The Saints – Eternally Yours

• Artist: The Saints
• Title: Eternally Yours
• Year: 1978
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1986 ? – I think I got it at Unicorn Records in Portsmouth, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

I got into The Saints a little late. I think I bought this album after I picked up a later record. It’s a promo copy so unfortunately they didn’t get paid for it. But don’t worry Saints, I bought your other stuff too.

It’s hard to explain their sound but punk rock and roll seems fitting. The opening track, “Know Your Product”, has killer horns. For a long time I have believed that maximum rock and roll cannot be achieved without a horn section. No matter how hard you’re rocking, if it ain’t got horns there is room for improvement. This song supports my theory. The whole record is excellent. At first it sounds sort of ordinary, but the involuntary foot tapping and head bobbing “Eternally Yours” provokes tells you it is in fact very special.

Nervous Eaters — Hot Steel And Acid

• Artist: Nervous Eaters
• Title: Hot Steel And Acid
• Year: 1986
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1986 – Bought it when I worked at Mother’s Records in Hampton, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

How many times have you said to yourself “I feel like hearing some Nervous Eaters”? Never? Seriously? OK, I admit I kinda forget they exist, but almost every time I see “Hot Steel And Acid” in the collection I give it a spin. The Nervous Eaters are hard, fast rock and roll with dashes of punk and blues. I didn’t know anything about the band when I bought this and I still don’t. I think the cool die-cut album cover and the fact that they were on the label Ace Of Hearts with other good bands like the Lyres prompted me to check it out. (UPDATE: NervousEaters.com no seems to be owned by the band.)

The Faith — Subject To Change

• Artist: The Faith
• Title: Subject To Change
• Year: 1983
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1983 – Probably Olsson’s in Georgetown, DC.
• Keeper: Yes

Did this come out after the band had broken up? I asked Mary what she would rate “Subject To Change” and she said “I’d give it a 7.” I said “7, that’s a pretty good review” and she replied “it’s a pretty good hardcore record.” I agree and enough said.

Etched in the vinyl margins:

• THIS SIDE: PULL YOURSELF TO PIECES
• IVOR SIDE: TOO STUPID FOR WORDS

And speaking of the vinyl, check out the sweet blue vinyl below. What color are your MP3s?

Dischord No. 11 people. My wife is so punk rock!

The Jim Carroll Band — Catholic Boy

• Artist: The Jim Carroll Band
• Title: Catholic Boy
• Year: 1980
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1982 ? – Unknown origin.
• Keeper: Yes

Something about Jim Carroll just depresses me. He paints a pretty miserable picture of the 1970s. I remember hearing “People Who Died” on the radio as a teenager and really liking it. It seemed almost punk, but smarter or something. I also really like the track “It’s Too Late”, another of the more rocking cuts. I didn’t get the record right away, but eventually picked it up. I’ve also read his book “Basketball Diaries” and I don’t remember that being too uplifting either. Am I fan? Not so much I guess, but I’ll keep “Catholic Boy” in the collection.

The Vandals — Peace Through Vandalism

The Vandals -- Peace Through Vandalism

• Artist: The Vandals
• Title: Peace Through Vandalism
• Year: 1981
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1981 – Olsson’s in Georgetown, DC.
• Keeper: Yes

And the alphabetizing never ends. This should have been after Van Halen, but it’s the record du jour because I already took the pic. It’s only an EP, but there’s more Vandals where this came from. Or, more accurately, behind the Van Halen records.

This is classic, but lyrically pointless party punk. Nothing groundbreaking but it is fun. I felt like stage diving off the dining table, but no one would catch me. Chicken fight! Due to the random, and frequent expletives Mary and I ended up doing a lot of spontaneous coughing or singing since the kids were listening too.

Turn the front side of the album cover upside down and you get the anarchy “A.” They’re soooo punk! And they even went to play for the troops in Iraq. I’m opposed to the war, but playing for the troops is cool.

Etched in the vinyl margins:

• “GAY RODEO”
• “NORDIC CONQUEST”

No idea. “I want to be a cowboy…”

Painted Willie — Live From Van Nuys

• Artist: Painted Willie
• Title: Live From Van Nuys
• Year: 1986
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 5
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1986 – Bought it when I was working at Mother’s Records in Hampton, VA.
• Keeper: Maybe

“Live From Van Nuys With A Kiss And A Grapefruit” is etched into the vinyl margin on the side first. I have no idea what that means, but on most indie labels it’s worth taking a second to peak. Often there are little notes there, sometimes they’re funny.

Again, this was in the era when I would buy anything SST put out. I probably bought this because look like a heavy rock/metal band and I needed something with crunch. For the most part they deliver, but it’s little more punk than I expected, not a bad thing. I like the first song “Crossed Fingers” a lot. Doubt it’s a keeper though.

The Eastern Dark — Long Live The New Flesh!

• Artist: The Eastern Dark
• Title: Long Live The New Flesh!
• Year: 1986
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1986 – Unicorn Records in Portsmouth, VA, I think.
• Keeper: Yes

This is a great garage/rock/punk/power-pop EP. The frontman James Darroch died earlier in the year it was released, 1986. I believe it was vehicular thing. Before Eastern Dark he played bass with Celibate Rifles. I’m not sure why exactly, but I have a lot of music from Australian garage rockers. Maybe I should move there.

U-Men — Step On A Bug

U-Men -- Step On A Bug

• Artist: U-Men
• Title: Step On A Bug
• Year: 1989
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1989 – Bought it for myself at our store RIP Records.
• Keeper: Yes

Fans of Birthday Party will love this, though the band was part of the Seattle scene through most of the 1980s. I first heard them on the “famous” C/Z record label compilation which also included tracks from Soundgarden and others.

Birthday Party may be a lazy comparison, but I think it’s accurate. There are, of course, differences, but it’s hard not to think of Nick Cave when you hear the frenetic, strained vocals on this record. I believe this was their only proper, full length album.

The Faith / Void

• Artist: The Faith / Void
• Title: Self-titled
• Year: 1982
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1982 – Some store in Rockville, MD that she can’t remember.
• Keeper: Yes

Classic DC hardcore. And a classic punk format with two bands on a single LP. The Faith on the first side with Ian Mackaye’s younger brother Alec. I believe they later dropped the “The” in their name. Void on the flip. The Void side is a little angrier.

One of the many fun things about vinyl is that occasionally people will write little messages in the margin between the end of the record and the label.

• Faith side – “THERE’S NO CHOICE LIKE A PIG”
• Void side – “IN MEMORY OF BRIAN SEAN FINNIGAN”

Dischord No. 8, for those keeping score.

Dag Nasty — Can I Say

• Artist: Dag Nasty
• Title: Can I Say
• Year: 1986
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Mary
• Acquired: 1986
• Keeper: Yes

Dag Naz-tay! Now we’re getting somewhere. Sure sounds a lot like to Minor Threat to me. They could do worse. With Minor Threat guitarist Brian Baker in the band, and singer Dave Smalley sounding pretty similar to Ian I guess they couldn’t help it.

I think Baker went on to start another band, Junkyard. I can’t remember much about the sound, but they were laying on the rocker-greaser-car-club-biker image awfully heavy. Not that those things don’t appeal to me, but still…

I noticed with this album that the collection is in need of some serious alphabetizing. Buncha 12 inch singles are completely separate, and some earlier “D” records got skipped. DC3 will have to wait until the next pass through.

Dischord No. 19, for those keeping score.