One Chord Wonder Fanzine #001

At the beginning of April, my friend and the illustrious owner of One Chord Wonder Records, Davide Speciani approached me with a request for assistance on an idea of his. I was quickly interested for a few reasons being my respect for his philosophy on punk rock, that I like the label very much, and lastly my draw to his great sense of humor which transfers into everything he does creatively. He told me he had an idea to make a fanzine for the label with pieces done by different members of the bands he had done releases for so far and wanted to print it in not just Italian but also English. The request was for me to help with sorting out the translations. My prompt answer was of course yes with this being something I enjoyed doing at my previous webzine and do still in various other projects for my punk rock family in Italy because my firm belief is: in order for it to get off of life support, we gotta make the movement global! All scenes need to connect. So I was excited and not long after, I started to receive the drafts for a project my heart is close to, the first edition of the One Chord Wonder Fanzine.



Inside the cool cover done by Tony Kelvin Mazzeo, you'll find a wide variety of topics ranging from editorial pieces, very candid retelling of personal moments, great interviews(there's one with CJ!), extremely well done fiction, and just flat hilarious stories. After going through each piece and just to name a some thoughts I had as a reader, I have decided: financing Manuel Manges career as an author will go on my 'when I'm rich someday' list(he's really that good!), Dave is even more funny than I thought, Frederic Mazzei should be paid extra for 'special' requests in his studio, and I would love to go through adventures/brushes with death like Andrea Manges. Each contributor really did a good job with their part though and as an added bonus to the story of the Shits who are Dave's first band, the release of their album recorded 13 years ago finally is seeing the light of day and is included with the zine on CD. I think it's pretty cool to see little pieces of the past like that come to life after waiting so long. Not much more to say here other than it was an honor to have a small role in the project. This was a great idea and nice way to mark the time after eight OCW releases done so far. Hopefully there will be more issues made. Get in touch with the label for your copy of the zine in your choice of Italian or English and definitely check out what they've made happen so far on their bandcamp page. It's good music and all of it is streaming in full.

Support the smaller independent labels, punk rockers. They're the ones who make a difference!

Zine Credits...

Tony Kelvin Mazzeo of The Ponches- Cover artwork

Andrea Manges of the Manges- "Random Memories"

Temporal Rob of Temporal Sluts- "Shitville Confidential"

Simone Riccobelli of the Riccobellis- "Either you're in it, or you'll never get it"

Dave of Drawing Dead / Morbeats- "The first time I saw you"

Lorenzo Bravi of The Ponches- "Man of the month"

Manuel Manges of the Manges- "Plan Honolulu"

Marco Facheris of the Snookys- "Gigsick"

Lollo Ramone of Drawing Dead- "Punk rock guitars"

Carlo Alberto Rosso of Drawing Dead- "That time when I created Lollo"

Tommy Fever of Thee Mighty Fevers- "Japanese Garage Punk 2014"

Parolone of the Morbeats- "Thee Mighty Fevers interview"

Dave of Drawing Dead / Morbeats- "Freddy (New Mood Recording Studio) interview"

Giorgio Prando of the Shits- "The Shits"

Miguel Basetta of the Temporal Sluts- "Teenage Wasteland"

Andrea Facheris of the Snookys- "In love Ms Spock"

The Manges- "CJ Ramone interview"

Roby Riccobelli of the Riccobellis- "How I got trapped in punk rock"

Frederic Mazzei of the Leeches- "New Mood Studio Report: Drawing Dead"

Massi Lanciasassi of the Leeches- "The Top Ten scariest movies"

Tough- Obey The Ramones

Let's go back to that list! You know, the one I keep inside my little Dee Dee brain of bands that HAVE TO release new material on a regular basis in order for me to remain happy? Yeah! That one. Well if you scan it close to the top, you'll see the name of a band from Piacenza. Since 2007, Tough has been providing an alternative and standing out against the often watered down predictability of the third wave to bring back the spirit of a simple message. This is a message started in 1974 by Dee Dee, Joey, Johnny, and Tommy. To keep rock 'n' roll simple, passionate, and delivered with a swift punch of intensity. This is what punk rock is about, that's what Tough does extremely well, and heart has been filled with a little more hope ever since the day I discovered them because that's what I believe in. After an amazing last release of their LP "Four", Tough is back with a 7" holding a title the band has used as a philosophy since day one of their formation that I also live by called "Obey The Ramones".  

The songs were recorded on January 23rd-26th and recently mixed by Cristiano Sanzeri at Giardini Sonori Studio in Piacenza, IT. Producer credits go to Tough and mastering was done by Alessandro Vanara. Overall sound quality is fantastic and probably the best I've ever heard them have. This studio does good work! Why does that cover kick so much ass, you ask? Well it's because Riccardo Bucchioni, the bad ass of punk rock art designed it. This imagery with a vintage feel in the lettering and a cat you don't want to fuck with started out as a shirt design(you can order it here) and I think it most definitely worked out great as cover art too. Adding into all this coolness is our beloved and talented Andrea Manges who did the layout. He's always got an eye to place everything just right without any unnecessary clutter like he did for "Four" and this time is no different. Official release is happening by means of self release from the band themselves on this coming Friday, July 11th in Bergamo, Italy at the first time summer edition of the best punk rock party in the world which is the Monster Zero Mash. If you cannot make it, an order can be placed through my favorite European distro, Striped. This is a pressing of 300 pieces on black vinyl. Digital only can be purchased through Tough's bandcamp on the release date where all songs are also streaming in full.

Staying within tradition, they are delivering four songs that are down stroked to perfection and metronomically accurate, this time clocking in at just a touch under six minutes. They deliver a lot in a short amount of time like a live performance of the Ramones and I love that! Side A is the romantic one starting out with the track leaked ahead of the release, "Love Me Tonight", a powerful and beautifully melodic punk rock song that fully displays the enormous reach Chris Polecat possesses as a songwriter. He can put more emotion in a few words with his strong and lovely vocal tone than many others who need dozens to accomplish the same effect. It is a definite sign of a man who has been doing this for nearly two decades since Stinking Polecats, always advancing. Next up is "Mary Lou", with the lead sang by Stefan Eno who is just as established in tenure and a wonderful presence as well. It's the most pop sounding out of the four and is just a sweet song about a girl named Mary Lou he wants to know. I smile every time I hear it. Moving into side B is where you will find the meanness Tough is just so damn good at. "I Don't Like You" is pretty self explanatory lyrically and like a bolt of lightning with Biso's fast, tight, and super humanly skilled drumming leading the pace. Maybe he is bionic, I don't know but I do know that he is one of the best drummers around in the scene right now. I also really like Stefanino's growling backing vocals in this one. That song runs you over in less than a minute and a half, then it's time for the last track called "Too Ramone To Die". This one has a crazy back story. Some months back, the guys went out to London to play a show with The Griswalds and during their set, some random idiot ran up on the stage and jabbed Chris right in the eye with his microphone, leaving a huge fucking bruise/cut/indentation on my best friend's face and what did he do? He kept playing because he is in fact, too Ramone to die. This is a song that's true to life!

I could paint my love for these guys with ten thousand more words but I think the music really speaks for itself, so go stream the songs and add this gem of a 7" to your collection. Also I want to say that this particular release is always going to hold a special place in my heart with it being the last recording session Stefan Eno participated on before leaving the band. I'm always gonna be grateful for what he brought to Tough with his incredible spirit and it was a dream come true to see this particular formation on stage in person last summer. Thank you so much, Stefanino. Things are continuing with the new lineup including Robi Tuono who is also from Mega and Drawing Dead, a couple other great bands I've previously written for. He is a fabulous replacement and the guys are not missing a beat since he joined so make sure to get yourselves down to that Monster Zero Mash to see them on Friday(view event details here) if you have the means to do so. With the likes of The Manges, The Mugwumps, The Bat Bites, The Nuts, and The Apers just to name off a little more of the roster for the weekend, it's bound to be a cool time. Check out their just launched website to stay tuned with all of their social networking, discography, and upcoming news. Go Tough go!!

Tough is...

Chris Polecat- Vocals, Bass

Stefan Eno- Guitar, Vocals

Biso- Drums 

Tracks 1,3, and 4 written by Chris Polecat. Track 2 co-written by Stefan Eno and Chris Polecat.

Tracks

Side A

1. Love Me Tonight

2. Mary Lou

Side B

3. I Don't Like You

4. Too Ramone To Die

The Windowsill- Showboating

Besides of course my greatest amore Italy, the Netherlands are also a big part of where my interest goes to when punk rock/pop punk in Europe is concerned. The Apers were the first love I found from the latter well over a decade ago, so I most certainly have a fondness for the songwriting of one Marien Nicotine. After leaving the band in 2007, he returned in 2011 with a batch of new songs and this was the start of his new project, The Windowsill. In seeing this band contains some wonderful players of the punk rock world, I was quickly interested and then easily won over in just hearing track one of their self titled debut LP. They've had a couple splits since as well, but a few songs are never enough for a girl like me so it was elating news to see there would be a new full length. I've been bugging poor Marien on a nearly daily basis ever since a track was first leaked to let me hear the rest. My tactics have since paid off and after being completely absorbed by it for the last week, I'd like to tell you about a fantastic record called "Showboating"!  

The songs were recorded, mixed, and mastered over the course of fall to the summer of 2012 by the ever talented Simon Speechless at Simon Baken Audio Engineering. His masterful skill came through once again and the sound is perfect. Staying in the tradition of non complicated imagery, Marien and Ivo put together the cover and layout which is just a simple diagram of a boat. The official release date was just this past Friday, June 27th which they played a show for and if you weren't able to make it, you can find it on Shield Recordings or Monster Zero. It is available in the form of a really nice looking white LP with digital download, CD, or just digital only from the Shield bandcamp. For everyone outside of Europe, sit tight! Some copies will be making their way over to Interpunk and I will keep you posted on that.

"Showboating" starts out making just as strong of a statement as was made on the previous record. You know right away it's The Windowsill with their well defined 90's pop punk sound, holding a really heavy dose of pop sensibility. Marien's vocal tone sounds great as always having nice balance of snottiness and genuine sweetness at the same time. That combined with Simon, Jerry and Sander's perfectly catchy harmonies had the first track "Motorbike", a beautifully arranged mid-tempo song about lost love stuck in my head right away. I think one of the things I enjoy most about these songs is Marien's fantastic ability to be really intimate as a lyricist but still making them easily connectable to me as a listener in the way they're delivered. It's always cool when someone can well illustrate a personal moment like that through songwriting. Love in both good and bad moments is the predominant theme in this record which I have zero issues with as a terminally hopeless romantic but there are also other topics like in the next track "Slaved Away" dealing with the stress of a 9 to 5 schedule. I like the way it abruptly ends with the last line of "I'm just trying to forget". I TOTALLY love all three of the songs that were leaked ahead of the release, "In Riddles", "Smiling Back At Me", and "Phone Call Away" which were a good representation of the range on this record but I choose "Cold Lonely And Sad" as my number one. The rhythm it's sang in, Jerry's bass lines, and Ivo's tempo make it extremely infectious and one I caught myself singing along to right away. Amazing song! Another one of my favorites lands at the end called "You Belonged To Me". It's an excellent ballad and close to the record.

Simply put, The Windowsill made a brilliant second record and I think it would be a great addition to anyone's collection who was a fan of the last one or who has yet to discover them and enjoys really well played pop punk songs. "Showboating" is just as good and a definite step up in progress for the guys, so go give the few songs they have up on youtube a listen, stay tuned to their facebook page because a full stream of the record will be up tomorrow, and place an order. This awesome band is very deserving of your attention!

The Windowsill are...
Ivo Backbreaker- Drums
Jerry Hormone- Bass, Vocals
Sander Wired- Guitar, Vocals
Marien Nicotine- Vocals, Guitar

Additional contributors...
Simon Speechless- Additional guitar & vocals

All songs written by Marien Nicotine except where noted.

Tracks
1. Motorbike 

2. Slaved Away

3. Colour Grey

4. Smiling Back At Me 

5. In Riddles

6. New York Sweater

7. Cold Lonely And Sad

8. Phone Call Away

9. Hibernate 

10. Die Out Here 

11. She Gave Back Her Key

12. You Belonged To Me