...REVIEWS !!       

HOT POCKETS "Kiss´n Run" LP

german... french... spanish italian

ENGLISH

WAYBACK MACHINE (USA) DEC 2002 OK, so when The Hot Pockets released their excellent "Mess of Fire" LP on Screaming Apple/Stolen Records, very few people really took notice. I remember reading maybe one glowing review before hunting it down myself. I was satisfied. "Not damned bad!" I'd say to myself as I'd spill beer on my shirt. That was the first time (I heard the record, not drank beer). Then on subsequent spins the record really started to grow on me. I like Hot Pockets for lunch AND for desert! Well, then this baby ("Kiss 'n Run") arrived in my mailbox. It's a new LP, but not new recordings. This is a collection of singles and previously unreleased tracks recorded even before the "Mess of Fire" sessions. Supposedly The Hot Pockets only lasted 8 weeks before calling it quits. Holy crap! 8 weeks!! I know bands that have been together and practiced for 8 MONTHS before even getting their first gig, much less releasing two full-length slabs of vinyl! This is switchblade rock'n'roll. Heavy on the distortion, loud, loose, and savage. Tuneful, melodic, and with just the right amount of unpretentiousness and ineptitude you'd really wanna hear in a new "teen" band. No idea how old these guys are. Who fuckin' cares? They're gone now. But you owe it to yourself to own this sucker.(kopper)

BLANK GENERATION (USA) NOV 2002 This band has always been kinda hard to track down. They’ve got a ton of releases, all of which have come out on European labels of various sizes. Some aren’t even around anymore. I think I have their first 2 or 3 singles, and I remember digging them, but not giving ‘em heavy rotation. I reviewed “Mess Of Fire”, a previous long player, and wasn’t terribly impressed. It lacked punch in just about every area. I thought they had all split up now, but here is an LP compiling singles stuff, unreleased whatevers and all that jazz. I’m pleased to announce that this LP is completely dud-free. It all smokes actually. Perfect trashcan production too. Alien Snatch is starting to show a consistency similar to Screaming Apple, and I don’t think they’ve ever put out a bad record (might be wrong, fuck it). A roster that moves from obscuro-trash, sugary-sweet power pop, straight garage and pop-punk and the occasional rude ‘tude release. Naturally, The Hot Pockets are representative of this and manage to do it all really good. Wasn’t someone from The Spaceshits in this band at one time? Who knows? Those folks are in every band. Whatever.(MC)

LONG GONE LOSER (OZ) OCT 2002 Although they released an album on an Aussie label, I have never heard of these guys until this popped up in the mail. What you're getting is lo-fi garage rock that's raw as fuck and oozes off the turntable on red vinyl. The Hot Pockets have a sound that's so raw that only the strong will survive. It's guaranteed to annoy the fuck out of anyone whose wantin' slickly produced rock n roll cos you most certainly won't find that here. . You're gonna get a full 110% rock and a nice booklet giving you all the goss you need to become hip to these cats. The sound is somewhere between Supercharger meets Dead Moon meets the New Bomb Turks at their bootlegged worst. If lo-fi rock is what you dig, then the Hot Pockets deliver. Plus, the cover art sports what appears to be some hot lookin' spunktress with nice curves and you gotta be happy with that.(damo)

HIGH HEELS SLUTS (BELGIUM) SEP 2002 Well, this one turned out really nice! From the sleeve, the blue vinyl and the cute zine to -and that's the most important of course- the music. If you're unfamiliar with the band and its members' past occupations, let me just tell you the Hot Pockets consist of ex-STIPJES and SPACESHITS members and a current FIREBIRDS /KRONTJUNG DEVILS, so you know you're in for a real R'n'R deal. Thirteen shots of raw, harsh and unpolished rawk'n'roll trash shot right up your veins, delivering the same treatment as any PAGANS or DRAGS record does! And they're a thrill, you know?! Only remark I have about this -their 2nd- allbum is that 4 songs are taken off earlier 7"s and 2 have different takes on their "Mess Of Fire" debut album, so that only leaves us with 7 brand new tunes. But if you aren't around from day one you'd better forget about this remark and try to get your hands on this one. Welcome to Rock'n'Roll city!!(wim)

ODYSSEY ZINE (USA) JULY 2002 As far as I'm concerned, this album from one of the sporadic garage rock bands ever belongs in the collection of anyone who worships at the altar of the great garage rock explosion of the early 90s. Formed by Robert Gold (formerly of De Stipjes) and Adam "Tongues" Gold of The Spaceshits, the Hot Pockets mastered 77 style snotty punk rock and gave it back to the people. It's absolutely, utterly amazing. TEENGENERATES fans will greet this album like manna from heaven. Seriously, it ranks with some of the best garage punk I've ever heard. DO NOT MISS OUT ON THIS ONE !!!!

SHREDDING PAPER #13 (USA) Summer 2002 TEENGENERATES lives in these fun loving dutch! Lo-Fi fuzzy sloppy garage punk, full of energy, mistakes ( at least they sure sound like mistakes), crappily recorded distorted guitars and vocals, and songs with hhoks that grab you by the nuts and squeeze hard. In the perfect tradition of bands like the RIP OFFS. Rock and Rol with balls and walls playing, comes with a nice 16 page booklet with inerviews of the band, and a little history of the songs, about half of which have been out of various 7" and other releases. Killer! (David)

BLANK GENERATION (USA) APRIL 2002 This is the first time I’ve heard the HOT POCKETS…I think… I would’ve never checked ’em out on my own… it’s just that name…the HOT POCKETS… What can I say, I’m a bitch about band names… If it doesn’t sound cool to me it takes an act of God, or in this case Daniel, to get me to listen to their record. So this is a collection of HOT POCKETS tunes, probably their best tunes… FUCK! I hate that band name thing with me! Look what I’ve missed! The HOT POCKETS are a total lofi garage version of the DEVIL DOGS. Solid, snotty, catchy rock ‘n’ roll tunes that sound like they’re straight out of the early 90’s garage era. Ignore the band’s name, if you don’t like it, but buy this record NOWWWWWWW! (JD).

SMASHIN TRANSISTORS (USA) MAY 2002 German label Alien Snatch! is quickly becoming one of my favorite company's. They've not only put some good records but it's the whole way they present it. Brick think vinyl pressings, bright and colorful package. This LP even includes a booklet...but you DO need one to document what "Kiss 'n Run" is all about. A supergroup featuring the quit & fired SPACESHITS´ Adam and STIPJES/European band driver Robert, they formed did a few recording sessions, a batch of 7inches, some shows and a full-length...Then ceased operation. Yeah! that's the way supergroups should be! The should never go on and on. Some should never even happen...For example The Damn Yankees. Remember the "High Enough" video where the Nuge kicks through the door in his long zebra coat and plays the guitar solo?
If this was just simply a comp. of the singles it would be enough, I know I still got a couple holes in my collection and though it does include only some of them (but a couple of them were songs I didn't have) there's a stack of unreleased 4, 8 and 16 track recordings. Some songs hit like CHEAP TRICKwith a seriously destructive personality armed with a couple of rude sounding amplifiers and going on a crank binge. Others make ya wanna raise your glass then go out side and kick up some dust. Then there's some that got me thinkin' 'bout nothing more than buzzsaws and bubblegum.! (Dale).

MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL ...? # 229 (USA) JUNE 2002 More of that Euro greaser rock 'n' roll here. Draws heavily on the early SAINTS sound. Probably would have been a little more exciting five years ago in the wave of Gearhead 'zine rock and the SUPERSUCKERS. Good enough, just a little late to really move me! (RL).

UP YOURS! (BELGIUM) MAY 2002 Like "Kiss'n Run", the second full album by THE HOT POCKETS from Groningen (formerly known as Hollands 'Rock City #1'). Nowadays times have changed and only bands like The KRONTJUNG DEVILS and The WAITCOATS are still holding the Groninger banner. But offcourse there's HOT POCKETS, a band which started off as a one-time project of Robert (ex-STIPJES) and his Canadian buddy Adam G. (ex-SPACESHITS). Both shared a similar addiction for punked-up R'n'roll songs and discovered the thought the same about R'n'Roll history's important bands (5 'Originators' seemed more than enough!!) After a couple of 7"s on local European labels and a first lp on Screamin' Apple came this second, vinyl-only album. "Kiss'n Run" 13 tracks of sizzling, irresistable Rock'n Roll tunes with a delightful mixture of powerpop, a dashing punkdrive and an uptempo catchyness. The present songs are a selection out of several recordings and some tracks were already featured on previous 7"s since the recordings date back from before their first lp recordings. THE HOT POCKETS tunes are full-on high energy R'n'roll spreading the overall aura of lovely loud, frenzied and wild guitars, which never loose touch with the basics of the songs. CLASSIC!! (bo)

GERMAN

OX MAGAZINE #46 (GERMANY) MARCH 2002 Gouda-ness gracious, great balls of matzoh !!! THE HOT POCKETS ! THE HOT POCKETS ! HOT DAMN, THE HOT POCKETS !!! Das Alpha und Omega meines gegenwärtigen Musikuniversums. Sie haben den Rock, sie haben den Roll, kommts du zur Party, bringen sie den Soul ! Da wird einmal kurz bis vier gezählt und schon kreist der Holzschuh in Form von " I Live On Rocket Street". Kein Song, sondern ein Credo, ein sonifiziertes "Yeah", ein Fanal, ein musikalischen Banner, das seit dem erscheinen ihrer Kogar 7" aus dem Jahre 1999 stolz über den Häuptern mehrere geschmacklich gefestigter Personen in meiner näheren Umgebung weht. Machen wir uns nichts vor: Wen´s in der Walpurgusnacht zum Eisfischen geht, wen hätten wir dann lieber an unserer Seite, den geistigen Urheber von "Tears for broken toys" oder den von " I Live On Rocket Street" ? Eben! Und als wäre das nicht genug, scheibt das interkontinetale windmill-wombat/canuck-muck-luck-muck Konglomerat gleich noch ein Dutzend Hufschacherer gleichen Kalibers hinterher. So standen sie dann in ihrer ganzen Großartigkeit in Münster auf der Bühne, der Entertainment-Qualitäten von Frontman Adam gewiss, und die ZODIAC KILLERS standen blöd davor. Das hat das formidable ALIEN SNATCH! Label dann auch ganz hurtig erkannt und sich die Dienste der Band für diesen exquisiten Langspieler gesichert. Schließlich weiss man, worauf es im RNR wirklich ankommt. Wie formulierte Rober van der Gießen, aka Gunther so treffend? " Pants man, Pants !" (Norbert)

CHOKE #7(AUSTRIA) JUNE 2002 Pflichtplatte !!!!!!!!!! Genau wie die RIP OFFS "Got a Record" oder TEENGENERATE "Get Action", hier kommt 13 mal Punkrock aus der Garage zwei Häuser weiter. Mal schnell und trashig, mal hymnenhaft und fast schon schön. Kaum zu beschreiben. Ganz große Platte. Kaufen. Alles andere vergessen! (el)

FLYING REVOLVERBLATT #23 , OKTOBER 2002 : "I live on Rocket Street" und 12 weiter Smash-Hits !! Yeah !! Was für eine vorbildliche LP ! Warum gibt es sowas nicht häufiger ? Wäre auch nicht gut ? Stimmt, denn gerade die Exklusivität macht doch häufig die subjektive Qualität aus ! Absurd ? Mitnichten ! Jedenfalls ist dies hier sowas wie eine Singles Compilation diese holländischel Lofi-Punkband, was in sofern merkwürdig ist, da sie bislang nur einen Longplayer veröffentlicht haben. Für Leute, die diese Band nicht kennen, sollte man die Vorgänger Band erwähnen, die da SPACESHITS, STIPJES und KRONTJUNG DEVILS wären. Das Bild könnte sich durch die Auswahl an Coverversionen vervollständigen. Zu nennen wäre da: "I´m in Love with today" (The USERS). Hilft euch das weiter ? Nicht ? Fakt ist dennoch, dass hier eine Band wahrlich gute Garagepunkband am Start ist, die es zu erleben gilt. Glaubt mir dieses ein mal !

FRENCH

DIG IT! (FRANCE) MAY 2002 *Kiss’n Run est le deuxième album des HOT POCKETS, après l’excellent Mess Of Fire sorti sur Screaming Apple. Mais il rassemble des extraits de singles et des inédits enregistrés pour la plupart avant les sessions du premier LP. Les débuts des HOT POCKETS, en fait, avec un son genre “répet / walkman”. Un son qui colle finalement à leur approche foutrement rugueuse du punk rock à la PAGANS/ HEARTBREAKERS / REAL KIDS. Un cocktail qui se liche cul sec, la première goulée est rude, après ça passe tout seul. Quelques morceaux dispensables, mais de grands moments. Dommage que le groupe n’existe qu’en pointillé, chaque fois que l’ex-SPACESHITS Adam quitte son Québec pour retrouver ses trois compères bataves. (GD)

SPANISH

I PUNKROCK (SPAIN) OCT 2002 La primera toma de contacto con esta banda, fue a través de la recomendación que me hizo un buen amigo conocedor de mi fanatismo por una banda canadiense de culto los Spaceshits, ya que sabe que suelo pillarme material de las bandas de sus ex – componentes, y hasta ahora no me ha defraudado ninguna. Con miembros en sus filas que han estado en bandas del calibre de; Spaceshits –Adam, que además ha sido uno de los miembros fundadores-, Stipjes – Robert-, Ferbirds, Royal Pendeltons, Krontjong Devils - Gerard y Firebirds –Arnold-, ya te podrás imaginar lo que te espera, unas buenas dosis de diversión y rock & roll. Después de escuchar su anterior trabajo el genial LP “Mess Of Fire” estaba impaciente de que cayera en mis manos su siguiente disco “Kiss N’ Run”, está vez en guapísimo vinilo de color azul, vamos, una apreciada joyita!!!, muy en la línea de su fantástico anterior trabajo, incluso las portadas son muy parecidas. Sus canciones son una mezcla de los Devil Dogs más salvajes, y alguna que otra melodía pegadiza y popera, pero rollo Real Kids, sin perder ese sonido sucio y crudo al que nos tienen acostumbrados. Un total de trece excelentes cortes, cuatro de ellos aparecen en sus singles anteriores, dos de ellos ya los habíamos escuchado en su anterior LP como son; “Two Faced Derby” y “What I Got”, cuatro temas nuevos y tres covers, entre ellos “Why Do You Live On My Block? – The Cunts. Si todavía no tienes este disco o cualquiera de sus anteriores rodajas vinílicas, espabílate porque quedan muy pocas copias y si has dejado pasar la oportunidad de verles en directo, es tú problema!!!, pero yo de ti les vería la próxima vez que pasen por España. (Lillymunster)

ITALIAN

AVERAGE (ITALY) Il disco degli Hot Pockets mi si presenta sotto forma di vinile che non vedevo da un tempo, ed infatti appena l'ho messo sul giradischi sono stato cazzi amari, visto che il mio vecchio macina dischi non era più abituato. Ma dopo un paio di tentativi sono riuscito a sentire del buon rock'n'roll punk stile New Bomb Turks da questi quattro pazzi che non hanno niente da inviadare ai più blasonati. 12 canzoni di punk rock veloce e ubriaco, come "I Live On Rocket Street" e "Rock N Roll City", e anche se il genere non è il mio preferito, mi sono goduto tutta la mezzoretta del disco , che forse non distinue per fantasia in un panorama dove avere la fantasia è un miracolo, credo che il disco non faccia brutta figura in mezzo a un mare di merda. Il disco lo trovate da Bad Man Records, quindi se vi piace il buon punk rock n roll, cosa state leggendo? Correte.