I’ll be goddamned if there’s one person reading this blog who doesn’t realize what a profound and singular voice of rock we lost yesterday.

I met Lux very briefly when Man…or Astro-Man? opened for them back in the mid-90’s. As is often the case with people who are larger than life ON stage, he couldn’t have been more personable and charming off stage.

I really don’t feel like I have anything to add to the mourning (as it seems to have hit everybody as hard as the recent Ron Asheton death), but I’ll include an absolutely stellar recording simply called "The Ohio Demo" that I think few people have actually heard.

The Cramps – Twist & Shout (Ohio Demos)

The Cramps – All Tore Up (Ohio Demos)

The Cramps – Mystery Plane (Ohio Demos)

The Cramps – TV Set (Ohio Demos)

The Cramps – Teenage Werewolf (Ohio Demos)

The Cramps – Sunglasses After Dark (Ohio Demos)

The Cramps – Mad Daddy (Ohio Demos)

Earlier this week I got an email via Gavin at Stickfigure asking for my assistance on a book being released about seven inch record design. After inquiring if I could cast a wider net via the chunklet.com freaks, they agreed. Here’s their spiel:

"Soundscreen Design is currently finishing a book, tentatively titled Touchable Sound: Twenty Years of 7” Record Design.

For our research, we’re trying to compile lists of people’s suggestions of the best DIY 7"s, in terms of design and packaging, as this is NOT about music or nostalgia. We’re looking for lists of people’s twenty (or more) best 7"s from roughly 1986 through 2006. Records where either the packaging is handmade or you can see the hand of the creators in the work (even in something that wasn’t handmade, but extra work was put into its creation—like, say, the Black Dice 7"/book on 31G). We’re very interested in the role local communities and record collecting had on the design, and therefore are interested in hearing about stuff that would definitely be off our radar—examples of local records that never really got much distribution, tour version records, non-hardcore/punk/indie records (we do not want to limit ourselves by genre), foreign releases, etc. It doesn’t have to be a super formal list, we just want to make sure that we’ve got all the really good stuff covered, and you all know more than we could possibly research on our own.

Please send lists (with photos, if possible), noting: band, label, city or region label is from, and details you think we need to know about the design here.

Thank you very much, your help is invaluable, and we hope you’ll enjoy digging in your crates as much as we’re going to enjoy seeing what you’ve got."

A few of the 25 boxes I blew through for this endeavor…..

Here’s what I sent back. Please bear in mind that this was a quickly assembled list (Billy doesn’t believe me that I did this in 30 minutes) and can easily be improved upon. Please also note that I threw in a couple graphic designer notes keeping in mind that this was intended for a fellow designer…….

Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet "Wedding Single" (released by Albini)- The sleeve was a wedding napkin for the marriage between John Mohr (TAR) and Beck Dudley (MOTO) and was recorded by Albini and given out by him for guests at the event.

Shellac – Uranus/Rude Gesture (Touch & Go) – Probably a bit of a no brainer. The die was made and thousands upon thousands were made. The word "SHELLAC" was printed with a spot varnish so when it was brushed over with root beer extract, it acted as a resist. I know of at least ten bands that paid off debts at Electrical (and/or Steve) by assembling these in his living room and/or studio.

Tsunami – Matchbook 7" (Simple Machines) – Sleeve is oversized and looks like a matchbook. The records didn’t hold up very well (either physically or musically) due to no real inner sleeve, but it stands out nonetheless.

Revo 7" (Pop Bus) – Record in a bag with a retail-like hanger on the top. The hanger is letter pressed. Clever design.

Strangulated Beatoffs – 2×7" (Skin Graft) – A comic book with an outside clear plastic overprint in green that lays on top of the artwork. Really clever for 1993 or whatever year it came out.

Rapeman – Hated Chinee (Touch & Go) – The printing is rather simple 2/c with a blind emboss, but the bass player used the insides of the sleeves to do his calculus homework.

Jessamine – Houdini (Thingmakers) – Hands down one of the most insane packages I’ve ever seen. Cardboard with glued on paper (4/c with 2 spot varnishes and two foil stamps!) and the whole thing is locked in with a real FUCKING LOCK! The key is inside the sleeve. You just have to see it, but good christ, it’s retarded. Thingmakers did incredible stuff, but were/are insanely flaky. Additionally, the Sub Pop single (screwed in place) and the self released 7"s (with foil paper, blind embossing, etc etc) are also tits. (Postscript: This single is still available for SIX FREAKING DOLLARS at the Barsuk site!)

Bruce Lee, Heroin & The Punk Scene – 3×7" comp – Kinda hard to describe. In a box. a bunch of esoteric shit thrown in. Genius.

Wingtip Sloat – I have four different singles by them and I know people who have the same ones and none look the same. Individually assembled and packaged with tons of weird shit (one of mine has 5 feet of chopped up audio tape). Brilliant.

Various Artists – Jabberjaw 4×7" – The second comp series that came in a gorgeous oversized cigarette box.

Lake of Dracula/Monitor Radio split (Carcrashh) – Each copy came with a dental x-ray that was individually glued in there.

Karl Hendricks Trio/Mothra split (Egg Yolk) – Beautifully assembled. Very handmade. The sleeves were flocked so they have a very tactile feel. The sleeve is to look like a shirt being unbuttoned.

Various Artists – Neo Metro 3×7" comp (Simple Machines) – 3 singles featuring artists from each city (Bmore, Richmond, DC) and designed to look like Neopolitan ice cream. Even came with an ice cream spoon!

Various Artists – Working Holiday box set (Simple Machines) – kinda way ahead of the curve. Taking a page from Sub Pop, you got 2×7"s every other month celebrating each month with special songs by Codeine, Tsunami, Crackerbash……A LOT OF BANDS. After all was said and done, you got a special super sturdy box to put them all in and a special bonus 7", a letter pressed calendar and a specially written Duplex Planet. Genius.

Aerial M/Azusa Plane split  (Monstertruck) – split single housed with duct tape inside two pieces of particle board and held together with velcro. Personalized pictures on the cover of each and all info hand placed with clear labels.

Unrest – Pretty much anything they did before 1991 or so. Especially the Catchpellet 7".

Von Hemmling (Elephant Six) – Individually constructed sleeves made out of construction paper. Hand stamped and written on.

Tar – Play To Win (No Blow) – Individually hand stamped records on a custom made bingo card. Die cut and glued. Fancy shit for ’89.

Various Artists– Earworm Soup (Earworm) – End of the record label. Each record comes with pieces of the stampers for previous releases.

Cop Shoot Cop – Piece Man (Vertical) – each sleeve was splattered with pig’s blood. No two the same.

Floor – Goddard (Rhetoric) – Interesting packaging for such a simple design. Innovative die cut.

Fugazi – Sub Pop single – Velum. metallic inks. Very unlike any other Fugazi release.

Candy Machine (DeSoto) – Encased in Carboard. Hard to describe, but the sleeve had to be destroyed to open.

Die Slaughterhaus Box set – 3×7" by Black Lips, Tabitha and the Lids. Boxes spray painted and stenciled by hand. Tons of homemade-ness in this.

Melvins – Tora Tora Tora tour 3×7" set – Sturdy. Bolted together. A sight to behold.

MOTO – Where The Love Lives (Hi-Ball) put out by the Coctails kids. Gorgeous.

The Melvins Tora Tora Tora 7″ box (with Bun E. Carlos)

Obvious stuff:
The entire Pushead singles club. I know a couple people with those collections (I sold mine years ago) and the printing/packaging is fucking retarded.
Halo of Flies – Tom was a completely self taught designer who did shit working at the copy shop in Seattle while he was still a marine. So much of it looks incredible for the time and just seems confounding to take into a print shop in (say) 1988. Overprints and crude trapping abound. I should also mention that he was extraordinarily instrumental in the larger implementation of 7" as art/official release than he’s ever given credit.
Les Savy Fav – 9×7" series where all the sleeves were assembled to create a larger piece.
The Locust – Puzzle 7"
Polvo – Celebrate the New Dark Age 3×7" – Really gorgeous letter pressed job from Merge.
Piper Cub – 7" on Sub Pop. Unreal packaging ala the Revo 7".
All the singles by mid-90’s hipster band Fuck. Every single was very personal, very hand made.

Personally released singles worth mentioning:
The Olivia Tremor Control "Giant Day" (Drug Racer) – Every copy was hand colored BY THE BAND. Hand stamped. The sleeves were letter pressed. Came with two enormous posters as well.
Man or Astroman? "UFOs and the Men Who Fly Them" (Drug Racer) – The sleeve turned into (no shit) a flying saucer.
Servotron "Servotron 9000" (Drug Racer) – Yet another idea I’d never seen before. You have to destroy the sleeve to get to the record which is inside a die cut, blind embossed 2/0 piece of art. Honestly. YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS.

There’s one other singles series that I did that’s a bit more complex. I have done three singles that have served as TICKETS for shows I’ve done in town. All exclusive tracks. Available only at the local record store. THAT’S IT. Exclusive tks by Diplo, Black Lips (which I recorded actually), Deerhunter, Carbonas, Dark Meat and many others…. The ticket was perforated along the top side and served for entry into the show featuring the bands on the single.

So…..with all of that spiel outta the way, get in touch with them! I’d also be thrilled to hear what everybody else would recommend. You know where to put ’em (in the comments section, duh…)

One of the best designs I’ve ever seen, the Jessamine “Houdini” 7″ (note the padlock)…(with Dave)

So Fucked Up came back to Georgia (finally) last Sunday night. And yes, they destroyed.

As far as hardcore Sunday night bills go, it was pretty damned top notch. American Cheeseburger from Athens, The Bukkake Boys (who have the best t-shirt design in the history of anything, hands fucking down) and one of those supposed "last" Carbonas shows.

Fucked Up played all the jams off the new Matador release and even closed with a Chain Gang song!

Pink Eye with David Lee Roth, Chunklet HQ 2009

Fucked Up spent the next two nights at the house, and since I didn’t take any pictures of them while they were performing on stage……I’m giving you photos of them in my living room checking their email, having a band meeting and/or cuddling my dogs.

an impromptu Fucked Up band meeting in my office, I had to leave…..

I really hope Fucked Up comes back soon. Absolutely brilliant show.

And so you know, this recording was done by Mr. Curt Wells and is put up on the site completely with their permission. Thanks you kooky Canucks (and Curt too).

Oh! And be sure to check out Damian (Pink Eye)’s blog where all he does is smack talk 10000 Marbles, one of three guitarists in the band…..

NOTE: Yes, all the eye-chart posters are long gone. Sorry, I wish I could help you….

Jonah & Damian raiding the music on my computer….

Fucked Up – Atlanta January 2009

So after five years of lurking at big fancy festivals and becoming more popular than they ever did when they actually DID tour, Les Savy Fav came back to a hero’s welcome at the EARL and Whirlyball Atlanta this past weekend.

Of course, the shows were spectacular, but the real excitement was left for when Team Chunklet (consisting of myself, Marc C., Patrick S., Armando C. and Teasley) had the whirlyball rematch with Les Savy Fav. And yes, the Favs opted for skins (as you’ll see in the photos).

Syd, Andrew & Harrison under the board after the first match….

I gotta say, the band put up quite a struggle. The first game was a bit of a routing 20-4), but the second game had the band reconfigure their defense which worked significantly better (12-8). All in all, a valiant effort.

Oh, and did I mention that the Fav fucking brought it on stage?! Good god, the five piece line up has done wonders for them.

I should also add that the special "Whirlyball Version" of "Let’s Stay Friends" all but disappeared. I have ten copies left for sale in the store for super fans who couldn’t attend.

Seth and Harrison from LSF basking in the lights of their second loss.

Local rock-athletes The Liverhearts opened the Whirlyball gig and were a fantastic addition to the night’s festivities. And yes, we decimated them as well (18-0).

Fucked Up were to go up against us on Monday, but they flaked out. Pussies.

Special thanks to Daryl, Luke, Caroline and everybody at Whirlyball Atlanta, Marc Crifasi (for working the door), Curt Wells (for running sound), Papa Johns (for the four large pizzas), The Liverhearts (for being so goddamned rad) and everybody that came out. It really was a gas.

Matt from Team Liverhearts….he got spanked!

The Seventy Most Common, Yet Indisputably Great (well, pretty damned good), Used LP’s for Under Seven Bucks!

In no particular order…and no, greatest hits don’t count.

I don’t like Zeppelin, Blondie or Kiss. So deal with it!

(These are typical prices. NOT metropolitian Uber-cool city jack, but point taken)

1.John Prine 1971 Debut S/T
2. Lime Spiders The Cave Comes Alive
3. Bruce Springsteen Greetings From Asbury Park
4. The Byrds Sweetheart of the Rodeo
5. Willie Nelson The Redheaded Stranger
6. Most Dylan
7. Rolling Stones Some Girls
8. The Faces – all of ’em!
9. the first six AC/DC Records
10. the first six Black Sabbath Records
11. Cheap Trick Live At Budakon, et al.
12. The Who Who’s Next
13. Johnny Cash At San Quentin
14. Lynyrd Skynyrd 2nd Helping
15. Neil Young Rust Never Sleeps
16. any Tommy James & the Shondells
17. Patti Smith Horses, Easter & Radio Ethiopia
18. Elvis Costello This Year’s Model & My Aim Is True
19. Rockpile S/T
20. Alice Cooper – any 71′ thru 73′
21. Curtis Mayfield Superfly
22. Sly & the Family Stone There’s a Riot Goin’ On
23. Richard & Linda Thompson Shoot Out The Lights
24. Lou Reed Berlin & New York
25. Joan Jett Album
26. Aerosmith Toys In The Attic
27. Ozzy Osbounre Blizzard of Oz
28. Van Halen S/T
29. Muddy Waters Hard Again
30. Charlie Rich The Silver Fox
31. R.E.M. Murmur
32. Los Lobos By The Light Of The Moon
33. Randy Newman Good Old Boys
34. The Band The Band
35. David Bowie Hunky Dory
36. Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here
37. CCR Willie & the Poor Boys (& the rest)
38. Mott The Hoople Mott & All The Young Dudes
39. Thin Lizzy Jailbreak & Black Rose
40. Donovan Mellow Yellow
41. Pretenders S/T
42. Gram Parker Squeezing Out Sparks
43. ZZ Top Tres Hombres
44. J. Geils Band Full House
45. The DB’s Repercussion
46. Plimsouls Everywhere At Once
47. Dave Brubeck Take 5
48. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers Damn The Torpedoes
49. Prince Purple Rain
50. Warren Zevon S/T & Excitable Boy
51. Getz & Gilberto S/T
52. Rush Moving Pictures
53. Judas Priest British Steel
54. The Cult Love & Electric
55. Blues Brothers Briefcase Full of Blues
56. Leonard Cohen The Songs Of Leonard Cohen
57. Cream Disraeli Gears
58. Marvin Gaye Let’s Get It On
59. The Waterboys This Is The Sea
60. Kris Kristofferson The Silver Tongued Devil and I
61. The Blasters S/T
62. Jason & the Scorchers Lost and Found
63. Steve Earle Guitar Town
64. Gary Numan The Pleasure Principle
65. Waylon Jennings Ol’ Waylon

(with all the double-up’s I think this makes way more than 70, but who’s counting)

And for added fun, given all the heated Zep slap fighting,  I’ve included Muddy stomping out a Willie Dixon Classic, which netted Mr. Dixon a well deserved writing credit and some cashola’ .

Muddy Waters “You Need Love” Written by Willie Dixon, 1962

I’m not one to spout politics, but to think that issues from habeas to torture will change starting today makes me proud (for the first time in years) to be an American. To all non-Americans reading this, just know that all Americans didn’t vote for the last eight years to happen.

I like a bit of airplane reading as much as the next guy. And some of the 33 1/3 books are somewhat decent. The MC5’s "Kick Out The Jams". Bowie’s "Low".

But getting the dude from the Decemberists to talk about his bed-wetting days listening to "Let It Be" by The Replacements?! Holy christ, kill me now. It’s fucking unbearable.

Pray tell, what’s the criteria for who gets to write a book? It’s fishy if you ask me.

Billy double dog dared me to do this.

I was recently directed to 33 1/3’s list of proposed titles for 2009. I mean, I totally get their direction, but the fact that writers would even submit Vampire Weekend or Animal Collective? Jesus, has the ink on the covers even properly dried yet?!

My own personal desire would be to write books about either Helmet’s "Meantime" or The Jesus Lizard’s "Goat." But hey, I’m a softie. I’d suggest "Positraction" by Live Skull or "Conquest For Death" by The Necros, but I guess those fall outside the realm of 33 1/3’s suggested short-ranged demographic. But hey, what do I know?

When I moved to Atlanta from Athens in ’97, I wasn’t too thrilled about the music scene here. The one band that stood out (most specifically after opening the final Harvey Milk show in ’98) were The Rock*A*Teens. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that it signaled the first time that good buddy and former Flagpole colleague Ballard Lesemann played drums for the band. It was that night I finally "got" the Rock*A*Teens.

Not to sound mushy, but I still feel like The Rock*A*Teens were the embodiment of everything I loved (and still love) about Cabbagetown. And the thought of having the band be from anywhere but Atlanta is completely foreign. I also have many fond memories of going to their shows that bring back thoughts of many people who’ve since left the city.

Justin, Brandon, Ballard and Chris, R*A*Ts circa ’00 (?) at the Star Bar

As a booking agent for a local rock establishment at the time, I put on quite a few shows with them. Always well attended (unlike their shows elsewhere in the country, sadly) and filled with a vibrant air in the room. Absolutely joyful. Those were good times.

I ran into my buddy Adam Renshaw yesterday and he told me of a documentary on YouTube about them which jogged my memory of when this was all shot. It was filmed and edited by Jef from Clemente. It still brings back a lot of good thoughts.

I’ve been discussing Atlanta’s music scene a lot recently and thinking of how many newer acts will be thought of in five or ten years. Of course, it’s not for me to decide, but I gotta tell you, I absolutely STILL love this band. STILL!

Slightly later R*A*Ts with Will Joiner on bass

In ’98 or so, The Rock*A*Teens had performed a lot at the Star Bar in Little Five Points as they were writing and recording one of their true masterpieces, Golden Time. In the days before the Star Bar was overrun by macho cokeheads, those were good times, I gotta tell ya.

Fortunately, pal and (then) Star Bar soundguy Curt Wells was recording all their shows onto DAT. Anxious to hear them, I duped them to CD and then made an edited compilation CD-R (high tech for ’99!) for friends called "A Major Motion Picture". I remember when I gave Lopez a copy (at a show they were performing with Superchunk that night at the club I booked), he went quiet, paused, looked at me and said "Henry, I’m speechless." Conversely, Justin from the R*A*Ts wasn’t thrilled with how "clean" it sounded which prevented it seeing wide release, but for hardcore fans, it’s absolutely perfect.

Included in this post are seven of the tracks from this release. Additionally (and hopefully with the band’s consent), for the truly devoted, I will offer copies of this release for a few dollars (just to cover expenses) to anybody that wants it. Just email me and thy shall be done.

Note: Chris Lopez’s earlier band Seersucker (with Stephen Tanner from Harvey Milk on bass) will be getting their own post here shortly. I just came across some VHS tapes of them performing in ’92 at the 40 Watt and it reminded me how fucking incredible they were too.

Download the entirety of "A Major Motion Picture" here.

The Rock*A*Teens – Don’t Destroy This Night (Live Atlanta ’98)

The Rock*A*Teens – Freedom Puff (Live Atlanta ’98)

The Rock*A*Teens – Little Caesar On A Bicycle (Live Atlanta ’98)

The Rock*A*Teens – Leave What’s Left of Me (Live Atlanta ’98)

The Rock*A*Teens – Cry Crybaby (Live Atlanta ’98)

The Rock*A*Teens – I Could’ve Just Died (Live Atlanta ’98)

The Rock*A*Teens – Stand Talll (Live Atlanta ’98)

Welcome to the world of the vinyl LP. We are so very glad you’ve come by to try us out.

Here are a few tried and true guidelines to keep in mind when unpacking and jump starting your new wax hobby.

1. SLOW DOWN. Read your instruction manual and follow it like the law. It is.

2. Retain ALL packaging and paperwork (this includes the carton it came in, ya know, everything).

3. LP’s ARE NOT, I repeat NOT like CD’s. They require the physical touching of a surface to produce the desired sound.

4. Therefore, treat the turntable with kid-gloves (i.e. be gentle). They are not computers or iPods. Patience people, patience.

5. Know your player (and system) before you tinker with your system (or player)…again, manual, manual, manual.

6. If there is an "issue" please don’t jump to the conclusion that it is your new turntable. It is very likely your "set up" – meaning how you have engaged the turntable with your receiver, speakers, etc. By the way, you need a receiver and speakers to go with your new turntable. That’s "the system".

7. If you have a belt-drive (likely) touch the belt as infrequently as possible. Should be a ONE-TIME thing.  (Again, read your instructions.)

8. Do not EVER manually move the turntable plate around and around yourself. This will burn your motor out, screw up your speeds and is just kind of dumb.

9. Turntables are delicate and the type record stores sell are NOT made for DJ’s looking to "scratch things up" and "drop beats". Push play, listen to record. Flip over, repeat.

10. It is not a great idea to play really beat-up scratchy LP’s on your turntable, as fun as that may sound, this may chip your needle. That is costly.

…and lastly: SLOW DOWN. Read your instruction manual and follow it like the law. It is.

Thanks and enjoy the old exciting world of the vinyl LP record!

And lastly, they’re not called "vinyls".

To say that Crime were a band ahead of their time would make you think that music has actually caught up to them by now. A scattered discography has never given the band their due, but you can find bits and pieces out there in either semi-legit or semi-bootleg form. A stellar "where are they now" interview is over at Perfect Sound Forever.

Hank Rank & Johnny Strike at Amoeba

In the late 70’s or early 80’s, Crime performed at San Quentin and it was filmed for Target Video. Then, as legend has it, the video was released and then almost immediately, there was a fire at the Target Video warehouse and the Crime video was never seen again. I’ve been looking for a VHS or DVD version of this for YEARS, but now this has crept up on YouTube.

I’ve included a couple mp3s of the band’s "hits" from their late 70’s singles. Billy, you got any copies to trade or sell or give away?

Crime – Murder By Guitar

Crime – Hotwire My Heart

Crime – Baby You’re So Repulsive