No Gods, No Managers

Last updated
No Gods / No Managers
Nogodsnomanagers.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 30, 1999
RecordedMarch – April 1998
Genre Ska punk, anarcho-punk, crust punk
Length41:40
Label Hellcat
Producer Mike Trujillo
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Courier News Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [2]
Flipside (unfavorable) [3]
Fracture(favorable) [4]
LouderSound (favorable) [5]
Melody Maker Star empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]
PunkNews.orgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [7]
SputnikmusicStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [8]

No Gods / No Managers is the only studio album and final release by American hardcore punk band Choking Victim. The album was released in 1999 through Hellcat/Epitaph Records and re-released on LP format by Epitaph in 2004. Being the sole full-length album of Choking Victim, (they broke up immediately after recording the album), it became hugely popular in the punk scene. It inspired many nascent bands, and the band members of Choking Victim went on to form other bands, most notably Leftöver Crack.

Contents

The tone of the album is largely dark and pessimistic, with lyrics and artwork containing Satanic imagery. The cover does not contain a barcode, in accordance with their staunch anti-capitalist message, and is decorated with various satanic and anti-Christian symbols. However, a later pressing includes a barcode on the back cover. The album's title is an interpretation of the anarchist phrase/motto "No gods, no masters".

The quotations heard on several tracks are recordings of Michael Parenti, a leftist political writer.

The songs "Suicide", "Fucked Reality", "Money" and "Hate Yer State" had all appeared on the band's previous extended play releases. However, the versions featured on this album are different recordings to those included on their E.P.s.

Critical reception

Robert Makin of the Courier News highly praised the album, describing it as an essential release and rating it 3.5 stars out of four, [2] while PunkNews.org writer Pete Vincelli, in a retrospective review, said that Choking Victim were continuing the legacy of Operation Ivy by shaking up a tired scene [7] and Gallows guitarist Laurent Barnard claimed it was a "masterpiece". [5] Daniel Booth, writing in Melody Maker , was more critical, rating it 0 stars and saying that it sounded like "1,000 dung-beetles gargling their own shit". [6]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Choking Victim, except for tracks 9–11, written by Choking Victim and No Commercial Value

No.TitleLength
1."500 Channels"2:40
2."In Hell"2:05
3."Crack Rock Steady"3:04
4."Suicide (A Better Way)"2:53
5."In My Grave"2:48
6."Fucked Reality"2:28
7."Money"3:32
8."Hate Yer State"2:49
9."Fuck America"2:19
10."War Story"2:53
11."Five-Finger Discount"2:32
12."Praise to the Sinners"2:11
13."Living the Laws" (Track ends at 4:10 with hidden track "Ska Rock Steady" starting at 4:40)9:19
Total length:41:40

("Money", "Fuck America", and "Praise to the Sinners" contain audio of Michael Parenti)

Personnel

Related Research Articles

<i>Ignition</i> (The Offspring album) 1992 studio album by the Offspring

Ignition is the second studio album by American punk rock band the Offspring, released on October 16, 1992, by Epitaph Records. Issued during the alternative rock and grunge era, the album brought the band small success in Southern California as they started to gather a following. This success would continue to grow with their next album, Smash (1994).

<i>Suffer</i> (album) 1988 studio album by Bad Religion

Suffer is the third album by American punk rock band Bad Religion, released on the Californian independent record label Epitaph Records on September 8, 1988. It was the first album that was both released and distributed by the label. Following the release of the EP Back to the Known (1985), Bad Religion went on a temporary hiatus, then reunited with its original members and went to work on their first full-length studio album in five years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Bouncing Souls</span> American punk band

The Bouncing Souls are an American punk rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey, formed in 1989. By the time of their acknowledgment by the national punk rock scene, they had reignited a "pogo" element to New Jersey punk rock by playing fast light-hearted songs, a model followed by various other local bands.

<i>Punk in Drublic</i> 1994 studio album by NOFX

Punk in Drublic is the fifth studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was released on July 19, 1994, through Epitaph Records. The title is a spoonerism of "Drunk in Public".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agnostic Front</span> American hardcore punk band

Agnostic Front is an American hardcore punk band from New York City. Founded in 1980, the band is considered an important influence on the New York hardcore scene, as well as a pioneer of the crossover thrash genre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Choking Victim</span> American punk band

Choking Victim was an American punk band formed in New York City, which lasted from 1992 to 1998. They played a mix of hardcore punk and ska. Following the breakup of the band, which occurred the same day as the recording of their only studio album No Gods, No Managers, members went on to form Leftöver Crack and INDK, among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leftöver Crack</span> American punk rock band

Leftöver Crack is an American punk rock band formed in 1998, following the breakup of Choking Victim. The band is currently signed to Tankcrimes for CD releases, and Alternative Tentacles for vinyl releases. Leftöver Crack spans several different music genres including hardcore punk, ska, and crust punk. They write mostly political lyrics of a radical leftist nature, opposing religion, capitalism, and authority. Members of Leftöver Crack reside in the C-Squat on 155 Avenue C in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Natives of New York City, band members have a well-documented history of back-and-forth conflict with the NYPD which precedes the band's formation. The name "Leftöver Crack" is explained by Stza as being "an oxymoron", based on the idea that crack cocaine addicts are known for vigorous use and are unlikely to have any "leftover" crack.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">F-Minus</span> American hardcore punk band

F-Minus was an American hardcore punk band formed in 1995 in Huntington Beach, California, United States, started by Jen Johnson and Brad Logan. F-Minus was known for their dueling male and female vocals in songs that were sometimes as short as 12 seconds. Before breaking up in 2004, their last album was recorded by Steve Albini. Throughout their career, they covered such bands as Antidote, Black Randy and the Metro Squad, 7 Seconds, Negative Approach, and Agnostic Front. Brad Logan currently runs his own record label Blacknoise, and is also member of the New York band Leftöver Crack. Jen Johnson currently is the designer and owner of clothing label E.C. Star, and also is a member of the California band Ammunition Affair.

Some Girls was an American hardcore punk band consisting of a collective of musicians who came from different backgrounds and all who had established hardcore bands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brad Logan</span> American punk rock guitarist

Brad Logan, sometimes called Brad Minus, is an American punk rock guitarist from Los Angeles, California, who also owns and operates Blacknoise Recordings, and has collaborated on projects with Alternative Tentacles. Logan was the frontman and guitarist for hardcore punk band F-Minus but is most famous for his work in the group Leftöver Crack. In 2018, Logan joined Adolescents following the death their founding bassist Steve Soto.

<i>The One Voted Most Likely to Succeed</i> 1995 studio album by SNFU

The One Voted Most Likely to Succeed is the fifth studio album by Canadian hardcore punk band SNFU. The album was released in 1995 on Epitaph Records, their second of three albums for Epitaph. The band and label had high expectations for the album, which was released at the height of the third wave of punk rock. Ultimately the record did not chart as well as did contemporaneous albums by label mates such as The Offspring and Rancid, despite selling modestly well by punk rock standards. It nevertheless became a favorite among critics and fans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soul Glo</span> American hardcore punk band

Soul Glo is an American hardcore punk band formed in 2014 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is composed of Pierce Jordan (vocals), GG Guerra, and TJ Stevenson (drums).

<i>Fuck World Trade</i> Album by Leftöver Crack

Fuck World Trade is the second album by American punk band Leftöver Crack, released in 2004 on the Alternative Tentacles label.

<i>Mediocre Generica</i> 2001 studio album by Leftöver Crack

Mediocre Generica is the debut studio album by the American punk band Leftöver Crack. It was released on September 11, 2001 and includes much sociopolitical commentary, including anti-police sentiment, anti-racism and anti-homophobia. The album was originally intended to be titled Shoot the Kids at School, which Hellcat Records objected to. As Stza said in an interview, "They wanted mediocre generic artwork and they wanted a mediocre generic title, so I called it Mediocre Generica and I guarantee you the irony was lost on Epitaph". This has been cited as one of the main reasons that Leftöver Crack made the move to the much smaller label Alternative Tentacles. The album was coincidentally released on the same day as the September 11 terrorist attacks, and during the introduction on the band's next release, Fuck World Trade, this album is referred to as "the tower-toppling Mediocre Generica".

<i>Dont Back Down</i> (album) 1996 studio album by The Queers

Don't Back Down is the sixth studio album by the American punk rock band the Queers, released in August 1996 by Lookout! Records. The band and Lookout! president Larry Livermore, who served as executive producer, sought to balance the sounds of the Ramones and the Beach Boys, and enlisted the help of former Queers guitarist JJ Rassler and Cub singer Lisa Marr. The album's title track is a cover version of the Beach Boys song of the same name; it also features covers of the Hondells' "Little Sidewalk Surfer Girl" and Hawaiian punk band the Catalogs' "Another Girl". The album produced the band's first music videos, for "Punk Rock Girls" and "Don't Back Down".

<i>Orchestra of Wolves</i> 2006 studio album by Gallows

Orchestra of Wolves is the debut album by English hardcore punk band Gallows. It was produced by Banks of fellow Hertfordshire band Haunts and released by In at the Deep End Records on 25 September 2006. A limited edition was re-issued in the United Kingdom in June 2007 with a bonus disc featuring live session tracks, two new songs and two covers. It was also re-issued in North America by Epitaph Records on July 10, 2007, with four bonus tracks.

<i>Deadline</i> (Leftöver Crack and Citizen Fish album) 2007 studio album by Citizen Fish / Leftöver Crack

Deadline is a split album released in 2007 on Alternative Tentacles Records and Fat Wreck Chords. The album features 15 songs from the 2 bands, Leftöver Crack and Citizen Fish. Each band covers two songs. Citizen Fish covers "Money" by Choking Victim, and "Clear Channel " by Leftöver Crack. Leftöver Crack covers "Supermarket Song" by Citizen Fish, and "Reasons for Existence" by The Subhumans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Satanic Surfers</span>

Satanic Surfers are a Swedish punk rock band from Lund, Skåne.

<i>Squattas Paradise</i> 1996 EP by Choking Victim

Squatta's Paradise is the second extended play released by the American ska punk/anarcho punk band Choking Victim. The E.P. was recorded in April, 1996 and released later that same year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ezra Kire</span> American singer-songwriter

Ezra Kire is an American musician with the punk band Morning Glory, and is an ex-member of punk bands Leftöver Crack, Choking Victim and InDK. He currently resides in New York City.

References

  1. DaRonco, Mike. "No Gods, No Managers - Choking Victim". AllMusic . Retrieved 2024-03-05.
  2. 1 2 Makin, Robert (1999-04-15). "Album Reviews" . Courier News . Bridgewater. ProQuest   377965602 . Retrieved 2024-03-05 via ProQuest.
  3. Kirin (May 1999). "Choking Victim - No Gods/No Managers". Flipside . No. 118 via Internet Archive.
  4. Taylor, Dave (July 1999). "Choking Victim - No Gods, No Managers". Fracture. No. 8 via Internet Archive.
  5. 1 2 Barnard, Laurent (2015-09-03). "This Is Hardcore: Choking Victim – No Gods No Managers". LouderSound.com. Retrieved 2024-03-05.
  6. 1 2 Booth, Daniel (1999-04-24). "Choking Victim - No Gods/No Managers". Melody Maker . Vol. 76, no. 16. p. 36. Retrieved 2024-03-05 via Internet Archive.
  7. 1 2 Vincelli, Pete (21 November 2019). "Choking Victim - No Gods/No Managers". PunkNews.org. Retrieved 2024-03-05.
  8. "No Gods/No Managers" review". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 18 November 2019.