Death "For The Whole World To See" // Drag City // 1974~2009
As most others in the hesher world, I was a bit surprised when I heard this band for the first time. Immediately infectious and quintessentially punk, but the name -- well, obviously an all-black power trio from Detroit that plays absolutely amazing punk rock, well that's not the first thing that comes to mind when I hear the band name "Death."
...but it should be. The recordings included here were originally collected around (roughly) 1974 by the three-piece Hackney brothers. The story of Death is nearly as entrancing as the music. Lost in obscurity for over 30 years, it was only until 2009 that their LP ever saw the light of day. So the story goes, the surviving Hackney members had no idea of the actual impact they had upon the later punk movement. All they had ever told their combined 10 children was that they "were in a rock band during the 1970's." One day while at a party (which should be noted: was on the other side of the country), bass player Bobby's son heard a 7" that changed his life -- one that contained his father's vocals. Through further research (and an undoubtedly interesting family conversation), Bobby Jr. discovered that his father was indeed the bass player and vocalist for the ever-cult Death from Detroit.
This situation eventually led to the discovery of an old collection of reel-to-reel tapes that contained the masterpiece featured here, prompted primarily by the motivation of Bobby Jr. and a somewhat obscure discovery by some of Drag City's finer seekers.
This is a record that features the ever-present ever-impressive sound of superchaged Detroit rock-n-roll during the late 1960's and early 1970's, yet combines the absolute fury to follow with the punk rock movement of the later 70's and early 80's. A true missing link, and this isn't nearly the whole story...
...but it should be. The recordings included here were originally collected around (roughly) 1974 by the three-piece Hackney brothers. The story of Death is nearly as entrancing as the music. Lost in obscurity for over 30 years, it was only until 2009 that their LP ever saw the light of day. So the story goes, the surviving Hackney members had no idea of the actual impact they had upon the later punk movement. All they had ever told their combined 10 children was that they "were in a rock band during the 1970's." One day while at a party (which should be noted: was on the other side of the country), bass player Bobby's son heard a 7" that changed his life -- one that contained his father's vocals. Through further research (and an undoubtedly interesting family conversation), Bobby Jr. discovered that his father was indeed the bass player and vocalist for the ever-cult Death from Detroit.
This situation eventually led to the discovery of an old collection of reel-to-reel tapes that contained the masterpiece featured here, prompted primarily by the motivation of Bobby Jr. and a somewhat obscure discovery by some of Drag City's finer seekers.
This is a record that features the ever-present ever-impressive sound of superchaged Detroit rock-n-roll during the late 1960's and early 1970's, yet combines the absolute fury to follow with the punk rock movement of the later 70's and early 80's. A true missing link, and this isn't nearly the whole story...
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