Four Lights - Kobayashi Maru

Four Lights are a pop punk band from Seattle. Kobayasi Maru is their second record. The band's music falls somewhere between power pop and punk-pop. The emphasis is more weighted towards pop than either punk or power with tight harmonies. The press sheet mentions a Weezer influence and that band definitely comes through in "Characters" and "Scene of The Crime". However, this whole album is about as punk and, for that matter, about as pop as The Goo Goo Dolls have been since they got a song in a Meg Ryan movie (check out their "Hold Me Up" and "Superstar Wash" albums for when they peaked musically).



Record Label: North AmericaBomb Pop Europe: Stardumb



Despite my complaints, the catchiness of most the songs on Kobayasi Maru is undeniable but this album feels too long as too many of the songs just blend together. Four Lights claim to love nerd culture and be pop punk but anyone hoping Four Lights used "Milo Goes to College" as a blueprint is heading for a disappointment. To be fair to Four Lights, the most appealing songs on "Kobayashi Maru" are songs that run over the three minute mark. "Jimmy's Song Part 2" and "Characters". In these tunes, Four Lights really put themselves across as tight and accomplished songwriters.





If emo or Weezer excites you, then "Kobayashi Maru" will be for you. Now, where is that nomeansno album?

2.5/5

Release Date: 20 April 2018



Four Lights on bandcamp



Four Lights on Facebook

Transient Songs - Stealing Sand

Seattle based bandTransient Songs are back. We reviewed their debut album "Cave Syndrome" way back when and made comparisons to a couple of Australia's finest 80's pop rock bands The Church and The Go-Betweens. The title track of the album starts with the lyrics "She rose up" and it's eerie just how much this tune sounds like Grant McLennan penned and sings this well-crafted pop ditty. "Shopping for Coffins" is a little touched by the psychedelic pop of The Church and this reviewer once again finds it difficult not to think of Steve Kilbey and Grant McLennan's Jack Frost project.

If you're scared of ghosts then avoid this album because the spirit of Mr GW Mclennan is everywhere on this release that it sends shivers down the spine. The press kit makes a comparison to the Afghan Whigs but it's hard to hear similarities other than strong melodic songs. I'd strongly recommended to fans of The Go-Betweens and The Church. If you were looking forward to another Grant McLennan solo outing this should suffice nicely so you can grab this album when it comes out on August 8, 2017.

3.5/5

Transient Songs Website


Transient Songs on Facebook




Follow Small Takeover of facebook

Research Turtles - Mankiller Part Two

Louisiana power popsters, The Research Turtles have returned with a follow-up to their Mankiller EP, which found favour on this blog. The band have released another group of songs and put them together on a release entitled "Mankiller Part Two".

The Research Turtles strength on their previous releases was their strong harmonies, steady drumming combined with strong songwriting. The turtles mine pop from both the sixties and the eighties. The first and last song leave little doubt that these guys are huge Byrds fans. Much of the meat in the sandwich is tight pop with 4/4 drumming. It's difficult to listen "The Fancy" and not think of The Cars as the band share a similar sensibility for catchy hooks that draw a listener in for further listens. "Break It Up" has a headbobbing rhythm reminiscent of The Knack. There's a high sugar content in "Into You", which is to expected in almost any songs with the lyrics, "Baby, it's true." You'd also expect syrupy harmonies and they're there too. This is possibly a top 40 song and the only reason I say possibly is because I haven't paid attentio to any music charts for years. "What Can I Say" may draw Oasis comparisons due to the Beatlesque guitar and melodies but there's a bit of America that creeps in there too in the form of the Beach Boys which comes through in the hoo hoo's. "Space" is my pick of the bunch from Mankiller Part Two" as it grabs with a garage rock approach built around the rythm section and a strong sing along chorus.


Anyone who tells you sequels can't be better than the original has never sat through Empire Strikes Back or Gremlins 2. However Mankiller Part Two isn't better than the original but it's about the same which is still damned good.

4/5

The EP can be downloaded from the band's website.


Research Turtles facebook




Small takeover on facebook

Winter Sounds - "Runner"

Winter seems to be a recurring theme round this place after reviewing Dot Dash’s “Winter Garden Light” album, the next on the pile is a band who go by the chilling moniker “The Winter Sounds”. It’s clearly just coincidence rather than satisfying a compulsory musical genre theme name , which is compulsory for hardcore and death metal and would probably see this particular band called XXWinter Youth SoundsXXX or Winter Death Sounds of Foetus.

It’s highly appropriate that “The Winter Sounds” were previously aligned with Dot Dash because both bands share a clear love of eighties music although “The Winter Sounds” are obviously fond of synthesiser bands. In the info package that was given to me, there are comparison to New Order and The Cure but on “Runner”, those comparisons really aren’t there as the band doesn’t possess the sound or the quirkiness of either. Listening to the album’s opener, “The Sun Also Rises”, the first band that came to mind was Ultravox, then The Comsat Angels and the title is a definite throwback to the Norwegian pop of A-ha. However there’s a joyful poppiness that is closer to Erasure though I’m willing to bet these guys own the lion’s share of Steve Lillywhite produced albums. However, here is a modern sound with a strong Muse influence which is especially obvious on “Young Love”, although it could be stated that the prog rockers wear their 80’s influences on their sleeves as much as or even more than “The Winter Sounds” do.

The fourteen year old version of myself would be all over this and wouldn’t care that it sounds like a whole lot of other bands beginning with ABC. The present grumpier version of myself thinks if you’ve sold off your eighties synth pop albums and really want to start again without hunting through bargain bins then “Runner” is likely a worthwhile re-starting place.

3/5

The Winter Sounds



http://www.facebook.com/thewintersounds



Small takeover on facebook

Dot Dash - Winter Garden Light

Regular readers of this podunk blog might recall that a while back I posted "Learn to Fly" by Wahington DC band, Dot Dash and compared the song to The Cure. That was the only song from the band's debut that found its way into my ear canals however the band were recently in touch and let me know about their sophomore effort, "Winter Garden Light".

The band have the sound of a London post-punk band to the point that it's not difficult to imagine them sharing a stage with The Dissociates, because both bands share that early eighties English sound yet manage to sound fresh along with hooks so catchy they could land a whale. While listening to "Winter Garden Light" band comparisons don't easily come which is no bad thing, although album closer,"Devil's Road" is reminiscent of Ian McCulloch's solo debut, but my guess is that if you own albums by The Jam, Echo and The Bunnymen, The Smiths, The Cure and even Straitjacket Fits then this is an album well worth investigating. Winter Garden Light is a shining beacon in a ravaging storm and a likely candidate for album of the year.

4.5/5



Investigate their bandcamp.


Small takeover on facebook

The Second Academy - The Grave From Out of Which We Briefly

The Second Academy - The Grave From Out of Which We Briefly Wander, 2009

THE SECOND ACADEMY are three ex-members of The Beautiful Mothers who, if their myspace site is to believed, wrote their songs almost as they were recording them.   The band’s casual attitude in the studio doesn’t show through as the songs here are tight as you’d expect from guys who’ve played music with each other for a number of years.  “The King and Queen of Filth” blasts dirtily through the speakers emulating a washing machine whirr coupled with some tuneful whistling.   The band tilter upon the brink of an explosion with bass tocking over the mix and the vocals buried in the background.  Sometimes hanging back just makes so much more sense than diving in headfirst as it stops splinters and shards going into the body every which way.   All things being relative, “Litte Sister” sound is more than a little reminiscent of Pink Floyd’s “Mother” with its acoustic guitar, slow build-up and even lyrics.

The Second Academy dip their toes in alt-country on “The Right Woman” and “Posthumous Lullabye”.  Many a jangly indie band would learn how to channel the Velvet Underground if listening to “Adventure Tuesday” was compulsory listening before even conceiving the thought of a forming a band.   The mucky filth of “Monkey Shines” contains all the lo-fi requisite heavy distortion and quietly barked vocals.    At times, listening to the album right through, the mixture of styles doesn’t always gel although The Second Academy definitely deliver the goods when it comes to listenable songs.  With its Lou Reed approach, “Downhill” is oddly placed at the end of the album.  That’s a minor drawback that fortunately can be altered through the wonders of CD programming.

3.5/5

The Second Academy band site


The Second Academy on myspace

The Second Academy on facebook

Research Turtles - Mankiller

Remember the last good power pop band you heard? Bet it's been a while. It had been for me, anyway. Then young American band, Research Turtles deliver a release in my personal favourite format in the form of their "Mankiller" EP.

From the get go, the sixties influence is strong as short burner, "A Girl Like You" invokes both The Byrds and The Mamas and the Papas with its guitar lines and strong harmonies. The hippy clothes and sickly sweet stench of incense, musk and lavender are shed in the Cheap Trick of "You Are So" and "Rhinestone Girl". "Bugs In A Jar" has single written all over it not because it's throwaway but because the songwriting is strong and if it came over the radio not many people who appreciate strong guitar pop would flick the dial. "Mankiller" rocks with the sort of balls Neil Finn will never grow.

Research Turtles' website declares "We’ve decided to write more and tour less, focusing mainly on promotions through the internet. And most importantly, we have made a conscious effort to create music more collectively". The band's album was already strong so, in effect, there's a predictable reptitive movement causing the use of the also repetitive predictable statement that the band continues to go from strength to strength.

4.5/5

Band Website

RIP Michael Been of The Call

At one stage of my life, American rock band The Call meant a lot to me. Throughout the 80's and 90's an Anthroplogy lecturer in my city had a Thursday radio show on the local university station entitled "The Twilight Zone" and would play music he considered subversive: ie The Cramps, Dead Kennedys, Mojo Nixon, Stiff Little Fingers. He had a tendency to ignore the radio station's playlist and would slip in a lot more of the stuff he liked than most Dj's could get way with. I remember Stan Ridgeway 's "Camouflage" being played almost ever show. He played The Call 's "Oklahoma" fairly regularly and described Micheal Been's voice as that of a man possessed. In the late 80's I found The Call 's "Reconciled" album in the cassette bargain bin and thrashed it. Then later bought "Into The Woods" and their most commercially successful album "Let The Day Begin" was bought on both vinyl and cassette because they had a couple of different songs. The band lost me with "Red Moon" as it seemed their intensity had disappeared. Sadly Michael Been passed away on August 19, 2010.

Rocket Jocks - Return to Planet X EP

Gisborne two piece, The Rocket Jocks are back with their heavily Ramones influenced pop-punk. The band once again cover the same lyrical ground of love, lost love and science fiction set on their “Next Stop; Moon” EP. It’s not all about The Ramones as there is a heavy fifties influence on “Lt Uhuru”(although at times the singing reminds me of a few song off ALL’s TonyALL album) and it’s not difficult to imagine Elvis singing “King of Hearts” . “Letterman Jacket” is the catchiest song here and both the fifties and Ramones influence are combined into a tight catchy upbeat pop song. The more upbeat “Internet” contains nerdy humour and most dial-up users should be able to relate “Waiting for the page to load. Estimate 10 minutes, that’s when we’ll begin the show”.

The band’s emphasis on melody and hooks shine through and provide a great counter to those who focus more on their aggressive tough guy stance. I didn’t hear a song that I took to immmediately unlike their previous EP’s “Invasion of The Giant Ants” but that may be due to the fact that I haven’t heard these tunes in a live setting yet. Anyway there are eight songs on this EP, which would be enough for some bands to call their release an album. Arguments about release differences aside, Return to Planet X is a fun listen.

3/5

http://www.myspace.com/therocketjocks

Return To Planet X!

Bell Street

Bell Street is provincial compilation album from the Taranaki region made in the year 2000. The Agent is a one man band who dabbles in the eighties synth sound. Sync 24 is another solo project but techno oriented. Selling Kain are an actual band with Peter Murphy type vocals, guitar, drums and samples who veer on the alternative pop side of the tracks. Kitsch provide American 90's backwards baseball cap style pop-punk. Peter Jeffries easily has the most interesting track and probably the best known artist. Anita Anker Trio feature Jeffries on drum and do the female singer/songwriter thing in the style of Tanitita Tikaram or Melissa Etheridge. Kat - Nex Door is similar yet different and they're hooked on you.

Schizo Phrenia rock with a 70's female fronted punk sound somewhere between The Slits and Penetration or someone else. I'm scratching my head as to exactly who and you should get scratching to them to. Grab the popcorn as Tracer provide ambient movie soundtrack to a setting of wide open spaces, a snow covered mountain and green rolling pastures with a few hills, where both cows and sheep graze. An industial synthesized beat pulsateds through Kapital's track. Dave Edwards is that drunken stoned guy who probably writes poetry in his spare time, when he is playing sloppy but enjoyable guitar tracks like "Dope Smoke Wizard". Feeling a strange connection is Madison, another female singer/songwriter as is Channa Miriam with a silent C. Billy Ruben is the acoustic guitar alias of Sticky Filth's frontman/bassist Craig Radford. Chronic punk it up with more US style 90's skate punk. John Darling concludes the CD with a strong track featuring slow building sultry vocals.

Here.

Inside Out

Here's some sugary fizzy pop from Aussie band Ratcat. I don't really know too much about the band although do remember their single "Don't Go" getting some limited commercial radio airplay back in the early nineties. However this album is entitled "Inside Out" and has a leopard yawning and poking his tongue out on the cover. Why is the leopard yawning and what is the connection to the album title? And what exactly is a ratcat? It's food for thought if you needed something to think about to pass the time in life's boring bits.

Making boring bits a little more interesting.

Very Quick on the Eye

Australia had a reputation for producing great pub rock bands during the early 80's. A few of these endured long enough to find international stardom. While the rock scene was thriving, the more alternative pop bands such as The Triffids, Ratcat were overlooked although the Hoodoo Gurus managed to punch through the side line with fantastic power pop hooks. There's a good many that think The Go-Betweens really should have found their way to commercial radio and may have been a huge success story. There's no denying "Streets of Your Town" and "Spring Rain" are some of the finest pop songs ever written and the band could have been Australia's answer to R.E.M. "Very Quick on the Ear" is a demo of an all male three piece Go-Betweens stripped down and raw pop.

Be Very Quick on the Click.

Grant Hart, SFBH Wellington, Friday 5 Feb, 2010

Above pic: Grant Hart

Below pic: Forcefields-Thanks to drummer Micheal for identifying this band




Arrived in time to catch the first support band who played a tight melodic aternative pop and they reminded me of Straitjacket Fits due to the vocals and guitar sound. Unfortunately I have no idea of their name or where they were from but know that they had an acetate for sale that I probably should have bought. Edit: The band are Forcefields.



Above pic: The Devil's Elbow

After a break of about half an hour or more The Devil's Elbow played. Why on earth did a two piece support band take so damned long to start? This band plays alt-country and listening to them I was reminded of one of the guys in New Zealand country band, The Warratahs saying in the cities they were hungry for country music but on the farms they desire the likes of AC/DC. I'm a dairy farmer's son so I found these guys not only boring and but also annoying due to their not starting earlier. I spent more time looking at my watch rather than watching the band. Good at what they dobut they're just not my homebrew batch of beer.

After another break and the time hitting 11:30 Grant Hart came on with just his guitar and played a mixture of his solo material and Husker Du tunes. "Don't Want to Know If You are Lonely" was a highlight. Before going I had been warned there was a 30 to 70 chance that Grant would call someone out for talking and during his Wellington set he called someone out for laughing at his lyrics. Grant spat with disdain from stage, "You're laughing at me. Am I entertaining to you? Am I like a clown to you?" Often requests were taken with Husker Du songs that were written by Bob Mould rejected. The clock hit 12:40. Grant Hart was still on stage and I had a train to catch home and didn't mind leaving even though I enjoyed what I heard and saw from Grant, I don't know if I would see him again. I really wish the bands hadn't taken long breaks so I could have caught Grant Hart 's full set as he was the reason I departed with my disposable income and bought a ticket and beer at the venue. The late finish contrast the previous weeks Them Crooked Vultures show which was sensibly over before 11:00 pm the previous night. Maybe the time the band or artists stop should be put on tickets as well as the times the doors open especially if they are likely to attract an older crowd.

Tolaku - Summer band

Tolaku was a Taiwanese band that have taken the Japanese approximation of the English word "Truck" as their band name. The music of Tolaku was desribed to me as silly pop punk way back at the start of this decade. I ended up buying this album to check them out. I'm not sure about the silly part or even the punk part but there's definitely an alternative happy pop element bubbling under here.

I went to see this band when I finally worked out how I could get to the venues in Taipei but when I arrived where the band was playing I was told the show had sold out. Disappointing for me anyway as it was the first Taiwanese band I would have seen that played original material instead of the standard Bon Jovi and Coldplay covers. The album's worth lending your ears to in exchange for a small portion of your life.

The picture above is the back cover of the CD.

Nar.

Chemical overload

Technically re-up month has finished. February having only 28 days this year means that the month has come to an abrupt end. However, here we're going to pretend that 2009 is a leap year as there's a few Chemical People re-ups in this post due to a reader request. This post is curiously dated as being on the
last day of February even though it's now March.



Chemical People - So Sexist, 1988



Chemical People - Ten-fold Hate, 1989



Chemical People - Chemical People, 1992

As you can see as the band became older, they had enough of porn stars on the album covers or more likely couldn't afford them and went with what looks like a kids' coloring book image. I wonder if any of those books ever featured a drunken wolf bathing.

Memory Loss

Legonic Trap were one of those Japanese bands I saw in a small club in Taiwan. Actually thinking about it, I didn't actually see them but watched Taiwanese folk punk band Children Sucker, Japanese rock/rap crossover act Poplar and Taiwanese pop band Backquarter. I had hoped that Children Sucker had grown in popularity but the small club was packed with university aged Taiwanese girls due to the radio and magazine friendly Backquarter. I went with my recently arrived South African flatmate whose name now escapes me.

I remember talking wth the singer of Poplar afterwards as she spoke great English and talking to one or two of the guys from Legonic Trap. One spoke English and one couldn't. There was a banner up for the length of the show that Legonic Trap had brought with them that stated "Let's Punk Rock". Truth be told, their sound is closer to Weezer and some 90's pop punk like Blink 182 than the Pistols and The Stooges. The lyrics and song titles are in both Japanese and English.


Get Trapped.

Re-up month continues

Yes, I know I'm repeating myself but I said more last time.


Another New York punk band that absolutely rocks. This four piece band is female fronted and once again I don't know too much about them but a google search reveals they have at least two albums and a song on the Mallrats soundtrack. The music is punk and there are shades of the punker Blondie and I'm also reminded of both Throwing Muses(particularly on the last song I am Legend) and Transvision Vamp at times.
Third song The Day I Met Iggy is classic punk rawk with its catchy chorus and autobiographical lyrics about not impressing Mr Pop.

Get it.

The Rocket Jocks- Next Stop; Moon

You might or might not have thought to yourself “How much fun can a live band with just two members and a drum machine really be?” In a live setting Gisborne duo THE ROCKET JOCKS are a helluva lot of fun with giant ants, lolly scrambles, synchronised facial expressions and dance moves with catchy RAMONES inspired pop punk. The band’s press kit is even great to read and displays a self-deprecating sense of humour. It states “If someone was into THE RAMONES or THE QUEERS or “The Lord of The Rings” or something like that, there’s actually a faint chance they could actually like them. If someone didn’t like that stuff though you can bet 10gp and your Sword of Smiting +2 that they’d pretty much hate them. Easy Money.” Fair enough.

The ROCKET JOCKS recorded E.P. “Next Stop; Moon” captures this band very well. It’s captivating super hooky pop punk from the C-R-A-Z-Y-4- U cheerleading chant that opens the recording through to the finishing lovesick dedication to Judy Jetson. Although the influences are obvious, it would be a huge mistake to write this band off as merely derivative due to the strength of their songwriting.“Invasion of the Giant Ants” is a live favourite and perhaps the poppiest condensed version of H.G. Wells’ short story. Its catchiness ensures singing along and a chorus that’ll stay inside heads for a long time.

“Why My Baby Won’t Go To The Movies With Me” and “Pen 2 Paper” are poppy upbeat songs that cover girl problems. “Nobody Else” is reminiscent of THE DESCENDENTS pop sensibilities of “I Don’t Want To Grow Up”. “Nazgul Hop” is pure RAMONES worship. Album closer “Judy Jetson, I Love You” wears a white T-shirt under a leather jacket with slicked back “Grease” hair. Wella wella.

Given the evidence presented, it is somewhat puzzling that THE ROCKET JOCKS seem to be eternal openers. The sixteen tunes on “Next Stop; Moon” are all short, sweet and great pop punk pleasure.

Band website

Return To Planet X!

Smoking Popes - Born To Quit (1995)

This band is made up of three Caterer brothers. The band sound like Frank Sinatra fronting a pop punk band ala The Ramones or The Buzzcocks although at times vocalist Josh Caterer sounds like Morrisey and the guy from They Might Be Giants.

The Morrisey-like vocals are definitely on the song "Need You Round" but there is a lack of the depressing tongue and cheek humour so this band come across as far more chirpy than the misunderstood English misery guts. The song "Rubella" is the band's strongest song in my opinion and there is a Rubella youtube video.

Born To Quit

Lung interview with Brian Wafer (1994)

This is a long one for those that just want music just go straight to the bottom of the page and start downloading.
Dave White(the Lung singer guitarist was married to one of my high school teachers and Dave founded Palmerston North's underage venue/band practice space, The Stomach. Brian Wafer ran Ima-Hitt records(both a shop and a record label)in New Plymouth and brought a number of punk bands to New Zealand in the 90's. I saw Lung play, as both Lung and The Clear a number of times as they were a band from my hometown of Palmerston North. Screams from the Gutter blog gave their 1991 Cactii album a very positive review. This interview appeared in Raw Beat for the Malcontents #4 August 1994

Brian Wafer: Why are you back in New Zealand? The grimy details please.

Dave White: I'm back in NZ /cause I'm totally fucked and desperately need a rest..we've been on tour more or less constantly since the start on our NZ tour June last year, after which we did six months in Europe and then three intensive(played every night) months in the States.

The three of us all need a rest from each other since we've been stuck in each other's faces over the last year and no way we could escape. I guess everyone knows pretty well how to fuck off everyone else now and that happens easily when you're doing 20 hour drives between gigs.

I also had to end up here eventually to make sure the new record got released in good old NZ, the rights to which we've kept ourselves.


Brian Wafer: Tell us how the wandering band of minstrels fucked over the evil giant record company and why

Dave White: Restless, as you have correctly described them, turned out to be like Albini warns everyone about.... a normal money grabbing lawyer baiting, band hating bunch of rich cunts that sit in their fucking offices in Hollywood and decree which lucky group of noise-mongers will get paid this week seemingly at random.

Every so called independent record company in the States(and there are very few who truly are independent of the majors) sign bands for two reasons (a): They think the band will make them a shitload of money, or (b): They think the band will give them credibility in the eyes of the punk-rock press/punters/record buyers, which will mean people don't think their record company is full of shit, which means they sell more records overall and make a shitload of money!

Lung were signed for the second reason as we already had good reviews/college radio airplay from our own releases in the States and they were hoping to give their company more credibility by signing a NZ band, which unfortunately a 'cool' thing to be seen doing at the moment.

They made a fundamental error, however, in that they thought we'd be ever so impressed and grateful to be a part of their big fucking company that we'd just lay down and take all their bullshit that American bands put up with. Things like, not getting our visas in time(we missed out on the Ed Hall support tour because of this, not getting the tour support money promised, not getting the promotional shit promised etc etc.

Our booking agents, who were also our sub-label, Kevin and Todd at Rave(who tour Neurosis, Lungfish, Unsane and heaps of cool bands) eventually became so pissed off with Restlessleaving us kind of in the firing line. The worst thing was we signed for a five album deal and we didn't want to get our next four album releases tied up in some legal nightmare, so our only form of escape was to get ourselves dumped. So, at the Los Angeles show, we invited along all the wankers from the company, got hideously pissed and did the classic ssmash a few things, blow up the PA and play like total shit....the next day we had the letter we wanted and our first big signing was over.

Brian Wafer: Did you see any bands that totally inspired you, did you come across any band that would be better off under a wheel of a truck?

Dave White: Godheadsilo were the best, just a bass player and a drummer and they were louder than The Melvins, who I saw twice and had to be the second best show. Godheadsilo have an album called 'The Scientific Supercake LP' on the Kill Rock Superstars label which also releases The Unwound and Bikini Kill, it's an wesome record but nowhere near as full on as their live show which completely fucked me over.

A Japanese band called The Boredoms were fucking outrageous as well, two drummers, one of which plays for Kim Gordon's band Free Kitten. I bought their album after, but it sucked unfortunately. Ed Hall from Texas did a great show.

To list all the bands that were full of shit would take up your entire magazine but I guess the very worst would have to include King Missile whose corporate fucking management ,road crew, team gave us a few problems, the Supersuckers who sound like a very dull version of that horrible fucking Australian band The Johnnies live, and some rockers we had to play with in New York called Mindfunk...terminal boredom.

Brian Wafer: Who was the biggest arsehole you met on your travels and why?

The promoter at Twisters, a club in Richmond, Virginia. The only person to get away with ripping us off, but future tourers need not fear, he was dealt to later by someone who liked us and has since been fired. We met very few arseholes surprisingly enough, apart from the record company people who just can't help what they are I guess, most people were extremely friendly and helpful, whether you need an amp(we blew three) or something to smoke...

Brian Wafer: Who did you come across that deserves heaps of praise and pats on the back, why does this individual deserve this honour?

Dave White: James, our soundman in the States deserves huge amounts of praise. One night he'd be mixing on a huge PA where his biggest problem was fighting off the management for being too loud and the next he'd be hard-wiring a couple of guitar amps together to build a PA out of nothing in some fucked up small town. He became an expert ensuring the chemicals for a great show were in our bloodstream before each performance...like a mother I guess.

Brian Wafer : What is next for Lung?

Dave White: A few good record companies (including Trance in Austin, Texas) came to see us live once the word was out we'd been dumped by Restless and they're all keen to hear this tape we made on an 8-track in Muncie, Indiana at the end of the tour, but I can't say I'm in a hurry to rush into another 'deal'. We're gonna sit back and take our time this time round, I suppose we'll release it in NZ first, once all our legal hassles to get back the money we are owed are over and we've paid off the $US5000 debt still owing.

Brian Wafer: Can I have a poster from each gig that Lung played overseas?

We started collecting posters, but you know what happens, they end up trashed on the floor of the van, or as set lists, or to wipe up vomit, or to wipe off with....


Brain Wafer: What are the other members of Lung going to do while you are back in NZ?

Brent and Graeme are holed up in the states with all our equipment waiting for the start of the next tour which will probably happen around May, next year. Last I heard, they had jobs in different States, a long way apart.

DISCOGRAPHY: The Clear 12" EP (1989) Ode Records
The Clear: Live Stomach CD Yellow Bike 1990
Lung: Cactii CD Yellow Bike 1991
Two downloadable songs from Cactii can be found at Screams from the Gutter Lung: Paralysis 7" Yellow Bike 1993
Lung: Three heads on a plate Yellow Bike 1994

Download The Clear 1989 12" EP The 1989 12" is closer to the B-52s in sound than to the amrep records sound of the Cactii CD. However Why did we ever come to this place? appears on both this release and Live Stomach, though both versions differ soundwise due to the 89 band being a five piece.

Edit: A link to the Cactii and 3 heads on a plate CD are now in comments. Thanks to Old School Punk from Screams From The Gutter blog.