Hey Everybody!
You may have noticed in the more
recent updates that we've been acquiring a ton of original vinyl stock
from all over the place. Well this week we have another fresh batch seen
here for the first time as well as some amazing titles we've previously
told you about. We have an eclectic mix of surfy rockabilly, Texas
psych, Mexican funk, jazz punk, sock hop r'n'r, Ohio punk, and
Midwestern 70's rock in this week's featured items and it's all together
in one handy place now, so by all means take a look at these amazing
finds…
EXTREMELY RARE/BACKED BY LENNY DRAKE AND THE THUNDERTONES!
GARAGEHANGOVER SAYS IT ALL:
"This is a bizarre pop-psychedelic gem of a 45 by Chris Carpenter of Detroit, Michigan.
“This World (Is Closing In on Me)
(written by L. Drake) is full of paranoid lyrics. “Waterfalls”
(songwriting credits by Parsons, Toma, and Carnes) features a harmonium,
thunder sound effects, rattles and yet more obsessive lyrics. Both
sides were produced by P. Carnes for Sidra Records, and arranged by L.
Drake. Not sure if this is the same Chris Carpenter now involved in
sound mixing for Hollywood.
This was originally released on
Ocean-Side, a subsidiary of the Sidra label of Detroit in October 1966,
then on Sidra itself a month later, and then picked up for national
release by United Artists in February 1968, over a year after the
original release." - garagehangover.com
Detroit based surf / instrumental rock
group led by Lenny Drake, who released a string of singles in and around
1961. Recommended for fans of Dick Dale, Astronauts, Link Wray and
other searing raw guitar instrumentals from the golden age of AM radio.
Lenny And The Thundertones unleash two
searing cuts of Motorcity surf rock with this single on Comma Records.
"Thunder Express" is a hang ten affair in the vein of Dick Dale,
Ventures and
Astronauts that rides a righteous wave all
the way to shoreline. On the b-side we get "Alabamy Bound" which is a
bit more honky-tonk Rockabilly in its vibe, think Link Wray, Gene
Vincent or Duane Eddy sans vocals and you're gettin' the drift of this
boot scootin' badboy!
Detroit based surf / instrumental rock
group led by Lenny Drake, who released a string of singles in and around
1961. Recommended for fans of Dick Dale, Astronauts, Link Wray and
other searing raw guitar instrumentals from the golden age of AM radio.
A-side, "The Social" is a sock hoppin'
number perfect for courting that cutie from round the way, while on the
b-side we get "On The Loose" which is some fine as wine cool struttin'
instrumental rock 'n' roll with plenty of attitude ready made for
donning yer shades. Both cuts have hints of Chet Atkins, Les Paul and
Mary Ford or Glen Campbell a la the golden age of Teenage Dance Party
USA.
"I Want To Live I Want To Love" b/w "I
Have A Love For America" finds Lenny Drake heading out on his own
without the aid of The Thundertones. These songs are a bit of a
departure from his instrumental 60's output. Here he can be found with
two inspirational numbers of 70's singer-songwriter anthems of
positivity. "I Want To Live I Want To Love" is a devotional cut with
sultry keyboards, honky tonk strum and golden-throated reaffirmation.
The b-side features an ultra patriotic songster with "I Have A Love For
America." The kind of tune one would find while searching your dial on
AM radio in the mid-70's heartland. Like if Neil Diamond had gone the
Michael Yonkers route and hid away making outsider pop tunes for the
real devotees. Released in 1976 by Cristin Records.
We scored some original stock copies of
this killlllller single from 1970 on London Records. Asterix was a
heavy rock band that released this single and one full album before
turning into the now legendary Lucifer's Friend. The a-side is a Tommy
Roe penned ripper called "Everybody" and the b-side is an Asterix
original "If I Could Fly" and it provides a heavy groove with wonderful
vocal harmonies. Bonus these copies are all Promo copies housed in
London 45 sleeves.
Glam stained R'n'R from Kim Fowley
dedicated to Rodney Bingenheimer from 1974 on Now Records. Two songs
about trashy California living from Mr. Fowley? Fuck yes count us
in!!!!! And the A side has never been comped before. So that makes
this one essential!!!
7in - Tiger Boys - I'm A Tiger b/w Kiss Of An Angel - $59.99 - LISTEN 
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"I'm A Tiger" is a mid-tempo rock 'n'
stalker of 60's garage pop in the relam of Paul Revere and The Raiders,
The Box Tops or Gerry And The Pacemakers. Then on the flipside we get
heart on sleeve slow dance vocal swooner in the track "Kiss Of An Angel"
complete with cooing female backing vocals, think Bobby Darin, Ricky
Nelson and Teeny Bop USA on Galactic Records from 1965.
RARE TEXAS HARD ROCK ORIGINAL STOCK COPIES!!!!
"Do It To Ya
was the lone record from this Houston band who pressed up this
self-released single to give out at their shows. The A side finds the
band honing their bar room skills from Hard Boogie to near Proto Punk.
It’s a hooky energetic performance .that doesn’t pretend to be what
it’s not, although the no-nonsense straight ahead riffing and 42nd
Street mentions makes you think that they might have had The New York Dolls in their sights. The B side owes more to obvious 1975 Southern Rock influences.
Bassist Jack Beasley was kind enough to give some background on the band and recording the single
Jeremiah was formed in 1972. Jack Beasley was the original bass player with Mike Rayburn on drums. There were two other guys on guitars, but as it turned they weren’t that serious about playing rock music. As those guys moved on to do other things, they were replaced by Jimmy Deen in 1973 and Tommy Mansell was added to the line-up in 1974. The early gigs were high school dances and proms. But they eventually started playing night clubs and private parties.
“In 1975, the band paid for some time at ACA recording studios in Houston. We recorded six original songs. I don't know who mastered the two tracks on the 45 or where the 45 was manufactured. The label name, "Artesia", was just something we made up. I think we had 600 45s made, maybe less, but no more than that...”
Although the ambition was there to break beyond the local scene and go professional, it didn’t pan out for the boys
“Our goal was to become rock stars. In the fall of 1975 we quit our day jobs and went on the road. We played mostly in Texas. We became friends with members of the band Point Blank, who were managed by the same guy that managed ZZ Top. This was in 1976 and we thought we were close to a record deal, but it didn’t happen. We played at the bigger clubs in Houston , Dallas and Fort Worth , among others. We played four to five nights a week, every week, just about. We did all we knew to do to get a record label to sign us, except leave Texas. That might have been the problem…”
What was the difference the 60s Texas Garage/Psychedelic bands and what was happening in the mid 70s?
“I believe that 60s bands, even in Texas were heavily into the psychedelic experience. They were trying to find new sounds, and a lot of experimenting was going on then, with their instruments, and also their minds (drugs). 70s bands just wanted to rock. To heck with experimenting. Find that groove. Turn up the volume. And create a sound that compelled your audience to move with the beat and play their air guitars. Although the guys in Jeremiah were somewhat influenced by the 60s music, I believe the stronger influences came from what was going on around us at the time. We covered many of the most popular rock bands of the early and mid 70s. We liked the melodic stuff, but it still needed to have that hard edge. You can hear that fusion in the original Jeremiah songs. Often in those songs, you have some very soft, melodic vocals or guitar segments, slammed up against a dynamic, hard-driving mix of guitar, bass and drums. We just couldn’t stay quiet for very long...”" - http://purepop1uk.blogspot.com
Bassist Jack Beasley was kind enough to give some background on the band and recording the single
Jeremiah was formed in 1972. Jack Beasley was the original bass player with Mike Rayburn on drums. There were two other guys on guitars, but as it turned they weren’t that serious about playing rock music. As those guys moved on to do other things, they were replaced by Jimmy Deen in 1973 and Tommy Mansell was added to the line-up in 1974. The early gigs were high school dances and proms. But they eventually started playing night clubs and private parties.
“In 1975, the band paid for some time at ACA recording studios in Houston. We recorded six original songs. I don't know who mastered the two tracks on the 45 or where the 45 was manufactured. The label name, "Artesia", was just something we made up. I think we had 600 45s made, maybe less, but no more than that...”
Although the ambition was there to break beyond the local scene and go professional, it didn’t pan out for the boys
“Our goal was to become rock stars. In the fall of 1975 we quit our day jobs and went on the road. We played mostly in Texas. We became friends with members of the band Point Blank, who were managed by the same guy that managed ZZ Top. This was in 1976 and we thought we were close to a record deal, but it didn’t happen. We played at the bigger clubs in Houston , Dallas and Fort Worth , among others. We played four to five nights a week, every week, just about. We did all we knew to do to get a record label to sign us, except leave Texas. That might have been the problem…”
What was the difference the 60s Texas Garage/Psychedelic bands and what was happening in the mid 70s?
“I believe that 60s bands, even in Texas were heavily into the psychedelic experience. They were trying to find new sounds, and a lot of experimenting was going on then, with their instruments, and also their minds (drugs). 70s bands just wanted to rock. To heck with experimenting. Find that groove. Turn up the volume. And create a sound that compelled your audience to move with the beat and play their air guitars. Although the guys in Jeremiah were somewhat influenced by the 60s music, I believe the stronger influences came from what was going on around us at the time. We covered many of the most popular rock bands of the early and mid 70s. We liked the melodic stuff, but it still needed to have that hard edge. You can hear that fusion in the original Jeremiah songs. Often in those songs, you have some very soft, melodic vocals or guitar segments, slammed up against a dynamic, hard-driving mix of guitar, bass and drums. We just couldn’t stay quiet for very long...”" - http://purepop1uk.blogspot.com
Need more Jeremiah? Check 'em out over here: JEREMIAH
7in - The Proper Circle - Looking Out From Within b/w One Day Love - $19.99 - LISTEN LIMITED QUANTITIES / EMAIL IF INTERESTED
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Rare 60's Texas psychedelic garage rock on
Picture Records, much along the lines of the Moving Sidewalks,
Chocolate Watch Band and the Uniques. Something went wrong in Texas in
the late 60s, and we're into it!!!!!
"This
rather rudimentary psychedelic attempt took place in Galveston most
likely around 1968, though an exact date seems unclear; the Proper
Circle previously recorded another 45 a year or so earlier, also on the
Houston-based Picture label. “One Day Love” was actually the last
release on Picture before the label met an untimely demise. Starting in
the early ‘60s, Picture produced a good handful of singles, ranging from
early pop tunes to Sleepy Labeef’s rockabilly numbers. Members of the
Proper Circle were also in a Galveston rock and roll group that got its
start in the late ‘50s, appropriately called the 1900 Storm." - http://blogs.houstonpress.com
7in - George Washington And The Cherry Stompers – The Back Shelf Of Your Mind b/w Wait Till Tomorrow Comes - $149.99 - LISTEN LIMITED QUANTITIES / EMAIL IF INTERESTED
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"Houston-based act that was the first
group signed to C.L. Milburn's Sea Ell label. George Washington &
the Cherry Stompers specialized in garage punk and psychedelic punk,
with a tendency toward swirling organ arabesques in their songs,
sometimes working in minor keys as with their debut single, "The Back
Shelf of Your Mind," released in 1967. They featured organ and guitar as
lead instruments, and vocally they were relatively undistinguished,
despite a powerful lead singer and attempts to incorporate harmony
singing into their work." - Allmusic.com
7in - The Trackers - You Are My World b/w Why Do I Cry - $149.99 - LISTEN LIMITED QUANTITIES / EMAIL IF INTERESTED
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The Trackers are bringin' more raw Texas
garage rippers with the dirty blast rave-up "You Are My World" on the
front and moving to more gentle balladry on the back with the lithely
plucked tear dripper "Why Do I Cry". All in all this is a rare Texas
nugget from 1966 on Landa Sounds.
Private Press punk-jazz/prog-pop from this
obscure LA outfit recorded in 1981. Urban Hum did this single in 1981
and one 12" EP. They played with Black Flag and with guys from Zappa's
band. They were not super popular, but were highly regarded by fellow
musicians. Drummer/vocalist Jim Christie also played with Starship,
with Dwight Yoakam and Lucinda Williams and bassist Greg Lee was also an
accomplished Latin jazz drummer and played in jazz fusion band Caldera
before eventually moving to Japan where he currently resides.
"Spy" gives us some mutoid dance pop with
tight in the pocket rhythms, blaring saxophone blasts, some masterful
guitar soloing and a frantic female vocalist projecting a seductive
paranoia in neon and shadows. Flip this little oddity over and you'll
find an instrumental track called "Day Break" that coulda been a musical
cue for a late 70's/early 80's cop show in the vein of Mike Post with a
lamenting melody, swirling Mini-Moog, bionic bass line and mournful
guitar passages. You've never heard anything like this we guarantee.
7in - Zapata - A Certain Kind b/w Make It All Go - $19.99 - LISTEN LIMITED QUANTITIES / EMAIL IF INTERESTED
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Zapata brings "A Certain Kind" on the
a-side and it is a slow burning soul smolderer whilst the flip, "Make It
All Go" is a wah-wah psych-soul scorcher on Metro-Dome Records from
1972.
A-side is Temptations' classic "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" w/ R&B tearjerker "Cry" written by Churchill Kohlman on the flip!
Both cuts have been givin the blues rock
makeover (think Janis Joplin w/ Big Brother and the Holding Company),
complete with fuzzed out guitar solos, hyped up tempos, chest thumping
rhythms and Lynn Carey's full bodied commanding vocals. The sizzling
A-side of this single is perfect for house rockin' DJ sets and the
B-side "Cry" is a perfect crooner for summertime sunsets and heart
melting come downs.
This hellion had a crazy ass life! Get more delicious details from Wikipedia below:
"Lynn Carey is an American singer, songwriter, model, and actress best known as the lead vocalist in the band Mama Lion.
Lynn credits her father with
introducing her to the world of jazz music and foreign film. Through
him, she also met many of the legendary Hollywood stars. Harpo Marx was
the first to notice her singing talent as a child and suggest she could
turn pro. Her nextdoor neighbours were ventriloquist/comedian Edgar
Bergen and his wife Frances and daughter Candice. At 16, she had the
pleasure of sitting at John Coltrane's feet while he performed, and
later became friends with pianist Dorothy Donegan, for whom she opened
in a series of Los Angeles gigs in the 1980s. Among other memorable
encounters, she has drunk with Judy Garland, gone on a date with Jerry
Lewis, and narrowly escaped being one of the victims of the Tate-La
Bianca murders, when her then boyfriend Jay Sebring invited her to
Sharon Tate's house, and because of her intuition, Lynn declined. Her
performances have been praised by Frank Zappa, Don Rickles, members of
Monty Python and other celebrities, and she was once kidnapped by John
Bonham of Led Zeppelin, from whom she escaped after quick thinking and
some judo moves." - Wikipedia
7in - Los Moonlights - Tijuana Funky b/w Se Fue - $19.99- LISTEN LIMITED QUANTITIES / EMAIL IF INTERESTED
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Los Moonlights haul out the monster jam on
"Tijuana Funky" with booty shakin' rhythms, squalling horn sections and
grooves for days, it is Mexican funk at its finest. The b-side is a
heart-wrenching crooner of beautiful soul titled "Se Fue" like a south
of the border Motown ballad. Released in 1976 on Arcano Records
7in - J. Gale - A Million Nothings b/w Suds on Eyeball Records - $19.99 - LISTEN LIMITED QUANTITIES / EMAIL IF INTERESTED
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"Born and raised in Big Spring J. Gale
Kilgore's first taste of the stage came at a high school talent show in
1957 singing "Brown Eyed Handsome Man", while beating out the tempo out
on the backside of a flattop guitar. Influenced by country music- his
elder brother was actually a bouncer at the Ace of Clubs during Lefty's
tenure there- and the exploding sounds of r&B stylists like Fats
Domino J wanted to sing. On bus rides to area football games, he would
entertain his teammates with the sounds of the day. For many a kid of
that era, those little events would have all come together creating an
opportunity for a life in music.
But J. Gale graduated in '58 and
headed down the street to Howard Country Junior College, finishing up
two years later. Then it was off to Houston for more school and a degree
in optometry, marriage, and a stretch in Vietnam, where he earned a
bronze star. It was while overseas that J finally learned to play
guitar, a talent he put to use at the local VA hospital after his return
in 1968.
After opening up his practice J. also
got down to getting more serious about music. Writing his first two
songs in 1970, "Suds" and "A Million Nothings", he and the Games- Easy
Ezell on lead guitar, drummer Mickey Harshman, and Joe Johnson on bass-
headed west to a Midland studio to record the first of what would be a
handful of releases on J's own Eyeball Records.
After an introductory call to guzzle-
if I may swipe a phrase- the Games barrel in with a bass driven ode to
bottled courage and liquid excess. The fratty style belies the 1970
recording date... if anything "Suds" is more of a surfy, 'dawn of the
English invasion' sound than it is a contemporary to Three Dog Night or
Carpenters.
On the flip of "Suds" was J. second
composition, "A Million Nothings", a marriage of 60s honky tonk and a
garagey thud. It's a fitting mood for a such a desperate song.
Actually... "Million Nothings" isn't desperate... it's way past that." -
http://lonestarstomp.blogspot.
7in - Burlington Express - A Girl (G) b/w Comin' Home (VG) - $99.99- LISTEN LIMITED QUANTITIES / EMAIL IF INTERESTED
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Two killer sides of bummer garage psych
that would've fit perfectly on "Anxious Colour" or "Back From The Grave"
from this mysterious group called Burlington Express on Roach Records.
(Not to be confused with the Topeka, Kansas band of the same name.)
Fans of rare garage sides from Human Expression to the Psychopaths, need
to add this one to yer rarities section now! Also by the way, the B
side "Comin' Home" has unbelievably never been comped. RECOMMENDED!!!!
Garage and mutant rock junkies take note
cuz we've scored ANOTHER KILLER BATCH OF ORIGINAL DEADSTOCK SINGLES,
this time from LA's Neil Norman. And trust us yer gonna need to grab
both "Phaser Laser b/w With You My Love" and "Wild Boys b/w Tits From
Mars" ASAP. But for a little backstory of Mr Norman, Pure Pop UK has
us covered -
"The son of GNP Crescendo founder, Gene Norman, Neil was given proverbial free reign over the empire that Pushin’ Too Hard built. And what’s the first thing he goes and does, but pal & partner up with Kim Fowley! Boy oh boy…kids today!
"The son of GNP Crescendo founder, Gene Norman, Neil was given proverbial free reign over the empire that Pushin’ Too Hard built. And what’s the first thing he goes and does, but pal & partner up with Kim Fowley! Boy oh boy…kids today!
After recording his first single,
Phaser Laser, an epic of damaged Alice Cooper rock/horror and suggested
violence, Neil decided to give the king of Canter’s Deli a try at
penning some tunes. As always, Kim wrote about what he knew. Fresh off
the heels of recording as Jimmy Jukebox, Kim fired back with ‘Wild Boys’
- a fairly typical, Fowley-esque, grope-trope of perpetually erect
males wreaking havoc across a vulnerable, all-female city-scape that is
rocketed to the stratosphere via Neil’s fine, Punky, lead fuzz break.
And it’s in the upper atmosphere we
stay for the instrumental b-side, Tits From Mars. Stinking all over of
residual Barrett fumes or possibly presaging the coming of Simply
Saucer, ‘Tits’ is an oppressive, Mandrax messterpiece. Instellar
Overdive’ meets The Nazz Are Blue according to one learned scholar of
such things." - purepop1uk.blogpsot.com
"Phaser Laser" just might be that missing
link between Sky Saxon's unruly band of Seeds and Alice Cooper's glammed
out damage. Equal parts art bent garage and scuzzy Sunset trash rock,
fans of Simply Saucer, Chocolate Watch Band, Electric Prunes and George
Brigman and the like need to start getting stoked now. We didn't even
know this single existed til we got our hands on some. "Phaser Laser"
got comped on "Sklash- Rare Tracks From The Psychedelic Area" in the
early 80s, but that is the one and only time these tracks have ever
popped up. And we certainly don't know why, cuz both songs on this 45
are early LA psych / proto punk rippers!!!! These songs shoulda made
Neil Norman a household name, but at least now you can grab a NEW copy
of this way hard to find single. Don't sleep on it. RECOMMENDED LIKE A
MOTHER!!!!!!!!!!!
We've acquired yet another private press
anomaly here at Permanent Records in the form of Jupiter Prophet's
"35000 Feet" b/w "Sayanata Vondata" single. The address on the center
label says this is from Kansas City, yet it was manufactured in Canada.
We're not entirely sure where this lovely little oddball single comes
from but it is seemingly from some quaint corner of outerspace. "35000
Feet" starts off with a jarring blast that sounds like Brion Gysin's
"Pistol Poem" or perhaps someone whacking a pipe on an aluminum storm
door only to give way to a hypnotic arppegiating synth line and a
pleasantly sing-songed vocal that gives the track it's real charm. The
juxtaposition of the melodic vocals and synth with the dissonance of the
cracking rhythm really makes this a unique song. On the flip we have
the instrumental "Sayanata Vondata" that is a kaleidoscopic affair of
mesmerizing synth lines that plays out like an interlude and recalls the
sound of Cluster, Klaus Schulze and Moebious et al. You all know we
love us some outsider weirdness and this one has a sound all its own!
These are original 1986 private press copies that come housed in a white
paper sleeve and are most certainly recommended.
SOLD AS A PAIR
"Like the best private press LP's, these
songs conjure an entire world. Here, it's one that includes '70's soft
rock, AOR and sci-fi moves, but also a truly lonely and lost
perspective. Oh Lonely Man is a low-self-esteem Space Oddity, Two
Minded Woman is a homeless Tom Petty, What You Find is a desperate Dan
Fogelberg. A whole album that sounded like Smile would be an Acid
Archives monster. Even the bar-rockin' Mean, Mean Margie has a great
twilight zone aura to it. All of it works because it's using familiar
approaches to get to a much realer place than pop music usually goes;
this is not all hot tubs and reaching for the stars, there's a lot of
real life around these corners." - Geoffrey Weiss
CONDITION NOTE: PICTURE SLEEVES HAVE SLIGHTLY BENT CORNERS
"From London came the queen of cool,
miss Stef Petticoat, who released this magnificent jewel in 1980 before
she moved to Berlin where she kept running the band for quite some time,
and might still be doing it in one way or another today. Apart from
this E.P. she appeared on several different compilations as well as
other 7inches that are all well worth tracking down." - kbdrecords.com
7in - Pentaject Corporation - Blackmail Stretch - Original 1982 Stock - $99.99 - LISTEN LIMITED QUANTITIES / EMAIL IF INTERESTED
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ONLY 200 COPIES PRESSED IN 1982!!!!!!!!
Super rare single from this Chicagoland
warped punk/post punk group who recorded in and named themselves after a
rubber injection mold factory. Cross the wires between early Devo, the
Urinals, Electric Eels and Endtables and yer getting close to what this
obscure experimental punk group sounds like, but all we know is they
ought to be more than a footnote to Chicago's RnR history. We can't
believe we got our hands on this "HOLY GRAIL" of a single that features
four killer songs not found on any of their even rarer cassette albums.
This is yer one chance, don't miss out!!!!!!!
ORIGINAL SEALED COPIES!!! FEATURED IN ACID ARCHIVES 2ND ED!!!
"D-Day" is a 1980 US private press release
from Carthage, MO's Stagefright. It is an album of heavy guitar psych,
Midwestern balladry and blues based bar rock that runs the gamut with
the harmonica drenched love letter to the homeland "Ozark Mountains" to
sentimental grazers like "Keep On Believin'" to full-on chest hair
growers with muscular cuts like "Notice Me", "Put Your Good Foot Out"
and "D-Day". Stagefright know how to crank it up too and blast out some
seriously blistering hot guitar licks on nearly every track. And
you'll be in stitches by the end of "3.2", a rockin' little ditty about
driving to Kansas to score 3.2% beer cuz they're not old enough to
obtain the real stuff!!! All in all, "D-Day" is 10 cuts of raw down
home R'n'R choogle rife with whisky soaked jams! For fans of CCR,
Bloodrock, Crazy Horse, Medusa, the Bonehead Crunchers and Warfaring
Strangers comps!
Now you've heard our take, below is Patrick Lundborg's as printed in "The Acid Archives: The Second Edition":
"For those who enjoy unhip small-town '70s
basement rock from the American heartland - and who doesn't - the
amusingly named Stagefright provide one of the more perfect
incarnations. The back cover photo of four overweight hicks, one clad in
farmland overalls, fooling around at the 'Chicken House' where they
rehearsed, promises a very real experience. And this we get from the
get-go, with the near punk attack and blazing hard rock leads of the
dynamic opener "Comin' Home". This is followed by "3.2", a story about
traveling across the state line to Kansas to buy beer, which is simply
the stupidest song I've ever heard. The rest of the album miss no frills
'70s club band rock/hard-rock with sincere Stonesy ballads, the latter
with surprisingly good, moody vocals. The "D-Day" Vibe is consistently
askew, partly because while it sounds like the members have played
together for years, the band still isn't all that tight. Saturday
night in rural Missouri, this is what live music was on offer, and
everyone surely had a good time even though Stagefright's rhythm section
were slacking. On the other hand, the guitar leads are excellent and
generous throughout ("Keep On Running" is a high-point in this regard). I
Like this album very much, and so will those who look for something to
play after side 2 of Top Drawer, or need another dose of Fortune Teller.
Dig those 25c sic-fi sound effects on the 'apocalyptic' title track."
These are the last known available copies
and the jackets have some shelf ware and slightly bumped corners but are
all sealed untouched copies that are in fantastic shape.
ORIGINAL SEALED COPIES OF THIS ACID-ARCHIVED, POWER-POP RARITY!
The vinyl hounds here at P-Rex are
constantly on the prowl, sniffing out rare, OG goodies from
coast-to-coast and THIS TIME we've hit the jackpot with these SEALED
ORIGINAL STOCK copies of the rare self-titled effort from Colorado
power-pop band, Promise! The grade-A archivists at Sing Sing Records
featured this bad-boy on their blog a couple of years ago - here's what
they had to say about it:
"1980 Colorado Private-Pressing Pop-Psych
LP by PROMISE entitled "Promise" on Cumulus Records (#180, Stereo). RARE
Limited-Pressing listed in the almighty "Acid Archives" book. Seldom
seen album with tunes ranging from strong Power Pop, to
Beatles-influenced Pop Psych, to occasionally Heavier Edge!"
Yep - unlike many of the archival,
private-press rarities that are popping up outta the woodwork these
days, this self-titled affair by Promise is ALL-KILLER, NO FILLER and is
packed with hits from front to back! As avid record collectors
ourselves, it's almost unfair to think about how many REALLY amazing
bands like this must have existed that took the initiative and recorded
and pressed up their own album that hardly anyone outside of their
circle probably ever heard. Despite the year (1980) 'Promise' is LOADED
with hooks of the early/mid-Seventies variety, banking hard on the
sensitive, working class power pop strut of bands like Badfinger, Nick
Lowe, Shoes, The Scruffs, and (second incarnation) Flamin' Groovies to
name a few. Grab this one now before you've missed your chance! YOU HAVE
BEEN WARNED! The price may seem steep at first glance, but consider
that original, sealed copies of this hard to come by gem have easily
sold for over $300 online, and this underheard masterpiece has yet to be
reissued! If you dig power pop, private press, or just great frickin'
music then Promise is ESSENTIAL LISTENING. Seriously, we can't stop
flipping this one over and over and over!!
STILL SEALED COPIES OF THIS HOLY GRAIL OF 80S OHIO PUNK / HARDCORE ON TRANS DADA RECORDS!!!!
PLEASE NOTE: MINOR CORNER BUMPS, AS THIS IS ORIGINAL STOCK!!!
Seriously we couldn't have been more
stoked this week to get never opened copies of Spike In Vain's one and
only album "Disease Is Relative" at the shop. YES!!!! This, our
friends, is the definition of a lost punk classic. Scarce info exists
about this killer Ohio band's short existence, but we did some research
and here you go:
"Dissonant, demented and wholly free-form,
this Shaker Hts.-based four-piece wrote and performed material that
embraced punk's energy but rejected its conventions, creating a sound
that pre-dated the grunge-noise scene of the early-'90s. The art-damaged
brainchild of two brothers, Andrew and Chris Marek, the group released
an LP, Disease is Relative, in 1984, and recorded another more
conventional rock record (that was never released) before breaking up
the following year. The Mareks resurfaced in 1991 as Soul Vandals, while
guitarist Robert Griffin and drummer Scott Pickering went on to form
Prisonshake." - cleveland.com
HELL YES this is some schizoid damaged
punk rock, KBD / "Bloodstains Across The Midwest" style!!!! But more
than just yer average rustbelt angsty youth aping Black Flag / Germs /
etc, "Disease Is Relative" has a real angular, dark post punk bent
sound. Like they were listening to Christian Death, PiL, Joy Division
and Pere Ubu as much as "Blasting Concept", "Flex Your Head" and "Not So
Quiet On The Western Front", influences which make this album sound
ahead of its time and still fresh today. Snotty, loud, blown out and
fucking off-the-rails hardcore from early 80s, Ohio or otherwise,
doesn't get any better than this. We can't believe Spike In Vain has
flown under the radar so many years without a reissue!!! "Disease Is
Relative" will not leave yer turntable that we can promise, and
EVERYONE, not just the punk rarities junkies, NEEDS this rager now!!!!
SEVERELY RECOMMENDED!!!! And we're pretty sure this might yer last
chance ever to grab a NEW copy!!!!
"ORIGINAL SEALED COPIES of this
intense synth weirdo LP from 1981..Strange mix of dark synth and
Classical Japanese melodies...contains insert. From back cover notes: "I
do not want to play music which sounds as if it comes from familiar
instruments, music which is based on chord patterns, or music which fits
nicely within any particular stereotyped tradition... What I want is
the terrifying, the menacing, the cruel, the chaotic, the darkly
exciting, the ecstatic, the irrational -- music that resounds between
the cells and in the intergalactic voids..." --Slava Ranko. Nuff said
there really... if you are into fucked up synth records you NEED to own
this. He was also the producer for FACTRIX and TUXEDOMOON if that means
anything to ya... HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!" - Aaron Dilloway
We scored a batch of dead stock copies of
this late 80's thrash obscurity and we've got 'em ready to go to happy
headbanging homes 'round the globe. Read on for a history lesson from
the astute mind of hells_unicorn via Metal Archives:
"Like many of their NWOBHM predecessors, this band has a fetish for witchcraft and the occult that is on full display in their lyrics, and can be gleaned from their music. Equivalent thrash acts that exhibited both a similar style and lyrical content would mostly include Overkill and MegaDeth, both of whom played a very technical brand of power thrash that emphasized methodical riff work, blazing speed, and a gritty sounding warlock vocalist at the helm. When thrown together, you get a batch of pure evil that is not all that far removed from such classic albums as “So far, So good, So What?” and “Under the Influence”.
Although each song is a self-contained
epic that is compressed to the reasonable 5 minute mark, there is an
evident sense of a storyline approach to this album. It kicks off with
the textbook thrash intro, in this case a short segue featuring the
theme of the wicked witch of the west from The Wizard of Oz, followed by
an evil slow riff that becomes the anthem of witchcraft known as “Salem
Girls”. Mike Raptis is in particularly good form on here as he shouts
out the twisted lyrics of dark sorceresses reaping havoc upon
unsuspecting inhabitants of New England, although he is nearly upstaged
by the endless barrage of classic riffs and dueling lead assaults.
Most of the music on here that follows the
intro showcases a lot of great technical ability on the part of all
musicians. John Linder pulls his bass playing duties off very well on
“Beat a dead horse”, “The Matador’s Nightmare”, “Different Breed” and
the self-titled closing speeder “Dead On”. All of the songs on here have
solid drum work, although the two highlights for Mike Caputo are the
intro of “The Matador’s Nightmare” and “Different Breed”. Best signature
riff goes to “Merry Ship”, which seems to twist two ideas somewhat
similar to Maiden’s “2 minutes to midnight”
and Priest’s “Breaking the Law” into a spooky sounding thrash cooker,
and also contains my favorite lead break on here. But the best overall
song is “Dead On”, for its overall musical content and for Raptis’ evil
sounding harmonized vocals, literally sounding like a demon greeting a
recently condemned soul.
One of the greatest tragedies of the early
nineties is that great bands like this were cut down before having a
change to truly break out into the mainstream. This band’s greatest
claim to fame is probably appearing in the Shocker soundtrack along with
MegaDeth, a movie that I remember but most of who probably are quick to
shelf for more modern and mindless incarnations of the horror genre.
There is something to be said for bands like Overkill who refused to let
the barrage of mediocrity that was grunge hold them back and continued
to play out, regardless of how small their crowds became, and it is
unfortunate that this band opted not to do the same.
For those nostalgic thrash fans who liked
their music before it became a slave to the groove and a muddy mess,
this would be a great addition to your collection. It challenges many of
the other more established acts of the time such as Kreator, Metallica,
and MegaDeth in several areas, not the least of which is sheer kick ass
speed. Don’t let this music be forgotten, as it is a testament to how
amazing the thrash genre truly was during its glory days, and may come
to be again if the fates would be so kind." - hells_unicorn via
Encyclopaedia Metallum/Metal Archives.com
Old school thrash enthusists best act fast and grab your selves a piece of history! These are not shrink wrapped, but they are in fact new and unplayed copies deep from the depths of a heavy metal hoarder's warehouse and they are just itching to be snatched up by a healthy hesher with a fresh pair of white reeboks fer sure brah!
Our crate-diggers out in L.A. are always
turning up one awesome rare deadstock find after another and this time
they've unearthed some sweet sealed copies of Chicano rockers Los Blue
Angeles! Released on the Anahual label out of Hollywood, CA and
featuring 5 dapper looking fellows on the front resplendent in matching
polyester suits, the "Vol. II" collection of their work (we assume it's a
collection, as there is a minimum of info listed on the jacket). WHAT
WE DO KNOW is that this album is a stone-cold floor filler! Side A is
chock-full of "teen-beat" style garage numbers (think Thee Midnighters
crossed with Los Bravos) sung in Spanish, with some tasty riffs and a
lick of fuzz guitar here and there! Side B is a more mellow affair, with
mid-tempo numbers and slow, romantic ballads (essentially Side A's to
get the kids dancing, then Side B cools it down). We have no idea what
year this was recorded (our guess is mid-late Sixties, but it could even
be into the early Seventies) but the songs definitely fall into the
post-garage boom of the mid Sixties, but before the PSYCH-SPLOSION of
the late Sixties. Anyone know anything about these guys? HIT US UP! A
super-solid album and worthy of a spot next to your garage stompers!
RECOMMENDED, but act fast, before the well dries up!
LP - Marlon Cherry - Pete - Original Pressing - $14.99 - BUY
Marlon Cherry's second self-released LP
from 1990 begins as a much smoother affair. The first song
"Consitution", although it's not the best on the album, name-drops Jello
Biafra and further investigation will find the Dead Kennedy thanked on
the back of the jacket (alongside Mike Watt, Adam (Leonard's son?)
Cohen, Chris Piegler (Antiseen), and a bunch of other slightly lesser
known independent musicians. The second song "Amethyst" has a very 80s
R&B vibe to it, it easily coulda been a top 40 hit alongside Culture
Club and Hall & Oates, but deep within the song a scorchingly
Funkadelic guitar solo rears its overdriven head. "Life After Theatre
II" is one of the albums weirdest tracks. It's an experimental track
that consists a super wonky synth drone fighting against some heavily
affected electric guitar work that sounds like nothing I've ever heard
before. Nothing like anything on the "Life After Theater" LP. Side two
begins with another "could've been a hit if it weren't so weird" track
called "Yesterday". There's something about this track (and the rest of
the record) that is subtly off - in that idiosyncratically private
press way. I'm not exactly sure what the deal is with the short songs
"Stars" and "Stars (REM Version"). These two tracks come and go before
you know it and Michael Stipe is credited in the liners for
lyrics...call me confounded. The best track on the album is the album
closer entitled "Arthur Lee". I'm assuming this is Marlon's homage to
the legendary Love, but the track sounds a bit like the intro to a song
or two off Queen's "News Of The World", but it doesn't go any further
than that. It works on it's own, but it's also a little puzzling that
it doesn't go on any longer. Again, mystery reigns supreme here.
Marlon plays all the instruments and does
all the singing on "Pete" and he's an incredibly talented musician. His
songwriting style is unique and his passion and drive show through, as
do his eclectic tastes. The jacket layout is simply minimalistic in the
usual private press style. No color printing, just Marlon's name, the
album title, and a crude painting done by one of Marlon's relatives.
This record, of the three Marlon Cherry LPs we've dug up, will probably
be the toughest for Permanent regulars to get into, but fans of fey,
airy pop music of the late-80s and early-90s will probably find
something here to dig - and guitar aficionados will definitely be
impressed by Marlon's playing. Who knows, this record may end up in a
future edition of the Acid Archives. It's just as good, if not better
than a good portion of the records featured in the book (but, full
disclosure, no where near as amazing as the best, obviously). If you
collect private press records, consider this one a worthy investment.
You certainly don't come across records like this everyday.
ORIGINAL PRIVATE PRESS FROM 1986.
As the needle drops on Side A of ‘Life
After Theatre’, one hears frenetic synthetic rhythms, funky post-punk
bass line repeats, synth bubbles float over the top slowing down only
for a minor chord bridge to real drums, chorus flute lines and Marlon
Cherry’s soulful voice echoing in an out of the mix of “Time Dream
Theme”…then comes the fuzz guitar…and the searing lead solo. Marlon
somehow mixed post-punk with electronic-funk and did so all by himself –
Marlon plays all the instruments on this record.
Then, as track two “Time Dream Theme”
kicks in, so does the funk. These are the kind of breaks DJs kill for
(as evidenced by the tags on the only historied online sale of this
record – “private afro psych funk breaks”). The Collector’s Frenzy
listing goes on to describe this record as “very rare original,
completely uknown private psychedelic fusion lp with funky beats &
electronics”. No wonder it sold for $35 back in ’09 – even without a
grade.
Side two includes just one track, but the
instrumentation is crazy. The drum break, bass line, and Chrome-y
guitar sound intro on the on “Greenhouse” are extraordinary. When
Marlon’s vocals drop out, the shit really hits the fan: hand drums enter
the picture, ivorys drop in, fuzz rhythm guitar hits the mix, I can
barely keep up with what’s going on here. Then, after you think the
track’s over, a spooky synth drops in with some bells and gets all 80s
horror soundtrack on ya. Totally insane! You really have to hear it
for yourself. Marlon Cherry is a mad scientist of sound and ‘Life After
Theatre’ is a DIY multi-track masterpiece. I’ve never heard a record
quite like this one.
LP - Streets Living Theater - Streets Living Theater (Orginal Pressing, Marlon Cherry) - $14.99 - BUY
ORIGINAL PRESSING FROM 1984!
Streets Living Theater is the most
thoroughly rockin’ of the three Marlon Cherry-related records we were
able to track down. The first thing that stands out about this record
is the song-writing chops and the production. Streets Living Theatre
were thoroughly pro. It’s a shame that the Mitch Easter connection
didn’t get them more recognition and that they broke up – but then
again, maybe we wouldn’t have gotten the Marlon Cherry solo records had
they not. This is essentially an above average 80s rock record, but
unlike many decent 80s rock records, Streets Living Theatre released
this record themselves and they have a vocalist in Scott Sheridan that
sounds like a Jim Morrison / Iggy Pop hybrid. Come to think of it, this
is the kind of record I can imagine the Doors making in 1984 had
circumstances with Mr. Mojo Risin been different. It’s also got a cool
post-punk vibe especially in the rhythm section, the synth textures are
rad addition, the guitar work is excellent, and the vocalist
occasionally snarls in a way I previously thought only Iggy Stooge could
(ie. “Alien Nation”).
