C.J. Mix Tape - New Wave Underground / U.S. 1980-83 (cassette)

This tape was given to by my buddy Jon when joined the Peace Core and left for Africa. We both bought mixes directly from Calvin after he played at The Smell so long ago. I acted like a shy girl, he was the swave awesome guy that he is.

Calvin Johnson Mix Tape:
New Wave Underground / U.S. 1980-83

Side A:
Six - Neat
Precaution - Pylon
Distant View - Ray Milland
It Walks at Night - Jad Fair
Screaming - The Leopard Society
Eyes - A New Personality
Westside Lockers - Songs for America
Dead in the Suburbs - Los Reactors
She Sits Alone - Quiet Room
Vietnam - Cold Warrior and the Mercenary

Side B:
Where I Want to Be - Start
Missing Link - The Commonauts
In Bed with Boys - Algebra Suicide
Rock Drill - Secret Rockers
Nakweda Dream - Zru Vogue
Emergency - Dangerous Birds
Falling - Carsickness
Government Money - Boneman of Barumba
New Lottery - Godhead
What You Know - Jungle Nausea

download

posted by Indy

Triangle - Used Allie Places (2004 CD-R)

Triangle is yet another intriguing product of the increasingly prominent Minnesota cheeky electro-pop scene, which also included the likes of Sean Tillman (Sean Na Na, Har Mar Superstar) and Howard Hamilton III (The Busy Signals), both past Triangle collaborators. After getting started in 1998, Triangle self-released a couple of EPs on their Smoke & Mirrors label, before hunkering down in front of their G4 in early 2000 to record their enigmatically titled debut LP, *.

Used Allie Places--another self release in 2004--contains some tracks from their Neon Toe Clips CD and others from their 2nd official album Decimal Places. I lost the cd case and can't find any information on this release. The band has since moved to Oakland, CA.

Triangle - Used Allie Places
1. A Sympathetic Notion
2. Jarvik Moves
3. Courting Contempt
4. Wire Sculpture For President
5. Pillow Sword
6. Wood
7. Kinky Signs
8. Burning Bush
9. Karol
10. Triangle Do The Faint
11. Untitled

download

posted by Indy

Happy Happy Birthday To Me Singles Club #3

Quietly and oh so slowly--it's been about two years now--the Happy Happy Birthday To Me Singles Club #3 finally finished releasing it's thirteen split 7inchs. It's got a little bit of something for everyone.

HHBTM Singles Club #3
01. Fishboy - Louis The Bear
02. Baby Calender - Dusty Combat Boots
03. The Marbles - Dracula
04. Casper & The Cookies - Jennifer's House
05. Casper & The Cookies - Huff
06. Bunnygrunt - The Secret Life Of Brown Bear
07. Bunnygrunt - Alone In My Principles
08. Phil Wilson - Lee Rimmick
09. Boyracer - YR Boyfriend
10. Boyracer - Airport Song
11. Broken Limb 05
12. Faintest Ideas - I Felt My Soul
13. Faintest Ideas - Serious As A Heart Attack
14. Tullycraft - On Tape
15. The Smittens - My Boyfriend's Back
16. Velcro Stars - Winter Clothes
17. Velcro Stars - Passing Ships
18. Keith John Adams - Lydia
19. Andy From Denver - Hanging On A Cloud
20. Red Pony Clock - Waiting Four You
21. Poison Control Center - 50 Million
22. Ideal Free Distribution - Holiday
23. Apples In Stereo - Colors
24. Patience Please - I've Been To Rome
25. Cars Can Be Blue - Touch It
26. Cars Can Be Blue - Mosh Pit
27. All Girl Summer Fun Band - Communication Problems
28. All Girl Summer Fun Band- Little Bird
29. Of Montreal - Stark Waif
30. James Husband - A Grave In The Gravel
31. High Water Marks - Not So Pretty
32. Love Letter Band - It Don't Matter
33. Always Red Society - Diary Of A Foam House / Nervous Circle / Minute By Minute / Tom and Donna at the Mexican Cafe
34. Sunshine Fix - Beginning / Sun At Night / Springtime Pumpernickle / Back Porch / Ending

Download

posted by indy

Beat Happening - Vermonstress Festival '92

Beat Happening
Live At The Sub-Pop Vermonstress Festival
Burlington Vermont
October 10th, 1992

01. Tiger Trap
02. Teenage Caveman
03. Sleepyhead
04. Dreamy
05. Red Head Walkin'
06. Calvin Banter
07. Other Side
08. Revolution Come & Gone
09. Nancy Sin
10. Noise
11. Godsend
12. Cry For A Shadow
13. Me Untamed
14. You Turn Me On
15. Crashing Through

download

I traded for this show way back in the day and the tracklisting & number was all off and I'm pretty sure this is the right order.

posted by indy

Song Poems From The MB

In the 50's & 60's the backs of magazines would be filled with ads looking for poetry as well as contests promising fame and fortune. Record companies had professional bands, they just needed quality lyrics. That, my friends, is where you come in. Send in your words and the best ones will get made into a song and even get played on the radio.



Except, there were no contests. Every single entry would get a letter back saying that it didn't win even though the lyrics were great. IF, by chance, you still wanted your poetry made into music, the record company would do it. For a fee.

In short, Song Poems were a scam. People would pay money to get their song made, the company would hire some struggling musicians to do a one-take recording, put it on to a 45 record and send it back to the person.

The result of these records are often ridiculous and utterly unique. Only a few records of each exist. Musically, song poems are far from perfect but contain an old-timey delicate sound that can never be recreated. Lyrically you never know what you will get, which is half the fun. Clunky? Dumb? Touching? All the above? For more information check out www.songpoemmusic.com/what_is.htm. And buy this album. It's the best cd you can own.

Below are song poems from my personal collection.

Song Poems From The Milquetoast Brigade
Come On Down - Sammy Marshall (Souvenir)
Let Me Remember Yesterday - Unknown (Halmark)
Man In The Moon - Larry Bene (Tin Pan Alley)
Our Country Home - Unknown (Hallmark)
The Sanjacinto Mountains - Sammy Marshall (Souvenir)
Take A Look In The Mirror - Unknown (Halmark)
Times Awastin'! - Larry Bene (Tin Pan Alley)
When Is It Time To Say Goodbye - Unknown (Hallmark)

Download

If you take a close look at the picture of the Hallmark record, you can see the names an addresses of the people who purchased the songs. Our Country Home is so over-the-top sorrowful that it becomes absurd & fascinating.

-posted by Indy

Charlyne Yi's Rock Opera Soundtrack (CD-R) - 11/26/07

As a shout out to check out the film Paper Hearts which is playing in theatres now, here is the soundtrack for the one time comedy musical Charlyne's Yi's Rock Opera.

Musicians:
Matthew Gorney
Charlyne Yi
Brad Davis
Matt Davis

10 tracks, no titles.

download

posted by indy

50 Cent Finds

Fifty Cent Finds 2

Pepgirlz (unknown)
01. Courtney Issuh Asshole
02. Sea Mammals

Quickspace (1996 / Kitty Kitty Corporation)
03. Friend
04. Good Timez

Chest (1996/ Mook)
05. Angels
06. Panic Attack

The Plagiarist (1991 / wafer face)
07. Louisiana Cooking
08. FeRNandO:

download

Some great finds. The Pepgirlz 7" didn't have a sleeve and has no information on it. I suppose I could try to look it up online but I kind of like it being shrouded in mystery. Kitty Kitty Corporation is an awesome name for a label. The Plagiarists is very experimental. As the inside says "side b is a celebration of the AB-repeat cd loop function, helping make each of us a composer and recycling the digital sound back into vinyl." Enjoy.

-posted by indy

More 7" Rips

The Halo Benders - Canned Oxygen (Atlas)


This is a Halo Benders 7" featuring a b-side and a remix of Don't Touch My Bikini. It also sounds like the version of Canned Oxygen is different. Could just be me or the old 7" fading.

01 Canned Oxygen
02 Its Not Me
03 Bikini Version

Download

Wolf Colonel S/T (K Records)


Wolf Colonel aka Jason Anderson's first official release, International Pop Underground volume XC, features a whopping 8 songs all about a minute each which are precursors to his Vikings Of Mint release. If you haven't heard Jason's more recent releases checkout http://jasonandersonswebsite.com for plenty of free albums and pick up The Hopeful and Unafraid on K. It's amazing.

01. What it is
02. Didn't know what was in store
03. The penguin Entropy Retractor
04. Motorcycle Cop
05. Be with you tonight
06. Down where the other play
07. Don't Freeze this mayonaisse
08. True

download


The Apple - Universal Melody 7" (Belter)


I obsess over other things than just music. Here my bad movies and music love collide. The Apple is a 1980's futuristic disco musical and its one of my all time favorite films. I have a large memorabilia collection--the majority of it rare because of the film's obscurity. This is a 7" from the film put out in Portugal. I have copies of the soundtrack which only had a vinyl release, but those rips are easy to find online. Instead, enjoy this 7inch.

01. Universal Melody
02 Cry For Me

Download

Micro Mini - Overseas (Sonic Boom Recordings)


My favorite pop darlyings from Seattle. Here is their only vinyl release. One side was picture disc the other contained two songs.

Download

Stay tuned for another entry of 50 Cent Finds post tomorrow.

-posted by Indy

C.J. Mix Tape - Somebody Been Messin' / r&b soul women 45's (cassette)

Another in a series of mixtapes from K Records founder and multiband extraordinaire Calvin Johnson from his personal 7" record collection. This one is a compilation of r&b/soul women of the 60's/70's, enjoy.

01 Mary Love - You Turned My Bitter into Sweet
02 Judy White - Somebody Been Messin’
03 Ruby Johnson - Keep on Keepin’ On
04 Mary Wells - Can’t You See (You’re Losing Me)
05 Ann Winley - Talk to Me
06 Patty and the Emblems - Mixed Up, Shook Up Girl
07 Big Maybelle - That’s a Pretty Good Love
08 Patti Drew - Workin’ on a Groovy Thing
09 Theola Kilgore - The Love of My Man
10 Betty Wrigley - Selfish One
11 Barbara Acklin - Be By My Side
12 Jan Bradley - Mama Didn’t Lie
13 The Ikettes - (He’s Gonna Be) Fine, Fine, Fine
14 Gwen McCrae - Love Insurance
15 Jackie Moore - Precious, Precious
16 Gladys Knight and the Pips - Stop Running Around
17 Barbara Lynn - You’ll Lose a Good Thing
18 Betty Everett - Been a Long Time
19 Ruby Andrews - You ole Boo Boo You
20 Irma Thomas - Cry On
21 Patti Labelle and the Blue Bells - Academy Award
22 Barbara Mason - Give Me Your Love
23 Mary Ann Fisher - Can’t Take the Heartbreaks

download

posted by Comet

Fifty-Cent Finds!

In an effort to discover unknown music and to get extra use out of my record player I am trying this out: Welcome to Fifty-Cent Finds. Every week or two I will head over to Amoeba's 50 cent 7" section and select $2 worth of independent records. Selection will be made on whatever catches my eye.


FIFTY CENT FINDS - 01

Rizzo - Shymaster 7"
(1997 / Cher Doll Records)
A local LA two piece girl band. Comet asked me if I had the Tullycraft/Rizzo split and then when I went to the store this was the front record in the 50cent section.

01. Shymaster
02. Road Song
03. Cathy's Song

Bunny Summer - The One About Las Vegas E.P.
(1992 / SpinArt)
Bought this because of the name and cover art. On the back its says "on the a side he sings / and the b side she sings". Holly is a crackhead is my new favorite song.

01. the one about las vegas
02. the one about holly
03. black & white
04. crush

Super Deluxe - She Came On 7"
(1996 / Tim Kerr Records)
Super Deluxe is a band from my teenage years, I was never super into them but they make nice songs. Disc is cotton candy pink.

01. She Came On
02. On Lisa

Benge - evs2:01
(2001 / Expanding Records)
On white vinyl. Electro-trance-y, something Jason Bentley would be found playing late at night.

01. baud
02. unary

download

If anyone has anything to add about these bands feel free to educate me as well as the rest of world.

-posted by Indy

Boise Cover Band - Unoriginal Artists (2003)

Keeping up with today's theme which seems to be 'popular indie artists doing covers' I present you with The Boise Cover Band. Doug Martsch from Built To Spill sat down with a 4-track and a couple of friends and recorded this EP. While not super rare (you can buy a used copy on amazon) this is another CD that you might not know about or have been able to buy unless you happened to notice it at the band's merch table after a show.

Boise Cover Band - Unoriginal Artists

1. Loving Pauper (dobby dobson)
2. Ashes to Ashes (david bowie)
3. I Love You More (lee williams & the cymbals)
4. Strange (the delusions)
5. Chain Gang (the pretenders)
6. I'm Glad (capt. beefheart and his magic band)
7. Ta Magia Sto Spegadi (georgios trakis)

download

-posted by Indy

Califone - Knub-U-Knive (2003)

I'm pretty excited to be sharing this. Califone's "Knub-U-Knive" is a self released live bootleg they did of Rolling Stones Covers. Two of the tracks--Ventilator Blues and No Expectations have shown up on charity comps but the band decided to sell 100 copies at their shows on their 2004 tour. Burned on a CD-R and each individually drawn on the back, they used the scribbles as a way to kill the time on the long drives through the country.

Califone - Knub-U-Knive
Live Rolling Stones Cover Show

01. Street Fighting Man
02. Ventilator Blues
03. Rocks Off
04. Bitch
05. Prodigal Son
06. No Expectations
07. Live With Me
08. Loving Cup
09. Miss You
10. Sweet Black Angel
11. Monkey Man

download

-posted by Indy

C.J. Mix Tape - U.S. Pop Underground / Wimpy - Power Pop 1976-1980 (cassette)

K Records founder Calvin Johnson has been making mix tapes over the years from his personal 7" record collection. Sometimes he has them at shows, sometimes he doesn't. I have own quite a few and here is one for you.

Calvin Johnson Mix Tape:
U.S. Pop Underground / wimpy - power pop / 1976-1980

Side A:
01. I Believe In - Richi Ray
02. Don't Listen to Them - Bill Kern
03. Teenage Girls - Scruffs
04. Decline and Fall - The Sneakers
05. I Love You - The Furors
06. I Wonder If I'll Ever See You Again - The Leopards
07. I'm Not Satisfied - The Boys
08. Popgun - The Bats
09. Come to Me - Brad Long
10. Tomorrow Belongs to You - Gary Valentine
11. I'm Thru - The Tweeds

Side B:
12. Baby, It's Cold Outside - Pezband
13. The Summer Sun - Chris Stamey
14. Baby Don't Give Up - Barry Knoedl
15. Okay - The Shoes
16. Stupidest Thing - Luxury
17. Underwater Girl - The Tweeds
18. Down on the Boulevard - The Pop
19. Live in the Sun - Jim Basnight
20. You Make Me Shake - The Boys
21. Hanging on the Telephone - The Nerves

download

-posted by Indy

The Blast Rocks!!! - You're Fired. CD (2001)

Nothing is more exciting and equally frustrating then waiting for a band you are obsessing over to produce more material. This is what happened to me, in college, after I first witnessed The Blast Rocks!!! play a show at Koo's Cafe. Thier adorable drummer Heather with a kit consisting of a garbage can, cookie jars and 12" records as symbols along side bandmates Nick and Sandra made a mind-blowing impression, putting noisy junkyard jams in my ears and vinyl splinters in my eyes. A buddy and I pooled together our cash that nite to buy You're Fired after the show and it has since become a coveted gem. The CD quickly became a favorite amongst our entire dorm floor and we would often find ourselves out late at nite, chillin', wondering when The Bay-Area Blast Rocks!!! would come back into town or release a new CD. I'm not sure what's worse; never hearing new music or never getting to see another spirited live show.

What I do know is this: The Blast Rocks!!! have a unique mix of DIY punk, harmonized screaming and fun songs that they will never be forgotten. Below is everything I could compile from the band: a copy of the CD, their half of a split 7" they did w/Panty Raid and an extra song I found on a S.P.A.M. sampler. I did hear they originally released 20 or so demo tapes, which, sadly, I fear I will never get to hear.

01. Demolition Derby
02. Have You Ever Seen A Robot Cry?
03. Sick
04. Atomic Cocktail
05. My Boyfriend is a Zombie
06. Rock-n-Roll Weekend
07. Joyce
08. Deadman's Curve
09. Jenny's Shortwave
10. Instrumental
11. Blast Off
12. Markers
13. Scaryhouse
14. Neighbors
15. $$$ / Willy McCarne (from split 7"/w Panty Raid)
16. Drink (from S.P.A.M. records Sampler)

download

-posted by Indy

Severna Park - 2 EPs (1997/1998)

Exploding onto the local NW scene in the mid to late 90's, Severna Park quickly became a local favorite with their exciting live shows and catchy songs. A self released a 4-track EP (500 copies) sold out so fast they they had no choice but to re-release it--and did so--adding 4 bonus tracks. Quickly, they released another EP on the Seattle based Collective Fruit label and then disappeared. Technically they broke up, but, disappeared is a more accurate term because they ceased to exist on the Internet until one of the band members formed a myspace page for themselves last year. "Color Blind" is the greatest song you have never heard.

Severna Park EP (reissue)
1. My Way
2. Bionic Rocket
3. Twice As High
4. Circuit Breaker
5. Worms
6. 7th Street
7. Color Blind
8. Darlin' (live on KCMU 90.3)

Severna Park - Three 16 EP
1. Humid
2. Give My Regards
3. Hearts On Ice
4. New Years

download

-posted by Indy

Micro Mini - This Is Jennie EP (1997)

After the grunge scene had tore through the nation, the northwest saw an explosion of indepentant pop in the mid-90's which then launched bands like Super Deluxe and The Presidents of the United States of America into mainstream popularity. Grunge, full of moshing, violence and drug use caused all ages shows to diminish and outside of large scale venues and RKNDY, the only shows to attend in Seattle were usually that featuring overly happy pop bands. Micro Mini was the first local indie band I ever saw live and it forever changed my life. Besides having a huge crush on keyboardist Amy Barnett, attending multiple Micro Mini shows introduced me to a tons of local bands and their full-lenght CD Get In To The Go Go Cage (1998) on Collective Fruit opened my eyes to local labels like Kill Rock Stars, K Records, Subpop, Luka Pop and C/Z. This Is Jennie was their first release (I think) and is long out of print having just once small pressing. While it is a nostalgic record for me--at 15, "meet in bed after practice" was the greatest song ever--it is a perfect reprentation of the underground indiepop scene that was happing in Seattle.

01 She's Not F
02 Repairs
03 Meet Me In Bed After Practice
04 Vanillaroma
05 Macho Grande (+ Hidden Track)

download

-posted by Indy

The Go Team - 7" Singles (1989)

K Records founder Calvin Johnson & Bikini Kill's Tobi Vail, collaborating with an ever-changing hodgepodge of musicians, made up the 1980's band The Go Team. For a band featuring two well known independant artists, there isn't all that much out there about The Go Team. Their releases are crying out for re-issues. I lost a bid on ebay for the Come Archer Sparrow cassette tape--my max bid was $190--in 2008! For a cassette tape!

In 1989 The Go Team started a 7" singles club which ended up being nine records over the course of a year. Each seven inch was silk screened on one side and featured music on the other. I highly recommend checking out this article about it. It's where I stole the photo from--the only Go Team band photo that can be found online. Over the years I have collected 7 of the 9 singles. The two records I do not own are: July, which features Kurt Cobain on guitar (expensive as hell) and September which is an excerpt(?!?) of an instrumental. I also have included a bonus live track "slumberland gods" from the pre-moon syndrome comp LP.

The Go Team - Singles Club (1989)

01 sand - january 7"
02 jigsaw - january 7"
03 ouside - february 7"
04 stay ready - february 7"
05 breakfast in bed - march 7"
06 safe little circles - march 7"
07 milquetoast brigade - april 7"
08 she was sad - april 7"
09 ribeye - may 7"
10 935 patterson - may 7"
11 go team call - june 7"
12 three ways to sunday - june 7"
13 tummy hop - august 7"
14 maverick summer - august 7"
15 slumberland gods - live from the pre-moon syndrome comp LP

download

***if anyone has rips of the two missing singles I would love to hear them***

posted by Indy

UPDATE: I have found the second track of the july 7" - Bikini Twilight - featuring Kurdt Kobain