The Kids Don't Skate Here CD Review December 08

"The Kids Don't Skate Here"
CD by Minus One
DC-Jam Records
Review by Carl Macki

Personnel

Dana Alberts -- Lead guitar, vocals
Mike Henry -- Bass
LLiam Hart -- Drums

Tracks

    The Kids Don't Skate Here
Blindman
Nick Of Time
Get Used To It
Bored Of It
Someone Must Have Dropped You On Your Head
I Remember John
Siren Screams
Out Of The Darkness

DC-JAM Records owner Darron Hemann calls Minus One "The Godfathers of Skate Rock" -- he recently ran into them online, after being a fan all these many years -- and it's true that they have been playing music as a group for more than a wee bit of time. More like twenty-five years. So why haven't they had more recordings than an appearance on Thrasher Magazine's "Skate Rock, Volume 1," and this first CD release?
No worries, there's something to cheer and to keen about on this CD. "Nick Of TIme" is a classic song that has been expertly polished and remastered. It will be put in the soundtrack of an pupcoming horror film. "Get Used To It" is taken from Dana's solo album "Happiness Is Hard To FInd, which came out two years ago. Plus there are brand new five songs that really display Dana Albert's songwriting skills and the band's virtuousity as a trio.
Currently the band is resting and playing occsaionally before starting a tour of Europe early next year with fellow skate tune slingers McRad.
It may be a bit too much of a categorization to refer to Minus One as just a skater's band or skate punkers. True, they started in the heydays of the Mab on Broadway in San Francisco, and the rise of the skate punk scene around the South Bay. And on their tours they are playing at several skate parks. However, the band has developed a rich and vibrant sound witnessing their maturity while still remaining fresh. They no longer skate, they glide. Medical issues have not shaken them apart,
but it has made them more considerate. And they are more gloat than punk. Sure there is still some anger, but it has been ventilated with worldly wisdom.
It cannot be over emphasized that the band's roots are in British Invasion power pop ala The Doors, and this comes through loud and clear on the new songs -- "Someone Must Have Dropped You On Your Head," "Blindman," "SIren Screams" and "Out of the Darkness." So if we are looking for powerful guitar work and percussion with intelligent, well-composed lyrics thrust at your raspily without cynicism or letdown. I would catch them at a live show if you can. I saw them recently in San Francisco and they performed brilliantly.