Not So Quiet on the Western Front

Various Artists (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 11, 1999)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Alternative Tentacles
• ASIN: B00000HZNM
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #214,019 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A slice of early 80's Americana, September 16, 2002

By 

David Blakeslee (Wyoming, MI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Not So Quiet on the Western Front (Audio CD)

No, it ain't the music of back-woods hillbillies or lonesome cowboys out on the range, but it's no less authentic or expressive of a unique moment in American culture. Perhaps we are still too close to this era to recognize what a spontaneous and authentic musical phenomenon took place in the days before hardcore punk became mired in its own cliches and formulas. I myself was a part of this scene, and my band, the Church Police, is one of the 49 groups from California and Nevada that fill this CD. Not all of the bands, but many, were what I call "suburban subdivision bedroom bands," because that's where we played some of our best music and, in a few cases, where some of these recordings were made.

It's hard to imagine a compilation that could have done a better job at representing what was happening in the punk scene at the time. There are a few of the big name S.F. bands, the Dead Kennedys and Flipper, that were main players in that era, but they don't dominate the collection (though Flipper's cut is probably the longest.) Instead, what strikes me most vividly now is the fresh sound and brashness of these bands. It's kind of funny listening to them, such a blend of hyped emotions, serious anger and alienation, but tempered by irony because most of the bands knew that they really weren't gonna go anywhere as far as a "career" was concerned. We were as interested in getting into the shows for free ("put me on your guest list!") and maybe winding up the night with 25 or 50 bucks in our pockets after all was said and done. You gotta love the spontaneity and craziness that these kids brought to their music. It would be incredible to have a reunion of these bands, not that too many of them are doing much with music these days, I imagine. I don't listen to a whole lot of underground hardcore these days, but if you want a top-notch sampler of the "real stuff" I recommend this without reservation.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a great compilation!, June 24, 1999

By 

Paul Moraga (San Francisco, CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Not So Quiet on the Western Front (Audio CD)

I've been waiting for years for this to be issued on CD! I don't know what happened to my record. This CD is a great document of the N. California punk scene of the early 80's. I was there and I saw probably 35-40 of the 47 bands on this recording. There's a wide variety of styles on this CD and if you like punk, you're sure to find something to like here. If you don't like punk, go check out the Kenny G selection.

BUY IT TODAY! You won't be disappointed.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Punk's breeding ground, July 30, 2000

By 

"stbob" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Not So Quiet on the Western Front (Audio CD)

This album spawned more punks than any other! It is a definitive collection. Every punk worth his boots was reading Maximum Rock'N'Roll, even if they hated it, and this was the definitive release by Maximum Rock'N'Roll and Alternative Tentactles. I'd list the standouts, but they ALL stood out. Buy this album. Buy it. Buy it.