A piece of NYC punk history resurfaces with Prime Primitive: 1976–1977, a new archival vinyl release featuring early studio recordings and ferocious live cuts from iconic punk band Testors.
Presented by Green Noise Records, the collection also includes rare 1979 concert footage featuring candid moments with Johnny Thunders and Stiv Bators, capturing Testors’ raw energy during the height of the CBGB and Max’s Kansas City era of the New York underground.
Founded in 1975 by NYC musician Sonny Vincent, Testors emerged in the backrooms and stages of Max’s Kansas City and CBGB—two venues of the East Village punk scene that gave rise to the Ramones, Richard Hell, the Heartbreakers, and Television.
Testors remained committed to the raw intensity of rock’n’roll, earning a reputation for fiery performances and a defiant live presence. A national tour with the Dead Boys helped carry their chaotic energy beyond New York, leaving a lasting impression on audiences across the country. Although Testors had a wealth of songs and studio sessions, they also had tensions with the industry and rejected the compromises demanded by record companies. Their violent, stripped-down sound helped helped lay the foundation for the American punk movement that followed.
Testors arrived at the height of New York’s punk rock explosion, quickly gaining a reputation as one of the best raw, catastrophic, and shocking bands on stages during the mid-70’s punk heyday. With dueling guitars and Sonny Vincent’s streetwise lyrics, their sound was painfully delicate, unabashed, unrepentant, explosive, and savagely persuasive. Testors created music that stands the test of time.
Their early recordings stood out for their intensity—tougher and more desperate than much of what surrounded them—and have since become touchstones. Despite their influence and uncompromising sound, Testors never received the recognition they arguably deserved—a band whose presence could have changed everything.
Prime Primitive captures Testors as they were meant to be heard—on vinyl. The release arrives in a silver foil jacket and forgoes digital formats, emphasizing the tactile experience central to the punk spirit.
Complementing the album is a newly unearthed video, Testors – 1979, featuring rare 16mm footage from an Irving Plaza performance. The short film includes backstage moments with the band, the Dead Boys, and Johnny Thunders, offering a raw visual glimpse into the late ’70s punk scene. Directed and edited by Robert Luttrell, with music and lyrics by Sonny Vincent, the video will be available via the Green Noise Records YouTube channel.
Prime Primitive offers a raw and unfiltered snapshot of Testors at their most volatile and vital years. Side A features nine early studio recordings from 1976–77—tight, aggressive tracks packed with urgency and attitude—while Side B delivers five live cuts that capture the band’s onstage intensity. The recordings were newly remastered by Timothy Stollenwerk of Stereophonic Mastering, working closely with Sonny Vincent to preserve the grit and immediacy of the original sessions.
All songs were written, arranged, and produced by Vincent, whose lyrics and compositions still resonate nearly five decades later. More than a reissue, the release serves as a document of a pivotal moment in punk’s evolution.
The LP is packaged in a silver foil jacket with a fold-out poster insert designed by Wulf Beck, reflecting both the record’s primal power and NYC roots. Limited to 500 copies worldwide, the standard edition comes on black vinyl and is distributed in Europe by Flight 13 Records and Sonic Rendezvous.
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