“Angry young man” Andy Partridge sets his sights high with Dear God - XTC. The boys have never rocked harder than they do when they’re viciously attacking Amy Grant - The Young Fresh Fellows. Snotty punk problems abound in A Pop Song - Wreckless Eric. Paul’s response to one of many public criticisms from Lennon; Silly Love Songs (Live) - Wings. This tongue-in-cheek tribute was a contractural obligation filler and a hit in Japan; Rollers' Show - Nick Lowe (as Tartan Hordes). Only A Fool Would Say That was Steely Dan’s response to Lennon’s IMAGINE. No one lashes out more melodically than John Doe & Exene; I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts (Live) - X. Impossible to find record I taped because my roommate worked in the studio where it was recorded; Pope John Paul Can Suck My Dick - The Impotent Sea Snakes. Jonder shares this sentiment; Don Henley Must Die - Mojo Nixon. Turn off your TV is the message behind Idiot Box - The Damned. Jello Biafra demands MTV Get Off The Air - Dead Kennedys. After they wrote New York (on Vol. 1) about The New York Dolls, the reply to The Sex Pistols was London Boys - Johnny Thunders. When strict disciplinarian Johnny Ramone swiped Joey’s girl, he wrote The KKK Took My Baby Away - The Ramones. There are varying opinions of WHO is the titular Prince Of The Punks (Live) - The Kinks. While being respectful toward the author, Kris states he’s known for the worst song he ever wrote, which is served here more to Kristofferson’s taste: Okie From Muskogee. After inspiring the country period of Rolling Stones that included Wild Horses, Gram Parsons was discarded by the cockney gangsters with electric guitars according to Grams Song by John Phillips. Tom Petty’s contemptuous story about following Jackson Browne onstage during The No Nukes Show leads into My Problem Is You - Jackson Browne, in which Jackson sings: “I don’t worry about Madonna, or the next thing she might do,” which dovetails into Jammin' Me - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers which really pissed Eddie Murphy off. “Take back Eddie Murphy” didn’t sit well with the most talented man to ever portray Gumby. My Baby Moved by The Hillbilly Hellcats—singles out Big Head Todd while giving the monsters a pass. Van Halen proves Nerf Herder lands in Diamond Dave’s camp. Which leaves just enough room for a blistering LIVE version of Slow Death (Live) - Roy Loney & Chris Wilson—both Flamin’ Groovies who never played together in the band. - Stinky
This Volume contains the uber-offensive Pope John Paul Can Suck My Dick by The Impotent Sea Snakes which you probably haven't heard. They're an Atlanta-based punk band who leaned toward glam rock/Sigue Sigue Sputnik's punky synth rock on their later material. It's from an almost impossible to find test-pressing that I was able to tape because my roommate (at the time) worked in the studio where it was recorded. It might not have left the band's inner circle. It's raw and slightly distorted but that it doesn't hurt it much!
ReplyDeleteWe'd love to hear of any similar hyper-rarities in YOUR collection, and how you came by them!
Take That! Songwriters Taking Swipes At Others Vol. 3
https://pixeldrain.com/u/nhPR6V7W
Killer comp Stinky! Might have to repost the Impotent Sea Snakes rip I did of the actual album but pretty sure a different version here. My favorite (worst?!) in this category would be an old Brian Guy 7" post by Iron Prostate (from NYC part of 'scum rock scene' from late 80's early 90's) called, "Bring Me The Head Of Jerry Garcia"
ReplyDeleteI just ran across the INDEPENDENT obituary of CHARLES M. YOUNG--which mentions IRON PROSTATE, VCMD:
DeleteKicking against Rolling Stone's West Coast leanings, Young was the publication's first champion of punk rock. In August 1977 he flew to London, writing "Rock is Sick and Living in London", a hilarious cover story about the Sex Pistols. Becoming a regular at CBGBs, the Bowery punk club, Young was soon writing definitive articles about the likes of the Ramones, Television and Patti Smith. Always ready to broaden his scope, a reflection of his catholic listening tastes, he would also profile such Rolling Stone staples as Carly Simon, who lived to regret conducting the interview while breastfeeding, Jimmy Page and Jerry Garcia – "Bring Me the Head of Jerry Garcia" was a notable song in the set of his group Iron Prostate, which featured on drums his close friend Timothy White, another Rolling Stone stalwart.
TIMOTHY WHITE was later the editor-in-chief of BILLBOARD Magazine, & both men wrote for MUSICIAN Magazine. However, Discogs doesn't list YOUNG as a member of IRON PROSTATE.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/charles-m-young-rolling-stone-writer-who-was-the-first-to-write-about-the-british-punk-movement-for-an-american-audience-9794650.html
Thanks STINKY!!! I've got IP up now on Discogs. Have been behind on death tribute posts so this definitely counts. Was saddened to hear that Patrick (Jock) O'Donnell from The Bollocks Brothers died late last July 2025 which I missed and only found out by noticing I hadn't seen a post from him on meta for awhile so checked last week. Also, let Kostas post for Country Joe and Josef (Austria) informed me of Quicksilver Messenger Service drummer Greg Elmore died last month. I'll try to post them all soon and keep your comment/email for the post. Thanks again
DeleteToo bad about Jock & Greg!
DeleteWhy thank you VCMD! I'll check out Bring Me The Head Of Jerry Garcia!
ReplyDeleteI've looked high & low for this IMPOTENT SEA SNAKES EP. It may have been a vinyl demo. If memory serves it was five tracks--four originals with obscene titles, and a cover of Martha & The Vandella's HEAT WAVE--to try to get some airplay, 'natch. If only the lead singer hadn't used everyone's favorite F word ten times during the recording of it. You can take the punk out of Florida, but you can't take the punk out of a punk!
I have a sealed copy of their eventual first 1986 release The Impotent Sea Snakes - Too Cool For Rock & Roll, & was glad to be able to download a rip on your excellent blog so I wouldn't have to open it! That blog for the uninitiated is: https://downunderground.blogspot.com/
This must be the EP you've been looking for. Six songs, the last one being their version of "Heat Wave". I do most of my record shopping in the ATL, so if I ever see a copy I will snag it, sterilize it, and send it your way. Sadly, there are none currently for sale on Discogs.
Deletehttps://www.discogs.com/release/3279889-The-Impotent-Sea-Snakes-Too-Cool-For-Rock-Roll
One of the rarest (and most offensive) records that I own is "Love God, Love One Another" by San Francisco band Black Humor. Most copies of this 1982 LP were packaged inside other artists' album sleeves, which were individually defaced with paint, ink, and stickers. Mine is inside the cover of Billy Preston's "Wildest Organ In Town" LP. Some folks have uploaded pictures of their Black Humor albums to Discogs:
Deletehttps://www.discogs.com/release/1119302-Black-Humor-Love-God-Love-One-Another/image/SW1hZ2U6MTk0MzE4NQ==
I used to get a lot of weird records to review when I had a fanzine. Another was "Music For Sick Queers" by the German Shepherds (also from San Francisco).
BLACK HUMOR must have hired a hermit crab to design their cover!
DeleteWhat a great idea way to come up with instantly collectable album art!
That IS the EP, Jon. I've never seen the cover art before! Thanks!
DeleteIdiot Box by The Damned was written about the band Television.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Reech!
DeleteGreat selection Stinky, thanks. Back in the 1970s when I was still living in Holland I often went once or twice a week to a 2hand book seller stand. One day he suddenly had boxes with loads of singles & eps from the 50s & 60s! I browsed quite a bit and one of the records I bought was Joe Meek's I Hear A New World (Part 1) ep for probably 50 cents, which was dirt cheap at that time. Back home I played it once but wasn't impressed at all... Years later after I'd moved to Thailand I sold off my record collection for peanuts (since everybody seemed to be doing that at the same time) and began buying CDs. Again much later I read more about Joe Meek (I didn't know much before about him really) and discovered that this ep was a serious collector's item, oh well...
ReplyDeleteWhat a find, Koen!
DeleteI think every record collector, like every fisherman, has a story about "the one that got away". I still regret parting with a SEALED Japanese pressing of BOWIE's Diamond Dogs (I found in a thrift store) that I sold to help finance a cross-country move!
When I lived in the south, there was a bookstore that had a used record & CD section where I found some great stuff. They used to have a shelf of paperbacks outside their door (but still under their roof) where you could buy books on your honor for fifty cents. I feel like that has to be rarer in the US than in other countries. I've only seen it twice in my travels. There, and outside a bookstore in an airport.
Not really super rare (but I wonder if you can find it) is William Pross & The Gospels 2nd album (that I know of) Gi Grantangi Na Masra. For it's sleeve they took the sleeve of his previous album, turned it inside out and printed the new one on it.
ReplyDeleteI love it. Repurposing cover art is shades of BLACK HUMOR (see above) Richard.
ReplyDeletethis post has me riled up....and I haven't even listened to it yet. Boy, am I MIFFED at everything.....fhis could be your most therapeutic post yet.
ReplyDeleteWe like to think of ourselves as Musical Therapists, Efredd! Thanks for your comment.
DeleteThanks. That XTC song is class.
ReplyDeleteDe nada! XTC almost never disappoints.
Delete