Blatant Dissent

Blatant Dissent's most well known lineup

Blatant Dissent were a punk/hardcore band from the mid 1983 to 1988 from Dekalb. They released two singles and a posthumous LP in their career. The last version of the band eventually changed their name in 1988 and became the popular Chicago band Tar. They were probably the most well-known band from Dekalb and at one point toured to WV, NY and CT. It can be safely said that Blatant Dissent was the best 80s punk band from Northern Illinois University.

Blatant Dissent reformed in 2009 (August 22nd) at the Abbey Pub. They performed for the first time in 22 years along with Subverts, Ring 13, Happy hunting and Otis Ball and The Chains.

Members

Logo from Dial-A-Trance

• John Mohr - Vocals, Guitar (1983-88)
• Jim Wohlever - Vocals (1983-84)
• Tim Fowler - Guitar (1983-85)
• Jeff Berka - Bass (1983-1984)
• Dave Fishman - Drums (1983-85)
• Jim Taylor - Drums, Vocals (1984)
• Tom Clark - Bass, then Guitar (1984-86)
• Tim Mescher - Bass (1985-88)
• Bruce Halverson - Guitar (1986)
• Mike Greenlees - Drums (1985-88)
• Mark Zablocki - Guitar (1986-88)

Releases

• Demo Tape (Summer 1984)
  • First time in the studio, recorded in 1 day in La Grange, IL
  • Recorded by: Tim Folwer, Mike Folwer, Jeff Berka, Jon Mohr and Jim Taylor
  • Sleeve art by Kevin Kurtz
  • This version of the band performed live at: The Cubby Bear
  • Five-ish songs that were re-recorded on the later records. There were 7 songs on that demo:

1. Wrong Reasons
2. Catalyst-They, They, They
3. Man In Black
4. Dissipate
5. Undermine
6. 2 unnamed tracks

• Is There A Fear? 7" (1985, Landmind Records)
  • 1000 Released, 850 with the Tom Clark sleeve
  • Co-Produced by Jeff Pezzati and Iain Burgess
  • Recorded 2/10/1985 at Chicago Recording Company

1. Is There A Fear
2. My Hands Are Tied
3. The Man In Black
4. The Catalyst - They, They, They

• Two tracks from the Dial-A-Trance compilation (1985)

1. The Catalyst / They, They, They
2. The Man In Black

• Dreams 7" (1987, No Blow Records)
  • Lineup was Mohr, Clark, Mesher and Greenlees

1. Fist Comes Down
2. Eleven Days

• Hold the Fat LP (1991, Glitterhouse Records)
  • Lineup was Mohr, Clark, Mesher and Greenlees
  • Recorded in one session at Studiomedia in 1986 by Steve Albini
  • Released after Blatant Dissent had morphed into Tar

1. Contemporary Hip
2. Man in Black
3. Painted Women
4. How Can I Lose
5. Status Quo
6. 11 days
7. The Beast
8. The Party
9. Overreaction
10. Is There A Fear
11. Bandit
12. Undermine
13. My Hands Are Tied

• 1985-1986 LP (2022, Alona's Dream Records)
  • Re-release of the 1985 Pezzati/Burgess sessions and 1986 Albini sessions
  • Mastered by Carl Saff

Side One

1. Status Quo
2. Undermine
3. Painted Women
4. Is There a Fear?
5. My Hands Are Tied
6. The Man In Black
7. Catalyst / They, They They
8. Fist Comes Down
9. Contemporary Hip
10. The Main In Black
11. Painted Women

Side Two

1. How Can I Lose?
2. Status Quo
3. Eleven Days
4. The Beast
5. The Party
6. Overraction
7. Is There A Fear?
8. Bandit Undermine
9. My Hands Are Tied

History

Blatant Dissent started in 1983 as a cover band, their first show was on 2/7/1984 at Douglass Hall cafeteria at Northern Illinois University. Wohlever left in Spring of 1984 and Mohr switched over to vocals. Dave took a break in the summer/fall of 1984 and Jim Taylor replaced him on drums. This "demo" line up of the band played at: The Cubby Bear, Avalon, Two Fools Coffeehouse many times in DeKalb to name a few. They often appeared on a Punk radio show called "Fast and Loud" hosted by Rodney Anderson one of the founding hosts and a member of "Seismic Waves".

MXV had one of his Selections from The Punk Vault entries on the Is There A Fear? 7-inch. In that, just about every member of Blatant Dissent chimed in with a history and stories. So instead of plagarizing, read it here.

Record covers

• 

  Is There a Fear?

• 

  Is There a Fear?
  Tour cover

• 

  Hold the Fat

• 

  1985-1986

External Links

• Blatant Dissent review/discussion The Punk Vault
• Band-run Bandcamp Page
• Facebook
• Discogs profile