GENOVIA FOREVER – Shut Up And Listen! EP

genovia foreverWith a typeface best associated with UK anarcho-punks Crass and a number of US bands that launched careers in the early 80s, the choice of sleeve art on this EP from Illinois hardcore band Genovia Forever gives listeners a pretty good idea of what to expect. Except, there’s a twist: the band’s name, the people depicted on the sleeve and at least one of these songs provides a direct reference to The Princess Diaries…  Odd bedfellows indeed, but those things have inspired this four piece band to make an extremely angry recording – six tracks that recall those times when 7”s in monochrome wraparound sleeves sprang from DIY punk practitioners all across the US.

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REAL GONE GOES OUT: ALL – Islington Academy, London 28/04/14

Live shows in the UK by punk legends Descendents are a rarity and appearances by their sister band ALL even rarer.  With that in mind, this – ALL’s only UK show in 2014 and their first since forever – seemed like a visit from punk rock royalty.  Over the course of almost a quarter-century between 1988 and 2000, the on-again, off-again band recorded some great albums, with 1993’s ‘Breaking Things’ and 1998’s ‘Mass Nerder’ being just as essential in any collection as the Descendents’ seminal ‘Milo Goes To College’, and 1990’s ‘Allroy Saves’ standing as a good example of their more angular, playful and arty styles.  A support slot from UK punk stalwarts Snuff only heightened the idea that this one-off gig shouldn’t be missed.

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