Alternative Tentacles Records and Crispin Glover Records is proud to present Punch a new split 7 from Patrik Fitzgerald and Motorpsycho featuring Jello Biafra, both performing Fitzgerald's song, Punch.
Patrik Fitzgerald is an English singer-songwriter, known for being one of the originators of Folk Punk. Ranked as one of the most memorable of the so-called punk poets he first debuted in 1977 and has become known for his combination of punk outrage with a streak of optimism.
Originally writing the song Punch in 1980, shortly after Margaret Thatcher had been elected Prime Minister of Great Britain. He had this to say about the song; At the time that the song was written, it seemed like the worst type of person to be in charge of a country would be a right wing monster like Margaret Thatcher or a dangerous ex-actor / reactionary like Ronald Reagan, a bit of a joke figure, but also a gun-toting and gun promoting right wing monster.
Nobody might have expected that , by the early 2020s, the world would end up in the hands of actual clowns like Donald Trump and Boris Johnson, people written off by their own public as comedy buffoons, people to laugh at but not take too seriously.
Side A features a new recording of the song from 2021, while side B sees the track covered by the Norwegian rock group, Motorpsycho with a bit of help from the legendary Jello Biafra.
Originally forming 1989, named after a Russ Meyer sexploitation classic, Motorpsycho combines psychedelic influences with the high energy punk rock n' roll. Their output has been vast and varied, averaging a new album per year over the course of their 35 year existence would lead to a diverse and sprawling catalog that has been a delight to many a record collector.
This version of Punch was recorded for the Crispin Glover Records tribute to Patrik Fitzgerald 'All Sewn Up', back in 2009. The band went for an all-in hard rock approach for their version, something that Jello's characteristic vocals only added sparkle and intent to, and it is safe to say that the result stood out, even on an album as densely packed with heavy hitters and great music as that one.
Punch will be available on March 15th as a dual release from Alternative Tentacles Records and Crispin Glover Records.
Cover: Baby Trump by Christian Bloom. First published December 3rd 2016 in VG Helg. Design by Havard Winther Gjelseth
