One of the best perks of doing this little column is the process of excavation. As in, the unearthing and rediscovery of pivotal stuff from the past that you just don’t hear much about these days. It’s not that new music isn’t compelling in its own right, but over the last few decades, we’ve seen several golden ages come and go, all of which have ultimately informed much of what’s happening today. Punk in itself has seen several phases throughout its ramshackle run, spawning a passel of different variations and subgenres ranging from art-house to hardcore, and everything in between.
A few new reissues and retrospective titles have recently come through and I figured you should also know about them. While decidedly different on the surface, all have one thing in common — each would veer heavily into the more pop-and-synth realm of the new wave scene during the early ‘80s. Initially dubbed “post-punk,” by critics and music journalists, new wave was a loose industry term used to describe more commercially viable acts born out of punk’s initial blast. Many still maintained the original creative DIY spirit of punk. Still, they were less offensive on the surface (think Devo and Missing Persons), while some were purposefully manufactured for the moment and engineered to be video-ready for the newly launched MTV. But rest assured, the bands profiled here tended toward the former and were all trailblazers in their own right.
The Monks — not to be confused with the ’60s US garage band by the same name — hailed from the UK and released two killer punk/power-pop albums during the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. Ironically, the band’s origins centered around prog/art rock musicians Richard Hudson (vocals, bass) and John Ford (vocals, guitars) of the Strawbs and Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera. (The irony being especially juicy given that punk was a direct reaction to the blatant pomposity and complex musicality of British progressive rock.)
Instead, these otherwise accomplished musicians found themselves bored and set about recording a spoof of the current punk sound to pitch the song to another artist for release. Along with vocalist Terry Cassidy, the group produced the overtly satirical “Nice Legs, Shame About Her Face.” While the intended punk artists passed on the song, the demo would soon capture the attention of the Carrere Records label which opted to release it as-is. As luck would have it, the single became moderately popular in the UK and this loose gaggle of former progsters found themselves with a hit on their hands. Suddenly, a full band was assembled and The Monks were officially born. Adding Clive Pierce (drums) and Brian Willoughby (guitars), the band’s origins didn’t quite follow the traditional punk trajectory of nicking guitars from pawn shops, learning three chords, and creating chaos on demand.
Soon after signing with EMI, the band released its debut album Bad Habits in 1979. Featuring its signature brand of tightly wound and well-executed power pop seething with cockney sneers and sarcastic overtones, the album failed to do much in the UK, but would become a major hit in Canada, boasting another successful single, “Drugs in My Pocket.” Around the same time, the band would be outed as fakes and essentially canceled in punk rock circles back at home, but their sales and popularity in Canada more than compensated for it. A second album Suspended Animation was released in 1981. A bit more pop than the first offering, the album’s sneering standout is the ode to atheism, “Don’t Bother Me, I’m Christian,” while “Don’t Want No Reds,” is also an overt attempt at boosting the band’s shock value via a Clash-like reggae groove.
New comp No Shame: The Complete Recordings (Cherry Red), collects both albums, plus a horde of bonus tracks in the form of rarities and remixes, plus six tracks originally meant for the aborted third album Cybernetic Sister. The two-disc package comes through loud and proud in crisp remastered sound and comes packaged in a slick digipak with pictures and informational nuggets on this truly unique band.
Shifting gears back to these shores, New Orleans’ Red Rockers caused a bit of a stir with their debut Condition Red in 1981. At the time, punk had fractured into several bastard sub-genres. Hardcore had erupted in a big way on the coasts, with Circle Jerks and Black Flag in LA and Cro-Mags in NYC among others. Legacy bands like The Clash and Ramones were now all in on radio-friendly pop-punk and new wave. Comprised of guitarist/vocalist John Thomas Griffith on vocals and guitar, guitarist James Singletary, bassist Darren Hill, and drummer Patrick Jones, the Red Rockers would soon join the fray of first-wave punk traditionalists and catch the attention of legendary cult label 415 Records in San Francisco.
Condition Red was a triumphant statement of intent. It came crashing out of the gate with the single, “Guns Of Revolution,” before cranking out the equally potent “Teenage Underground.” The album is highly reminiscent of punk’s first wave, striking a fine balance between the politically tinged bombast of the Clash’s first two albums and the slightly outlaw feel of Johnny Cash. Wearing its influences on its tattered sleeves, the album even features a cover of the Man in Black’s “Folsom Prison Blues” with guest vocals from the Dead Kennedys Jello Biafra. A defining moment in the further evolution of punk, The Red Rockers’ focus on driving riffs balanced with melodic hooks and a nod to classic rock ‘n’ roll made it a standout in the early ’80s. On subsequent releases, it would make the transition to more of a rootsy new wave pop sound and even score a moderate MTV hit with “China” in 1983.
To commemorate the four decades since the release of Condition Red, Liberty Spike Recordings/Sundazed has done a bang-up job of reissuing this lost classic on both vinyl and CD. The vinyl version comes remastered on transparent red vinyl with bonus tracks and a replicated fanzine. The CD comes with additional bonus tracks and a booklet. For fans of the original punk sounds circa the late ’70s, this one’s a keeper.
NYC’s Comateens was a scrappy synth-driven punk combo creating a unique racket in the underground clubs during the late ’70s and early ’80s. As one of the original synth-punk bands of the day (along with Suicide), the band initially featured Ramona Jan on vocals and guitar, Nic O’Teen on vocals and bass, Lyn Byrd on vocals and synth, and Harry Viderci on drums (while the spot would also be filled with a live drum machine from time to time). The band’s sound incorporated crashing guitars, spidery synths, anthemic choruses, and soaring background vocals and harmonies for a sound that defied easy categorization. Creating a sizable buzz, the band became a fixture in the punk scene, but Jan would depart around 1980 to pursue other avenues. Nonetheless, the band would go on to release three albums, two for major label Virgin, and see moderate success over here and in Europe (especially in France).
Indie label Left For Dead Records recently unearthed two tracks from the original Comateens with Jan in tow — “Danger Zone” and “Elizabeth’s Lover.” You can hear the street-level attitude balanced against an almost Phil Spector-like wall of sound that especially comes through in the bombastic “Danger Zone,” with its big chorus and punchy production. “Elizabeth’s Lover” puts a punky spin on the girl group sound of the early ‘60s. Out of print for decades, both tracks sound energized and alive in this new reissue, which comes in both CD (with cool gatefold cover) and super-limited black and colored vinyl editions.
For questions, comments are something you’d like to see, hit me up. @JimKaz1
