GBZ, as I will call them for reasons of laziness on my part, are Norwegian, which speaks very highly for them indeed. It says this about them on their website:
“Har ikke vært så knocked out av punkrock på faen vet hvor lenge. Satan heller. Livsfarlig, infantilt, snerrete og støgt. Og så catchy og tøft at jeg holdt på å drite på meg. ENDELIG et band som har skjønt at det ikke er Wannskrækk, Kjøtt og The Aller Værste - men Anal Babes, The Abusers og gammal Turbo som utgjør den egentlige punkkulturelle arven i Moderlandet.”
Yes, I think we can all agree on that.
I can’t find much about GBZ that’s in English, which puts me in a situation. Being a flock creature that I am, I like to know a little about a band before I can truly commit to them. However, Anti World Music cuts through all of that, and bellows its intentions right in your face, with its 12 two minute tracks.
This is an album recorded by a band who still regularly listen to the first 5 Punk-O-Rama compilations put out by Epitaph in the 90s. Each song sounds at once like one band, and at the same time like all of them, and it’s incredible. Just when you get used to the Bad Religion vibe, they suddenly become Pennywise, then Straight Faced, then Zeke, then all of them. Listening to it now, Anti World Music is making me want to find a PS1 and a copy of Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2, just so I can nail that damn school level once and for all.
GBZ don’t care if you like this album, because one way or the other, they’re still going to tour around in a shitted up old van, getting wrecked on cheap cider, playing to packed, sweaty dives, rammed with kids ripping it up like there’s no tomorrow. For what it’s worth though, I loved it, and wish there were more bands like this doing what they damn well please.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to check their tour diary. I’m feeling an urge to wear cargo shorts and start a circle pit.
