7Seconds
Walk Together, Rock Together (Deluxe Reissue)
Trust Records
Punk rock, at its early stage, had two extremes: f.s.u. and straight edge, and they were not necessarily mutually exclusive. 7Seconds is one example of a band whose positive message belied their early aggressive appearance.
The re-release of 1985βs Walk Together, Rock Together, their 4th EP, reminds us that, for this band, the sound is important, but the lyrics are what itβs all about. The title trackβs last verse:
βA label is a label
Definition, nothing more
And because of labels we have placed
We live in constant war
Destroy all that tradition
And live before you die
Let’s rock together from now on
And never be deniedβ
pretty much sums up their philosophy of unity and community. βWeβre Gonna Fightβ is another clear indication of the guysβ attitude: βWeβre gonna fight the narrow minds/ Make our own rules/Live your life and Iβll live mineβ.
Their cover of β99 Red Balloonsβ is also a standout track. Originally released by German outfit Nena, its lyrics describe a world destroyed by war upon the militaryβs surveillance mistaking red balloons for an invasion: βItβs all over and Iβm standing pretty in this dust that was a cityβ¦β
Not caring if they were out of step (with the world), these tracks are just as relevant today as they were to the mid-1980s culture of Reagan, AIDS, Chernobyl, the Iran-Contra affair, and the destruction of the Berlin wall, a time of chaos, confusion, and a distinct turning point in world affairs.
Recorded in a 6-hr session in Don Zientaraβs Washington D.C. basement Inner Ear Studios, the album was originally released as an EP ut was expanded the next year to full-length.
ArtistΒ Links
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: 7SECONDS – WALK TOGETHER, ROCK TOGETHER (DELUXE REISSUE)
Kathy Nichols