Devo - That's Good

This is my favorite track off of my first ever Devo album. Which, along with the Flock of Seagulls album, were the first two I ever owned.



From an adult perspective, this is a really good Devo song, but it's surpassed by "Freedom of Choice" and "Girl U Want" and "Uncontrollable Urge." But it's still right up there with those tracks for me. Plus, they played it on the show "Square Pegs." Remember that show? Johnny reminded me of Jessie from The Criminals.

And just remember, Devo was right about everything.

H2O - What Happened

I met a guy at work today. He came into the gym wearing a sleeveless t-shirt that said H2O on the front. On the back was the NYHC - New York Hardcore - logo. I didn't get a chance to speak to him at first, but then I saw him on his way out.

I said, "H2O, as in the band?"

Yep.

I mean, I knew that, but I didn't feel like leading with, "I love your shirt!" - I wanted to talk to the man, not just hear, "Thanks! Bye!"

We talked hardcore, punk, and so on for a few minutes about H2O, Rancid, The Offspring, and even The Criminals. A co-worker that I'm pretty tight with heard us, and it turns out he's a big fan of bands like Face-to-Face, Lagwagon, NOFX, and so on. I told him about seeing them on the second show ever at the Roseland and not again until they opened for Rancid again at Terminal 5.

He had to run, but I can't wait to talk to him more. I'm not a huge hardcore fan, but H2O puts on a great show.

The Criminals - Parlez Vous F*** You

This isn't the best track ever recorded by The Criminals, but it's got the best title and it's really awesome.



There is a good live version up on Youtube, too, plus one as part of a whole show including a "cover" of a Blatz song. Nice! I've only managed to see them live once, at Coney Island High in NYC, opening for Voodoo Glow Skulls* and another band whose name escapes me at the moment. (Editing later - it was Zeke)


* Who I've seen at least three times, and it might be more like five or more. I've seen three shows were they were headlining (went to see the opening band) or where they opened, and they played at a festival show I went to and I can't recall if I stopped to see their set. They've popped up a lot of shows I've been at not to see them and got to see them anyway. Kind of how I got to see H2O, actually.

The Armstrongs - If There Was Ever a Time

So this took long enough - Tim Armstrong (Operation Ivy, Rancid, The Transplants, Tim Timebomb & Friends) and Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day, Foxboro Hot Tubs, etc.) and two other guys last-named Armstrong that I'm less familiar with formed a band.



It's a fund-raising track for 924 Gillman Street. I've never been there, but my friend Jesse (The Criminals) has long been involved in keeping it going.