Monday, May 19, 2014

NOTHING FANCY (HEH, HEH)

See that unspectacular looking album cover above? Nothing all that special, eh? Try telling that to the anyone who was around the L.A. punk scene around 1979. They're likely drooling right about now. Most who owned it back then probably don't have it anymore. It was worn from play, a casualty of parties, stolen by the scene sleazebag, or sold when the rent was due. Fuck ups and societal aliens don't hang onto things as museum pieces. It's currency. Here today, gone tomorrow. And the day after that, regret that you no longer have that epic time capsule of what the scene was when the record was released.

The line up on this sucker is all time. I've always associated it with the Masque, which was going full steam at the time. Maybe because among the first Masque shows I saw were the Controllers and the Germs. I think I saw Middle Class there. The other bands had to have played there too. The Masque was the happening place around then, the Whisky was all but dead, at least for punk rock.

This album is an absolute DIY icon of that era. It was cheaply produced and had crappy cover art. I think I remember that the label, Upsetter Records (not to be confused with Lee Perry's label of the same name) was a Chris Desjardin endeavor. If you haven't heard it, it might sound like it needs a little more bass. That's what your bass knob is for. Regardless of the production, some of the songs are among the best representations of the bands at that moment in time. Three in particular, the Controllers' cover of "Jezebel", Negative Trend's "Mercenaries", and Middle Class' "Love Is Just a Tool" are worth the trip alone. Another thing, I don't think this LP has ever been reissued. I know I would have picked it up if I'd have seen one . All that said, you might not appreciate it as much as I do. So sorry about that. This is really for my fellow droolers.

It's a fifteen song compilation, with the Controllers, the Germs, Middle Class, Negative Trend, UXA, and the Flesh Eaters. Fifteen individual mp3s in a zip, a quick download, no pop ups, no obstacles. Yes.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~
Listen:
Tooth and Nail - 15 song compilation at Good Bad Music For Bad, Bad Times (Go there to get it, bottom of the post.) The Controllers, the Germs, Middle Class, Negative Trend, UXA, and the Flesh Eaters.

2 comments:

Sally Smothers said...

Totally obsessed with that "Jezebel" cover version... Always wanted to know who first did (or popularized) that song--Was it Frankie Laine?

Tom G. said...

That is a really cool version. I think you're right that the original was by Laine, which this link seems to confirm:
http://www.secondhandsongs.com/work/42932/versions#nav-entity

When Tooth & Nail came out, I had only heard Gene Vincent's version, and was really stoked to hear the Controller's version.