battle for l.a.: a see/saw benefit compilation

BATTLE FOR L.A.: a see/saw benefit features 40 previously unreleased punk and rock'n'roll songs. In an effort to help individuals and families who lost homes in the Eaton and Palisades fires, proceeds will be allocated to multiple fundraising efforts for those in need of assistance. It’s a massive pile of music for $10, or whatever additional amount you’d wanna give, on Bandcamp.

There are 100 cassettes available via Knuckles on Stun. Half are on transparent red tapes, the other half on transparent yellow. They’ll include download codes. They’re expected to ship by March 10. I curated it, Tyler Nickell did the artwork, and Andres Wade took care of mastering.

My deepest, sincerest thanks to every artist who submitted a song. I’m still in some form of disbelief that Shogun dug into his hard drive and unearthed a ballad, Annie Sparrows from Panel entrusted me with the “Victoria” demo, Connie Voltaire wrote a new Neo Neos song called “see/saw,” Buio Omega went full Minneapolis with a Hüsker Dü cover, Rob Craig slid over a DOOM III track that stands up with his best Buck Biloxi and Giorgio Murderer stuff, SPLLIT finished up an old demo for this, and Tyvek—probably my favorite band on the planet—got together to record a new song for this.

Sweeping Promises recorded their cover of the Prince-penned Bangles classic “Manic Monday” at their home studio in Lawrence, Kansas while working on their forthcoming as-yet unannounced new album. “I have a funny relationship to this song,” Lira Mondal wrote. “My mom was/is a huge Bangles fan, and when I was a little girl—like, 7 or 8—she made me memorize the song and sing it to her co-workers in the cosmetic aisle of a Wal-Mart (one of her many odd jobs growing up), and it’s one of the most bewildering memories I have of singing in public.”

Shout out to all the Aussies who brought their A-game for this one, including Gee Tee, Busted Head Racket, Billiam, the Judges, Meow Meow and the Smackouts, and Piss Wizard. The comp closes with a stunning new song from Chelsea, and another member of the Submissives appears on track 30 under the name Teetotaller. It rules to have two absolute rippers from two of Detroit’s finest in TY and COFFER. I was legitimately giddy that Adult Human Females had an extra recording from their exceptional Live at Tompkins Square Park record from last year.

Keeping it all in the family is the DC krautrock trio Motherfuckers JMB & Co., who appear here with “Kind.” That band features my cousin Marc Minsker on guitar/bass, Jim Thomson on drums, and Brian Weitz (Animal Collective’s Geologist) on hurdy-gurdy. Marc is one of my heroes and this band is extremely sick.

All of these bands put out records I strongly recommend from the past year or so: Bermuda Squares, Celebrity Sighting, Still Animals, Yuasa-Exide, Benzin, Twisted Teens, Shrudd, Waylon Thornton, nunofyrbeeswax, and Ace of Spit. It means a ton to include the work of newer bands like P. Noid, Answering Machines, Poo Poo Talks, Sonia, and Pizza King Girl.

The Fugitive Bubble track will appear on the band’s next full-length, which is coming soon on Sorry State. Abi Ooze never misses, and in the middle of a tour, sent over a hit. Motorbike are about to put out a new album, shout out Jerry for passing along a demo. Eau Claire’s gash embark on an odyssey with their track, which is exactly what I want and expect from their records. I enjoy Beer’s EPs more than I enjoy beer. This song kicking off with a huge burp? Mama mia.

Thanks to all the punk rockers who made this project possible. Go buy yourself a copy of this thing

BATTLE FOR L.A.: a see/saw benefit

01 TY: Stuck
02 DOOM III: Outside Dogs
03 Gee Tee: Hit With a Club
04 Benzin: Immer Noch
05 Meow Meow and the Smackouts: Bubonic Babe
06 Sonia: Emotional Pickle
07 Motherfuckers JMB & Co: Kind
08 Adult Human Females: This Town (Live at Tompkins Square Park)
09 Busted Head Racket: Hard to Reach (demo)
10 Beer: Johnny Cakes
11 Twisted Teens: Circus Clown
12 Abi Ooze: TALL KING
13 Poo Poo Talks: Shit Pants
14 Shrudd: Stagnant
15 Neo Neos: Altoona Beach - see/saw
16 Shogun: No Home
17 Answering Machines: Telephone Wire
18 Sweeping Promises: Manic Monday (The Bangles cover)
19 Celebrity Sighting: Savior Complex (demo)
20 The Judges: Ripped Off
21 Fugitive Bubble: E.F.T.I.O.
22 gash: everyone I know
23 Piss Wizard: Walls
24 Yuasa-Exide: Spit
25 Motorbike: True Method (demo)
26 COFFER: NINETEENTH NERVOUS BREAKDOWN
27 Panel: Victoria (demo)
28 P. Noid: Won’t You Come Home
29 Billiam: Wesfarmers Song
30 Teetotaller: Post Concussion Reds
31 Bermuda Squares: Asphyxia
32 Tyvek: I’ve Got TV
33 SPLLIT: Bricks Are Splayed
34 nunofyrbeeswax: Never Will (alt)
35 BUIO OMEGA: TARGET (Hüsker Dü cover)
36 Pizza King Girl: Pac Man Roller Skates
37 Waylon Thornton: Sister Bubblegum
38 Still Animals: For the Cosmic Score
39 Ace of Spit: Tiger Tracks (demo)
40 Chelsea: Leave It All to the Dogs