The 1982 Listening Post - Vice Squad - Stand Strong Stand Proud

Vice Squad - Stand Strong Stand Proud 

January 1982

Vice Squad 

Stand Strong Stand Proud

Genre: Punk

2 out of 5

Highlights:

Propaganda

If there is one thing I don’t like about some 80s punk is the same thing issue I have with some mediocre Queen songs. They have a title and that’s the chorus, regardless of whether it can sustain a song or not. “If You Can’t Beat Them” is one of those. It feels like they were writing to that phrase instead of letting the song come together organically or be led by the melody or even a poem.

Adam Ant did that a lot as well.

But in both cases, the musicianship and/or the charisma could make up for what the song(s) lacked. 

“Stand Strong Stand Proud” doesn’t have that musicianship, craft or charisma in Beckies Bondage’s frontwoman posing. So it follows that annoying “let’s write a song around a phrase” trope. And then its followed by the opposite where, on “Humane” she hews, melodically, so close to the chorus that it comes off as amateur hour. Or…punk. 80s punk.

It gets weird at the very end and I appreciate what they are trying to do on “Propaganda”. It’s really the only time the record shows any interesting ideas. 

https://open.spotify.com/album/1eN0PXAzbqlmpbxKqnBOg7?si=oUArkQ0wRHWm8g9sRTGmKQ&dl_branch=1

The 1981 Listening Post - Vice Squad - No Cause for Concern

 Vice Squad - No cause for Concern

#472

October 6 1981

Vice Squad

No Cause for Concern

Genre: Punk

Highlights:

Evil

I’ve many times told the story of my very short lived Spinal tap inspired punk band, The Yeast Infection” (or just Yeast Infection, depending on your memory) and our one gig at The Dive bar in NY. 

I’m not going to waste words here to regale of that story. But, suffice to say, we sounded very similar and as poorly produced as this. And we didn’t have an album.

This is a muddy mess that sounds like it was recorded live at The Dive. 

It might be in the Plasmatics vein but it’s just so poorly mixed that I can’t tell.
Here’s what I do appreciate: Lead singer and primary Vice Squad force, Beki Bondage was 18 when she made this record. While she would have fit in well into our band, she’s really more of a spiritual companion to the likes of Poly Styrene and no doubt an influence on Bianca Butthole. 

What I wanna know is what Beki does in real life. She’s really young, what has her life been outside of playing punk music? I’d research it but the album ended and I forgot. 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/no-cause-for-concern/691469882