The release of the vinyl version of this recording took a full 25 years, as it originally came out only on CD via GMM Records in 1999. This Oi!/streetpunk band from Kansas managed to release four 7″ records during their existence between 1997 and 1999, and this full-length album represents the peak of their activity at the time. Labels Street Rats Records and 13 Luck Records eventually handled the vinyl reissue, which came out in a pressing of 205 copies on black vinyl and 112 + 12 copies in colored spatter versions.
For me personally, this is a bit of a trip back in time that made me reflect on how much things have changed. I started discovering Oi! and streetpunk around 2000, when the first recordings reached me and expanded my collection of dubbed punk and hardcore tapes. I was fascinated by bands made up of a mix of punks and skinheads, with “united” being a central theme for most of them. The CD era was in full swing and the media kept claiming that vinyl was dead and CDs were the ultimate format. At my best friend’s place, we used dial-up internet to search for recordings by bands we had read about in zines. At the same time, I began noticing that late ’90s recordings had significantly better technical quality than those from the previous decade. Bands from the USA felt exotic to me back then—especially for a kid from a post-socialist country whose parents had been told for forty years that the USA was the enemy.
When I got hold of records by bands like Patriot, Fatskins, Bruisers, Anti-Heros, or Dropkick Murphys (I knew The Gang’s All Here by heart), I was completely absorbed. This record brings me back to that era while also pushing me to look at things with today’s perspective. I was also intrigued by several things in the booklet and in the accompanying text by singer Saint Jason. First of all, the album was recorded in the then-common way—the band played together in the studio and everything was captured at once, without separate tracking of individual instruments. Another interesting aspect is the dispute with the zine Maximum Rock’n’Roll, which accused the band of leaning toward Nazism, something the band strongly rejected, as documented by the included letters. Coincidentally, I came across MRR online again last year and skimmed through it. Back in the day, that zine was a window to the world for me and a way to discover new bands. Today, however, some of the writing gives me a sense of arrogance and elitism toward the bands they cover. It feels strange when a medium devoted to the underground puts itself in the role of an arbiter that either places bands on a pedestal or tears them down. That doesn’t apply to every writer, but I’ve noticed those tendencies, and that’s why I gradually lost interest in reading it.
As for the record itself, it delivers a solid batch of 17 tracks, including the hidden acoustic bonus Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven. Musically, it’s typical late-’90s American Oi!, complemented by a Cock Sparrer cover and occasional nods to ska influences. The sound is raw yet clear—guitars have a slightly gritty, barroom tone, the bass carries a strong line, and the drums drive things forward with straightforward, marching rhythms. Compared to today’s Oi! production, this album feels softer and more direct, without flirting with hardcore. It’s deeply rooted in the legacy of British ’80s Oi!, yet it carries an American drive and a rock’n’roll feel. There are catchy choruses built for singalongs, even though the singer carries most of the weight with his distinctive, slightly raspy voice. On Bar Song, for example, pub-style gang vocals kick in and give the track the right punch and the atmosphere of a shared shout-along over beers. The album stands on strong melodies, brisk tempos, and classic working-class themes—friendship, loyalty, and everyday life. It feels like an honest snapshot of a time when Oi! wasn’t about posing but about energy and camaraderie. I believe Main Street Saints must have been an important band on their scene back then, which is likely why Dan from Street Rats Records decided to bring this recording to vinyl. This was exactly the kind of sound everyone wanted to hear around the year 2000.
The quality of the reissue is a story in itself. Street Rats Records truly stands out in this regard—an anti-static inner sleeve and well-prepared printed materials show that Dan really put care into it. If there’s a label that does things with heart, it’s Street Rats Records. An interesting release for anyone into vinyl and curious about the evolution of the style, even if they didn’t live through that era themselves.
TOP TRACKY: Saints, Glory, The Prize, Bar Song
