HECKLE - "We’re Not Laughing With You"

Artist:  Heckle
Song:  Lemmings
Album:  We’re Not Laughing With You
Year:  1996
Genre:  Hardcore Punk

I specifically recall ordering this album for the store solely on the strength of the distributor’s one-sheet description; “west coast punk mixed with Gorilla Biscuits.”  Although I never heard a single note from New Jersey boys Heckle, I immediately ordered 2 CDs, one for the store and one for me.  Not to give away the end of the story, but I love this album.  To my dismay, I remember it sitting in the CD bin forever while its companions in Offspring, Green Day and Rancid sold in droves.  No matter how hard I praised the record to what could be potential Heckle fans, the album was ignored; much the same way it was nationally.  It’s a shame because this thing, and their equally ignored second release, is a scorcher.  Not to completely contradict the veracity of the initial description, but Heckle are a lot more west coast than they are Gorilla Biscuits.  Although they have a more beefed up sound than their west coast peers, the NYHC aspect of GB really isn’t overwhelmingly present, unless the velocity of the songs and some melodic breakdowns were the qualifiers for the comparison.  Heckle were talented guys that tightly nailed down riffs and rhythms with the best of them.  The semi-sloppy, snotty punk vocals created a good balance with the music and really gave the band heart and a street level feel. The influence of early AFI and the non-ska parts of Operation Ivy was ever-present. I don’t know what the story is behind the dismantling of Heckle.  We’re Not Laughing With You and the follow-up The Complicated Futility Of Ignorance are more than worth your time to find.

Listen to "Lemmings" here.