Last Exit...

Influenced obviously by The Birthday Party, by Iggy Pop, by Gang Of Four by Adam & the Ants even, Last Exit shows that these influences can sit together comfortably.

Everyone should enjoy 'I am a horse' although it's meaning will evade us all, those in favour of a more muscular bass and drum vibe will prefer tracks such as the 'Lady Is For Burning' & 'Hunt ya Down'. The sex kittens, meanwhile, will purr for 'Sink Into You & 'Lick'.

I think it's awful that 'Is That Your Bat' has been omitted! And seeing as this is a definitive collection, there can be no altering this, so I'll keep checking vinyl stores as my copy got broke several years back.

Not as twisted-wild as The Virgin Prunes, nor as decandent as Alien Sex Fiend, not as pretentious as The Specimen but as much fun live as all of the aforementioned!

Hope it sells loads & keeps you all in stella artois for years to come!
Adios, lads.

Spanning the career and showing the formative artsy bias, replete with droning honey banes-esque backing vocals viz:'I am a horse'through to the middle material, 'she lacks discipline' 'head on' and 'weight'. Then how much tighter everything sounded when they taughtened everything up, pared it down and we get tracks such as 'lick' & 'sink into you'. At this point you fugure Ausgang were on this steep learning curve, but learning fast.

If you listen, you'll see why the goth label was too restrictive for this band, even though their image was that of a hybridised goth-biker. They seem to draw on many influences, pre-punk & post punk. I can't hear the Iggy Pop influence but that's not through lack of trying! I can hear The Birthday Party in there though, and Gang Of Four and at times a touch of the early Ants even The Original Mirrors are socked in their pysches somewhere, I bet!

This is a wild and heady selection. I am sure we must be grateful to Max Freeth for knowing exactly when to resurrect this beast of a band. Also Ian & Stu who have provided the Ausgang backbone since early 80s. I hope they still have their attitude and cut-yer-wrists cheekbones.....

This is not an immediate CD that you'll fall in love with but it works oddly, like a psychedelic and you find yourself replaying tracks in your head like a brainwashed member of a weird cult!

Then you'll be in love.In passionate lust.

Big time.

1) The "vocalist", Mark "Max" Freeth has the most annoying voice I have ever heard. The endles yipping & yapping like a stupid Yorkshire terrier on whizz is seriously grating. Plus he has real child bearing hips that don't quite cut the "sex god" mustard.

2) The first bassist, "cub" has obviously been listening to Gang Of Four and The Stranglers in equal measures. But, unfortunately, only took time out to learn one bassline that gets reiterated with yawny regularity. They acquired a 2nd bassist, Stu, who seemed more able to show a bit of variety, unfortunately, they never got a new vocalist.

3) Guitarist & drummer are actaually quite solid, especially the guitarist, a shame he didn't wait and find a proper platform for his talent.

4) Just a mickey mouse band, a bunch of misogynists. Should not be mentioned in the same breath as the bands they try to emulate.

5)Should have been cleaning the lavatories at The Batcave not paying there!

6) Amused parties vist www.mickmercer.co.uk and read a hilariously whack interview. As my young son says, "just a bunch of gaylords of the highest order"!

SOME TRACK SYNOPSIS: "I am a horse" OK c'ept the yips.
"My Hair" some Bunnymen vibes, then the yipping.Junk
'Weight' *that* bassline's 1st (but no last) appearance. Junk.
'The Lady Is For Burning' more of *that* bassline. junk.
'Vice like grip' .Junk
'County Hunters' junk.
'Strip Me Down'. Nah!
'Sink into you' Stangler's-go-Adam and the ants rip. Junk.
'Lick' it's fun it's quite good til the yapping starts.
'Hunt ya Down'Gang Of four on librium. OK.
'She lacks discipline' s'ok, actually.

Review the rest yourself!

ADIOS DUDES!