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As
I´ve promised in some previous post, here is my rant about the first Tear It Up
seven inch. I first heard this on Havoc cassette sampler vol. 3 that Trujaca
Fala released, which was Polish record label that among bunch of other
international hc/punk bands, released these 3 series of Havoc seven inches from
1992. to 2001. All the series were released as double tape compilations and
yes, I still have all of the 3 compilations. So, this third Havoc Sampler was
released in 2001. or 2002. I´m not sure, just as I´m not really sure when I got
this, 2001. or 2002. but never mind. I wrote review of this compilation in the first
issue of my zine – IOSC which I put out in the fall of 2002. so I guess I got
that compilation the same year. As I´ve wrote in the review, at the time I
didn´t know who TIU were, wasn´t even sure if they are from NYC or NJ. But I
did read somewhere at the time that before TIU, most of the TIU members were
playing in some great hardcore band called Dead Nation. I imagined that this
Dead Nation band must be something awesome because of all the talk about this
new great band (TIU) that formed on the ashes of another great band (DN). And
indeed Dead Nation were great but that´s another story. I remember that beside Code
13 and DS-13, Tear It Up were my favorite band on that compilation (other bands
were: United Super Villains, Holding On, The Real Enemy, Spazm 151, Nine Shocks
Terror, Kaaos and Cluster Bomb Unit. The good thing with this compilation was
that there were lyrics from all the bands and I was very much into Tear It Up
lyrics. Although they didn´t hit me as hard as few years later, because at the
time I got this compilation, I was still in a happy relationship and a positive
straight edge dude if you catch my drift. I mean, later I was still straight
edge dude (and still am), but I was not in a relationship anymore and I was a
little bit less positive and more frustrated with some emotional stuff and
shit. Few years later I got the EP on vinyl on some show in Zagreb, don´t
recall which one or on which distribution.
Havoc cassette sampler
The
self titled Tear It Up 7˝ EP was recorded in September 2000. and that was their
second recording. First was the demo tape from July 2000. which is the only TIU
recording that doesn´t do justice to their songs, at least that is what I
think. So, I often consider this September session as the first real TIU recording.
Besides these 8 songs that got on their first EP, this session also include 13
songs that got released as Just Can´t Stand It 12˝ EP in 2001. on Deranged
Records. The self titled EP was released in October 2000. on Havoc Records. I
must say hats off and respect to Havoc Records for keeping all of their (or
most of) records in press, so that way you can still find this great EP on
various international distributions. Havoc is definitely still one of the best
and honest DIY hc/punk records/distributions in this fucked up world.
The
line up on this record was off course, the first TIU line up:
Dave
Ackerman – Vocals
Andy
Scarpulla – Guitar
Paul
D´elia – Guitar
Doug
Ensel – Bass
Matt
Wechter - Drums
Production
on this EP is nothing but amazing, it sounds so powerful without sounding over
produced or something like that. Like all the other TIU records, this also has
all the songs blending in and the EP is pretty much already over before you know
it.
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Cover
is one of the best I have ever seen in hc/punk history. You could say I´m a bit exaggerating because after all, TIU is my favorite band, but tell me that
the cover of this EP is not fucking great. The infamous Vertigo skull on some
suit and tie business mans body and the spiral circle on the skull forehead
and behind it makes the cover totally mesmerizing. Back cover has the band
playing some show and Paul, Dave and Doug were shot while jumping but still you can tell that it´s not some
typical youth crew band (well, nothing wrong with that, I´m all for good posi
YC HC J).
Also, it is clear on expression of Dave´s face, that he´s fucking angry and want
to smash the microphone into your skull (well, at least that´s how I imagine
it, ha ha!). So, just by the cover, you can tell it is some awesome fucked up
and pissed off music. And just for putting the photo of band in action is a big
plus for me. Inside you get all the lyrics, cred list and photos of each member
that were photographed in the photo booth. The vertigo TIU skull was also with
them in the booth, ha ha. Anyway, I think that this cover is done by good old
hc/punk standards and as my friend Felix (not Havoc) would say: „majstori su
objasnili“.
TEAR IT UP - Self
titled 7˝ EP Halloween version
As
I´ve said before, the EP have 8 songs in 9 minutes. The lyrics deal with hating
all the shits around you and me. There are some personal self loathing themes
like: I Fell Better Already, Deadly, Confused, Confusion and And In The End. Other
songs are critics of capitalist yuppie scum (Life: Take One), sexual rapists
(What Part Of No...), bands that want to make success using the DIY hc/punk
network (Through Being Cute) and so called anarchists and activists that are only
into it for a short trend (Not A Game). Again all the stuff that I can totally
identify with. And musically the EP is just perfect. Just from hearing the
beginning intro of first song you can tell that the whole EP is great. The
songs are mostly very fast but not without a hooks, some cool breaks and catchy
pumped up singalongs and angry group backups. I also love Matt´s back up vocals
on some songs (something that I forgot to mention in my previous TIU posts)
which are very distinctive as Dave´s vocals but in a totally different way so
mixing their two vocals was a great idea. The slow bass intro of Life: Take One
is sounding like something Black Flag should record in 1982. but were too busy
with changing their style of music, ha ha. Deadly and Through Being Cute are
great singalong punk anthems, What Part Of No, Confused, Confusion & Not A
Game are blasts of pure critical anger and And In The End is great furious but
also emotional song with the lyrics that I can connect in the most deepest way. „No sense getting close, then you´ll have no
one to hurt. Why don´t I want talk to you, because it make things fucking
worse. You always hurt the ones you love.“ So fucking true.
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So,
my opinion about this EP is that it´s perfect (as you´ve couldn´t guess that
already). You get awesome cover, even better production, pissed off lyrics and
top notch hardcore punk music. Can you ask for something more? I don´t think
so.
TEAR IT UP on Fuck Work
Tour 2001. with FAST TIMES
TEAR IT UP & HOLDING
ON & Swank Roadie on TEAR IT UP/HOLDING ON - Road to Thrash Fest mini tour
2001.
Few
more words about different versions of the EP covers. This time I didn´t put in
download no extra music, only some photos from TIU shows and some flyers.
Plus you get photos of various cover versions of this EP. Again some photos
are mine and some I took from the net from various sources. So, if you download
this, you will see the regular first press, Halloween show cover, California
tour 2001 cover, 2002 Euro tour cover which is homage to Anti Cimex – Raped Ass
EP cover and Road Rash Edition (which I´m guessing is from Road to Thrash Fest
mini tour with Holding On in 2001.). There are also various vinyl colors of
this EP but I´m not such a nerd about that stuff actually. Oh yeah, on first
press there was TIU address which is later covered with black marker (that is
the version I´ve got because when I got the EP, TIU was long gone and the said
address wasn´t valid anymore).
I
think that wraps it up. If you already have this EP, download this for extra
tour covers and shit. In the near future I will put some more TIU goodies, I
promise. I feel better already.
Snake:
Take One
And happy Halloween, ha ha!
Get
it here:
Flyers of some of the
first TIU shows (including the first one)
Some show photos with
the first TIU line up
