RUDIMENTARY PENI - Wilfred Owen: "The Chances"

Those who know me well know that RUDIMENTARY PENI is more than a favorite band, but more of a lifelong obsession. Their albums and EPs are not difficult to obtain, but it occurred to me that maybe this little song might be new to many PENI fans. Those of us lucky enough to have grabbed a copy of Nick Blinko's book The Haunted Head several years ago received a couple special treats. The book looks very nice and is...well let's say an "interesting" read, but along with it came a CD containing one new and previously unreleased song and a postcard with a page from the book, hand-written by Blinko himself. The song is pretty weird, and apparently taken from a piece written by Wilfred Owen "about the fortune of five British 'Tommies' during World War I." If you weren't one of the 200 or so successful book owners, here's a chance to check out this song. I've also scanned the hand-written card that came with my book.

WILFRED OWEN: THE CHANCES

TUBERCULOSIS - Tape

TB are one of my all-time favorite live bands - they were one of the distinct joys of my 15 month residence in Los Angeles. They made my hair stand on end, and my blood rush like roaring rapids. You rarely see hardcore bands brimming with such energy and honesty, while coming off totally unpretentious and real. Chances are many of you picked this up back when they were hot, but don't we all need a refresher sometimes? Perfectly executed and original-sounding hardcore punk compositions, vitriolic female screams calling out all of our oppressors, a surging bouncy beat that was always ideal for the dancing "ponks"...their sound always brought SVART FRAMTID to mind, amazingly, if they were from LA and had a woman singing. They were that good, and only did this tape and a 7", and I used to want them to do a full length SO bad. But upon reconsideration, I have my memories and vivid recollections of being moved by their live shows, and I think that will suffice.

TUBERCULOSIS Tape

I should mention that TB members are still active in the LA punk scene doing great bands (DRAPETOMANIA and SADICOS to name a couple), hosting shows/benefits/events, releasing on their label Silenzio Statico, and who knows what else - I suck at staying in contact with old friends. But I still see them every few months, and they always report that they've got something exciting and new in the tubes.