Note: this is an archived copy of Paul Routenburg's excellent Killed By Hype site which was previously located at http://plaza.powersurfr.com/paul/punk.html and http://ca.geocities.com/kbd77@rogers.com/punk.html. It contains a lot of great information about punk records so I decided to keep it alive here after the demise of GeoCities.

The Bloodstains Series

Back before the flood of compilations there was Killed By Death, Feel Lucky Punk, Back To Front, a couple of other compilations, and Bloodstains Across Texas and California. Then everyone got into the act. Now close to 20 volumes later the series seems to have covered almost any place that had a punk scene back in the 1970s. At this rate, I expect Bloodstains Across Botswana to be out before too long. Many of these claim to be editions of 500 copies but I doubt that. They have been quite widely available for a while now, unlike some of the records that actually were released in editions of 300 or 500 or even 1000. Some of the European volumes have also been released on CD with extra tracks. I don't have any of these so I can't provide details. If anyone wants to provide details I'll add the info.

[ Australia] [ Belgium] [ Belgium 2 ] [ Belgium 3 ] [ California ] [ Denmark ] [ Europe ] [ Europe 2] [ Finland] [ Germany] [ Germany 2] [ Midwest] [ Northern Ireland] [ Northern Ireland 2] [ Norway] [ Spain] [ Sweden - The Viking Region] [ Sweden] [ Sweden 3] [ Texas] [ UK] [ UK 2] [ UK 3] [ UK 4] [ The World] [ The World #2] [ Yugoslavia]


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Bloodstains Across Australia

An excellent job of including some really good previously uncompiled tracks. Perhaps the other Bodysnatchers track from the 7" would have made a better opening track? Pretty much top-notch except for the Z-Cars, Vacant Lot & Wrong Kind Of Stone Age.
Rating: 8.5.

Bloodstains Across Belgium

A pretty decent compilation considering Belgium didn't have a lot of punk bands and there was already a compilation from Belgium previous to this (Bloody Belgium). Highlights include both tracks of the Mad Virgins 7", 2 of 3 tracks from the P.I.G.Z. 12", Onion Dolls and of course The Kids. 100 copies on color vinyl.
Rating: 7.5.

Bloodstains Across Belgium 2

Has quite a lot of material that is available on other compilations. This is the third compilation of Belgian punk so I guess that is to be expected. Highlights include Chainsaw, Raxola, Stagebeast and Cell 609. Volumes 1 and 2 have been combined on a CD, with some tracks removed from what was on the LPs. 100 copies on color vinyl.
Rating: 7.5.

Bloodstains Across Belgium 3

The third and final Belgian volume most likely. Even after 4 Belgian compilations this one is still quite good. Wolfgang, Spermicide, Struggler, Cell 609 are all really good. Also includes several novelty tracks (Too Much, Elton Motello and the mystery track).
Rating: 7.5.

Bloodstains Across California

Great compilation. A bunch of goodies including the mighty Child Molesters, Cheifs and Dogs. Barely a bad track to be found though I could do without the juvenile idiocy of the Insults.
Rating: 9.

Bloodstains Across Denmark

Beyond the Sods, early Lost Kids and the Electric Deads, Denmark didn't seem to have a lot of great punk bands. This LP includes most of the good tracks from most of the good Danish records, along with some fairly generic filler.
Rating: 7.

Bloodstains Across Europe

Great LP. Includes the complete 7"s (except for 1 track each of the Aheads, Kjott EP and a couple from the Nitwitz EP). Pretty much all tracks are top notch punk rock with the weakest being the Aheads and Spitfire Boys. Not that those are bad, it's just the others are better.
Rating: 9.

Bloodstains Across Europe 2

Another cheap shitty packaged job from whoever brought you Bloodstains Across The World. No notes about the bands, just crappy photocopies of the sleeves or labels. The songs range from good (Hangover, Systeemi, Squad) to pretty mediocre (Running Dogs, Surprises, Dream Police).
Rating: 6.5.

Bloodstains Across Finland

Includes all tracks from the 7"s, a concept I definitely like since I then get to decide if it is worth dropping the cash to actually buy the original 7". Like most Finnish punk the tracks here mostly all tend to be more on the pop-punk side of things. If you're looking for loud and screaming punk, you might want to look elsewhere.
Rating: 8.5 (since I happen to like Finnish pop-punk).

Bloodstains Across Germany

Some duplication with Volume #2 but there's still enough new material on here to make it worthwhile. The Marionetz and Pack tracks are the standouts, with A 5 and Remo Voor also very worthwhile.
Rating: 8.

Bloodstains Across Germany 2

Really good LP. Once again lots of (at the time it was released anyway) previously uncompiled material. Good coverage of early material from some better known bands (Slime, Hass, Razors, Big Balls & The Great White Idiot) as well as some unknown obscurities.
Rating: 8.

Bloodstains Across The Midwest

The third volume of the "original" Bloodstains series, and a bit weak when compared with the Texas and California volumes. Mostly worthwhile, with the best being Dow Jones, Haskels, Latin Dogs, Toxic Reasons, and the Endtables.
Rating: 7.5.

Bloodstains Across Northern Ireland

More powerpop than punk. Had to pull some tracks from recent CDs to get enough to fill an LP but overall a very good effort.
Rating: 7.5.

Bloodstains Across Northern Ireland 2

Like Volume 1 most of this is more powerpop than punk. Good average quality but nothing really stands out. 100 copies on green vinyl.
Rating: 7.

Bloodstains Across Norway

The guy who did this one deliberately tried to concentrate on some of the more obscure records since other people were jumping on to the compilation bandwagon. He managed to do a rather decent job of it too. Quite a good selection from some better known records (Rough Trade, Wannskraek, Johnny Yen Bang, Norgez Bank) as well as the more unfamiliar ones. Brought to you by the producer of Bloodstains Across Europe, Finland, UK, Denmark and Yugoslavia.
Rating: 8.

Bloodstains Across Spain

The Spanish didn't really get into the punk thing until the early '80s, with a few exceptions. At least they (or these bands didn't anyway) get into that crappy second generation punk that was coming out of England at the same time. Some goodies here (Paralisis Permanente, Kaka De Luxe, Vulpe SS, Interterror, Eskorbuto, La Uvi) with most of the rest being worthwhile too.
Rating: 8.

Bloodstains Across Sweden - The Viking Region

The first of 3 (so far) compilations featuring Sweden, and the poorest one of the bunch so far. Forced Exposure to several already compiled tracks, a mis-labeled track and some pseudo-psychedelic wank that really doesn't belong on a punk compilation. Few tracks that are essential or that you can't find somewhere else. Fortunately there is a Butter Utter track, one of the few saving graces of the record.
Rating: 6.

Bloodstains Across Sweden

An excellent record. For the most part avoids duplication with previous compilations and includes mostly excellent tracks with little filler.
Rating: 8.5.

Bloodstains Across Sweden 3

Another great effort with no (at the time of issue) duplication with other compilations. Lots of tracks from lesser known bands, most all of which are really good.
Rating: 8.5

Bloodstains Across Texas

The first ever Bloodstains LP, back in 1992. Worth owning just for the Bobby Soxx tracks alone. On top of that most everything else is great too, except for the Telefones, Nervebreakers and Inanimate Objects. Get it! If you want to know more about Texas punk go here .
Rating: 9.

Bloodstains Across the UK

Includes the Machines EP and the Blanks EP, reasons enough to buy it. All the other tracks are quite worthwhile too, though maybe lacking in fidelity and production. But we're more interested in punk attitude than flashy production anyway, aren't we?
Rating: 9.

Bloodstains Across the UK 2

Some really good tracks and some rather lame ones mixed in. Good selection of obscurities. Half quite good, half fairly average. 2 tracks are mislabeled (the Mag/Spys is really Revenge, and the Dregs track isn't Fatal Attraction). I've heard that there is a second version of this LP with a slighty different track list?
Rating: 7.5.

Bloodstains Across the UK 3

Lots of obscurities here to give Japanese collectors even more mediocre UK records to go apeshit over. Some of them are good (Future Bodies, Media, What, Steroid Kiddies), while others are treading dangerously close to lame powerless pop. Most are average to slightly above average, as obscure and over-rated records go.
Rating: 7.

Bloodstains Across the UK 4

Marginally better than #3. About half the songs are OK, the rest are passable filler. I've so far listened to it once as I was doing something else and nothing really stood out and grabbed my attention. I might get around to listening to it again in a few months.
Rating: 7.

Bloodstains Across The World

Nearly 2 years in the making from when it was first announced until it finally appeared. All of the songs are at least decent, none have appeared on a compilation before. The packaging is very cheap, with a shitty half-sleeve and no info about the bands except year of release and their country of origin. My copy sounds noisy throughout the second side, maybe it's a pressing problem? Only 400 made supposedly.
Rating: 7.

Bloodstains Across The World #2

Some really good tracks (Glueams, Henchmen, Destroy, Star Club), some total garbage (Zoom) and a bunch of otherwise mostly OK things that haven't been comped yet. I had never heard of Arlo Stenmit before now, have you? The same shitty cheap packaging as BSW#1 and KBD 33. A crappy copied insert with the sleeves shown on it but dick all other information about the bands. At least this one didn't take 2 years to get made.
Rating: 7.

Bloodstains Across Yugoslavia

Cool compilation from an area that was until this LP not much known for punk bands (why do most all of the good Yugoslavian punk bands' names start with the letter 'P'?). This LP, plus the first LPs of Pekinska Patka and Paraf should be all the Yugoslavian punk you need. Pekinska Patka, Paraf and a couple of the compilation tracks featured here are the best of a pretty good selection of tracks.
Rating: 8.


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