Various — Back From the Grave Volume One

I would keep this one for the sleeve art alone. The music is fun too. I said everything I can think of about this series when I posted Volume 4, one year ago this week. The most well-known song on Back From the Grave Volume One (1985), to me at least, is probably “That’s the Bag I’m In” by The Fabs. It’s also the rockin’est. On the back the artists’ names are written “Fabs”, “Jujus”, “Rats,” etc. Because everyone of them is a “The” name! Those were The days.

I’ve never met a girl who can be my friend
The only money I’ve got is Chinese yen (some currency confusion there – TS)
They’ll probably drop the bomb the day my ship comes in
I want a steady girl who could be tall and thin
That’s bag I’m in!

The Fabs

Back From the Grave at Wikipedia

Jeffrey Lee Pierce — Flamingo

• Artist: Jeffrey Lee Pierce
• Title: Flamingo
• Year: 1985
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 4
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: No idea

Arty doesn’t always equate to interesting and noise is no substitute for real intensity. I was big fan of Gun Club, but this solo EP from Jeffrey Lee Pierce just doesn’t cut it. By the third track Mary mentioned “he’s doing a little bit of everything.” I wish he had focused on music like “Love & Desparation” from the second side instead. That’s a great song, but most of this is annoying noodling around that shouldn’t even qualify as B-side filler.

Plasticland — Wonder Wonderful Wonderland

• Artist: Plasticland
• Title: Wonder Wonderful Wonderland
• Year: 1985
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 5
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1985 – Mother’s Records?
• Keeper: No

I think the pic I took of this record is a little out of focus. Or, maybe it’s just the psychedelic hangover I have from Wonder Wonderful Wonderland by Plasticland. I never have played this record much, but I thought I would like it more than I did. And I gave it at least a couple spins all the way through on both sides. Wonder Wonderful Wonderland has its moments, but I just can’t get into it, again. There are other “neo-psychedelic” records in our collection that I think have held up better.

Mark Mothersbaugh — Musik for Insomniaks (Limited edition Japanese boxed cassette with deck of cards)

• Artist: Mark Mothersbaugh
• Title: Musik for Insomniaks (Limited edition Japanese boxed cassette with deck of cards)
• Year: 1985
• Format: Cassette
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1985? – I must’ve been working at a record store…
• Keeper: Yes

All the nerds in the house say, “Hey!” This one is for you. I know I promised something for the nerds the other day, but I’ve been planning on posting Mark Mothersbaugh’s Musik for Insomniaks since I saw him playing “guest programmer” on TCM a couple weeks ago.

Mark had some interesting movie choices. I didn’t see his entire shift. I wonder if Robert Osborne asked him about Devo. Anyhow… Of course, Mark has made many soundtracks and that’s pretty much what Musik for Insomniaks sounds like. It’s a little too staccato to be considered truly soporific (false advertising!) but it does get boring at times. And those times really depend on the listener because all of the “songs” sound similar. I thought I was playing the same side of the tape by mistake for a minute, but it turned to be side 2 after all. Even the names of the songs are similar: “XP25”, “XP31”, etc. To be fair, the collection is really more like a film score where the pieces are variations of the core theme. It’s all instrumental, with no drums or guitar, that I could tell.

What makes this piece interesting enough to keep is the total package. This version was a Japanese import produced as limited edition boxed cassette with a deck of cards. Mothersbaugh completely covered this thing with art and quirkiness. The text on the cover is in gold leaf box, the cassette itself is metallic gold, there is a comic inside the box top, and included is a letter in kanji signed by Mark. I saved the best for last, there is also a full deck of playing cards, to play some sleep-inducing Solitaire I assume. All the cards have a different picture of Mark. For each suit he is wearing a different suit of his own. I don’t know who the woman is with him on one of the Joker cards.

Mark Mothersbaugh

Various Artists — Deep Six (Green River, Malfunkshun, The Melvins, Skin Yard, Soundgarden, U-Men)

Various Artists -- Deep Six (Green River, Malfunkshun, The Melvins, Skin Yard, Soundgarden, U-Men)

• Artist: Various Artists
• Title: Deep Six (Green River, Malfunkshun, The Melvins, Skin Yard, Soundgarden, U-Men)
• Year: 1985
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1985 – Where?
• Keeper: Yes

This summary from the C/Z Records site pretty much says it all:

“1985 – C/Z is born (a year prior to the launching of the Sub Pop label) with the release of the DEEP SIX compilation featuring the first available recordings from Soundgarden, Melvins, and Green River (who later spawned Mother Love Bone & Pearl Jam). The record marked the earliest beginnings of grunge. In time these bands are signed and successful.”

The six bands are: Green River, Malfunkshun, The Melvins, Skin Yard, Soundgarden and U-Men. The most noteworthy descendant band not mentioned above is Mudhoney. Singer Mark Arm was first in Green River. Many would consider this the first significant record from the burgeoning 1980s Seattle scene. Some would call it “grunge”, but I’ve read that many of the bands didn’t like being lumped into a single category.

Wikipedia has a good article about Deep Six where you see the song list and the band rosters. Scan the list and you’ll see a lot familiar names sometimes under less familiar bands. These guys moved around a lot.

I was very excited about this music because it was essentially guitar-based rock that wasn’t, for the most part, stupid mainstream stuff from guys with teased up hair and makeup. I suppose it was punk in its own way, but with better riffs.

There were only 2000 copies of Deep Six made. It’s supposedly collectible, and tonight I saw a copy on eBay for $75.

The Damned — Phantasmagoria

• Artist: The Damned
• Title: Phantasmagoria
• Year: 1985
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: No idea
• Keeper: Yes

If the cover of Phantasmagoria doesn’t make it abundantly clear, song titles like “Sanctum Sanctorum”, the sounds of organs and harpsichords, and David Vanian’s deep-voiced singing should; The Damned got their Goth on in a big way with this record. Some people didn’t like it. They were turned off by the big production and the theatrical imagery. They thought The Damned had forgotten their punk rock roots and sold out. But I love this record, and since it was their highest charting album I know I’m not alone.

Some think The Damned invented “Gothic” rock, but unlike most other all-too-serious bands that would follow, they always seemed to have a sense of humor about it. My favorites are the epic album opener “Street of Dreams”, and the surprisingly cheerful-sounding pop goth songs “Grimly Fiendish” and “Edward the Bear.”

U2 — Pride (In the Name of Love) – Japan

U2 -- Pride (In the Name of Love) - Japan

• Artist: U2
• Title: Pride (In the Name of Love) – Japan
• Year: 1985
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1985 – Probably Tower Records in DC
• Keeper: Yes

Based on the track listing, according to Wikipedia, we have “Version 3” of this “Pride” 12 inch by U2. But that page doesn’t mention anything about it being a Japanese promo, which it is.

Side 1
“Pride (In the Name of Love)” (Single Version)
“Boomerang I” (Instrumental)
“Boomerang II”

Side 2
“11 O’Clock Tick Tock” (Long Version)
“Touch”

The “Boomerang” songs sound more like Duran Duran than what you would expect from U2. I like them. “11 O’clock” is a previously unreleased version. I don’t recognize “Touch” at all; it sounds very early. We’re going to keep this one. It has some interesting extras, a great package, and it appears to be a “collector’s item.”

New Order — The Perfect Kiss

• Artist: New Order
• Title: The Perfect Kiss
• Year: 1985
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: Unknown
• Keeper: Yes

I think I’ve left that Mano Negra record cover up there long enough for everyone to enjoy it. This cover for New Order’s “The Perfect Kiss” is also handsome, if not as irresistible. Typical of New Order the cover is minimalist but also refined. This is only a 12 inch single and the cover is a metallic silver with the title embossed along the edge. The dust cover is swanky too with one side colored a deep blue and the other listing the tracks in, again, a very minimalist graphic design.

I like the song. I’m pretty sure “The Perfect Kiss” and Bon Jovi’s “You Give Love a Bad Name” were separated at birth. They’re not identical twins stylistically, but I’m here to tell you the melodies are very similar. Now, I’m guessing that few people are fans of both bands, which may be why no one seems to have noticed. But I was working in a chain record store when the Bon Jovi track was a hit. We had a number of teenagers at the store, I was only 19 or 20, and I got to listen this one more times than I care to remember.

Fac 123

King — Won’t You Hold My Hand Now

• Artist: King
• Title: Won’t You Hold My Hand Now
• Year: 1985
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 4
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: ?
• Keeper: No

I’m so tired of these King 12 inches. “Won’t You Hold My Hand Now” was not motivating me to update this site, but I’m getting it over with now. This single is extra boring. I’m not all-out hatin’ on King, it’s just that this is really blah. Buh-bye.

The Fleshtones — Speed Connection II

• Artist: The Fleshtones
• Title: Speed Connection II
• Year: 1985
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1985 – When I worked at Mother’s Records in Hampton, VA
• Keeper: Yes

In general, live recordings are “for-fans-only”, and Speed Connection II from The Fleshtones is no exception. Moreover, I think this record killed their chance to break out to a wider audience in the late 1980s and beyond. I’m no Fleshtones historian but I say all that based on my real world experience from working at a chain record store when this was released. I had been a fan for a while and my perception was that their label IRS really decided to promote this one. Which is too bad because for a lot of people this was the first thing they heard by The Fleshtones. And they did not dig it, they told me. This isn’t the greatest recording ever. The performances are great, but the sound is inconsistent. Also, many of the songs are covers or medleys or watered-down versions of studio tracks. For fans only.