NEWSLETTER

Sheer Terror
Beaten By The Fists Of God
Thorp Records

For all the songs about unity and friendship, hardcore was always one of the most cliquey, elitist scenes in the history of music. Like a LES version of Poison Idea, Sheer Terror always stuck out like a sore thumb amidst annoying, “worthy”, hardcore ballerinas like Shelter by virtue of the fact they didn’t give a flying fuck about people’s personal foibles, manners or the trendy scene politics of the day. There were no wooden chokers or sitting around in vegan juice bars coming up with plans to make a line of T-shirts with slogans like “Castrate Rapists” that they would go on to sell in MRR for £40 a pop. Rather, Sheer Terror made nihilistic love songs for thugs and punks. They had great “everybody can relate to this” lyrics like: “I can’t stand living / I can’t stand you / and I just can’t hate enough”.

This DVD is a mix of their last ever-show at CBGBs with a really fucking long documentary of their career, chock full of interviews with all the guidos, meatheads and bouncers that went in and of the band over the years. Mainly though it all centres around genius frontman Paul Bearer (great punk name, geddit?), who IMHO should have his own TV show. Check his letter to Vice in the Hate issue. Plus, their version of “Boys Don’t Cry” is easily my favourite cover of all time. More so than TaTu’s “How Soon Is Now”, Slayer’s “In A Gadda Da Vida” or Snuff’s “I Think We’re Alone Now”.

ANITA CRAPPER



Heartworn Highways
Catfish Entertainment

This film about the rebel country music scene spearheaded by Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle and David Allen Coe (See the West Is The Best Issue) came out in 1981 but they’ve just released it again with unreleased footage. Most of this comes from a Christmas Eve drinking party around the dinner table of scenester Guy Clark. There’s great stuff like Steve Earle nodding off into a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon in the middle of playing a song. Also some new footage of the DA Coe prison concert. Watching this amazing film makes you realise how few genuine rebel personalities are allowed to exist in music any more. Unless you count The Killers.

JOCK MCSTEEL



Gravion: Divine Steel
ADV Films

As anime / Mech films go, this one’s got it all. The giant robots, boys with spiky black hair and women with 14-year-old-girl faces and 84DD breasts. Lots of issues about honour, justice and big breasts, lazer beams, breasts, titties, explosions, running away from giant explosions, jugs, boobies and girls in fetish uniforms. Who could ask for anything more?

JONNY WONG

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