After the Beach Mutants (see here) broke up, then-bassist Brad Johnston's next band, Artificial Life (with Mike Brownlee on drums, Damon Hill and Jason Syrota on guitars, Jay Smith on lead vocals), took over as Winnipeg's kings of punk. Only now instead of monopolizing the basement of Wellington's they ruled the roost at the by-the-punk-for-the-punks club, The Cauldron. Listening to these songs, like "Death Dive", I was taken aback at its resemblance, musically, lyrically and vocally to S.N.F.U. It's not that they were slavish imitators - there's lots of little arrangement tricks and vocal hooks that are all their own - but it's obvious that S.N.F.U. visited Winnipeg constantly in this time.
Artificial Life - Death Dive
Artificial Life 7"
Thanks to Mike K. for the scans.
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Now that is some fine thrash...to bad it took me twenty two years to realise it.
ReplyDeleteYeah, "thrash" just before that term became interchangeable with 'thrash-metal". I occasionally miss that time.
ReplyDeleteYes! Yes! Yes! I'm stage-diving off the couch! Thanks Jeff.
ReplyDeleteAmen!
ReplyDeleteI guess only Winnipegers can truly appreciate this.