In the past, everything was better, everything was good. Everyone stood together, the movement still had anger.
Why am I quoting Toten Hosen here?
Because it fits!
It fits R.K.L.
It fits the scene of that time and it fits the people who recorded this time document and have now re-released it. First and foremost, the Berlin label Destiny Records counts among them, which was founded during the rise of punk and hardcore in the western part of the city.
R.K.L., or Rich Kids on LSD, was a hardcore band from the first to second wave of hardcore. It was a band that was formed in 1982 and became known for its anger, energy, many tours, and excessive parties. So well-known that they also dared to cross the big pond and quickly made a name for themselves in Europe.
The fate of many hardcore bands from that time did not spare R.K.L. either. After just seven years, the band disbanded. There was a reunion in 1992, but that will not be discussed here. This live album is a recording from the legendary Quartier Latin in West Berlin. It used to be a club where everything from jazz to the frantic hardcore of the Rich Kids on LSD could be played. The club has not existed for ages. However, the location still does. It is now called Wintergarten and currently hosts a musical named “Forever Young.”
Irony of fate? Or a hint?
What was once subculture is now a variety theater. Times change. Who knows which clubs today will become respectable theaters in 20 years? This theme is particularly gaining relevance in Berlin due to the displacement of subculture by capital and the increasingly strong gentrification over the years.
The recording of the concert from Quartier Latin is raw and loud. It is a sound that is hardly heard today because almost all bands smooth out their recordings in the studio. That is not the case here.
R.K.L. does not make many announcements. After a slightly lethargic, bored announcement, faster hardcore immediately bursts from the speakers. The speed, the technical interplay, and the uncompromising way the band plays their songs were legendary at the time. This was certainly one of the reasons why the band became so well-known. Other reasons may have been that the guys felt very connected to their fans and the scene. Perhaps also that the band not only consumed drugs but also distributed them to the audience. Is that true? Who knows?
In addition to the 22 songs, which represent a best-of CD alongside a live recording and have found their way into the relevant record stores since the re-release on October 14, 2011, it is also the booklet that, as is customary with Destiny, has been designed very lovingly and in detail. Alongside the song lyrics, there are also some photos from the band's active time, three interviews with different band members, a lyrical tribute to the band from Fat Mike (NOFX), and an article about two band members from a fanzine from 2006. Reading the booklet is worthwhile, as it provides a small insight into the fascination the band radiated in the 80s.
It is also not disappointing that the original idea was to include a DVD with some live clips. That did not work out, but Destiny would not be Destiny if they had not found a solution for that as well. Thanks to the internet, the recordings that were supposed to be on the DVD can also be seen.
Even for those who do not know the band but have at least a drop of hardcore or punk in their blood, this CD is a must-buy!
This is music history, folks!
