AA VV – Rock ’80

Almost identical reissue to the first rare run on Cramps, accompanied by inner sleeve with lyrics. Released in 1980, this is a true manifesto of the Italian punk and post-punk scene of the time, portrayed through seven bands and thirteen tracks, mostly published by Cramps Records itself on rare singles, in fact the summary of a series of 7″ entitled “Rock 80” like this collection. It begins with SKIANTOS of “Fagioli”, released on a single in 1979 and unreleased on an album, perhaps not one of the absolute peaks of the Bolognese demential group, but nonetheless very amusing; WINDOPEN, also from Bologna and always linked to the demential vein, are present with the two tracks of their only 7″, the anthem “Sei In Banana Dura” and “La Testa”; Stefano Pistolini’s TAKE FOUR DOSES (later an acclaimed music critic) offer two atypical tracks, between post-punk and melody (the two sides of their only single)”, “Vita Di Strada”, charming and evocative, very successful, and “La Notte Che Inventarono Gli Eroi”; More appropriately punk, the notable KAOS ROCK, from Bologna, led by Muciaccia, Joe Squillo’s boyfriend, with the two tracks of their first single, the irresistible anthem ‘Basta, Basta’ and the more biting ‘La Rapina’ (then another single and an album for them); X RATED were one of the best Italian punk bands of those years, they came from Milan and the two tracks ‘Blockhead Dance’ and ‘Routine’, although only indicative of the group’s potential to express themselves fully live, demonstrate an undoubtedly remarkable musical and artistic calibre (these are the two tracks of the group’s unfortunately only single); Not to be missed are the two tracks of Jo Squillo’s KANDEGGINA GANG, “Sono Cattiva” and “Orrore”, also released on a single, one of the most notable testimonies of Italian demential punk, crude punk with vaguely pop hints, strongly characterised by Jo Squillo’s shrill voice and lyrics somewhere between rebellion and dementiality; closes with DIRTY ACTIONS, from Genoa and punk, certainly not from a strictly musical point of view, with the two tracks of their single ‘Rosa Shocking’ and ‘Figli Del Demonio (Dirty Actions S-Ha)’, however atypical and interesting.

Hate Records – Hate 39