Ah, it comes with a heavy heart that we must conclude this little road trip through America's punk rock representatives. It's been a fun ride and not one that I've wanted to stop milking, I mean shit, could we not fit the US territories into another blog and continue the parade? Are we not excited by the prospects of anarchy and chaos coming from Guam and/or American Samoa? No, I'm not sure the sheriffs here will allow that, but that does not mean that our exploration of the genre is over; far from it! Today we'll finish up this great nation of ours and there's no telling where the listings will go once we pick up within these digital pages again!
See also: Top 50 Punk Bands, a State-by-State Breakdown, Part Four: New Mexico to South Carolina
South Dakota
No Direction - "Radio Education"
No Direction's "Radio Education" is a bit of nostalgia isn't it? Remember when you could actually listen to the radio and learn a thing or two? I guess we only have One Direction now to pollute our brains with the feces of a thousand demons. Oh well. Authors of one 7" and an LP, these dudes from Sioux Falls could've done worse for themselves.
Tennessee
Körö - "700 Club EP"
This little hardcore gem comes from Knoxville's Körö who took their 1983 cues from Finnish HC and that Rudimentary Peni aesthetic. Stylized lettering with upside-down crosses must've endeared them to the locals in a way we'll never know. Short fun blasts about typical 1980s concerns.
Texas
Non Compos Mentis - "Ultimate Orgasm"
Say what you will about the great state of Texas, and believe there'll be plenty to say when we do a queercore listing, but if we had to pick a band with a sexual streak in a somewhat more heterosexual vein, ours is Dallas' Non Compos Mentis. And we were kidding about the sexuality here, this song's all about suicide baby!
Utah
Angle - "Rock and Roll Death Camp"
Some people will tell you that Utah is one vast death camp. The guys in Angle will posit that it's a "rock and roll" death camp and went so far as to record a song about it. Gotta give it to them, it's punk and roll with some serious nods to psych aggression.
Vermont
Wards - "Weapons Factory"
Vermont's Wards have been going at it on and off since 1979 though mostly off, and I believe even recording an album of Christmas songs, but I might not entirely be right about that. Typical '80s paranoia here, but drone-y and creepy enough to stick in one's head in a good way, I think.
Virginia
White Cross - "Fascist"
Virginia might be for lovers but while I've never really known what heads or tails to pin on these guys, I do know that I can appreciate their sense of brevity. It is a well-known fact that their entire LP and EP fit into a six minute long strip of tape. Amazing. Say what you will about it, but don't say we taxed too much of your time on it. Oh yeah, two of the guys stinted in early lineups of GWAR.
Washington
The Pudz - "Take Me to Your Leader"
Someone will eventually get all bitchy about how I did not mention the Fartz here and that I'm a Duff McKagan hater. Well, that is just not true at all. I happen to like Duff McKagan. I also happen to like the Fartz, but I figured I could sneak another band with a "Z" in its name here, and the A-side to the track above is a choice cover of "Take a Letter Maria" so deal with it. Also, the Pudz eventually became alternative powerhouse the Squirrels.
West Virginia
Th' Inbred - "Positive Song"
Do you like skating? Do you like 1986? Do you like apostrophes? Chances are you'll like the tongue-in-cheek punk rock of Th' Inbred. Some requisite teenaged silliness aside, the EP Family Affair is a must in any punk rock collection. Oh, how I rue the purging of mine back in '06.
Wisconsin
The Haskels - "Taking the City by Storm"
My aunt and uncle live in Wisconsin. I like Milwaukee. I like Old Milwaukee too. I've been digging on the Haskels for a while now, and I hope you enjoy their racket too.
Wyoming
Accelerators - "Itty Bitty Baby (Duct Tape Rape)"
And it comes that we close out this listing with Wyoming's Accelerators and their cutely bizarre "Itty Bitty Baby (Duct Tape Rape)." Apparently duct tape is a gateway to rubber relaxation. You do the math. We suggest you shave first. Wait, we don't suggest anything! Damn, and the song starts off innocently enough, right?
Follow @CountyGrind
