This might be news to you but here’s a news flash, My Pal by utterly-obscure-split-up-years-ago Australian underground garage rockers God is one of the best punk rock seven-inch singles of all time, ever. It’s rough, ragged, sounds like shit but contains stamped within it’s grooves a raw emotion that never fails to get the hairs up on the back of the neck.
‘You’re my only friend, and you don’t even like me,’ they scream as the repetitive lead guitar hook line repeats over and over and lodges itself into your brain for good.
They never really wrote another song that came close to this, thus explaining their obscurity but this is Butchers Hook’s personal favourite single of all time and they must be ecstatic to have the chance to throw it back into the spotlight 20 years later.
My Pal crackles with energy and youthful mayhem. It’s Husker Du meets Dinosaur Jr meets Squirrel Bait and is drenched in so much fuzz you’ll think your ears are fucked. And they will be. Fucked by God.
James Sherry
Crossfire mate and illustrator extraordinaire French has had his work plastered all over the inside of Does It Offend You, Yeah?‘s album, which was released this week. So some amazing art combined with one of our favourite bands of the moment to make one great package.
Drum and Bass kingpins 
A very neat DVD/CD package from Seattle’s Briefs, whose rip-roaring live sets and ear-popping recorded output have kept me entertained for the past few years. They are presently on a hiatus, but this DVD documents their story… so far. Following the traditional formula of band members (and friends / cohorts) being interviewed, with spliced live footage, The Briefs story evolves to chronicle their emergence in late Nineties drug-hung-over Seattle, playing their catchy brand of ’77 Punk in small bars and coffee shops/cafes, sticking out a single, and, as confidence grew, spread their wings and gigged further and further from home.
Dead Kennedys frontman Jeff Penalty has left the band. He is now the 3rd singer to front the band after Dr Know’s Brandon Cruz gave Jello Biafra’s vocal task a go first time round for 2 years.
With volatile lead singer Scott Weiland fresh from spending 28 days in rehab, there was always going to be much scrutiny surrounding the bands performance on this tour. After a string of show cancellations around the world due to various problems it’s no wonder the crowd are a little dubious as to whether tonight’s show would even go ahead.