Dear Friends,
The trouble with the human brain is there is no off switch.
The trouble with another thought is you have to find a place for it.
The trouble with syntax is the pressure it creates.
*****
It was a lovely celebration yesterday. Fun was had and it was great to spend time with family and friends. We kept it small, but the kids invited their people over. What an interesting and incredible group of young people.
I also got to cut tile for the first time in years and damn, it’s not just some story I tell about myself. I really do like doing it. It’s therapeutic. More cuts today.
*****
I picked up a copy of More Coffee For The Politicians in 1985. It is a Placebo Records compilation and as much as I love the other two comps (Amuck and This is Phoenix, Not the Circle Jerks), More Coffee For The Politicians always kind of seemed like ‘my’ comp. It’s the first one I bought when it came out.
As an adult, it still seems like ‘the’ Placebo comp for me. I think the reason why is that I have a direct connection of one sort or another to members of every band featured on the comp. The music was created by people I am now on a first name basis with or have become friends of mine. I also happen to love it.
I wanted to write about More Coffee For The Politicians now because of the death of Michael “Bam Bam” Sversvold. His drumming on The Harvest’ song, “Under Your Spell” is as good as he ever sounded on wax, and everyone should know this song. I dig a lot of the songs on this comp, but “Under Your Spell” is fucking great.
It’s quintessential Sversvold. He did this little floor tom part in the beginning where he counts out for on it that has been winning me over for almost forty years. I also got to see The Harvest a number of times and they were amazing. I knew Bam was a good drummer but seeing him with The Harvest really made my appreciation for him grow.
This was a pretty magical time in Phoenix underground music history.
“Julie’s Song” by JFA is pretty bitchin’ and “Caravan” by Sun City Girls is top notch. I’d like it much better everyone knew about “Caravan. The Girls were in fine form here.
The Mighty Sphincter track, “Furious Curse” is a combination of scary and comical. They were doing their level best to be both, I think. When the ONS track, “Tip Toe Through My Two Lips” is also another favorite of mine. At one point I leaned the riff on my bass.
Zany Guys offer up “Ball Room Bilitz” and it is totally rockin’, too. Bootbeast Carnival featured my friend, Jim, on vocals and I was so in love with that band in those days. I love having a copy of it.
A couple of sleeper hits: “Icons” by Kill Everyone and “Monks Hood” by Maybe Mental are also great. To be honest, there is not a bad track on the record. Gotta love them all. I listened to it back-to-back yesterday because it is so damn good.
One of the best things about More Coffee For The Politicians is the pace with which It moves. You are listening to 15 different bands, but a few songs here and there really resemble each other
The Dirt Clods’ “Living On the Edge” a great example of what Vince Bocchini could do. I miss that guy, too. I bet he and Bam have a band going right now. The Keening track, “Just A Man” is also fantastic.
You can listen to this on YouTube if you don’t have a copy for yourself. You can also order one on Discogs. There are 17 available right now.
Long live the energy on this record.
*****
See you tomorrow.
What's a monk to do?
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