Welcome to Volume 1 of our Hot Water Music video retrospective. Each installment will feature exclusive liner notes, blurbs and of course a shit ton of original video footage. This edition highlights the first two European tours in 1998 and 1999. Especially the 1998 endeavor was overshadowed by plenty of drama, leading to a temporary mid tour break up. Luckily Chuck, Jason, George and Chris could be convinced to finish the tour. Amongst the last performances of 1998 were some of the most memorable and emotionally charged shows I have seen this band play, as the videos below hopefully convey.

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[Daniel Roehnert | Lay Screaming]

In Leatherface’s anthem ‘Do the right thing’ Frankie Stubbs blurts out: “Don’t underestimate the underdogs / they can beat the world and come back for more / they can dance and romance / and drink the night into coma.” That much for the abridged version.

Operating at levels of intoxication only seen by few, the Floridian band conquered every single punk dive this world has to offer and yes, they usually came back for more. It was not like ‘another city left wrecked behind’, Instead, their audiences were deeply moved by the sincerity and compassion that was offered. Hot Water Music glued us all together again, creating friendships, hangovers, and the feeling that it all still made sense. Honesty that no fucking MTV clown could ever offer. In a sometimes painfully and self-revealing manner the (((unartig))) crew documented – under rigid conditions or until the camera broke – what comes down as the most creative years of the only punk band of their era touring the Black Flag way: 200+ p.a. and no overdubs.

Daniel

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Photo by Daniel Roehnert

Volume 2: Europe 2000 w/Liner Notes by Nagel of Muff Potter

Volume 3: US 2000 & Europe 2001 w/Liner Notes by Walter Schreifels of Quicksand and Gorilla Biscuits

Volume 4: Europe 2001 & USA 2008 w/Liner Notes by Scott Stimac of Wallside and David Lee Burdon & Andrew Lainey, both of Leatherface fame