Radio Exile | Outloud – Start Swingin’

Outloud – Start Swingin’

By Dan Berkman December 12, 2008 Post a comment | Email the author

I am not in the best mood lately. I have bosses screaming at me, deadlines breathing down my neck, demands from my family to contend with on top of 18 million other issues to deal with going on. When moments like these arise there is only one thing to do: kick, scream and ultimately break something, albeit something small that your mother, father, girlfriend or wife won’t miss. Flying into a rage is fun and not to mention a stress reliever but it kind of lacks the oomph without the proper soundtrack. One of the first bands I turn to when in need of some break stuff tunes is my pals from San Diego, Swing Kids.

Their Discography, which collects their two EPs, is perfection for times like these. The music included is brutal, aggressive, amazing and pulls all this off in about 15 minutes. Just the perfect timing for a little miniature freak out. I don’t know how you the dear reader are dealing with the holidays, the bad weather and everything else but I figured I would share the Swing Kids with you so you can expunge all of the rage that has built up.

Since this is an Outloud and not my bedroom, we will be not only having a listen to the Swing Kids but seeing them in all of their glory. Footage of the boys is tough to find since they were only together for three years but their influence has proved to be more long lasting. Formed by Justin Pearson (later of great fame in The Locust), John Brady (later of one of my favorites Sweep the Leg Johnny), Jose Palafox and Eric Allen in 1994, The band was inspired by the “noise-punk” scene that was lead by artists on Gravity Records and other acts like Drive Like Jehu. This ram-shackle music thrived on short, chaotic bursts of noise and screamed almost nonsensical vocals were actually played at a highly technical style, which was made even more difficult by the raging tempo.

Here is a video of the Swing Kids playing a show near the end of their run in 1996. This song “Forty Three Seconds” is a prime example of the technical skill of the players. It is an honor to watch Jose Palafox blast out the intro to this track (:22 seconds in the clip by the way). Just give this a view and let me know if you still think that any idiot can do it.

Due to the iffy quality of the video here is an MP3 of “Forty Three Seconds” for you to throw on and go just a little crazy.

“Forty Three Seconds” [mp3]

The Swing Kids were famous for their rocking cover of the early Joy Division track “Warsaw”. The original, although somewhat compelling for the era, is a rather basic punk song, which judging by the times and the heights the band would later achieve, is kind of run of the mill. Sure it is exciting and you can tell the initial idea is good but doesn’t fit the attitudes of the band members. Unlike other bands the late 70s, Joy Division was better at lashing out at themselves than it was about the government, the dole queue and other popular subjects of the day. The Swing Kids however, take the track and without even changing many of the notes or even the structure seem to embody it and make it outstanding. The band, especially lead singer Justin Pearson, liked the song so much that he named his record label after the frantic call in the chorus – 31G!

It probably is unlikely for many of you, but it seems that the Swing Kids are getting back together for one show in 2009. According to their Myspace [link], the band is playing at The Glasshouse in Pomona, California on May 9th. Anyone want to give me an early 25th birthday present and get me a ticket to the show and fly me out there? Oh well in the mean time I will continue thrashing out about in my room. See you all next time.