Uncompromising War On Art Under The Dictatorship Of The Proletariat

KILLDOZER: “Uncompromising War On Art Under The Dictatorship Of The Proletariat” (Touch & Go/Quarterstick)

This is one of the strangest albums I have ever come across. Everybody who I have shown its liner notes to has literally doubled up with laughter, saying, ‘this is a piss-take, isn’t it? They can’t actually be serious, can they?’

Try the liner notes for ‘Knuckles The Dog (Who Helps People)’ in their full uncensored glory: “This song is the tale of two brave socialists, one a crippled boy and the other a dog disposed of by its owner, a ruthless breeder of racing dogs. The boy sings of the dog’s selfless efforts to aid the downtrodden. It is learned that the boy’s capitalist father, an insurance broker, has paid to have him assassinated; the dog is killed instead, a martyr to worldwide revolution. Postscript: Knuckles the Dog’s body was preserved, like Lenin’s, in a glass tomb in Rhinelander, Wisconsin.”

Killdozer sure have a way with words. Their debut album (way back in 1984) had the absolutely beautiful and correct title, Intellectuals Are The Shoeshine Boys Of The Ruling Elite. But although that title hit the intellectuals right on the head, the question must be asked, was someone taking a hammer and sickle to their heads when they were recording Uncompromising War . . .?

You can take the lyrics on a number of levels. You can take them as tongue-in-cheek. They’re quite tasty that way. You can take them at face value, but by jaysus have they an ugly face. I mean, try stomaching, “Knuckles the dog was a very good dog he was/The best dog of all the other dogs by far.” The best way you can take these lyrics is in a virtually real/surreal way, taking the positive sentiment from them, while also laughing your arse off while reading their liner notes. (There are 24 book reference footnotes with the song notes!!)

Strangely, there’s some bloody great music on Uncompromising War… There are some duff numbers sure, but there is some fucking amazing guitar work. And I mean fucking amazing out-of-Hendrix’s-kitchen stuff. Was ‘Hot n’ Nasty’ a Hendrix song? Well, guitar wise it sure as hell sounds like a wonderful interpretation. ‘Grandma Smith Said a Curious Thing’ and ‘Peach Pie’ are brilliant songs too. In fact, this whole bloody album has a strange alluring quality to it. But you’d have to hear, read and laugh your arse off to it, to really get what I mean, if you know what I mean. (If I know what I mean myself.)

• Gerry McGovern