It's been a while since I've done a CD review but today I got up, kicked myself up the arse and put a disc in the laptop to have a listen. My 'excuse' for not reviewing lately is Xmas and how busy I was (that and being in studio rehearsing and recording a new album) but seeing as Xmas was a month or so ago, I can no longer rely on that reason for being lazy, so here goes.... The disc in question is Blood And Thunder by The Samples. We've featured this band before when I interviewed them some time back. Anyway... the disc. A bit of background info first regarding the album, it's basically an anthology of most of the songs they've recorded including cleaned up demo tracks and some re-workings of originally recorded releases
(The Samples released The Lavender Hill Demos EP in 2020 which includes tracks not appearing on Blood And Thunder)
Track 1 - Vendetta. Opening guitar riff immediately takes you back to the classic 80's punk sound backed with a well worked and very proficient bass line provided by one of the bands founder members Pascal (Paz) Smith. The song is mid-paced as are most of their work but the song is cleverly structured, clever bass line, staccato guitar work and a solid drum beat behind it draws you dragging back to the good old days when punk was new, fresh and raw.
Track 2 - Rabies For a second I thought I was listening to Mau Maus! The opening riff would not be out of place on Society's Rejects, debut EP by the aforementioned Mau Maus. Quick chord changes on the guitar introduce this song, the drum and bass follow suit as this little ditty motors along, again more excellent bass work and a nice little guitar lead showing off the prowess of Dave Sanders. Drums at this point in the band were by Tony Allen. A lot of early Samples pictures will only show three members as for one reason or another, drummers were swapped in and out.
Track 3 - Chemical Warfare Last track to appear on the bands first, self-financed EP released in the Summer Of 1980, is the shortest and snappiest track on the CD. Upbeat and punchy. The chorus vocals remind me of Menace's GLC. Don't know why, they just do. A well put together albeit short track.
Track 4 - Agent Orange Along with track 5, Fight Conscription, they were never officially released and are in fact demos. But saying that, they are of a good quality. A nice little guitar riff sparks and lights up this slower paced offering. The chords drop as they plunge you into the chorus section. The chorus is catchy, very catchy. The lead vocals are provided by Paz the bassist.
Track 5 - Fight Conscription Normal service is resumed as Sean picks up the mic and guides the band, leading them as the song motors and continues to motor. Quicker paced and up to now my personal favourite on the album but it's not my absolute favourite Samples song. Again a proper catchy chorus, busy bass line, solid drumming and nice quite sound and I think I'm correct in hearing a key change at the end.
Track 6 - Government Downfall A new temporary drummer is brought in, Rick Mayhew. This track is the first time I heard The Samples back in the day and it appeared on No Future Records as part of a 12 inch compilation. A Country Fit For Heroes. No Future released a second Country Fit etc EP later on in it's relatively short lifespan. The difference in the quality is quite apparent, the drums sound a lot clearer, the guitar more polished and the bass sits in nicer providing the deeper tones, the nice little runs are still there (being a bassist(?) I may be slightly biased but I make no apologies). Government Downfall is a great track and is an introduction of what this band could offer No Future and subsequent releases so it's no surprise that when their first single was released, I was eager to go and spend my well earned pocket money on it.
Track 7 - Dead Hero Brilliance! This is the A side of the one and only single released on No Future (odd really when the band's manager was also the co-founder of No Future, album notes go into more detail). Anyhow, Dead Hero is a bloody good slice of punk at it's best. Proper head nodding stuff. The production has been upped too, this track truly captures their sound. Another great sing-along chorus, more brilliant walking bass lines in the middle eight section, a nice little guitar lick that is almost undercurrent but mixed at just the right levels, the drums sound meaty as hell. I have visions of the drums being kicked to bits after the recording session.
Track 8 - Fire Another Round The first of two tracks backing the A side of Dead Hero. As in the previous track, production is far better. This song is quicker paced and the guitar seems to emulate machine gun fire with it's rapid, almost stuttering plucking. At the end, the font pauses then launches back into it, the drums now encouraging the machine gun effect and one can envisage a soldier firing plastic bullets at those pesky rioters.
Track 9 - Suspicion This is a slightly calmer affair than Fire Another Round, it's pacey but there is also room for space and atmosphere, if that is possible. The band do indeed know how to generate catchy and sometimes shouty choruses. This is another fine example of that, just the one word chorus but one that if seen live, I would imagine the punters, punching their fists in the air. A fine end to the Dead Hero EP.
Track 10 - Nobody Cares In steps new drummer Phil Savery. Following the success of the Dead Hero EP, the band are back in studio to record some new material for what they hoped would be their second release on No Future. (The single never saw the light of day due to No Future struggling financially) So up until this release, these 1983 tracks had not been heard and it's a shame as they should have been. Nobody Cares, in the bands opinion, is the stand out track of this session of five songs. It's so reminiscent of early SLF. In fact if I hadn't known it was The Samples, I would have bet you it was SLf who recorded this and that is all that needs to be said about it. Great tune.
Track 11 - 1984 To quote from the CD inner sleeve notes written by Roland Link... 'melodic, tuneful slices of vital guitar-driven punk power and attack. No doubt, if things had been different, The Samples would have delivered another fantastic EP' Totally agree with this statement as 1984 shows how the band have grown and progressed to deliver a solid sound and have also created their own identity.
Track 12 - Fight For Your Life Bass intro for this one which is not too dissimilar to Blitz's Wartiors. A punchy aural onslaught accompanied with an excellent guitar track. Hypnotic, angst driven with some sublime undercurrents. I disagree either the band as I feel this is the strongest of the five tracks recorded but what do I know?
Track 13 - Another Dawn
Now I'm going to make a similarity that may seem off kilter but Another Dawn reminds me of a track by hardcore outfit Anti-System. The track being "Why Should It Happen?" The opening certainly does... it's fast, aggressive and in my opinion probably their most angry sounding song to date. Without wanting to offend the band, this track seems to be one that's gone off on another (pleasingly) tangent and is very good. As it fades out, I still hear Anti-System in my head. Tis not a bad thing as Anti-System are great too. Alas, the band parted ways in 1986
The last five tracks are old songs that have been re-recorded with the original line up of Sean, Paz, Dave and using two different drummers.
Track 14 - Vendetta Fast forward to 2011 and Sean, Paz and Dave meet up to discuss reforming the band. It took until 2019 before it actually happened due to being offered a slot at Rebellion. They drafted in Johnny P on drums and re-recorded Vendetta. The newer version is slower than the original but shorter in length but as mentioned in the sleeves notes some of the re-recorded tracks have been re-arranged. It still maintains that initial aggression but with a sense of maturity and clarity, if that seems possible. This newer version was recorded live at a practice session in Dec 2020 and now marks Sean's final recording.
Track 15 - Government Downfall The first No Future recording that appeared on Country Fit For Heroes. Again slightly slower than the original but still maintaining the initial energy of it's inception. The sound is more polished which doesn't detract, obviously the advances in studio technology etc allow for more clarity. This time though the lead vocals are performed by Paz and the band have recruited Su Perior in on drums.
Track 16 - Burning Down The World This track was part of the five songs recorded after the band released their epic Dead Hero. It's the longest and slowest song on this anthology but it is right up there displaying a power all of it's own. Almost anthemic... lots and lots of hypnotic guitars, meandering bass and crisp drumming and definitive sixteenths on the hi-hats. The chorus vocals are haunting and made me stop in my tracks listening to them, all the while being backed by the true musicianship on display.
Track 17 - Agent Orange Penultimate track and as like the previous three tracks, it's a re-working of an old tune. Crisp, clear and colourful, the three C's. This new version follows the trend of being slower but equally as good. More definition and revitalises what was already a really good tune. 'We remember you' is sung in the chorus and makes you think about lost loved ones, well it did when I heard it. Which leads to the most poignant and important song on the CD.
Track 18 - Dead Hero (Acoustic) Performed by Dave and Paz. One can't help but think of Sean when hearing his version of Dead Hero. I never knew the man nor have I met any of The Samples but hearing this, it's obviously Dave and Paz paying homage to their brother, friend and band mate. He was/is loved by them and it's apparent whenever they play live as they have a mic stand on stage, daubed by Sean's jacket and scarf. A very fitting albeit sad ending to what is a great CD and an insight to the history of The Samples.
The band always felt that some of the original recordings had not done them justice at the time and felt the need to re-do them. The plan was to have Sean record the vocals but alas, it wasn't to be as Sean was very ill and sadly left this mortal coil. We at Last Stop Sounds continue to offer our thoughts and best wishes to Sean's family, friends and loved ones.
In memory of Sean Taylor (1962 – 2021)
Words: DLW, Photos: Band Media
Links:
Bandcamp: https://thesamples3.bandcamp.com
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