Punks Tapestries
Description: Wherever there is a great triumph, there is usually even greater tragedy. Such is the case with the Los Angeles hardcore-punk outfit known as the Germs, who, in four short years, lived dangerously, playing fast, brash rock 'n' roll with a much dirtier and nastier edge than their contemporaries; an edge that would prove to be sharp and deadly for the bands' confused and drug addicted lead singer. They only released a single studio album in 1979, but it was a banger stuffed with 17 songs dripping with aggression, despair, and pure rage. Titled (GI), the all-black cover with an enigmatic blue circle design echoed the Germs' stripped-down aesthetic perfectly and would be synonymous with the band until their untimely undoing in 1980.
Description: After being banned from all the major clubs in their hometown of Washington, DC, Bad Brains moved to New York City in 1981 and recorded their first album at 171-A. "Bad Brains" (also known as The Yellow Tape) is the debut studio album recorded by American hardcore punk/reggae band Bad Brains. Recorded in 1981 and released on cassette-only on February 5, 1982, many fans refer to it as "The Yellow Tape" because of its yellow packaging. Though Bad Brains had recorded the 16 song Black Dots album in 1979 and the 5-song Omega Sessions EP in 1980, the yellow cassette was the band's actual first release. The cover art depicts DC's Capitol Building being struck by a bolt of lightning, an obvious homage to their DC roots.
