Crime went unrecognised during their existence in the late seventies and still seem largely ignored today.They were however the best punk band the U.S. produced bar none.Their music was a barrage of speed-freak intensity,shot through with mangled chuck berry riffs and general offensiveness.They formed in ’76 in San Francisco but wisely kept a distance from it’s growing novelty punk scene.Billing themselves as ‘San Francisco’s first and only rock and roll band’and dressed in police uniform,they pissed off promoters and other bands on a daily basis.Crime’s unwillingness to play the game and become punk careerists won them few friends.Only a show at San Quentin prison seemed to find an audience with a common world view.
This compilation captures two very shitly recorded sessions from ’78 and ’79,with roughly the same production values as Rocket from the Tombs.This though entirely fits the rawness and sheer vitality of the songs,with a sound somewhere between The Stooges 1st and Electric Eels.Titles such as “Piss on your dog” and “Murder by guitar” give you an indication of the direction they were headed.What distinguishes this from the slew of pointless Pistols imitators are the dynamics,intelligence and scope of their music,whilst still remaining punk.This especially makes uk bands of the era seem woefully tame and limited in comparison​.As is often the case,surviving on the fringes took it’s toll.Crime split in ’82 after a misguided stab at punk funk with the “Maserati“single and debilitating drug problems.
Since then next to nothing.Sonic Youth recorded a faithful version of Crime’s 1st single “Hot wire my heart” in the eighties and they featured on a recent Rough Trade comp.Otherwise invisible.Nowadays with so many rediscoveries and reissues which would have been better left alone,it’s rare to make a genuine find.‘San Francisco’s doomed’ is one of those very few exceptions.