ABBREVIATED CEILING -D.W.I. // EP (Fountain of Youth 010) D.C. '81: Abbreviated Ceiling played the 1980 Unheard Music festival (Minor Threat's second gig) and plenty more around the D.C. scene, though they'd broken up long before Fountain of Youth released their 4-song 12" (where they're backed by Tommy from Black Market Baby). Guitar/vox Kendall Reed: " 'DWI' was composed -I swear this is true- in the drunk tank of the Fairfax County jail after I got picked up leaving a Black Market Baby show, Halloween 1980. The chord progression is an alphabetic substitution code for the letters D-W-I -in the Fairfax tank, you have to make your own fun!" Kendall went on to Please Between, while partner, bassist/vocalist (and photographer) Charles Steck joined the Velvet Monkeys [see Homework #103].

ABSENTEES -Kick Her // Long Beach, CA '81 demo: from Illegal Listening Device CD: The Absentees raved and ranted outta Long Beach from 1978 to '82. And most of what Rocco was raving about was this girl named Mary who used to sing with the band when they were called the Absentee Concept. Though it's been unreleased until now, "Kick Her" was their signature tune and set-closer, and the lyrics are, in a word, reprehensible. This and 36 similar sparkling gems appear on "Illegal Listening Device," available from Artifix Records.

ABUSE -Cheerleader 2:26 (Thrash Records) Detroit '84: Up in Detroit, Abuse seems to have pissed off the old-timers with their occasionally heavymetal chops and nobody bought their fine (if only accidentally) punkthrash 45, "Cheerleader." (They're no relation to the Kansas combo.) More info soon.

ACTIVE DOG -Rat Race 1:58 (Can own label) Vancouver '79: Vancouver's Active Dog took their name from an obit for Skippy (pictured on their sleeve). Just one 45 and a compilation cut before three of them become Los Popularos (whose wonderful Zulu retrospective CD seems sadly out-of-print). Others played in the Modernettes, Pointed Sticks, Antheads++. News of further exploits and additional info [was] at the Active Dog website.

ADRENALIN OD -Suburbia 1:24 (Buy Our Records [001]) NJ '83: Adrenalin OD contribute yet another popcore anthem: "Suburbia" from their sublimely bratty 1983 debut, Let's Barbecue. But what we like best about them is the back-masked "satanic message" on their first LP. Keep up to date at myspace.com/adrenalinod

ALCOHOLICS -Kids in my Neighborhood 1:52 // EP (Overindulged #3) L.A. '80: The Alcoholics' EP is another L.A. one-shot that no one paid attention to at the time... Two great punkers, including "Kids in My Neighborhood," plus some cool looser, weirder stuff (see Homework #104) and a full LP coming on Rave Up called "Early South Bay Punk." Their politics were of the super-earnest Dils variety, which even the Kinmans were abandoning by late 1980...

WILLIE ALEXANDER -Dirty Eddie 2:36 (Somor) Boston '78 third 45: Willie Alexander's first three or four singles belong in EVERY respectable punk collection, but his unique sound continues to stymie KBD 3-chord luddites. He started off, of course, in the Lost, a brilliant sixties garagepunk band (now available on Arf Arf), and later skulked around with the Doug Yule-led version of the Velvet Underground before the Boom Boom Band. The complete indie recordings of the Boom Boom Band are reissued on CD (including "Dirty Eddie") which you can (and should) buy from Willie at williealexander.com

ALIENATION -Palestine 4:03 (Alienation) San Francisco '81: Everyone in San Francisco knew Naomi Ruth Eisenberg as the ace violinist for Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks. She'd fiddled for dozens of other famous folks and she'd also hung out with Little Roger and Dickie Bright on their Oakland-based novelties. But here she is, fronting a punk band called Alienation. The name proved prophetic, however, and after another short-lived band, Naomi Vice [gotta hear it!], Naomi gave up on the new wave. Lately she's been getting together with Mike Wilhelm from the old, old days...

AMBIENT NOISE -I Was There at the Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Glimm 001) NY '80: Ambient Noise recorded "(I was there at the) Texas Chainsaw Massacre" as a studio one-off: it was their only release. (They were from Albany, Corning, Brooklyn? and Connecticut: Bill Groome was pre-Minor Characters.)

AMPS -Suicide Note (Faster-Fidelity 001) Millwood, NY '82: The Amps came to the punk scene a little late (1982), but Chris Cush and Richard Simis had been huge music fans growing up in the 70s, and if their record collections were a little heavier on the UK stuff than some of their peers they still hit all the right notes on "Suicide"... Chris' guitar work turns up all over the planet, but most days you'll find him at Mojo Guitars on St. Mark's Place. Flipside's on Homework #104.

ANTISEEN -She's Part of the Scene // Drastic EP (Death Train) Charlotte NC '85: Antiseen roared out of North Crawlina in 1985 and they’ve gotten louder ever since. “Part of the Scene” comes from their debut 7”, Drastic. ANTiSEEN.com will take you to some VERY interesting places...

ARTHUR'S DILEMMA -Up To You (Cuntagious 9-28-78) NYC '78 first: Arthur's Dilemma WERE the original punk scene in Montreal --until limey import/madman Arthur May split for NYC and formed a new version of the Dilemma. Band #2 cut two fine trashpunk 45s before Arthur got chased back to Blighty by the INS. Geoff and Mamie from the NYC band also played in Peroxide, Lyn Todd's band, Alter Ego [Teenline #8], and anchored the underappreciated Now (a sure bet for Teenline #115 or so). Bytheway, King Arthur's dilemma involved eliminating his daughter's suitors by counting them alternately "You are banished" and "You can stay" until there was only one left. Kinda depleted the ranks of his supporters, however... www.geoffdanielik.com for more.

BABYLON DANCE BAND -Remains Of The Beat 1:45 (own label) Louisville, KY '81: Louisville's Babylon Dance Band are another non-punk crew, but this time the Wipers seem the nearest point of reference. They recorded one comp track and a handful of other tunes ([re]issued on Trash Flow c.1990), then changed their name to Antietam, who enjoyed greater alt-rock success on Homestead, etc.

[Backstabbers --see the Contenders]

BAND 19 -My Heart's for You // Radiobeat Studios, Boston '83 unreleased: Band 19 were Richie Parson's ex-Unnatural Axe, ex-Gremmies, ex-Future Dads band. The name comes from the the four of them counted up 18 previous bands, including the Mighty Ions, Thrills, and a buncha others. "My Heart" (recorded at Radiobeat in 1984) was a grand throwback to the '70s Rat-rock sounds of the Nervous Eaters and the Boom Boom Band, but for reasons unknown it never made it into circulation.

JIM BASNIGHT -She Got Fucked 1:00 (Precedent 1000) Portland, OR '77 first: With or without the Moberlys, Jim Basnight's been the elder statesman of the Seattle scene for years, and nobody'd ever mistake him for a punk. But the B-side of his first 45 from 1978, well it's one full minute of the most magnificent ur-punk / fake-punk ever spewed. JimBasnight.com. 

BEEX -He Obliterates Me 3:13 (Wasp 17) D.C. '80 first
BEEX -Butch 2:35 (Zero Degree 002) D.C. '81 second
BEEX -Black Boots //12" (Zero Degrees 006) Richmond VA/D.C. '86
The Beex (pronounced "Beaks") released "Obliterates" -their first- on D.C.'s Wasp records, but they were a long-running Richmond punk combo. "Butch" is from their second, and there's a third, released as an excellent 1986 12". Christine Gibson is ex-Barriers [though not on their EP: H2D#42]; others are ex-Lamour and X-Breed.

BEN WAH TORPEDOS -Debbie's Like London 3:28 (Dead Stan UR2951) Phila. '81: The Ben Wah Torpedos came from Philadelphia, which might at least partially explain the musical identity crisis on display in "Debbie's a Lot Like London." Don't ask us to explain the lyrics, but subtract the college-boy convolutions and it's probably really smart. Great second-generation UK mod-punk anyway...

BENEDICT ARNOLD & the Traitors -Kill the Hostages 1:31 (Putrid RO001) L.A. '80?
BENEDICT ARNOLD & the Traitors -Damaged 1:38 (Veracious) L.A. '82
Not everyone jumped on the Ayatollah-bashing bandwagon in late 1980. Indeed, Benedict Arnold & the Traitors (daringly-named!) positively gloated over America's corporate humiliation at the hands of the mullahs and university students of Tehran. "Kill the Hostages" (rhyming with "make them into sausages") is from their very scarce first. "Damaged" comes from their somewhat more common second, which is punkier and not quite as in-your-face: there's a repackage of all this and more early material available through MP3.com and the Benedict Arnold website.

JOHN BERENZY GROUP -Vice Verses 4:41 (3rd Rail Records) NYC '78:
John Berenzy hit the NYC scene well before his band, 20/20 started playing CBGB's in 1977. (There's a 1974 cut with him and Danny Kalb somewhere on a 3-LP set Columbia did called The Guitar Project.) Not long after they pressed up "Vice Verses" the California 20/20 demanded a name change, so the singles all come with a "John Berenzy Band" sticker on the cover. He's recently released a 14-song retrospective called Votive Light on Laughing Buddha Records, and did a really handsome re-mix of "Vice Verses" that appeared with a different flipside in 1999. But the original is, well noisier.

BLACK MARKET BABY -Youth Crimes 2:33 (Limp 035) D.C. '81
BLACK MARKET BABY -White Boy Funeral // Senseless Offerings LP (F.O.Y. 03) D.C. '83
BLACK MARKET BABY -Nothing Lasts Forever-Drunk & Disorderly // from unreleased second LP D.C. '83
The A-side of Black Market Baby's first single is such a classic that almost no-one paid any attention to the excellent flip, "Youth Crime." They did a fine 1983 LP [with "White Boy Funeral"], an unreleased second LP produced by Ian McKaye [whence "Nothing Lasts Forever" and their cover of the Shirkers "Drunk & Disorderly"], several comp tracks and posthumous 45s should all be getting reissued sometime before GWB leaves D.C. Tommy Carr's new band is Morpheus.

Bob Blackburn did time in Seattle's Colorplates and Adults [Homework #9 & 10] before soloing with "Black Leather" --a great time-warped 1983 chunk of hippie/Iggy-punk: prankstersproductions.com has a handsome MP3 retrospective of Blackburn's solo material online, plus songs by his bands Colorplates and Liquid Generation.

BLISTERS -Fast Food 2:07 (Silent Thunder 101) NJ '87 first: New Jersey's Blisters added early Descendants to the mix and sprang their astonishing debut, "Fast Food," on the masses. Actually, hardly anyone heard it (including fans of their extensive later careers), but hopefully this'll help bring them more of the adoration they deserve. (The Blisters' website used to feature an extremely entertaining diary of their early days, but until they get it up again, please check out guitarist Dennis Marmon's current band, Zed Never.) 

BOIZE -I Want Sex // Live at the Rat comp 2LP (Rat Records 528) Boston '76: The Boize contributed a couple choice proto-punkers to 1975's Live at the Rat LP, including "I Want Sex." They also backed Marc Thor's first 45, but soon split: Don Randall went on to the Bonjour Aviators and the Classic Ruins, while Rick Coraccio played bass for a late version of DMZ and version #1 (and #20 or so) of the Lyres. Rick's own band the Last Ones have a new LP due in '03.

BRATS -Be a Man 2:50 (Whiplash 101) N.Y.C. '74: Rick Rivet's The Brats were the first ex-Dolls band to hit vinyl in 1975, though they'd been around since '83 (when Kiss once opened for them!). Most of their "If You Can Rock" 45 were marked "promotional", and the scuzzy sound quality is FAR beyond the capacity of H2D's gear to repair, so here's the best of their second single, recorded in 1974, but not released until 1976 on Whiplash [Corpse Grinders, Slugs++]. Pre-Secrets, 'Grinders and Slugs...

BREAKOUTS -All We Wanna Do San Francisco '79
BREAKOUTS -No More // No More EP (Accelerator AC101) San Francisco '83
BREAKOUTS -Join Me Don't Join Me // No More EP (Accelerator AC101) S.F. '83
From 1980, The Breakouts' "All We Wanna Do" is another underrated sophomore effort, though it's not quite on the same level as their San Francisco '79 debut, "In Vagueness Deal"/"Millirems." They handled the shift from punk to hardcore as skillfully and tunefully as any, but soon after their self-financed 12", changing tastes and chronic drummer-trouble did them in. (Their final traps-man got hauled away by the INS.) Guitarist Danny Roman most recently teamed up with Gary Floyd [Dicks, Sister Double Happiness] in Blackalima. There's some hope that 2003 may see a full CD reissue...

BROKEN TALENT -My God Can Beat Up Your God 1:52 (T.P.O.S. #1) Florida '84: Broken Talent came in at the tag end of the amazing Florida trashpunk scene, but like many of their peers, they saw the future and it was New York. Or Danbury, the industrial western extremity of Connecticut, where leader Malcolm Tent pitched his tent after Broken Talent broke up. Of course he's pre-Bunny Brains and a hundred other musical (and not so musical) projects. "My God can beat up your GodYour God can suck on MY cock" is seminal lo-fi punk, and maybe the definitive punk take on matters theological... Malcolm's talent is still proliferating at the Trash American Style website.

BRONCS -Tele-k-Killing 1:06 (Terminal 3) Cleveland '80: Cleveland's Broncs were ex-AK-47 and pre-Faith Academy: Tim Allee had also played with the Pagans; Keith/Lair Matic added the Medusa Cranks, Offbeats, Witch Hunters - and Rand Primos' first job was at the print-shop that did CLE Magazine #1. (More recently he helped "Cheese" Borger set up the CLEpunk.com website.) They crank out a terrific 66 seconds of Unnatural Axe-style punk raving on their only EP. (Another, longer piece adorns Homework #104.)

BURNING BIBLES -Johnny & the Jets // Mandatory Music comp LP (Tremor) Detroit '81: Cinecyde were kind enough to lift the 20-year veil of secrecy from the Burning Bibles, known hitherto only from their sole track on the Mandatory Music compilation. And what a supergroup they were! It's Mike Murphy [Hysteric Narcotics, Boners], Mark Norton [Ramrods, The 27]. Jerry Vile [Boners], Dave Hanna [Ramrods], Steve King [Pigs, Rushalow-King, Eminem's engineer] plus Jim, Gary Reichel and Rodger Wesch from Cinecyde.

BURNT -Luftwaffe 2:06 // The M.P. EP (Mutha 010) NJ '83: The Burnt were Mutha Records #10, and they're a classic example of the 'Jersey thug-core thrash that should have made Mark Chesley famous. They went on to the worthwhile Headache label (and a couple of'em enjoyed somewhat greater success as The Wretched Ones). Don't read anything but fuck-off thuggery into the perfectly stupid lyrics of "Luftwaffe."

CANDY APPLE -Stargazer 2:44 (Shake It 003) New Jersey '80: Candy Apple were three Jersey girls who skipped a lot of school and learned to play on the fly (actually Myqui had some prior experience on guitar), but that didn't stop them from rockin' out all over the NYC scene through their 5-year career. At the 1980 Democratic Convention bash at the Ritz, the word was Candy Apple was the Kennedy kids' strong favorite... They recorded a heap of material over the years, but only 1980's "Stargazer" 45 made it to vinyl... Bassist Lauren still plays it once in a while on her shift at NJ101.5.

CANNIBAL -Tryin 2:51 (own label) Vancouver '84: Back in 1983? Seattle's Mudsharks got a new drummer and added Loud Fart from the Fartz on guitar to become Cannibal. Rick and Johnny joined [ex-Bootboys and pre-Berzerker] and that's about where the Cannibals 45 happened. Former Cannibal "Big Al" is now Biff with the Midriffs. Got that?

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT - Betsy Ross 1:48 // We Deliver EP (Thumb) Detroit '77
Capital Punishment didn't have that Detroit sound at all: in fact they sounded like a "normal" '77 punk band from just about anywhere else on the planet. So as a result (not to mention the fact that three of them were only 16 at the time) they had a hard time breaking into Detroit's "punk" marketplace. Gtr/vox Sean Varner is now a big-time video artist working the euro/techno scene. Look for their Son of Sam tune ("Berkowitz Hop") on Homework #105?

CARSICKNESS -What to Do // Shooting Above The Garbage LP (T.M.I. 004) Pittsburgh '80: From the varied (but invariably intense) Pittsburgh scene, Carsickness did two singles, two LPs and some comp tracks. "What to Do" from their "Shooting Above the Garbage" LP is the most traditionally punk thing they did (Carsickness' more typical sounds are on display on Homework #8 & #10). Unfortunately, someone absconded with most of the master-tapes, so th'prospects for that long-rumored Carsickness collection have dimmed. Karl Mullen has continued in the Ploughman's Lunch and solo. (Here's his artwork, too.)

CARTOONS -Who Cares 2:41 (CPI) Yonkers/N.Y.C. '81: The Cartoons appeared at all the right clubs, and opened for Joan Jett, the Go-Gos, the Shirts, and the Professionals: they even played the opening of the Great Rock'n'Roll Swindle. So why has hardly anyone heard of them? Well, they played impossibly out-of-fashion '77-style punk in 1981 New York City... which was -and remains- the easiest place on the planet for bands to disappear in.

CHAINSAW -Polaride Pictures 2:55 (CIA 10001) L.A. '78: Mr. Twister (vox) and Donnie Alvarado (gtr) first hit vinyl with prodigiously over-hyped proto-glamsters Christopher Milk in 1971, although Mr. T. had played for a far larger audience at the age of 4 on Ted Mack's Original Amateur Hour. They lost the rock-crit and the fey pose but kept the flashy clothes for Chainsaw, who debuted in 1978. After roaring through "Polaroid Pictures" [now we can spell it right] on their one and only 45, they headed for (!) Nashville, where one has to assume they were an, um, unique attraction. Check out their full-length LP on Rave Up.

CHEETAH CHROME -Still Wanna Die 2:08 (Ork NYC5) N.Y.C. '79: Cleveland's Dead Boys were famous for breaking up at the drop of an amp, but guitarist Cheetah Chrome was the first to leave the band for keeps. He recorded the brilliant "Still Wanna Die" 45 for New York's legendary Ork label in '79, but the mix was muddy and the cover artwork inscrutable. Fortunately for his fans his stated ambition remained unrealized, and as of 2001 Cheetah's got a new live CD out on Detroit Underground, Inc (a/k/a D.U.I.).

CHRONIC SICK -Crotch Rot 2:29 (Mutha 008) N.J. '83: Chronic Sick offer up a first-rate gross-out punker from their exceptionally scarce single (which was preceded by an even rarer 12") on the legendary Mutha label. Check Harry Baggs' Earwax Retro-Fanzine for NJ+HC info as it turns up...

CHRONIC DISORDER -Final Line 2:13 (own label) Connecticut '83 first EP
CHRONIC DISORDER -Leave Us Alone // first LP (Gustav 1004) Hartford, CT '85: Connecticut's Chronic Disorder started off in a state of creative schizophrenia: by their second EP ("Fred") the hardcore contingent was clearly winning, but apart from the (entirely welcome) speed-factor, "Final Line" off their 1983 edition-of-300 debut is raving tradpunk. The 1985 edition of Chronic Disorder were still teenagers --and still a little early for the Connecticut Hardcore scene. The Gustav label [Saucers, Poodle Boys, Bats] pressed up 300 copies of their debut LP with silk-screened covers that Jason made in art class: "Leave Us" is the token "slow tune." Vocalist Spit Respectable (Jason Nottingham) is now in 6fg via ThiCK aS THiEVES: Chuck Dube went on to the Dispossessed, and he's got a solo CD called "Long Walks off a Short Pier." Two others joined Big Gulp. (See Chronic Disorder's online discography.)

CINECYDE -Phosphorus & Napalm 2:48// Positive Action EP (Tremor 005) Detroit '79
CINECYDE -Don't Come Cryin To Me // I Left My Heart in Detroit City (Tremor 104) Detroit '80: You could argue that Detroit was a place where '77 punk never really needed to happen, since it -or something just as loud- had been there all along. The important distinction between Detroit bands and "regular" punk -dating back to James Williamson, Dick Wagner and beyond- is that the songs are all, fundamentally, about GUITAR. Great front-men? Sure. But how do you know it's Detroit? The riffs. (This applies to most Australian "punk" as well, thanks to the Detroit exports in Radio Birdman) Cinecyde sported an extraordinary vocalist in Gary Reichel, but their real trademark was Jim Olenski's dense guitar-work: viz. "Phosphorus and Napalm," from their third of four original singles (all out again now on Hate Records CD). Their newest is Magnetic Attraction (2001) and it's brilliant: available through the Cinecyde website (where you'll see that Jim Olenski and partner Carol Schwartz have just updated their trash-culture classic, Cult Flicks & Trash Pics.)

COLD SWEAT -Chain Your Mind 2:34 (Power Voltage 01) locale? '84
From the Bronx, Cold Sweat have recently surfaced with the sad tale of their 10-year trek though the (usually nonexistent) NYC punkmetal scene. They made only 100 copies of their "Chain Your Mind" 45, and gave most of them away. (If you're not crying yet, they hand-made sleeves for the friends they liked best)

COLDCOCK -You're a Mess 3:23 (IDBI / Coldcock) Detroit '79: Coldcock played the mid-70s proto-punk scene in Detroit with the Traitors [Don Was], the Pigs [Eminem/Kid Rock scenester ____] and the Ramrods, who became the 27 [H2D #12], except for Bootsy, their drummer, who joined Coldcock in time for their sole 45. Gerald and Bob are still active with Bootsy & the Lovemasters (lotsa material at MP3.com), and Gerald's also with the Stomp Rockets (ex-Urbations and [!]SRC). Vince did some time with Bob in the Sillies [H2D #2] before getting into big-time management (He orchestrated Moby's '01 world tour).

CLAUDE COMA & THE I.V.'s -Junkman 3:13 (Government 1) San Diego '84: Claude Coma arrived in the San Diego clubs a bit later, but they left behind two LPs, a single, and a flexi (plus a compilation track or two). "Junk Man" came out two years after their first LP, but their sound was just as '78 as ever... Bassist Tom Borg is now with Breaking the Code.

COMMANDOS -Stay Out Tonight 1:42 // split with Crazy Jack (Beast 4) '78 first
COMMANDOS -Too Much Pressure 2:15 // from split with Performers (Beast 6) '79 2nd
COMMANDOS -Martial Law 1:58 // 1980 demo tape: Worcester, MA 1980
COMMANDOS -What Ya Gonna Do // Worcester, MA '80: from forthcoming Rave Up LP
The Commandos weren't around for the Wormtown '78 LP, but they appeared on two split EPs on Beast: first with Crazy Jack and again with the Performers. Their lead track here, "Martial Law," comes from an unreleased 1980 demo; "Too Much Pressure" is from the second EP, and wrapping things up is "Stay Our Tonight" from their debut 7". H2D fans will recognize the latter as the same song as "Break Out Tonight" [H2D #12] -purportedly by the U-Boats (who turn out to have been rather inspired borrowers of obscure punk gems --more on this sideline shortly!). Commandos join the Rave Up roster early in '03...and Commandos guitarist Jeff Crane's current projects the Ballbusters and the Crybabies are on Vicious Kitten and Dino Records, respectively. Watch wormtown.org for Worcester scene news...

COMMANDOS -Weekend Warrior // Big Hits of the Mid-America Vol. 3 2LP compilation (Twin Tone 7907/8) Minneapolis '79: When people start talking about what was the first American punk LP, the Suicide Commandos "Make a Record" LP is usually mentioned. By 1978 they'd already broken up, but the Commandos re-formed to record three songs for TwinTone's Big Hits of Mid-America Vol. 3. The Steve Almaas song is on Teenline #8, the Chris Osgood song is now a Target commercial (there's also a live version on H2D#22), and here's Dave Ahl's ode to the Army Reserve, "Weekend Warrior." Hopes still linger for a definitive Commandos collection...

CONTENDERS -Never Above Suspicion // live at Jed's, New Orleans: early '79
BACKSTABBERS -I Got All The Girls (Got You Runnin') // New Orleans '76 demo: Apart from two songs each on the N.O. Experience Necessary compilation, the Backstabbers and the Contenders committed nothing further to vinyl, despite their ample claims to New Orleans punk supremacy. Fortunately Rave Up has redressed that injustice with a split LP called Live in the Big Sleazy. "Girls" is a spiffed-up remix of an amazing 1976 demo that also appears there, while the Contenders' "Never Above Suspicion" is live in '79, and completely unreleased. More from each may appear in 2003. The link between the bands, btw, is Brad Orgeron, who's the singer on both tunes. After the Contenders broke up, Brad went on to Aces 88 and played guitar for the final version of the Next.

CONVICTED -Kidnapped 1:24 (CVT 8301) Orange County '83: The Adolescents cast a long shadow in '80s Orange County, but huge hooks and flashy guitar-work suited The Convicted just fine. Shortly after their only EP their rhythm section split to form Corruption, while Rick and Mark assembled another Convicted, then Rick landed in Motherfist.

CORPSE GRINDERS -Rites, 4 Whites 2:26 (Whiplash 102) N.Y.C. '78?
The Corpse Grinders, on the other hand, are perhaps the most well-documented band here. "Rites 4, Whites" is about being the only white guy at the unemployment office: some of the lyrics are regrettable, but y'gotta commend'em for fessing up. This version of the band features Rick Rivets [N.Y. Dolls, Brats, Slugs], Arthur Kane [Dolls, Killer Kane] & another old-timer, Stu Wylder. 2002 should see a comprehensive Corpse Grinders [two words, please, as in the '70s horror flick] reissue on Rave Up with all their Whiplash-era recordings.

CRAP DETECTORS -Intellectual Morons // Superficial World LP (Permanent Press) NE '80: The Crap Detectors were the DIY king[s] of Lincoln, Nebraska. Across fourteen records, it's all basically Jim Jacobi and whatever pals happened to be handy when he sat down to play. "Intellectual Moron" was the closest he came to straight punk: it's from "Superficial World," Jim's second LP (and the first with a conventional band). The best of the Crap Detectors/Jim Jacobi/Joe Jakimbi is out now on a CD called "Crap Circles", available through the Crap Detectors/Jim Jacobi website.

CRASH KILLS FIVE -Special School 1:56 (Can. WRC3-1250) Toronto '80: "Special School" is the second track we've featured from the terrific Crash Kills 5 EP (see Teenline #106? for the other). They scrambled round the scene and opened a lot for the Demics, but Donald Pyle and the late, great Reid "O'Matic" Diamond found far greater fame as Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet (with a mess of other bands before and inbetween). See the Shadowy Men website.

CRAZY JACK & the HEART ATTACKS -Smash Glass 2:41 [demo tape] Worcester 1978
CRAZY JACK & the AUTOMATICS -"21" 2:30 // split EP with the Commandos (Beast 4) Worcester '78
In the late '70s, Worcester, Mass. was a city in deep, deep trouble, and the future looked even bleaker. The upside was that used guitars and practice- and performance-space were plentiful and cheap. A great college radio station and a couple folks who'd heard the Sex Pistols were all it took to launch America's purest punkscene [see wormtown.org!] and, fortunately, Bob Peters' Beast label caught it [almost] all on tape. Along with Bob's own Blue Moon Band and early/mid-70s proto-punks Hooker [H2D #31], Crazy Jack and the Heart Attacks were the most potent force on the early Wormtown stage. Mike Rizzuti [="Jack"], was, well, a madman, and not a bit of it was pose. Trust us -these two songs represent Crazy Jack at their very tamest. "21" comes from the split single with the Commandos: it's the second version of the band as the Automatics, with Steve Aquino, who co-wrote the song, on guitar. Steve went on to the Odds and recently, of course, has anchored the longest-running "permanent" version of the Lyres (8 years!). "Smash Glass" comes from a painstakingly-repaired and edited demo-tape (thanks to Preston and Jason Litchfield for digging it up). This is the original Crazy Jack & the Heart Attacks, with THE Wormtown guitar-hero, Preston Wayne, on guitar (pre-Odds, ex-DMZ & Hooker). From the later-80s onward, Preston's main gig was the Time Beings and now, the Preston Wayne 4, who have several CDs between them on Dino (dinorecords.com).

CREWD -Every Mother's Dream // Gather 'Round EP (Bemisbrain 139) L.A. '83: The Crewd put out a one-sided 12" with a handsomely etched B-side -on the same Bemis Brain label that brought you Modern Warfare and the wonderful Hell Comes to Your House comp. They all used pseudonyms, but drummer Larry "Cloey?" Torres played in the original Absentees [q.v.].

PAGE CROFT -Naughty Bits 1:38 // Dragons EP (Alien 1918) Venice, CA '78
Page Croft's "Dragons" EP has long been a favorite bargain-bin surprise for penniless punks, and the surprise is only heightened when you realize that it's pre-paisley psychedelians Skooshny backing her up. On Skooshny's Alien label. David Winogrond has been playing with David Allan & the Arrows since 1994: http://www.skooshny.com * http://www.davieallan.com

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