First and only album of Wisconsin band U.S. Distress released on their own Stress Records label in 1988.
U.S. Distress already existed from 1984 or so, releasing a 14-track demo full of raging hardcore punk. There seems to be another demo released in 1987 called 'Nowhere Fast'.
On this record, the band evolved to a more rocking sound. More midtempo songs although it contains a few shorter and faster tracks. Seems they got bored playing HC and went for a punk sound with guitar leads and all. Most will prefer the early sound I guess but this record is worth a listen.
'Ballroom Blitz' originally by Sweet.
1. Intro
2. Isn't Life Grand
3. Remember Yesterday
4. Enemy Me
5. Jess
6. Wreckless
7. Stuck
8. It's Too Late
9. Short-N-Sweet
10. War In The South
11. New World
12. Ballroom Blitz
U.S. Distress
On this record, the band evolved to a more rocking sound. More midtempo songs although it contains a few shorter and faster tracks. Seems they got bored playing HC and went for a punk sound with guitar leads and all. Most will prefer the early sound I guess but this record is worth a listen.
'Ballroom Blitz' originally by Sweet.
1. Intro2. Isn't Life Grand
3. Remember Yesterday
4. Enemy Me
5. Jess
6. Wreckless
7. Stuck
8. It's Too Late
9. Short-N-Sweet
10. War In The South
11. New World
12. Ballroom Blitz
U.S. Distress
10 comments:
Nice f***in' post!! I used to correspond with the band back in the day. They sent me a bunch of photos & the demo you are talking about - long since gone, sadly. Would love to hear it again... do you have it? (Or does anyone else?).
Cheers for the killer blog!
Thanks James Jesus! you can find the Oh Boy demo here:
http://old-fast-and-loud.blogspot.com/2009/12/us-distress-oh-boy-demo-84.html
Enjoy!
hey Curious Guy.... thanks so much for the link to the demo! Truly appreciate it. That demo rips... amazing to hear it after all these years. Better than the album, I think. But the album's well worth a spin. There were 1001 hardcore bands that just copied/listened to all the other HC bands at the time, and i got 100% burned out on the genre (and it took me quite a few years to get back into it, consequently). But U.S. Distress at their best were a cut above the pack - in hardcore's declining years. thanks again, & for the killer blog!! Cheers!
Hell yeah man, thank you for this! Always wondered if they'd done anyting beyond a demo i got thru trading and they did a cover of 'Born To Be Wild' - always remebered that, so figured why not give this a listen too.
Great job on the blog by the way - i visit from time to time to check things out, you guys really are about the equivalent of the paper zines we used to make back in the day.
cheers and best to ya
GLORIOUS TIMES
Anyone finds the Nowhere Fast Demo, let me know :)
oldschoolmike
us distress band members still around playing music here in kenosha wisconsin
I knew several of these guys. They were born on the hardcore scene that developed in Kenosha in the early 80's. Many from the west side of the city were the nucleus of this movement. One of the U.S. Distress guitar players was my best friend in 8th grade. By the time we were about 15 or 16, I was in a hard rock band playing lead guitar and I also helped him with his earliest punk covers when he first picked up the guitar. I remember sitting in his basement when he was with "The Dread" teaching him the bar chords for a couple Sex Pistols tunes (Bodies & Anarchy in the UK). ....I miss that dude and that era....
Thanks for re-upping all my requests.
I can't thank you enough.
The 'Oh Boy' demo by these guys is fantastic, any chance of getting this re-upped?
Thanks
You're welcome. New link. Enjoy!
I was the singer for USD
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