Sunday, April 5, 2009

Chemical Waste - Life's A Bitch demo 1987

This is a rarity. Chemical Waste were a crossover band in the late '80s from Fort Lee, New Jersey. This was the first hardcore band i'd ever seen live back in 1987. They played on a boat in Secaucus, NJ for a girl named Joan Blue's birthday party. Great memories of that show. The band played all the songs from this demo, plus lots of DRI covers. Hearing the intensity of this music for the first time got me interested in hardcore.

The music is crossover thrash, and the bass player went on to play with M.O.D., and later with Ministry (i always loved this guy's bass sound). This is just what you would expect. Six songs in less than twelve minutes, great crossover thrash complete with breakdowns, solos, and completely juvenile and un-pc lyrics. Similar to the first M.O.D. album (which i admit i loved in high achool), but a bit more thrashy, and a bit less silly. I saw Chemical Waste a few more times during the late '80s (one of my old bands may have even played with them, i forget), and they always put on a great show. I've hunted this demo down forever, and finally got it after 20 years, thanks again to Andy from Mortville for making this sound a hundred times better than the rip i had (go to his site and buy his stuff, it rules). Anyway, here's the music. Enjoy!





Chemical Waste 1987 demo


Chris - Vocals
John Monte - Bass (M.O.D., Mindfunk, Ministry)
Bob Bitchen - Drums
Jason Copola - Guitar (Mindfunk)

Billy Milano (ex-The Psychos, Stormtroopers of Death, M.O.D.) was a big supporter of this band in the 80s, and helped circulate their demo.

21 comments:

  1. Fuck it, i'll comment on this one. The song Chemical Waste is a ripper.

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    1. Hey Stormy? I was surprised to find this demo as a download but it seems it's not available. I used to have this tape and got it from Jason when we were in High School together. I there any way to get this file again? Thanks Scott

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  2. That Boat was and show was called "Horror Harbor". My old band Social Decay played that show and we were friends with CW back then!
    I still have this demo minus the cover so thanks!

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  3. No shit!? Social Decay were on the same bill that night? I must have missed you guys. I think i only caught Chemical Waste and Instant Death.

    Cheers for the S.D. demo. It's been 20 years since i've heard that. You should think about putting all the mp3s in a zipped file though, it would be a hell of a lot easier to download.

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  4. Lethal Aggresion also played that show!!!

    I have a bunch of picsup at the S.D. myspace

    www.myspace.com/solacenj

    Shit man zip files seem kinda fancy for a guy who still plays 8 tracks!!!

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  6. Hey Chantelle, that pretty wild. That must have been years before we met. Was John Monte (of Chemical Waste/MOD) a friend of yours back in the '90s? His name sounds familiar.

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  8. I have the original demo tape sitting in a box. I haven't played the tape in forever.

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  9. Just a note. Chemical Waste demo was recored live in one day. No overdubs, no re-takes, no bullshit! Hard & fast. Just the way she likes it!

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  10. I remember Chemical Waste from back in the day twice: first, they played a gig at Atlixco (?) in Union City one night in what must have been 1988. I can't remember the other bands, there were two or three, but it was a *great* and very wild show. The other instance I remember was hearing them play on what I think was Crucial Chaos, the radio show, where they played a song about (maybe even called) "Howard Stern" which wasn't on the demo and a song where the opening riff was the same as a later M.O.D. song. Boy, would I love to have a tape of either of those gigs (Atlixco or live on the radio). A great band that I guess, unfortunately, never really got off the ground. johnpax@hotmail.com

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  11. this demo was the best $5 plus postage ive ever spent! cant beleive it was over 20 yrs ago!

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  12. Well, this is from Chile. My name is Nelson and it was great to hear this band once again. I discovered it in 1989 and it blew me away. Now I downloaded these songs to have them in better sound conditions. Thanks for this nice memory. I also like Lethal Aggression other bastards from hell... this is all keep adding this incredible music. Bye

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  13. Hey everyone. I'm really shocked right now. I was the drummer in Chemical Waste. I can't believe some of the things I read. To hear even one person was into us is awesome. Thank you everyone. Thanks for bringin up some memories. Don't know who Joan Blue was or that it was her birthday but HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOAN! Anyway..we did a song called "Slutty Bitch" on a comp for the NJ band The Burnt. I think it was called "NJ & You...Perfect Together". If anyone has a copy of it we'll be friends for life. starvingforart@hotmail.com

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  14. http://www.myspace.com/466911960/music/songs/81309476

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  15. slutty bitch is right here ----> http://www.myspace.com/466911960/music/songs/81309476

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  17. I finally tracked down an original copy of this demo recently and it sounds heaps better than the rips online. My cassette plays a lot slower, too.

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  18. i have another demo of chemical waste's which is completely different from "life's a bitch." unfortunately there is no info whatsoever on the xeroxed j-card other than the artwork (a crude line drawing of a Sergeant D like solider standing in front of a mushroom cloud!) and the band name. i know it's not a different band with the same name because track 3 is most definitely "raging mad." anyone out there have any additional info on this?

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  19. Since I don't have this demo anymore, was hoping to download it here but link can't be found?

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  20. I was at the boat show (JT from Gothic Slam)
    Joan Blue is a personal friend.
    Great Time! Greta Band!!!

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