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A quick guide to Bags releases

In Detail

Problem c/w No Better

The Bodybags' first single was released in 1994 by the Damaged Goods label, who incidentally produced the Manic Street Preachers second single. The label manager once described 100,000 Bodybags as "the most obnoxious bunch of fuckers I've ever released a record by." The A side, Problem, was biting wit. It's lyrical theme of Dennis Hopper cop-gone-crazy was set to a pumping rhythm and solid guitar. It features some of Simon's best backing vocals. The sleeve featured a picture of the Prime Minister, John Major, looking worried and exhausted, bookended by two incredibly jolly coppers.

The initial pressing was in glorious lipstick red. The writing credits are:

• Problem   - Bruzas

• No Better - Bruzas/Cullen

7" Front		7" Rear		The Insert

Some reviews of the single.

Cellotape Fanzine.

"Nirvana have done it for the USA, and 100,000 Bodybags should do it for the U.K. The most politically-aware band since Crass, like Fugazi on acid. The former top-of-the-bill on Manic Street Preachers night of support have hit the right spot, they are sure to surpass The Manics quite simply because they are better than them. Oh! And why have I written twice as much about them than any other band? Cos they're twice as good as any other band I've heard. 5 stars."

Sleezine

"Problem kicks you in the balls, while No Better lays into you when you're down. Earth-shattering."

www.cobraside.com

"The debut single from these Welsh political punks. A fantastic 7" with a Dead Kennedys feel."

Click on the picture for a sneak preview of Problem. If you want to order a copy, email 100,000 BodyBags or contact  Damaged Goods directly.

She's a Stereotype c/w C.A.T

After the relative critical success of Problem, Damaged Goods Records asked them to go back to the studio to record a follow-up single. She's a Stereotype was coupled with C.A.T - a track written by a close friend of the band, who destined to become the second guitarist, Mad Ant. The label arranged some gigs to promote the new vinyl. A small riot erupted at the pub and, in the aftermath, Damaged Goods Records and the band parted company.

The writing credits are:

• She's a Stereotype   - Bruzas

• C.A.T                          - Gingell

Although C.A.T is attributed to Gingel (sic) / BodyBags, the track was penned by Mad Ant during his days with Orange Free State - an indie/rock band that was destined not to shake the world. The Bodybags put their name on it because, in Brewer's words, they didn't want their record company to think that they didn't have enough songs. Which is crazy. I've never known a band to have so many songs lying around.

7" Front		7" Rear

Some reviews from the time.

PhlemGodZine

"The low-down dirty production reminds me of the Spermbirds. Can't have my copy. No! No! No!"

Cobraside.com

"Loud and Noisy." [Just as Punk Rock should be.]

Click on the picture for a sneak preview of She's a Stereotype. If you want to order a copy, email 100,000 BodyBags or contact  Damaged Goods directly. This is a lo-fi sample.

Last of the New Wave c/w Love is Dead

November 1996 saw the release of a Double A side with the Weird Records label. There was a first pressing of 500 units. The pressing company incorrectly labelled Last of the New Wave as Last of the New Age on the vinyl.

The writing credits are:

• Last of the New Wave - Bruzas/Ellison

• Love is Dead               - Bruzas/Cullen

7" Front		7" Rear		The Insert	A photo from the New Wave photo session

Reviews for the single include:

 Weird Records

"Great sing-along tunes. Infectious. You'll be humming this at work."

 Know Records

"Early South California style Surf Punk similar to the band Agent Orange."
 

 NNNW

"Two powerful catchy 80's style tunes."

 Happy-House

"100,000 BodyBags? Sounds like they're a raging holocaust of noise, which couldn't be further from the truth! What this power-pop-punk combo give you are two gems harking back to Guns 'N' Wankers, The Queers, The Wildhearts, and shades of The Pixies. This is real, boppy, summertime punk, which you'll play over and over again."

 

Click on the picture for a preview of Last of the New Wave. If you want to order a copy, email 100,000 BodyBags or contact  Weird Records directly.

Schoolroom Politics (Compilation)

After the vinyl singles, came the arrival of a CD. A strapping collection of all the previously recorded material plus several unreleased songs. It came with a stark monochrome cover and an excerpt from a political manifesto on the back. This was to be a single edition of 500 individually numbered CDs for the Smoking Troll label. It showed the Bags evolving from a straight punk band into something more diverse.

Some background to the songs

• Nothing, and See Me Now  were recorded as the proposed first single for Weird Records but the band didn't submit the tracks to the record company as the final product didn't match their expectations..

• Sick 'n' Tired was recorded at the Blaina rehearsal rooms with Mad Ant as producer and player, long before he joined the 'Bags. Three other songs were recorded at that time, none of them making it to the compilation.

• Die Like a Rockstar was recorded at SBS (Sound Bank Studios) during the Last of the New Wave sessions but failed to make it to vinyl. Because The 'Bags felt the quality was low, they passed it off as a live track on the Fuck the Famous Years compilation CD - A Cream of the Crop release.

CD Front		CD Insert (Outer)		CD Insert (Inner)		CD Rear

Track Listing (All songs Bruzas unless stated otherwise):

1. Nothing                          (100,000 Bodybags)

2. See Me Now

3. Sick 'n' Tired

4. Problem

5. No Better                              (Bruzas/Cullen)

6. She's a Stereotype

7. Information

8. C.A.T                             (Gingell)

9. Love is Dead                (Bruzas/Cullen)

10. Last of the New Wave  (Bruzas/Ellison)

11. Die like a Rock Star (Live)

Here's a review of the time from Happy-House. The reviewer seemed unaware that it was a compilation of songs stretching across a five-year period.

"100,000 BODYBAGS - Schoolroom Politics I couldn’t get into this album at all. It all seemed to go over my head. I can see what they’re trying to do but in experimenting with so many different styles they've produced a series of monotonous songs. They emphasise the style and thereby quash any originality. I'd like to hear them when they’ve consolidated their ideas and looked at their song structures. No Better shows promise in a Fugazi meets Nirvana fusion, as does C.A.T and Last of The New Wave. Unfortunately they’re the only ones that do."

Click on the picture for a trimmed version of Nothing.

Click on the picture for a trimmed version of See Me Now.

Left Wing, Right Wing, Ra! Ra! Ra!

Left Wing, Right Wing, Ra! Ra! Ra! was recorded during December 1998 at Sound Bank Studios by Glenn Powell, the Manic Street Preachers first record producer. It was the first recording to feature Mad Ant as an official Bags member. Although the tracks never deviate radically from the power-pop/punk vein they successfully combine a wide mix of musical influences. From the frantic bitter insults, and final rejection, of Adore, and the deceptively mellow reggae of Jail we arrive at the the sinister cynicism of Pavlov's Dogs. The next track, Father of Lies, takes a look at the deeper side of evil. "Conspiracy's my buzzword, cos it covers my tracks well...". The last song, Wake-Up Call, is a real favourite at gigs, and a good high to close the CD. Wake-Up Call was commissioned as a single for fanzine and occasional record outlet, Cream of the Crop. But the single was pulled when the company folded.

CD Front		CD Insert (Outer)		CD Insert (Inner)		CD Rear

Track Listing (All songs Bruzas/Gingell unless stated otherwise):

1. Adore

2. Jail                      (Ellison/Cullen/Bruzas)

3. Pavlov's Dogs

4. Father of Lies

5. Wake-up Call    (Bruzas/Cullen)

Tracks 1,3 and 4 were separate compositions by Gingell or Bruzas but they agreed to share the writing credit on each other's songs. The sleeve was designed by Mad Ant.

Here's a review of the time from Cream of the Crop - a Welsh fanzine.

"Self-financed, this time. It looks the package, all right, and the sound of the band since Mad Ant has joined has become something special. More fierce, yet more melodic, yet more power. It sees the 'Bags stepping up that gear, to what they've always deserved. I know the ethics of this band has never been to sell out. What's come to them has always been on their terms. Bow down to ya lot.

The CD has loads of political artwork, and lyrics that will provoke you. Adore is punk. And Simon knows how to talk a song with his drums. "You blue-eyed Satan's whore" is paired with a picture of a Hitler Youth. Jail is my fave because of the dub drum sounds. Does remind me of the late great Blaggers ITA, its on a par and should be noticed. Father of Lies has Manics guitar licks, but when you've taught them all you know, Brewer, why not use the sound yourself. There isn't a bad song on this. It's time for a full studio album."

	Click on the picture for a trimmed version of Jail. If you want to order a copy, email 100,000 BodyBags.
	Click on the picture for a trimmed version of Wake-Up Call. If you want to order a copy, email 100,000 BodyBags.

Iconoclast

This six-track mini-album was recorded at Sound Bank Studios during the Summer of 2001. It was the last recording to feature Mickey Ellison. Iconoclast has the only recorded cover, Hungry like the Wolf by Duran Duran. The BodyBags version was faster, more raucous, and quite honestly the way Duran SHOULD have played it.

CD Front		CD Insert (Outer)		CD Insert (Inner)		CD Rear

Track listing (All songs Bruzas/Gingell unless stated otherwise):

1. Battle Hymn (of the New Republic)

2. Remember Me

3. Superglue

4. Back Again

5. Concentration Camp    (Cullen/Bruzas)

6. Hungry like the Wolf      (Duran Duran)

The sleeve was designed by Simon Cullen.

Click on the picture for a trimmed version of Remember Me. If you want to order a copy of this CD, email 100,000 BodyBags.

There are no Conspiracies (But the One True Conspiracy)

With Mickey gone, 100,000 Bodybags began an experimental album. For technophiles, the tracks were recorded on a Delta 1010 24-bit 96KHz digital recording system using Logic Delta as the mixing software. Sound Forge treated sounds after they'd been recorded rather than as the instrument was played. Reason 2 provided synth loops and background tracks. The album took a year to record and mix. The woman's voice on track 3 is Marilyn Monroe, sampled from extracts.

CD Booklet - Outer pages Rear                      Front		CD Booklet - Inner pages		CD Rear

Track Listing (All songs Bruzas/Gingell unless stated otherwise):

1. Laura Is

2. Certified Dead (In '85)   (Cullen/Bruzas/Gingell)

3. Sister Virtue

4. Go Supernova

5. Here come the Police

6. Didn't I know You?

7. Entropy

The sleeve was designed by Mad Ant.

 

Click on the picture for a trimmed version of Sister Virtue (Marilyn Mix). If you want to order a copy of this CD, email 100,000 BodyBags.

Click on the picture for a trimmed version of Didn't I Know You? If you want to order a copy, email 100,000 BodyBags.

Bodybags Volume 2

In 1992 to 1993, the Bodybags worked with Mad Ant on a tape of demos prior to their first deal with Damaged Goods. The songs featured early versions of Laura Is, Sister Virtue  and Problem (the debut single-to-be). Several versions of Sister Virtue exist from those days: one was a glorious Pop-Goth outing produced by Jackson from the Newport band, Novocaine; and a more traditional Bodybags style rocker produced by Mad Ant.

Track Listing:

1. Problem

2. Worthless Soldier

3. Social Disease

4. Pretty Thing

5. Sister Virtue

6. Laura Is There

The songs were labelled as Bruzas/Ellison/Cullen compositions, although later vinyl releases corrected the writer credits.

Animals and Spirits (Fanzine Compilation Tape)

In 1993, two 100,000 Bodybags songs featured on a collection that included the UK Subs, Goober Patrol, and Mad Ant's band, Orange Free State. The two songs featured were Problem and Get A Life.

Full 192K samples are available on request. Contact us via eMail to order copies.

Singles £2.00 (+P&P)
CD's £5.00 (+P&P)
Left Wing Right Wing Ra! Ra! Ra! £3.50 (+P&P)