BONE – Pirate the Islands / The Headlines Have It 7”

Rumble Records – Ft. Lauderdale – 1979

Richard Bone – voices, synthesizers & electronics

Buddy Draise – rhythm devices
John Schavone – bass keyboard
Bill Pimm – guest flute

It really doesn’t matter what this sounds like – the cover’s fuckin’ great! But – in case you’re wondering….this features plenty of synthesizers, creepy vocals, yes – a prominent flute on one song….never quite makes it to the “good” column….almost….but hell it was 1979….I’m sure it was ahead of its time…Said Bone person went on to Shox Lumania in New York and apparently something of a music career….

THE REACTIONS – Love You 7” EP

Reaction Records – Ft. Lauderdale (1981)

Nights on End

Marianne

I Can’t Help It

Rebel Rousers

Tony Suppa -vocals

Issac Baruch – guitar

Johnny Salton – bass

Joey Maya – drums

The Reactions shoulda been huge. America could have really used a good rough-around the edges power pop band around 1980. Exceptional songwriting, vocals and playing - halfway between punk & power pop. But, alas, they were from Florida and I believe they didn’t tour (I could be wrong). There’s a blurb on the back cover about the Reactions breaking up so the singer could join the family business due to lack of success in the rock world – oh well. The other Reactions bounced around in other bands, most famously, bassist Johnny Salton switched to guitar and became the Keith Richards/Johnny Thunders of S. Fla. Joey Maya was even in an early version of Roach Motel for about 2 days.

Love You is near perfect – but not as good as their first record. They rerecorded Marianne for some reason & Rebel Rousers is their weakest song on record. They had a dozen or so other excellent songs at the time that can currently be found on the internet. Two songs from around this time showed up on Rick Lennick’s Florida Explosion tape in 1985. Besides RR, every song on this record could have been a hit. The production’s a little thin, but with songs this good – who cares?

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.

UFC – 7” EP

Charged Records – Ft Lauderdale (2000)

Second State

Fuck the World

Punk Rock Stars

I Fucking Hate You

Carlos – bass

Roach – Drums

Jose Juan – guitar

Danny – vocals

Ya gotta give these wackos credit for having giant mohawks in 2000. I would think a giant mohawk would make traditional employment unlikely. I worked with a guy with a mini-hawk in the mid-90’s – there was a short window where you could get away with it. The music is fairly tuneless ugliness influenced by 80’s hardcore and likeminded louts from the United Kingdom. They manage to work the word “fuck” into 50% of their song titles, which is one reason to buy this – along with the shirtless Roach photo on the back.

TREMBLES – Stupid Fool / Feel Alright 7”

Mental Records- Ft. Lauderdale (1986)

Napolitano Bros – songwriters

Timothy – Producer

Not sure if these people are oldsters reliving their former glory or younger dweebs trying to recreate the sounds of the 60’s. I’m more sympathetic to the first assumption (being technically old), so we’ll assume that. Stupid Fool is the uptempo track and is good enough, except the “Stoop Stoop Stupid Fool” chorus gets repetitive and annoying. Feel Alright is the slower, more sensitive song and is also not bad, though, like the other song, the verses are catchy and enjoyable, but the chorus kinda blows.

ROACH MOTEL -- What the Hell, It's 7" EP

DESTROY RECORDS -- Gainesville/Fort Lauderdale (1984)

Brooke Shields Must Die
Frenzy
Nothing to Lose
What If Your Mom Liked Drugs?
Chowburger
I Wanna Keep My Gun

Bob Fetz -- vocals
Jeff Hodapp -- guitar
Frank Mullin
Russ Avery -- bass (and embezzlement)

The sophomore effort by the Black-Flag-and-Budweiser fueled Roach Motel starts out with a punk anthem, 'Brooke Shields Must Die,' that is worthy of anything on the first record. Shields, by the way, was a prepubescent movie star that I imagine is long forgotten, although she's apparently still alive. The only role of hers I can recall is the promo line that opens the first 'Rodney on the ROQ' LA punk comp. Oh, forget about Brooke Shields already. Brooke Shields must DIE!

Back to Roach Motel. This is a solid followup to 'Roach and Roll' and doesn't deviate much from the established RM hardcore punk formula. The new addition to the band, Russ Avery, contributes two great songs and apparently ripped off and bankrupted the band as well. But 'What if Your Mom Liked Drugs' (written with Hodapp) and 'I Wanna Keep My Gun' are worth something, which should somehow be (or have been) taken into account in the final settlement. 'Frenzy' and 'Nothing to Lose' are great too. Fine record.

News flash - Sources report, after viewing a My Name is Earl-a-thon, Mr. Avery recently returned all missbegotten monies and was readmitted to the Punk Rock League of Gentlemen.

GAY COWBOYS IN BONDAGE -- Owen Marshmallow Strikes Again

SUBLAPSE -- Fort Lauderdale (1984)

Big Fat Baloney Sandwich
Crime & Violence
The Illness Song
More Bruises
Funny Red Mustache of Kool-Aid
Fist May Follow

Eddie -- Bass
Pete Moss -- Guitar
Ravenous Gangrene -- drums
Milo -- vocals

This is a silly record by a very silly band. For a time in the heart of the hardcore period of the early '80s, Florida was known for producing joke punk bands. Most were so dismissive of the punk genre and self-deprecating that their very existence was a contradiction. GCIB approached this, but due to some good songwriting, a couple of actual musicians and a frenetic and inspiring (yet, let's face it, pretty goddamn silly) frontman, they instead are remembered rightly as a solid South Florida punk band. And they are remembered: just last weekend (July 2009) I heard a Lake Worth band -- Asspiss -- cover 'Big Fat Baloney Sandwich.'

GCIB was often associated with the somewhat more straightforward hardcore band F, with whom they hung out with and shared three members (albeit not simultaneously). The observant will notice the cartoon artwork on this EP matches that of the Reagan cartoons in F's 'You are an EP' record, thanks to Eddie Nothing. All the Cowboys yukked it up in live shows, but it was Milo who was the star, known both for his cartoonish leaping and pushing his glasses backup his nose during performances.

All of these songs are good, catchy, quick punk rock. It may sound a little thin for tough guys, but you can be sure the Gay Cowboys didn't care about macho punk posturing. That was the whole point.

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.

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.

RUBY CADILAC – Ten Seconds to Hell / Black Widow 7”

Lady in Black – Ft. Lauderdale (1986)

Ruby Cadilac

3 other wenches

As the record’s cover attests, the 80’s were a crazy time. The A-side is sub-Runaways meets metal - Lita Ford trying to record with $150.00. The B-side is sort of sleazy bar band blues metal. You REALLY have to be in the right mood to listen to this, but it seems to be growing on me. Worth it for the cover alone.

CHARLIE PICKETT & THE EGGS - Feelin'/White Light 7"

Open Records -- Fort Lauderdale (1981)

Charlie Pickett -- vocals, guitar

Barry Elliot -- guitar, vocals

Ken Lindahl-- bass

Leigh Stoner -- drums

Feelin'

White Light White Heat

In his first recorded outing Mister Pickett makes two well-chosen covers his own, something he will do over and over again with different lineups throughout his rock/roll career. This is roughly the same Eggs lineup that appears on his second single of 1981, 'If This is Love Can I Get My Money Back" but completely different from 1982's "Live at the Button" and subsequent releases.

'Feelin' is originally by Johnny Kidd and the Pirates, a British early '60s band from which he would borrow another song ('Please Don't Touch') for the 'Button' record. This too is a Pickett pattern. If he likes a band, he'll cover several songs from them -- e.g., Flaming Groovies and Mark Markham. The common denominator of these covers is this: Pickett picks songs that it sounds like he might have written and plays them as if he did.

'White Light' is a tighter, cleaner version of the VU classic. Same story.

GARGIRLS/DRUG CZARS split 7"

DESTROY RECORDS -- Ft. Lauderdale (1997)

GARGIRLS: I'll Stab You!

Stripteaser

Wine Nights

Trish -- drums

Terra -- bass

Lisa -- guitar

Monica -- vocals

Noisy anti-stylish dirges with female vocals, generally shouted. Wine nights! Two other South Florida all-girl bands sprung out of this one, Fraulein and Angry Pudding. You can hear elements of both in these songs. Wine nights!

DRUG CZARS: Lets' Go Satan

Let's Go Satan

Someday I'll Crush Them All Like Bugs

Michael O'Brien -- guitar, vocal

Chris Cottie -- drums, vocal

Jeff Hodapp -- guitar

Buddha -- bass

Two ex-members of the Eat fronted and backed this band and there was a former Roach Motel member playing cranky noise guitar somewhere in the middle. This record sounds nothing like either band, though. Oh, maybe "Someday" could have been an Eat song, but it wouldn't have sound dense and heavy like this. There is lots of picking and skranking, so you have to play it really loud to get the full effect. I don't believe these guys were ever employed by the Justice Department in spite of their name.

F -- Four From '84 7" EP

BURRITO RECORDS -- Fort Lauderdale (1984, 2007)

I Saw Your Vision

No

Such Men Are Dangerous

Spit It Out

Flash -- voice

Michael Ellis -- bass

Elmo Rapscallion-- guitar

Pete Moss -- drums

This is an interesting and deceptive artifact. Looking at it, you might think this is an early demo of the songs that ended up on "You Are an E.P." After all, "Four From '84" shares three songs from that record. The sound -- slower, thinner and with an arguably better but unarguably more theatrical singer -- sounds like a bedroom version of what ended up being recorded in the studio.

But no sir. This was recorded in the same studio months after 1983's hardcore "You Are an E.P." record by the former (and founding) singer of F who had quit F, refusing to participate in the "You Are an E.P." record due to personal and artistic differences. Well, 'artistic' is a stretch, but you know what I mean. He wanted the music to sound like this disk.

Interestingly, there is zero overlap in band members between these two records, unless Elmo is really Mike "Ravenous Gangrene" Hasson, which is possible. However, Pete Moss played in the hardcore version of this band live and on other recordings and I understand Flash continues to play as F -- with a constantly changing lineup of bandmates -- as of 2009. He started the band and he is finishing it, as the hardcore F has long left the scene.

All four songs are good. A version of the fourth song, "I Saw Your Vision" appeared on the Open Records "Land That Time Forgot" comp in 1982.

LOAD -- Pastor's Day

Faceless Wreckerds -- Fort Lauderdale (1995)

Pastor's Day
Saving You From Your Life
Half Bake

"Saving you from your life...Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

It's this opening of the first song on the B-side that captures everything great about this band, and they were great. Heavy and inspired by pain, these songs are not rebellion against the government or peers or religion or management or any of the usual stuff, but against consciousness, against the senses. All three songs capture this spirit, particularly 'Pastors' and 'Saving.' Load is at their best on this record.

"Shut up, you are killing meeeeeeeeeee!"

HUDSON -- OUT OF GAS EP

Far Out Records - Fort Lauderdale (1996?)

Big Deal

Down in Front

Loaded

Dancing with Myself

This is the first record from Far Out Records, which later recorded Bingo Mut, One-Eyed Kings, Against All Authority, Less Than Jake and others.

'Big Deal' is a standout and justifies this disk. Fast, powerful and heartfelt, it also appears on the Far Out Records South Florida comp. It is not threatening, adventurous, comical nor nihilistic, so what Hudson has to peddle is basically hooks and speed.

Or maybe just speed: The other songs on this record are not easily distinguishable from each other or from those of many other straightforward punk bands from the mid-1990s. The cover of Billy Idol's 'Dancing With Myself' is, uh ... just is. But if it weren't, that would be OK too.

BAD HABITS – Livin la vida broke 7”

South Florida Drunk Punx – Ft. Lauderdale (2006)

Ice Cold Beer
Drink to Hate
I’m Glad You Hate Me

Dirty Jay – guitar, vocals
Ray Beers – drums
Josh Raw – bass & vocals

I think I see two predominant areas of interest in the song titles. Drinking and Hating. Drinking first, hating later. You get a fairly ok mix of standard drunk punk and street punk. Their nice logo and commendable dual-mindedness lift this record into the plus column.

ONE EYED KINGS – 7” EP

Far Out Records - Ft Lauderdale (1993)

Naked at the Gunshow
Lunch Theme from Dick Royale
Big Big Plans

Dick Royale – guitar, vocals
Lil’ Willy – bass
Billy – organ
Schlong Doggie – drums
Mr. Entertainment – beer
Captain Johnson – saxophone

On paper, this should be a lackluster affair – ugly cover, saxophones, copious use of keyboards, bowling, hit&miss label, Hal Specter production, etc., but this is one fine record. “Naked at the Gunshow” is a catchy and goofy spiritual sequel to the Gay Cowboys’ “X-rated go-go lunch”. “Lunch Theme” is kitchy & ok – no big deal. “Big Big Plans” is another excellent song, with great vocals, lead saxophone and tasteful guitar. Great production, great songs – perfectly executed – good job goofballs! Their only other vinyl appearance is a song on the hard to find Far Out Records compilation LP.

NOUVEAU REACH – Little White Dot / After the Siege 7”

Safety Net Records (4) – Ft. Lauderdale (1984)

Leo Casino - ?
Debbie Deneese – vocals
Barry Seiver – ?
Bobby Tak – drums
Tony Way - ?

The A side (Little White Dot) is sure to please Cichlids fans (NR is 2 of 4 Cichlids) – cutesy female vocals and well played power pop. The flip side is a little weird. I’m as patriotic as the next guy (except for the occasional passing desire to smash the state), but patriotic rock songs freak me out….and then there’s the Van Halen guitar solo. I guess we can blame the B side on Reagan.