Back With A Bong
Encyclopedia
Back With A Bong is the third album from New York
hardcore punk
band, Murphy's Law
.
It was released in 1989 on Profile Records
and subsequently re-released on Another Planet Records in 1994 with the previous self-titled album
on the same disc.
It came three years after the previous album and the band had undergone somewhat of a transformation with Jimmy Gestapo the only remaining member.
Alex Morris had been replaced on guitar by Todd Youth
– previously of fellow New York hardcore
bands, Agnostic Front
and Warzone
, and later of Danzig
. Chuck Valle replaced Pete Martinez on bass, and Doug E. Beans took over drumming duties from Petey Hines.
They followed this album with 1991's Best Of Times, 1993's Good For Now, and 1996's Dedicated – so called because Chuck Valle was killed in 1994.
. Far from taking in influences from the crossover thrash
scene, they instead opted for introducing more eclectic sounds such as ska
and brass instruments.
The opening track, "Intro", leaves any listener who may have feared that they had "gone metal" with no doubt as to where their intentions still lie. However, it is not long until the first sign of brass is encountered, second track – and unanimous live favorite – "Panty Raid", in fact.
Most of the songs do follow the same formula – a slow build up to a fast-paced, admittedly thrash-type, climax – but the interjection of ska
and brass, in "Ska Song" and the album's closer "Bong", help to break it up. However, these elements are never overdone and are used very sparingly.
In spite of the formula, the songs do not all sound the same and there were a lot of live favorites to come from this album because of the mosh
parts enclosed. "Panty Raid" (complete with brass section), "Quest For Herb", and "America Rules" being notable examples.
Lyrically, the band was the same as ever – more like Boston
's Gang Green
than their NYHC peers – beer, drugs, and partying again the order of the day.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
band, Murphy's Law
Murphy's Law (band)
Murphy's Law is an American hardcore band from New York City, New York, formed in 1982. While vocalist Jimmy Gestapo remains the only founding member of the band, the line-up has consisted of former members of bands such as Skinnerbox, Danzig, The Bouncing Souls, Mucky Pup, Dog Eat Dog, Hanoi...
.
It was released in 1989 on Profile Records
Profile Records
Profile Records was a record label that specialized in many types of urban-oriented music, such as hip hop, active until 1996..- History :In 1980, at 23 years old, after working briefly for MCA, Cory Robbins was looking to start a record label. He invited his songwriter friend Steve Plotnicki to be...
and subsequently re-released on Another Planet Records in 1994 with the previous self-titled album
Murphy's Law (Murphy's Law album)
Murphy's Law is the second album from American Rock band, Murphy's Law.It was released in 1986 on Profile Records which was attempting to broaden its horizons from the rap genre it was generally known for at that time....
on the same disc.
It came three years after the previous album and the band had undergone somewhat of a transformation with Jimmy Gestapo the only remaining member.
Alex Morris had been replaced on guitar by Todd Youth
Todd Youth
-Biography:Youth grew up in New York and started playing as young as 12 years old in several New York City hardcore bands. He made his playing debut with Agnostic Front in 1983 but did not play on any recordings. Youth also appeared for New York City act Warzone until around 1986...
– previously of fellow New York hardcore
New York hardcore
New York hardcore refers to hardcore punk and metalcore music created in New York City and to the subculture associated with that music. New York hardcore grew out of the hardcore scene established in Washington, D.C., by bands such as Bad Brains and Minor Threat. Hardcore '81 is an album by the...
bands, Agnostic Front
Agnostic Front
Agnostic Front is an American hardcore band. The band began playing hardcore similar to their contemporaries, and were thrust to the forefront of the burgeoning New York hardcore scene in the mid-1980s with their widely regarded 1984 classic Victim in Pain before evolving to incorporate thrash...
and Warzone
Warzone (band)
Warzone was an American hardcore punk band formed on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in 1982. The band helped develop the New York hardcore sound, the hardcore skinhead style and the youth crew subgenre...
, and later of Danzig
Danzig (band)
Danzig is an American heavy metal band, formed in 1987 in Lodi, New Jersey. The band serves as a musical outlet for the singer/songwriter Glenn Danzig. Danzig can be seen as the third stage in Glenn Danzig's musical career, preceded by the horror punk bands The Misfits and Samhain...
. Chuck Valle replaced Pete Martinez on bass, and Doug E. Beans took over drumming duties from Petey Hines.
They followed this album with 1991's Best Of Times, 1993's Good For Now, and 1996's Dedicated – so called because Chuck Valle was killed in 1994.
Overview
Although the band had entered the limelight a bit more since their self-titled 1986 album, the music was still noticeably hardcore punkHardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
. Far from taking in influences from the crossover thrash
Crossover thrash
__FORCETOC__Crossover thrash, often abbreviated to crossover, is a form of thrash metal that contains more hardcore punk elements than standard thrash. The genre lies on a continuum between heavy metal and punk rock...
scene, they instead opted for introducing more eclectic sounds such as ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
and brass instruments.
The opening track, "Intro", leaves any listener who may have feared that they had "gone metal" with no doubt as to where their intentions still lie. However, it is not long until the first sign of brass is encountered, second track – and unanimous live favorite – "Panty Raid", in fact.
Most of the songs do follow the same formula – a slow build up to a fast-paced, admittedly thrash-type, climax – but the interjection of ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
and brass, in "Ska Song" and the album's closer "Bong", help to break it up. However, these elements are never overdone and are used very sparingly.
In spite of the formula, the songs do not all sound the same and there were a lot of live favorites to come from this album because of the mosh
Mosh
Moshing is a dance in which participants push or slam into each other. They also flail their limbs to breakdowns of hardcore punk and its sub-genres. It is most associated with aggressive music genres, such as hardcore punk and heavy metal...
parts enclosed. "Panty Raid" (complete with brass section), "Quest For Herb", and "America Rules" being notable examples.
Lyrically, the band was the same as ever – more like Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
's Gang Green
Gang Green
Gang Green is a band originally from Braintree, Massachusetts. Chris Doherty , Bill Manley and Mike Dean started the band in 1980 and broke up in 1984...
than their NYHC peers – beer, drugs, and partying again the order of the day.
Track listing
- All songs written by J Drescher, C Valle, T Schofield, and D Thompson
- "Intro" – 1:42
- "Panty Raid" – 2:57
- "Yahoo!" – 1:46
- "Attack Of The Killer Beers" – 2:40
- "Cavity Creeps" – 1:25
- "Ska Song" – 2:20
- "Quest For Herb" – 2:38
- "America Rules" – 1:31
- "Rage" – 2:04
- "Wall Of Death" – 1:43
- "Secret Agent S.K.I.N." – 2:02
- "Push Comes To Shove" – 2:03
- "Bong" – 4:33
Credits
- Jimmy "Gestapo" DrescherJimmy GestapoJames Drescher, better known as Jimmy G or Jimmy Gestapo and also known as Jimmy Spliff, is the lead singer for New York based hardcore punk band Murphy's Law....
– vocals - Todd "Youth" SchofieldTodd Youth-Biography:Youth grew up in New York and started playing as young as 12 years old in several New York City hardcore bands. He made his playing debut with Agnostic Front in 1983 but did not play on any recordings. Youth also appeared for New York City act Warzone until around 1986...
– guitar - Chuck Valle – bass
- Doug "E. Beans" Thompson – drums
- Horns – courtesy of Columbia RecordsColumbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
– arranged and played by- Angelo Moore
- Christopher Dowd
- Walter Kirby III
- Narration of "Secret Agent S.K.I.N." by Frenchie
- Recorded at Dreamland Recording Studio and Chung King "House of Metal"Chung King StudiosChung King Recording Studios, formerly known as The Chung King House Of Metal, is a New York City recording studio founded by John King with financial backing of the Etches brothers and engineer expertise of Steve Ett became a site of many classic punk and hip hop recordings...
, New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, U.S. - Produced by Murphy's LawMurphy's Law (band)Murphy's Law is an American hardcore band from New York City, New York, formed in 1982. While vocalist Jimmy Gestapo remains the only founding member of the band, the line-up has consisted of former members of bands such as Skinnerbox, Danzig, The Bouncing Souls, Mucky Pup, Dog Eat Dog, Hanoi...
- Assisted by Jack Flanagan, Bob Musso, Gary Miller, and Nick Light
- Engineered by Dave Cook, Martin Kunitz, and Chuck Valle
- Horns recorded at Blue Canyon Recorders, Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, U.S. – engineered by Craig Doubet - Mastered by Howie Weinberg at MasterdiskMasterdiskMasterdisk is an audio mastering and multimedia company in New York City, located on West 45th Street in Manhattan. They provide production services such as audio mastering, vinyl cutting and enhanced CD and DVD production....
, New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, USA - Re-mastered for re-issue by Alan Douches at West West Side Studios