Subterranean Records was a San Francisco label started in 1979 by Steve Tupper and Michael Fox, who bonded over a shared love for The Screamers and Negative Trend and a mutual desire to document the local music scene.
SF was known for The Avengers, Nuns, Crime, Mutants, and Dead Kennedys. But there were many lesser known artists performing at clubs like Mabuhay Gardens, the Sound Of Music, the Temple, the Savoy, Club Foot, and the Deaf Club; as well as multimedia performances at Survival Research Laboratories and Target Video.
Subterranean showcased not only punk bands but also industrial/noise artists like Factrix, Z'ev, and Monte Cazazza; the synthpunk of Nervous Gender and Minimal Man; and the garage rock of The Jars. In interviews, Tupper said that Subterranean wanted to provide a street level alternative to the commercial aspirations of labels like 415.
Mike Fox produced the early Subterranean releases in his home studio. He was a talented guitarist who led The Tools, played with Sick Pleasure, and formed Code Of Honor with Johnithin Christ from Society Dog.
Here are most of Subterranean's first 13 releases, with the exception of the albums Live At Target (SUB 3), Club Foot (SUB 8), and the Ultrasheen EP (SUB 12). Some tracks are sourced from CD, others from vinyl. None are my rips, but I cleaned up some vinyl pops and scratches. Thanks to all the original uploaders who made it possible to compile this set.
ReplyDeleteSUBTERRANEAN SINGLES VOLUME 1
01 Johnny Got His Gun - No Alternative
02 Earthworm - Flipper
03 Asexuality In The 80's - The Tools
04 The Ballad Of Pincushion Smith - VKTMS
05 Working Class People - Society Dog
06 Bad Dreams - Society Dog
07 Start Rite Now - The Jars
08 Psycho (Sonics cover) - The Jars
09 Electric Third Rail - The Jars
10 Addiction - Bay Of Pigs
11 Aliens - Bay Of Pigs
12 Hard Wark - The Tools
13 The Road Forever - The Tools
14 Love Canal - Flipper
15 Ha Ha Ha - Flipper
16 Make Guns Not Love - No Alternative
17 Metro Police Theme - No Alternative
18 Rockabilly Rumble - No Alternative
19 Life Is Hell - The Spikes
20 Mobile Home - The Lewd
21 Title Role - Society Dog
22 Hitler's Brain - The Undead
23 The Youth - The Tools
24 I Know It's Wrong - The Tools
25 Over Now - The Tools
26 How Could I Feel It - Society Dog
27 The Baby Is Dead - Society Dog
28 Metropolitan Rush - Society Dog
29 On The Street - Society Dog
tinyurl.com/yca55rfd
Wow, very cool and good history...thanks Jonder!!
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff - Bought most of these right from Subterranean mailorder way back when but never managed to get the last Tools & Society Dog singles, so I'm excited to hear them...Still have the old mailorder inserts that included with the records and was just looking at them about a month ago - Serendipitous - Thanks so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteMore Subwrex are on the way after the weekend. I think you will enjoy the Society Dog EP. "Metropolitan Rush" still gives me a rush after all these years. There is a Society Dog full length called Lupus Opus that has rerecordings of the old songs with a new singer. The third Tools EP has a different singer on each song. "Over Now" is especially good and has a definite Mod influence. Hope you enjoy the music!
DeleteKolossal :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting and for adding my blog to your list!
DeleteWDM's blog WhyDoThingsHaveToChange is essential for punk fans worldwide -- wdthtc.blogspot.com
Viacomclosedmedown's blog Down Underground is a massive treasure trove for decades of vinyl -- downunderground.blogspot.com