STEVIE STILETTO AND THE SWITCHBLADES – It’s a Bogus Life 7”

Razor Records – Jacksonville (1985)

A.O.T.

Just Go Away

Running People Over

Party Dog

Lets Blow this Taco Stand

It’s a Bogus Life

Ray Rae – vocals

Thommy Berlin – guitar

Butler – bass

Rob Akkkkk – drums

Probably the best thing ever from Jacksonville (some Allman Bros and Lynryd Skynyrd possibly excepted). Rather than sitting and sulking in the land of “let’s make the whole dang county into our city – so we can be the biggest” (surprised Texas never thought of this), SSSB made this fine record and more to follow. True to the credo of most Florida punk rock, these guys are not totally serious. Over the course of six songs, we’re treated to near-HC speed songs and slower 50’s, 60’s melodic influences – all memorable and more than competently played. AOT is about as good a hateful punk rock song as I can imagine at the moment. Just Go Away veers toward a commercial new wave sound, but is well written and another stand-out. Running People Over starts with a Gary Numan snippet and winds up stop-start HC concerning running people over. Party Dog is an up-tempo 50’s style rock song. Taco Stand is back to HC and bile. Bogus Life is a statement of the obvious that pretty much sums up the previous five songs. Had they put this out a couple years earlier, collector types would be frothing over it. 1985 gets no respect.

CROWSDELL – Down / Bubbles 7”

Figurehead – Jacksonville (1992)

Laurie Wall – drums

Paul Croasdell – bass

Shannon Wright – guitar, vocals

Indie rock trio from fukkin Jacksonville. This is quite a nice single – not as good (or as punk rock) as Scrawl or Vomit Launch, but close. This is the 12^th release from Orlando’s Figurehead label. They probably had to travel to Orlando or Gainesville for shows to escape the distopia that is Jacksonville. You can’t go wrong when you decorate your record sleeve with a fish. Shannon Wright now records solo for Touch and Go.