: Punk History Canada Articles : : Punk History Canada CD Compilation : : Reviews :

Only in Canada, eh Review from EXD, Volume 5, Issue 5, December 2005

Repririnted for safe keeping - Equalizing X Distort - Volume 5

Various Artists “Only in Canada, eh 77-81, Volume 1” CD

This Punk History Canada comp is one of these projects that fills in the gaps. The “Bloodstains” comps with their regional focuses were a great idea. Sadly I never saw one come out for Canada. I have a feeling that having “Smash the State” comps out dwindled the pool and prevented bootleggers from taking this project on. And although “Smash the State” was probably one of the single most important institutions to re-spark interest in the primordal waves of punk, their comps were nothing more than a couple of eps put together as an LP. They weren’t true to the compilation format. And there was so much uncharted territory left out by having to put b-sides and other stuff on there. “Punk History Canada” has really put together a definitive punk comp for Canada. They have utilized the regional approach of “Bloodstains” comps and combined it with the “Smash the State” interest in Canadiana and done it with the professionalism of the “Back to Front” comps who sought to get permission and pay artists and expose people to great forgotten or underexposed talent. “Punk History Canada” really represents an evolutionary step for Canadian punk comps and I for one am glad to see it. Part of the reason why I think this has happened is that the Punk History Canada website has been able to fuel interest in this material. The website, which preceded the comp, has been a great tool for developing a forum and giving these first few generations of punkers a place to network and post about their scenes and I am happy to see this comp as one of the logical extensions of this kind of underground networking. To me it is like a punk rock archeology experiment for the great white north. And the folks at PHC have been able to avoid the hipster “art school” scene of the DIODES, the NUMBERS, the GOVERNMENT, MARTHA & THE MUFFINS and other bands that were more a part of the new wave scene, but somehow seem to dominant discussion about Canadian punk. Instead the comp has gone out and dug up tracks by bands that were important in the early day. And the comp is successful in doing so because I believe the website forums have connected them and created a perspective from folks in the various scenes throughout Canada. Now I know that the first wave punk sound has enjoyed a bit of a renaissance as of late. Bands like FUCKED UP and TERMINAL STATE have championed this early mid-tempo anger. It is very good timing to do be doing something like this now. And in defense of PHC I don’t think this is some sort of cashing in exercise on a scene trend. PHC’s intentions are honourable. This comp idea was around longer than the website which is longer than the current’s scene fascination with the Killed By Death era. My interest is more with the hardcore wave that followed and there is plenty of territory there to mine. And PHC will be doing subsequent comps that will represent these later eras, but “Only in Canada, eh 77-81” addresses the more important subject matter of the initial waves. In this approach the comp folks don’t try and do too much which gives the comp a focus. Having listened through this a couple of times there is still room for follow up volumes. And given the current punk comps about Canada that do exist with exception of “It Came from the Pit” this is the only Canadian punk comp that gathers stuff from across the country. Other Canadian comps are more city based like “It Came from Outer Space” and “The Last Pogo” or even “Questionable”. PHC is a lot more thorough as they get the importance of bands like 63 MUNROE on the London scene. It would have been too easy to put the DEMICS there and the DEMICS got more than their due. 63 MUNROE was the band that stuck around, opened up a club and built a scene from the ground up. It is more important that they are on here. And it is these kinds of stories which have been initiated by this comp. I heard some neat stuff about SLANDER from Hamilton. And it is great to finally hear the UNKNOWNS from St. Catharines who are the band that went on to become DIRECT ACTION. I can only imagine the number of stories going on off-line about the bands found on here. Nothing new is being offered by TEENAGE HEAD or LOWLIFE’s appearance on this comp, but the DOA track is brilliant and hearing all these better known bands against these lesser known bands makes you realize that there is a lot of gold to mine in the Canadian punk scene. It is amazing to hear bands like STARK NAKED against TEENAGE HEAD and think that there was so much more to offer from Canada’s punk scene than what the major labels could dish out. To me this is what makes the comp even more special. And the stories continue in a 12 page booklet of liner notes. The BUREAUCRATS were an incredible CLASH like band from Ottawa but the ACTION were equally great. And only a band like the DEIFENBAKERS (a reference to a former Prime Minister) could come from the Canadian scene. The HOT NASTIES and LOWLIFE appear on the “Smash the State” comps. And it is great to see bands like the HOUSE OF COMMONS get their due. Can’t wait for the next one.

(Punk History Canada / #305 - 1008 14 Ave. S.W. / Calgary, AB / T2R 0P1 / Canada / www.punkhistorycanada.ca) - SP

EXD, Volume 5, Issue 5, December 2005