be tough and money tight but ultimately we do it because we love it and can’t imagine life any other way.”
Over the duration of their 11 year career, The Rotten has forged away, dropping records that push the boundaries of every day rock n roll. Destroy This Wretched Country (2000), Circus of the Demented (2003) and Enemy of the State (2009) is a studio-effort discography; testament of time well served surviving as an indie band and their subsequent signing to Rebel Time Records (think Broadcast Zero, The Brat Attack).
Talking about a career launched in Kitchener, The Rotten recollects their perspective of the city’s changing music scene: “We’ve been doing this for 11 years so we have seen the ups and downs of the punk scene in Kitchener. We’ve watched fans of ours create their own bands and breathe new life into the scene. From our experience, this area is highly talented and a lot of great music comes from here. Having seen the ups and downs in this city its great to finally see a system (venues, etc) to support alternative arts.”
Now back in the spotlight after a six month hiatus, The Rotten puts the band into perspective. “The Rotten has been through all kinds of ups and downs,” they write. “(We) went on a 6 month hiatus while drummer, Angi, fought breast cancer. Angi: ‘getting to finally sit behind my drums and beat the hell out of them after everything I went through was the greatest catharsis I could ever imagine. I also couldn’t imagine a life without my band, I love it and would never give it up. It’s important to do it for fun, if you stop having fun, its time to hang up your drumsticks.’ No matter what happens in your life your art is valuable to you and don’t allow anything to discourage you from doing what you really love.”
Both THE ROTTEN and THE CLASS WAR KIDS made the FLEX YOUR HEAD radio show’s “Best Of 2009″ lists! Check out/download the January 5th and January 12 shows and enjoy some great music…
Again, many thanks to the college/community radio stations and radio shows that play Rebel Time Records bands…greatly appreciated…
And, if you do a radio show and would like to play Rebel Time Record’s bands, drop us a line!
From the latest issue of RIOT 77, a great punk rock zine out of Ireland…
The Brat Attack
Those Who Sow Sorrow Shall Reap Rage
Some well-informed hardcore here from Canada’s The Brat Attack. In what may be a collection of recent works, this disc gathers together fourteen tracks recorded over the space of six months. Undoubtedly from the same political (and at times musical) stable as fellow Canucks Propaghandi and earlier the Subhumans, this band are vegan torch-bearers out to put an end to the capitalist agenda of conservative world leaders and call for a leveling of the playing field. Truthfully, The Brat Attack can back themselves up pretty well in the booklet that accompanies this release and their politics are ones of inclusion rather than alienation, which makes a refreshing change from being spoken down to, as if often the case with bands as militant as this. A lot of effort has clearly gone into getting their message across correctly, inspiring and informing instead of aggravating the listener. With plenty of info and food for thought to be found here, the ideas expressed are well thought-out and avoid any dogma.
Broadcast Zero
Yesterday, You Could Change The World
Like Youth Brigade on speed, Broadcast Zero are a tight unit, playing no-nonsense Street Punk and Hardcore. Singer Nick Shrubsole has a pair of lungs on him that casts my mind back to hearing Mike Marsden of The Ducky Boys for the first time. Yup, those pipes are about to blow at any given second. The onslaught of Broadcast Zero is rich in the traditions of Punk Rock’s past, but there’s a spirit in here that makes me realize we’ve lost something along the way that this band is eager to put back. Choppy riffs that plough the hooks into your brain with brute force instead of sweetness. Pointing the finger at the outside world whilst maintaining a degree of warmth and affection for the listener, this connected with me on a level I expect from Punk Rock but unfortunately don’t always get.
The Class War Kids
Reflection! Rage! Rebellion!
The Class War Kids from Canada are a heavily politicized bunch of Street Punk miscreants. Musically this reminds me of some of the crossover stuff No Idea has invested in, where Street Punk and Midwestern Hardcore influences don’t seem all that far apart. Both favour singalongs, screeching guitars and pounding drum rhythms. Layer some hoarse vocals over the top and you’ve got a recipe for some very fine music indeed. The added bonus with The Class War Kids is of course their social conscience. The band shows no inhibitions in laying out it’s stall and calling out all those they feel responsible for the current state of trans-global relations. What really tips this record in my favour though is simply the kick-ass songs, that remind me of how good the old Punk Rock can be without all the trimmings. The beefy two-guitar attack lays waste to all in it’s path. Well played.
The Rotten
Enemy Of The State
From Canada, The Rotten are signed to an offshoot label of Insurgence and though no press info accompanied any of the releases from Rebel Time, its safe to say this band operate within the North American Street Punk circuit. With an emphasis placed on rhythm and pace, The Rotten are well aware they aren’t re-inventing the wheel here, but could care less and keep the focus on the good times. The upsurge in bands like this in the 90’s kicked the sheen right off Punk Rock at a time when it needed it most and brought back a sense of fun to the genre that had almost given way to PC histrionics. The Rotten make their point and share their love of a well-constructed Punk tune with the listener. Sometimes all it takes is a guitar lick and a snarl to bring a smile to my face and The Rotten occupy that slot on the stereo today.
12
Nov
09
OLD PUNKS NEVER DIE (OR LIE)
A few choice reviews from one of our favourite blogs: OLD PUNKS NEVER DIE. Well worth keeping an eye on, and, for those across the pond, The Old Punk stocks a good selection of Insurgence Records and Rebel Time Records material.
THE BRAT ATTACK – THOSE WHO SOW SORROW SHALL REAP RAGE
This is The Brats fourth album, and I don’t know how the fuck I missed the other three. This is anthemic rebel noise done right proper! Clearly designed to upset our enemies and fire us up in equal measure, the tracks are a finely-tuned and targeted assault on the stupidity that constitutes the current social order. It’s a big target, but The Brats main-line their attack straight into the system’s nerve centre. This is music that goes well beyond the meaningless clichés often found in lesser offerings. This mob know it’s 2009 not 1979 and, while they’re clearly well versed in our history, they’re also fully aware of the reality of the struggle today. ‘Those Who Sow Sorrow…’ is a beautifully angry response to the situation we currently find ourselves in.
That’s not to say they’ve forgotten their roots – there are definitely nods to the likes of Aus Rotten and The (English) Subhumans in their approach, but there’s also a strong flavour of bang-up-to-date melodic streetpunk underpinning the whole lot. Of course, without the intelligent, witty, and straight-talking lyrics, this would be nothing more than pleasing ear candy à la Rancid, and there’s more than enough of that sort of nonsense in the world already. The Brats are clearly not a part of that poseur punk mindset. It’s abundantly clear that they’re willing to accept the challenge of making punk rock a threat again.
The accompanying promo sheet nicely summarises the whole package as ‘a hummus-powered, positive & purposeful punk rock radical-left political primer… [that's] even got melody, hooks & a catchy chorus or two!’. This is the sound that fills you with hope as you put a match to the Molotov in your hand and in your head.
OP’s opinion: @@@@@
THE CLASS WAR KIDS – REFLECTION! RAGE! REBELLION!
I love this band! I want to have their babies and breed an army of punk rock superheroes hell-bent on creating regime-changing anarchy! OK, I know that I don’t have the appropriate ladybits required for babymaking but, if I did, my womb would be theirs. These young soul rebels have revolution etched into their genetic make-up.
This disc picks up from where the last one left off without simply being more of the same. It keeps all of the energy, urgency and humour that hooked me first time without sounding in the least bit rehashed. You could quite happily play their entire recorded output back to back and enjoy every fist-pumping, life-enhancing, sweat-soaked second of it. I wouldn’t be surprised if you then pressed ‘repeat’ and did it all over again.
Even at their most serious, The Kids aren’t afraid of making you laugh while they fire you up. When they tackle sexual indoctrination and self-restriction in ‘Cherry Poppin’ Conservatives’, they do it with a literal ‘fuck you’ attitude, happily asserting that ‘it don’t matter who’s into penis or vagina, if you like ‘em both, best of ya!’. The remedy is to ‘whip it out, slap it around’ while also making sure that Christian Conservatives get their ‘ass cherry popped!’. Sounds like one hell of a party.
The funnies don’t always fit the theme, and that’s where the poetry of their message shines through. ‘The reason I’m so angry is because I’m so in love, I won’t give up but one heart can only bleed so much for a world so fucked up’ (‘Love & Anger’) captures the essence of why we feel so compelled to scream out, and how we’re building a future based on love as we kick down the world around us.
This whole package brings to life Raoul Vaneigem’s lesson that ‘people who talk about revolution and class struggle without referring explicitly to everyday life, without understanding what is subversive about love and what is positive in the refusal of constraints, such people have a corpse in their mouth’. In true punk rock style, The Kids spat the corpse out a long time ago.
OP’s opinion: @@@@@
THE ROTTEN – ENEMY OF THE STATE
On first listen, I was a bit underwhelmed by this offering. But I quickly realised that my mistake was playing this straight after the other two and not giving my brain a chance to reset. Much like wine appreciation, you need to clean your aural palate when enjoying fine music.
Suitably refreshed, I hit play again. What a difference a cup of tea makes to your ears. The Rotten may not have quite the same the musical or lyrical prowess of their label breathren, but that doesn’t stop ‘em expressing themselves in no uncertain terms. The noise is stripped down, punked up and gobbed out in the finest tradition of the old school style. There’s a decent dose of street politics and wrong-side-of-the-tracks anger aimed at the ‘great and good’, as well as tongue-in-cheek humour and the desire to just have fun. And there’s nothing wrong with that.
The influence of Canuck punk pioneers DOA courses through the veins of these 21st century (angelic) upstarts, underpinning but not overpowering this rough diamond of a record.
The Rotten – they’re anything but.
OP’s opinion: @@@@
From the crucil Equalizing X Distort radio show/zine/blog…both albums available from Rebel Time Records, Interpunk, CD Baby, Itunes, etc…
THE ROTTEN
ENEMY OF THE STATE
THE ROTTEN have been slugging it out for ten years now and this is their second CD. This is the follow up to “Circus of the Demented” that came out in 2003. The band is self-described as a ’77 style punk band, but it is ’77 style in that BLANKS ’77 way. It is a fusion of punk and hardcore. And with the vocalists gruff sounding vocals they totally remind me of DOA. It is a mid-paced type of hardcore. And the title of this release even seems like a combination of DOA songs “The Enemy” and “Smash the State”. The band has some drinking and fighting songs like “K.W.D.P.”, but they also have songs about unhealthy partying like “No Good at All”. They make good arguments for atheism with songs like “God’s Helping”. And then they express their appreciation for greaser culture with “50’s ….Pontiac….”. It’s all kids counter culture so chalk it up to kindred spirits I suppose. Songs like “Oh’ Dell” and “Human Disaster” are totally pointed commentaries which I love to see. And songs like “Scenewrecker” and “Punk Love” are totally scene specific, which I also like to see because you should write about what you know and if you are immersed in the punk scene you know about shit going down. What I am trying to say is these cats are well rounded and genuine as far as punk bands go. A healthy dose of serious and fun. This will be a long time listening release.
THE CLASS WAR KIDS
REFLECTION! RAGE! REBELLION!
THE CLASS WAR KIDS play a pop punk charged by hardcore not unlike WEDNESDAY NIGHT HEROES or KNUCKLEHEAD or PROPAGHANDHI or the FALLOUT or HOSTAGE LIFE. The examples in ….Canada…. are boundless. And as you listen to “Reflection! Rage! Rebellion!” the songs bleed one into the next which is an old RAMONES trick. Like a military drill sergeant the momentum runs from the politics of food to security culture to economic cheerleading. And it’s all set to sing-a-long choruses which makes for a soundtrack for your social conscience. Bands like this give me hope. Hope for the scene and hope for a chance at a tomorrow. Keep on keeping on.
09
Jun
09
punk rock matinee – july 11th
Check out the PUNK ROCK MATINEE MYSPACE for more info, songs from the bands, pics from previous Matinees, etc…
15
May
09
THE ROTTEN – Review And Video
Here’s THE ROTTEN playing Jamie and Tina’s Stage and Doe. Also featuring the smooth vocal stylings of Nick from BROADCAST ZERO. THE ROTTEN are also available for Weddings, Bar Mitzvahs and Dinner Parties.
And, here’s what the June 2009 issue of MaximumRocknRoll had to say about the new CD:
THE ROTTEN
Enemy Of The State
The third album of snotty, generic punk from these Canadians. Not as fast or as good as, say, BREZHNEV, but it’s not bad all the same. At times it sounds a bit like an upbeat OI POLLOI. If you want something to listen to while you drink beer and dislike society, you could do a lot worse (AD)
