The author of the liner notes for this 7” from Long Beach’s The Decline praises “how damn refreshing it is to hear a dirty punk rock 45.” I get it. We all want to relive the first time we heard Television or saw a picture of Johnny Thunders. Inside, the singer wears a T-shirt made to look like Joe Strummer’s now iconic “Brigade Rosse” T-shirt. It’s unfair that Joe is dead and Blink-182 continues on, despite one member surviving a plane crash and another leaving the band. The title track here reminisces about the days of punk past, and claims that a “radio revolution” is coming “‘cause the troops are comin’ home” so “you better cut your hair and your disco flairs.” This is where the band loses me. It feels forced, shoved in my face and—sorry to say—I’m full already. As for disco flairs, I’ve never even seen a pair.
–John Mule (Hostage)