I actually didn’t remember exactly when I first recognized the Spermbirds, but I think it was around the time they released their split together with Pascow and I thought- ‘oh yeah the other side is great too’.
While listening to their other records, I always thought that they can’t be Germans and couldn’t be together for that long. Otherwise I would know them for years, because they are awesome.
Found out that their singer was born in the US, makes sense. When it comes to the other hard facts, I was shocked. The band was founded in 1983 in Kaiserslautern – I was minus 4 years this time.
Shame on me, that they are just a few years on my punk radar now, but better later then never.
Drummer: ‘Das hier ist ein neuer Song und ihr seid die allerersten die ihn live hören‘
Crowd: cheering
Singer ‘Listen to it first’
In June this year the first harbinger ‘Go to Hell Then Turn Left’ came in the form of a video with live footage. That was the time when I preordered the vinyl version of the album with the same name. From this point it was clear to me, this is the most relevant Hardcore Punk band in Europe. And I kept right. It’s brilliant related to all facts – music, lyrics, artwork. If you know a better start in a hardcore punk album then following 4 first text lines in the first song, let me know:
‘WHAT THE FUCK YO SAY
ABOUT MY CAR, YOU FUCK?
SAY IT AGAIN, SAY IT AGAIN
YOU WANNA DIE, YOU FUCK?’
What a great album from beginning to the end. If you are into Hardcore Punk beside all this basketball jersey, macho, poser bullshit, that’s the best you can get. It’s rough, but still melodic. It’s straight forward, but not too simplified. It’s multifaceted, but still within the expected Spermbirds bubble the people love.
I would be stoked if the guys would come to Austria someday. The sentence printed on the innersleeve “..Know this: We are not finished.” makes me confident that they still have a lot of lust to keep things going. Feel invited to Graz guys.
Tracklist: (from vinyl version, there is different song order on cd and digital version)
A1. Breathe Deep
A2. I’m Not from Here
A3. Agent Nine
A4. Balancing Act
A5. Thanks for Being Special
A6. From this Direction Comes War
B1. Go to Hell Then Turn Left
B2. A Lot of Talk
B3. Anything with an Engine
B4. All Right Reserved
B5. Bring out the Snakes
B6. If I Ever Find My Pants (Someone’s Gonna Die)
B7. A Quarter Till the End of the World
Spermbirds are:
Lee Hollis – vocals
Steve Wiles – guitar
Markus Weileman – bass
Roger Ingenthron – guitar
Matthias „Beppo“ Götte – drums
You can listen to the records within every shitty streaming service or just go out and buy the vinyl version including a download code (at your local records store). Which is the way better idea.
-written by nutzn
Sidenotes: My favorite song of the records is ‘All Rights Reserved’ and my wife thinks ‘Thanks for Being Special’ is annoying (after 10 times in a row)
