SSD’s “Get It Away” Album To Get Long Overdue Vinyl Reissue & Digital Debut

Universally recognized as the first straight-edge band, SSD’s (Society System Decontrol) 1982 debut album, The Kids Will Have Their Say, is considered a landmark release for hardcore music. However, many fans consider their 1983 sophomore effort Get It Away to be the band’s most crucial release. Most notable was the addition of guitarist Francois Levesque who joined the classic lineup of the “Boston Crew”: Guitarist Al Barile, vocalist David “Springa” Spring, bassist Jaime Sciarappa and drummer Chris Foley. Another dramatic shift for Get It Away was the improved recording quality of this recording. While The Kids Will Have Their Say was recorded during multiple session on 8-track recorders, Get It Away was recorded on 24-tracks at Downtown Studios in Boston and produced by Mike Bastarche and Lou Giordano. The result is a seven-song collection, including a cover of the Buzzcocks’ No Reply, that finally captured the veracity of the band’s legendary live performances.

That said, Get It Away isn’t an easy release to describe, and the fact that hardcore didn’t exist yet allowed the band to approach aggressive music in a way that didn’t sound like anyone else. From the distortion-drenched groove of the opener Glue to the blistering chaos of Under The Influence and the avant-tinged experimentation of Xclaim, Get It Away effortlessly captures a moment of Boston at a time before the scene was codified. Ultimately, Get It Away is the result of five people and a confluence of circumstances that had to come together in a very specific way in order to create this sonic document. 

Following the 2023 reissue of The Kids Will Have Their Say, Trust Records is set to re-release Get It Away on vinyl on the 19th July as well as giving the album it’s debut across digital platforms. It features remastered audio of the songs by Dan Johnson at Audio Archiving Studios and immaculate deluxe packaging from Trust Records. The album has been out of print for almost three decades and is massively in demand amongst the band’s rabid fan base, this is the first officially sanctioned repress of the album since its initial release back in 1983. Whether Get It Away is already one of your favorite albums or you’re hearing it for the very first time, this is the definitive version of one of hardcore’s most important releases. 

In addition, Trust Records has partnered with Six Stair Productions to tell the SSD story. The short film, titled Get It Away, was directed and edited by Coan Buddy Nichols. It premiered last night at Brain Dead Studios in Los Angeles and today you can preview part one.