Thursday, October 22, 2009

Poll results for SSD - Get It Away vs. DYS - Brotherhood


While growing up, these two records were a giant leap for me both as a listener and as a lyricist. If memory serves, both records were released in 1983 with SSD “Get it Away” seeing a spring release and "Brotherhood" a fall debut. I think that each record is a classic and should be an emotional benchmark every band should aspire to reach.

I am sure I am not the only one who thinks that while great; DYS always seemed a few months behind SSD. This is not taking anything away from DYS but it is easier to improve upon than it is to invent. DYS has the advantage of being able to have a blueprint of what to do whereas SSD were true innovators.

“Brotherhood”, while excellent, was like a more advanced, better thought out “Kids Will Have Their Say.” And same with the eponymous LP, it sounded like an advanced, better thought out “Break It Up” with superior vocals (and an electronic drum kick to get the “sound just right” so said the band while recording it).


Al and Springa of SSD, Boston Crew style at the Media Workshop, 1981, Photo courtesy of: Drew Stone
SSD always seemed more dark and angry while DYS seemed like a real youth orientated band; angry, yes, but not violent-esque like SSD.

DYS did not even have to list the song titles on the record because the layout was so awesome (um, does this have two or twenty two songs?).

SSD has a cover with a PUSHEAD drawing with the name of his now ex wife, Anne, hidden on the cover.


 DYS has a cover with a drawing by Impact Unit singer, Dickie Barrett.

The inside picture of Jon Anastas has him wearing a shirt with the hemline cut from his shirt. The New York “Youth Crew” did this with their shirts in homage. Upon being told this, Jon Anastas admitted to me that he did not do that on purpose.

But ultimately, Society System Decontrol has a dual guitar, raw produced, at-the-time over top aggressive lyrics with a large range of styles and tempo on one record. They win this arbitrary debate. - Jon Roa

By Livewire Records at October 22, 2009

7 comments:

  1. Tom BroseOctober 22, 2009 at 7:20 PM

    Get it Away has always been one of my favorites. Its a much more raw hardcore album, where DYS is more paving the way for the youth crew sound. I love the way Get It Away sounds like its only about 15 seconds away from disintegrating into total noise, but manages to hold on.

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  2. AnonymousOctober 22, 2009 at 10:40 PM

    DYS grabbed me by the balls and twisted 'em until they fucking fell off.

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  3. ERIC SXEOctober 23, 2009 at 7:14 AM

    I had to go with DYS. I'm just not into SSD much at all.

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  4. AnonymousOctober 23, 2009 at 9:36 AM

    Is it just me or does the chord pattern to 'More Than Fashion'(DYS) sound sorta like 'Glue'(SSD)? More Than Fashion kind of descends, whereas Glue kind of ascends. Maybe I'm just crazy...

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  5. TimOctober 23, 2009 at 10:28 PM

    "I love the way Get It Away sounds like its only about 15 seconds away from disintegrating into total noise, but manages to hold on."

    So true. Listening to that record the first time, I pictured them evolving into some sort of noise type of band - their Discharge influence seemed like it would take them more into the "noise not music". But buried in "Nothing Done" is just this seconds quick little Chuck Berry riff (right after "...after you!") that was the first indication of where they would eventually end up at with "Break It Up". That said, I listen to "Break It Up", and I like "How We Rock" more than "Kids Will Have Their Say".

    I can't imagine life without "Get It Away".

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  6. springawasgodOctober 25, 2009 at 1:58 PM

    hi tim, do you really like "how we rock" more than "the kids..."? c'mon, the kids will have their say is 100% hardcore, is one of the most important records in hardcore history, the drums are incredible, is the first true thrash record!!. and it has the greatest front cover ever made. but get it away is better, of course. cheers!!

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  7. AndyOctober 25, 2009 at 10:42 PM

    In Boston-crew-style writing (aka Jonathan A):
    Summer of'83, SSD's Chris and Jamie along with DYS's Andy enter my bedroom in Redondo Beach, CA.
    Andy breaks out my cheap Sears guitar and proceeds to play DYS songs while the rest of us hum along and play air bass and drum along on the floor, bed, desk, whatever.
    Classic time, for sure.
    -- Andy Nystrom

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