Joe Myers' Scrapbook - Part Two

Here is Part Two of Joe's Scrapbook, getting off to a great start with Danzig, Ghost Story and Nihilist at Center Stage in 1988, I believe (?). Usually you can determine the year if the day of the week is listed, but not in this case. This would have been on a Wednesday, if anyone remembers. FYI, Joe Myers is the guitarist behind such bands as Inkwell, Black Venus and Re/Model, and I did a previous post a few weeks ago of some other shows in his scrapbook here.


Righteous metal at the Masquerade, circa August 1990. Including F.U.C.T., O.C.B., Venosity, Nihilist, and plenty of others. I think I remember hearing a story once about Metalmorphosis, but now I forget it.


Dayton, Ohio Music Fest - June 17-18, 1994: This was a pivotal point of the decade for DIY music in the nineties. Almost every band that played this fest has achieved legendary status, at least in some circles and it seems that anyone who attended these festivals had some part in similar festivals and DIY shows across the US for years to come. The 1994 Dayton Fest hosted such greats as Policy of Three, Kurbjaw, Greyhouse, Dartswinger, Iceburn, Avail, Universal Order of Armageddon, Delta 72, Brainiac, Hoover, Ashes, Iconoclast, Current (and the unveilling of Ottawa at the end of their set), Outspoken, Campfire, Ordination of Aaron, Transcend, Split Lip. I think Hoover actually broke up before playing this show, and I'm not sure what other bands played, maybe Shotmaker? I wasn't there myself, but I remember Steve Wishart and others coming back telling me about all the amazing bands that played. Policy of Three, Current/Ottawa and Ordination of Aaron especially.


Dayton, Ohio Music Fest - June 16-17, 1995: Second year of the Dayton Fest, this time including Kepone, Pitchblende, Blue Meanies, Split Lip, Hose Got Cable, Kinghorse, Rye Coalition, Ruby Falls, Metroshifter, Smears, Paul K and the Weathermen, Ten O'Clock Scholar, Frank Booth Band, Ska Humbug, Miss May '66, Rottweilers. Some great bands on this year's lineup, and some more obscure ones as well. I'm not sure about bands like Frank Booth Band and Miss May '66, but most of the others did fairly well for themselves in the following years. You can also see the third wave ska creeping into the mix, as the midwest was quite a haven for this during this time.


Columbus Fest - July 5-7, 1996: The Dayton Fest moves to Columbus, Ohio in 1996 with probably the best lineup yet, maybe even ever, including Franklin, The Great Unravelling, One Eyed God Prophecy, Braid, Endive, Fieldtree, Anasarca, Harriet The Spy, Boy Sets Fire, Church of the Bomb, Wallside, Inquisition, The Promise Ring, Spirit Assembly, Joan of Arc, Across Five Aprils, Broken Hearts Are Blue, Resin, Avail, Young Pioneers, Jenny Piccolo, Constantine Sankathi, Compound Red, Khai, Julia, The Locust, Side Show, Three Studies For A Crucifixion, Armstrong Secret Nine, and Remington. For this type of music, you can't get any better. I believe The hal al Shedad played the festival in 1997 with The Promise Ring, Braid, Harriet the Spy, and many others, but unfortunately I don't have a flyer for that year.

August 17, 1996: Deadguy, Ink & Dagger, NineIronSpitfire and One Way at the I-Defy house.

August 1996 I-Defy Show List, including 10 Yard Fight, Acrid and Broken (maybe) on August 5, Reversal of Man with Life Among Ruin on August 8, Hot Water Music with Walleye, Swank and Quadiliacha on August 11, Bleed with Halfman and Thenceforward on August 12, Hourglass with New Day Rising on August 16, Ink & Dagger on August 17, and Converge with Jesuit and Thenceforward on August 24 as well as Seein' Red, Torches To Rome, and Palatka at the Driverdome on August 10. It's amazing to think about how the house show scene in Atlanta was so developed by this time that you could have a great show every night with national touring bands that wouldn't get shut down or otherwise fall through.

September 8, 1995: Amber Inn with Scout and The Forty-Two at the Driverdome. A classic show of the time period, with the Wishart brothers in the bathtub.

Another I-Defy show list from 1996, including Asshole Parade/Eurich/Black Marinos/Necrolust on April 20, Order of Importance/Reversal of Man on April 27, Cavity on May 2, Damad/In-Humanity on May 17, Franklin/Algebra I on May 27, Morning Again/Outbreak on May 31, Anasarca/XXY on June 3, Fat Day/End of the Century Party/In-Humanity on June 7 (at Driverdome), Assuck/Man is the Bastard on June 17 (actually at BLT's), Prevail/Reversal of Man/Piebald on July 9 and Seein' Red/Torches To Rome at The Driverdome on August 10.

April 7, 1995: Assuck with Phoopher at the Driverdome. This one is dedicated to Will Greene - Phoopher officially makes the blog.

April 22, 1995 (I believe): Wheeljack at the Somber Reptile with 3 Canadian bands. I can't remember which bands, but a cool flyer nonetheless.

Driverdome Flyer circa August 1995: Whirlybird/Quadiliacha on August 27, Breakwater/Scout on August 30, Amber Inn/Scout/Forty-Two on September 8, Boys Life/Giants Chair/Hal al Shedad on September 12. That Boys Life show was amazing, I always loved that band.

June 8, 1996 (I believe): Blood Runs Black and Outbreak at the Godless Red House. Had to get a Godless Red flyer in there.

February 23, 1996: Fragment with Outbreak, Narcolepsy and Broken at the I-Defy House. Benefit for the Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade, and Outbreak's fina show ever.

June 18, 1995: The Promise Ring with Scout and Outbreak at the Driverdome. This was The Promise Ring's first Atlanta show, before they became scene superstars.

This is an alternate flyer for the same show as above. I guess Wheeljack played as well, which makes sense as Driverdome shows were usually 4 bands.

August 29, 1996: The Promise Ring with Kinkaid and Levelhead at the Somber Reptile. This was a late period Somber Reptile show, as most of the shows by this time had moved to houses, and then to Under the Couch.

Driverdome shows circa 1996, including Car vs. Driver/Ice-9/Glitch on April 27, Don's Ex-Girlfriend/Clairmel/Product on May 6, Shade/Hot Water Music on May 25 (Hot Water Music's first Atlanta show, if I remember correctly), Selfish on June 1, Plow/Delta 72 on June 6. That Delta 72 show was amazing, probably the first big DC band to play our house, to be followed soon after by the Make-Up show, one of the best house shows I have ever seen. More on that show later.

CLD is back!

The Signallers, Craig Lee Dempsey's new band (Lowboy, The Forty-Two, Aslund Constant, At the Price of the Union, The Weight, Thoroughbred, The Good Friday Experiment) is playing a show this Friday at the 529 Club in East Atlanta, along with The Weight and West End Motel. I believe it is their first, so I'm making an official announcement here as we can't hang up a flyer in Tortillas anymore to promote these things. The master of technique Kelsey Wilson (The Weight, Thoroughbred, All Night Drug Prowling Wolves) also plays in the band, so I thought it would be good to post two live Thoroughbred shows for parties interested. They are unbelievable, thanks Kelsey!

Thoroughbred - Live at The Star Bar 2003-12-20

Thoroughbred - Live at The EARL 2004-05-07 (their final show)

Joe Myers Scrapbook - Part One

Joe Myers (Inkwell, Re/Model, Black Venus) recently loaned me his flyer collection, which is really a scrapbook of classic Atlanta shows and bands long gone. Of course you can click on any of these pages to get a full-size view. When Joe put together these scrapbooks, he would only cutout the lineups for each show, and not the date or venue, but I will try to fill in the blanks wherever possible. The above page was from the Metroplex and included several great shows from the 1988-1992 era, including TSOL, Kingface, MDC, HR, Plasmatics, Angry Samoans, The Undead, The Blasters, Gardens Of, etc.

Here is a page of shows from the Somber Reptile and Wreck Room, circa 1993-1994. We have the WGHR and Mike D fests, plenty of Act of Faith, Car vs. Driver, Crisis Under Control, Inkwell, Quadiliacha, etc. shows and many of the first Avail shows in Atlanta.

The Masquerade has hosted more amazing shows overall than any other Atlanta venue. Many of the pages above and below highlight their golden era from the early 1990's. This page includes several Quicksand/Seaweed shows, 7 Seconds, the first Warped Tour (hosted in the Masquerade music park), DRI, and the skate show that I went to in 1991 with Bill Danforth, Christian Hosoi and Tony Hawk where they built a halfpipe and literally hosted a skate demo in Heaven. I went with my skate posse, and my friend Matt Kew got Bill Danforth's wristband, which he bit off to give to him and also heard Bill utter the infamous line "it's not a good session unless you're bleeding", or something to that effect.

Just another listing of the varied shows from early 1990's Masquerade, including the Nirvana/Das Damen show on October 6, 1991, Frank Black opening for The Ramones in 1994, Foo Fighters opening up for Mike Watt in 1995.

More Masquerade flyers, and some Roxy and possibly Center Stage rolled in. Here is the Car vs. Driver show with Samiam and The Toadies at the Masquerade in 1994 (my last show playing there until 2009), Corrosion Of Conformity with Dirt and Dark Overlord in 1989, Bad Religion with Green Day and Seaweed in 1993.

Just a general Masquerade flyer from March/April 1996, including Fugazi with Seely, "Dear You" era Jawbreaker, Girls vs. Boys, etc.

Here is the Dischord page of shows, including the Fugazi shows of the late 80's/early 90's. The first listed here with Porn Orchard was in 1989 (missed that one), the second with Daisy and Fiddlehead was in 1991 (my first Fugazi show), the shows with Shudder To Think were in 1993 and the March 28/29 were from 1996. The amazing Jawbox/Girls vs. Boys/Freemasonry show from 1994 is here, as well as the Drive Like Jehu show at the Somber Reptile where Sunny Day Real Estate played in the Lazy Lizard downstairs in 1994.

The only show I saw on this page was the Gwar/Melvins show in 1992. Some other interesting shows by Mule, Bad Brains, and the Neurosis/Antiseen/Fiddlehead show in 1994 must have been something.

Now we have the metal page. Mercyful Fate, COC, Voivod, Testament with Nuclear Assult in 1990. Classics.

More metal, noise rock, etc. from the Masquerade and Roxy. The Jesus Lizard/Tar/Dirt show from August 13, 1992 as well as the Jesus Lizard/Girls vs. Boys/Martians show from September 24, 1994 were key early 90's events.

More indie rock from the Masquerade. I went to the Dinosaur Jr./My Bloody Valentine/Babes In Toyland show on February 23, 1992 and it blew my head off. The Superchunk/Faith Healers/Unrest show from February 27, 1993 was the first time I saw Unrest, although my first time seeing Superchunk was when they played with Mudhoney, which I cannot find here. The Stereolab/Unrest show from the Somber Reptile on November 8, 1993 is listed here, which was amazing. I remember Unrest going into the crowd to wait for their encore as there was no backstage. So many great shows.

More punk shows from the early 90's, including Rocket from the Crypt with Clawhammer and Scout from January 30, 1994 (I had no idea Scout ever opened for RFTC). The Queers with Car vs. Driver, Levelhead and Habeas Corpses at the Somber Reptile on March 25, 1994 where Steve Wishart vomited behind his amp.

Of course you have to include the ska page. The Bosstones with Seersucker at Center Stage on June 25, 1993 was the only time I got to see Seersucker - strange lineup. There are some shows with local ska bands the Skats, The Go-Steadys, Brumski, I'll even count Seven Foot Politic in there.

Lastly, here is a monthly calendar for the Masquerade in September to October 1991, including the Mudhoney show, which I believe was the time Superchunk and Gas Huffer opened for them, Dirt opening for The Cows. What a collection of shows.

Happy New Year! Fit and Working Again!

Hope you all had a good New Years - I spent the entire time in a manner reminiscent of my favorite Pere Ubu quote:

"Rock music is mostly about moving big black boxes from one side of town to the other in the back of your car."

So I took some time off from the blog, but I'm just about ready to start posting again. As usual, there is a huge backlog of material that I am trying to get through, but it keeps piling up. I sincerely apologize to Kim Chee, Gray Kiser and Kip Thomas in for how long I have been holding onto your stuff, I will try to get everything back to you as soon as I can.

Unfortunately I was not able to finish all of the Perimeter Records/Outer Loop/Flagpole Christmas compilation posts in time for Christmas, but instead of writing about them now, I will save the remaining posts for December 2010 when the spirit will be back upon us. However, I have uploaded all of the music, which you can find here:

Perimeter Records/Outer Loop Christmas Compilations

Flagpole Christmas Compilations

If you remember the Bliss post I did awhile back, Henry Owings sent me a live recording of a reunion show they did in Athens back in 1994:

Bliss Live at the Atomic Music Hall

If there was a show in Atlanta or Athens back in the nineties, chances are he has a recording of it somewhere in his dark tower of DATs. However, it would probably take thousands of man hours to organize and transfer everything to CD/MP3.

Drew Rydberg sent me a recording of the No Walls Live at WREK session, probably from 1991 or 1992, which is excellent and includes some interesting free jazz improvisations between songs. Here are his notes - "First off, credit where credit is due.....this Live @ WREK show was originally recorded directly to cassette from the radio broadcast by my friend Randy Castello. He loaned me that tape many years ago, and at the time I was working at a studio in Nashville, so I was able to clean up/re-master the recording somewhat. It seems like the band didn't have enough material to fill out the show, so there are a few improvisations sprinkled in between the normal songs (I'm not complaining). There was some chaff/banter that was cut out here and there for the sake of making a listenable CD, but all the good stuff is there."

I have included it on the original post, but you can also download it here: No Walls Live at WREK

The Thomas Peake memorial show at Eyedrum on December 20th was amazing, and I have posted some of my recordings here:

Lumens Set

Purkinje Shift Set

Seventy Spacebird Set Edit

Lumens is the new band with Gary and Ben from The Purkinje Shift along with Ben Lukens from The hal al Shedad. The Purkinje Shift need no introduction, but I am currently working on a Purkinje Shift post for this blog. Seventy Spacebird played after everyone had left, but it was a good time and Mathis Hunter edited best parts of the set into one concise track.

Lastly, The hal al Shedad plan to play a one-time reunion show on March 27, 2010 at the Drunken Unicorn in Atlanta as a benefit for our friend Gavin Frederick. You may know that Gavin got a nasty bacterial infection right before Thanksgiving, and had to be hospitalized for over a week. He does have a health plan, however he had to take out essentially a car loan to pay for the deductible. So this is our way of helping him out, and saying thanks for all the support he has given our town and our music over the years. Rizzudo will also play the show, as well as hopefully Some Soviet Station, although I need Jesse Smith to confirm this. Lee - has Jesse talked to you about this?

Perimeter Records - Christmas '93 Compilation

Here is the download: Perimeter Records 1993 Christmas Compilation

Here is the track listing:
1. HoHoHum Christmas by My Evil Twin
2. Holiday In The Snow by My Evil Half Twin
3. Christmas On Ganymede by Thompson/Hughes/Swartz
4. Ride The Pink Pig by My Evil Twin
5. D. yule I. by Pineal Ventana
6. Solstice Lights by Thompson/Hughes
7. Not Even A Mouse by Sequence 3
8. The Twelve Days by Routerwhelm
9. Mrs. Claus Gets Religion by Sphinctus Ignitus Pretensio
10. Grey Zone by Sphinctus Ignitus Pretensio
11. Don't Get Too Big by Sphinctus Ignitus Pretensio
12. Shallow and Lonely by Sphinctus Ignitus Pretensio
13. Hairline by Sphinctus Ignitus Pretensio
14. On Christmas Day Santa Screens His Calls by Sphinctus Ignitus Pretensio

Here is the last of the Perimeter Records Christmas compilations, of course thanks goes out to Doug Hughes for helping to put these out and providing the history of the series. You can also download all of the Perimeter Records and Outer Loop series of compilations here. In this installment, you have quite a bit more Christmas-themed novelty music from My Evil Twin, as well as some ambient electronic soundtracks by Thompson, Hughes and Swartz and even an original number by the great Pineal Ventana. Sequence 3 and Routerwhelm get some experimental sound collages going, while Sphinctus Ignitus Pretensio takes the entire second half of the compilation with some bizarre avant rock. I'm not sure who was in that band, but there is probably a good story or two behind that one.

Here is the complete artwork (click to enlarge):

Perimeter Records - Christmas '92 Compilation

Here is the download: Perimeter Records 1992 Christmas Compilation

Here is the track listing:
1. Chimney Creeper by My Evil Twin
2. Winters Journey by My Evil Twin
3. Santatron by My Evil Twin
4. Snowblind by Thompson/Hughes
5. Faraway Christmas by My Evil Twin
6. Holiday Confusion by Hughes/Swartz
7. Holiday Recession Blues by My Evil Twin
8. Smells Like Christmas Spirit by My Evil Twin
9. Sporting a Yuletide Woody by Turner Christmas Network
10. Don't Ask For Santa, Ask For The Wolfman by Sequence 3
11. Gray Aria by Thompson/Hughes
12. Bang Bang, Twenty-Five Twelve Is Over by Routerwhelm
13. Christmas Tree Lights by Rat Camera
14. Christmas For Katrina by Sun Keepers
15. Holiday Recession Blues (Rude Return) by My Evil Twin

This is the 1992 edition of the Perimeter Records Christmas compilations, started way back in 1987. Thanks again (and again and again) to Doug Hughes for sending me the music and information. This year delves deeply into novelty music territory with My Evil Twin providing the bulk of the content. Smells Like Christmas Spirit shows you just what era we were in back then, reminds me of Mr. Alternative by The Midget Farmers. There is still one more Perimeter Records compilation to post, as well as two years of Outer Loop compilations and two more Flagpole compilations, so I will do my best to plow through these for you. If you want to download all of the compilations at this time, here is the link to all the Perimeter Records/Outer Loop compilations, and all the Flagpole compilations.

Here is the complete artwork (click to enlarge):

Daughter of the Flagpole Christmas Compilation

Here is the download: Daughter of the Flagpole Christmas Compilation

Here is the track listing:
1. Lotion - Must Be Christmas
2. Magneto - Ornament
3. Seersucker - Santa Claus, Go Straight To The Ghetto
4. Marlee MacLeod - No Vacancy
5. Jack O Nuts - Pig Amongst Men
6. Bill Taft and Kelly Hogan - O Magnum Mysterium
7. Kachina - Frost
8. Kevin Kinney - Thomas Tinsel's Holiday
9. Hetch Hetchy - Candles and Miracles
10. Bone Dry - Ding Dong
11. Buzz Hungry - Magnificent Car
12. Hear It Love It Dance It - Snowflakes are Falling
13. Bliss - Santa vs. Magneto
14. Big Fish Ensemble - Christmas Song
15. Follow For Now - Santa's Hard
16. Widespread Panic - Papa's Home
17. Guy Smiley - Untitled

This is the third installment of the Flagpole Christmas compilations, from way back in 1992. Several Atlanta bands have made contributions (Jack O Nuts, Seersucker, Kevin Kinney, Follow For Now), as well as some Athens classics (Buzz Hungry, Bliss, Magneto). Even Widespread Panic contributes a song. My favorite from this tape is the Seersucker cover of "Santa Claus, Go Straight to the Ghetto" by James Brown, you just can't beat it, although the Bliss song is really good as well. Enjoy.

Here is the complete artwork (click to enlarge):

Perimeter Records - Christmas '91 Compilation

Here is the download: Perimeter Records 1991 Christmas Compilation

Here is the track listing:
1. Santa Claus by My Evil Twin
2. Solstice Winds by Doug Hughes and Chris Swartz
3. Santa's Coming by Robert Hollis
4. Christmas Comes But Once A Year (Thank Goodness) by Lilje and Swartz
5. Poor Old Santa by My Evil Twin
6. Merry Christmas Anyway by Swartz and Thompson
7. Bring Me A Cure by My Evil Twin
8. Just Say Noel by Doug Hughes
9. Jingle Bells by Electric Boat Division
10. Little Princess by Toast

This is the fifth annual Perimeter Records Christmas Tape, for your enjoyment. More late night Christmas themed sound collages and weird rock songs, mainly by My Evil Twin playing the part of the house band for the next few compilations. Credit is due to Doug Hughes for making it happen, and contributing the back story as well as the spookiest song on the compilation (Just Say Noel).

Here is the complete artwork (click to enlarge):

Perimeter Records - Christmas '90 Compilation

Here is the download: Perimeter Records 1990 Christmas Compilation

Here is the track listing:
1. Scuzza Claus by St. Nick's Evil Moronic Twin
2. Ice Crystal Reflections by Doug Hughes
3. X-Mas Part 6.4 by King Kill 33
4. Christmas Without Presence by Gene Thompson and Doug Hughes
5. The Moods of Christmas by King Kill 33
6. March of the Elves by Chris Swartz
7. I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas (90's Remix) by Todd Ploharski
8. Stranded on Drifting Ice by Doug Hughes
9. Santa Is Satan by Mitch Foy
10. Circle of Monkeys by I See The Moon
11. Northern Lights (On The Blink) by Gene Thompson
12. Keep Saying You Love Me by Mitch Foy
13. Alone On The Holidays by Gene Thompson
14. Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by Sequence 3

This is the 1990 edition of the Perimeter Records Christmas Tapes. Thanks again Doug Hughes for sending me everything related to these compilations, including the history of the series. This time we have some nice ambient electronic contributions by Doug Hughes, Chris Swartz, Todd Ploharski, Mitch Foy and Gene Thompson, but also some songs from the legendary King Kill 33, and the classic Scuzza Claus by St. Nick's Evil Moronic Twin, which will get stuck in your head for quite some time if you are not careful.

Ben Davis told me yesterday about some of the methods used to create some of these songs like I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas (90's Remix) by Todd Ploharski from this compilation, which involved skipping CDs in old CD players to make loops that can be layered into sound collages. At least I believe that was how this song was composed. I love hearing anecdotes about the inventive ways experimental electronic music was made before laptops turned everything into keystrokes. I guess you could make the case of the whole circuit bending culture as the descendant of this, but I don't want to step on any toes here.

Here is the complete artwork:

Thomas Peake Memorial Show on Sunday

Update: Here is the Purkinje Shift set: Purkinje Shift 2009-12-20 at Eyedrum

The Lumens set will also be posted here soon. Great show!

I just wanted to let you all know that there will be a memorial show for Thomas Peake next Sunday at Eyedrum, with all proceeds going to the East Atlanta Kids Club. As you can see from the list above, several classic Atlanta bands will be playing, including DQE, Flap, San Agustin, Gold Sparkle Band and Shaking Ray Levis. Seventy Spacebird was the pre-Noot d' Noot improvised band from the late 90's, which I have posted music from on this blog. Fourth Ward Afro-Klezmer Ensemble are old friends doing what they do best.

Perhaps most interesting is the debut of the new band Lumens including Benjamin Lukens on bass (The hal al Shedad, Ananke, Ultivac, Cough Syrup, Astrosmash, Amverts, The Forever War), Ben Davis on guitar (Noot d' Noot, Habeas Corpses, The Purkinje Shift, Moreland Audio, Home of the Wildcats) and Gary Flom on Drums (Rebar, The Purkinje Shift, Moreland Audio, The Forever War). They go on at 4PM sharp, so be advised.

Be advised - there are also plans for The Purkinje Shift to play a few songs immediately following the Lumens set at 4PM, so you might want to arrange your schedule accordingly for this one.

Perimeter Records - Christmas '89 Compilation

Here is the download: Perimeter Records 1989 Christmas Compilation

Here is the track listing:

1. Angels We Have Heard On High by Hollis/Swartz

2. Santa Claus Is Dead by St. Nick and The Morons

3. 4AM Christmas Morning by Doug Hughes

4. Night Of Mass by Man's On Control and Caroline Cant

5. Christmas Solution by St. Nick and The Morons

6. Christmas Is Coming by St. Nick and The Morons

7. Midnight Sun by Gene Thompson

8. Kris Kringle's Krue by St. Nick and The Morons

9. Home For The Holidays by Klimchak

10. Is Santa Satan? by Man's On Control

Here is the third installment of the Perimeter Records Christmas tape compilations, this time from 1989. Doug Hughes (Broken Symmetry, Outer Loop Records, Tenth To The Moon) wrote a history on the compilations, which you can find here. More WREK-style experimentation with Christmas themes, and starting to get into novelty music terrain on this one. My personal favorite being "Christmas Solution" by St. Nick and The Morons, a rearranged cover of "Final Solution" by Pere Ubu.

Here is the complete tape artwork (click to enlarge):

Son of the Flagpole Christmas Compilation

Here is the download: Son of the Flagpole Christmas Compilation

Here is the track listing:
1. Deacon Lunchbox - Intro
2. The Opal Foxx Quartet - On Christmas Day
3. Porn Orchard - This Holiday Season
4. Michelle Malone - Santa Baby
5. LaBrea Stompers - Do They Know It's Christmas?
6. Alex Marquez - Blue Christmas
7. Redneck Greece DeLux - Grandma Got Run Over by a Redneck
8. Go Figures - Christmas Morning
9. Allgood - Christmas with the Devil
10. Daisy - Here Comes Christmas
11. Clamp - Myrrh and Frankincense
12. Ben Reynolds and Jim McKay - Daddy, Don't Get Drunk This Christmas
13. The Woggles - Don't Believe In Christmas
14. Dreams So Real - Learn To Love Again
15. Hayride - Jesus Christ
16. Skinpops - Little Drummer Boy/Hey Fat Man
17. Vic Chesnutt - Little Christmas Fugue

Volume 2 of the amazing Flagpole Christmas tape compilations, this one from 1992. Some bands returning for a second round (The Woggles, The LaBrea Stompers, Vic Chesnutt), and some legendary artists make some great contributions (Opal Foxx Quartet, Hayride, Porn Orchard). The LaBrea Stompers version of Do They Know It's Christmas is brilliant, especially the outtros by each member of the band at the end just like Simon Le Bon et al. did in the original. The real gem of the compilation, however, is the duet between Tom Waits and Peter Murphy in "This Holiday Season" by Porn Orchard. Perhaps the finest moment in all of these compilations, it still makes me laugh. Lastly, the Deacon Lunchbox intro just reminds me once again of the void that has never been replaced in Atlanta or Athens culture since his passing.

Here is the complete artwork (click to enlarge):

Perimeter Records - Christmas '88 Compilation

Here is the download: Perimeter Records Christmas 1988 Compilation

Here is the track listing:
1. X-Mass by Hollis/Swartz
2. Silent Night by Dough Hughes
3. Christmas Comes and Christmas Goes by Randy Presley
4. Christbeat by Kevin Haller
5. Sliced Clean by Tim Lane Seaton
6. Sleighbells from Hell by Doug Hughes
7. Christmas Is Here by Turner Christmas Network
8. Cancer of Capricorn by Kevin Haller
9. Christmas Spirit by Sequence 3
10. Christmas Morning/Full Court Press by Arthur Jogs Alone
11. Noel II by Dan Leithauser

This is the second Christmas tape compilation put out by Perimeter Records in 1988. Some classic experimental rock and ambient music with a Christmas theme, late night WREK stuff. Great background music to put on while decorating the tree. Thanks again to Doug Hughes (Broken Symmetry, Outer Loop Records, Tenth To The Moon) for remastering and providing all of these recordings.

Here is the complete artwork (click to enlarge):

The Flagpole Christmas Album

Here is the download: The Flagpole Christmas Album

Here is the Track Listing:
1. Vic Chesnutt - White Christmas
2. Seven Simons - Nativity
3. Cordy Lon - Greensleeves
4. Flytrap - Christmas Time Is Here
5. 28 Days - Blue Christmas
6. The Dashboard Saviors - Run, Run, Rudolph
7. Smile Rabbit - It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
8. Nerve Clinic - Chemical Christmas
9. The Woggles - Santa Claus
10. The Vigilantes of Love - Bethlehem
11. Greenhouse - Every Bell
12. The LaBrea Stompers - You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch
13. Youth of Dead America - Christmas Wrapping
14. Roosevelt - There Ain't No Santa Claus
15. Five-Eight - Just Think About Christmas (And Sing What You Want)
16. Hillbilly Frankenstein with The Jackie Gleason Orchestra - White Christmas

What a lineup for this first Flagpole Christmas compilation! All the classic Athens bands of 1990 are represented (especially on Side Two) - Vic Chesnutt, Roosevelt, Five-Eight, Hillbilly Frankenstein, The Woggles, The Vigilantes of Love, The LaBrea Stompers. Every band on here except Five-Eight, Vic Chesnutt and The Woggles are long gone, but these three are still playing regularly and even released new albums this year. Local Christmas compilations can be patchy in quality, but this one is pretty solid all the way through, and all the songs seem to have been taken seriously by the artists to make a solid listen all the way through. My personal favorite on this tape is probably the LaBrea Stompers cover of "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch", as it is perfect material for Jim Stacy's voice and personal disposition. I know it still feels too early to get in the spirit of the season, but I have too many of these compilations to get through!

Here is the complete artwork (click on the image to enlarge):

Perimeter Records - Christmas '87 Compilation

Here is the download: Perimeter Records 1987 Christmas Compilation

Here is the track listing:
1. Merry Christmas, Dammit by Jon Kincaid, Bryan Lilje, Todd Ploharski, Melinda Spratt, Christopher Swartz and Doug Hughes
2. Chimes by Christopher Swartz
3. I'm Dreaming by Todd Ploharski
4. Arctic Christmas by Doug Hughes

I was originally approached way back in February through this blog by Steve Kilbride who writes for the Decatur Dispatch/Ponce Press paper asking about an old Atlanta record label called Perimeter Records. He remembered a set of Christmas cassettes that Perimeter produced back in the late 80's and early 90's, and wanted to know more about the label and these special cassettes that were circulated. This led me to a year long search (off and on) trying to find people who knew about the label and eventually got in touch with Doug Hughes, one of the guys who helped put together these compilations and a member of several bands including Broken Symmetry and Tenth to the Moon. He was able to provide me a complete history of the label and these releases, as well as remastered copies of all the compilations. I am posting the first here, and will post more as we get closer to Christmas Day. Additionally, Steve wrote a small article on this blog and the Christmas compilations in the Decatur Dispatch, so thanks Steve for all the extra promotion! I would also like to thank Kim Chee from Pineal Ventana for putting me in touch with Doug Hughes, and especially Doug for sending me all these great compilations, and for producing them in the first place. Here is the history lesson:

Perimeter Records Christmas Compilations
1987-1993 A brief history

The first Perimeter Records Christmas Compilation was conceived as a way to promote the new independent record label that was formed in the mid 80’s by Chris Swartz and Robert Hollis. These two gentlemen worked for the same company then and discovered they had a shared musical interest and began recording what would be their first LP Iso.

From this beginning, Perimeter Records released 3 vinyl LP’s by Hollis/Swartz, an LP compilation called Nine Underground, and several cassette only releases by many 80’s era Atlanta artists and noisemakers.

The first Christmas cassette was a 4 song, 23 minute collection featuring Chris on one track solo, and with St. Nick and the Morons on the opening track- “Merry Christmas, Dammit”. Hours prior to the session for this song, Todd Ploharski called Doug Hughes with instructions to ‘bring your guitar and amp down to WREK’, with no other details given. Doug was introduced to Chris Swartz, Brian Lilje, Jon Kincaid and Melinda Spratt who were assembled in the air studio to record the song. Lyrics were written by Jon Kincaid, sung by Brian, with Jon in the background and also a brief vocal from Doug, leaning into his amp mic; the session was engineered by Mike Mitton. It was a bit sloppy and largely improvised but it set the stage for what would come.

Chris asked Doug to contribute a song to close side two, which was quickly assembled from Doug’s existing guitar-effected multi-track tape mixes, married to a crude digital sample from a cassette recording off the radio of Santa Baby, for the rhythm track, while Chris patiently waited. He was trying to meet a deadline and had to have it that night. The track which preceded this one was contributed by Chris’ friend - Todd Ploharski, which featured a unique sound manipulation process involving massive CD destruction, played back through an early player without error correction circuitry.

The cassettes were given away free through Wax ’N Fax Records in Little 5 Points as well as Book-Nook on Clairmont; both in Atlanta. It was mailed out to ‘cool’ college stations across the country, many of whom were already listing Perimeter Records products on their play lists. No exact number of cassettes produced was ever made, but estimates of 125-150 each year are roughly accurate.

Chris continued this holiday tradition for the next 6 years, asking friends and acquaintances to contribute tracks for inclusion. The music tended be in the vein of ‘Nine Underground‘, but was also largely inspired by the weekly WREK show “Destroy All Music”. Emphasis was on creating art and less on technical sophistication.

Chris generated the cover art, and his skills as a draughtsman allowed him to neatly write the track list and credits by hand. Chris decided to include festive napkins, candy canes and most memorably, a Lego ‘build-a-Santa’ one year (that everyone commented on), enclosed in a large zip-lock bag, with additional notes and contributing musician credits.

Doug Hughes gradually offered his services in compiling the master tapes and making the cassette copies, using his growing Solar Wind studio, which initially consisted of several Nakamichi cassette decks, an old Teac ¼” 4-track reel to reel deck (w/o simul-sync), a Lexicon digital delay and other assorted effects. Solar Wind gradually became the recording arm for the label and was used by the Morons, who later became My Evil Twin, and other contributors who recorded there, into the Outer Loop daze.

By 1993, the last official year the Perimeter Christmas tape was produced, a rift developed between the founding members, and it was agreed to dissolve the business and cease operations. From 1994 through 1995, Doug resided in Dallas, Tx. but he returned to Atlanta in early 1996. He decided to resume the tradition by forming Outer Loop Productions, and was able to release two more Christmas tapes under the Outer Loop banner.

The final tape, released in 1997 - marking the 10th anniversary of the first Perimeter cassette; opens with a re-make of Merry Christmas Dammit, by Saint Nick’s Evil Moronic Twin. This track featured Jon Kincaid on words and vocals with Doug Hughes and Robert Hollis on guitars, plus drums and bass by Doug.

Of course by 1997, cassettes were already dead and Doug gradually became involved in Broken Symmetry with Chris Swartz and Gene Thompson and later with Keith Lee in Liar’s Club then Tenth to the Moon with Mitchell Foy, all of whom had contributed to the Christmas releases.

In 2005, Chris Swartz compiled a two CD retrospective of the Christmas tapes, which he again mailed out to the same college stations who had received the original tapes. These were also given out to friends, but it was very limited in production numbers and lacked modern mastering..

In 2009, Doug Hughes re-mastered the original master tapes, with tape hiss edits and a few other refinements, and is now making them available to anyone who wants them. If you are a such a person please contact:

Doug Hughes
bsymmetry@msn.com

Here is the complete artwork for the first cassette (click image to enlarge).

I will be posting all of these Perimeter Christmas compilations over the next few weeks as well as other Atlanta/Athens related Christmas comps, so keep in touch!