Archive for the LA Category

Landscape of Sound- Live Forever 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1983, abecedarians, drowning pool, LA, landscape of sound, los angeles, new wave, post-punk on July 23, 2014 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s a rather obscure new wave/post-punk tinged single from the West Coast.  Los Angeles to be exact.  While this is the only known release by Landscape of Sound (released in 1983), the band has direct ties to like-minded post-punk band Drowning Pool, who formed soon after this 7” was released.  Before the band would become Drowning Pool (who put out some rather excellent and delightfully easy to find LPs in the mid-80s), this single served as a respectable point of entry for Brett Smith and Adam Elesh.  The project evolved from a basic partnership to include other Los Angeles area musicians.  According to the Drowning Pool biography, the band came together while hanging out at Pier Records (managed by Chris Maneke of Abecedarians, covered here in the past).  Maneke would also produce several Drowning Pool recordings.

The real gem on this 7” is the b-side, a rickety, but excellent post-punk track with jangly chorus-heavy guitar and those synth strings we all know and love. Definitely a winner if I’ve ever heard one…  The a-side is a little more new wave, reminiscent of the UK synth scene, but with a more organic touch.  There’s still a similar vibe running through it, so it’s not a night and day sort of affair.  Either way, it’s an excellent single that deserves a listen or twenty, so without any further ado…

Landscape of Sound- Live Forever 7”
1. Live Forever
2. On the Edge

*download it here*

5 Comments »

Psi Com- Worktape 1 and Demos

Posted in 1980s, 1984, alternative, deathrock, goth, goth-rock, jane's addiction, LA, los angeles, mazzy star, perry farrell, post-punk, psi com, red temple spirits, US on August 12, 2013 by Frankie Teardrop

psi com group 2

Before there was Jane’s Addiction, there was Psi Com, a post-punk/deathrock band fronted by Perry Farrell.  The band released one demo tape and one 12” (re-released on CD and 10” in the mid-90s) in 1985.  The band began in 1983, when Perry answered an ad from guitarist Vince Duran looking for a drummer, as his fledgling band was primarily using a drum machine.  Instead, Farrell took over as vocalist, adding Rich Evac on bass, Aaron Sherer on drums, and Mariska Lassius on keyboards.  This was the lineup for their demo tape that was eventually sold at shows in 1984 with elaborate packaging reminiscent of Independent Project Records releases.  The photo above depics the lineup for these recordings.  Soon after the demo was released, Lassius and Evac left the band, replaced by bassist Kelly Wheeler for their 12” sessions.

Based heavily in the psychedelic roots of Pink Floyd as well as the UK post-punk movement, Psi Com’s sound was much more in line with Savage Republic, The Ex, and Bauhaus than the horror punk sound that was developing on the West Coast.   If anything, Psi Com was a vessel for the Red Temple Spirits sound moreso than the hedonistic excesses of Jane’s Addiction, though both bands continued exploring their psychedelic influences and alternative leanings.  Even Perry Farrell’s trademark wail is downplayed on these recordings, though there’s no mistaking it during certain key passages.

Psi Com broke up suddenly in 1985, after gaining a heavy local following.  Legend has it that Eric Avery, bassist for Jane’s Addiction, was drafted as a new bassist for Psi Com, changing direction as Stephen Perkins and Dave Navarro joined.  Bassist Kelly Wheeler played briefly with Dino Paredes of Red Temple Spirits, and Aaron Sherer eventually retired from music after playing drums on several tracks from Mazzy Star’s excellent Among My Swan LP.

Here we have a fan circulated collection of demos and additional tracks, including the debut Worktape cassette as well a series of studio recordings and instrumentals that originally appeared on a Jane’s Addiction bootleg CD from 1991.  While the 12” has received a fair amount of attention as Farrell’s pre-Jane’s vessel, these demos are still rather obscure, and definitely worth hearing even if you’re not a fan of what came next. 

psi com worktape art

Psi Com- Worktape 1 and Demos
1. Hopeful
2. Them
3. Psi Com Theme
4. 14th Floor
5. Cat
6. Karuna
7. 14th Floor (Instrumental)
8. Cat (Instrumental)
9. Karuna (Instrumental)

*download it here*

5 Comments »

Berlin- The Metro 7”

Posted in 1980s, 1981, berlin, LA, los angeles, minimal, minimal synth, new wave, synthpop, US on May 3, 2011 by Frankie Teardrop

Stick with me on this one folks. Any fan of new wave should already be familiar with Berlin, the Los Angeles based band led by Terri Nun and John Crawford. If you are unfamiliar with the band, please direct your attention here. While it’s their later ballads and more commercial wave tracks that seem to be remembered, it’s prudent to note that the band’s first few releases were fantastic and rare entries to the US minimal synth scene. Information, the band’s first LP, was the closest thing to Ultravox in the west coast scene, while songs like “The Metro” and “Sex (I’m A)” from 1982’s Pleasure Victim were fast paced, sexually driven synth tracks that still remain classics to date. It’s the kind of sound also explored on the SSQ LP, another personal favorite female-led new wave smash. Fun fact: Both Berlin and Q/SSQ shared labels throughout their tenure, and Jon St. James of the latter outfit is credited as an engineer for Berlin’s Pleasure Victim LP. Incestuous!

I had originally purchased this 1981 issue of The Metro to DJ, not just for the foxy picture of Terri Nun on the back, but also figuring it’s far easier to pack a 7” than a 12”. When it comes to wax, real estate is key, so it just made sense to purchase, spatially. Just yesterday, I needed a fix for “Tell Me Why” and went for Youtube, only to be presented with a much more raw and driving mix than I remembered. Lo and behold, it’s the same version on this 7”, released a year before the EP cut! A little bit of research quickly told me that this Berlin single I purchased ages ago was actually quite the rarity in their catalog, as both tracks appear in an earlier form. The differences are most notable in “Tell Me Why,” though “The Metro” also features a different intro and what seems to be a different drum track. Either way, I’m happy to include this single here, and hope you kids enjoy it!

Berlin- The Metro 7”
1. The Metro
2. Tell Me Why

*download it here* (re-ripped 5.30.13)

Also, for those who want to try to own this obscurity, there are currently a few copies for sale via discogs. Buyer beware, wink wink!

15 Comments »

Abecedarians- Smiling Monarchs 12”

Posted in 1980s, 1985, abecedarians, coldwave, factory, LA, los angeles, post-punk on May 8, 2010 by Frankie Teardrop

Apologies for the overwhelming amount of posts today- feeling a bit productive, I suppose. Here’s the 1985 debut 12” by Los Angeles’ Abecedarians, one of the only American releases on Factory. Of course, the band would sign to Caroline to release the bulk of their material. You can nab the band’s posthumous early recordings collection here on these back pages, where you can read a bit more about the band as well. Without any further ado, here’s the info for this 12”:

Abecedarians- Smiling Monarchs 12”
1. Smiling Monarchs
2. Benway’s Carnival

*DOWNLOAD LINK REMOVED*

This 12” has just been reissued as part of Pylon’s 2xLP & CD reissue of Eureka.  Pick it up!

1 Comment »

Choir Invisible- Sea to Shining Sea LP

Posted in 1980s, 1984, Choir Invisible, LA, los angeles, new wave, post-punk, US on September 1, 2009 by Frankie Teardrop

As promised, here’s the second, final, and posthumous record from Choir Invisible, recorded in 1982, but not released until 1984. It’s far more bright and synthy then their debut record. I tend to prefer the previous album, but it depends on your take on buzzing synths vs. brooding guitars. Opposite sides of a similar coin, if you will.

Let’s cut to the chase, shall we?

Choir Invisible- Sea to Shining Sea LP
1. Grey At Present
2. Questions Never Spoken
3. With Dreams
4. I Walked Away
5. Shared By A Voice
6. Devoted To A Memory

*download it here*

6 Comments »

Choir Invisible- Choir Invisible LP

Posted in 1980s, 1981, Choir Invisible, darkwave, LA, los angeles, new wave, post-punk, punk, US on September 1, 2009 by Frankie Teardrop

Choir Invisible were a four piece post-punk band hailing from Los Angeles. The band formed in the wake of the Flyboys, a first wave LA punk band, who split after the death of bassist/keyboardist David Wilson.

Lisa Fancher, head of Frontier records (who released the lone Flyboys 12” in 1980), essentially pieced Choir Invisible together after the Wilson’s death. The band grew to local prominence, opening for the likes of Romeo Void, Depeche Mode, and Christian Death in the early 1980s, before releasing their debut record in 1981.

Though the band split shortly after their 1981 tour, a few straggling members recorded a follow up in 1982, which was released two years later on Passport records. I shall upload this one for my next post, but in the meanwhile, here’s the info for the band’s 1981 self-titled debut.

Choir Invisible- Choir Invisible LP
1. Quiet Place
2. Fatal Dream
3. The Other Room
4. Fixation
5. Chameleon
6. Side To Side
7. Private Life
8. The Key
9. Playing Cards
10. Portrait Of Charles
11. The Distance From…

*download it here*

2 Comments »

Screams For Tina- Strobelight Funeral 12”

Posted in 1980s, 1986, 1990s, 2000s, deathrock, LA, los angeles, post-punk, reformed, screams for tina, US on April 23, 2009 by Frankie Teardrop

Here’s a horse of a different color compared to the usual sounds posted here as of late. Screams For Tina formed in Los Angeles in 1985, a twisted, dark post-punk band consisting of four like-minded members. They released one 12” mini-album (uploaded below) just a year after their formation, generating a bit of college buzz with their heavy, glam-infused brand of twisted, dark rock. The band toured for four years straight, playing with the likes of Human Drama, Ex-Voto, and various other players in the late eighties post-punk scene.

However, the original lineup of Screams for Tina split in 1990, but while various members departed, others quickly joined the ranks and the band soldiered on, attracting the attention of Cleopatra records, who released a full-length record in 1993. The band split once more in 1997, however, significant re-exposure and the continued friendship of members Warren Mansfield and Billy Budd led to a reformation of Screams For Tina in 2007. They are currently working on a full length record! In the interim, give a spin to the record that started it all, 1986’s Strobelight Funeral 12”. Fun fact: This particular record inspired Strobelight Records, home to Frank the Baptist, the reformed Pink Turns Blue, Black Ice, and The Last Days of Jesus, to name a few

Screams For Tina- Strobelight Funeral 12”
1. Nightmare
2. Fool’s Gold
3. Simple Addictions
4. Future Of Romance
5. Strobelight Funeral

*download it here*

The reformed Screams For Tina has a new website up, with t-shirts available for purchase. If you’re a fan of the shirt, nab one and support the band’s reactivation! Keep your eyes peeled for a new record in the works.

Screams For Tina dot com

2 Comments »

Current Band Corner: Mt. Sims

Posted in 2000s, berlin, electronic, experimental, hungry eye records, LA, los angeles, mount sims, mt. sims, post-punk, synth on October 29, 2008 by Frankie Teardrop

Allow me to take this little bit of necessary blog downtime to talk about a newer artist. Back in this blog’s salad days, I posted a handful of tracks from new and exciting post-punk/synth/wave acts, and I’ve been meaning to revisit this format every now and again to mix things up a bit, so while I’m stuck with the daunting task of reuploading this blog’s entire back pages, I figured I’d offer you kids a little modern, yet equally relevant content.

That said, the band on the slab is none other than Mt. Simms. A featured artist on Montreal based Hungry Eye Records, Mt. Simms is a full collective developing from Mount Simms, a similarly styled one-man experimental/electro-pop outfit originally hailing from LA. Led by Matt Sims, a resident DJ/performance artist, Mount Sims released two stunning synth records throughout the new millenium, expanding the boundaries of both electro-pop and performance art. By the time 2005’s Wild Lights hit the shelves, Matt added two members to back up the band’s growing live presence.

After the subsequent tour, Mount Sims disbanded as Matt relocated to Berlin to start work on a third record as Mt. Sims. The new outfit consists of Randy Twigg on bass and Andre Lange on drums. Despite the mild change to the band’s moniker, subsquent sounds explored different territory, adding a much darker and chaotic post-punk edge to the previously solid electronic aesthetic. The results, however, are equally captivating.

Happily Ever After, Mt. Sims’ first full length release (featuring mixing and production assistance by Thomas Stern of Crime & the City Solution), was released just last week, but was predated by a 12” single. I am pleased to offer one track from each respeective Mt. Sims release for your enjoyment. The first is the title track from May’s A Grave EP, and the second is a featured number from Happily Ever After:

*downloads removed*

If you dig these tracks, please say so, and do pick up Matt’s releases both new and old. Mount Sims material is easily purchased from Amazon.com and the Itunes Music Store, but Matt’s latest work can be found on the Hungry Eye webstore, linked below. Alternately, click below for the Mt. Sims myspace page, chock full of information, photos, and more songs to learn and sing:

Mt. Sims on Hungry Eye Records dot com
Mt. Sims on myspace

2 Comments »

Abecedarians- The Other Side of the Fence LP

Posted in 1980s, 1990, abecedarians, coldwave, LA, los angeles, post-punk on May 27, 2008 by Frankie Teardrop

This one was donated last year by a good chum, and collects the early works of US post-punk/coldwave act Abecedarians. The trio formed in Los Angeles in 1983 and recorded several early demos until their first official release, a 12” on Factory Records. The band then signed to Caroline Records to release two LPs and a compilation, splitting by the end of the eighties.

In 1995, members Chris Manecke and John Blake formed the First Men on the Sun project, which continued in a similar aesthetic as Abecedarians’ work and released one LP in 1995 (EDIT: you can find that on A Viable Commercial). As for the record uploaded below, it was originally released by Independent Project Records (For Against, Savage Republic) on 2×10” vinyl LPs (clear and black vinyl editions) in 1990, around the same time the band split. All members felt that these early versions (many of which were re-recorded for their Caroline LPs) had more spirit to them.  I tend to agree.

Here are the details for the release:

Abecedarians- The Other Side of the Fence LP
1. Beneath The City Of The Hedonistic Bohemians
2. Ghosts
3. John’s Pop
4. Come Out
5. Classic
6. Spaghetti Western
7. Switch
8. Where’s Karen
9. Soil
10. The Other Side Of The Fence
11. Wildflower
12. They Said Tomorrow

*DOWNLOAD LINK REMOVED*

All 10 demos from The Other Side of the Fence have been reissued on Pylon’s reissue of Eureka. The CD version contains 4 of the tracks, while a double LP/bonus CD bundle contains a bonus disc with the remaining tracks. Support as you can!

7 Comments »

Screamers- Demos ’77-’78 LP

Posted in 1970s, 1977, 1978, LA, los angeles, punk, screamers, synthpunk on January 4, 2008 by Frankie Teardrop

Today’s band may not need much introduction, for even having not released a single full length record, their impact is immeasurable. Arguably the first synthpunk band (though perhaps Suicide and Devo may deserve further pioneering credit), Screamers hailed from the inner recesses of LA, and were among the first wave of the initial punk explosion. Unusually (especially at the time), the band incorporated tape loops, electric pianos, and synthesizers into their sound, mixing with the usual manic antics of the punk movement.

Screamers initially formed in 1975 as The Tupperwares, but were forced to change their name in lieu of legal action. From 1977 until their demise in 1979, the band became a LA sensation, selling out various clubs in California. Their trademark spiked hair and manic demon faces (both as their logo and part of the band’s image) became highly recognized symbols of the era. The band split before recording a proper full length (though they attempted to record a video record release, as their sound was arguably aided more by their visual presence), with Paul Roessler joining LA’s second synthpunk act, Nervous Gender soon after. Not much is known about the other member’s whereabouts, though singer Tomata du Plenty passed away in 2000.

Several bootleg releases comprised of live tapes or rehearsal demos were released in the band’s aftermath, as interest in Screamers rose as their followers (such as the Dead Kennedys, whose vocalist Jello Biafra sung their praises) gained more notoriety. I’ve uploaded one of these releases, the Demos 77-78 LP.

Details:

Screamers- Demos 77-78 LP
1. The Beat Goes On
2. Thru the Flames
3. Sex Boy
4. If I Can’t Have What I Want (I Don’t Want Anything)
5. She’s the Girl
6. I Wanna Hurt
7. 122 Hours of Fear (Part 1)
8. 122 Hours of Fear (Part 2)
9. Punish Or Be Damned
10. Government Love Affair
11. Peer Pressure
12. In a Better World
13. Vertigo
14. Magazine Love
15. It’s a Violent World

*download it here*

7 Comments »