
Flipper were the low and slow bummer at US hardcore’s “loud fast rules” party. But they were wisecrackers, too, lacing their bracing nihilism with deadpan humor. Their debut album, Album — Generic Flipper, didn’t sell much initially, but it’s gone on to influence loads of bands, including Melvins and Nirvana. And, hey, thee Rick Rubin was a superfan, as well, reissuing this iconoclastic punk classic through his Def American label. Cachet!
Album — Generic Flipper proves the thesis that negativity can vibrate so intensely that it flips over into exhilaration. Thinking that life irredeemably sucks can propel you out of bed and spur you into action—even if it’s as fleeting as punching the sky to “Life Is Cheap,” one of this record’s many highlights. However, the fact that I’m reviewing this cauldron of negation on a sunny, summery day brings a stinging cognitive dissonance. I think Generic is best enjoyed at night during dismal weather. Anyway…
“Ever” casually swaggers into earshot with blasé handclaps and Will Shatter’s bass leading the lethargic charge, as Bruce Loose crankily yells about all the ways life disillusions a punk. “Ever wish the human race didn’t exist/And then realize you’re one too” is shaky grammatically, but the epiphany still scalds. “Life Is Cheap” flaunts one of history’s great descending basslines, worthy of early Swans’ null-and-void wave or Joy Division at their most woebegone. Loose’s voice is shadowed by an obnoxiously high-pitched studio demon, as the godforsaken lyrics make the Sex Pistols’ sound like hollow claptrap. “Feeling so empty and I feel so old/Just waiting to feel the death-like cold” is a harsh toke from San Fransisco dudes in their 20s. There’s nothing very artful about Flipper’s lyrics, but they’re so blunt and bleak, they ascend to the condition of poetry. The thunderous “Shed No Tears” rolls like a slow-motion avalanche of barbed-wire tumbleweeds. Remarkably, something almost like joy creeps in.
“I Saw You Shine” returns to the downward spiral of hopelessness that Swans leveraged on records such as Filth and Cop. Ted Falconi’s cranky guitar entanglements take the lead for a change, and drummer Steve DePace achieves that reverbed slap heard on Joy Division’s Closer—no complaints here. To my twisted ears, “Way Of The World” sounds like it should’ve been a hit, even with its Metal Box -like search-and-destroy bassline, Falconi spraying guitar radiation in 360º, and message of chronic disappointment.
“Life” scans as the LP’s most upbeat, accessible tune, but it’s drenched in sarcasm. “Life is the only thing worth living for” is one of those perfect tautologies that can help you get through the day—but probably not through the night. “Nothing” is not a Fugs cover, but rather a sonic cousin to the insistently pounding cacophony of “Chant” by PiL (them again). The fastest track here, “Living For The Depression” has a driving, Crass-like momentum, so you’re probably gonna love it. With its fantastic, crunchy bassline, sassy sax riff (credited to “Bobby” and “Ward,” whoever they are), and ballistic whistles, “Sex Bomb” is tailor-made for the scuzziest strip joints. Talk about an explosive climax…
Album—Generic Flipper has been my favorite American punk LP since it came out, and nothing has changed that status in the 43 years since. -Buckley Mayfield
Located in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood, Jive Time is always looking to buy your unwanted records (provided they are in good condition) or offer credit for trade. We also buy record collections.