Sub Pop singles were pretty cool...

The Fluid
Tomorrow
Tin Top Toy 7"
Sub Pop 1990

Sub Pop have always been a singles label, well, at least for me. The Nirvana "Sliver" single, Dinosaur's "The Wagon", Six Finger Satellite, Fugazi, Lou Barlow, RFTC...hell, even Velocity Girl's "Crazy Town" (I luved the flipside, "Creepy").

The Dwarves, anyone?

Anyway, I picked this single (The Fluid) up in the used 7" bin at Epicenter (RIP) in San Francisco for $2, in '95. A bargin for me, I had been searching for this 7" for a couple of years...nowadays, in Japan, I see this in the 10 singles for ¥500 corner...oh well.

A great melodic/punk rock tune. The b-side to "Tin Top Toy" 7".

What's your favorite Sub Pop single? Mine would be SP155, Codeine's "Realize/Broken Hearted Wine" 7". Answers in comments, please!

Endnote
1. The Fluid=ex punx outa Colorado, The Frantix.

A Penguin with a Backpack!

Eleki Buran
Cauliflower
ZK Samplers comp CD
ZK 1992

Surfers Of Romantica
Bo Bo 67
ZK Samplers comp CD
ZK 1992

I (kinda) remember going to the release show/party for this compilation, at a club in Yoyogi. To tell you the truth, Eleki Buran was the only band I truly remember (hey, you have to like...socialize, ya know!) They were pretty awesome; a female rhythm section and some dude on vocals/guitar...I totally fell in love with this song. UK-ish shoegazer/pop? With a Japanese edge?

Don't remember if Surfers Of Romantica (or Yu, Sunshine Superscum, UFO Or Die, Gazi...any of the other great bands on the CD) played. But the Surfers tune is pretty kool...Japanoise+US hardcore+an Eye fetish.

Endnotes
1. Please don't ask why I'm posting at 6:30 AM. It's been a long day.

Sorry, no music tonight

If you voted for Koizumi, Bush, Blair...go here.

Heartbreaking. This shit has to stop.

(Graphic content)

Ben Deily's Lemonheads/Pods

I was a huge Lemonheads fan, well, until they started to sorta suck in the early/mid 90s. The first 3 Taang! LPs were awesome, from their "razor sharp" punk beginnings to their more held back indie rock days of 1989's Lick. Though I enjoy some of their later stuff (It's A Shame About Ray, in particular) the first 3 with the Ben Deily/Evan Dando combo are still records I listen to today.

Back in 1987, Taang! put out a cassette compilation/sampler called A Fist Full o' Hits. A great comp, with stuff by Mission of Burma, Outlets, Oysters, Jerry's Kids, DYS, Ganggreen, and, uhh, Kilslug? Plus, two new Boston area bands, Bullet LaVolta and Lemonheads. I remember making dubs of the Lemonheads' track, "Second Chance," for my friends and raging about them. So when Hate Your Friends finally came out later that year, I had a new favorite record.



Lemonheads
Uhhh
Hate Your Friends LP (buy)
Taang! 1987

Moody and dark, Creator didn't really click for me when I first got it. The Lemonheads were in their post-Hüsker Dü phase, slower songs with...acoustic guitars! (Though this song has a nice beat.) Not a LP for a DRI loving guy like me.
Nowadays, Creator is my favorite Lemonheads LP.



Lemonheads
Two Weeks In Another Town
Creator LP (buy)
Taang! 1988

All of these songs are Ben's: I've always liked his songs/voice over Evan's. So it was sort of sad when Ben left the band and Evan became an indie rock idol/crack addict. Ben Deily went on to form the Pods who put out a 7" and a CD, both of which included this bitter, rocking song about the two's breakup.



Pods
Name In Vain
Where I'm Calling From CD
self released 1994

Endnotes
1. Ben Deily has a page (literally).
2. Thanks for the links! Pop Is Pablum, the mp3 blogs aggregator (which, mysteriously, seems to be down) and the Web Nymph aggregator.

When did "emo" become emo?

The Hated
Less Than Nothing
What Was Behind LP
Vermin Scum 1992

The Hated was one of Daniel Littleton's pre-Ida bands, mid to late 80s. Out of Maryland, it's sort of surprising that they weren't lumped in with the rest of the Revolution Summer crowd (Rites of Spring, Gray Matter, Embrace, Dag Nasty, yeah yeah yeah...) being located so close to DC. Why no Dischord release? Who knows? Not being from DC, no original harDCore people from the early Dischord years...maybe they sucked live?

Does anyone want to send me their 7"?

Endnotes
1. What Was Behind was originally the No More We Cry demo from 1986, released posthumously in 92. Vermin Scum apparently pressed the LP at the wrong speed, slightly slower. I've fiddled around with the pitch control on my turntable - hey, maybe this is how this track is meant to be heard. If Troubleman ever releases the Hated discography in our lifetimes, maybe we'll figure it all out.
2. The Hated tribute page.
3. The Wrangler Brutes LP is pretty rocking. Japan tour next month!

You filthy ape! You stinking ape!

A gang of drunk freaks wrapped in toilet paper, heckling the kids at Gilman, who, probably have no idea what the shit is going on. No-fi garage "budget rock." Fucks you would NOT want to be friends with. I give you...



The Mummies
(You Must Fight To Live) On The Planet Of The Apes
You Must Fight To Live On The Planet Of The Apes 7"
Sympathy For The Record Industry 1993

I guess most of their stuff has been re-released in the CD format (buy from Insound), even though the band despised them. Even have a web site.

Would probably kick Jack White's ass.

Here's to another four years...

Time Zone
World Destruction
World Destruction 12"
Celluloid/Virgin 1984

John Lydon and Afrika Bambaataa, with Bill Laswell on bass. Welcoming in another four years of the Reagan Bush era.

Fucker.