Hardcore graced London’s XOYO club last night with OFF!, Fucked Up and Cerebral Ballzy all raging through a night of chaos in the capital. Watch 6 minutes of Keith Morris’ OFF! right here from the show.
If you want to see them before they jet home, they play the Old Blue Last tomorrow night with Pettybone. Info on fb here.
Read our review of the First 4 EP’s here.
VICE Records
OFF! are led by Keith Morris, original vocalist of Black Flag, and since he quit that gig in ’79, fronting the Circle Jerks. Whilst many of Keith’s contemporaries are happy to just rehash the hits, or offer a decaffeinated version of their former selves, OFF! are a damn near return to the pissed off and adrenalized Hardcore fury that came busting out of Hermosa Beach like a bottle rocket. Dammit they sound GREAT! The band also numbers bassist (and latter day producer) Steven McDonald, of those original South-Bay teen punk brats Red Kross, guitarist Dimitri Coats (Burning Brides) and Mario Rubalcaba (Rocket From The Crypt/Hot Snakes) beating the skins.
Following up a debut seven inch, Vice Records have now released this swanky 4 x 7″s collection, with sixteen fast ‘n furious songs (the title being a play on Black Flag’s ‘First 4 Years’ album) and, in a further hark back to their roots, all the artwork is by Raymond Pettibon whose striking images adorned ‘Flag’s record sleeves. And of course Raymond is the brother of the bands founder founder/guitarist Greg Ginn. Keep up at the back!
Keith doesn’t have a University Education, a professional career… or trust funds to prop him up, but his trademark snotty fuck-you vocals have somehow kept this Southern Californian Punk drop-out alive thru the years, and only the most cynical of listeners will fail to appreciate these ripping jams, ‘cos the music is absolutely smoking, timeless Hardcore shred from the source… tune in, turn on, get OFF!
Pete Craven
Enjoy this video of OFF! playing live on a mini ramp in the US.
