“WeirdPunk LA”

For you fans of the wacky side of the late 70s/early 80s punk wave - you know, the stuff inspired by Devo, the Residents, Zappa, etc. I put up a compilation ripped from my vinyl obscurities, as well as some unreleased demos:

[jungleroomrecords1.bandcamp.com]

“ Herky-jerky rhythms! Synth squiggles! Sarcasm! Featuring out-of-print (or never-in-print) classics from The Screamers, Oingo Boingo, Robert Williams (Capt Beefheart, PiL) and lots of great bands you never heard of. “

I started a vinyl reissue Bandcamp label earlier this year in a futile attempt to raise funds to help us pay off some bills. This is the first collection that’s in the Trouser Press wheelhouse. Not really making much money off it, but it’s fun. Good excuse to go dig through the record closet.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/15/2024 05:07PM by MrFab.

Background vocals on "Grinding the Gears" by Robert Williams courtesy of Hugh Cornwell!

Did this idea originate as a WFMU fundraiser giveaway?

I was checking out some of the people on this comp that I was unfamiliar with, and when I saw the cover of the Karen Lawrence & the Pinz album, I instantly remembered it, as it spent several years sitting unwanted in the used bin at Don's Records in Wood River, Illinois. It was there right up until Don was driven out of business by being robbed. I wonder if the thieves bothered taking it?

Listening to Ms. Lawrence now, I regret not buying the album when I had the chance because it sounds pretty good to me. Although I'm sure my 18-year-old music snob self would've rejected the album based on the music for the same reason I rejected it based on the cover - "Obviously a bandwagon jumper trying way too hard to join the new wave!"

What an insufferable little prick I was! (And don't jump in with "still are!" That goes without saying.)

steevee, no, this collection started as a post on ye olde blog. Which got to be a bit of a nuisance after a while – the MP3s would “fall off” and readers would request that I re-up them. Over and over. One reason why I decided to move my operations over to radio.

Oh, she was a total poser, breno! Yep, I did indeed find this album in a bargain bin. And I bought it for precisely that reason, the “look how wacky and New Wave I am!“ album cover. 40 years later, such quibbles about authenticity are moot. It all comes down to: how does it sound?