u/EclecticLandlady

Primitive (Killing Joke cover) is the A-side here and I’m willing to bet that my dad can hear that bass line echoing in his skull from my shitty little turntable, still, years after death. Sweet lord I loved this 45 in 1993. Even today, I’m going play along on bass for the next 5 hours, once I’m finished writing this. Every time I hear this song I want to record a version of it myself. I miss both my “Laugh? I Nearly Bought One” cassette.

Born Annoying is the B-side, and it pounds away at you, until it locks you into a groove before throttling you again. Early Helmet reminds me of getting jumped as a kid but getting away with only a few hits taken. You don’t get away at the end of Born Annoying. I suppose Paige pictures the subject boring you violently. I picture Clavicular types when reading the lyrics these days…

I first heard Helmet on Delaware college radio, 91.3wvud, with Make Room, from Strap it On, and it appealed to my love of Black Sabbath. These selections do not bring that energy.

Really cool graphic design by Haze, especially when seen alongside other work on the label. It’s simple but chef’s kiss to the color palette and placement; another banger out on Amphetamine Reptile Records.

I love bands that expand upon the style of 60’s groups like the Shangri-La’s. There is no such thing as too much reverb when you’re high on reefers, and this record has the best Misfits cover I’ve heard since Sloppy Seconds put out that Where Eagles Dare 7”.

The lyrics to Last Caress sound crass and violent when Glenn sings them, but this Dum Dum Girl brings a certain grace and depth of intention to the words.

Aquese recordings, AQR704, two English addresses, and the personnel are the only info given here. White label with run-out groove that reads, “into the flood again (again)” and A Porky Prime Cut on each side.

I bought this record well before I believed in internetting, and it has always been a mystery to me. It seems instrumental, (despite the credits saying there is a voice) with the first piece, “Measure of Time”, reminding me of being a kid and getting lost trying to find the bathroom in the back of a supermarket, only this gives off casino tunnel/hidden bathroom vibes (the dog im watching left the room due to the piercing feedback) It sounds more compelling to my ears played at 33 1/3, but if the second song (record is the same on both sides) is to be trusted, the intended speed is 45rpm.

The second song, most likely “(untitled(again)” comes off as a straight early 90’s chill wave banger. The group, Delphium, though the credits read that this is a re-interpretation of an original composition by Delphium by two musicians, request no correspondence. This is a strange pairing for a split.

This was a random purchase for me in the 90’s, based off the cover art, and I’m curious to hear from anyone else who knows about these artists, this recording.

I went to visit Gainesville, FL the other day. I always take some of my own records when I visit a new city, and try to get a local shop to carry a few. I also like to pick up a record or two while I’m there, preferably something local.

I came across Black Magic M66 while enjoying Hear Again’s fairly stocked avant-guard/electronic section (they always put us together at the lunch table). The cover art caught me, the plastic said local, it was only $15!, and there was a song called “Metal Skin Panic” which related back to the cover art; the art brought to mind maybe an electronic Dead Moon?! I like being surprised, so I didn’t look it up.

I’m sure there is a specific genre this belongs to in the minds of electronic adepts, but I’ll call it dark electronic dance music. You don’t have to dance though, you could dance, or you could trip out, or drive really fast in that underwater tunnel in Baltimore, or do coke in a luxury car stuck in Lincoln tunnel traffic, you could listen to this on headphones while stabbing a rich uncle on a Swiss tram. If you are dancing, it’s in a goth club.

The album notes say it was recorded live “no overdubs no computer” which is pretty cool for electronic music. I mostly like when there is a noticeable human element, a ghost in the machine, of electronic offerings. The record came with a sticker that I believe was sourced from the Craft film, but I’m no cop. I do appreciate stickers.

I don’t know if there is a concept behind the album and the characters on the cover, but I’m here for the ride. Once again, a rando pic turns out to be an ace on the table.

Licorice Roots - Strangers In Marshmallow Boots b/w Pixilated Pixie

There are essentially two eras of this band; the one where they were called Raymond Listen, released 1993’s Licorice Root Orchestra on Shimmy Disc, and pocketed a Sassy magazine “Cute Band Alert”. The album has become a cult classic, a musicians musicians secret obsession. I have known multiple people who have had the album art tattooed onto their flesh after falling in love with the band.

The other era of the band began with a cassette titled Melodeon. I think I first got a copy in late 1995 or early 1996. The album opened with a bit of familiar Mellotron and Farfisa, then the second track, Maraca Beach, ripped the sound wide open with some insanely fuzzed out, back masked? guitars…it’s a wild sound and it marked that album as a departure from the old sound on LRO.

This 45 came out in 2010, and it continues the universe of fuzz, Mellotron, slightly skewed upright piano, and Edward’s, at times, haunting vocals. Strangers In Marshmallow Boots is an instrumental that sounds like it’s being performed inside a jukebox by the cousin of that girl in David Lynch’s radiator, and someone told him T.Rex was being played by Jandek in a 16mm film about his life…it’s weird that critics and listeners adore the first album, but the public has not seemed to have discovered his later work.

LRO has recently been repressed by Riding Easy. I think this is the second company to repress it since the original Shimmy Disc run. Melodeon was released by Mood Food, in ‘97 on CD, but I don’t think it’s available any longer and a vinyl version has never been released, unfortunately. Daisi is Edward’s own imprint and so far this has been the only vinyl release.

Marcus Hook - Wipe Your Tongue b/w Tool Box

Side A run-out reads “FOOS-ROCK”

I only saw Marcus Hook once or twice as a kid then the singer became the drummer for Zen Guerrilla and the drummer stayed a drummer but drummed it up for Caterpillar, and I saw those bands a lot.

Thjs record is dope by definition. I feel like you could put it on at any loose party and it would fly fine today or in 1992. The band was slated to open for the Laughing Hyenas at one point, and while they make dissimilar music, it would have been a good pairing. Wipe Your Tongue seems to be about not talking shit, and I don’t know what Tool Box is about because I was smoking a joint and playing along on my guitar, not studying the lyrics like a dork, dork.

The internets say the band had the reputation of being a party band, and having gone to some early Skidfests (local yearly party on one of the last of the old school connected wooden row homes in the area) that looked a little like Hamsterdam from the Wire, I can imagine the basements and union halls were shaking.

This copy came with a rolling paper that was stamped with a number for proper booking info, I included it uncensored, in case you want to give it a shot and see if they’ll play your retirement drug bash.

Recorded in an adobe and a tent in the mountains of New Mexico, using four solar panels, Motion to Rejoin, sounds so much like a hazy desert hallucination that DMT toads are out of work and moving back into the water.

I first heard this band via a loaded iPod a friend in Seattle gave me (during the years when folks wanted me to use technology beyond the pencil and stereo, and I gladly accepted gifts that I later hated for their lack of personality and habit of crashing) but I didn’t truly love the record until I owned a physical copy and could also appreciate how beautiful the presentation is. There are the slightest swirls of grey in the white vinyl (and I had a growing border collie at the time of purchase) and I will furiously clean it before playing, if the light is good. It’s the most opaque white vinyl I’ve ever seen.

Even when this was shuffling in the iPod, if it comes up, I usually give it my full attention from side to side; it’s hard to break away from it once you settle into the groove. Number #2 on the, “oh, I’ve got to remember to set this out while I’m tripping, if things go wonky” list. #1 is Nick Drake, #3 is Morphine.

Railhed •Perspective Eyes

•Grave b/w

•Drift

Side A run-out groove reads: Jack I’m Not

Side B run-out reads: what’s up wit dat rib?

Railhed had a funeral and people got dressed up nicely.

I worked for guitarist Mark McKinney during his executive chef years with a popular company in Philadelphia. He plays a mean guitar and makes some damn fine vegan food.

Carrots, onions, celery…Aes is my favorite lyricist by a long shot. He’s the artist I own the most albums by.

I like a record with an instrumental version. I like to imagine one day I might be a dj and do things like host nights of all instrumental b-sides and whatnots.

Artwork here is by Philadelphia graffiti artist, ESPO (Stephen Powers) author of the classic “How to Get Over” which details early Philadelphia graffiti history. I like when artists I like come together on a project.

Caterpillar- Velvet Ears b/w Ronald

Romilar Jag

Caterpillar rock. My favorite song by them is S.E.D (shit eating dog) about a dog that eats cat shit, and this 45 offers at least one more song about a dog, a dog with soft ears I presume. The vocals on Ronald are fun when you’re high, especially if you know someone named Ronald who is also high. Romilar is a medication used to treat dry cough. I don’t know what a Jag is, outside of the military. Clever people listen to Caterpillar, and so do I.

I bought this 45 because of my love for Quintron & Miss Pissycat’s entire universe of performance. Here, Q&MissP feel like the band Lux Interior and Poison Ivy’s kid’s Nannie’s would start every day at nap time.

I fully believe Jam Skate, every word. I imagine it may have been recorded in a roller rink while roller skating.

Turbo Fruits blaze through “Ain’t the Only One Havin’ Fun”, except the break down that was probably written in so the band could get high (I feel like they huff paint and do coke while on acid) They sound like they were born in a garage spray painted fluorescent black and the year is simultaneously 1964, 1987, and 2005.

Diskomo, a 45 rpm record that proves the undying existence of undead disco. The corporation flexes a possible partnership with the children’s toy purveyor Toys R Us on the b-sides offering. The Residents are both a palette cleanser and a palette unto themselves. I have never gotten back any products by the Residents that I’ve lent out to new listeners.

Another painter once told me to never date my art, “because people will try and map your progress”. I dislike when records don’t have a date on them. I like remembering/imagining what the world was doing during the recording. In this case, I remember it was the early 1990’s, (recorded June 3rd is the only info) but as side A starts, “All Americans are now being faced with a continuing campaign of censorship and harassment by the government at all levels…” it could be today or 1950.

The last song doesn’t end with any endorsement of a now idealized 90’s either, but a continued passing of blame from one segment of society to the next.

Sex Dogee was: Ray Edwards on vocals, Tom guitar, Troy Bachman bass, Meg vocals, Marty Ford playing drums.

Musically, this is a really tight record. I’m a sucker for gentlemen/lady singer combos, and the bass really stands out. Shout out to Target Studios, for a crusty record, everything sounds really well mixed. I have records/tapes from a few projects by a few of these folks, but this one is my favorite (maybe Mistood, but I haven’t heard the smoosh tape in decades)…anyhoo, some of my more refined arty friends hoped I would not put these songs on my mix tapes, but I did; there’s something nice about driving 25 miles per hour down Main Street, in a 1962 Ford Falcon, a boom box in the back seat playing a the refrain “you’ve been a very bad society!” at a mild volume.

Schroeder ~ Mod Revolve b/w Too Beautiful

All the girls loved Schroeder. They were fun to dance to and all the girls loved Schroeder. A quote from the CMJ article on the back likens the band to “a less turbulent My Bloody Valentine” but that article wasn’t written by girl. Did I mention…

Another 45 that’s also a 33 1/3 on the Mod Revolve side.

I worked with the bassist, Micheal Bolon, in the warehouse at Rainbow Records for a bit in the 1990’s. Every now and then he would let me bum a “Winnie”, Winston cigarette, that would make my head swim.

I still have a really neat project he did with covering Peter Gabriel’s “Melt” record, and a couple songs that were originally intended for a cassette compilation. He also played cello on Zen Guerrilla’s “Daddy Long Legs”. Definitely a shining light of Delaware indie excellence.

The Joy Division records that came in the box of 45’s for $30 I lucked upon on the side of the road in Elkton, MD back in 2013.

•Transmission b/w Novelty

•Love Will Tear Us Apart b/w These Days b/w Love Will Tear Us Apart (alternate version)

• Incubation b/w Komakino (flexi)

I had forgotten how powerful these songs are, how great Joy Division is. These records are works of art and it must have been neat to hear them for the first time, hot off the Factory press.

Transmission has “porky prime cut” and “and how I’ll never know” etched into the runoff, “just why or understand” on the Novelty side. The sleeve is gorgeous and the vinyl itself sounds great.

Love Will Tear Us Apart has “don’t disillusion me” etched and These Days has “I’ve only got record shops left” in the runoff. These Days and the alternate version (I like it more but perhaps that’s the novelty of this version) of LWTUA plays at 33rpm while the other side plays at 45. I think that came up here yesterday somewhere about another record.

The Komakino/Incubation flexi disc was originally a free record, and says, “this record should not have cost you anything wherever or however it was obtained” on the Incubation side (which also has some jazzy synth experimnets) I think I’m going to go explore a Joy Division rabbit hole now.

https://youtu.be/N5TOO3eCBN8?is=1Y7nrQh5i2tmxEu\_

These three songs (Rubber Room, Thoughts in a Booth, and 3 More Quarters) run by fast. Good, fast, Midwest Rock n’ Roll on a budget. The b-side of “Thoughts in a Booth/3 More Quarters” was my favorite as a young teenager. I was pretty hard into metal and punk, but I secretly loved pop music, and there’s a lot of pop to be had in the AmRep catalog, if you listen sideways, this is where it began. I like Tom’s notes on the original and collectors.

I bought this because they looked like Aerosmith roadies, but the equipment in one of the photos is a cheap guitar pedal and some rando midi stuff.

Shockwave Rider changed the way I thought about recording sleazy “rock”. This album sounds like it was made by weird latchkey kids who robbed the convenience store for a case of Backwoods, a Newport soft pack, and expired pecan swirls; then they broke into a motel and recorded these songs in a handicap bathroom on a boombox.

I’m never sure if I like Royal Trux or if I hate rock and roll.

I write this as a 50 yr old dying their hair green, that’s the type of freak you’re sipping from…I came across this record wandering through 45’s at Easy Street in Seattle. I was living in a barely converted VA hospital, shared bathrooms, hallways wide enough for gurney’s. My one room apartment had been an examination room and still looked line one, as far as cabinetry and layout. I was a bad off drunk, a coke head, reinforcing nightmares with psychedelics; my neighbors were methed out and looked like skeletons. It was a trashy place and a bad time. I was in a strange mood and the look of this record caught me. It looked kinda like I felt. I felt like the melancholy before the action in a 1970’s zombie flick.

I had no clue who the band was or how many of those words on the cover were their name. I took home and played it and was instantly wowed. It was one of those eureka moments where both admiration and inspiration hits at the same time. This record woke me out of a funk for thinking nothing would ever be so cool I’d drool. Zodiac Girls was everything I liked on television all at once as a latch key kid in the 80’s and it was broken? warped? sun burnt? that appealed to the trailer trash in me. It was candy coated rottenness. I loved it. I still play it often 18 years later.

The Fields are Breathing (Tobacco’s wispy version) actually frightened me a bit. It was early spring in Seattle and I was in bad shape mentally as well as physically. This seemed like a song to ferry me into death, a harbinger of a summer not to be seen by me. I was overreacting, and I did live, long enough to buy more of Black Moth, Tobacco, Dreamend, & Seven Fields of Aphelion’s output over the years.

The back cover is completely black, that’s my reflection.