Government Warning - "No Way Out E.P." - No Way Records

Government Warning – “No Way Out E.P.” – No Way Records
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Government Warning should need no introduction to any punk that wasn’t in a comma any year after 2005. Maybe it was what I was into at the time that led to the feeling, but hearing Government Warning really made me realize how fucked every other band in America was. Brandon Ferrell will eventually have a novel written about him, his label (No Way), his store (Vinyl Conflict) and how goddamned amazing he is at every instrument, but until then let me just assure you: this man’s output was flawless. Add into that every other band these four were involved with (Municipal Waste, Direct Control, Coke Bust, Wasted Time, etc.) and you’re left with a “who’s who” of 2000’s hardcore.
This E.P. really was the full package. The layout was painfully simple but unforgettable, they had a good logo that was on every shirt, and they had a theme song. Combine the power of the songs and the fact that ½ of the band ran amazing labels and you really have just been given the key to the 2000’s, 1981-tribute kingdom. The opening song on this record is a true banger and I have enough memories of yelling “BULLSHIT!” at full volume over this rager that I will forever be happy to put it on. I can’t say with certainty, but I think this might be the first hardcore band after 1989 to include a pick-slide in every song. “Oh you want to have a drum fill? Cool, lets toss a quick pick slide over it. So I’m psyched about this new intro! Let’s toss a pick slide over it!” It’s uncanny how well this band pulled of this sound without sounding like a tribute band, but they did it. My only fear for this record is that it will eventually fall into obscurity with some of the less-than-amazing 7”s that came out during the few years that this style seemed to be in vogue (my own band included in that list of sub-parness).



If you see one of these staring at you in a dollar bin, buy it. If you already own it, buy it and pass it along to someone that wasn’t there. If you have it sitting in one of your 7”s boxes and haven’t listened in a few years, go drop the needle on it and remember how exciting it was for a band to play such amazing aggressive music. If 5,000 copies of this record didn’t exist, it would surely be a member of the “Future Bonzers of America” club. This record came out a full two years before “The Wonderful and Frightening World of Double Negative”.  Think about that.
-RD