I have been planning on recording a punk album for quite a while, as I have some very poignant philosophical and political things to say that don't exactly fit into the album I'm making for this class. I could very well put them there, and I have slipped a few subtle ones in, but this isn't the place for the words I have to say about things that matter to society at large.
The only problem with making a punk album is...I've never played punk before. Well, sure, I've accidentally wandered across the riff for Blitzkrieg Bop while messing around on my guitar, but who hasn't? So, I had to teach myself how to play the punk that I wanted to play. And the band that epitomizes the style of punk I want to play is The Exploited (an 80's Scottish punk band, for those that don't know). So I decided to cover one of their songs.
The song Out of Control on their first album (Punk's Not Dead), released in 1981 is the first punk song that really "clicked" with me. Perhaps because it has psychological lyrics (mentions of schizophrenia and other signs of insanity abound). The rhythm is infectious, like an evil twin to funk. Also, the riff took me about three tries to figure out.
So I recorded my rendition of Out of Control. But when I got done, I still had the punk rock flowing through me, and I plowed through another of The Exploited's songs off Punk's Not Dead, a song entitled I Believe In Anarchy. This song is pretty self explanatory, but it epitomizes punk rock.
Thanks to recording these two songs, I was able to set up all the instrument tones I need for recording my punk album (to be titled The Wahrheitssucher, which translates from German as "The Seeker of Truth"), and I was able to teach myself how to "sing" punk vocals. It took me a few tries.
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After recording these songs (which are combined into one track, totaling 5:10), which I had intended to be covers appearing on The Wahrheitssucher, I laid back and listened to the music and thought. What I realized was that recording these songs made me extremely happy. In fact, I was giddy with exciting. Then it hit me: this isn't a song for The Wahrheitssucher, this is the song for the Bliss assignment! As it turned out, I had taken most of the day on Wednesday to record these two songs, which made this conclusion make even more sense.
Then, having put this song into the context of the class, I began to contemplate on it more. I realized that what had inspired me to record this song was Bill's mulligan on his fear assignment. There are very few things that a person can do that can instantly earn them respect, and that song he sang was one of them. Then, in the discussion after, we learned that he was in a punk band named The Blacklisted (which is, as was mentioned, probably the best name a punk rock band has EVER had), it made my mind wander back to actually attempting the punk album I've been conceiving.
So, as pertains to the last paragraph, this song is dedicated to Bill.
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Out of Control/I Believe In Anarchy
(Originally by The Exploited)
Out of Control
I'm out of control
My mind's a mess
I'm starin' at you
A man possessed
My mother said
That's the way I am
The Father said
That I am damned
Out of Control, Ah you're a mess
Out of Control, I am a mess
I'm Out of Control
LSD
Killed my head
Schizophrenia
'Round the bend
Schitzo-fuck
And they don't know
Serial Killer
We're after you
I Believe In Anarchy
I believe - in Anarchy!
Let's see you pogo!
Go!
I'm not ashamed of bein' a punk
And I don't care, I don't give a damn
And I don't care what you say
'Cause I believe in Anarchy!
I'm not afraid
And I'm not ashamed
'Cause I still believe
In Anarchy!
Go to the pub to pick up a bird
Take her back to your council flat
Drive her home in your old man's car
Better go to the doctor 'cause you got a sore
I'm not afraid
And I'm not ashamed
'Cause I still believe
In Anarchy!
I'm not afraid of having a fight
And I'm not ashamed about getting drunk
And I don't care what you say
'Cause I believe in Anarchy!
I'm not afraid
And I'm not ashamed
'Cause I still believe
In Anarchy!
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