FLOOR – Loanin /Figbender 7”

Dirge Records – Hialeah (1994)

Steve Brooks

Anthony Vialon

Clint Sutton – drums

Swans crossed with heavy metal – What’s not to like? Future records were not quite as harsh. The bass just kills everything. I would also recommend for pest control purposes at high volumes. Might not rid your home of two legged pests as fast as the Swans though. They lack the supreme pretentiousness of that band. Cover’s awesome – if I was that kid, I’d run – but they stole it from somewhere else. Also printed with biodegradable paper and ink.

JACK OFF JILL – My Cat / Swollen 7”

Rectum Records – Ft. Lauderdale (1994)

Robin Moulder – bass

Tenni Ah-Cha-Cha – drums

Michelle Inhell – guitar

Jessicka – vocals

Jack off Jill were always a joy to see live – they always sounded good, there was always a possibility of flying dildos or whatever, and are runner up of foulest mouthed female Florida band ever (winner is the Smegmettes, of course). I loved their “Children 5 and up” tape, but was a bit disappointed by this one. “My Cat (can eat a whole watermelon)” is kinda stupid – though it does include the line -“I’d fuck him if I could”. “Swollen” is the 90’s formula – mid-speed sweetly sung verse, followed by screaming, faster chorus – then repeat…I’m not sure if this record is produced by pre- or post- big deal Marilyn Manson, who helps give it a big-rock sound. That and fully competent playing keep this from sounding like most of the riot girl bands of the day. Jessicka now fronts Scarling out of L.A., who are quite good.

AGAINST ALL AUTHORITY - Above the Law 7" EP

FAR OUT RECORDS -- Miami (1994)

Danny Lore - bass, vocals
Joe Koontz - guitar, backing vocals
Joey Jewkes - trumpet, backing vocals
Kris King- drums

We Won't Submit
Above the Law
Under Your Authority
Court 22

Beware, all officers of the law. This band is going to bash your brains out with baseball bats (judging by the cover) or at least shout bad words at you in unison (judging by the record). In spite of the trumpet and on-again-off-again ska beats, this is a pretty aggressive guitar record and not at all good-time college boy ska. That is a good thing. No pleas for for racial harmony or manufactured memories of Kingston here, just emerging from trailers and taking on the Metro Dade Police. Fuck you, man!

OVARYDOSE – Growth / Shame, It’s All the Same 7”

Goldentone Records – Gainesville (1994)

Jen Rollins – vocals
Liz Lizard – guitar
Deb Ramone – guitar
Becky Butler – bass
Megan Oxley – drums

Slow, grungy, somewhat unpleasant, menstrual-themed record on deep red vinyl!!!Deb Ramone was a member of Gainesville stalwart punk band - the Mutley Chix. There’s definitely a bitchy complaining angry feel to this record and the songs never speed up much faster than your average Melvins dirge. That’s right- all the beer cans on the front cover are not half full –they are empty and crumpled. Luckily, I like this kind of thing.

RADIOBAGHDAD – 1st (?) 7”

Dick Dog records -Coral Springs (1994)?

Give Up
Stanley Bing
Brutus
Dick Dog

Based on this record’s cover, a relatively recent show and my fading memory, I was expecting this to be total backward ballcap wearin’ slob-punk. In reality, Stanley Bing and Brutus are great punk / post punk with a heavy influence of Fugazi’s better songs. I think their positive aspects started eroding after this record – but another record is in the vault – so we’ll see…Though, if you absolutely have to have a butt smoking a cigarette on your cover – you should go full color – or better yet go back to the drawing board.

THE GROANS -- What to Wear? 7"

LEASH DOG RECORDS -- Orlando (1994)

Happy Birthday 21

Politics of Losing

Nick K -- vocals, guitars

John Guidry -- drums

Ron Trenchmouth -- bass, perc

Darrel Whore -- guitar

This is a poor man's Dream Syndicate with the guy singing, lazy junky music with half-spoke, half-sung vocals, some decent guitarwork, all compressed in the frequency range of the Velvet Underground but without any artistic aspirations. Not bad. "It's a drag growing old," he says.

THE HATE BOMBS -- She's the Girl

Speed-O-Meter -- Orlando (1994)

She's the Girl

Know About You

Dave Ewing -- guitar, lead vocal

Scott Sugiuchi -- bass

Ken Chiodini -- drums, vocal

Mick Crowley -- guitar, vocal, harmonica

The Hate Bombs turned into one of the best 60's garage revival bands of the '90s anywhere, not just Florida. Necessarily derivative, they nonetheless transcended other such bands primarily because they are competent songwriters, not just copycats. Of course, they had the schtick down too. They made it work live. The band rocked, audience danced.

This record, their first, hints at this with two originals. 'She's the One' is the standout. It is not not their best, but not a bad place to start. After all, it's where they started.

GUS – Less Than / Her Backyard 7”

Dirge Records – Pompano Beach (1994)

Drew – guitar, vocals
Ron – bass
Craig – drums

Trio falls somewhere between Naked Raygun and Gainesville’s Doldrums musically. Not a bad place to be. Lyrically they’re at least as earnest and serious as the Doldrums, more so than NR. Both songs are excellent – “Less Than” is especially powerful. This is their first single, with a demo tape that was semi-distributed prior to this. Record’s sleeve is printed on recycled paper with soy-based ink and depicts an oppressed species. Thankfully, my copy has not biodegraded yet.