Just 4 Fun Records

w / Just Say No EP, Unresting Place EP, Distortion Head split LP, Chain Sawng Massacre LP, Play Dead EP (unreleased record) and unreleased demo from 1982 . Limited Edition CD

STAY SICK: THE STORY OF THE PLAGUE

The Plague was formed out of the ashes of the Defnics. It could’ve been called Defnics II. All my bands up to that point seemed to have been a one or two member changes along with a name change. The Plague was John Korosec (Korrosion), Duke Snyder and I. Duke was a kid that lived down the street. I was best friends with his older brothers which made him like my kid brother. There were instruments at his house, so he was always messing with them. I showed him how to play "Be Stiff" by Devo. When I needed a bass player I thought, well this kid can play guitar so…We formed in October 1982. Our inspiration was the British band Discharge, The Stooges and some other American bands that were happening at the time. We did an eight-song demo right away at Crossen’s studio on E.185th St. and that was all the recording we did for a while. In 1985 we set out to record a masterpiece at this home studio called Moonliner. We got wasted on gin and the engineer couldn’t wait for us to leave. It was a masterpiece of shit.

We played about every place there was to play (except for the Pop Shop) in Cleveland and Kent. We only played live then. The reason we didn’t release anything was I had this wacky idea that anonymity was cool. The only way to experience the Plague was to see us on stage. Mike Metoff of the Pagans basically kicked us in the ass in 1986 and insisted we go in the studio and record something. So we did and released the "Just Say No" single in 1987 DIY style. Some German guy found it highly suspect that a band formed in 1982 put their first single out in ’87, but it’s true, ask anybody! That record got a glowing three-sentence review in Maximum Rock-n-Roll that sent us on our way to the meager successes we achieved. Most of this was due to Metoff in my opinion. The next thing I know, I got a call from Stefan Wiklander in Sweden. He wanted to sign us. So after a discussion with the boys we accepted his offer and Stefan produced a split LP called "Distortion Head" with Swedish band Rövsvett (Ass Sweat), a tour promotion single "Unresting Place" and our full LP "Chain Sawng Massacre". All those records were recorded at The Beat Farm and I’ve been informed that I still owe Chris money.

We started out as a three-piece band, I was on vocals and guitar, Duke played bass and Johnny drummed. We added a singer in 1984 named Don Piccarillo. He was a great lyricist and fun to be with. He got tired of playing out I think, he seemed to not be into the band thing any more so I had to replace him. Mike Duncan sang for Agitated. They were a great band formed by Tom Miller. I asked Mike if he would like to join the Plague after Agitated's demise, he accepted. As a side note Agitated and Plague were referred to as Metal/Punk bands. The term Crossover wouldn’t be used for a while. We recorded all of our vinyl with Duncan. I consider this the classic Plague line up. Bill DeGidio was in there too for a while (he’s on J.S.N. and D.H.).

Our next adventure was the European tour. That was allot of fun but we got ripped off big time and we didn’t travel well together for various and sundry reasons. But the best part of the tour was that we were the first Cleveland band outside of the Dead Boys and Pere Ubu to go to Europe. That is the first outside of the first wave of Cleveland punkers. Am I making sense?

This band definitely died with a whimper and not a bang, no farewell gig, no pizza party, no nuthin’. I had to replace John because his business was taking up too much time and after a while Mike got fed up with my shit and quit. I think burn out was a major cause, you just can’t maintain being in a band for ten years without getting sick of the whole thing. And not getting paid helps too. We recorded one more session with Tom Madigan on guitar, Warren Thompson on drums and Duke on bass of course at a digital studio in 1990. I didn’t have a tube amp and played through the board, which I hated. The Plague lasted so long there are way too many hilarious stories to put here, like how we got kicked off the plane to Europe at J.F.K. in ’89. But don’t get me wrong the Plague was the wildest band I ever played in. We did make one hell of a noise.
(Bob Sablack. Jan. 2001)

www.clepunk.com

PLAGUE REVIEWS

PLAGUE - Thumper CD

Plague from Cleveland, Ohio, are definitely one of those lost bands, probably because they were playing hardcore in the late 80`s, when many other cooler bands were busy crawling up their own arses. Plague are like teh Out Cold of the 80`s. Fast, no bullshit, hardcore: one, two, fuck you. Thirty four songs here, everything they did I belive: three EPs, LP and unreleased stuff. Iy you like early Poison Idea mixed with Negative Approach, filtered through the buzz fuck production of 83 New York bands, this shit be for you.

ARTCORE # 28

PLAGUE - Thumper CD (Just 4 Fun)

Lace up your Converse and buckle your engineer boots kids, it`s circle-pit time---and this pit goes counter-clockwise, like all good pits should . Think Negative Approach, Cop & Robbers, Out Cold, or Voorhees being fronted by a singer who just happens to be a dead ringer for Lou Kouller and that, in a nutshell, is Plague. No frills, no mess around, just straight to the point, good old-fashioned USHC played just the way I like it. Fire up that pit, it`s dancing time….

Tim MASS MOVEMENT

Review from PLASTIC BOMB MAGAZINE .

The PLAGUE "Thumper!" CD
(Just 4 Fun Records, , www.j4f.dk)
Dies hier ist die Diskographie-CD von THE PLAGUE aus den 80er Jahren ist.
Angefangen hatte diese Band 1982 unter den Namen DEFNICS und dann seit Mitte der
80er Jahre unter den Namen THE PLAGUE. Neben den DEAD BOYS und PERE UBU waren THE
PLAGUE zudem die einzige Band aus Cleveland, Ohio, die jemals auf Tour nach Europa
gekommen ist. Die 1987 erschienene "Just say no" 7" ist auch nach heutigem Standard
eine sehr geile Single, die damals sehr gut vom Maximum Rock´n´Roll besprochen
wurde. Zur Europa Tour Ende der 80er Jahre kam dann die "Unresting place" 7" raus,
die ebenfalls den guten alten Hardcore Stil beinhaltete, während alle anderen Bands
in den USA und Europa eher auf dem Metal-Trip waren. Aber nicht THE PLAGUE!!! Sie
hämmerten ihren Hardcore Sound einfach weiterhin raus. Schade, das diese Band nicht
die Anerkennung erhalten hat, die sie eigentlich verdient hätte. Wäre sie aus
Kalifornien oder Boston gewesen, würde THE PLAGUE heute wohl als eine DER Klassiker
Ami-HC Bands zählen. Hier auf dieser CD von JUST 4 FUN Records aus Schweden gibt es
insgesamt 3 Singles, eine LP und 6 unveröffentlichte Songs (die 1991 eine EP hätte
werden sollen) zu hören. Insgesamt 34 Songs auf über 70 Minuten. Große Klasse! Es
ist echt saucool endlich diese tollen alten Songs auf einer CD zu hören. Thumbs up!
Helge

CLOSE -UP # 94

PLAGUE - Thumper CD

Med denna samling av matrial inspelat mellan 1982 - 1992 visar

Clevelands PLAGUE att det stundtals var fullt jämförtbart med

NEGATIVE FX och NEGATIVE APPROACH. Ett intressant

retrospektiv som ger ett bortglömt gäng upprättelse ( 7 )

Daniel Johansson

PLAGUE- Just say No EP (US pressing 1987)

Not to be confused with the NY band of recent vinyl, this bands 7" comes in 10" sleeve. And now …wow ! This is hot shit rager, sort of along the lines of Capitol Punishment. Highly Recommended ! ( TY - Maximumrocknroll)

PLAGUE- Just Say No EP

Rough hardcore, mostly fast & furious, not unlike early Negative Approach. Great & Powerful.

(FLEX!)

PLAGUE- Just say No EP

Yeah, re-release of this fast-paced aggro-punker from 1987. 6 trax that combine the speed of GBH with the attitude of then Dwarves. Trim the mo-hawk babe.

(Moshable)

PLAGUE- Just Say No EP (Swedish pressing 1991)

I really like this band-just straight out raging punk,no bullshit, no sappy crap!! They`re out of Ohio, but this Swedish label was smart enoungh to pick up on them and has been putting out their vinyl. Fast punk and hardcore, all delivered convicingly and with vicious sharpness.

(TY - Maximurocknroll)

PLAGUE- Unresting Place EP

This hot Ohio band had a previous 7" (in a LP jacket) and quickly got this one out prior to a European tour. Five tunes, all done in a raw, early punk/HC style that`s got that speciall edge. TOP-NOTCH SHIT ! Watch out for an LP in fall!

(TY - Maximumrocknroll)

PLAGUE- Unresting Place EP

A Swedish release by this hot Cleveland band. Hot, fast and raw hardcore that also reaches back to ´78 punk for some of its influence and the spark fly.

(Suburban Voice)

PLAGUE- Unresting Place EP

Absolutly great straight-in-your-face hammer punk with traces of the best parts of Discharge,GBH,and early DRI. On this 7-inch the blaze their waythrough five tracks and the pull no punches and the leave you hungry for more. EXCELLENT STUFF !

(Moshable)