Generation Waste – Another Alternative? [Cass] (1987, Not On Label)

'Another Alternative?' is a super obscure cassette released around 1987 by Generation Waste, a punk band out of Chicago. Like a lot of underground releases from that time, it was most likely self-produced and circulated through tape trading and fanzines rather than any formal label. One of the few traces it left behind is a review in Maximum Rocknroll, which praised it as a “damn hot first tape,” highlighting its mix of fast, aggressive punk energy with a surprising sense of melody and thoughtful lyrics. 

Listening to it (or even just going off descriptions), the sound seems to sit somewhere between hardcore punk and thrash, but not in a totally chaotic way. There’s a drive and intensity, sure, but also structure and hooks that make it stand out from more raw, one-dimensional demos of the era. That balance between speed and melody hints at where punk would go in the following years, especially with the rise of more melodic hardcore styles. 

As for Generation Waste themselves, they’re pretty much a mystery. There’s barely any documented history, which usually means they were a small, local band that didn’t stick around long or didn’t put out many recordings. That wasn’t unusual at all in the 80s punk scene -tons of bands would form, record a demo or two, play some local shows, and disappear. Still, those short-lived projects were a huge part of what made the scene feel alive and constantly evolving. 

In the end, 'Another Alternative?' isn’t just interesting because of the music -it’s a snapshot of a whole DIY culture. Back then, you didn’t need a label or big distribution. You just needed a tape, some copies, and a way to get it into people’s hands. Even if Generation Waste never became a well-known name, this cassette captures that raw, self-made spirit that defined underground punk in the 80s.

 

 

Label: Not On Label (Generation Waste Self-Released) – none 

Format: Cassette 

Country: US 

Released: 1987 

Style: Hardcore Punk 

 

Tracklist: 

A1 Hate 

A2 Figure It Out 

A3 Here Today Gone Tomorrow 

A4 Painless suicide 

A5 Unity 

B1 Shades Of Grey 

B2 Broken Glass 

B3 Another Alternative? 

B4 Blue Collar Victim 

B5 We're Gonna Fight 

 

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