It’s the year end top ten issue, which means there has been a lot of reflecting on the past year... One thing I really love about working at MRR is the constant exposure to so many killer bands, not only living with the archive but also what comes through the PO box each month. So many incredible demos and records, proving that punk is a living breathing form not just an ancient artifact; there is still so much that is possible within its constraints! Every time we do this issue someone complains how there is just not enough stuff to fill a top ten with this year, and maybe I am at an advantage because it is my job to listen to every single release we get sent, (or disadvantage! Sometimes this is a soul destroying task of wading through the most tepid bar rock!), but I have never had a problem coming up with a list of things that made my year. This year my list was especially epic, and I skipped so much! I mean there were some months that it was a serious struggle to come up with my top ten, but there were always some serious jams each month, in general 2011 was a great year for punk and hardcore... There is always something to lose your shit over, this month it has been Maria Teta, legendary Peruvian art punker lady from the ’80s (yeah, 2011 has been a killer year for reissues...) and the Forced Laugh EP from present day Canada, with its mutant Dave E vibes. Last month I jammed the Cruddy LP a lot, but it didn’t make my year end list...
    You possibly might have noticed in the Year End layout that we uh, sort of ran out of room by the end, so my list and Mariam’s list are not as wordy as the other compilers, but that is not because we had less to say! I edited so much outta mine! There were also some crossover between our lists, as you know, when we are working together until the early hours of the morn we jam out to Total Control, the Omegas, Aluminum Knot Eye and the Hygiene LP. Then when we go to our rooms Mariam slaps on the Speed Kills 7” and I the Household LP. Or whatever. Brace made some comment that I was more of a garage reviewer nowadays, which I am actually not sure is true. I listen to everything from Television Personalities to Poison Idea to the Pandoras, do not have a one track mind in regards to music... I love garage music but only if it is channeling Childish or Gories, not reverbed out Turtles-esque beach wavvve gentle garbage. I want mutant destruktion in all sounds! You will also note I have an epic tape list in my top ten; so many sick demos this year!! It’s been a great year for new bands, from staring Problem to Crude Thought, Index to Vixens, so many bands have made me stop and stare into space in a bewildered yet frenzied manner! Punk rock is an endless adventure and if you don’t feel this anymore it’s because you are detaching from the reality of our times. So many new and older bands stand by ready to destroy the boredom and complacency: C30, C60 C90 go! I make a tape every six months or so of the music I am freaking out over, and am gearing up to make my tail end of 2011 version as I type... this isn’t because I am some purposeful luddite anti technology type; my computer is so old iTunes does not work on it, so tapes are the easiest way to digest new sounds. Plus I have the advantage of living upstairs from the sickest record collection in the world! Tape it to the limit!
    Oh yeah; I am leaving MRR as a coordinator in the next month. I will still be here shitworking, writing, volunteering and working on the magazine, but am attempting to move out in the hope that some magical human will appear and step in to take over from me. You too can blast the TNT (Swiss) 7”s (or TNT LP {Spain})while making breakfast and planning out the next issue of the magazine. Apply already suckers. You get to live for free in the compound and pick what runs in the magazine!
Anyway, short column from me this month, hopefully that is something that will change when I am not coordinating; I will have more time to focus on writing this shit! Ha! Up the punx and off the pigs.
2011 TAPE LIST!!!
VIXENS (This is one of my most listened to musics of the year! Vixens.bandcamp.com), NECRO HIPPIES, GOOD THROB, CRUDE THOUGHT, NOSEDIVE, HYSTERICS, GENERATION SUICIDA, FIREBRAND, STARING PROBLEM, CROSTA, LOWEST FORM, SYNTHETIC ID, LIVID, DISPLEASURE, SUDOR, BRAINWAVES, VEGETABLE, MARGY PEPPER, INDEX, ABSURDO, AUTONOMY, NEON PISS, SUDOR, THE OUTS. So many good new bands!!