Opening the pages of the infamous pink section, the guide to
entertainment in the Bay Area, I found a small 3"x5" advertisement
that caught my eyes in liking approval. The Cure was touring to
back their new LP The Head on the Door and a date was set at the
Henry J. Kaiser auditorium. I was consistent at dialing numbers for
a source to enter that performance and quite possibly take some shots.
After much ado, the contacts were made. The vehicle was hardly
purring as it zoomed down the speedy lanes of congested traffic.
As we arrived the security violently herded us into obediient lines
(they love the power). It was a one band night, no warm-up acts,
just a solid evening with The Cure. Waiting in the special line to
get in we had missed three songs. Finally we got the passes and
lurched to the search point. "Hey, it says photo pass, don't open
the camera to see if there's film in it." Sometimes the brains of
those put in charge are like those of grazing animals in a pasture.

Inside the echoing, three-quarters full, high ceilinged auditorium,
Robert Smith introduced "Primary" off of their Faith LP.
This was their fourth number and at first glance you could tell the
band was very confortable with the surroundings and beginnings of this
performance. Working my way to about 20 feet from stage front, I positioned
myself for photos. Security had denied access to the "pit" even though
I had a photo pass. Directly in front of me stodd Robert Smith with dark
hair tifted and teased in multitides of hanging directions. He stood
quite motionless, poised in front of the microphone, shyly glancing over
the crowd and gently crooning out the songs. Dressed in a baggy navy blue
suit over a white t-shirt, Robert was the center of attention. The multi-
color lights flashed on and off again, always in his direction. Bassist
Simon Gallup, back after a period of leave from the band, stood to the
left in a stylish slump, fingering his way across the frets of the bass.
A massive stack of teased, dark, drooping mats gave Simon the appearance
of being taller than he was. Guitarist Porl Thompson stood to Robert's
right, dressed in a pink shirt draping open, his appearance was very feminine,
with dirty blonde hair tussed back neatly. Porl smiled as he charmed the
crowd with melodic guitar chords and occasional keyboard pieces. At furthest
stage right was keyboardist Laurence Tolhurst, standing over his keys,
looking very glum in a blue closed-collar shirt. He didn't make many gestures.
Most of his concentration was on keyboard work. The four at stage front were
very subtle, but the way the crowd reacted you'd think it was a crazed
rock band. As the lights zoomed about in brilliant colors and lighting
backdrops added monsterous shadows, the audience screamed in accordance.
When familiar sounds were played they would 'pogo' about, lurching forward,
squishing the people who stood front the stage about ten rows back. To stage
left prevailed a pit of thrashers. This I found unusual since The Cure is
handly a band to thrash to, yet these kinds were thrusting their bones in the
fashion. The crowd around them didn't seem to mind. The majority of the
audience were dressed in 'Cure' fashion: similarities to the band, but in
legions of varieties. The stench of hair spray filled the atmosphere, supporting
crimped waves of teased-out hair. The slew of fans had obviously dressed for
the mode of this occasion.

Hordes of dry ice was being pused, puring white smokey vapors across
the stage and reflecting greenish hues from the lighting effects which
gave the essence a mystical feel, creepy in delight as The Cure
continued the musical endeavors. Tonight the polite mob of fanatics
would get an excellent dosage. Their fifth number was "The Hanging Garden,"
from that the countdown went as follows: "Cold," the smash hit "In Between Days,"
"The Walk," next, the crowd went bananas in a sing-along frenzy to the giant
chart-busting hit "Let's Go TO bed," followed by the tasty "A Night Like This."
The Cure were delivering a selection of greatest hits packed in with nearly
their entire new LP. It was awe inspiring. Continuing with the playlist: "Push,"
"Screw" and "A Hundre years" which was performed exceptionally. Then the haunting
harmony of "A Forest" and ending their set with the fifteenth number "Sinking"
off the new LP. Quite naturally the crowd cheered and roared, demanding the
band return, which they did about ten minutes later and would do so two more
times, with long intervals between each. But this didn't quiet the crowd who
stomped, chanted and howled. On The Cure's first encore they played, "Close To
Me" and the stunning "Charlotte Sometimes," "Six Different Ways," "The Exploding
Boy," and the original Cure smash "Boys Don't Cry" for the second. And in the
third encore it was "10:15 Saturday Night," "Killing an Arab," and a
singalong rendition of "Do You Wanna Touch" which left the crowd quite refreshed.
Twenty-three songs into the night the five members stood upon the stage, bowed,
said good-night and walked away. It was a show of charm with a pleasant aura
surrounding the mind. Delightful and not disappointing, The Cure proved they can
bring live what has been recorded with a class that has made them strikingly unique.

Backstage in discussions with the band members, I found myself in a small
conversation with Robert Smith, regardless of the young fans who interrupted
for attention. he questioned the nature of the name THRASHER on my jacket. "It's
a skateboarding magazine." I followed with, "Do you skate?" "Nah," he said, "I'm
too old (26) but I had a blast waterskiing over the summer."

The following is the December 1985 installment of Puszone

Thanks to Scott Slimm for the article.

RRGGKKKPPPAAP! A towering cloud of musty smoke appears, as
it billows outward in its tremendous size. Thick grey and
white vapors rise rapidly with a quick evaporation occuring
as a dark figure appears, from within the haze. Cloaked in
a deep black cape, the shape reaches towards your mind as the
hypnotic eyes suddenly light up and beam into your skull. The
power from the gaze is extreme as a trickle of crimson drips
from the eyelids and slowly runs down the shuddering cheek.
Helpless, the figure creeps toward your body of fear, you're
trapped, your mouth opens to scream, but no sound is emited.
You feel the shivering cold of the shapes' grasp upon your
clammy flesh as your legs buckle, but you realize you are still
airborne. Then a loud sound blasts forth, your eyes open with
your hands strangling a down pillow. You laugh, just a
nighmare, the early alarm brought you back. You reach to the
nightstand and pick up the new THRASHER, it flops upon the
bed, the pages opening up to the Puszone. Welcome once again
fiendish fiends to another chapter of musical mayhem to the
nightmarish degree in the Puszone. And don't forget that the
newest in the collection, the Angelican Scrape Attic flexi,
with hirax, Execute, Lipcream, Concrete Sox and Sacrilege is
now available for $1.00 plus the mail order/sticker deal for
3-22 cent stamps. And remember, send off info, tapes or vinyl
to the Puszone for frantic scratchings in this column.

Opening the vaults of musical maniac mayhem, blow you eardrums
out with the likes of Heresy, a new UK super speed 1,000 m.p.h.
thrash attack who used to be called Plasmid. The blitzing begins
with a stark raving crazed number "Never Healed" which lunges with
all the driving forces of hectic power gone blood burned. Fierce,
turbulent drumming storms at an excruciating rate, smashing the
skins at 7,000 beats per minute. Seven mind blown songs that feature
hissing feedback of the extreme level as the guitar zoomfest ceases
to slow down with grungy bass following in its wake. Heresy
combine a great dosage of quickness, distortion and screaming vox
to make this a classic demo and one to watch for vinyl soon.
This outfit smokes!

Watch for a new demo from a L.A. band entitled Lunatix. A four piece
outfit who storm chaotically in the likes of Discharge and Motorhead,
fully packed trash with metallic bites. Features the stormtrooping
vocals of one crazed individual named Jay Smith, who you
might remember as the king of laybacks in skatedom. Well now he's
stretching those vocals in a screaming fit or rage. Lunatix
present a tight sledgehammering power rawness that jumps with
wild plunges into energetic action. Fast, electric, and intense,
the madness begins as Lunatix hits the stage, definitely a band
to notice.

Speedcore Ferociousness lights up this eight song demo by Sacrifice,
an ultra fast metallic scorcher with roots in both hardcore and speed
metal. Deathly titled The Exorcism,this Toranto Canada based
band thrusts out some mammothly powered rapid torch assaults that
cleanly cleaves its way to pyromaniac ravagings. Intense with wild
guitar work and shearing drum bites, Sacrifice will please fans of
Exodus since there are similarities in sound styles and in vocal
piercings. Young, abrupt kerranging from a new outfit that soon will
have an extreme underground following.

From the murky depths of Florida, rising from a quagmire comes
the first answer to total bizarre insane thrash shoved down the
throats of innocent bystanders in the form of the Sewer Zombies.
Full tilt distortion smashed in tight with wild unnatural drumming,
fast and furious, it creates a barrage of noisy distortion that
obviously fronts a no-holds-barred attack, while incoherent babblings
shrill over the whole compostition. Unique and hilarious, the Sewer
Zombies approach a world of speedy flailing like neophytes on trikes;
it comes off clean but falls down mean. If you combine the likes of D.R.I.
with Flipper and add some of the madcap comedy of the everloving Meatmen
well, you get some wacky outfit called the Sewer Zombies. Their debut
LP Reach Out and... features twelve songs that will drive you
absolutely bonkers, especially with tracks like "They Died with Their
Willie Nelson T-Shirts on" and "Too Many Police." This is lunatic
overload, psychotic and chaotic, you'll never know what to expect,
but it's daft. On Subversive Records.

Watch for new LPs by the Brood, recording for the Profile label
and Poison Idea's Kings of Punk, where lead singer Jerry A. carved
"Poison Idea" with an Exacto knife into his belly for the cover concept.
Sick to say the least. Samhain's latest, November Coming Fire,
should be out now and reportedly to be on compact disc also. Plus Misfits
Legacy of Brutality LP on limited 500 red vinyl. Speaking of the
Misfits, speedcore metal-up-your assers, Metallica will be doing a cover
of Green Hell on their upcoming 45. Should be one to crave.
Soon watch for a new 12" from Corrosion of Conformity and a new 7"
from the Ugly Americans, whose LP is just now out on Death Records.
Agnostic Front who reportedly have gone metallic have signed to Combat
for a new LP. The raves on the East Coast include the Cro-Mags, whose
new demo is out and Nuclear Assault who hurl out that metal speed.
Watch for a 7" Italian release featuring French speed maniacs Rapt,
and soon a 12" featuring French thrashers Heimat Los and Krominozon 4.
The stuff is coming out of the woodwork! EEESSABBBAALLT!

They call him Notak, he picks up on trendy words like 'dude' and
sits in awe to industrial music. But when he stands at the forefront
to spurt out his sopranic croons, no one knows that he keeps company
with the television or friends who drink blood, until the wee hours
of the morning. This is Hirax, a band who got their name off an insect
repellent as in an early 1900's wallpaper design and deliver the
severest of blows in speed metal sonatas. On their debut album Raging
Violence, hirax storm forth with fourteen blitzkrieging tracks of
intense speed and rapid power. The style of Hirax is one of change,
incorporating many rhythms while frequently adding new paces to each
number, while most of the new metal bands are jumping to a repetitious
format commonly found in a certain sound approach. Hirax mix the
high pitched whinings of one Katon Depena who soars with majestic
flavorings of true vocal exertion. The band flies crazed with swift
terrorism especially in the tasty licks of Scott Owen's feverous
guitar fury and the nasty beatings of Johnny Tabares' drums. Each song
drives to the utmost hilt, even the previously released "Bombs of
Death," and "Destruction and Terror." This Hirax masterpiece will rise to
be a classic of titanic proportions in the speed thrashing metal world
as this young pup scorches down a mean, outrageous rager of exploding
excitement. And when the album comes to an end and the backwards message
has been decoded, young Notak will go back to the screen for a dose of
splashing gore, corrupting his mind with blood raging violence. On
Metal Blade Records.

One of the longest running metal underground zines, Metal Mania,
has unleashed a new issue which mixes up the cores with stuff on Exodus,
Metallica, A.O.D., C.O.C., Raw Power, Ramones, Possessed and a lot more.
Issue No. 15 is only $1.50. The editor Ron Quintana is looking for
all interested to contribute in either of the thrashing cores to make
it the ultimate crossover mag.

across the Atlantic and into the pocket is a gem entitled The Vikings
are Coming, whose cover opens into a poster sized information sheet.
Inside, the black vinyl introduces to some intense Swedish vigor from the
always raw favorite Crude SS and new performances by Cruel Maniax, Fear
of War, Bizarr, Bedrovierz, Ugly Squaw and Rescues in Future. Extremely
powerful and always to the edge, this LPs worth of sonic delight packs
all the flailing punches that makes Swedish thrash so incredible. On
Uproar Records.

And from the Netherlands comes a giant world compilation recorded live
in Babylon. Babylon:Blebt Fahren is the title and 21 bands are rep-
resented all in a good live quality reproduction. Features...here the
list (partial): Varukers, MDC, Larm, B.G.K., Amebix, Zyklome A, Mau
Maus, Wretched, Pandemonium, Baskops, Murder Inc III and much more.
Lots of energetic combustion at the height of an outrageous performance.
Comes with a thick magazine on the bands. A superior effort from Babylon
Bleibt Fahren Records.

A savage gust and the whirlwind of breakneck speed pushes the limits
into undeniable insanity, S.A.S.-Suave and Sophisticated blows the roof
off as this twisting tornado of uncontrolled chaos quickly charges into
the domain of brilliant thrash with all the right licks. S.A.S. hail
from England and this 10 song seven inch EP rips to the fullest
degree. Non-stop action that is an unexpected surprise from the homes of
hardcore in the U.K. If this is the start of things to come, it will
be a crazed banzai with the likes of S.A.S. storming at the forefront.
Fast, faster, zooming towards 1,000 mph thrusts, the sound barrier
breaks as the guitars, vocals and drums boom in howling command. Great
surprises here.

PUSZONE

Super Punk Market Vol 1-5
Swankys - LP
Venlo Comp. 7"
Boskops - Lauschgift LP
Wild Riders of Boards LP
7 Seconds New Positive Force Demo
D.N.A. - 12"
Concrete Sox 3rd Demo
Icons of Filth Filthee
Nikoteens - Skateboard Holocaust Tape
Samhain - Demo (Denmark)