Trouser Press America Underground

TROUSER PRESS
PRESENTS
THE BEST OF
AMERICA UNDERGROUND

ROIR A124 - C60 - November 1983

01. Chris Moffa & The Competition / You Know How Hot (It's Been Getting Around Here)
02. Martha Hull / Feelin' Right Tonight
03. Norman Salant / Tickets Are Free
04. Erector Set / Inside Out
05. Poli Styrene Jass Band / Drano in Your Veins
06. Shoes / Like I Told You
07. Nerves / Working Too Hard
08. R. Stevie Moore / Manufacturers
09. Residents / The Booker Tease
10. Pylon / Dub

11. Gary Valentine / The First One
12. Fans / True
13. Tweeds / Underwater Girl
14. Bunnydrums / Crawl
15. Wrinklemuzik / A Move to the Right
16. Algebra Suicide / True Romance at the World's Fair
17. Suburbs / World War III
18. Dub Rifles / Stand
19. Bizarros / I, Bizarro
20. Armand Schaubroeck Steals / The Independent Hitter

HEAR IT HERE

BASF DPS STEREO
EQ 120us
Normal Bias
ROIR A124
(pronounced "roar")

Executive producer: Ira A. Robbins for Trouser Press
Associate producers: Jim Green and Steve Korte
Edited at Songshop Recording, NYC, August 1983
Engineer: Wayne Vican
Cover and art direction by Judy Steccone
Special thanks to Neil Cooper
Made in the USA

Write for free catalogue listing all ROIR cassette-only releases.
This compilation is available only in cassette format.
Reachout International Records, Inc.
611 Broadway, Suite 214, NYC NY 10012
Compilation (P) © 1983 Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press, Inc./
Reachout International Records, Inc. All rights reserved.
Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws.

Trouser Press covers more new music and reviews more
independent records than any other national magazine in the
US. And subscribers receive a free flexi-disc record inside
their magazine every month! A yearly subscription to Trouser
Press (12 issues) is only $15 in the US and Canada. Overseas:
$20 for one year via surface mail. Send payment (check or
money order in US funds only) to Trouser Press, 212 Fifth
Ave., New York, NY 10010. For an info sheet about these
groups, send an SASE to Trouser Press.

    It began around 1975. At first, it was just sporadic low-
budget singles from groups with unfamiliar names making
sounds far outside the realm of commercial rock. Not
imagining where it might lead, we started reviewing them in
Trouser Press, mostly because we knew no other publication
would. Then the trickle turned into a flood. By the end of 1976,
the onslaught of amazing (and not so amazing) records from
every corner of the country led us to institute a column, called
"America Underground," solely to cover independent releases.
In the first installment, way back in TP 17, Jim Green wrote
about the Residents, MX-80 Sound, Poli Styrene Jass Band,
and $27 Snap On Face among others. We were hooked.
    Since then, independent labels have provided a major por-
tion of the exciting, worthwhile and influential music coming
out of America. Not only have indie records become acceptable
to many record outlets–making them more available–but the
indie scene has become the major labels' farm system, serving
as the launching pad for many of today's best-known (and not
unsuccessful) bands. Hookups between giant record
companies and tiny back-room labels have become common as
corporate powers-that-be realize their inability to comprehend
what's going on in the clubs and garages of America.
    Assembling this album meant going back over thousands of
independent records we've heard since 1975 and selecting our
all-time favorites. We also listened to hundreds of new releases
and items that hadn't previously reached us. Then it was a
matter of narrowing the list, seeing who would/could
cooperate, and insuring geographic and stylistic diversity. In
the end, we wound up with a blend of well-known groups–
who have released numerous major-label or prominent
independent records–and near-forgotten obscuros–who made
one glorious home-brew 45 and were never heard from again.
    The point we hope listeners will get from this album is that
the America Underground scene has produced numerous
records of infinitely higher quality than what the corporate
labels, with all their resources, generally release. It would have
been an easy matter to include another twenty bands well
worth hearing; perhaps we'll get to them in a future compi-
lation. Major labels, take note–the future begins here!

–Ira Robbins

SIDE ONE
CHRIS MOFFA & THE
COMPETITION [New Jersey]
You Know How Hot (It's Been
Getting Around Here) (3:03)
Released as a 45 in April 1981
on Change Records
Written & ©1981 by Chris
Moffa, published & (P)1981 by
Change Trajectory Music Inc.
Produced by Apollo Vermouth
Chris Moffa (guitar/vocals),
Frank Roselli (bass), Jim Ohm
(drums/conga)
MARTHA HULL
[Washington, DC]
Feelin' Right Tonight (2:09)
Originally released in 1981 as
Ripsaw 45 #217A
Written by Tex Rubinowitz
Published by Southern
Crescent Pubishing
Produced by Tex Rubinowitz &
A.B. Rubinowitz
Martha Hull (vocals) backed by
Tex Rubinowitz & the Bad
Boys: Tex (acoustic gui-
tar/vocals), Ratso (guitar/
vocals), Eddie Heeran (guitar),
Johnny Castle (bass), Scotty
Flowers (drums), Bob E. Rock
(background vocals)
(P)©1981 Ripsaw Records
NORMAN SALANT [NYC/SF]
Tickets Are Free (3:38)
From "Saxophone Demonstra-
tions" EP (Alive Records,
1981)
Written by Norman Salant &
Andrew Schulman;
©1981 Northcove
Music (ASCAP)
Produced by Norman Salant
Norman Salant (4 tenors/
soprano), Jeff Kaplan (guitar),
Andrew Schulman (guitar),
Jerry Mark (bass), Gene
Reffkin (drums)
(P) 1981 Alive Records
ERECTOR SET [Cincinnati]
Inside Out (4:05)
Originally released in 1981 by
Erectunes Productions
Written by & © 1980 Alex
Chronis & Edward Pugh
Published by Erectunes
Publishing
Produced and engineered by
Ron Hamad; assisted by Jesse
Hirbe and Rich Probst
Rick Beatty (lead vocals), Alex
Chronis (guitar/vocals), Barry
Handy (percussion/vocals),
John Schmidt (bass), Sean
Vigle (drums/cymbals)
(P) 1981 Erectunes Prods.
POLI STYRENE JASS BAND
[Cleveland]
Drano in Your Veins (1:46)
Originally released (September
1975) on Mustard Records
Written and produced
by Paul Marotta
Paul Marotta (vocal/piano),
Jamie Klimek (guitar), Anton
Fier (drums), Jim Jones (bass)
SHOES [Zion, IL]
Like I Told You (2:36)
Recorded in 1978; previously
unreleased
Written by John Murphy and
Gary Klebe
(P) & © 1983 Shoetunes
(BMI), Administered by Bug
Produced by Shoes
John Murphy (lead vocals/
bass), Jeff Murphy (guitar/
vocals), Gary Klebe (guitar/
vocals), Skip Meyer (drums)
NERVES [SF/LA]
Working Too Hard (1:51)
Originally released in 1976
Written by Paul Collins; pub-
lished by Grajonca Music (BMI)
Produced by the Nerves
Jack Lee (guitar/vocals), Peter
Case (bass/vocals), Paul
Collins (drums/vocals)
R. STEVIE MOORE
[Nashville/New Jersey]
Manufacturers (4:35)
From the "Stance" EP (H.P.
Music, 1978)
Written by R. Stevie Moore
©1978 H.P. Music (ASCAP)
R. Stevie Moore (everything)
RESIDENTS [San Francisco]
The Booker Tease (1:04)
From the "Duck Stab" EP
(Ralph Records, 1978)
Written & produced by the
Residents
©1977 The Cryptic Corp.
Published by Pale Pachyderm
Publishing (BMI)
(P) 1978 The Cryptic Corp.
PYLON [Athens, GA]
Dub (4:25)
Originally released on 45 by DB
Records (1979)
Written by & © 1979 Pylon
Published by Caution
Music (BMI)
Produced by Kevin Dunn,
Bruce Baxter & Pylon
Randall Bewley (guitar), Curtis
Crowe (drums), Vanessa
Briscoe (vocals), Michael
Lachowski (bass)
(P) 1981 Compendium Inc.

SIDE TWO
GARY VALENTINE [NYC/LA]
The First One (2:33)
Originally released in 1978
on Beat Records
Written by Gary Valentine;
published by Jiru Music
Inc./Monster Island Music
(ASCAP)
Engineered by Stephen Hague
Coordination–Stephen Zepeda
Gary Valentine (bass/gui-
tar/vocals), Paul Rutner*
(drums), Rob DuPrey* (guitar)
Kristian Hoffman* (piano)
[*courtesy of the Mumps]
(P) 1978 Beat Records, Box
20321, Long Beach CA 90801
FANS [Atlanta GA]
True (3:20)
Originally released in 1980
Written by and © 1980 Alfredo
Villar; published by Blue Beam
Music (BMI)
Produced by John Anthony
Alfredo Villar (vocals/bass),
Kevin Dunn (vocals/guitar),
Russell King (drums), Carl
Emerson (keyboards)
(P)1980 Blue Beam
Music (BMI)
TWEEDS [Boston]
Underwater Girl (3:07)
Released July 1978
on Autobahn Records
Written by Marc McHugh
©1978 Tweedletunes
Ltd. (BMI)
Marc McHugh (vocals/guitar),
George Godding (vocals/
bass), Gordon Wallace
(drums), Jeff Mezzrow (guitar)
(P)1978 Autobahn Records
BUNNYDRUMS [Philadelphia]
Crawl (3:30)
From "Feather's Web" EP
(Funk Dungeon Music, 1983)
Written and produced
by Bunnydrums
Greg Davis (bass), David Goerk
(guitar), Frank Marr (guitar),
Joe Ankenbrand (drums)
(P)©1983 Funk Dungeon
Music, Inc. (ASCAP) All rights
reserved.
WRINKLEMUZIK [NYC]
A Move to the Right (3:00)
Originally released in 1981
Composed, produced and
played by Kenn Lowy (synthe-
sizer/electronic guitar/energy-
bow/voice/rhythm machine)
(P)©1981 Kenn Lowy
ALGEBRA SUICIDE [Chicago]
True Romance at the World's Fair (1:40)
From a 1983 EP (Buzzerama
Records)
Written by Lydia Tomkiw and
Don Hedeker
Produced by Algebra Suicide
Lydia Tomkiw (recitation), Don
Hedeker (Vox guitar-organ),
rhythm box
©1982 Algebra Suicide
SUBURBS [Minneapolis]
World War III (2:56)
Originally released in 1979 on
Twin Tone Records
Written by the Suburbs;
© Suburban Music (BMI)
Produced by Paul Stark
Chan Poling (keyboards/
vocals), Bruce B.C. Allen
(guitar/vocals), Hugo Klaers
(drums), Michael Halliday
(bass), Blaine John Chaney
(beejtar/vocals)
DUB RIFLES [Winnipeg,
Manitoba, Canada]
Stand (3:11)
Originally released in 1983 by
Notown Records
Colin Bryce (guitar/vocals),
Clint Bowman (bass), Eloi
Bertholt (drums), Dave
Brown (sax), M.P. (Sid)
Challenger (sax)
(P)1983 Dub Rifles
PRO Canada
BIZARROS [Akron, OH]
I, Bizarro (1:55)
Originally released in 1976
on Gorilla Records
Written by Nick Nicholis/Don
Parkins; ©1977 Fleshtunes
Nick Nicholis (vocals), Jerry
Parkins (lead guitar).
Don Parkins (bass), Terry
Walker (rhythm guitar), Marty
Zelei (drums)
ARMAND SCHAUBROECK
STEALS [Rochester, NY]
The Independent Hitter
[shortened version] (2:41)
From the LP "Ratfucker"
(Mirror Records, 1978)
Written by and © 1978
Armand Schaubroeck;
published by Kack Klick
Publishing Co. (BMI)
Produced by "the whole band"
Armand Schaubroeck (vocals),
Ethan Porter (guitar), Bernie
Heveron (bass), Jay Porter
(drums), backing vocals: Riley
Neilson, Bob Huber, Jack
Bearce

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