The brief lifespan of the Washington, DC-based hardcore band State Of Alert (SOA) is only rivaled by the shortness of their songs. A launching point for some of the most influential punk musicians of the 1980s (who would go o to bands including Black Flag, Faith, and Embrace), SOA burned out before they ever had a chance to shine.
Fronted by in-your-face front man Henry Garfield (later to be known by the moniker Henry Rollins), SOA packed a wealth of music into their nine-month lifespan. Opening a window into what Rollins’ career would become, SOA’s songs were short and to the point as Garfield wailed about fighting, rioting, and not trusting the man/establishment, topics that littered all punk music of that time period. With the brevity of SOA’s lifespan, the devout fan base had the proverbial rug yanked out from under them just as they were getting knee-deep into the music. One lone EP and a few tracks on a Dischord compilation are all that was left of SOA, less than 30 minutes of music, until now.
Exciting punk aficionados everywhere, Dischord Records have grown the SOA collection with the release of the seven-inch First Demo. An eight-song whirlwind of unbridled energy, First Demo pushes the curtains back, just a little, on SOA’s musical legacy by offering up a first listen to the pre-No Policy recordings. While “Disease” and “Stepping Stone Party” (their version of the Monkees tune) appear on Flex Your Head, and “Gonna Have To Fight” is from No Policy, the versions on this demo of the other five songs can now be heard for the first time, more than 33 years after they were recorded.
The rawness on songs such as “Gangfight” and “Riot” changes the texture of the songs, capturing the live aesthetics of an out-of-control punk show. You can almost feel the nasty sweat flying off of Garfield’s brow. SOA classics “Warzone” and “Draw A Blank” are more aggressive, focusing more on Henry’s words than just being loud. The gem of the record is “Public Defender,” a classic anti-authority punk song. Led by Michael Hampton’s blistering guitar riffs, this version bores into your brain, and for a split-second you want to go flip over a police car or light something on fire.
While SOA was far from groundbreaking, their music is a must listen for punk lovers everywhere. Garfield and crew packed more punch into their 40-second songs than many musicians did in a lifetime. First Demo is a nice addition to their minimal collection.
(Dischord Records, 3819 Beecher Street, Washington, DC 20007)