D.O.A.
War on 45
Sudden Death Records
· A punk rock classic gets a new lease on life. D.O.A. plays at Broken City on Friday, March 31.
In his autobiography I, Shithead, Joey Keithley remarks that the War on 45 EP marked a turning point for Vancouver’s D.O.A., one that saw the band embark on a western seaboard tour of 45 cities in 45 nights. While it took an extra five nights, that 1982 fall tour cemented D.O.A.’s reputation as a premier hardcore band. D.O.A. would pull into town, unload a box of seven-inches, play one of the meanest sets of the week (if not the month) and blow out of town, leaving a legion of fans with the eight original tracks of War on 45 to remember them by.
As they proceeded to the next town, Keithley and his band had no idea of the firestorm they were leaving in their wake. Coming hot on the heels of Ronald Reagan’s election in the United States and Cold War paranoia, the EP burnt itself into the punk rock collective consciousness, helping to make War on 45 one of the most influential releases of the last 25 years.
With the ongoing war in Iraq and fear-mongering south of the border, it seems as if we have returned to the days of creeping communist infiltration. Keenly aware of his current position as one of punk’s elder statesmen, Keithley has taken the opportunity to reissue War on 45 with 10 additional anti-war tracks, many culled from other D.O.A. releases, including covers of Dylan’s "Masters of War" and John Fogarty’s "Fortunate Son." Other notable tracks include D.O.A.’s classic cover of "War" and the Clash-inspired "War in the East," as well as the Reaganite "Liar for Hire."
The D.O.A. hardcore sound has remained remarkably consistent over the years, making many of these tracks seem just as vital today as they did when they were first released.
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