Jonah Falco Top Ten - Static Shock Festival Special

Jonah has been in countless top tier bands such as Fucked Up, Game, Career Suicide etc as well as recording a large portion of bands. 

Static Shock top ten

1 – Warthog and their putrid new ep. One of the most electrifying performances of static shock’s recent history has been bifurcated in my memory between drummer Ryan Naideau’s intimidating drum fills during that one song that sounds like the Melvins taking a holiday in an early 80s finnish hc themed holiday camp, and walking into the “electro room” at New River during Chris Bress’ set to see every last person moving and then instantly spotting Naideau speed skanking, only for him to spot me, stop, give the wink and gun and continue dancing. Breakneck to say the least.

2 – Diat “Positive Disintegration” LP
Notably absent from any modern gathering of the faithful surrounding punk, including this weekend, but an unforgettable and perfectly crafted “post punk” band. They have Whodini’d their way out of he chains of faux disco and the emanations of a deflating bagpipe and instead blasted out a second LP of magic drab. Drummer Iffy’s record shop in Berlin – “Static Shock” – has surely provided better living for record collections across Europe.

3 – Ibuprofen – don’t leave home without it.

4 – Heavy Sentence
A perhaps undervalued band from Sheffield who have cracked one of the many codes of playing great heavy metal, which is to have a perfect punk drummer. The kind of thick pneumatics of Motorhead over the cooly shaded histrionics of guitars freely moving in space. The sound of smelling good while looking rough. Sturdy, crunchy, a sea of axes.

5 – Beaconsfield Hotel and The Happy Man
Both more or less inconveniently out of walking distance from the gigs without having to miss an act, but both a place for a swift sip of down time. The former a poetically neglected Victorian interior with drunken postal staff and local pool sharks haunting he premises, skunky pints, and high ceilings yet still worth your time. The latter a diamond in the diamonds.

6 – The Annihilated
Vaulted secret musical project of Reckless staff member Tom Ellis. Blink and you’ll miss it. Rumour has it the only existing physical record of his sole current musical output is on a dub plate in NE London somewhere with the words “Songs for a Shropshire Christening” stencilled on the sleeve so no one will ever listen it. Sunday Night’s performance by “Boss” will also debut the soon to be classic tribute song to Tom, “Mad Mad Ellis.”

7 – Sial s/t LP

A masterstroke of contemporary punk, full stop. Singapore’s Sial are a seamless melding of form, content, intent, and execution. The music is relentless hc punk but should be especially noted for upgrading the pseudo standoff of punk versus the mainstream via the language they sing in, Bahasa Melayu (Malay), which is the language of Singapore’s indigenous minority. This seemingly small challenge of communication speaks volumes to the gestures of importance and meaning that can be foundationally present in an ever diluting notion like punk. They blast off on Saturday evening.

8 – Snatch “All I Want”
Judy Nylon’s perfect punk single from 1978. Not only is she credited with more or less providing the context in which “ambient music” was born (a questionable pursuit but a big one), but she’s also crafted some significantly perfect punk rock. There are two versions of this single and song, much like other important decisions you’ll know you’ve made the right one when you hear it. Nothing to do with this weekend but enjoy yourselves anyway.

9 – Nekra
Four of the most solid musicians on the London punk scene creating a crushing off the rails shove on the chest to all in their presence. LP en route with velvety steely guitar and pummelling vocals. Not only that, but the four women who make up the band are the human crossroads of much of London’s brilliant contemporary punk output, their junction forking outward to the thundering and polynational Forra, the uplifting melodic pogo of Pesadilla, the exhilerating electric depressant of Sarcasm, and the constructivist slam dance of Child’s Pose. The banks of the Thames are alive with Music.

10 – I’m playing five sets and doing a dj set so shout out to myself for intruding on everyone’s cool bands and good time. See you for a Bloody Mary on Monday.