NYC punk firestarters unearth the real deal, out now on Green Noise Records
Before the Ramones blitzed the airwaves, before CBGB’s had a functioning toilet, there were the Testors—a primal blast of NYC punk fury, born in the gutter and raised in the backrooms of Max’s Kansas City. Now, almost 50 years later, Green Noise Records is releasing a long-lost chunk of pure punk history: ‘Prime Primitive: 1976–1977,’ a raw and raging collection of the band’s earliest studio and live recordings. This one drops May 30, 2025, and trust us—it’s not a reissue. It’s a resurrection.
Built for Chaos, Bred in NYC
Led by the inimitable Sonny Vincent, Testors were more than a band—they were a full-on, no-holds-barred combustion of guitar wreckage, street poetry, and don’t-give-a-fuck attitude. While their peers (The Ramones, Television, Heartbreakers, Richard Hell) flirted with labels and trends, Testors stayed feral and free. They torched bridges instead of crossing them, and that energy blasts straight through this album.
‘Prime Primitive’ is all grit, guts, and glory. Side A throws down nine studio cuts from ‘76–’77, pure punk venom pressed into black wax. Side B? A straight-up rampage—five live tracks of sweaty, snarling Testors ripping through their set with brutal precision. No overdubs, no cleanup—just the band doing what they did best: destroying everything in their path.
Every track was remastered with care by Timothy Stollenwerk (Stereophonic Mastering) and curated by Vincent himself. What you’re hearing is no nostalgia trip—it’s a time capsule of American punk in its rawest form, finally getting the release it always deserved.
No Streaming. No Skips. Just Vinyl.
This isn’t some throwaway reissue slapped together for a few clicks. ‘Prime Primitive’ is strictly for the heads. We’re talking a limited-run LP housed in a silver foil jacket, complete with a fold-out poster insert by Wulf Beck that screams East Village alleyway. Only 500 copies worldwide—no digital downloads, no CDs. Just that heavy, holy slab of vinyl.
And if you want to go full collector mode, Green Noise is also offering a deluxe mail-order edition with silver nugget vinyl, double-sided posters, postcards (one signed by Sonny Vincent), foil stickers, and even a glossy photo from back in the day. Punk rock, the tactile way. Feel it, hold it, live it.
Bonus: Lost ‘79 Footage Unearthed
And here’s the kicker—newly uncovered 16mm footage from a 1979 show at Irving Plaza just dropped. Shot by Robert Luttrell, the short film features Testors in full force, with behind-the-scenes glimpses of the band, Dead Boys, and Johnny Thunders. This is the stuff punk docs dream of. Stream it on Green Noise Records’ YouTube and get a taste of the scene that started it all.
For Fans Of…
If your record shelf includes The Ramones, Dead Boys, or Richard Hell, you already know where this is headed. This is American punk at its dirtiest and most defiant, and Testors were one of the most criminally overlooked bands of the era. ‘Prime Primitive’ isn’t here to relive the past—it’s here to set the record straight.
Don’t Sleep
Key tracks: “Primitive,” “You Don’t Break My Heart,” and the absolutely unhinged “I See”
Genre tags: NYC Punk, ‘70s Rock ‘N’ Roll, American Punk Chaos
RIYL: Dangerous music that meant something
Order now (before it’s gone forever):
USA: Green Noise Records
Germany: Flight 13 Records
Netherlands: Sonic Rendezvous
Dig Deeper:
Bandcamp
Instagram
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Green Noise Store
This isn’t a reissue. It’s a reckoning.
Crank it up, scratch it raw, and salute a band that should’ve changed the world.
Long live Testors.
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