Well, seeing as how this is my first entry I'd better get right to the important stuff. My name is Gerry Hannah aka "Gerry Useless". I'm the bass player and one of the three song writers for the original Subhumans from Vancouver, Canada. We've just released a new, 14 song CD titled New Dark Age Parade on G7 Welcoming Committee Records in Canada and on Alternative Tentacles Records in the rest of the world. It's the first time the band has released brand new material since 1982!
I think this record is really, really good. Now, of course you'd expect me to say that, me being a member of the band and what not, but the truth is, I don't plug records I don't like. In fact, shortly after our first album, Incorrect Thoughts came out in 1981, I was asked what I thought of the album on a live radio interview in Texas. My response was, "I wouldn't buy it" (of course, that comment was very popular with the rest of the band!). I only really liked about 3/4 of the songs on the album and I was really disappointed with most of the production. I actually like that album now, but back then I didn't and I said so. So when I say that I think New Dark Age Parade is really, really good, I do mean it.
From a musical standpoint, New Dark Age Parade is for the most part, mid tempo with a few faster punk rock forays here and there, as well as a couple of slightly slower tunes too. It's mostly hard driving rock (without the posturing and without trying to be slick) and there's a bit of a garage pop sound in there too. I would say the album draws on influences as diverse as the Clash (circa Complete Control days), to the New York Dolls (circa their first album), to Steppenwolf (Monster), to Bowie (Man Who Sold the World), to Stereolab (circa Refried Ectoplasm, without the keyboards and Latietia Sadier's angelic vocals). Now of course, that's just my opinion. You may disagree and indeed, my bandmates may disagree, but I'm just trying to give you an idea of the sound of the damned thing.
Lyrically, the album speaks on topics ranging from poverty and drug addiction, to alienation from one's self and society, to unity and a sense of belonging, to psychological healing, to macho posturing, to religious fanaticism (both christian and muslim) and last, but not least, to war! (how could there not be songs about war on a Subhumans album, when clearly, we live in a world at war?). I guess you could say that the record from a lyrical standpoint is just a tad "political", which will come as no surprise to those of you that are familiar with our earlier stuff. None of the songs are anti-American in content though (as has been suggested by some reviewers), but a few of them critique American foreign policy, both current and past (how could any sane person not critique 60 years of madness?).
Anyways, if this CD sounds interesting to you, I urge you to go out and buy it from your favourite record store or order it from G7 or Alternative Tentacles. If you like us and/or like the record, please don't pirate the damn thing. Honestly, how do you expect indie bands and labels to keep on going if they can't make any money from record sales? More about that on another posting perhaps.... I guess that's all for now.
14 comments:
Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you Svetlana. Glad you liked the CD.
Yo! Gerry! My email bounced back so I AM leavin' a comment... Tho' it feels like heresy to say it, I agree that the new album is a whole lot more cohesive than INCORRECT THOUGHTS -- there were some amazing singles off that album, obviously, but the new one is overall a stronger, tighter, more confident recording. Really looking forward to the Oct 13th show...!
One big of blog advice: TURN ON WORD VERIFICATION, the dumb program that makes commenters type some squiggly characters they can barely read -- otherwise you'll end up getting spammed by malicious robots (spambots) that direct innocent readers to malicious sites that put spyware and other bad shit on their computers (I had this happen to me -- my blog fell under attack after the first year and comments were directing people to porn sites and such).
Will talk to Reg today about MONKEY WARFARE, but there's no regular screening during the times you mentioned. Maybe somethin' else can be arranged, dunno.
Great that you've got a blog!
- Allan
(alienatedinvancouver.blogspot.com)
Gerry.
Looking forward to the Toronto show..its been a long time since I saw you last.
I got my friends band-The Class Assassins to open in Toronto, you should catch them, they are very good, old school type punk ROCK.
When I was a teenager, we swapped a few letters when you were inside.It seems like a life time ago.
Be good.Andrew.
Thanks Allan for your advice. Done. And I'm glad you dig the new CD. I agree with your comparison between it and Incorrect Thoughts.
I'll try to check out the Class Assassins at the Toronto show Andrew and maybe we'll see you there.
i like the new but i agree with what you said about Incorrect Thoughts. while i think that album is a classic, i've always thought the singles versions of 'firing squad' 'slave to my dick' and 'death to the sickoids' were way better than the album versions. great show last friday!
james
Like you and I did and maybe still do, my children want to change the world. I have 5 and some are more passionate than the others. I encourage them. I often use the example of the Squamish Five as a way not to do it. I was looking forward to this album. I was sure I was going to see some wisdom of your experience. Instead I heard an less than average album. The publicity always mentions your past relationship to Direct Action, Cheekeye Dunsmir and Lytton. My recolection is you were no part of Cheekeye, didn't go to Toronto and were not charged for those actions. You were charged for planning to rob a Brinks truck. I am quite sure you and Doug were involved with the planning of Lytton but were not charged. This should never have prevented you from apologizing to the people that were injured in Lytton and as far as I know the only one of the 5 that did was Belmas. I was hoping that I would hear something new from gerry Hannah, ssomething inspired from mistakes made as a young man. You belong on the same label as Ann Hansen. The speel is the same.
Warren is that you?
Great show in Montreal on October 29th! One of the best shows I saw in my life! And a real pleasure to shake your hand, as well as having you, Wimpy and Mike sign my old records! Can't wait to see you live again and the new record is GREAT!
You're no better than Bush. A terrorist piece of shit. I hope you die. I don't care what you say FUCK YOU!
Sounds like the last person forgot to take their meds.
Hey angry anonymous. If you're trying to hurt my feelings you're going about it all wrong. And you sound so unhappy I thought I'd cheer you up with some good news. I will die.
Rapists, murderers and thieves stand behind strategic voting!
Can you imagine Paul Bernardo or Robert Pickton casting their votes on election day? They can and did. I completely disagree with allowing inmates in Canadian prisoners the right to vote just as I disagree with you. They should have no outside privileges at all. In 2002 the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that not allowing incarcerated rapists, thieves and murderers to vote was unconstitutional. In 2004, Prime Minister Stephen Harper (then just opposition leader) vowed to have that right rescinded using the notwithstanding clause in the constitution. Of course with a minority government he can't do it as 12,000 prisoners make quite the voting block and opposition parties use them.
Robert Fife of CTV News reported on a local prison where he notes that they are hanging up Liberal signs in their cells. Go figute…
Gerry Hannah and ALL terrorist sympathizers want to vote Liberal because they are afraid of Prime Minister Stephen Harpers’ vow to get tough on crime, because they base their political strategy for social change on crime.
To "Anonymous" who supposedly still wants to change the world and claims to know all about the inner workings of Direct Action, you say you have 5 children? That's a scary thought!!
To misinformed "Anonymous" who enjoys ranting and raving about "rapists, murderers and thieves", if you think the reason the Stephen Harper government is only a minority government has anything to do with the fact that prisoners have the right to vote, you really are clueless. As I'm sure you know, I spent a bit of time in prison myself and I can guarantee you that a huge portion of prisoners (like Canadians in general) don't even bother voting because they don't think their vote will make any difference. As well, I met plenty of right-wing prisoners during my stay who would've been only too happy to vote for your hero and his knee-jerk, ill conceived, dip-shit policies. The idea that the prison population of Canada votes as one unified, left-wing bloc is utter nonsense.
No, the reason that Harper's government is currently only a minority is because most Canadians aren't as stupid as you are (thankfully). Oh, and as to your claim that I base my political strategy for social change on crime, I dare you to give even one example of me advocating criminal activity of any kind in the last 20 years. You can't, because your claim is bullshit and you know it.
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