Magic Sam - Black Magic

Magic Sam was born Sam Gene Maghett in Mississippi. He learned how to play guitar and sing from listening to Muddy Waters records. When he was 19, he moved to Chicago and signed with Cobra Records (the label that launched Buddy Guy's career). He recorded the remarkable "Black Magic" and released it in 1968 on Delmark. He had a phenomenal performance at the Ann Arbor Blues Festival in 1969 that got him bookings all around the U.S. and Europe. He ended up dying of a heart attack at 32 before he left for the tour. With his death, blues and music in general lost an influential and perhaps soon to be star blues guitarist and songwriter. This record is one of my favorites, from the swinging "I Just Want A Little Bit" to the straight up blues tune "I Have The Same Old Blues", this record is awesome from start to finish.

Magic Sam - Black Magic

SS Decontrol - The Kids Will Have Their Say

I've been wanting to do an SS Decontrol post for a while. I've been on a early 80's punk tear recently and this record is without a doubt at the top of my list. There were a lot of good bands around in the early 80's but none of them were playing the type of hardcore SS Decontrol was playing. They definitely resemble a lot of the DC bands at the time (they were from Boston), but they are even harder with Springa's scratchy, almost indecipherable, voice and their extra sped up songs. This record was a split release between Dischord and X-Claim records in 1982 and still isn't available on CD. The only version of these songs I can find are rips of the LP.

When this record was released, they only pressed 1,000. Therefore it's insanely sought after. I saw a copy at Amoeba Records in Hollywood up on the wall for $150 without the insert.

I was in San Diego a while back and I went to the Taang! Records store with some friends. All I wanted was this record on CD because I had been listening to a poor ripped version of the LP for a while. When I went to the SSD section all they had was a note that said "SS Decontrol records out of print until we find Springa". I guess he's lost and they need to find him before they can legally release their recordings on CD. So, if anyone knows where Springa is, let us know. Then we can hear a better quality version of this record! For now, here's a rip of the LP. I'll also post the awesome follow-up to "The Kids Will Have Their Say", "Get It Away". Gotta stick together like glue.

SS Decontrol - The Kids Will Have Their Say
SS Decontrol - Get It Away

Double-O - You've Lost EP

There is nothing better than harDCore. Starting with Teen Idles then continuing with Minor Threat, SOA, Government Issue, etc., the harDCore scene began in Washington, D.C. with a bang. While bands like Black Flag were writing songs about drinking and being wasted (awesome in their own right) on the West Coast, bands in D.C. were writing about Straight Edge and being pissed off about the state of things in general. After bands like Minor Threat and SOA broke up, the Revolution Summer era began in D.C. and brought bands like Embrace, Rites of Spring, and Ignition. Somewhere in the middle came Double-O. This band was unique in terms of their composition, like the synthesizers in the beginning of "Death of a Friend". They had awesome guitar jams with great lyrics and an even greater logo. I'm not sure if this record is even available on CD. This copy is a rip of the 7". It was a split release between R&B and Dischord in '83. Have you ever heard anything bad from this era that was released on Dischord? Me neither.

Double-O - You've Lost