Article By: Pat ‘Riot’ Whitaker ‡ Edited By: Leanne Ridgeway
Southern Lord Records has announced it will re-issue ‘NMC17 (No More Censorship)‘ from the seminal Washington, D.C. punk band SCREAM on CD and LP formats this April 27th.
The LP, the band’s first to feature drummer Dave Grohl, came along after the band’s formation around 1980, and a string of prior record releases. Before Grohl joined SCREAM, the band consisted of drummer Kent Stax, brothers Pete Stahl (vocalist; Goatsnake) and guitarist Franz Stahl, and bassist Skeeter Thompson.
By the time ‘NMC17‘ was originally released, via the reggae label RAS Records in 1988, a second guitarist had joined the band, Robert Lee Davidson. Grohl stayed in SCREAM until they officially dissolved in 1990. Since then, the band has periodically played special events and select shows.
NMC17 tracklist:
01. Take It From The Top
02. Something In My Head
03. Binge
04. God Squad
05. Hit Me
06. Building Dreams
07. No More Censorship
08. It’s The Time
09. Fucked Without A Kiss
10. GLC
11. Run To The Sun
12. No Escape
The Stahl Bros. commented on this latest turn of events in the SCREAM saga. Pete states:
“This record was written and recorded during Reagan‘s presidency. U.S. foreign policy was being disruptive in Central and Latin America, Iran-Contra… Art and music was being censored. Ed Meese, Ronald’s attorney general was appointed to do a report on the effect of pornography on society. Hearings were held in Congress about lyrics and albums, and warnings were placed on album covers. One bitter example being DEAD KENNEDYS, who were taken to court over the ‘Frankenchirst’ album’s Giger poster. SCREAM raised money to help in the DEAD KENNEDYS court battle, and more widely participated in benefits to raise money to fight this oppression. So much of what was going on then is still so relevant today. History repeats.“
Franz Stahl continues:
“Activism and artivism was always very much a part of the SCREAM vernacular and a driving force behind the band’s music and attitude in the ’80s. As SCREAM brought the re-envisioned remix to the contemporary they also wanted the new artwork to parallel those ideas and update it to the present. Inspired by Ai Weiweii, the Chinese contemporary artist, and activist, famously known for his own serious struggles with censorship. The CD and vinyl covers are each unique, but both were created in the spirit of one of Weiewei’s own exhibits, and our idea, limiting or censoring information. Leaving only an acronym for the original title and a number for the year we did the remix (NMC17).“
“God Squad“, a song from the remastered version of the album, is streaming via the Bandcamp embed provided, while ‘NMC17‘ is currently available for pre-order HERE.
