30 Comments

I love Death! The Sex Pistols and Ramones kick ass for sure but they were rock stars, Death was literally a band of brothers who were in it for the fun and the punk spirit of discovery. There’s a great documentary about them that shows how humble and awesome those dudes were, I think it’s called A Band Called Death

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Yes! Instant classic.

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It's really good! Bad Brains definitely contributed a lot as well to the scene way back when. They were way ahead of their time 1975!

I was thinking what about all the pre 1975 punk, but really this was way more punk than all of that ... Love it!

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You might really like this proto-punk playlist I've been working on:

https://www.pandora.com/playlist/PL:107738947530010181:74638688?part=ug-desktop&corr=74638688

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All I have to say is this settles the question. USA! USA! USA!🤣

But I do have more to say (well, write actually). The Death record was recorded across the street from my apartment in Detroit (aforementioned United Studios). It’s also where George Clinton recorded “Atomic Dog”. I will admit that neither were recorded when I lived across the street. But still I’m gonna yell it from the rooftops. ME! ME! ME!

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I would have written all about this. You should do it now!

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I am overdue for a post. I like to do at least one a week. But alas I’m traveling and the Substack phone app kinda sucks. I guess I could write something on my phone to post on Thursday when I get back.

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How about this: jot some notes down from this, and then you can get to a laptop/desktop and wrap the thing up. I think we're saying the same things.

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Not only does the record shred, it also slaps. Pretty great. Thanks for sharing.

I'm also positively surprised that you didn't write about actual death, poop, or death by poop for once, despite what the title had led me to believe.

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I will accept your tip of the hat for my misdirection today!

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They've always reminded me a little of MC5. Cool stuff. I love all that early punk.

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Definitely. The combination of speed and power, minor chord tonality, and charged social/political lyrics hit me in the face like a shovel. MC5 must have been a huge influence.

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Great vocals from Death. Great rhythm guitar. Great rock guitar. Great pace. Great passion. Great music. Thanks for introducing this great band. Their great rhythm rings in my brain all day.

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YES! They are so good. This is my favorite record by them, but definitely check out their other stuff when you get a chance. <3

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An interesting twist on the Macabre Monday theme!

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Thanks, Bill! 2nd place was probably the writing on the eclipse: https://goatfury.substack.com/p/eclipse

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I can't wait to listen to this album today. Thank you for introducing us all to it!

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Yay! I love paying it forward. I was really blown away back in 2007 or whenever.

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Punk is dad

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Punk snot dad!

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Absolutely love Death! They deserve their flowers for sure. 'Let the world spin' is one of my favorites - though not as protopunk as a lot of their other songs, it just hits me right.

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Great song, amazing album! There are so many excellent rock and roll songs here, nevermind punk rock. They had it.

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I've gotta say Andrew, as a Black Sabbath fan, I was not expecting to find my new favourite album here on Substack this morning. And yet, here I am singing "Where do we go from heeeeeerrrreee!?"

Subscribed. Love your page. Keen for more!

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Thanks, Ned! I love Sabbath so much. <3

Let's talk shop some time. I'm so glad Death is on your radar now!

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Old school is the only punk I listen to. The Misfits and Ramones are my favorite bands.

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Death is perfect for you! That's awesome.

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Never heard of this band, and they're pretty great. What a find!

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Yay! Do you listen to old school punk sometimes?

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Woke up this morning (in the impending path of eclipse totality....yawn), seeing this in my feed: "Andrew Smith mentioned you in Death." Oh, really? "Whose?"...I guess, was my reaction! What a fun article, and you're right, from what I know as the story....After signing Janis, Patti (eventually, at Arista), Bruce, Dylan, Nyro, et al, all of a sudden, Clive has a pang of prudent commercial conservativeness, and can't bring himself to sign a trend-setting band traveling in a genre unique to the Black community? If not breaking new ground, Clive, think of the money the curiosity factor, alone, could bring!

Yes, I'm proud of my birth year....In trying to get them to guess, I tell some new people I meet I was born in the same year as rock'n'roll and Disneyland! Although I'm far more of a fan (animationally-speaking) of Warner Bros. Studios, Chuck Jones, and the entire '30s thru '50s inhabitants of its "Termite Terrace" that brought us Bugs, Daffy, Porky, and the gang---there's an article waiting to happen!

Bugs has it all over Mickey, personality-wise, anyway! The Bunny could take the Mouse with one ear tied behind his head! Thanks for the mention, Andrew, and I'm game, anytime, for a Part 2 punk dive with you! Just scream the word!

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Thanks, Brad! You're the man!

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