“Problem Child” The Cramps

This way: Problem Child

Ther latest and greatest (cravest?) from the Cramps. Most of these we have heard before. Early demos from 1977. Henry Rollins and Poisin Ivy banded together to get these to our ears. It's hard to top the Cramps, one of the all time greats.

[Spotify] Problem Child 

“Fith Column” Tuxedomoon

This way: Fith Column

Tuxedomoon is an experimental, post-punk, new wave band from San Francisco, California, United States. The band formed in the late 1970s at the beginning of the punk rock movement. Pulling influence from punk and electronic music, the group, originally consisting of Steven Brown and Blaine L. Reininger, used electronic violins, guitars, screaming vocals and synthesizers to develop a unique "cabaret no-wave" sound. Bassist Peter Principle (Peter Dachert, 1954–2017) joined the band and in 1979 they released the single "No Tears", which remains a post-punk cult classic. That year they also signed to Ralph Records and released their debut album, Half-Mute, in 1980. Eventually, Reininger left the group, and Tuxedomoon relocated to Europe, signing to Crammed Discs and releasing Holy Wars in 1985. The band separated in the early 1990s, only to reunite later that decade. They all have remained together since releasing the album Cabin in the Sky in 2004.

[Spotify] Fith Column 

“First we take Manhattan” Leonard Cohen

This way: First we take Manhattan

Leonard Norman Cohen (September 21, 1934 – November 7, 2016) was a Canadian songwriter, singer, poet, and novelist. Themes commonly explored throughout his work include faith and mortality, isolation and depression, betrayal and redemption, social and political conflict, sexual and romantic love, desire, regret, and loss. He was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was invested as a Companion of the Order of Canada, the nation's highest civilian honour. In 2011, he received one of the Prince of Asturias Awards for literature and the ninth Glenn Gould Prize. In 2023, Rolling Stone magazine named Cohen the 103rd-greatest singer of all time.

Cohen pursued a career as a poet and novelist during the 1950s and early 1960s, and did not begin a music career until 1966. His first album, Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967), was followed by three more albums of folk music: Songs from a Room (1969), Songs of Love and Hate (1971) and New Skin for the Old Ceremony (1974). His 1977 record Death of a Ladies' Man, co-written and produced by Phil Spector, was a move away from Cohen's previous minimalist sound.

I'm Your Man is the eighth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, released on February 2, 1988, by Columbia Records. The album marked Cohen's further move to a more modern sound, with many songs having a synthesizer-oriented production. It soon became the most successful studio album which Cohen had released in the US, and it reached number one in several European countries, transforming Cohen into a best-selling artist.

[Spotify] First we take Manhattan 

“Touch the Veil” Dylan Rippon

This way: Touch the Veil

Dylan Rippon is a songwriter, producer, guitarist, and founding member of Solar, Grand Union, Gramercy, Bears From Labrador, and WA Wa Punx. He began his career in London in the late 1990s. Using samplers and tape machines he immersed himself in the lo-fi scene that stood at odds with Britpop. 

[Spotify] Touch the Veil 

“A Great Design” Black Marble

This way: A Great Design

Black Marble is an American music project formed in 2011 in Brooklyn, New York. It is led by electronic musician Chris Stewart and formerly featured Ty Kube of Team Robespierre.

Black Marble began in March 2011, officially releasing their debut EP on Hardly Art titled Weight Against the Door in 2012. Also in 2012, Black Marble released its first full-length album on Hardly Art titled A Different Arrangement. These works were described as "throwbacks to the cold-wave genre" by Leo Neufeld of the Miami New Times. 

In 2016, Black Marble released its second full-length album, titled It's Immaterial. It was released on Ghostly International. The album marked Ty Kube's departure from the project and Chris Stewart's move from the East to the West Coast. Kristin Porter of SLUG said Stewart "keeps the band's Brooklyn, New York–synth roots alive, resulting in a collection of songs with amplified vocals, pastel-colored synths and a hint of modern-day deference, which is evocatively scored by Stewart's personal, nostalgic touch coupled with every happy-sad, Ian Curtis–garage dance party you've never been to."

[Spotify] A Great Design 

“Turn My Way” New Order (featuring Billy Corgan)

This way: Turn My Way

Get Ready is the seventh studio album by English rock band New Order. It was released on 27 August 2001 in the United Kingdom by London Records and on 16 October 2001 in the United States by Reprise Records. It was the band's first studio album in eight years, following 1993's Republic.

Peter Hook stated that the album's title "could mean anything or nothing. I thought it was just nice; New Order, Get Ready; 'cause we are, we're getting ready for the next phase of our musical lives both physically and mentally, so it's quite a simple thing but it's very pertinent." This myst have been fun for Billy,

The album was dedicated to Rob Gretton, the manager of Joy Division and New Order, who died in 1999. 

[Spotify] Turn My Way 

“Here come the Bums” Snakefinger

This way: Here come the Bums

Philip Charles Lithman (17 June 1949 – 1 July 1987), who performed under the stage name Snakefinger, was an English musician, singer and songwriter. A multi-instrumentalist, he was best known for his guitar and violin work and his collaborations with the Residents. This track from 1979.

Lithman was born in Tooting, South London, and came from the British blues scene. He moved to San Francisco in 1971 and became associated with the avant-garde group the Residents. It is said he was given the name 'Snakefinger' by the Residents themselves based on a photograph of Lithman performing, in which his finger looks like a snake about to attack his violin. 

In 1972 Lithman returned to England and formed the pub rock band Chilli Willi and the Red Hot Peppers with Martin Stone, ex-member of Mighty Baby and a fellow ex-member of Junior's Blues Band. As a duo, they released the album Kings of Robot Rhythm. In 1974, as a full band and popular live act in Britain, they released Bongos Over Balham.

Chilli Willi lasted until 1975, their last record not selling well, and by 1976 Lithman was back in the United States, this time in Los Angeles, California,[2] seeking a recording contract, shopping his rock-style demos. After a few years, Lithman moved back to San Francisco, reconnected with the Residents, and performed and recorded with them. Lithman's solo records, recorded under the name Snakefinger, were released by their record label Ralph Records.

His first album on Ralph was Chewing Hides the Sound in 1979, featuring original material co-written with the Residents as well as esoteric covers like Kraftwerk's "The Model". The songs showcased Lithman's distinctive slide guitar playing, and often surreal imagery. This album was followed by Greener Postures in 1980, which included his first solo compositions as Snakefinger.

[Spotify] Here come the Bums 

“Love on the Run” Steve Rosenbaum

This way: Love on the Run

Singer, guitarist, and songwriter, Steve Rosenbaum, has been knocking around the power pop scene for many years. His formative years were spent growing up in suburban Toledo, Ohio, where he came of age at the magical late 60s, early 70s, mid-western crossroads of rock, soul, pop, and bubblegum. Drinking from the same well as other farmland power pop bands, such as Raspberries, Cheap Trick, Blue Ash, The Romantics, as well as the hard rock sounds emanating from Detroit, just an hour to the north, he amalgamates them all into his sound.

While studying at University of Michigan in 1978, Steve was one of the early performers at the now-famous Bookies Club 870, a seminal punk and new wave club. He went on to continue to perform in Detroit and Ann Arbor in a series of original and cover bands. After graduation, he moved to Los Angeles, where he played in Flip City, a fixture at Madame Wong’s West and other 80s LA showcase clubs. From there, he and bass player (and Grammy nominated producer), Bruce Witkin, left to form The Lonely Bulls, a Beatle-esque vocal-centric acoustic fronted project that featured Everly Brothers-type harmonies.

[Spotify] Love on the Run 

“Without a word” Tom Verlaine

This way: Without a word

Dreamtime is the second solo studio album by American musician Tom Verlaine, released in 1981. "Without a Word" is a rewrite of "Hard On Love," an unreleased Television song performed live in 1974 and 1975.

The album was reissued in 1994 by Infinite Zero Archive/American Recordings label, with two bonus tracks drawn from the 1981 "Always" 7" & 12" single. It was reissued in 2008 by Collectors' Choice Music with no bonus tracks.

 

[Spotify] Without a word 

“Animal Space” New Age Steppers

This way: Animal Space

New Age Steppers were a dub collective from the United Kingdom, formed by producer Adrian Sherwood and featuring members of various prominent 1970s UK post-punk groups, including Ari Up and Viv Albertine of the Slits, Mark Stewart and Bruce Smith of The Pop Group, Keith Levene of Public Image Ltd and The Flowers of Romance, John Waddington and Sean Oliver of Rip Rig + Panic, and Vicky Aspinall of The Raincoats. Other musicians included associates of Sherwood's On-U Sound label, including Roots Radics' Errol Holt, George Oban (who had also played with Burning Spear and Aswad), Bim Sherman, Style Scott, and Eskimo Fox.

New Age Steppers released the self-titled debut album on On-U Sound in 1980. It was followed by Action Battlefield in 1981. The third album, Foundation Steppers, was released in 1982.

Love Forever, an album of songs which the late Ari Up and Adrian Sherwood had recorded together until the death of Ari Up, was released in 2012. On March 19, 2021, On-U Sound reissued the band's four studio albums and released a compilation of rarities titled Avant Gardening. The material was also issued together as a five-disc box set, Stepping Into a New Age, which compiles all of the group's recordings for the label.

This one by Viv AlbertineAriane ForsterTessa Pollitt. 

[Spotify] Animal Space 

“A Guy Like Me” Green on Red

This way: A Guy Like Me

Green on Red was an American rock band, formed in the Tucson, Arizona punk scene, but based for most of its career in Los Angeles, California, where it was loosely associated with the Paisley Underground. Earlier records have the wide-screen psychedelic sound of first-wave desert rock, while later releases tended more towards traditional country rock.

The band began in 1979 as The Serfers, a four-piece made up of Dan Stuart (vocals/guitar), Jack Waterson (bass), Van Christian (drums, later of Naked Prey) (organ), quickly replaced by Chris Cacavas. In the summer of 1980, the Serfers relocated to Los Angeles, where they changed their name to Green on Red (after the title of one of their songs) to avoid confusion with the local surf punk scene. Christian returned to Tucson and was replaced by Lydia Lunch sideman Alex MacNicol.

The band issued an overtly psychedelic, self-released red vinyl EP, sometimes called Two Bibles, though its first widely available record was an EP issued in 1982 by Dream Syndicate leader Steve Wynn on his own Down There label. Green on Red followed the Dream Syndicate onto Slash Records, which released the album Gravity Talks in late 1983.[1] San Francisco-based guitarist Chuck Prophet joined for the 1985 Gas Food Lodging (Enigma), after which MacNicol was replaced on drums by Keith Mitchell (later of Mazzy Star). Also in 1985, Stuart collaborated with Steve Wynn as "Danny & Dusty" on the album The Lost Weekend (A&M).

[Spotify] A Guy Like Me 

“Vireo's Eye” Future Islands

This way: Vireo's Eye

Future Islands is an American synth-pop band that formed in Greenville, North Carolina, in 2006, later relocating to Baltimore, Maryland, in 2008. The band consists of Samuel T. Herring (vocals), Gerrit Welmers (keyboards, programming), William Cashion (bass, guitars) and Michael Lowry (drums).

The band was formed by Herring, Welmers and Cashion—the remaining members of the performance art college band Art Lord & the Self-Portraits—and drummer Erick Murillo. Murillo departed from the band after recording their debut album, Wave Like Home (2008). Continuing as a three-piece, the remaining trio released two further studio albums – In Evening Air (2010) and On the Water (2011) – to a growing cult fanbase and extensive touring.

Future Islands came to prominence in 2014 with their fourth album, Singles, released by 4AD. Its lead single "Seasons (Waiting on You)" was considered the best song of 2014 by Pitchfork and NME and its performance at the Late Show with David Letterman in March 2014 became the most-viewed video on the show's YouTube page and has been described as one of the best live performances of all time.

Ahead of recording their fifth studio album, The Far Field (2017), the band added session drummer Michael Lowry to its line-up. He became a core member of the band for their sixth studio album, As Long as You Are (2020). The band's seventh studio album, People Who Aren't There Anymore (2024), chronicled the dissolution of Herring's long-distance relationship across worldwide COVID-19 lockdowns. 

[Spotify] Vireo's Eye 

“Machinery” The Naked and Famous

This way: Machinery

The Naked and Famous are a New Zealand indie electronic band from Auckland, formed in 2007. The band currently consists of Alisa Xayalith (vocals, keyboards) and Thom Powers (vocals, guitars). 

The band has released four studio albums: Passive Me, Aggressive You (2010), In Rolling Waves (2013), Simple Forms (2016) and Recover (2020). Since 2012, the band has been based in Los Angeles, California. Xayalith (born 1986 in Auckland) is the daughter of Laotian refugees and was raised together with a younger brother. Her father introduced her to his native folk music and, at the age of 13, she taught herself guitar. Powers had been playing in local bands from an early age after he had been taught to play guitar by his father.

2007–2008: Early years

The band formed in 2007 when Powers and Xayalith were working on what became two extended plays—This Machine and No Light—that they recorded with engineer Aaron Short, a fellow student at Auckland's Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand. The EPs were subsequently released on local independent label Round Trip Mars. Powers and Xayalith began performing live with Ben Knapp and Jordan Clark on bass and drums respectively, while Aaron Short became a performing member of the group. Knapp and Clark left the group in 2009 and were subsequently replaced with Jesse Wood and David Beadle.

After recording "All of This", the group then set about recording the single "Young Blood" and their debut album, recording mostly at home and at Auckland studio The Lab. "Young Blood" debuted on the New Zealand chart at number one on 14 June 2010—the first New Zealand artist in three years to do so. The Naked and Famous released their debut studio album, Passive Me, Aggressive You, on 6 September 2010 on their own label, Somewhat Damaged. The album was produced by Thom Powers and Aaron Short, and mixed by Billy Bush.

[Spotify] Machinery 

“Push” Liquid Liquid

This way: Push

Liquid Liquid is an American dance-punk group, originally active from 1980 to 1983. They are best known for their track "Cavern," which was covered—without proper permission or attribution—by the Sugar Hill Records house band as the backing track for Melle Mel's old school rap classic "White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)." The group released a series of extended plays, including the acclaimed 1983 12" EP Optimo. In 2008, the band reformed and have played in multiple countries.

Liquid Liquid was formed by the members of the New York "primitive punk band" Liquid Idiot (Sal Principato, Richard McGuire, Scott Hartley, and Dennis Young). McGuire recalled that they changed the name from the punk-resonant "Liquid Idiot" to "Liquid Liquid", which had undertones of "slippery grooviness".[3] In 1981, the band released their self-titled debut EP, which according to author Tim Lawrence, "combined the Bo Diddley beat, the rototoms in Curtis Mayfield's "Super Fly", the percussive crescendos of Fela Kuti, the subtractive spatial dimension of dub reggae, and the deconstructive rock of DNA."

Liquid Liquid often played at the gay black and latino scene clubs like Paradise Garage, as well as the more heterosexual latino scene at Funhouse, The Roxy, and Monster Movie Club. Liquid Liquid, alongside Treacherous Three, played in Rick Rubin's 1982 "Uptown Meets Downtown" event.

One of their most famous songs, "Cavern", originally appeared on the EP Optimo recorded by Don Hünerberg. The song's bassline and lyrics were copied by Grandmaster + Melle Mel's old school rap classic, "White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)" changing the words "slip in and out of phenomenon" to “something like a phenomenon". 99 Records took Sugarhill to court over its unauthorized use, and after an expensive court battle, won compensation. Before they could collect, however, Sugarhill went into bankruptcy. The members of Liquid Liquid started earning royalties after Duran Duran covered "White Lines" in 1995. In aftermath, Principato recalled that he couldn't get angry, "given what a big influence Grandmaster Flash was on him—[he] was partly flattered, partly flabbergasted, partly confused".

[Spotify] Push 

“Save Me” Joan as Police Woman (with Iggy)

This way: Save Me

Joan Wasser (born July 26, 1970) is an American musician, singer-songwriter and producer who releases music as Joan As Police Woman. She began her career playing violin with the Dambuilders and played with Black Beetle, Antony and the Johnsons, and Those Bastard Souls. Since 2004 she has released her solo material as Joan As Police Woman. She has released five regular studio albums, one extended play (EP), a number of singles and two albums of cover songs. Throughout her career, she has regularly collaborated with other artists as a writer, performer and arranger.

Born at the Saint Andre Home in Biddeford, Maine, to an unmarried teenage mother, Wasser was placed for adoption at infancy. She was raised in Norwalk, Connecticut. She credits her background as an adopted child with her "very extroverted" personality and dressing up a lot. She says that "when you are in a situation where you're not blood-related to your family, it does become extremely obvious that you're born with your personality".

Wasser began piano lessons at age six and violin lessons at age eight. She played violin in school and community orchestras before leaving Norwalk for her college studies. At the age of 18, Wasser began her music career during her studies at the College of Fine Arts, Boston University. She studied music under, among others, Yuri Mazurkevich, and played with the Boston University Symphony Orchestra. Wasser soon grew disillusioned and found that she "didn't want to make classical music my life, the Beethoven symphonies have already been played a million times and I am not going to do it any better". Instead, she joined a number of local punk bands trying "to bridge the gap between the guitar and the bass and play the violin really loud". 

[Spotify] Save Me 

“Cartoon” Soul Asylum

This way: Cartoon

Soul Asylum is an American rock band formed in 1981 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Their 1993 hit "Runaway Train" won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Song.

The band was originally called Loud Fast Rules, with a lineup consisting of Dave Pirner, Dan Murphy, Karl Mueller, and Pat Morley. They changed their name to Soul Asylum in 1983. Morley was replaced by Grant Young in 1984.

The band recorded three albums with Twin/Tone Records and two with A&M Records, with little commercial success. In 1992, they released the triple-platinum album Grave Dancers Union, featuring "Runaway Train". The band played at the inauguration of President Bill Clinton early the next year. They also scored a platinum record with the album Let Your Dim Light Shine three years later. In 1998 they recorded Candy from a Stranger. The band released four more albums over the next 15 years. Their most recent releases are Hurry Up and Wait in 2020, their twelfth studio release; and Slowly But Shirley in 2024, their thirteenth release. 

Mueller was diagnosed with cancer in 2004, and the band organized a benefit concert on his behalf. Mueller died a year later.

[Spotify] Cartoon 

“Piece of Mind” Honey Cassette

This way: Piece of Mind

Bittersweet neo-psychedelic freak-out rock - Boston, MA.

[Spotify] Piece of Mind 

“Punk Police” Fancy Rosy

This way: Punk Police

Here is an audio jem from 1977. I'm thinking this is from the Neatherlands.

[Spotify] NO!