So we'll start this selection with a somewhat bizarre little story. Tammy Wynette was abducted and beaten up. The Maggots then wrote this ditty from the imagined point of view of the kidnappers. Tammy was offended. Then the whole thing turned out to be an elaborate cover-up for a recent beating from her then-husband George Richey. Poor poor Tammy. You couldn't make it up.
2. ACTIVE INGREDIENTS - 'Laundramat Loverboy' - Active 7" - USA - 1980
Another synth-punk classic. 'I caught her by the dryer, while I was folding clothes, she didn't seem to notice me until I blew my nose'. Ah, they don't write 'em like that anymore.
3. FLIRT - 'De-generator' - Real 7" - USA - 1978
Flirt were a husband and wife team of Rockee Re Marx (vocals) and Skid Marx (bass) with 'guest musicians'. Rockee was pregnant at the time of this recording, but she sure could belt out a tune.
4. THE MISFITS - 'Bullet' - Plan 9 7" - USA - 1978
After a mediocre start to their recording career with the guitar-less 'Cough/Cool', this classic 4-tracker came out of nowhere. Whereas the Huns gave us JFK's life story (and yet still no-one seems to know the entire lyrics) the Misfits simply painted the gory assassination scene in their own inimitable way. Another track later.
5. THE RERUNS - 'Since You Gotta Cheat' - Spider 7" - USA - 1978
Love both sides of this one (which means you'll probably get the flipside later). They were from Hamtramck, apparently, which is a city surrounded by the city of Detroit. I'm not sure how that works . . .
6. DRED SCOTT - 'Believe You All' - Red Spot 7" - USA -1979
This lot were named after a slave who unsuccessfully sued for his freedom in 1857. They were an L.A. band formed by journalist Greg Burk who these days writes about extreme jazz, heavy metal, experimental/noise and deep-roots world sounds. Nothing beats punk, Greg. Another track later.
7. THE STIMULATORS - 'Loud Fast Rules' - Self-released 7" - USA - 1980
Great crash-bang-wallop recording with a blinding tune over the top. Got some hilarious comments when it was posted by the excellent Killed By Death blog, apparently the drummer went on to join the Cro Mags who some people loved and some people hated.
8. ANONYMOUS - 'Corporate Food' - Flat 7" - USA - 1980
Technically the B-side but if you listened to the sedate 'Snake Attack' first then you may well have missed this noisy synth-punk art-damaged gem.
9. SCHEMATIX - 'Jagged Edge' - Subliminal 7" - USA - 1980
And more synth-punk here! 'Time ripped into little fragments, watch it creep by external, risk it's jagged edges for a taste of something, beyond time estrangement enemy territory'.
10. M & Ms - 'I'm Tired' - Quark 7" - USA - 1979
Hard-edged bubblegum pop-rock. Both sides are great, so you'll get the flipside later.
11. THE WEASELS - 'Beat Her With A Rake' - Siamese 7" - USA - 1978
OK, so it's misogynistic rubbish, but it's so stupid it's absolutely hilarious! If you were gonna beat someone with something, anything, then why the hell would you choose a rake unless, perhaps, you were a gardener? Beats me.
12. ACTIVE INGREDIENTS - 'Identity Loss' - Active 7" - USA - 1980
The flip of Laundramat Loverboy, as suitably schizophrenic as the A-side. Now where's their second 7" . . .
13. THE DOTS - 'I Don't Wanna Dance With You' - Dots 7" - USA - 1979
Cracking good powerpop here. 'I don't wanna dance, you got last year's pants and a sunlamp tan.' So that's why I never made it with girls?
14. PEER PRESSURE - 'Eve Of Destruction' - Resistance 7" - USA - 1980
The Dickies' version of this song was one of the first records I ever bought, so I doubt anyone will ever top that for me, but Peer Pressure sure gave it a go.
15. CORPSE GRINDERS - 'Rites 4 Whites' - Whiplash 7" - USA - 1978
Formed by some ex-New York Dolls degenerates, this is almost as funny as the Weasels record, claiming that whites can be oppressed too, moaning to the nth degree that 'all you do is moan!' Hilarious.
16. THE MAROONS - 'Out Tonight' - Ultra 7" - USA - 1979
From New York City. Has a charming lo-fi appeal which is almost unusual for such a tuneful little ditty. Imagine the Urinals getting girlfriends in the band and going pop? No? Oh well . . .
17. DRED SCOTT - 'What A World' - Red Spot 7" - USA -1979
As promised, another from the Dred Scott E.P. The chorus takes you by surprise.
18. THE STIMULATORS - 'Run Run Run' - Self-released 7" - USA - 1980
Followed by the flip of 'Loud Fast Rules'.
19. THE ALCOHOLICS - 'Going Outside' - Overindulged 7" - USA - 1980
From a 5-track E.P. 'The world keeps turning but I don't care, I'm going outside in my underwear'. I guess they really were alcoholics.
20. THE MISFITS - 'Attitude' - Plan 9 7" - USA - 1978
Another classic from the 'Bullet' E.P.
21. THE ROTTERS - 'Sit On My Face Stevie Nix' - Rotten 7" - USA - 1979
Initially I wasn't gonna bother with this, their first 7", as it's not a patch on their second (see 'the Best of BTL 001') but it deserves to be heard for the title alone. Very juvenile.
22. THE RERUNS - 'So So Alone' - Spider 7" - USA - 1978
The B-side of 'Since You Gotta Cheat'.
23. M & Ms - 'Knock Knock Knock' - Quark 7" - USA - 1979
And the flip of 'I'm Tired'.
24. ACTIVE INGREDIENTS - 'Hyper Exaggeration' - Active 7" - USA - 1980
This was their 2nd 7" although I think it was released at the same time as the first 7" which is why it sounds very similar.
25. PAGANS - '(Us And) All Of Our Friends Are So Messed Up' - Treehouse 7" - USA - 1987
And to end with, a rare bittersweet Pagans song which so many of us can, sadly, relate to.
***BONUS TRACKS***
26. THE MISFITS -
'Hollywood Babylon'
27. PEER PRESSURE -
'Cash-In'
28. FLIRT - 'Don't
Push Me'
29. DRED SCOTT -
'Honest Boy'
30. THE ROTTERS -
'Amputee'
Get it here
No comments:
Post a Comment