Tuesday, December 23, 2003
Wed., Dec. 17, 2003, 10-12 PM
As I am typing out this week's playlist, I put on the "No New York" comp. I guess it is the Theoretical Girls 7" along with the Acute Records Theoretical Girls retrospective cd I picked up this week that made me want to listen to some more no wave to try to put the Theoretical Girls in a better perspective with the rest of the no wave scene. I find myself struck by the tuneful structure and inventive synths in D.N.A. I love no wave, but I have to admit that it can be difficult to listen to No New York straight through, and I haven't done so in a while. However, listening in one shot allowed me to draw comparisons that might not be so obvious when I just listen to one band or individual tracks.
1. Theoretical Girls, "You Got Me", Theoretical Records, 1978: The Theoretical Girls released one 7" during their existence. Within the past year or so, Acute Records has put out a retrospective of the Theoretical Girls compositions written by Jeffrey Lohn. Most of the tracks on the cd are live recordings; only "U.S. Millie" was previously released on the 7". The Theoretical Girls are better known as Glen Branca's first band, and he went on to some later fame with the Static and his guitar symphonies. The Branca tunes by the Theoretical Girls have been available for a while on a reissue cd of Branca's early material ("'77-'79" on Atavistic Records). "You Got Me" was a Branca tune and is on that cd. However, Jeffrey Lohn also did much of the writing for the Theoretical Girls, and his tunes were not previously available except for the one song on the rare 7". The Acute cd remedies that problem. I have meant to pick it up for a while, but I knew Acute was about to reissue all of the Metal Urbain stuff, so I figured I would hold off on getting the Theoretical Girls cd until the Metal Urbain cd came out to save on shipping. I went to the Acute site to see if there was any information about when the Metal Urbain cd was coming out (it is some time in January . . . and I can't wait), and I saw that they had a limited number of the original Theoretical Girls 7"s for sale because Jeffrey Lohn found some in his flat and decided to let them go. I jumped at the opportunity to pick up a mint stock copy of this really rare record at a very fair price. I had been looking for the 7" for a while and been intimidated by the prices I saw it going for at auction. You should go order yourself a copy of this 7". It is a seminal artifact of early no wave, and there is no better feeling than being the first stylus on a 25 year old piece of beautiful vinyl.
2. Theoretical Girls, "U.S. Millie", Theoretical Records, 1978.
3. Rapture, "House of Jealous Lovers", DFA Records, 2003 (new release): From the comp of DFA bands out now.
4. Girls, "Methodist Church", Brasch Music, 1986: This is from the lp "Girls Reunion", a title which is misleading because it is a retrospective record that contains one song from their Hearthan 7" and a number of other previously unreleased studio tracks (all of very good sound quality). The Girls had broken up somewhere around 1980-81. Robin Amos, of the Girls, continues on in Cul de Sac. This is my favorite Boston art record and one of my very favorite records. There is such great diversity. "Jeffrey I Hear You", "Pedestrian Walk", and "These Things" are almost straight ahead pop tunes. "Doggie Auto" and "Vietcong Women" are spastic but also wacky and fun. "Methodist Church" is hard-driving synth punk. "Cubist Grid" and "Keep It Simple" are more conventional synth driven no wave. The lyrics are generally meaningless (as in from Doggie Auto: "The greyhound likes it fast. Chihuahuas are conservative."), but the vocals are strong and float over droning, spastic, or no wave song structures in a way that is very reminiscent of early Pere Ubu (which is appropriate since they put out their 7" on Hearthan). Almost all the other songs are stand-outs as well. One striking thing is that, unlike most retrospective records, it truly works together as an album. There is an ebb and flow to it that ties the package together. I generally try not to play any one band too often on the show, but I allow myself to play the Girls as often as I want.
5. Vexers, "Love in the 22nd Century", Ace Fu Records, 2003 (new release).
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6. Metal Boys, "Sweet Marilyn", Rough Trade Records, 1979.
7. James White and the Blacks, "White Savages", ZE Records, 1979: From the "off white" lp. I didn't realize this tune was an instrumental when I cued it up. Without the lyrics it is a bit too much of a free jazz rip-off, but it isn't terrible.
8. The Waitresses, "#1 Slide", Stiff Records.
9. Sunshine, "Insomnia", Gold Standard Laboratories Records, 2003 (new release).
10. Weirdos, "Destroy All Music", Bomp Records, 1977.
11. Victims, "TV Freak", 1978: From Australia. Taken off Killed By Death #4.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
12. Modern Lovers, "Girlfriend", Beserkley Records, 1976: This material from their first record was recorded in 1972 for Warner Bros., but it wasn't released until 1976. It thus got swept up with the punk revolution although it really was much older. David Robinson, later of the Cars, and Jerry Harrison, later of the Talking Heads, were in the band for this record.
13. Orange Juice, "Simply Thrilled Honey", Postcard Records, 1980.
14. Filth, "Don't Hide Your Hate", Plurex Records, 1978: From the Netherlands. Taken off Killed By Death #4.
15. Cheetahs, "Radio-Active", Zoom Records, 1979: From Scotland.
16. Whirlwind Heat, "Purple", V2 Records, 2003 (new release).
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
17. Young Marble Giants, "Searching for Mr. Right", Rough Trade Records, 1980.
18. Neats, "Six", Propeller Records, 1981: From the Propeller Product 7" comp.
19. Dishes, "Use Your Arms", File 13 Records, 2003 (new release).
20. Fat Day, 100% Breakfast Records, 1997: Not sure what track I played here. They sort of all run together. From the Burrega lp.
21. Spike in Vain, "Hamlet's Dilemma", Trans Dada Records, 1984: I found this record on the Scat Records site. Apparently, the guy who own Scat was in this band and had some mint, stock copies of this lp left over. Good hardcore.
22. Melt Banana, "A Dreamer Who Is Too Weak to Face Up To", 2003 (new release).
23. Beaver, "Life Is a Joke", Choice Cut Records, 1981: Pre Government Issue.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
24. Vomit Pigs, "Baby's Playing Games", Existential Vacuum Records, 1992: Originally issued on Bad Wreckords in 1978. I have seen the original 7" go at auction for $1500.
25. Vomit Pigs, "Useless Eater", Existential Vacuum Records, 1992.
26. Pagans, "Not Now, No Way", Crypt Records: Originally on Drome in 1978.
27. Richard Hell and the Voidoids, "Liars Beware", Sire Records, 1977.
28. Effigies, "Below the Drop", Autumn Records, 1981.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
29. An Albatross, "The Revolutionary Politics of Dance", 2003 (new release).
30. Feelies, "Fa Ce-La", Stiff Records, 1980.
31. Adverts, "One Chord Wonders", Stiff Records.
32. Charlie Dold, "Sins on My Shoulder", The Bus Stop Label, 1991: Back when I was in college, this was a major hit on WHRB, where I was a DJ. I wouldn't play it then because my show was a punk/hardcore show, and this kind of pop was destined to be the ruin of the Record Hospital and certainly all of western civilization. Yet, even then I would have admitted that this tune charmed the pants off me. Ten years later I will even play it on my show. I have gone soft. Or I have nothing to prove.
33. Slumber Party, "No Sleep Tonight", Kill Rock Stars Records, 2003 (new release).
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
34. Ultra Dolphins, "Duck Butter, Then", If & When Records, 2003 (new release).
35. Savage Republic, "The Ivory Coast", Independent Project Records, 1982.
36. Liars, "Rose and Licorice", Version City Records, 2002.
37. Tubeway Army, "The Life Machine", Beggar's Banquet Records, 1978.
38. Quails, "Atmosphere", Inconvenient Press & Recordings: Their second lp. Came out in the last couple years.
39. Chills, "Purple Girl", Creation Records: Originally on Flying Nun, 1982?.
1. Theoretical Girls, "You Got Me", Theoretical Records, 1978: The Theoretical Girls released one 7" during their existence. Within the past year or so, Acute Records has put out a retrospective of the Theoretical Girls compositions written by Jeffrey Lohn. Most of the tracks on the cd are live recordings; only "U.S. Millie" was previously released on the 7". The Theoretical Girls are better known as Glen Branca's first band, and he went on to some later fame with the Static and his guitar symphonies. The Branca tunes by the Theoretical Girls have been available for a while on a reissue cd of Branca's early material ("'77-'79" on Atavistic Records). "You Got Me" was a Branca tune and is on that cd. However, Jeffrey Lohn also did much of the writing for the Theoretical Girls, and his tunes were not previously available except for the one song on the rare 7". The Acute cd remedies that problem. I have meant to pick it up for a while, but I knew Acute was about to reissue all of the Metal Urbain stuff, so I figured I would hold off on getting the Theoretical Girls cd until the Metal Urbain cd came out to save on shipping. I went to the Acute site to see if there was any information about when the Metal Urbain cd was coming out (it is some time in January . . . and I can't wait), and I saw that they had a limited number of the original Theoretical Girls 7"s for sale because Jeffrey Lohn found some in his flat and decided to let them go. I jumped at the opportunity to pick up a mint stock copy of this really rare record at a very fair price. I had been looking for the 7" for a while and been intimidated by the prices I saw it going for at auction. You should go order yourself a copy of this 7". It is a seminal artifact of early no wave, and there is no better feeling than being the first stylus on a 25 year old piece of beautiful vinyl.
2. Theoretical Girls, "U.S. Millie", Theoretical Records, 1978.
3. Rapture, "House of Jealous Lovers", DFA Records, 2003 (new release): From the comp of DFA bands out now.
4. Girls, "Methodist Church", Brasch Music, 1986: This is from the lp "Girls Reunion", a title which is misleading because it is a retrospective record that contains one song from their Hearthan 7" and a number of other previously unreleased studio tracks (all of very good sound quality). The Girls had broken up somewhere around 1980-81. Robin Amos, of the Girls, continues on in Cul de Sac. This is my favorite Boston art record and one of my very favorite records. There is such great diversity. "Jeffrey I Hear You", "Pedestrian Walk", and "These Things" are almost straight ahead pop tunes. "Doggie Auto" and "Vietcong Women" are spastic but also wacky and fun. "Methodist Church" is hard-driving synth punk. "Cubist Grid" and "Keep It Simple" are more conventional synth driven no wave. The lyrics are generally meaningless (as in from Doggie Auto: "The greyhound likes it fast. Chihuahuas are conservative."), but the vocals are strong and float over droning, spastic, or no wave song structures in a way that is very reminiscent of early Pere Ubu (which is appropriate since they put out their 7" on Hearthan). Almost all the other songs are stand-outs as well. One striking thing is that, unlike most retrospective records, it truly works together as an album. There is an ebb and flow to it that ties the package together. I generally try not to play any one band too often on the show, but I allow myself to play the Girls as often as I want.
5. Vexers, "Love in the 22nd Century", Ace Fu Records, 2003 (new release).
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
6. Metal Boys, "Sweet Marilyn", Rough Trade Records, 1979.
7. James White and the Blacks, "White Savages", ZE Records, 1979: From the "off white" lp. I didn't realize this tune was an instrumental when I cued it up. Without the lyrics it is a bit too much of a free jazz rip-off, but it isn't terrible.
8. The Waitresses, "#1 Slide", Stiff Records.
9. Sunshine, "Insomnia", Gold Standard Laboratories Records, 2003 (new release).
10. Weirdos, "Destroy All Music", Bomp Records, 1977.
11. Victims, "TV Freak", 1978: From Australia. Taken off Killed By Death #4.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
12. Modern Lovers, "Girlfriend", Beserkley Records, 1976: This material from their first record was recorded in 1972 for Warner Bros., but it wasn't released until 1976. It thus got swept up with the punk revolution although it really was much older. David Robinson, later of the Cars, and Jerry Harrison, later of the Talking Heads, were in the band for this record.
13. Orange Juice, "Simply Thrilled Honey", Postcard Records, 1980.
14. Filth, "Don't Hide Your Hate", Plurex Records, 1978: From the Netherlands. Taken off Killed By Death #4.
15. Cheetahs, "Radio-Active", Zoom Records, 1979: From Scotland.
16. Whirlwind Heat, "Purple", V2 Records, 2003 (new release).
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
17. Young Marble Giants, "Searching for Mr. Right", Rough Trade Records, 1980.
18. Neats, "Six", Propeller Records, 1981: From the Propeller Product 7" comp.
19. Dishes, "Use Your Arms", File 13 Records, 2003 (new release).
20. Fat Day, 100% Breakfast Records, 1997: Not sure what track I played here. They sort of all run together. From the Burrega lp.
21. Spike in Vain, "Hamlet's Dilemma", Trans Dada Records, 1984: I found this record on the Scat Records site. Apparently, the guy who own Scat was in this band and had some mint, stock copies of this lp left over. Good hardcore.
22. Melt Banana, "A Dreamer Who Is Too Weak to Face Up To", 2003 (new release).
23. Beaver, "Life Is a Joke", Choice Cut Records, 1981: Pre Government Issue.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
24. Vomit Pigs, "Baby's Playing Games", Existential Vacuum Records, 1992: Originally issued on Bad Wreckords in 1978. I have seen the original 7" go at auction for $1500.
25. Vomit Pigs, "Useless Eater", Existential Vacuum Records, 1992.
26. Pagans, "Not Now, No Way", Crypt Records: Originally on Drome in 1978.
27. Richard Hell and the Voidoids, "Liars Beware", Sire Records, 1977.
28. Effigies, "Below the Drop", Autumn Records, 1981.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
29. An Albatross, "The Revolutionary Politics of Dance", 2003 (new release).
30. Feelies, "Fa Ce-La", Stiff Records, 1980.
31. Adverts, "One Chord Wonders", Stiff Records.
32. Charlie Dold, "Sins on My Shoulder", The Bus Stop Label, 1991: Back when I was in college, this was a major hit on WHRB, where I was a DJ. I wouldn't play it then because my show was a punk/hardcore show, and this kind of pop was destined to be the ruin of the Record Hospital and certainly all of western civilization. Yet, even then I would have admitted that this tune charmed the pants off me. Ten years later I will even play it on my show. I have gone soft. Or I have nothing to prove.
33. Slumber Party, "No Sleep Tonight", Kill Rock Stars Records, 2003 (new release).
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
34. Ultra Dolphins, "Duck Butter, Then", If & When Records, 2003 (new release).
35. Savage Republic, "The Ivory Coast", Independent Project Records, 1982.
36. Liars, "Rose and Licorice", Version City Records, 2002.
37. Tubeway Army, "The Life Machine", Beggar's Banquet Records, 1978.
38. Quails, "Atmosphere", Inconvenient Press & Recordings: Their second lp. Came out in the last couple years.
39. Chills, "Purple Girl", Creation Records: Originally on Flying Nun, 1982?.
