We’ve asked Dan, of Rushmor Records and Burning Sons (on Mystic Records), to offer up his unique perspective, being both a musician and record store owner. He’s seen bands come and go.

Why do people like what they like?! Well, I always figured that it’s the music that chooses the person – usually – more than the other way around… I was invited by Martin here to “cherry pick” 5ive (my lucky number!) selections from the MKEpunk archive that found me at various points of time in my life…

Listed below alphabetically, are releases that have all made an impact for different reasons, yet still stand the test of time musically and maybe more – sentimentally.

MKE Top 5

• 

  Animal Farm – You Cannot Call This Peace

  Smoke gets in your eyes, and sometimes on your brain… I believe, it was a ‘Food Not Bombs’ benefit at the Oakland House where I picked this up. What I remember from the gig was Grant blowing my ear out with his guitar rig and me worrying about Rico and Duwayne’s voices being damaged. I wasn’t playing in a band at that time but after that evening’s show, and listening to the 7″ repeatedly the following days after, it wasn’t long until I was hammerin’ eggs again. I Loved these people and their passion for their music, they rose like a phoenix from the ashes of Demise.

• 

  Buried – Leaders, Machines, and Lies

  This came in a bag with a patch. I sewed the patch and pocket together by accident and ruined the sweatshirt trying to undo the stitching. So, a sweatshirt that was once a ‘sweet’ shirt was now a better pillowcase. (Oh, I slay myself..) Anyways… These guys came out all guns blazin’ at either an Avail or All You Can Eat show at Quarters, I believe the latter. I was just excited to see these individuals playing music again. It was indulgent times and this short-lived band kinda were checkin’ heads and talking serious shop. I’m happy to see this here.

• 

  Dr Shrinker – Grotesque Wedlock

  I recall this being a pre-demo-demo! It had the little lady from the film, Anguish, on the cover and we played the shit outta this tape on every roadtrip we went on. There wasn’t music like this at that time, not around here. We used to fall out on the voice thinking he said things he didn’t… like how Rich says somethin’ about Reeses Pieces in (the song) The Command. This tape was global. Just regular bros blownin’ out their vision of hardcore and thrash fused together. They called it “Gore-core”. They got much better musically, but it was this tape that held the essence of what all this stuff’s about…

• 

  Silent Scream – Silent Scream

  This band were contemporaries of a band I played in, SpeedFreaks. Never rivals. Along with Self Denial, they were our Southside buddies who had their own deal going on. One day I was in Atomic Records (R.I.P.) and discovered their tape next to the other local demos near the cash register. I was kinda pissed that Dave didn’t tell me it was out, but along with the new Prince album, I still purchased one. Other than the Adolescents cover versions they played live, we could now sing along properly with their material as well. My tape, at that time, had an extra tune on it for some reason. They never played their namesake, self-titled track, live, that I knew of. We played a lot of shows together and we were bummed when the original band ceased to be. Suddenly, from this point on, everyone had a tape out. Oh, and when I got home that night there was a message that Dave have called to tell me that their new cassette was out!

• 

  309 Chorus – S/T 7″

  When these guys played with Thrones at the Rave Bar (if it was called that?!), they definitely made it clear that it wasn’t by choice that they were playing there. They were the hardcore element of Neurosis, mashed-up with Black Flag’s angst. This record was a little tamer than their live performance, but their conviction to the music shines through. They existed at the end of when Milwaukee Hardcore and Milwaukee Punk stopped being called that. What burns brightest, burns quickest.