When first approaching people about getting material to post on this blog, my first request was usually the Implants. I'm not gonna kiss their asses too much, but suffice to say I'm excited to bring you unreleased music recorded shortly before they disbanded (by then, renamed 'the Wrestlers'). What we have here is a quick mix by Andrew Buckie of 8-track recordings intended for an unreleased album (presumably titled 'Plantasia' which is embedded in the tracks). Below is a brief history of the band by vocalist Shane Knapp:
"I think we started around 1992. I was about 17? These guys we know were putting on a show at a church, we wanted to play, so we started a band. I used to scream about high school shit. Girls, school buses, etc. I was just discovering death metal, but remember being mostly into stuff like the misfits, red hot chili peppers, descendents, sick of it all, MOD, black flag, etc, because that was what skateboarders listened to then. Anyway, I used to bug Kevin to play faster all the time. To me, every riff he wrote sounded like it was stolen from the first danzig LP. I swear Jamie played a different bass line every time, but it usually worked. Tom was just a solid as fuck drummer and a solid guy, period. I was young and naive. People told me I was a good singer, and I started to believe them. I used to try to "sing" after a while, of course it sounded terrible. We played our second show, and just about every one after that at Jimmy's pub in Amherstburg. People started to show up in droves. I cant help but think that it was only out of small town boredom, but who cares. It was great being able to skate the curbs across the street, then go in and play. Someone told us there was another band called the IMplants, so we changed our name to the wrestlers. LAME! For a while, Kevin used to play our tape at every party, or get together. I hated it, I was so embarrassed and hated the sound of my own voice. I really got sick of, and couldn't stand these songs for years. There were a lot of fights and bullshit; of course it wouldn't last. I'm glad it didn't. The jocks showed up, and beat up my friends. The skinheads came, and beat up my friends. The bikers that were already there didn't really say too much. Here are a few highlights:
-played a frat party, ten minutes in were told that all our equipment will be smashed if we don't stop.
-opened for the murder junkies in Detroit, they didn't show up. the Detroit punkers hated us.
-played Spinners, everyone stood and stared, we got paid 200 dollars!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Related: the Implants, Godinaheadlock, the Best, Val Killmore, Booga Nose Funk MC's, etc.
Download.
Windsor and Detroit are forever synonymous, both geographically and musically. Fans of early 80's hardcore from both sides of the border would be wise to pick up last years book by Tony Rettman published by Revelation Records. 'Why Be Something That You're Not' focuses on the American side of the river, but a legendary Windsor venue gets a brief but worthy mention. Hardcore history in our back yard. From the book:
