U-BOATS -- Government Rip Off

Crow Records -- Tampa -- 1982

Government Ripoff

Break Out Tonight

Mike Nelson -- vocals

Jay Jetmore -- guitar

Bob Widenhofer -- bass

Hitler -- drums

The charming German motif (there's both a Hitler and a Widenhofer in this band) fills out this 1982 throwaway classic outta Tampa. However, their teutonic rhythm section was ditched for the U-Boat second 7". They have an LP still later but I've never heard it.

Both songs here are solid hardcore-informed midtempo punk. The stand-out track here is "Break Out Tonight" which they brazenly annexed from the equally obscure Commandos from Massachusetts who had originally titled the track "Stay Out Tonight" on their first 1978 7". There is no indication the song is a cover and given that they changed the words and name, the U-Boats clearly intended to steal it. Yes, that's right, this is a genuine punk rock record. The chorus of the A-side, "We're all into anarchy, the government's ripping off me," confirms it.

Widenhofer, also known as Bobby Skullfucker, also played in Tampa's Jehovah's Sicknesses if memory serves. He later moved to Austin, Texas, and played with the Convulsions in the 1990s.

THE FRONT – Aluminum Room / Poor People 7”

Foam Records – Miami (1982)

(Presumably)

Greg McLaughlin

Larry Hill

Steve Myers

Randy Rush

Flynn Picardal

Ackk!!! What happened? A severe 1-year decline from their great first single. Aluminum Room is dull new wave with no edge to it at all – and it sucks. Poor People may be worse. Being un-PC over quirky punk (Immigration Report) is one thing, extending said un-PC-ness over faux ska is another altogether. The band looks truly demented on the back cover photos – a minor plus.

FUTURISK – Player Piano 7”EP

Clark Humphrey Records – Deerfield Beach (1982)

Poison Ivy

Meteoright

Push Me Pull You (Part two)

Lonely Streets

Split Second

Richard Hess – Synthesizer

Jack Howard – Drums & Synthdrums

E. Jeremy Kolosine – vocals & synthesizers

Somewhat of a letdown after their first single. Not terrible – just not especially good. A slightly more commercial new wave sound crept in and the interesting or creepy bits are equally matched with dull and fruity moments. I suppose the vocals annoy me the most - I'm ok with the synths. One must remember that in 1982 bands like this were really blazing new paths in music. Sometimes they just took a wrong turn. Push Me Pull You (Pt 2) is probably the best song here, due in part to its instrumental nature.

SPANISH DOGS – Don’t Sweat the Petty Things

Rasta Dog Records – Ft. Lauderdale (1982)

Mike Kennedy – vocals, guitar, piano

Ruby Cadillac – vocals, guitar

Mike Chatham – bass

Pete Moss – drums

Norman Titcomb – keyboards

Jaco Jacovino – keyboards

Do You Believe

Your Daughter

1990

Atomic Shockwaves

Oh

I can sort of appreciate what they’re trying to do here – but this record winds up hit or miss with more misses than hits. Every song is totally different than the next one. Being eclectic is ok, but….here you get white-guy reggae, Cichlidy power pop, futuristic rock and periodic dreariness. Pete Moss was a beast of a drummer but is under-utilized here. Best parts are 1990 and the guitar on Oh- an otherwise dreary song. Your daughter (is a slut) has funny lyrics, but is annoying at the same time.

VOODOO IDOLS – We dig Nixon / Dead Air 7”

VeeDee Records – Tampa (1982)

Butchie Necropolis – guitar

Hughie Whoopie – drums

Johnny Yen – vocals

Vah Metz – bass

Merlo – sax

Second single by these Cramps fans. I much prefer the first single, but this one is more sought-after by record collectors. Fuck You, We Dig Nixon is the better song. I doubt there’s any truth to the rumor that Richard Nixon was listening to this on his deathbed, but it is a spirited (possibly sincere) defense of our former president. Dead Air is a song about some radio show or station in the Tampa area. People used to get worked up about the radio back then.

TRIPLE XXX GIRLS – 7” EP

Red Hair Records – Tampa (1982)

Telefliction

Kissy Kissy

Another Day

Cowboy Dread

Mike Knapp – vocals, horn

Dorsey Martin – guitar

Sean Moore – drums

Frank Poole – bass

Heinous cover! This might be the crappiest/ creepiest cover in FLA history. Anyway – to their credit or detriment, these guys don’t look too comfortable on the back cover. They’re no doubt thinking – “if mom comes home it’ll be bad – if dad comes home – FUCKKKK”. We’ll blame the early 80’s and Tampa for their “look”. Otherwise, this record is pretty fukkin awful bad new wave glam glop. The goofy ass singing leaves no hope for redemption. There is some “shredding” guitar from Dorsey Martin – who later joined the far more manly band – the Pink Lincolns. At least one more 7” and 12” exist from these goofballs.

BREATHERS – 7” EP

Hivariety Records – Ft.Lauderdale (1982)

Did You Think

Don’t it make you feel

Fallen In Love Again

Hoze Fleming – guitar

Rick Harper – bass vocal guitar

Erich Overhultz – piano organ

GT Staley – drums

Talk about pandering to the lowest common denominator – if you don’t enjoy breathing – you’re very unlikely to buy this record. This record had two labels – one in Ft Lauderdale – one in Hamburg Germany and two dates 1982 and 1987. This definitely was not recorded in 1987. Given the mustaches on the back cover, you can tell these dudes had a lot of good dope. I was mistakenly hoping for some kind of Krautrock – like Can or Faust – but no. Did You Think is on “The Land that Time Forgot” compilation and is a pretty good song in a Beatles-type of way. The other two songs are not good and not bad, also in a Beatles / 70’s rock kind of way. I believe another 7” and an LP were released by these folks. The drummer was in NRBQ which may mean something to someone.