Dishrags! Past is Future---Vancouver Punk at Its Finest!!! Love/Hate Anthology...

I first heard the Dishrags on the excellent and essential Vancouver Complication compilation (available from Sudden Death records). Though I was familiar with some of the bands represented, of the unfamiliar ones The Dishrags really stood out to me. Eventually I picked up this super fine compilation of their music Love/Hate, released on Other People's Music in 1997.

In the US I suppose they aren't so well known, but they certainly should be. They never put out a single studio album. Unfortunately Love/Hate, a collection of their singles, EPs, demos, and live tracks is out of print and is commanding a high price. A veritable Punk Rock treasure trove. Earlier this year Three was released, a vinyl release containing mostly unreleased material from their early days. On the recent excellent documentary of the Vancouver scene Bloodied But Unbowed,the band is also well represented. I mean it took me about 30 seconds to realise (about 1/3 the length of one of their songs)that these guys were pretty tremendous--they even opened for The Clash, by request from Joe Strummer, clearly a man with good taste in music.



When I listen to them its easy to be reminded of The Avengers, Penelope Houston's band who were one of the great American bands of the era. Certainly you can hear The Clash and Ramones influences with the Dishrags, but I especially like it when they slow down and operate in Wire Post-punk mode. Apparently they were the first all-female punk group in Vancouver, which is a big deal, being teenage trailblazers in a mostly boys club--but I would rather think of them more as a great band in a very special music scene. Because they could hold there own with the male talent and then some. And in my opinion, I think the punk name Jade Blade is one of the best I've heard.



Lineup I--1977-1979
Jade Blade: Vocals, Guitar
Scout: Drums
Dale Powers:Vocals, Bass

Lineup II--1979-1980
Jade Blade:Vocals, Guitar
Sue MacGillivray: Vocals, Guitar
Scout: Vocals, Drums
Kim Henriksen: Vocals, Bass




I don't have that much more to say except, let the music speak for itself! Hopefully the songs on Love/Hate will be more available to the public in the near future, as the songs really need to be heard. The Dishrags have so much energy and punk swagger that the songs are simply irresistible. My only regret is that there isn't more here. I love this release so much--so much of what makes Punk Rock important to me and why Vancouver was such an important Punk music scene is right here!