The Shape of Punk to Come
Encyclopedia
The Shape of Punk to Come: A Chimerical Bombination in 12 Bursts is the third and final album released by Swedish
hardcore punk
band Refused
, which was released in October 1998 through Burning Heart Records
. The title of the album is a reference to Ornette Coleman
's 1959 album The Shape of Jazz to Come
and also a reference to the song by The Nation of Ulysses, "The Sound of Jazz to Come" from their album Plays Pretty for Baby
, which itself references the Ornette Coleman song. The song title "Worms of the Senses" is an allusion to the long poem "Howl
" by Allen Ginsberg
. Additionally, the song "Refused Are Fuckin Dead" is a reference to the Born Against
song "Born Against Are Fuckin' Dead." Refused may have been influenced by both Born Against
and Nation of Ulysses
in terms of approach, dress, and ideology, although the sound and songwriting similarities have frequently been greatly emphasized.
bands such as Green Day
and Blink-182
, and even more traditional punk rock
bands such as Bad Religion
and Pennywise
.
The album also took on the idea of "political interludes" between songs, reminiscent of the DC band The Nation of Ulysses. The use of more technological sounds or drum and bass
music, particularly on the "New Noise" single/EP which followed the album, is a tactic that various members of Refused have credited to the influence of Philadelphia punk band Ink & Dagger.
's seminal album The Shape of Jazz to Come
which was itself adapted from the title of the novel The Shape of Things to Come
) ended up being largely prophetic, as it had widespread influence in the punk and hardcore communities. As evidence of this, many bands make reference to the work in some way. British band Million Dead
took their name from a line in the final song "The Apollo Programme Was a Hoax". Manchester band Sonic Boom Six
have also parodied the album name with their song "The Rape of Punk to Come" from the album Sounds to Consume
, and Adequate Seven
's first track on the album Songs of Innocence and Experience is called The Shape of Funk to Come. Power violence band United Nations
have a song on their self titled album called "The Shape of Punk That Never Came", and Montreal punk band The Sainte Catherines
named a track from Dancing for Decadence "The Shape of Drunks to Come". The Paramore
song "Born for This" also contains re-sung elements of "Liberation Frequency". During The Used
's live DVD Berth
, they briefly break into the song "New Noise" before returning to their song "Maybe Memories". The Edinburgh hardcore band The Party Program got their name from this album. The demo of Massachusetts hardcore band Last Lights included the song "The Shape of Scum To Come," a play on the album's title. The band Showbread
have often cited the album as one of their greatest influences. Decibel
Magazine inducted The Shape of Punk to Come in its Hall of Fame for the September 2010 issue. The thrash metal
band Anthrax
covered this song on their 2011 album Worship Music.
version of the album was released, remixed in 5.1-channel Surround Sound
. Many of the songs have been compositionally altered, some significantly. "Bruitist Pome #5," for example, has been thoroughly reworked, while a seven-minute version of "Refused Are Fuckin Dead" jarringly transitions into a new second half, which incorporates elements of the Bombe Je Remix
of the song. Other songs have received new intros or outros.
Disc 2: Live at Umeå Open festival (April 3, 1998)
Disc 3: Refused Are Fucking Dead DVD
Refused
Additional musicians
Production
Art and design
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
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 Refused
Refused
Refused was a Swedish hardcore punk band originating from Umeå, Sweden, formed in 1991. In total the band released five EPs and three albums, before splitting up in 1998...
, which was released in October 1998 through Burning Heart Records
Burning Heart Records
Burning Heart Records is an independent record label formed in 1993 and based in Örebro, Sweden. It has a close affiliation with Californian label Epitaph Records, who own the rights to distribute Burning Heart's output in North America...
. The title of the album is a reference to Ornette Coleman
Ornette Coleman
Ornette Coleman is an American saxophonist, violinist, trumpeter and composer. He was one of the major innovators of the free jazz movement of the 1960s....
's 1959 album The Shape of Jazz to Come
The Shape of Jazz to Come
The Shape of Jazz to Come is an influential album by Ornette Coleman. It was his debut album for Atlantic Records who released it in late 1959....
and also a reference to the song by The Nation of Ulysses, "The Sound of Jazz to Come" from their album Plays Pretty for Baby
Plays Pretty for Baby
Plays Pretty for Baby is the second album by the American punk rock band Nation of Ulysses.Tracks 14-16 on the CD are not on the original album, and are taken from the 7" EP Birth of a Ulysses Aesthetic....
, which itself references the Ornette Coleman song. The song title "Worms of the Senses" is an allusion to the long poem "Howl
Howl
"Howl" is a poem written by Allen Ginsberg in 1955 and published as part of his 1956 collection of poetry titled Howl and Other Poems. The poem is considered to be one of the great works of the Beat Generation, along with Jack Kerouac's On the Road and William S. Burroughs's Naked Lunch...
" by Allen Ginsberg
Allen Ginsberg
Irwin Allen Ginsberg was an American poet and one of the leading figures of the Beat Generation in the 1950s. He vigorously opposed militarism, materialism and sexual repression...
. Additionally, the song "Refused Are Fuckin Dead" is a reference to the Born Against
Born Against
Born Against was an American hardcore punk band from New York active between 1989–1993. In addition to their radical leftist politics, the group espoused a DIY punk message and challenged what they perceived as problematic within the punk subculture of their time.-History:The group was founded in...
song "Born Against Are Fuckin' Dead." Refused may have been influenced by both Born Against
Born Against
Born Against was an American hardcore punk band from New York active between 1989–1993. In addition to their radical leftist politics, the group espoused a DIY punk message and challenged what they perceived as problematic within the punk subculture of their time.-History:The group was founded in...
and Nation of Ulysses
Nation of Ulysses
The Nation of Ulysses was an American punk rock band from Washington, D.C., formed in spring 1988 with four members. Originally known as simply "Ulysses," the first mark of the group consisted of Ian Svenonius on vocals and trumpet, Steve Kroner on guitar, Steve Gamboa on bass guitar, and James...
in terms of approach, dress, and ideology, although the sound and songwriting similarities have frequently been greatly emphasized.
Overview
This album marked a sharp and conscious departure from Refused's earlier work. The philosophy of the album, expounded in the ample liner notes and encapsulated in the song "New Noise", was that punk and hardcore music could not be anti-establishment by continuing to package revolutionary lyrics in sounds which had been increasingly co-opted into the mainstream. The sound of the record presented a challenge to existing punk sensibilities; its sounds were 'punk' at a fundamental level, but worlds apart from pop punkPop punk
Pop punk is a fusion music genre that combines elements of punk rock with pop music, to varying degrees. Allmusic describes the genre as a strand of alternative rock, which typically merges pop melodies with speedy punk tempos, chord changes and loud guitars...
bands such as Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
and Blink-182
Blink-182
Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992...
, and even more traditional punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
bands such as Bad Religion
Bad Religion
Bad Religion is a punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1979. Their current line-up consists of Greg Graffin , Brett Gurewitz , Jay Bentley , Greg Hetson , Brian Baker and Brooks Wackerman . Gurewitz is also the founder of the label Epitaph Records, which has released almost all of the...
and Pennywise
Pennywise (band)
Pennywise is a Californian punk rock band from Hermosa Beach, California, formed in 1988. The name is derived from the monster, It, from the Stephen King novel of the same title....
.
The album also took on the idea of "political interludes" between songs, reminiscent of the DC band The Nation of Ulysses. The use of more technological sounds or drum and bass
Drum and bass
Drum and bass is a type of electronic music which emerged in the late 1980s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats , with heavy bass and sub-bass lines...
music, particularly on the "New Noise" single/EP which followed the album, is a tactic that various members of Refused have credited to the influence of Philadelphia punk band Ink & Dagger.
Samples
- "Deadly Rhythm" samples Bo DiddleyBo DiddleyEllas Otha Bates , known by his stage name Bo Diddley, was an American rhythm and blues vocalist, guitarist, songwriter , and inventor...
's "I'm A Man". - The break in "New Noise" samples Col. Kurtz's famous monologue from Apocalypse NowApocalypse NowApocalypse Now is a 1979 American war film set during the Vietnam War, produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The central character is US Army special operations officer Captain Benjamin L. Willard , of MACV-SOG, an assassin sent to kill the renegade and presumed insane Special Forces...
.
Influence
The album's title (adapted from Ornette ColemanOrnette Coleman
Ornette Coleman is an American saxophonist, violinist, trumpeter and composer. He was one of the major innovators of the free jazz movement of the 1960s....
's seminal album The Shape of Jazz to Come
The Shape of Jazz to Come
The Shape of Jazz to Come is an influential album by Ornette Coleman. It was his debut album for Atlantic Records who released it in late 1959....
which was itself adapted from the title of the novel The Shape of Things to Come
The Shape of Things to Come
The Shape of Things to Come is a work of science fiction by H. G. Wells, published in 1933, which speculates on future events from 1933 until the year 2106. The book is dominated by Wells's belief in a world state as the solution to mankind's problems....
) ended up being largely prophetic, as it had widespread influence in the punk and hardcore communities. As evidence of this, many bands make reference to the work in some way. British band Million Dead
Million Dead
Million Dead were a hardcore punk band from London, UK, active between 2001 and 2005.-History:The band was founded in 2000 by Cameron Dean and Julia Ruzicka, after both came to London from Australia. They were joined by Ben Dawson, who had worked with Dean in a record shop in the city...
took their name from a line in the final song "The Apollo Programme Was a Hoax". Manchester band Sonic Boom Six
Sonic Boom Six
Sonic Boom Six are a five-piece rock band from Manchester, United Kingdom. Their eclectic sound combines different elements of several genres and has been described by Kerrang! as "taking ska, pop, grime, dubstep, punk and metal apart, then rebuilding them as a hyperactive hybrid"...
have also parodied the album name with their song "The Rape of Punk to Come" from the album Sounds to Consume
Sounds to Consume
Sounds to Consume is Sonic Boom Six's second release for Moon Ska Europe and comprises four new tracks alongside the four tracks from their original release, The Turbo EP...
, and Adequate Seven
Adequate Seven
Adequate Seven were a seven piece punk band from the UK who blended music styles such as hip hop, hardcore, punk, and funk who formed in 2000 and split in December 2006.-History:...
's first track on the album Songs of Innocence and Experience is called The Shape of Funk to Come. Power violence band United Nations
United Nations (band)
United Nations is an experimental punk supergroup whose roots go back to at least 2005. They consider "screamo power-violence" as their main influence.-History:United Nations was started by Geoff Rickly, the vocalist/lyricist of the band Thursday...
have a song on their self titled album called "The Shape of Punk That Never Came", and Montreal punk band The Sainte Catherines
The Sainte Catherines
The Sainte Catherines are a 6 piece punk-rock band who formed in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in 1999. The group's name comes from Rue Sainte-Catherine, one of Montreal's main streets. Their third record, The Art of Arrogance was released on local label Dare to Care Records in 2003 and on the German...
named a track from Dancing for Decadence "The Shape of Drunks to Come". The Paramore
Paramore
Paramore is an American rock band from Franklin, Tennessee, formed in 2004. The band consists of lead vocalist Hayley Williams, bassist Jeremy Davis, and guitarist Taylor York...
song "Born for This" also contains re-sung elements of "Liberation Frequency". During The Used
The Used
The Used is an American rock band from Orem, Utah. The band was founded in 2001 and signed to Reprise Records the same year. They rose to fame in June 2002 after releasing their self-titled debut album. They followed up with their second album, In Love and Death, in September 2004 and their third...
's live DVD Berth
Berth (album)
Berth is a live album by American post-hardcore band The Used that was released on February 6, 2007. It has since been certified gold.- Information :...
, they briefly break into the song "New Noise" before returning to their song "Maybe Memories". The Edinburgh hardcore band The Party Program got their name from this album. The demo of Massachusetts hardcore band Last Lights included the song "The Shape of Scum To Come," a play on the album's title. The band Showbread
Showbread (band)
Showbread is an American Christian rock band originating in Guyton, Georgia. More specifically, the band lives in a small community within Guyton called Marlow. They formed in 1997. The band has gone through numerous lineup changes since its formation but maintains its two founding members, Josh...
have often cited the album as one of their greatest influences. Decibel
Decibel
The decibel is a logarithmic unit that indicates the ratio of a physical quantity relative to a specified or implied reference level. A ratio in decibels is ten times the logarithm to base 10 of the ratio of two power quantities...
Magazine inducted The Shape of Punk to Come in its Hall of Fame for the September 2010 issue. The thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
band Anthrax
Anthrax
Anthrax is an acute disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Most forms of the disease are lethal, and it affects both humans and other animals...
covered this song on their 2011 album Worship Music.
DVD-Audio version
In 2004, a DVD-AudioDVD-Audio
DVD-Audio is a digital format for delivering high-fidelity audio content on a DVD. DVD-Audio is not intended to be a video delivery format and is not the same as video DVDs containing concert films or music videos....
version of the album was released, remixed in 5.1-channel Surround Sound
Surround sound
Surround sound encompasses a range of techniques such as for enriching the sound reproduction quality of an audio source with audio channels reproduced via additional, discrete speakers. Surround sound is characterized by a listener location or sweet spot where the audio effects work best, and...
. Many of the songs have been compositionally altered, some significantly. "Bruitist Pome #5," for example, has been thoroughly reworked, while a seven-minute version of "Refused Are Fuckin Dead" jarringly transitions into a new second half, which incorporates elements of the Bombe Je Remix
The New Noise Theology E.P.
The New Noise Theology E.P. is a release by Swedish hardcore/punk band Refused, which features their flagship song "New Noise", and the previously unreleased songs "Blind Date" and "Poetry Written in Gasoline". A remix of "Refused Are Fucking Dead", a song found on The Shape of Punk to Come, also...
of the song. Other songs have received new intros or outros.
Track listing
- "Worms of the Senses / Faculties of the Skull" – 7:05
- "Liberation Frequency" – 4:08
- "The Deadly Rhythm" – 3:34
- "Summerholidays vs. Punkroutine" – 4:01
- "Bruitist Pome #5" – 1:25
- "New Noise" – 5:08
- "The Refused Party Program" – 2:38
- "Protest Song '68" – 4:32
- "Refused Are Fuckin Dead" – 5:08
- "The Shape of Punk to Come" – 5:06
- "Tannhäuser / Derivè" – 8:07
- "The Apollo Programme Was a Hoax" – 4:13
2010 Reissue
In addition to the 12 tracks of the original disc, the 2010 reissue is packaged with two bonus discs.Disc 2: Live at Umeå Open festival (April 3, 1998)
- "Shape of Punk to Come" – 4:38
- "Refused Party Program" – 1:28
- "Circle Pit" – 2:48
- "Worms of the Senses / Faculties of the Skull" – 5:31
- "Hook, Line and Sinker" – 2:51
- "Summer Holidays vs. Punk Routine" – 3:54
- "Rather Be Dead" – 3:42
- "Burn It" – 2:33
- "The Deadly Rhythm" – 4:05
- "Coup d'Etat" – 5:10
- "New Noise" – 4:48
- "Tannhäuser" – 7:30
Disc 3: Refused Are Fucking Dead DVD
Personnel
The Shape of Punk to Come personnel as listed in album liner notes.Refused
- Dennis LyxzénDennis LyxzénDennis Lyxzén is a musician most famously known for being the lead vocalist for Swedish hardcore punk band Refused.-Career:...
– vocals - Kristofer SteenKristofer SteenKristofer Steen was born on June 26, 1974 and is a Swedish musician, best known for his years as a guitarist with the Swedish Hardcore/Punk band Refused...
– guitars, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Jon Brännström – guitars, samplesSampling (music)In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
- David SandströmDavid SandströmDavid Sandström was the drummer for hardcore punk group Refused. After Refused broke up David and the other members of Refused worked on a project entitled TEXT and released one album. Then David went on to do solo work...
– drums, guitars, melodicaMelodicaThe melodica, also known as the "blow-organ" or "key-flute", is a free-reed instrument similar to the melodeon and harmonica. It has a musical keyboard on top, and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument. Pressing a key opens a hole,...
Additional musicians
- Magnus Björklund – bass guitar, celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
- Torbjörn Näsbom – violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
- Jakob Munck – upright bass
- Pelle Henricsson – tambourineTambourineThe tambourine or marine is a musical instrument of the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called "zils". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, though some variants may not have a head at all....
Production
- Eskil Lövström, Pelle Henricsson, RefusedRefusedRefused was a Swedish hardcore punk band originating from Umeå, Sweden, formed in 1991. In total the band released five EPs and three albums, before splitting up in 1998...
– recording, productionRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
, masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced... - Andreas NilssonAndreas NilssonAndreas Nilsson is an artist and director based in Malmö, Sweden, best known for his contributions to the music videos of The Knife, Fever Ray, MGMT, Goldfrapp, José González, White Lies, Peter, Björn & John, Moby and Bright Eyes.-2010:...
– sound technician, recording, production, mixing, mastering
Art and design
- Dennis Lyxzén – art direction, layout
- José – layout
- David Sandström – photo collage
- Ulf Nyberg – Refused photos
- Axel Stattin – backcover photo