*** THE EAGLE FLIES AGAIN ... AMERICAN Oi! ANTHEMS FROM THE CITY OF ATLANTA OUT OF THE GOLDEN 1980'S ***

A month passed since the last entry of the sort of the 'American Oi! History Series', and so it's really about time that this series continues here on this very blog. But there's a little change in the 'to-do-list' of this series, 'cause primarly I wanted to let the ALMIGHTY LUMBERJACKS OF DEATH from Detroit become the next ones featured here but this I have changed because after with THE ANTI-HEROS before we already had been down to Atlanta I decided to stay in the city of Atlanta and make this one here a double post entry to the two great old and heavily underrated American Oi! bands of the names of MOONSTOMP and THE KICKER BOYS 'cause both bands had been from Atlanta and I just thought that it might be more logical correct to let this two bands become the next ones featured in the series. And you now may ask yourself why the hell both bands featured as one in only one entry?!? You're asking yourself the wrong questions, haha, 'caue try it with: Why not;-)?!? But, okay, okay, serious again, the full length releases of both bands had been released compiled together back in the days (of 1994, as a rerelease) by "Step 1 - Music" on silver shining disc and this is justification enough for me to do as I want to do here with this post on this very blog here. Maybe a shady justification, but there's nothing you can do about or even against it, ha;-)!!! So, now to some great old school American Oi! from Atlanta!!!

*** Atlanta American Oi! ***

 MOONSTOMP

*** Atlanta American Oi! ***

MOONSTOMP were an American Oi! band from Atlanta, Georgia. They were a through and through Skinhead band, but they only existed for a very short time. They came together in the late 1980's, after the band members were oiginally from somewhere around St. Louis and moved over to Atlanta. The band was founded by the friends of Gary, Townshend, Alan and 'Big Ed'. The last one, called 'Big Ed', some of you might now from the steps of his later 'carreer' that soon started after the end of MOONSTOMP. He moved towards the radical and extreme right wing and became leading part in the fascist Hammerskin movement and the White Power NS band BOUND FOR GLORY (and other more or less WP 14/88 bands of the different musical styles like BEFORE GOD, THE BULLY BOYS, PLUNDER & PILLAGE, etc. pp.), and that's from where he still gets his 'fame' today. But this was nothing to that MOONSTOMP had been connected anyhow. They've released one full length record called "THEY NEVER SEE" back in 1989 via "Link Records", and like so many other bands they totally got screwed by them and never saw one tired buck being payed to them by the label for it. Also they were featured on the legendary "THE U.S. OF Oi!" compilation (that also was released by "Link Records"), and also on the "STILL OUT OF FUCKING ORDER" sampler record.

They became very quick defamed as being racists if not Nazis, but that's totally bullshit. Okay, maybe you can say after what time can tell us today that this wasn't that wrong at all at the end of the day when it comes to 'Big Ed', but when it comes to MOONSTOMP that's totally bullshit. One of the band members weared a SKREWDRIVER button on his jacket, and also this was already back in the days reason enough for all the jackasses out there to start the defaming hustle. Fuck it!!! Had they been a Red Front band? Nah, in no goddamn fucking way! Were they a liberal band? Nah, not really, also the lyrics to "TOO PROUD TO BEG" would also please some guys in the german liberal party called FDP... oh, but not that you let the FDP guys know about that they are on the same page with an old American Skinhead Oi! band, haha;-). They were an american patriotic Skinhead Oi! band with a strong conservative stance. And yes, they never really cared about what the bullshit media or the shitfaced scene police thought and talked about them anyhow, they never justified themselves for something they had never been. Hm, would maybe also be a good characteristica for the so called Oi! bands of today... They played a very hard hitting and really heavy stomping style of American Oi! music that was strong rockin' an really kicked more ass and owned more balls than the most of the hyped crap bands of today. Sharp and dirty, edged guitar work, a forceful and power pumpin' rhythm section, fat crew shouts, and a very charismatic lead vocals had been the cornerstones of their damn great music, that was mercyless forward pushing all the time and also marked by some very good and very strong songwriting. Great stuff!!! Lyrically they were a very outspoken band. Conservative, patriotic and very militant and against the Soviet Union and the threat of the Soviets (or the so called Reds). Keep in mind, that the late 1980's had been the last but also still pretty hot phase of the so called Cold War. They were a political band and outspoken on many issues, like for example parasitic lifestyles due to a too much grown Welfare State, the pride and life of the Working Class, and many more. Musically as well as lyrically MOONSTOMP had always been- and are it still- a totally over the top band. Point and fact!!! Just check out great anthems like "NOTHING AT ALL", "TOO PROUD TO BEG", "STARS & STRIPES", "STRONG FREE NATION", "GET YOU BACK", "HONEST WORKIN' MAN", and "HAVIN' FUN" and you all will know what I mean. Great band!!! Cheers & Oi! (Sadly enough I found no link that would lead you to a somehow band homepage ever...)

*** Atlanta American Oi! ***

 THE KICKER BOYS

*** Atlanta American Oi! ***

The next ones on the list are the mighty THE KICKER BOYS also from the city of Atlanta, Georgia. They were part of the first American Oi! wave to flood the country and drowned the Hippies as well as the Yuppies under their waves of boots & aggro. Also THE KICKER BOYS, like MOONSTOMP, too, released just this one single full length record here, also via the fake ass "Link Records" label, and they were also featured on the great "THE U.S. OF Oi!" compilation record. They played already back in the days a very stand-alone style of American Oi! music basically totally free of any Hardcore vibe in it but really very strong influenced by Hardrock music like for example the godfathers of MOTÖRHEAD, and this you can still today here by listening to their record when you concentrate on the very present bass playing that's marking the songs also in a very heavy way that's comparable to the mentioned MOTÖRHEAD. But okay, maybe the reason for this very own and unique sound was their homeground Atlanta, 'cause all great bands from there, like THE ANTI-HEROS and MOONSTOMP, owned their very own style of sound and music. Blame it on the distance to the big cities like Los Angeles, Boston, and New York so that the Hardcore influences in music, style, attitude, and way of life just had been to far away and simply not fitting to the mentality of Atlanta... but why should you blame it on anything or anyone because there's no blame to be aimed on anyone or anything, 'cause all the mentioned Atlanta bands are great stuff. Hardrock'n'Oi! music from the States, with some very strong guitar playing and really phenomenal bass work, made round by hard stomping drumming and great lead vocals. Thumbs up!!! On top of it we do get a big bunch of damn good lyrics, from outspoken and critical stuff to personal vendetta issues and also some fun lyrics. Like the old saying goes, Oi! is having a laugh and having a say. Also they seem to have had a very positive Anti-Nazi attitude, what's always a good thing, at least if you ask me!!! Just listen to great songs like "HANDGUN", "OUT FROM THE UNDERWORLD", "SITAR (I HATE HIPPIES)", "KICKER BOi!S", "HATED & PROUD", and "SKA BOYS", and you will know what had maked this band so soecial and great, and makes this band that still today. Not much known abou them anyhow, and also it seems like nobody do know where the hell the guys of THE KICKER BOYS went after they called it a day after releasing this self-titled record as their only release up to this day. But somehow there's a MySpace site of them existing, so go to http://www.myspace.com/kickerboys and enjoy their sound. Great band and a great reocrd!!! Point and fact!!!! Cheers & Oi!

The records of MOONSTOMP and THE KICKER BOYS had been rereleased back in 1994 by "Step 1 - Music" on one CD, I think also with some songs that weren't on the LP versions the first time they had been released (by "Link Records"), and this CD rerelease you can find with some luck also floating around today so go and search after it, 'cause it's really worth your time and your money, trust me!!! Okay, next stop will finally be Detroit to pay tribute to the ALMIGHTY LUMBERJACK OF DEATH. Cheers & Oi!

Okay, to THE KICKER BOYS I found a MySpace site and to MOONSTOMP not, but when it comes to videos it's vice versa, so now you get a video clip of the great MOONSTOMP anthem "HONEST WORKIN' MAN", so I hope you will enjoy it!!!

MOONTOMP - "HONEST WORKIN' MAN"