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FREE
SHOWS
August 21 - 27, 2006
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August 24
Wow, yet another Flipper reunion. They were slower, dirtier, and artier than just about any other band of the hardcore era. They weren’t quite the skuzziest but also excelled in that department. Their albums were unreal. You should give debut, Generic Flipper, another listen, it’s still one of the best-conceived cynical statements on the contemporary condition I can think of – in any genre... a grimy portrait of the void in all of its dissonant glory. Which isn’t to say it’s not incredibly fun. Not only am I pretty positive that I’ve never heard a hardcore era song covered as much as “Sex Bomb” over the years, but I think it may just be the ultimate relic of the era – offering an alternative vision to the fast-and-loud scene that was developing at the time, making punks shake it down, and informing a whole wave of bands that would soon make that scene obsolete. Then there’s the stellar single “Ha Ha Ha,” which, via Let Them Eat Jelly Beans, was, along with thousands of other Reagan-era kids, my intro to the band. Their catalog also includes two fine full lengths - the infamous Blowin’ Chunks tape (I think that was cassette only for over a decade) and Gone Fishin’. Because Johnny Rotten stole their shtick on Public Image’s Generic album, Flipper responded with the live Public Flipper Limited collection. Rick Ruben, who was playing in Flipper rip-off bands long before he ever turned a knob, now owns the rights to these recordings. So maybe you’ll see ‘em in fancy box sets or something one day? Maybe that already exists? Flipper’s recordings aren’t all that we now have to remember ‘em by as Flipper has reunited once again. The comeback in the early 1990s, in general, wasn’t half bad, and, as far as reunions go, excellent. Of course bassist/singer Will Shatter, who died of an overdose, will be absent once again, as will his replacement John Dougherty (also died of overdose), but his partner in crime, singer/bassist Bruce Lose, guitarist Ted Falconi, and drummer Steve DePace will all be assembled. Bruno DeSmartass, who played guitar in Polkacide and lots of other SF bands, and subbed for Shatter in the early 1980s, will be filling in on bass. Pray for him While the chances of getting those legendary misanthropic forty-five minute noise songs instead of a real set are fairly slim in this day and age. Contemporary ”punk," with its lack of freakishness, mistakes, or spontaneity, could use a little refresher course in loose old-school nihilist noise attitude... What am I talking about? Its probably better that they don't know.
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