Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Brine-Operation Manual and Learning Process 7”s




After Now or Never broke up, Brine took on the mantle of best punk rock act in Springfield, Mo. The band started out as a four piece called Uncle Fester, and released a demo tape in the early 90’s. After their original vocalist quit, the band’s bass player Tyler took over singing, and under their new name the band improved tremendously. Tyler’s distinctive bass playing style meshed well with his brother Dane’s guitar licks and Mike’s tight drumming. They released their first 7” “Operation Manual” around 1996, and it contained some strong playing and songwriting. But it was on their 1998 e.p. “Learning Process” that the band reached their full-throttle potential. Tyler wrote non-rhyming, heavily political lyrics that proved that any piece of writing can be matched to any music so long as you don’t mind pronouncing words in ways they’ve never been pronounced before. Both releases came out on Amendment Records out of Virginia, and while they got good reviews, the band never achieved much popularity outside of the Springfield area. A darn shame, considering how my better they were than most of the lefty punk bands around at the time.

Operation Manual 7"

1. Slacker
2. Fraternity Song
3. Numb
4. Mechanics
5. Velcro Head
6. Thesis Statement No. 1

Learning Process 7"

1. Rehearsing Death
2. Letter to Shaun
3. Every Little Thing Counts
4. Quote Unquote
5. Problem Solving
6. Untitled [Smoking Song]
7. Priority List
8. Faith




Enjoy

6 comments:

Luke Walters said...

I absolutely adored Brine. These guys were great. They put on a power packed live show. I really hoped that they would go on to bigger and better things. Definitely the best punk band of the era to come out of Springfield/Joplin. One of the first ever all ages shows I went to featured Uncle Fester. At the time I didn't really get it. When I saw Brine about a year later I really understood what they were trying to get at.

Hi Gabe.

Luke Walters.

Willie said...

Brine was great. The first show I ever attended here in town was a small one in Tyler and Dane's attic, featuring Brine and Devolve. It was a great introduction to the scene for me.

Mike said...

Interviewed in The Undergrowth.

Unknown said...

I actually bought the Brine:Operation Manual & Learning Process album on cassette soon after it was released for $4or$5 i think at the once great and (in my own eyes) famous simple local record-store known as The Mad Platter.
~=MP=~

Unknown said...

Also, the first time I saw Brine perform was opening up for the Sodomites in a little pink house my mom owned at the time on at 1324 W Walnut Springfield, MO because my friend~for~forever&beyond Elroy Ramone had called those two bands up & we invited them to have a show there in the Winter of 1994. ~=MP=~

Unknown said...

By winter ^ I mean to say it was a very cold night in the month of March.