I feel like I’ve listened to a fair amount of offensive music in my time but this record is right up there. If you’ve ever wondered where the “piss off at all costs” aesthetic of some bands comes from, it might be from Angry Samoans. Though Gwar and Anal Cunt sound nothing like this band, I have to think that, somewhere along the way, they heard (or heard about) Angry Samoans. Same goes for the California punks.
But, fortunately, Angry Samoans haven’t adopted that faux whine that dominates so much skate punk. You know NOFX is joking about a lot of what they sing about, you’re not quite sure with Angry Samoans.
The lyrics seem perfectly calculated to piss off people who would be the parents of teenagers, tweens or kids in 1982, as well as any Moral Majority member or basically anyone in the mainstream media. Though I have long since grown out of this, I can’t help but admire the sheer provocation of it. This is one offensive record.
The music is straight up west coast hardcore, without the surf influence of the Kennedys and not quite as committed to noise as Black Flag or the Washington punk bands. That makes it more accessible musically, which is arguably better given how important the lyrics are.
Because I know of no precedent in punk rock for lyrics this offensive – really, no precedent in rock music at large – I think this has to be pretty damn influential, in addition to be extremely entertaining in its offensiveness. (This is comedy as outrage.)
9/10
- “Gas Chamber” – 1:02 (“Metal Mike” Saunders/Gregg Turner)
- “The Todd Killings” – 0:38 (Saunders/Turner)
- “Lights Out” – 0:52 (Saunders/Turner)
- “My Old Man’s a Fatso” – 1:32 (Saunders)
- “Time Has Come Today” – 2:07 (Joseph Chambers/Willie Chambers)
- “They Saved Hitler’s Cock” – 1:40 (Jeff Dahl/Todd Homer/Turner)
- “Homo-Sexual” – 0:52 (J. Falwell)
- “Steak Knife” – 1:00 (Saunders/Turner)
- “Haizman’s Brain Is Calling” – 1:56 (Saunders/Turner)
- “Tuna Taco” – 0:38 (Homer)
- “Coffin Case” – 0:39 (Saunders)
- “You Stupid Jerk” – 0:23 (Saunders)
- “Ballad of Jerry Curlan” – 3:08 (P.J. Galligan/Turner/Bill Vockeroth)
- “Not of This Earth” – 1:11 (Saunders/Turner)
- “Metal Mike” Saunders – vocals, guitar
- Gregg Turner – vocals, guitar
- P.J. Galligan – guitar
- Todd Homer – bass guitar, vocals
- Bill Vockeroth – drums