BL’AST

In December of 1984 I went to Oxnard with some friends to see a show. This was my introduction to the Santa Cruz band Bl’ast! It was like watching five mellow surfer dudes deconstructing a mix of Black Flag, Black Sabbath and a little of SSD all at the same time. They were powerful and amazing and proceeded to kick my ass every time I had a chance to see them up until the time I moved to the East Coast in early 1986. Their debut album “The Power Of Expression” is still one of the heaviest records of any era and I still listen to it to this very day. I dig all versions of the band, but my heart still lies with the first album version with Mike Neider and Steve “Stevenson” Borek wielding those Dan Armstrong guitars a la Greg Ginn. Vocalist Clifford wrote some cringe free lyrics (hard to do at this time in a punk hardcore sort of band) and had a good head on his shoulders. Bassist Dave Cooper and drummer Bill Torgenson were a savage duo. Some people couldn’t get past the Black Flag influence but Bl’ast! was truly one of the very few bands that got anywhere even close to what Black Flag did, and for a brief moment even surpassing them completely. They were the heaviest band on earth for a glorious moment in time. Ask anyone who was there. It means a lot to me to have these guys agree to letting me do this with Bifocal Media. I have to also thank photographer Alison Braun for letting me draw off of these images of killer photographs that she took of the band. She did say that Bl’ast! was the band she photographed the most. We hope you enjoy this shirt. Thanks again. -Brian Walsby