Chris Minicucci I'm looking your way especially...

History is going to change. Before Bad Brains, before Pure Hell, there was DEATH.

This is hard to believe and will be a long post, but bear with me.

My best friend and the drummer for In Reach and My Revenge is a dude named Bobby Hackney. He also played in the band Common Ground. He’s been around for a long time and many of you know and recognize him.

To get right to the point, after 30 years, he just discovered that his father was in one of the very first punk bands.

In 1974 Bobby’s Dad and 2 uncles were in a band and they called themselves Death. They were from Detroit and played around regionally.
They were approached by Columbia Records who wanted to sign them and release their album. They were all set to do so, the contracts were drawn up and everything was set to go, but Columbia wanted them to change the name of their band because they thought it wasn’t commercial enough.

Like a true punk band, Death said “heck with this” and decided not to sign with Columbia. They formed their own label called Tryangle records and self released a 7 inch in 1976. However it’s important to note that these songs were recorded in 1974 as part of what would’ve been the LP for Columbia Records. It took them an extra 2 years to self release the 7 inch.

Not only was it unusual for 3 African Americans to be playing this style of music back then, but it was even more unprecedented for them to form their own label and release it on their own.

I know most everyone knows this, but it just goes to show that punk rock was a world wide phenomenon that sprouted up in a multitude of regions and didn’t just start with the Ramones (Although the Ramones are and will always be the greatest band in the world).

Death predated the Ramones by a long time. Their 7 inch totally smokes. It rips it up so much I could cry. And they even had political, socially conscious lyrics about war, politics, corruption, social justice, etc… In every way they captured a punk ethic and sound, only they did it in 1974. Bobby asked his Dad what he was listening to back then and he said “Iggy and Stooges, Black Sabbath, Alice Cooper and The Who” so it’s no wonder they ended up sounding the way they did. Fucking awesome. I can’t imagine how I would respond if my Dad told me he was listening to the Stooges and Black Sabbath in terms of where he derived his influences on his music.

Bobby’s Dad went up in the attic last week and got the Reels from the original LP out that had been stored there for about 30 years. He recently just transferred the entire LP onto a CD. I have a copy, it’s so fucking incredible! Parts of it sound just like the first Damned record, only 2 years earlier. It reminds me a lot of the Dickies, Bad Brains, Mc5 etc...
Also, there is a rumor that Death were a influence on the Bad Brains. Evidentally a bunch of people/bands from the Detroit area have contacted Bobby and told him that Bad Brains were influenced by Death. He is in the process of contacting Darryl to try and verify this. When you hear the song “Politicans In My Eyes” you’ll see how there are so many parallels to Death and what would become the Bad Brains.

Here is the link to “Politicians In My Eyes” see for yourself:
DEATH “Politicians in my eyes” (1974)
http://chunklet.com/images/upload/6/audio_file/Politicians%20in%20My%20Eyes.mp3
(it may take a little while to load)

DEATH “keep on knocking” (1974)
http://www.chunklet.com/images/upload/6/audio_file2/Keep%20on%20Knockin.mp3

The 7 inch has been on many record collectors want list for years (breakmyface, collectorscum, etc…) I've posted a link to a scan of the album. Even Bobby’s Dad only has 1 copy of the original 7 inch of Tryangle records.

Here is the record:
http://www.collectorscum.com/volume3/michigan/

I will try and post some songs off the recently discovered LP as soon as I can. Some of them are pretty fast and even have parts that could be considered early hardcore in how they sound/breakdowns, etc...) We are already in the process of trying to officially release this album. It needs to be heard.
I love the history of punk rock and finding out things like this. The crazy connections and parallels these old bands have and how they influenced other bands and changed history - all the interelationships between bands and people.
It’s profound and hard to believe. Who would have thought my best friend’s Dad would have been in a punk band that laid so much of the foundation in 1974? This is out of control.

Take care,
Spencer

wow...crazy....stoked to check this out for sure.

so weird that he would just recently find out about his dad's band. you'd think that, especially since he was also doing bands, that he would have shown this to him a looooong time ago...ha.

by the way, common ground ruled (especially the first 7").

Chad, I know, that was my first question. Bob said that his Dad just never said anything about it. His Dad currently plays in a Reggae band called Lambsbread. He said it was one of those things that for some reason he just never talked about and it was so long ago it just wasn't on his mind. I know, it's crazy, I guess better late than never! Thank God.

those songs are really good, especially keep on knockin. great story too. if you press the lp i'd def be interested in one, i'd love to hear more.

Whoah I'd buy that HR bit this vocalist's style.

Wow..I think I'm more shocked that dude is in Lambsbread.

They should send a cease and desist to the noise band Lambsbread.

Really cool find man, thanks for sharing!

hey spencer this is tight. you'll probably have to get the tapes baked but i imagine it will be cool. any photos of the band exist? i bet they were well dressed.

fyi though, the ramones started playing in 74. I think the demo of I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend that circulates is from 75 or maybe 74? it's on the remastered "Expanded" cd on rhino and various 7"s legit and otherwise.

keep this shit coming. i'm sure plenty of people are gonna wanna buy the rights for this shit, please be careful if you guys go that route. NO GTA! also please do vinyl or liscense it to someone.

yeah there are definitely parts where it full-on sounds like hr...wild.

A+ post, I love stuff like this.

Great songs as well.


bartthefleX.

Incredible............................

Just when you think everything has been discovered, something like this comes along. Amazing.

Hey Spencer, that was really cool of you to share this with us. It's a very interesting sounding band. There is some definite punkiness to it and the vocal delivery on Politicians does bring HR to mind. The music is cool but the chorus on Politicians takes a downward turn and almost sounds like Styx or something. Still it's a really great sounding band and I'd definitely want to hear more. Tell this dude to dig up some photos. I'm insanely curious what these cats looked like although I think I already know.

This is incredible! Thanks!

I'm listening to "Politicians In My Eyes" right now, and the vocals are TOTAL HR, from the timbre, to the phrasing. If HR had never heard this band, it would have been a huge coincidence.

"Keep On Knocking" totally sounds like the Damned. You're right. It sounds like something off Machine Gun Etiquette. I can't think of which song though.

This band was featured on a KBD type comp called 'No one left to blame' a few years ago. 'Keep on knocking' was the track, and it's great.
I guess this would put them in line with the the Saints who first recorded in '74.

awesome post.

The Ramones played their first show in March of 1974. Their first OFFICIAL release was in '76, but there were some demos.

This is one of the coolest posts ever, thanks!

Both songs are great, but Politians in My Eyes is incredible and sounds really original for 1974. It's like something out of Black Dots, until the chorus comes along sounding like Alice Cooper or something. Fine stuff, can't wait to listen to the album.
I'll definitely put Death on my top 3 american 'pre-Ramones first record' punk bands, along with the Electric Eels and and maybe the Gizmos.
You should interview him for MRR.

After a few listens, "Keep On Knockin" sounds sorta like The Flamin' Groovies. I really want to hear more of this band. Keep us informed about the album release!

(silence)


WOW!

A
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O
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E
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that HR/Bad Brains had ever heard this record prior to forming their band? I would say it's highly unlikely. Obviously there was a minute quantity of that record pressed. They lived no where near each other and I doubt Death had ever played in DC. The Death 45 didn't come with a picture sleeve so there would have been no way for the Bad Brains to know that they were hearing another all-black band even if they did hear the record (since that fact alone may have been very influential to four young black teens from DC).
I highly doubt that Bad Brains were aware of this band keeping in mind that these were pre-internet days when information just wasn't available. The vocal style and even the opening riff on Politicians bear an uncanny resemblance to early Bad Brains though but I think it's just coincidence.

i'm a....

keithlinhares@gmail.com
keithlinhares@gmail.com
keithlinhares@gmail.com
keithlinhares@gmail.com

By posting ebay links in non related threads. Not cool.

DEATH record from 1974 being released for the world to hear!

"....For The Whole World To See" Will be released via Drag City records Feb 17 2009!!!!!! Thank you Hackney brothers for making such an incredible record!

www.dragcity.com