Dischord repressed a vinyl 7’’ of Henry Rollins’ first demo from late 1980, with SOA. The vinyl pressings were originally put out in 2014.
Rollins gave some background on the release, saying “It was what I was doing musically before I joined Black Flag.” SOA (a.ka. State of Alert) was his first band, back in Washington, DC. They recorded the demo and put out one 7’’ EP called No Policy E.P. in 1981.
No Policy E.P. was Dischord’s second release between The Teen Idles’ Minor Disturbance E.P. and Minor Threat’s Minor Threat EP. The label was founded by Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson, who were both members of The Teen Idles and Minor Threat. MacKaye, later known for fronting Fugazi as well, also released an emocore album with SOA members Ivor Hanson and Michael Hampton called Embrace.
Seven of the songs from No Policy E.P. were originally recorded on the SOA demo that’s just been repressed. The eighth track from the demo, “Stepping Stone Party,” didn’t make the cut, but the band added “Lost in Space,” “Girl Problems” and “Blackout.”
“Recently, Brian Lowitt who works at Dischord told me they had found some sleeves for the demo and wanted to press up some vinyl for them as one last run of the record,” Rollins said about the new pressing. “He wanted to know if I had a preference for a color of vinyl. I suggested green, as that was the color of the first pressing of our original record.”
Rollins signed them once they were sent to him and sold them on his site. He said they’d “have them on the site for as long as they last” and they didn’t last long. Unfortunately, they have already sold out and this is said to be the last run of the demo.
SOA disbanded in 1981 when Rollins moved to Los Angeles to join Black Flag, with whom he recorded six studio albums. Damaged and My War are both considered to be major hardcore punk classics.
Rollins has been hosting a radio show lately. It started as The Cool Quarantine where he was sharing stories and rare songs, but has evolved into more general radio broadcast.
Leave a Comment