GET BENT!

Review: The Consumers - All My Friends Are Dead (Reissue)

What was going on in Phoenix, Arizona in the mid-70s? Musically speaking, you had your typical cover band fare of the day. I mean, the people wanna hear the hits at a bar on Friday night! Presumably, like the countless other young men and women that formed punk bands at the time, the Consumers were fed up with the ho-hum rock music and disco that adorned corporate radio, watered down and fed to the hungry masses, and jumped at the chance to transform themselves into a punk band. What do you do when you can’t find a good song on the radio? You’re probably pissed off, and rightfully so, not only at the length of some of those tracks, but what you may also see as hopelessly contrived and downright boring. So, like any good citizen, you get good ‘n’ angry and write a punk song—one that cuts right to the point. Tossing a righteous rage and burning energy into the mix, the Consumers had a distinctly West Coast-flavored “hardcore punk” sound before most people had probably even heard of Black Flag. Yeah, take that, Phoenix!

Inspired by British punkers like the Sex Pistols and the Damned in their early stages, what’s an American band to do? Well, retaliate to with something faster and more hard-edged, naturally, but equally as energetic and confrontational—a kick to the jaw. From what I understand, these guys played to hostile audiences in their hometown, which doesn’t seem that surprising. The rednecks were looking to kick the snot out of anyone who dared to play that England or New York style of shit, let alone a band playing original material in a different style than what they were used to. Punk wasn’t cool, at least not in most states. Those, like the Consumers, that were brave enough to make that kind of statement weathered the storm.

Recorded in ‘77 or ‘78, All My Friends Are Dead wasn’t released until the mid-90s by In the Red, who probably had their minds blown just by the mere fact that it was recorded when it was and were thrilled to issue it. Angry, 99% bitter, in your face, really fast, and just plain (for sheer lack of a better description) fucking awesome. The blazing punk anthem “Anti Anti Anti” jumps out at you, the unofficial slogan for that blank generation of punk and, well, probably GET BENT. The lyrics and themes are pretty standard as far as punk is concerned (mocking consumer-driven society, religion, crooked politicians, highlighting teen angst), but they’re still timeless and relevant—doesn’t our teen angst seep its way into adulthood from time to time? In “Concerned Citizen”, they throw a “Mr. President, you are not my friend!” on the table, attacking and questioning authority, critical of the government’s interests. You know the formula already: you find something to get angry or excited about and churn out a little ditty. Raw power, baby. “Dream Hits” perfectly captures alienation and hostility, a sense of apathy and an escapist attitude when confronted with the world’s problems. “Get Out” is fifty confrontational seconds of pure piss and vinegar; a favorite, for certain.

The story pretty much ends where the guys said their collective “fuck you” to Phoenix by laying down their less-than-twenty-minute record on tape, packed up, and headed out to L.A., no doubt in search of like-minded souls. The Consumers were short-lived, but members would go on the form 45 Grave, which stuck a few of the Consumers’ staples in their repertoire here and there in the beginning. As it stands, All My Friends Are Dead is a hair-raising document that sounds great today. It’s gladly been reissued over at In the Red recently, so go get it while you can. It should have no problem weaseling its way into your record collection alongside the likes of Damaged (hell, even, Black Flag’s first EP with Keith Morris on vocals), the Bags’ compilation, (GI), and Avengers.

The Consumers - Get Out