DRUNKDRIVER - SELF TITLED LP (LOAD 128 - CANCELLED!)

THIS IS A POTENTIALLY NAUGHTY THING TO DO BUT LOAD 128 WAS MEANT TO BE DRUNKDRIVER'S DEBUT LONG PLAYER. BEN ENDED UP CANCELLING THE RELEASE AS SOME RUMOURS ABOUT DRUNKDRIVER'S DRUMMER CAME TO LIGHT AND PUT PAID TO THE BAND'S CAREER. I WILL GO INTO THAT AS MUCH AS THE RECORD. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT, BY TOTAL ACCIDENT, THIS WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE END FOR LOAD RECORDS.

JEREMY, DRUMMER IN DRUNKDRIVER, USED TO PLAY IN A GROUP CALLED WIVES. HE WAS SACKED AND WIVES SPLIT TO REFORM AS NO AGE, WHO ENJOYED CONSIDERABLE SUCCESS AROUND THIS TIME. WHY WAS HE SACKED? HE WAS ACCUSED OF SEXUAL ASSAULT OR EVEN FLAT-OUT RAPE. HE PACKED UP, MOVED CITY, JOINED DRUNKDRIVER, BEGAN A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GUITARIST KRISTY. BUT THE ACCUSATIONS FOLLOWED HIM AND THE SINGER TOOK THE DECISION TO END THE BAND. HE NOW PLAYS IN THE INDUSTRIAL GROUP UNIFORM WHO ARE PRETTY GOOD.

DRUNKDRIVER HAD BEEN GOING FOR ABOUT 3 YEARS WHEN THE ACCUSATIONS RE-SURFACED. JEREMY ADDRESSED THEM QUITE BADLY ONLINE TO BE HONEST. IT MADE ME THINK BY CONTEMPORARY STANDARDS HE CERTAINLY DID SOMETHING WRONG. THE BAND HAD GAINED A STELLAR REP FOR THEIR SHORT RELEASES AND FURIOUS LIVE PERFORMANCES. I WAS PUMPED FOR THIS ALBUM. ABSOLUTELY GASSED.

THEN CAME WORD IT WAS CANNED. KRISTY BOUGHT THE PRESSED COPIES AND PUT THEM UP FOR SALE AND I COULD NEVER AFFORD TO GET ONE SENT OVER. I THINK THIS RECORD WOULD HAVE PUSHED LOAD INTO A NEW ERA OF RELEVANCE. INSTEAD IT WAS THIS BIG PROBLEM. THE REALISATION OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU PLAY IN NEGATIVE ENERGY.

BUT I OWN IT DIGITALLY AND I STILL LIKE IT. IS THIS A PROBLEM? NOT FOR ME. I'D CALL IT CERTIFIED GOOD IF IT WAS ON LOAD. BUT IT IS NOT. IT IS A CURIO AND A SIDE NOTE NOW. IT IS GREAT FLAMETHROWING NOISE-HARDCORE AND THE DRUMS OF A BAD MAN DON'T SUFFICIENTLY COLOUR MY RECEPTION. NOW IF HE WAS THE SINGER, I'D SAY IT WAS DIFFERENT. STRANGE HOW IT WORKS.

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