Verbal Assault...

...are one of my favorite bands ever. 

Earlier this year I came across the Atomic Action online shop by accident. I'd never heard of that label and the record that I went there for was also unknown to me at the time. 

V/A - Rix-Core 84-86 LP - Atomic Action Records AA#53

It features a live Radio Broadcast from '87 according to the guy who put this record out but discogs says it's from '86 but I believe the later date to be the correct one. The songs on here are from the 'Learn' (1986) and 'Trial' (1987) LPs + 'More than music' from the 'Tiny Giants' (1988) 7".
If this show was recorded prior to the release of the 'Trial' LP then why didn't they include 'More than music' on that release? Why wait another year before making this banger available on vinyl?
Then again this record is called 'Rix-Core 84-86' which should actually rule out a 1987 recording.
I guess we can only truly know if we can find out when that first tour of theirs took place as both sources agree that the radio show was a part of that.
Please leave a comment if you know.
The sound quality on these VA tracks is great and that live feeling really comes across. The Vicious Circle songs are from their demo and sound as good as possible for having been recorded in the 80s. They have a thrashier approach to things that I can't get behind. Never could. Positive Outlook are slowing things down a little and add some more groove which I like a lot better but still not really. These songs are from one of the two demos I know about now and are quality wise up to par with the rest of the record. So altogether this is a great piece of history and worth the dough for the VA songs alone. Go pick one up if you haven't yet. They also just recently Reissued the Alone In A Crowd 7" and they still have that shirt available. What are you waiting for.

With my order I also send along a question concerning the pressing info of the release and in return I got an actual letter included with the order. How cool is that?! Also the fact that it's written on the back of a copy of an old Show flyer just makes the whole package so much more special to me although a copy of a Verbal Assault show flyer would have been even better ;)
The letter mentions a Verbal Assault discography release due out this summer on Revelation but so far I haven't heard any further news on that. What happened? Does anyone have any info on this?

Of course I browsed the shop for other things to order along with the LP. I didn't find too much but what I found was awesome.

Yes! A reprint of an old Shirt design and a good looking one too. Well, actually I don't know of a bad VA Shirt anyway. Naturally I had to order it. Especially because I don't have any other.
Below you can see the back cover for the compilation. Vicious Circle and Positive Outlook are the other bands on here which i had never even heard of before this purchase.

And while the above was the next purchase in line to feature on here it fits quite well with my most recent score which I decided to include here because it also is a Verbal Assault record. I don't know how long I've been trying to get my hands on a copy of

Verbal Assault - learn LP - Positive Force #7 - red vinyl

Now finally the hunt is over. I can't tell you how stoked I am to own this record. It is the only Verbal Assault LP on colored vinyl and the only other color vinyl they released is the 'Tiny giants' 7" and that one is on red vinyl too. Coincidence? Well, whatever.
This pressing of the 'Learn' LP is not that expensive for a 28 year old totally awesome hardcore record on Positive Force and yet it was so damn hard to finally get one. Somehow these don't show up that often and whenever they did it was at a time when I wasn't looking. And this time I would probably have missed it again hadn't it been for a friend who pointed out to me that this guy I actually know put a copy up on ebay. A quick message with an offer was sent and within like half an hour we came to an agreement. Money was paid, the auction ended and here it is now. Really glad this search is over.

Most of all I am stoked on this score because it kinda completes my Verbal Assault collection.
There are only 3 not so classic (in my book) compilations featuring VA songs missing in my collection (which I'll pick up at some point sooner or later) plus color variations of the Rix-Core comp. which I'm not sure I need. And obviously there are no test-pressings because I don't collect those. So this is pretty much it

Yes, they put out two tapes but somehow I'm not too bothered with tapes. I don't know why. I still buy current demos on tape and even listen to them but dishing out substantial amounts of green for a tape? That doesn't feel like me right now. Maybe someday... well,... most likely someday