In the early 1980s, Washington, DC, boasted one of the world’s
most vital and distinguished hardcore punk communities. Home
to Minor Threat, Dischord Records and an ascetic straight-edge
lifestyle that disdained booze, sex, and drugs, the city was
heralded for its loud, fast music and righteous, left-leaning
politics.
Hailing from the unhip suburb of Ashton, Maryland, No Trend
presented a sneering alternative to that sanctimonious ethos.
Cynical, surreal, and eager to call attention to the hypocrisy of
both Middle American norms and supposedly free-thinking
subcultures, the band mercilessly baited its audience, dressed
in atrociously kitschy clothing, and antagonized fans and foes
with grinding dirges and contemptuous, tragicomic lyrics.
Despite much local hostility, the group managed to make a
name for itself nationally, touring often and gigging with the
likes of the Dead Kennedys, Sonic Youth, T.S.O.L., Hüsker Dü,
The Flaming Lips, Butthole Surfers, Soundgarden, and
countless others.
This compilation covers No Trend’s early records: the first LP,
Too Many Humans, and two versions of the “Teen Love” EP.
The inserts and ephemera from the original releases have been
recreated to produce true facsimiles of these vinyl documents.
The attendant CDs also tack on the group’s first demo tape and
a live performance from the period. These artefacts defined No
Trend’s sound and image in 1983 and 1984, and are largely
how the band is remembered today.
The booklet accompanying the music was painstakingly
assembled from a variety of sources, and it includes photos,
show flyers, contemporaneous fanzine reviews, and interviews
with leader Jeff Mentges and No Trend’s other surviving
founder, Bob Strasser.
The box also contains the infamous No Trend “dance” books
(presumed lost until recently), as well as several other
surprises.
BOX SET (LP+12"EP+7”EP+2xCD+MISC.)