CITIZINE REVIEWS
New Public Enemy
Disc Gets to the Roots
Plus two views on Punk-o-Rama.

DVD
Public Enemy
It Takes A Nation: The First
London Invasion Tour 1987
(Music Video Distributors, 2005)

By Mark Prindle

I don’t usually tell jokes in today’s world of pain and the ozone layer but this Public Enemy DVD is hilarious. Have you ever heard of 1987? It was the year that Rap’s famed Public Enemy, then featuring Chuck D, Flavor-Flav, Terminator X, Professor Griff and a bunch of guys in military uniforms, stormed Europe’s famed Britain, unleashing their post-Malcolm X / sub-Black Panther schtick to a whole Barmy Army of white chaps and chippies. Perhaps you’ve heard It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back and its many live-concert snippets? THEY WERE ALL PULLED FROM THIS BRAND NEW DVD!!!! I realize that this negates all formerly held notions of time and order, but if it weren’t for scientific discoveries of this sort, we’d still be praying to ridiculous “all-knowing Gods” with the “power” to “torment disbelievers for all of eternity”. HA AHAHAH !!!AHH AHH HHAHAHAHAHAH YOU STUPID PAST SOCIETIES LONG GONE!!!

This material was recorded live on November 1-3, 1987 at Motörhead’s famed Hammersmith Odeon in London. But don’t think you’re getting nuthin’ but a live show because this disc is much MUCH more than just that. It also features an ass-whooping of behind-the-scenes footage and interview snippets, including the strange claim that the S1W exists to “hold classes and seminars.” (?) These guys REALLY wanted to be taken seriously as political activist leaders of the new age, which is fine except for the fact that they hardly had any political material AT ALL at this point in their career! I mean, there’s like TWO serious songs on Yo! Bum Rush The Show; the rest are about Chuck’s car and rapping skills and bullsense. That’s why it’s so bizarre to sit through a braggart tune like “Miuzi Weighs A Ton” and then watch Chuck talk about how he likes Britain because they really listen to WHAT HE’S SAYING and grasp the importance of his WORDS. “Suckaz to the side, I know ya hate my ‘98!” Revolutionary words indeed.

Another entirely oddball thing is something of which I had no idea -- did you know that in concert, Public Enemy simply rap over their records? So you hear the voices coming out of their mouths and the voices on the record at the same time? Which means that there is absolutely no opportunity for any in-concert spontaneity? Which suggests that the concept of mixing down instrumental versions of their albums specifically for live use DIDN’T EVEN OCCUR TO THEM!??!?!?!? I would gladly put this down to youthful ignorance and poor planning except that the disc also includes a live version of “She Watch Channel Zero” from 2003 and they were doing the same thing even then (as sadly showcased by a tired, aged, post-junkie Flavor Flav calmly intoning his spoken segments as the voice of a hyperactive high-pitched young Flavor Flav recites the same exact words in the background). And they didn’t even try to hide it! One of the behind-the-scenes pieces shows Flavor Flav trying to remember what “aside” he is supposed to say after some verse in some song: you should see how nervous he makes everybody when he threatens to “improvise”!

For all of these reasons, this DVD is an absolute hoot of enjoyabilityment. They were young as hell, still figuring out what they were trying to do (Even Chuck D was still wearing a big clock around his neck at this point! Not just Flavor Flavor, but CHUCK D! A big dumb clock!!! And not on his wall, but around his NECK!!! Clocks don’t go there!!!!! Am I the only normal one???), and it’s a total gas finally being able to put visuals to classic ITANOMTHUB audials like “Bring that beat back! Bring the beat back!” and “If y’all really like to rock the funky beats, somebody in the house say ‘Hell yeah!’” Bonus features include a newly-recorded commentary track by Mr. D, rare photos, two live tracks from 2003 (aforementioned “She Watch Channel Zero” and a full-band (!) performance of.... hmm. “Can’t Truss It”? “Nightrain?,” something like that), and a bonus audio CD featuring the entire concert and a bunch of PE remixes by DJ Spooky, DJ Lord, DJ Johnny Juice, DJ Bonebrake, BJ Thomas, CJ Ramone and JD Considine.

I don’t often tell people to buy DVDs, so don’t buy this one, but it’s a MUST-OWN for fans of classic Public Enemy so buy the FUCK out of this one! Hell, STEAL it if you have to! But steal it in such a way that Music Video Distributors receive money for it. Those people work hard and don’t need pricks like you stealing medicine from their sick babies’ mouths.

TWO VIEWS
Epitaph compilations feature less punk

By Steven Ivy

Punk-O-Rama
Volume 9
(Epitaph, 2004)

This Punk-O-Rama compilation is a sobering example of the unfortunate state of punk rock music today. Each year, Epitaph releases one of these compilations to showcase the bands on their roster. This year that roster includes a bunch of has-beens, a bunch of also-rans, and Bad Religion (who, even at their worst, are a pretty awesome band). It is comforting to see that Epitaph has recently started to embrace a few non-punk acts (Atmosphere, The Weakerthans), but they also seem to have been buying into the whole “new emo” scene as well. All that this accomplishes for Epitaph is that they can now easily blend in with any number of other record labels, independent or otherwise. Not even an old reliable song by Refused (The Shape Of Punk To Come is one of the best albums ever) can save this utterly depressing compilation. But I don’t really look at this as the beginning of the end for Epitaph. Lord knows they have been slowly dying for years and still seem to occasionally release something decent. No, I look at it as a startling reminder that the “punk rock” I knew as a kid is, for the most part, dead and gone.

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By Thom White

Punk-O-Rama
Volume 10
(Epitaph, 2005)

The annual Epitaph Records promotional compilation brings together (at long last) some lost tracks from ‘90s greats we all know by name, hip-hop style from The Coup, Dangerdoom, and Sage Francis, semi-punk from The Matches and Millencolin, and the latest in adult-alternative dream rock. “News from the Front” by Bad Religion is on this disc, and is worth listening to repeatedly if you're a BR-head and haven’t heard it. There are also some current “punk”-sounding artists on here like The Unseen and From First to Last as well, but Epitaph has now branched out to manufacture and promote mid-tempo, slightly sad, less aggressive sounds from bands named Scatter the Ashes, Matchbook Romance, and Motion City Soundtrack.

In today's uncertain economic and musical climate, businessman Brett Gurewitz knows that diversification is good. His label has been around for nearly twenty years and longtime fans can't expect Epitaph to simply put out records by Bad Religion sound-alike protégés forever. So pick up Punk-o-Rama, and give a listen to the first wave of 21st century digital boys. You’ll see what's causing all the fuss.

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