We are Venomous Concept… definition hardcore punk, by men who created the forum. Napalm Death, Brutal Truth, the Melvins, Fantomas, Brujeria, Damaged… the list goes on for some 20 years of recording and a combined total of 80 years of punk rock history. I think it is safe to say we know what we are doing. We are the sum total -- Japanese, Swedish, Finish, English, West Coast... a nonstop assault of raw noise… From the Gauze riffing to the brutal abuse of the Discharge beat... the GISM inspired art to the Poison Idea attitude, we make no apologies... fuck you if you’re asking…

Over the years I had talked off and on about doing a record with Buzz. My old band had done a split 7” with his and I tracked some stuff with the Melvins, but it wasn’t until I went out with Napalm a bit ago that the light switch went off in my head. A few calls later – Venomous Concept. Which, by the way, is a play on Poison Idea… quite possibly the heaviest punk band to ever grace a stage. Originally, Shane and I were talking with Mick Harris – Shane’s old drummer. I had done some stuff with him in a band called Pain Killer and it seemed like a good idea. At the last minute, Mick committed to a straight job teaching recording to the next generation and raising his family. Could have been a problem, but fortunately for us, Napalm’s Danny Herrera was visiting family in LA and seized the Discharge beat. We got together in October, and worked it out flawlessly.

We recorded our debut, Retroactive Abortion in this LA sweatbox for pocket change on our own… As Shane says, “You want perfection, fuck off!” I didn’t want any record label dictating terms… “Oh you got to use this producer… and this $1,200 dollar a day studio is a must.” That is an excellent way for some failed musician to enslave you to a contract that can never be fulfilled. A bitter note in my past history with the game. So we abused this freak engineer, Huey Dee, with nonstop noise for I believe 5 days… It is raw, hurtful and very true to the music that inspired us, but it is ours and I think it’s beautiful.

Buzz suggested his current label, Ipecac Recordings. To be honest, they were the only ones we considered. And given our past track record with countless labels, none of which a clue, Ipecac was obvious. Patton had worked with Zorn in both Naked City and Pain Killer, as I… It was all in the family and better off that way. Let’s face it, if you’re going to run a bowling alley, there is a good chance you should bowl a game or two. Mike’s game is flawless… He knows his shit and that’s good enough for me.

Make no bones about it, we are outlaws…. Ain’t a crime we haven’t committed, drink ever refused and gig we never crushed. Believe it, we are for real and Retroactive Abortion is the rebirth of outlaw punk…

Kevin Sharp