Pussy Galore --- Sugarshit Sharp

These Pussy Galore re-issues are enough to make you forgive Matador for inflicting Bettie Serveert and the last Liz Phair record on the world.

Originally released in 1988, this features of PG line-up of Jon Spencer, Julia Cafritz, Kurt Wolf and Bob Bert. Every review I've read of any of these re-issues are by critics who can offer some kind of historical perspective on the band. The usual one seems to be about first encountering Pussy Galore in a dingy club in the Lower East Side in 1985 or therabouts. I'm pretty sure I've read that one in two or three different places. And how did Pussy Galore relate to my life in 1988? Well, I was five and enjoying the hell out of "Thundercats" and "He-Man". But, oh yeah, there was that time I saw Pussy Galore open up for Big Black at, I think it was the Middle East in Boston. Man, those were the days.

"But it's 1999! These records are ancient in the grand scheme of things! How could they possibly relate to my life? 1988!", you're undoubtly saying to yourself.

Just listen to "Yu Gung". It's PG's "cover" of an Einsturzende Neubaten "tune". Towards the end of the song, a sound comes through the speakers. It's Flavor Flav, of Public Enemy, from a tinny speaker, saying "Don't believe the hype".

That's how this relates to your life.

Pussy Galore are one of the maybe half-dozen best punk rock bands EVER. And yeah, this is punk rock. This is more punk rock than Pennywise, or Electric Frankenstein. This is more punk rock than even Operation Ivy or The Clash.

Do you know why?

It all goes back to my example of "Yu Gung", which is, by the way, not their best song, it just serves as an example of what I'm about to say. Einsturzende Neubaten, in 1988, were Serious Artists and somewhat of a sacred cow (but they actually were pretty good). Pussy Galore's audacity to actually play a Neubaten song, much in the way they played "Exile On Main St.", was just...unheard of. And that Public Enemy sample is just the icing on the cake. I mean, come on. They inserted a Public Enemy sample!

Of course, this is all historical conjecture from a snot-nosed kid sitting at his computer in the late-night/early morning, so correct me if I'm wrong.

But dammit, this EP is just amazing. Everything about it, right down to the cool b&w picture of the band inside of the CD tray. This CD is absolutely essential.

Before I go, I should note that I hold Beat Happening in the same regard as Pussy Galore in that whole "what punk is" thing (of course, the fact that I'm even addressing this in 1999 is pretty damned sick). Beat Happening and Pussy Galore: put down the Dropkick Murphys CD and check them out. Now (Matador Records: 625 Broadway NY NY 10012)

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Michael Keegan
4.25.1999