Thursday, January 17, 2008

My Version Is Better Than Yours Part 7: Ascension Day Third World War vs Razar




Third World War -Ascension Day/Teddy Teeth Goes Sailing -Fly Records BUG 7 (1971 UK)


Third World War were THE brutal-Prolo-Punk band in 1971. Formed by the UK's John Sinclair -John Fenton with Jim Avery and Terry Stamp as main protagonists, they somehow managed to get two incendiary LPs released at the time. OK, there were other UK Agit -Rock bands around the time (Deviants, Pink Fairies, Edgar Broughton Band), but these guys sounded like they really REALLY meant it. Ascension Day is just so Brutal, Terry Stamp's vocals sound like a diseased bull terrier who’s throat nodules had been removed with sandpaper... DON'T YOU KNOW I FEEL PROUD... The guitar riffage is supreme and I'm sure this is where Blue Oyster Cult borrowed the riff for This Ain't The Summer Of Love from.

Razar -Ascension Day/Ain't No Mystery -Polydor 2058 983 (1978 UK)

7 years on and Jim Avery joined forces with Soho Jets main man Grant Stevens ( Denim Goddess) and presto, Ascension day "rises" again. Glam had come in-between both releases, and sure enough the drums really Blitz The Ballroom. They up the tempo, but it's not just Punk-by-numbers and the treatment is sufficiently different to make this new version worthwhile. Granted, Terry's gravel snarling performance could never be matched, but Grant Stevens has a great voice and updates the call to arms for the year O crowd.


Click on title for edit of both versions of Ascension Day.

5 comments:

45 Revolutions said...

Both great. Excellent post!

Collin said...

That whole first TWW LP is insane. 'Shephard's Bush Cowboy' is probably my fave - a mid 70s yob approximation of 'Stacker Lee' basically. And it's not just BOC - Gang Of Four/Pop Group I'm sure lifted their chopper angled guitar from Terry and pals. ...only they favoured talk over ACTION! ...in the vein of all true salon socialists.

And it's worth noting that the single version of 'A Little Bit Of Urban Rock' is much different from the second album cut and MUCH MUCH wilder. Necessary listin.'

EMM
EYE
FIVES
ALIVE!

Anonymous said...

A mere 10 years later (!), is there any chance you could briefly re-up the mp3? I love the TWW original but I'd never heard of the Razar 7" until 30 seconds ago!

Robin Wills said...

sorry all files were lost. I have the record but no time to go and find it...it is somewhere!

Robin Wills said...

but it's on Youtube! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMOKpCTAgzI