Lime Spiders — Out of Control

• Artist: Lime Spiders
• Title: Out of Control
• Year: 1985
• Format: Vinyl 10 in.
• Rating (1-10): 10
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1985 – Unicorn Records in Portsmouth, VA
• Keeper: Yes

If you don’t like this record then Aussie garage rock is just not your thing. This Lime Spiders single, “Out of Control”, is as good as it gets. Their playing is also out of control, but super-tight at the same time. They’re always locked in to each other, but it ain’t like they’re recording to a click track. When the songs get to the exciting parts they step on the gas and play as fast as they want. Which is my kind of perfection. The flipside “Save My Soul” is just as good and maybe even more frenetic.

The Damned — The Black Album

• Artist: The Damned
• Title: The Black Album
• Year: 1980
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: ? I’m thinking…
• Keeper: Yes

This version of The Damned’s The Black Album is the original release on the Chiswick label. That means it’s a full color gatefold sleeve double album. We also have another version that is mostly black, with no gatefold, and no second record. The second is mostly live stuff. I can’t remember when and where I got this, but I do remember that not too long ago it still had the shrink wrap on it. So, it’s old, but almost new, if you know what I’m saying.

I’ve always loved the song “Wait for the Blackout” and there are some other great ones on this record. But there’s some other stuff that just drags it down. Which is how I feel about every record by The Damned. Read more about The Black Album.

Bad Brains — Quickness

• Artist: Bad Brains
• Title: Quickness
• Year: 1989
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1989 – At our store RIP Records in Norfolk, VA

Ah… back again to greatest band ever, Bad Brains. I know a lot of people were excited to know “Quickness” was coming out. It’s very solid record, if not as mind blowing as “I Against I.” Apparently, it was their best-selling album. Recorded in between break ups of the original band members, like a lot of their stuff, to me it feels like something is missing. There’s more hip hop, more metal, and even some reggae again, but something seems off. Maybe it’s just me. All that said, overall it is a great album. Every time I hear “With the Quickness” I want to stage dive off the couch, only the kids aren’t big enough to catch me, yet.

The Damned — Music for Pleasure

• Artist: The Damned
• Title: Music for Pleasure
• Year: 1977
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary?
• Acquired: Unknown origin

“Music for Pleasure”, the second album by The Damned, is a lot more garage rock punk than I remembered. There are also moments that sound more like acid rock. I guess for 1977 that was more likely than it seems now. I like it and it’s hard to sit still when it’s playing, but I’ll admit that we won’t play this one that often. Gotta love the “smile price” sticker placed directly(?) on the record jacket. A real bonus is the oxblood colored vinyl. Not available on cassette, CD, MP3, etc.

Not sure where the first The Damned record is, but it’s gotta be here somewhere. While I look for it you can read about the complicated history of the band, or the “Music for Pleasure” record, or the cool label that put it out, Stiff Records.

Bad Brains — I Against I

• Artist: Bad Brains
• Title: I Against I
• Year: 1986
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 10
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1986 – Bought it when I worked at Mother’s Records in Hampton, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

The Greatest Album by the Greatest Band Ever!

“I Against I.” Bad Brains.

That is all.

(Third image is back of lyric sheet.)

Bad Brains — Rock For Light

• Artist: Bad Brains
• Title: Rock For Light
• Year: 1983
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 10
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: Not sure.
• Keeper: Yes

Again, my favorite band ever, Bad Brains. This “Rock For Light” album has always confused me. A lot of the songs are re-recorded versions of stuff from their earlier self-titled release on ROIR Records. At the time ROIR Records was actually a cassette-only label. I used to have that “record” on cassette, but now I can’t find it. For some reason “Rock For Light” is mostly made up of songs from that cassette and the rare “I and I Survive” EP I’ve already posted.

Bad Brains — there has never been, and never will be another band like them. “Rock For Light” at Wikipedia.

Dag Nasty — Wig Out at Denkos

• Artist: Dag Nasty
• Title: Wig Out at Denkos
• Year: 1987
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 5
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1987 – Probably bought it when I was working at Mother’s Records in Hampton, VA.
• Keeper: No

When these Dag Nasty records came out I remember most everyone I hung with liking them. I guess I did too, then, but now they just bore me. “Wig Out at Denkos” is less enjoyable than their first record, “Can I Say.” It sounds like the death of hardcore, or maybe hardcore dying, painfully, as it moves on to an afterlife filled with guitar solos and even an acoustic ballad. If you can’t really sing, stick to screaming.

Dischord No. 26.

Bad Brains — I And I Survive / Destroy Babylon

• Artist: Bad Brains
• Title: I And I Survive / Destroy Babylon
• Year: 1982
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 10
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: Not sure, mail order I think.
• Keeper: Yes

Punk rock, heavy metal, and separately reggae, with heaping helpings of spirituality and weirdness from four black guys from D.C.? Sign me up for some of that! Bad Brains, despite not being that prolific, or maybe because of it, is probably my favorite band, ever, for all-time, into the future even. I can’t imagine a new band creating music this special to me. Their music has a sophistication, and their playing a musicianship pretty much unheard of in the world of “punk” or “hardcore.” From the moment I heard their music I thought it was as exciting as it was unlikely.

This four song EP must be pretty rare. All of the songs, “I And I Survive”, “Destroy Babylon”, “Coptic Times”, and “Joshua’s Song”, were also released on “Rock For Light” a year later. I’m not sure if they are the same versions. I was unable to quickly find another picture of this awesome cover art on the web. So, enjoy it while you’re here. I liked the art on the label on one side of this record so much that it was basis for the tattoo on my massive right bicep. See the pic.

Another interesting tidbit is that this record was produced by Ric Ocasek, of The Cars. Didn’t know Ric was that cool, did ya? To learn more read this article about Bad Brains at Wikipedia.

U-Men — Solid Action

U-Men -- Solid Action

I’m not the only guy who likes the U-Men. I can see from my Google Analytics account that, on a pretty regular basis, people end up at this site by searching for the band. Hard to believe that ImHeavyDuty.com is the first link when you search for “U-Men Step On A Bug” on Google.

From the homemade look of the packaging you would think that the U-Men are some typical punk/hardcore band. (I swear that it looks like someone touched up the cover of my record with a Sharpie; it bled through. Were they making these one-at-a-time?) But this is an edgy, arty, and just plain noisy single. I’ll stick with the lazy Birthday Party comparison. Although Mary thinks it sounds more like Primus. What!? Anyhow, I doubt “Solid Action” or the flipside “Dig It A Hole” will get your foot tapping, but at least it’s interesting.

A little more info at Wikipedia.

Captain Sensible — There Are More Snakes Than Ladders

• Artist: Captain Sensible
• Title: There Are More Snakes Than Ladders
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 7 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1984 – Unknown origin.
• Keeper: Yes

“There Are More Snakes Than Ladders” is a surprisingly tasty pop number from a solo Captain Sensible, better known for his work as guitarist for The Damned. The flip, “The 4 Marys Go Go Dance All Night at the Groovy Cellar”, like most B-sides is a silly throw away number. Should I file it under C or S?