Templars Test Presses

Templars have always been one of my favorite bands, and always will be. As a youngster I once drove 8 hours each way just to see them play.  A few years back when TKO Repressed the class "Dans Les Catacombs Du Studio de L'Acre" collection by the Templars, I was all over it. I was then able to snag the test pressing for this release, with the black and white sleeve. It comes on black vinyl with plain white labels.

The "Band Edition Test Pressing" had a red and white cover, and wasn't really a test pressing but more of a band only alternative cover. It came on the the clear vinyl with red and white black splatter which was the limited version out of /200 for the main release. There was also a bunch pressed on black vinyl for the main release.

The top left is the original pressing on Vulture Rock (clear vinyl), Top right was the main release, it is not shown that well in the picture but its like shiny tin foil front cover. Then the two test presses on the bottom.  Make sure to check out the original pressing from my 50th post...
 

TEMPLARS RULE, OK!

Chung King of Oi!

Vinyl Noize once proclaimed this record as the "Chung King of Oi!". Here is the Templars "Poor Knights of Acre" Bootleg EP. Although I would hardly call this the Chung King of Oi!, or even the Templars most sought after record, it is without a doubt considered a classic and a must own for any Oi! collector. The Templars are one of my all time favorite bands and one of the bands I aggressively collect. In fact for my 50th post I dedicated it to the Templars, as well as some of my first posts ever. I am now realizing I haven't even posted a quarter of my Templars collection, and that is something I will need to remedy soon.

Biaus Seignors Freres?

Surely to get slim to none views on this blog, here is another Templars record. It seems that whenever I post Oi! or Rap vinyl, I hardely get any views or comments. The people want hardcore, and their message is loud and clear. But, I have to keep it real too. This is the music that I have the biggest spot for in my heart, and I can't neglect it regardless of whats popular in cyberspace.

I don't have a complete Templars collection, far from it. The amount of vinyl they have put out over the past 20 years is incredible, and typically very expensive. However, I must say that I have a pretty impressive Templars collection at this point. This release is one I have had my sights set on for a while. A few years back I found this at a record store on black vinyl for $34.99 and I passed on it. I ended up kicking myself for it for a few years, as I saw black copies go upwards of a $100 dollars on ebay. Damn. I have seen a few of the limited gold copies float around too (out of /200) and those went for even more. As the prices and popularity of Oi! vinyl keeps falling and falling, I've been there to pick up the pieces where I can (That is, when Vinyl Noize doesn't sabotage me). I ended up scooping this one up for under $40, a record that once went way over $100 in this type of condition.

 

I kind of killed 2 birds with one stone on this one. Not only did I get a Templars record I've been wanting forever, but this is an early TKO Records release. Even more special, it's an early TKO Records color vinyl release. TKO Records never used to press more than 100 to 200 records on color vinyl, so old TKO on color is always nice to have. It has always been my goal to collect all the old TKO releases ever since I first heard "Punch Drunk Vol. 1" when I was 12 years old, and I've been working on it for years now. It will probably take me the rest of my damn life to get them all, but maybe one day! 

 

In honor of the 9/11 Victims...

How about some good old NYC Oi? That's right the Templars have a new (which is actually old) release out on TKO Records. Wait, you're telling me the Templars are rereleasing old recordings? Surprise, surprise. This is a one sided 7" that is hand numbered out of /666 on black. I really messed up because I saw that Pirates Press had a limited edition white version up out of /50, and it sold out in like a half hour before I could get an order in. So I had to settle with the TKO limited version which came with a patch for the first /200 (boring!).

With the patch and etched B-Side, which looks pretty cool. Also hand numbered #87/666. 

Now moving on... 

Of course on 9/11 I always can't help but feel sorrow for all the innocent people that got killed. Of course this is not a political blog, and I don't want to say too much on here because I am really not out to offend anyone (unless if it's saying a record sucks!), but below is a great 9/11 documentary that I think everyone should watch if you haven't seen it. It discusses some of the interesting things that occurred that a majority of the American public have no idea about. I don't mean to sound stupid, but before I watched a similar documentary several years back, I never even knew a third building collapsed in NYC on 9/11! At the time the media covered it up pretty well and no one talked about it at all. Even to this day I ask people how many buildings fell on 9/11, and nearly everyone answers; "Two". Whatever you want to believe, I feel that this should at least be seen by every American so they can make their own opinion on the matter. My heart goes out to all the victims of 9/11 and their families. 

50th Post!!!

So I wanted to do something special for my 50th post. TKO Records just pressed a 20th anniversary edition of the "Dans Les Catacombs Du Studio de L'acre" LP by the Templars on limited clear/black/red/white splatter vinyl out of 200, still available if you act fast! If you like the Templars I would go ahead and grab a copy now for $15, because the merch flippers will show you no mercy. Also, since the Templars are so huge internationally you may end up having to pay $15 in shipping alone a few months from now to get it from Japan or wherever. Also, I decided to post my original copy on limited milky clear vinyl as well. This is some of my favorite Templars stuff and has some of their best songs.

I think TKO did a fantastic job on this release. Everything looks fantastic from the tin foil pressed cover to the beautiful splatter vinyl. The picture doesn't do this release justice because it's hard to see the white splatter parts. 

Here is one of my favorite records of my collection. I got this copy and my blue copy of Phase II (below) from an old buddy of mine named Jeff that lives in Fresno. He used to be in a band called Rockers CC and owned a label about 15 years ago called Abusive Records. In 2005 my band was playing a show in Fresno and stayed the night at his house after the show and he threw a little party for us. The next morning I was all hungover, about to drive back to the Bay Area and he asked if I bought records. I said hell yeah and he pulled out a big crate or vinyl from his bedroom of old leftover distro stuff he had. He let me pick through and buy whatever I wanted with the money I had on me. I bought these two Templars records for $10 each, an absolute steal! Needless to say, the next time we played in Fresno I brought about $200 bucks with me and went home with a nice haul of vinyl that I didn't have money for the first time around. 

And I posted this record before but the pictures didn't do it justice so I retook the pictures and figured this would be a perfect place to repost my blue copy of Phase II. Templars Rule OK!

The Glory Stompers??? Really???

Here is a very rare European only split by the Templars and the Glory Stompers. The Glory Stompers has to be in the top ten for corniest Oi! band names EVER! For a long time people were drooling over this thing because its so rare and never comes up on ebay, but I just checked discogs and there is one for sale for only $30! Oi! Records just don't hold value like they used to. If this is your thing then I would go scoop that copy for $30 up because I'm sure it won't be back around anytime soon. I can't find any pressing info on this besides that it was only released on black vinyl. I would be amazed if there was more than a 1000 of these pressed, but if anyone could clarify the pressing number for me that would be awesome.

It makes the Boot Boys go CRAZY!

I fucking love the Templars. Here is a copy of Phase II on Blue vinyl. I rarely ever see this thing get put up on ebay, but I know one thing for sure... No one is getting there hands on this copy! The Templars have a anniversary show coming up in LA, I wish I could go but I'm not really trying to drive 6 hours to see them with gas the way it is right now. TKO Records' website also says that they are going to release some new material in 2012, but we all know that nothing beats their old stuff.