Laibach — Sympathy For The Devil

• Artist: Laibach
• Title: Sympathy For The Devil
• Year: 1988
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1988 – Bought it for myself at our store RIP Records in Norfolk, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

I’ve never been un-screwed before, but I think I like it. At least compared to having the plate and screws attached to my previously obliterated clavicle today’s surgical undoing was a breeze. Thanks Keith, for pumping [Clap!] me up

Ja man ja, more Laibach. Do you like it? Or, do you love it? There is no third question. I love Laibach. This “Sympathy For The Devil” EP came out the same year as their most awesome interpretation of The Beatles “Let It Be.” (Their own web site says it came out two years later, but ladies and gentlemen the record I’m holding in my hand right now says otherwise! The Internet is crap.) The “Sympathy” record isn’t quite as impressive if for no other reason than instead of an album’s worth of songs it’s six, very different, versions of this Rolling Stones classic. The hi-hat sound on one of them is the greatest thing ever.

Again, I point to this article about Laibach at Wikipedia. It’s good, they’re good and too strange for you to not know all about them.

Killing Joke — Killing Joke

• Artist: Killing Joke
• Title: Killing Joke
• Year: 1980
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 10
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: Not sure when or where, just glad I have it.
• Keeper: Yes

I am ex-haus-ted. I stayed up way too late and then went to meet my friend Ollen Douglass for breakfast, at 8 AM! It’s a modern world; who gets up that early? On top of that today has been a packing frenzy, because tomorrow I’ll be useless. I’m getting surgery to remove a plate and eight screws from my clavicle. Fun!

This Killing Joke record is probably in my all-time top five. I can’t begin to describe how unique and just plain excting it is. They influenced way more bands than most people know. Metallica had the class to cover their song “The Wait” from this album. They have even been successfully plagerized. A lot has been written about how Nirvana stole the riff from a later Killing Joke song, “Eighties”, for their hit “Come As You Are.” Keyboards and heavy riffs together and it works beyond belief. Faith No More should’ve followed this example.

I highly recommend this article about Killing Joke at Wikipedia.

Pailhead — I Will Refuse

• Artist: Pailhead
• Title: I Will Refuse
• Year: 1987
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1987 – Bought it for myself when I worked Mother’s Records in Hampton, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

Yay! More industrial punk weirdness. This is the second Pailhead record logged here, but “I Will Refuse” came out first. With Ian MacKaye of Minor Threat fame on vocals with Al Jourgensen and Al Barker of Ministry it’s bound to turn out pretty good. I like this 7 inch more than the four song EP, “Trait”, that came next, but both are great. I have no idea what “I Will Refuse” and the flipside “No Bunny” are about but both still sound fresh, original and intense. Not many songs with “Bunny” in the title can be described as “intense.”

Fad Gadget — One Man’s Meat

• Artist: Fad Gadget
• Title: One Man’s Meat
• Year: 1983
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1983 – Olsson’s in DC?
• Keeper: Yes

After just one listen to “One Man’s Meat” you might think it’s just angsty, electronic, New Wave, disco. You wouldn’t be completely wrong, but there’s more to it than that. It definitely sounds like the early 1980s, so yes it’s a bit dated, but it’s also pretty interesting. The flip, “Sleep”, is a plodding arty electronic bore. Or, is that just his serious side? The package included another 7 inch of “Collapsing New People.” We’ve already played and logged that song in 12 inch format on a previous letter F day.

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.

Fad Gadget — Collapsing New People

• Artist: Fad Gadget
• Title: Collapsing New People
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1984 – Olsson’s in Dupont Circle, DC.
• Keeper: Yes

This is a proper 12″ single with two mixes of Collapsing New People and one B side that is ultra-goth. One cool tidbit is that the “guest musicians” are Einstürzende Neubauten. Frank Tovey, the man behind Fad Gadget, has been all over the music map. I would describe this single as an artier, more interesting version of early Depeche Mode. I’m sure EN contributed a lot. The photo attached is the backside. It’s fun to see the crowd from 1983.

Anyhow, this song screams for a heavy metal cover version. I’m ready to get the band back together! Who’s with me?!?

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.