The Boys

“Weekend” / “Cool” [Safari, 1980]

I’m assuming the runner-up consideration for their sleeve art included a rebus depicting a scrawny man failing to left a 10lb dumb bell, then a plus sign, then a picture of the Earth on fire with the word Ragnarok across it; and on the B side, a picture of an anthropomorphic ice cube, wearing sunglasses, “chilling” (I could do this all day) poolside, and drinking from a coconut.

Hit play, and if your art department learns to stop being so literal, I’ll learn to go easy on the commas.

"Weekend"

"Cool"

Nick Lowe

“So It Goes” / “So It Goes” [Columbia, 1976]

It’s like those text messages you won’t delete from your phone. They say “I can’t wait to see you!” or “I miss you” or “I love you”. You keep them there to look at once in a while, they remind you that someone once, well, that things can be good, and maybe, they will be again. Besides, are you listening to this song? For the next 2 minutes, 29 seconds, things are pretty alright.

Now put this in your headphones, hit play, head on down to FoodsCo and start cruising for babes. Hey sweet thing, that debit or EBT? Not to be up in your business, but daddy’s fixin’ to get his credit score above 720.

"So It Goes"

The Lurkers

“New Guitar in Town” / “Little Ol' Wine Drinker Me” [Beggars Banquet, 1979]

This song could totally be about my life. Not so much the part about playing shows, or making girls cry, or being cool, but the part where the guitar is all “der ner ner der ner ner ner ner ner”, that part, that might as well be written about me. It’s uncanny.

Now hit play, or don’t, I make that sound by just walking anyhow.

"New Guitar in Town"

Taxi Boys

“I Can't kick, “Down to You” / “Up is Up”, “Some Love Like Yours” [star rythm records, 1981]



Close you eyes and picture your ex-girlfriend, the one you’ll never get over, with her new boyfriend. Picture her doing all those boyfriend-and-girlfriend things you guys used to do, but not with you—with him. Now, picture yourself riding a tyrannosaurus rex... through Downtown Awesome. It’s how you get to work everyday, to your job at the THRILL FACTORY. Still picturing it? Now, what ex-girlfriend? Um, no, I didn’t just put all your French fries on my plate. Why would I do that? Look at how many I already have.

Hit play for the tunes, and keep’em shut, I’ve got to find some ketchup.

“Some Love Like Yours”


“Down to You”

The Jags

“Back Of My Hand” / “Double Vision” [Island, 1979]

Remember how I thought that Shari’s down off 405 in my hometown was a Denny’s, and how I always confused the dad from Empty Nest (and also Soap!) with the eagle from the Muppet Show? (hint: Richard Mulligan was white) Well, it shouldn’t come as any surprise that, at one time, this song was incorrectly filed in my brain as Elvis Costello. Whoops. Can you blame me though? You can? Is that what that smirk means? Take it easy on me, I just realized I’m not getting a Stuffed Hashbrown Platter outside the Northwest, that Sam the Eagle probably never lectured Kristy McNichol backstage, from his giant blue perch, about her cocaine use as I’d imagined he would have, and that no one knows what the hell I’m talking about.

But you know. You always do. That’s why you’re going to hit play, below. If you’re curious about the b-side, don’t be.

"Back of My Hand"

Stiv Bators

“Not That Way Anymore” / “Circumstantial Evidence” [Bomp!, 1980]


If you were to draw a line on a map, starting in Cleveland, Ohio, then northwest to Minneapolis, southwest to Omaha, up again to Bozeman, Montana, then all the way west to Los Angeles and finally, closing the loop with a point in Austin - not only would you loosely trace the Dead Boys disastrous first attempt at a US tour, it would make the shape of a heart - that could be seen from space, causing the crew of the International Space Station to make international space babies. Or just give each other hj’s. Ahhh, sweet, sweet влюбленность. That’s not gross, that’s the power of viewing giant hearts in zero gravity. Or, with a few extra stops in Tulsa and Jefferson City, a giant pirate skull. But let’s go with the heart shape for now, because there’s nothing to do in Jefferson City, and it’s a fitting icon for the pop transformation Stiv Bators would go through in his post-Dead Boys (yes!), pre-Lords of the New Church (meh) days.

While further facts of space intercourse will have to remain a secret for the time being (if you’re really curious, the elevator in my building goes up to 19! That should be enough time, right?), there’s a million fun facts I could share about this 45. For example, the other dude on there played in early 70’s powerpop’ers Blue Ash. And, did you know this was the best 45 of all time? It’s true… Oh shit, is that security? Grab my pants. Meet me back on 19 tomorrow? Quick, hit play for the tunes below and take it from Stiv, should you ever be run over by a car in Paris, please don’t simply try to “walk it off”, seek medical attention.

"Not That Way Anymore"


"Circumstantial Evidence"

Pointed Sticks

"What Do You Want Me To Do?" / "Somebodies Mom" [Quintessence, 1978]


Released less than a decade after Canada’s bloody succession from the United Kingdom – the events documented by fellow Vancouverite Bryan Adams in his nationalistic ballad “The Summer of 69”, and was also the setting for Celine Dion’s 1991 (before she married a snowman) concept album The Only Good Limey’s a Dead Limey – this release finally hinted at the countries return to normalcy. Frustrations with love, life, and sex are the hallmark topics of a healing people, and this new “punk” music was a perfect distraction for the young masses whose economy was in a slump, culture was rapidly redefining itself, and whose law enforcement were still on horseback.

This is their first 45 on a local Vancouver label, but later they’d be the first Canadian band to sign to Stiff Records, record one complete studio album and last as long as 1981 before calling it quits – though enough material has been floating around to release a handful of great collections of their work. Hit play below for a reminder of a simpler time, a time exactly like it is today.

"What Do You Want Me To Do"


"Somebodies Mom"