Twin Tone Records was started in Minneapolis, MN in 1978. Their first three records were released simultaneously the very same year, all on red vinyl.The debut Suburbs E.P. was the very first. An outstanding record in my opinion. I love the cartoon artwork on the cover as well. Side A is all punk done up Suburbs style. The flip side is a bit more pop induced, although the great Prehistoric Jaws has got to be one my favorite tracks on the record.
They went on to release more records throughout the eighties though I believe they were a bit more new-wave. Never really listened to their later material. You can find a couple more great early tracks of theirs off the Big Hits Of Mid America Volume III. The World War III 7'' is great also, if you can track it down. Enjoy & stay tuned!
The Suburbs E.P.
Memory Go Stereo Teenage Run-In Chemistry Set Your Phone Couldn't Care Less You Prehistoric Jaws ------- Get It -------
Here's the 2nd single from the boys from Philly. Great cover, but an ok title track. B-side might be better here. My personal favorite is their 3rd single, which you can grab here. Much more to come so stay tuned! Minneapolis next week?
Back from the dead once again. Featured today is a band from Philadelphia called The Reds. Not too much info on these guys. A few singles and an album? Anybody confirm? Anywho, here we got their debut single from 1978 on Go Go Records. Features Joey with the b-side Automatic Boy. You can find their first LP here. Maybe more power pop than punk, but who's to judge? Take your pick & stay tuned for more to come!
The Boston scene of the late 70's had many a great band to go around. You had La Peste, Real Kids, The Molls, DMZ, The Infliktors, & Nervous Eaters just to name a few. Then there was The Girls. Great spazzed out art punk. These guys were on a completely different level and frankly, just out of their minds. Their only proper release was a 7" released on Pere Ubu's own Hearthen Records in 1979. They were the only band featured on the label outside of Cleveland. About 7 years later, another record would be unearthed titled Reunion. Now this was not an actual reunion LP, but rather a collected work of their short time of existence. Everything is great, but the 7'' still holds a special place with me. So sit back, pop a couple of tabs, and ENJOY!
The Girls 7''
Jeffery I Hear You The Elephant Man ------- Get It -------
This post is about a week late, but I've been sick with The Swine! Not really, just a normal cold. So many people are stressing over this damn thing. It's just another damn flu! Influenza mutates every couple of years anyways! If it didn't we would be immune and never catch it. Anyways, enough of that crap.
So about a week ago I caught that Target Video Tribute movie that Joe over at Last Days spoke so very highly of. Having a few of the old Target Video Tapes myself, I was expecting to recognize some of the clips. Man was I wrong! This film was absolutely fucking amazing! Sooo much rare footage of great bands from the late 70's/ early 80's. 2 hours of just pure live performance. I felt like I was a little kid watching cartoons for the first time!
It started with Joe Rees (founder of Target Video) coming on stage & saying a few words about the film & how their whole operation came about. The first band of the movie was really one that I could not have picked better myself. 1978 black & white footage of Middle Class performing Situations. After there was The Mentors & The Bags from 1979. Others like The Weirdos, Avengers, Geza X, The Plugz, The Dickies, Screamers, Fleasheaters, The Cramps, The Dils, The Zeros, Tuxedomoon, Nash The Slash, DNA, Teenage Jesus & The Jerks, Catholic Discipline, B People, Castration Squad, Go-Go's, Flipper, The Offs, Chrome, Black Flag, T.S.O.L., Gun Club, Minutemen, CH3 & The Feederz!!!! And that's just the 30 that I can actually remember! They ended it with great footage of Gang Of Four doing Damaged Goods. Good stuff.
I have to say one of my favorite clips was from The Cramps. They performed at a mental institution in 1978. To just see all these mental patients dancing and smiling and laughing to The Cramps play, truly amazing. Especially with Lux Interiors recent passing, this was really great footage to see. So all in all I really can't put into words how great this film was. Truly timeless footage you wouldn't be able to see anywhere else. I wish you all could have seen & enjoyed it as much as I did. I really do.
After a little bit of searching, I did track down two of the videos that were in the film. The first of the Screamers doing 122 Hours Of Fear and the second of Tuxedomoon doing Jinx. Now the Tuxedomoon here is a bit different from the one in the film. Same exact footage, but this one has some kind of weird effect on it that makes it kind of unclear. Oh well. I tried to find better. Enjoy none the less!
Another one of those New York bands that hid under some kind of rock that never got discovered. This one's a bit of a mystery. Not too much information on this band. I do believe they released another 7" prior to this one. Released on their own? Cuntagious records in 1979, it was never got issued with a picture sleeve. Could this be another one of those American bands with an English singer? Like The Tenant? Not too sure. If anyone has any info, please do chime in. Enjoy!
The Twenty Seven were another band from Detroit. Their record was released in 1979 on Tremor Records (Tremor 006). A mediocre effort, sounding more glam than punk. Only half way descent song is Catastrophe. The other two have a weird, out of place synth & the first just plain sucks. Oh well, you be the judge. Enjoy!
The Twenty Seven 7"
Don't Go To Extremes Catastrophe Lifeblood ------- Get It -------
