Georgia Satellites — Open All Night

• Artist: Georgia Satellites
• Title: Open All Night
• Year: 1988
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Mary or Tracy ?
• Acquired: 1988 – Probably Mother’s Records in Hampton, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

This is way better than I was expecting. By that I mean, I like The Georgia Satellites, I just forgot how good they were. I didn’t even realize “Open All Night” was a single from their second album at first. Too bad I only have the first LP. The songs are great and so is the production and engineering. Jeff Glixman got a killer sound for this record. The flip, “Dunk ‘N’ Dine”, is also a winner. Hearing them sing about coffee and hash browns got me associating their music with breakfast food. It’s like eggs and biscuits, pretty sure to satisfy at any time of day. Guess what we had for dinner.

Various — Sub Pop 200

Various -- Sub Pop 200

• Artist: Various
• Title: Sub Pop 200
• Year: 1988
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1988 – Bought it directly from Sub Pop when we had our store, RIP Records in Norfolk, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

The track list below probably tells you everything you really need to know about this collection. Everyone from pre-David Grohl Nirvana to my heroes Soundgarden have recordings included on this three disk box set. It was packaged in a completely plain black box that included a 16 page insert filled with great band photography by Charles Peterson and the usual slick, streamline Sub Pop graphic design. In the early years those things defined Sub Pop almost as much as the music. The vinyl edition was limited to 5000. You can still buy the CD, but that’s crap.

“Remember, if it isn’t Sub Pop, it probably sucks.”

Side A

• “Sex God Missy” – Tad
• “Is It Day I’m Seeing?” – The Fluid
• “Spank Thru” – Nirvana
• “Come Out Tonight” – Steven J. Bernstein

Side B

• “The Rose” – Mudhoney
• “Got No Chains” – The Walkabouts
• “Dead Is Dead” – Terry Lee Hale

Side C

• “Sub Pop Rock City” – Soundgarden
• “Hangin’ Tree” – Green River
• “Swallow My Pride” – Fastbacks

Side D

• “The Outback” – Blood Circus
• “Zoo” – Swallow
• “Underground” – Chemistry Set

Side E

• “Gonna Find A Cave” – Girl Trouble
• “Split” – The Nights And Days
• “Big Cigar” – Cat Butt

Side F

• “Pajama Party In A Haunted Hive” – Beat Happening
• “Love Or Confusion” – Screaming Trees
• “Untitled” – Steve Fisk
• “You Lost It” – The Thrown Ups

Laibach — Let It Be

• Artist: Laibach
• Title: Let It Be
• Year: 1988
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 9
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1988 – Bought it for myself at our store RIP Records in Norfollk, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

More Laibach! Ja! Ja! Laibach is my all-time favorite Slovenian band. This collection of songs from the Beatles “Let It Be” makes me deeply regret not having all of their music. There’s still time!

The album is titled “Let It Be” but the title track itself is missing. The other songs, in a new order as per Laibach, are all insanely original interpretations. I could go on and on, but someone has already done a great article on the band at Wikipedia. Read more about them.

Paul Kelly and The Messengers — Under The Sun

• Artist: Paul Kelly and The Messengers
• Title: Under The Sun
• Year: 1988
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1988 – Ordered for her at our store RIP Records in Norfolk, VA.
• Keeper: Maybe

This falls into the decent-music-that-I’ll-probably-never-play-again category. It’s sorta roots rock with steel or pedal steel guitar thrown in occassionally. I could listen to all day and it wouldn’t bother me, but it doesn’t excite me either. Should we keep it?

House of Freaks — Monkey On A Chain Gang

• Artist: House Of Freaks
• Title: Monkey On A Chain Gang
• Year: 1988
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1988 – Plan 9 Records in Richmond, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

Today is supposed to be a “P” day. Instead, I’m playing House of Freaks records for the next couple days as my small personal tribute to Bryan Harvey who was one half of the band. Bryan, his wife Kathryn, and their two small children were brutally murdered in their home in Richmond, VA on January 1, 2006. An article in the Washington Post made me aware of this tragedy. The two pathetic creatures responsible have been caught, but not before killing more people.

Mary and I have seen the band in person a number of times. Kathryn Harvey owned World of Mirth, a fun toy and gift store in Richmond that we enjoyed.

This is good music. Hard to explain, but let’s say Surf/Roots/Blues Rock. It’s high energy and fun, but not silly.

Of Cabbages And Kings — Face

• Artist: Of Cabbages And Kings
• Title: Face
• Year: 1988
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1988 – Bought it for myself when we had RIP Records in Norfolk, VA.
• Keeper: Maybe

This is not happy music. OCAK has had its share of stars from the music world underground. Including members of The Swans, Glenn Branca, and drummer Ted Parsons. Ted was the long-time drummer for one of my all-time favorite bands, Prong. I’ll drone on about Prong when we get to those records.

Like I said, it’s not feel-good music. It’s heavy, but not metallic, more primitive with some occassional jazzy “out” playing. That weird album cover looks like the Pixies’ stuff, but I don’t think it’s the same artist. Not sure about keeping it. If you search for them you might find another band with the same name from the ’60s. Try adding the album title.

The Wagoneers — Stout And High

The Wagoneers -- Stout And High

• Artist: Wagoneers
• Title: Stout And High
• Year: 1988
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1988 – ?
• Keeper: Yes

These guys play both types of music – country and western. This is a solid, very listenable roots-country/western album. They pushed the cowboy image way over the top, but it was the ’80s. Rockabilly bands, Hair Metal, New Wave – you know what I’m saying. I think these guys got a fair amount of press and critical acclaim at the time. Who knows where they are now? Did they release anything else?

SGM – Aggression

• Artist: SGM
• Title: Aggression
• Year: 1988
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 1
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1988 – We got this as a promo at our store RIP Records in Norfolk, VA.
• Keeper: No

Updated November 14, 2006

SGM, not to be confused with the prog-metal band Sleepytime Gorilla Museum. The latter makes some pretty interesting and sophisticated music. This album is so bad I considered not even documenting it. The only thing that changed my mind is that the cover art is a painting by Robert Williams. This is a lame metal/punk “crossover” album with moronic lyrics.

For another opinion on SGM’s Aggression see this interview at the metal site RockEzine.net. An excerpt is below:

What is the most embarrassing album in your own private album collection. (How/why did you get it?)
It is an LP of SGM called aggression. I think I heard it just once! I bought it by mailorder because of the description of the music style. So, this is a good example for listen to the music before buying it. I never had disappointment like that again.

Pailhead — Trait

• Artist: Pailhead
• Title: Trait
• Year: 1988
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1988 – Bought it for myself at our store RIP Records.
• Keeper: Yes

Ian MacKaye on vocals with Al Jourgensen and Al Barker of Ministry and the outcome is pretty much what you would expect. Which is fine because I would expect that combo to rock. It does. This EP is only four songs. I think this came out before the Ministry album “The Land of Rape and Honey” that was also released in ’88. That album blew everyone away. This EP was a clear signal of the Ministry metal maelstrom that was to come.