Various Artists - Dangerhouse [Vol 2] Give Me A Little Pain!

Dangerhouse Volume Two: Give Me A Little Pain! is a landmark compilation album released by Frontier Records in 1992 that archives the explosive birth of Southern California's punk rock movement. The collection compiles rare singles, B-sides, and tracks originally issued between 1977 and 1979 by Dangerhouse Records, a legendary, short-lived independent label founded by David Brown and Pat "Rand" Garrett. Unlike the uniform hardcore sound that later dominated the region, this compilation highlights the eclectic, artsy, and wildly experimental nature of LA's first-wave punk scene, making it an essential historical document for music historians and vinyl collectors alike.

The 14-track album features definitive anthems from some of the West Coast's most influential underground pioneers. Listeners are treated to the razor-sharp political punk of The Dils and The Avengers, the chaotic art-punk synth styling of Black Randy & The Metrosquad, and the ferocious energy of female-fronted acts like the Bags. It also includes foundational tracks from iconic bands like X and The Weirdos, alongside deep cuts from Rhino 39, Eyes, and The Alley Cats. Together, these tracks capture a brief, volatile window of musical history defined by raw aggression, absolute creative freedom, and dark humor.

Dangerhouse Volume Two: Give Me A Little Pain! is a ferocious, essential time capsule that captures the absolute zenith of Southern California’s first-wave punk scene. Released by Frontier Records in 1992, this compilation rescues a volatile batch of late-1970s singles from the legendary, short-lived Dangerhouse Records catalog. Rather than the rigid, hyper-masculine hardcore sound that would later define the region, this album showcases an era of lawless artistic freedom. It serves as an unpolished, exhilarating masterclass in underground music history, dripping with raw venom, dark wit, and urban alienation.

Musically, the compilation thrives on its thrilling lack of uniformity. The tracklist effortlessly pivots from the razor-sharp, driving rockabilly-inflected punk of X’s "Adult Books" to the chaotic, synth-fueled art-damage of Black Randy & The Metrosquad. The sonic assault is anchored by the blistering political fury of San Francisco’s The Avengers and the untamed, feedback-drenched urgency of the Bags. Tracks like The Weirdos' "We Got The Neutron Bomb" and Rhino 39's "Xerox" prove that these bands weren't just mimicking British imports; they were forging a distinctly sunburned, nihilistic brand of American rock and roll.

Ultimately, Give Me A Little Pain! succeeds because it perfectly bottles the lightning of a subculture on the brink of explosion. The production across these 14 tracks is famously unpolished, preserving the sweaty, claustrophobic atmosphere of long-gone Hollywood dive bars and basement clubs. It stands as an undeniable triumph of curation, providing a visceral, front-row seat to a brief moment when punk was still weird, dangerous, and entirely unpredictable. For anyone seeking to understand the roots of West Coast alternative music, this compilation is mandatory listening.

Ripped to MP3

1. The Alley Cats – "Give Me a Little Pain"

2. The Alley Cats – "Too Much Junk"

3. Eyes – "Eniwetok"

4. X – "Adult Books"

5. The Weirdos – "We Got The Neutron Bomb"

6. Black Randy & The Metrosquad – "Idi Amin"

7. Black Randy & The Metrosquad – "I Slept in an Arcade"

8. Bags – "Babylonian Gorgon"

9. Bags – "We Will Bury You"

10. Rhino 39 – "Xerox"

11. Rhino 39 – "No Compromise"

12. The Avengers – "Car Crash"

13. The Randoms – "ABCD"

14. The Dils – "Mr. Big"