Two killer tracks: Controversy and Living In Tandem. You Talk is great! Dark and melancholic threading in the land of T.S.O.L.. T.V. Land is a bad. Very bad attempt at Clash reggae. But it’s the first two tracks mentioned that makes this whole record and thanks to Tony The Punk Business Manager(who have written a piece that makes my writing seem to come out of a 3 years old) I went nuts enough to track down a copy for myself. Unlike all the D-Clone, D-Beat bands, the best of the best american USHC/Punk bands had/has a sound that no one else where able to replicate. And that’s why I love it so much I guess. Who needs clones? Not me. No! Not ever! I mean just listen to the intro of Living In Tandem and you just know you’re about to be blown away.
Country: USA
Year: 1982
Label: Bung
Format: 7″
Songs:
Controversy.mp3
T.V. Land.mp3
Living In Tandem.mp3
You Talk.mp3
Yeeeaaahh! My favorite kind of punk rock here, it’s Almost Core!
Wow, this is fucking amazing! Totally unique and I don’t remember having heard this before. KILLER!!!!!!!
Love this and hadn’t heard of it before. Punk rock in Pittsburgh! Right on!
Where did you find this at? Been looking forever.
the first time I have had read about it was in one of the legendary catalogues of Chuck H2D (in 1993). It was at 24 USD there and that copy stated to come with lyrics also.I got one eventually a bit later elsewhere,but have forgotten about it since.Now that I hear it again,it is a nice one.As usually,I am curious to know what members doing these days.
Cleaning the diaper,mowing the grass,being lawyers or still playing in new bands :)
Really great!
Living in Tandem reminds me a bit of early De Lyckliga Kompisarna from time to time, but I can’t put my finger on why.
This is a damn fine thing – even ‘tv land’ – esp. where it picks up at the end. These guys have a v. unique sound kinda half Boston (Moving Targets, first Lemonheads LP) meets Mineapolis (Man Sized Action, Husker Du) with a bit of Effigies thrown in to round it off. Now to listen to ’em all again…
Is this the same band that had the LP on Reflex – pink and grey cover?
The Reflex released Ground Zero where from Minnesota while these guys from Pittsburgh/Pennsylvania. In case they didn’t move?
The Ground Zero band on Reflex was a different band. Although I believe they played originals, in spirit they were more a Zoogz Rift cover band.
the GROUND ZERO had one LP on “Reflex” which was in green cover if I
recall correctly (1984) and a follow-up,guess also on “Reflex” in pink cover, simply called “PINK” also (1985),plus a few cuts on the 1982-83 compilation-cassette “Kitten” (also on “Reflex”) among other band´s all from MN.,which has been re-issued many years later on the “Garage D´Or” label as a CD.
The interesting thing about these GROUND ZERO is,that their bass-player later went to the band OUTCRY,said to be possibly Minnesota´s first S.E. band with one 7″ep on the label “Positive Force” and another one.
The 1st GROUND ZERO LP in green cover seems to be quite scarce,as I always read about their follow-up,but not the debut album.
The “Pink” LP and 1st OUTCRY 7″e.p. are in German FLEX! book,btw.
There are those in this world who want to documented; and there are those who would prefer if the documenters were dead.
What was released by BUNG tapes??????????
“living in tendam” is a sweet song, thanks.
Glad I was able to turn you onto this one! “The writing of a 3 year old”- LOL! Maybe you bought the copy that was up on eBay a month or two ago (?). It is a great EP, and seeing you post it makes me wish I never traded away my copy 10+ years ago. I found it back in 1996 for $2 or $3. It has such a nice silkscreened sleeve. I try to re-fill holes in my collection sometimes but this disc goes for way too much now. Sigh…
The drummer from this Ground Zero went on to be in Pittsburgh’s first hardcore band, Real Enemy (from 84-86 or so). I don’t know what happened to the rest of the guys.
2 of us are in the DC area, two back in Pittsburgh. Going gray/bald with kids. 2 of us.
Linked up at MNPunk.com
I downloaded something of this ground zero, but, … there are four extra tracks going with it. First 4 are the same as above and in the same order. The four following songs are:
5. Fuck Fuck Fuck
6. Legitimate Bullshit
7. Pittsburgh’s Gonna Be Bombed
8. Shotgun In The Car
Can anyone tell me more about it? Is this a demo? Does anyone have a cover? Does anyone have any idea what the issue is called? What the year is in which it was recorded? The year in which it was released (or was it never released)?
Ed I don’t even know if your still around, but you can find all those songs and more on my Youtube page.
https://www.youtube.com/user/MIKEPSYCHE/search?view_as=subscriber&query=ground+zero
Thank you for uploading these! This album is my favorite punk album. So pleased to find there are some songs I haven’t heard yet. Didn’t figure after all these years there these would surface. Very cool!
I cannot really find ANYTHING or history for this band except that they are from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and they released Living In Tandem. Is that it?
Well, after writing Living in Tandem and most of Controversy, I was in several other Pittsburgh bands (Actual Size and The Two by Fours) and got a physics degree. I got a Ph.D. in nuclear astrophysics in 1993. Back in Pittsburgh since 1995, I have a fake band that’s just me with three CDs, The Sickly Rich Boys, nothing like this, except for the odd song. I did “cover” later Groung Zero songs, Vague Pronoun Reference and the early American Radio. My latest song, albeit from 2010, is more like GZ and is called, Capitol Punishment.
It’s really cool to read this about you Max. Until I found this page I knew only the most spartan details about this album or who wrote it, and I’ve been listening to it since I was a teenager. Living in Tandem is near my favorite song, but I’ve never known exactly what the lyrics are. I would love to know. If you’re ever looking at this page again and don’t mind sharing what you wrote I’m dying to know.