Extreme music, especially metal, typically gets a bad rap. Instruments and vocals are often heavily distorted and the imagery used alerts school psychologists, counselors, and at one point the PMRC. But if each of these groups had just read the lyrics to most of these songs, they would have found them to be antiwar and anti-corporation, with ideals that championed integration, peace, and dare I say it, love.
  
Unseen Terror was formed in 1986 by Mitch Dickinson and Shane Embury. Pete Giles, Mick Harris, Wayne Aston, and Carl Stokes would each perform with the group, but on their debut album Human Error, it was only the two original members. Named after the radiation from the Chernobyl disaster, Unseen Terror is considered one of the originators of grindcore.
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“Divisions” is the 3rd song from Human Error. It’s a raw, classic grindcore track that wears its hardcore punk influences with pride. It’s also a song with lyrics that denounce racism and classism.

To differentiate themselves from the car and bird-named groups of the era, vocalists James Campbell, Dallas Taylor, Bernard Dixon, Walter Stephenson, and Richard Thomas came up with the Danderliers, a reference to the dandelion flower. After a string of failed auditions from various Chicago recording companies, producer Sam Smith of United Records was allegedly driving through Washington Park when he heard the group singing. He then hauled them into his brother Al’s basement to rehearse. Weeks later, we got “Chop Chop Boom”.
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“Chop Chop Boom” was recorded at Universal and released in 1955 on the States record label. What stands out to me on this number is the beautiful musicianship, most likely performed by bassist Al Smith (Sam’s brother), Red Holloway (sax), Lefty Bates (guitar), and drummer Vernel Fournier (who would go on to perform with Ahmad Jamal). I especially love the interplay between the musicians during the guitar solo and how the song fades out into a reverb wash. 

​Happy football, all seven minutes of it…

Like the 1970’s, the 1990’s was a decade filled with musical experimentation. Subgenres of dance and funk, as well as metal and electronic music changed the industry while blaring down college hallways and airwaves.

Not lost among this creativity were a slew of fantastic British rock bands, adding their noisy, “shoegazing” effects. Among this near third invasion was Echobelly, a shimmery, layered pop group, with a stunning front woman and sinfully catchy songs to match.
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“Dark Therapy” was released in February of 1996 as their third single from their second album On. It’s a downtempo number that takes its time getting to a brilliant chorus. It’s also a single that the record label never believed in, but to this day it’s one of my all-time favorites and should have received much more attention.