Big City Big City Big City

(Warning: really long post)

transformer2000 has a very nice list of 80′s punk and hardcore 7″s up — nothing too wild, but some nice stuff for sure.

These three comp eps on NYC’s Big City records are completely underrated in my opinion — while everyone fawns over the big name NYHC bands of the early 80′s, these comps are chock full of lesser known bands that deserve some attention too. The ardent Dead Boys fan will notice that the comp titles are actually taken from the chorus of “Big City” off their We Have Come for Your Children LP, with the Big City’s One Big Crowd LP completing the lyrics.

Here’s a brief rundown of the 7″s…

Big City Ain’t Too Pretty – notable for having a bunch of old NYHC band names drawn on the cover that I REALLY want to hear (Doughboys, Possessed, Anti Warfare, The Influence)
• XKI (aka ex-Killer Instinct) – solid girl-fronted punkcore
• Betrayed – really awesome lost NYHC, totally ripping stuff here. They had some other comp tracks, and then in a strange twist, some of the members relocated the band to the Philippines where they released an album on BMG (?!?).
• U.V. – this is actually Ultra Violence, they had some member changes and decided to go incognito on this one. Good gruff HC.
• Savage Circle – Javi from Big City’s band, kind of generic punkcore
• No Thanks – absolutely BLAZING hardcore with girl vox, imo their demo (where this track is taken from) marks them as one of the fastest bands playing in ’82
• Armed Citizens – also had a 7″ on Big City, good but somewhat of generic NYHC
• Fathead Suburbia – Paul Bearer’s early band pre-Sheer Terror, more of a standard early 80′s hc sound than what was to come from ST

Big City Nice and Loud – this one is a split between NYC and CT bands
• No Control – another pre-Sheer Terror band, this time with Alan Blake on guitar. GREAT girl-fronted UK style hardcore, this band REALLY needs a reissue.
• Disorderly Conduct – great anarchycore from NYC
• Ultra Violence – the fast part’s a little dodgy but this song has a great mosh part
• Reflex From Pain – reminds me a lot of the Abused. Ray Cappo on drums, for all you youth crew all-stars
• Vatican Commandos – I don’t think Moby appeared on this one, but it’s kinda generic either way
• CIA – a slow burner from CT’s best ever HC band

Big City Don’t Want No Pity – back to NY-only bands, and the last 7″ before the One Big Crowd LP (NYC and CT bands). Essential for the No Control track.
• Ultra Violence – only band to make it on all three comps, it’s too bad they never had a record back then. Probably my favorite song by them, the riff is exactly the same as Subvert by the State, so it seems like one was definitely copying the other (but which came first???)
• Armed Citizens – title track off their 7″, not sure if it’s the same version or not. Probably their best tune. (search em on youtube for a killer early CB’s video)
• The Unjust – not sure who was in this band but they sound a lot like Crucifix. Good stuff.
• No Control – another KILLER track in the vein of their previous comp cut, I think these were the only two tracks they ever had