Monday, December 20, 2010

Frontier Records poll wrap up with Lisa Fancher

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Our buddy Ben Merlis got Lisa Fancher of Frontier Records fame to deliver her answers to the Frontier Records poll. Big thanks to both of them! -Gordo DCXX

I guess it shouldn't be a big surprise that Suicidal Tendencies won the Double Cross poll since it is a classic LP and definitely the most well-known Frontier Records release. But I don't really consider it one of the early ones myself, that period to me was 1980 to 1982 before diverging with Choir Invisible, Christian Death or the Salvation Army. Picking a favorite of those four would be impossible for me but Frontier probably wouldn't have continued if I didn't release "Group Sex."

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The first release -- Flyboys -- didn't sell well enough for me to recoup the funds, but the Circle Jerks was something of a local blockbuster.

The Adolescents "Blue" album followed close on its heels in the first half 1981. We recorded TSOL and China White in the same week in summer in the same studio in Manhattan Beach. Both releases concluded 1981... Suicidal was released in mid-1983 when I finally came to terms that I was going to run a record label for a living!

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I can't tell you how proud I am that people still love these four records after all these years. - Lisa Fancher

Suicidal Tendencies - Suicidal Tendencies - 163
Circle Jerks - Group Sex - 123
Adolescents - Adolescents - 95
T.S.O.L. - Dance With Me - 22


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11 comments:

Marty said...

They're all classic records, but T.S.O.L. getting the least amount of votes is beyond me...it might not be 'hardcore punk' but, to this day, nothing sounds remotely like it(in a good way).

Rinjo Njori! said...

What is the saying, " If you didn't vote you can't complain". Here is the exception. The Adolescents Blue album is probably the best of the bunch, but I can definitely see why ST and CJ took the top spots.

Marty said...

I voted and always do...I just wish Dance With Me would have gotten more votes. I love all 4 records, they've definitely stood the test of time:-).

Ben Edge said...

All four records are amazing. If anyone just getting into hardcore punk wants to know where to start, it's with these records, and of course Black Flag First Four Years, Germs (GI), Bad Brains ROIR, and the Minor Threat discography.

I voted for Adolescents. Musically for me, it's neck in neck with TSOL, but lyrically it wins out. I bought it in April '92, and it was the soundtrack to my city burning down.

Suicidal is a distant fourth for me. Great music, but I can't hang with the gang shit. I understand why people like it the most though. "Institutionalized" is flawless. Who never felt like their parents were against them?

Unknown said...

I didn't vote because ST and Circle Jerks are both so fucking good. Too close to call.

Anonymous said...

yeah, i didn't vote for the same reason, all the records are sooo good!!!!. (and don't forget "wild in the streets" by the circle jerks, the original first mix on faulty products is fuckin' excellent, the remixed version on frontier sucks).

XSLABAX said...

My vote went for the winner ST/ST this was a very hard choice for me as well! I feel a sadness inside for having to pick one over the other it is like picking a favorite child over the other one! WHY DCXX WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME!!!!!WHY SUCH A HARD CHOICE! This new poll should be very interesting as well! I am very curious to see what happens when the dust clears from this very deep mind bending poll!

westcoast villian said...

These are four early LA/OC area hardcore records. All classic. But man,that fucking Circle Jerks records is such a prime example of early LA stuff. That record still makes me want to creepy crawl and break stuff. I think this record had a huge impact on midwest/eastcoast bands too. Adolescents and TSOL...simply beautiful! Suicidal were thought of as more of a joke by those of us who were around in those days.

Anonymous said...

The Adolescents, Circle Jerks and T.S.O.L were huge back then. too bad China White never gets any props these days as they were one of the biggies also. When Suicidal hit big is when it all started going wrong in my opinion.

Anonymous said...

yeah!!, china white!!, "danger zone" is excellent!!!.

ShayKM said...

The Circle Jerks were, and will always be, the best of that era. The other Frontier bands all have a few good songs on these records. Every song on Group Sex is punk as fuck and funny. They were one of the only bands in the entire US scene that reached 'punk stardom', but never stopped being funny and never took themselves or the scene too seriously. And best of all... they are still making noise today... allowing us old HC farts to feel a bit younger.