Doctor Phibes Rises Again

Kryst The Conqueror
Deliver Us From Evil
Unreleased

Ok. Oof. This is a rough one. Let's just power through it.

After The Misfits disbanded, Jerry Only and Doyle formed this weird metal band called Kryst The Conqueror. Jeff Scott Soto, at the time known as the guy who sang on the first coupl'a Yngwie Malmsteen records and later as one of the dudes who fronted Journey, did the vocals. The bottom line is, he sucks shit on this record. But until the legal dispute between Danzig and the Caiafa bros was resolved, this was "The Misfits". Once they regained control of the name, they basically found a new singer (drummer Dr. Chud was already on board), and released American Psycho (which, at the risk of losing readers, is a record I love).

They never got around to releasing this, though an EP was released that had some of this stuff on it. The bottom line is that knowing this is two of the guys from The Misfits definitely knocks it down a few pegs. HOWEVER, if it wasn't, this is exactly the sort of dumb shit I'd post on this blog anyway. It's corny metal, full of triumphant melodies and silly dark vocals and lyrics. It's not good, but come on, it's not that bad either.

I think they were trying to be a Christian band too, which is totally wtf.

But hey! Whatever, you know I dig this kind of corniness. And a coupl'a these songs are really similar to stuff The Misfits 2.0 did, particularly "Doctor Phibes Rises Again", of which the opening portion appeared as the opening track for American Psycho, only renamed "The Abominable Dr. Phibes". Come on, you know you want to give this one a try.

Deliver Us From Evil

I've Got Gingivitis

Show Business Giants
Let's Have A Talk With The Dead
1995

Nomeansno guitarist Tom Holliston invites a revolving door of guest musicians to perform in his side-project Show Business Giants. He's released a half-a-dozen records or so, and this record has always been a favorite of mine. Style-wise, it's a mish-mash of punk, lounge, faux-cock-rock, goofy folk, and just all kinds of other oddball weirdness. And it's really funny, too, particularly "Sound Check" and "The Other Side of Mr. Sulu". If you're a fan of Nomeansno, you should definitely hear this, as you can definitely tell it's one of the same dudes, and and the other two guys play on here too.

Also, I just realized this is the second Nomeansno side project I've posted, which probably makes me look like some Nomeansno superfan, but I'm actually not. I've got a coupl'a their records, but but you know, that's it.

Let's Have A Talk With The Dead

About the links

Sendspace drops a file after 30 days w/ no downloads, so most of the files here are gonna expire after a coupl'a months. I'm gonna be going through all the old posts and re-uploading stuff and replacing the links, but if there's something you want and it's gone, just shoot me an e-mail and I'll get on it. I just replaced the link for The Oswalds Don't Panic! 7".

I may switch to mediafire instead of sendspace. They're supposed to be pretty good, right?

Snot Nose Brat

Tone Deaf Pig-Dogs/No Class
Saved By The Bail
1996

I still haven't bothered to learn how to use my scanner, so that live shot of The Tone Deaf Pig-Dogs up there will have to stand in for the actual cover of this split disc. TDPG were another of the local Atlanta bands tearing shit up in the mid-90s (see this post). They were like a sponge, constantly absorbing members of other bands (members of A Quart Low [who morphed into The Oswalds], Smedley and the Space Cadets, and Round Ear Spock all played in this band at one point or another), but their sound wasn't as new-school or pop-punk as any of the bands they borrowed members from. Fairly straight-forward punk with a nod towards 50s rock and greaser attitude is what you get here. Singer Mike Nickerson's snotty snarl always puts a smile on my face.

Two of the members of this band, Nickerson and bassist Dom Totino, currently play together in a really good jangly rock band called The Letmedowns, but more importantly they've resurrected the Pig-Dogs name for a reunion show this Thursday, September 10th, at Lenny's in Atlanta. Rounding out the lineup for this reunion are Elliot Goff, who I think played in 12 Ounces at one point, and Keefe Justice, who played with The Close, played with The Oswalds for at least one of their reunion shows back in the late 90s, and has been in a slew of other bands, including Minced Oath and Das Assjugend, both with me. So if you're in the Atlanta area, for pete's sake come out and check this one out. It'll be a fun old-school time.

Oh, and of course this is a split disc with No Class, who I believe were from Alabama. I'm not going to lie; I don't think I've ever listened to their half of the disc. That's not a slight on them or anything. I've just never gotten around to it. Let me know if it's any good.

Saved By The Bail

The Stonecutter

Flux
Uncarved Block
1987

When the American punk bands of the late 70s and 80s got a few albums into their careers, they tended to start noodling with heavy metal. When British punk bands of the late 70s and 80s got a few albums into their careers, they started going into all weirdo tribal dance music. Consider Flux of Pink Indians, whose debut, Strive to Survive Causing the Least Suffering Possible is a prime piece of anarcho-punk, and whose sophomore album, The Fucking Cunts Treat Us Like Pricks is just about the most chaotic, noisiest punk record I've ever heard. By 1987, though, they'd shortened their name, toned down their message, and started beating on bongos and pots and pans and stuff. This was their last album, but not because it blows or anything, though I'm not sure how their fans (all 15 of them) took this shift in style. I dig it, anyway.

Uncarved Block