Here is the download: Bob - The Early Years
1-3: From Refuel Compilation
4-6: From Self-Titled 7"
7-21: From Complex Organism Blues CD
Bob was an enigmatic and mystifying band in Atlanta. I never knew the guys, and only saw them a few times, but they had a habit of popping up in strange places. I remember the Go-Steadys playing with them once at the Somber Reptile in 1992 or 1993, and as you could imagine they were not so well received by the teenage ska fans. Later Car vs. Driver played with them, Pineal Ventana and Dribbling Hermits at the Homage Coffee House for a WREK benefit in 1994, which rocked but was also when I stabbed myself in the eye with a drumstick and couldn't see. I got to see them other places and times and really enjoyed it. Their bassplayer was so damn tall, and I remember their drummer having back problems and eventually had to play standing up. Also, their guitarist played a beat up Stratocaster with a Fender Twin that had a great psychedelic paint job that was really cool from my kid perspective. Later, I remember they got a lady in the band to play bass/percussion, and played some kind of weird dance music, which I wasn't so into. They were certainly very creative and making music that I couldn't really process or grasp so well at the time, but I liked it. I remember some of these songs so well, like "Nasty" and "Pope Is" as art-rock anthems from my school days. I have included in this post what I believe is their first 7" along with their songs on the Refuel compilation and the Complex Organism Blues CD, which was one of the first CDs I ever purchased. I heard the CD after this one was really good, but I never ended up getting it. I hope you enjoy what I have included, and please leave comments and info on Bob so I can get more of their story.
Here is the artwork to the Complex Organism Blues CD:
Here is their page for the Refuel Athens/Atlanta compilation:
The back cover of the self-titled 7":
I saw Bob a few times when they first started and it was always good. I remember Steve and I seeing their flyers way before they ever played any shows. We were so intrigued by the constant flyers with no shows listed that we had to check them out by the time they actually played.
ReplyDeleteI have a couple of other 7"s and at least one other cd by them that may be before this one that I need to send you along with everything else. I promise it will happen one day.
That would be awesome. I only posted what I had, and I haven't seen much Bob stuff around the record stores in the past few years, so my only hope of getting more would be through those that were around at the time. Please add it to my grocery list of Wishart goods - and include Such As stuff as well.
ReplyDeleteI loved BOB. We,PV, played with them so many times I lost count. Rich the singer moved to Dacula years ago and did a project called Black Love with Brian Cook (PV first bass player)in Athens. Ray (the tall one you refer to) is married and living in New Orleans last I heard. I have completely lost track of their drummer Eric I believe his name was. They also did a split 7" with Pineal Ventana, Suzy Beat and Tweezer called Quadruple felony. I have a copy somewhere at the house.
ReplyDeleteBob was a Very Very creative band.
Kat Gass was the girl played bass and sax. I believe she has also worked with Dave Railey and others round atlanta.
ReplyDeletei guess qui que (SR) was the correct spelling. i'm glad that bob unlocked that mystery.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe I just found this. Thank you for posting this! It's so stupid, I was washing dishes and the soap was called "Free & Clear" and I got that song in my head from the old days. I went thru my 7"s and sure nough it was there, BOB. I did a search and found this, posted exactly a month ago! Very serendipitous and bizarre. I'm from Gainesville, FL and my friend Doug turned me on to these guys - he was friends with Ray the bass player from Ft. Myers FL. Bob's still great after all these years.
ReplyDeleteNo problem - I seem to post things just in time that people are looking for it. I will try to find the other early Bob singles and albums and post these. Thanks for the comment!
ReplyDeleteBOB was great. I remember walking by Frijoleros in Athens one night and seeing BOB playing up near the front window. Since BOB was a killer band, I went in and joined about 15 people checkin 'em out. Then I went and puked in the tiolet, and went back and watch BOB finish their set. I miss that place.
ReplyDeletei was in BOB (longtime friends of mine) the last year of existence, 2000, on drums/gtr/keys. i am Lesbian Afternoon, for anyone interested (www.myspace.com/lesbianafternoon). Rich has been living in Switzerland for a while. his Black Love albums are great. Eric still lives here in Atlanta btw. cool blog!
ReplyDeleteHey Lesbian Afternoon - I am really interested in getting copies of the Bob releases after "Complex Organism Blues", especially "Rounded at the Free End". Would you have any of these releases?
ReplyDeleteI can upload Rounded At The Free End somewhere for ya tonight... flacs if I can find the disc, or mp3s if I can't.
ReplyDeleteAwesome - thanks Brandon! This stuff can be incredibly hard to find, but I'm trying to rectify this through the blog here.
ReplyDeleteLA Here - haha, I gave Brandon his copy of Rounded at the Free End years ago.. for what it's worth, I'm sure you can still find some for .50 at the Book Nook on N Druid Hills Rd.
ReplyDeleteI check Book Nook every few months or so for these types of records, and I know I have passed up Rounded at the Free End several times, but now these are becoming more and more scarce. Either everyone who wanted them has bought them up, or they all eventually went into the dumpster. I'll find an original copy eventually.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mediafire.com/?zwgdkj5mmeg
ReplyDeleteHere's "The Peel Sessions" 7". Sorry but no cover art (no scanner) and the pops and clicks are intact. I figured I would share what I had with you. Thanks for the other stuff!
Thanks for including BOB on this website! I started the band with Eric Ingram and Ted Grauch back in 1990 and finished the band in 2000. I just posted all the BOB albums at www.last.fm/music for free download. You can find the entry by searching for "BOB (from atlanta)". "Rounded at the Free End" is also posted there. If you have any problems downloading the music, I'll be glad to e-mail it to you and you're welcome to post any BOB music here!
ReplyDeleteHey Rich - thanks for checking in! I'm glad you have enjoyed the posts. I would like to interview you guys sometime if possible for future posts. If you want, just send me an email at jejoyce77@hotmail.com.
ReplyDelete"I remember the Go-Steadys playing with them once at the Somber Reptile in 1992 or 1993, and as you could imagine they were not so well received by the teenage ska fans."
ReplyDeleteOne of the first few shows I saw when I first moved to town, and my first at Somber. No particular reason to go other than not knowing a soul in town, being 17 with a car, and Somber having all ages shows.
I had almost completely forgotten about this band, the name kinda rang a bell -- then I heard "Foam" and it all came rushing back. So many thanks.