The Heart of Rock and Roll is in Cleveland?
In honor of my upcoming trip to Cleveland this coming weekend, here’s a list of ten of my favorite records from Ohio-based bands.
Although not my favorite Devo release, this rarities collection is a fascinating collection of songs recorded between 1974 and 1977, all recorded before they signed to Warner Brothers and put out their debut album. I prefer this collection to Volume 1 as the song structures and ideas are more similar to what they would unleash upon the world on their first two excellent albums, but nevertheless, this is as about as experimental and obtuse as art-rock got in the ‘70s while still retaining a beat and a groove of some sort. Highlights include “Can U Take It?,” “Fountain of Filth” and early versions of “Clockout” and their cover of the ALLEN TOUISSANT-penned and LEE DORSEY-sung “Working in a Coalmine”, both of which they re-recorded later on 1979’s Duty Now for the Future and a stand-alone 1981 single that came with initial copies of New Traditionalists, respectively.
Before Pere Ubu signed a deal with Mercury-imprint Blank Records and recorded their landmark debut album The Modern Dance and its incredible follow-up Dub Housing, they released a series of excellent singles on the Hearpen (later changed to Hearthen) label. This collection includes all of them, including “Final Solution,” “30 Seconds over Tokyo” and “Heart of Darkness”, all of which are as bleak and desolate-sounding as their titles make them out to be. Also included are early versions of “The Modern Dance” (then “Untitled”) and “Humor Me”, both of which would resurface on their debut album.
OK so they were UK-based, but principal singer, songwriter and guitarist CHRISSIE HYNDE was a transplant from Ohio, so I’m including her finest work on this list. This is one of the finest debut albums ever made by anyone. From the breakneck speed and jarring vocals of side one opener “Precious” to the last notes of “Mystery Achievement” (which features one of the greatest bass lines ever courtesy of PETE FARNDON), this record doesn’t have a bad note on it. Other highlights include the hit “Brass in Pocket” and my personal favorites “Tatooed Love Boys” and the reggae-flavored “Private Life”.
Is it a coincidence that like my last (much more popular) pick, this record was originally released by Sire? Of course not. Back then, SEYMOUR STEIN and company had by far the most visionary ear for talent of all the major labels, giving record contracts to great bands from all corners of the globe like THE SAINTS, RADIO BIRDMAN, THE REZILLOS (along with more famous and successful artists like TALKING HEADS and THE RAMONES) and this ragtag crew of Ohio transplants while other U.S. major labels virtually ignored punk altogether. Of course, when many of these artists didn’t sell records due to lack of exposure and radio play and other reasons, Sire stopped signing punk bands. Nevertheless, credit must be given to them for giving these bands a chance at the big-time even though it never materialized for many of them. What did materialize, in this case, was another one of the greatest debut albums in all of rock and roll history. From the opener “Sonic Reducer”, this STOOGES-worshipping crew just oozes rock and roll debauchery and mayhem in ways that many less-talented copycats could only dream of. Along with the aforementioned “Sonic Reducer,” “Ain’t Nothin to Do” and “Not Anymore” are my personal favorites, but every song on this record is a winner. This record is well-loved, but if you’ve never heard it, do yourself a favor and pick it up.
Before they split off into different factions with PERE UBU representing the artier side and the DEAD BOYS representing the “screw art, let’s rock” side of the equation, many members of both bands were in this legendary Cleveland-based band of punk progenitors. Amazingly, they reunited several years ago with TELEVISION guitarist RICHARD LLOYD taking the place of the late PETER LAUGHNER and recorded their mid ‘70s songs (many of which went on to become well-known punk classics like “Final Solution,” and “Sonic Reducer”) for this, their first true studio album ever. This puts The Day the Earth Met the Rocket from the Tombs, their previously released compilation of live and rehearsal tracks of much of the same material, to shame.
Sure, they were based in New York and later in Los Angeles, but Cramps mainstays LUX INTERIOR and POISON IVY RORSHACH are both originally from Ohio, hence their inclusion on this list. This is their debut album and in my opinion, their finest hour. Produced by ALEX CHILTON, this set roars with B-Movie quoting originals like “TV Set” and “I Was a Teenage Werewolf” as well as covers of “Fever”, THE SONICS’ “Strychnine” and TTHE JOHNNY BURNETTE TRIO’s “Tear It Up”. Pure psychobilly bliss!
OK I’m sort of cheating again. Firehose were based in San Pedro, California, but because ED CRAWFORD (i.e. Eddie Fromohio and the inspiration behind the band named as such) originally came from Ohio, I’m including this wonderful album on this list. After the tragic death of D BOON in 1985, the future of MINUTEMEN bassist MIKE WATT and drummer GEORGE HURLEY was unclear. Enter Mr. Crawford. The result is as fine of an album as Watt and Hurley ever played on, barring Double Nickels on the Dime, of course. It contains the aggression of THE MINUTEMEN as well as their taut economy, but it balances out the punk-funk attack on tracks like the great opener “Brave Captain” with tender ballads like “Things Can Turn Around”. A true gem.
Plain and simple, this is rip-roaring early ‘80s hardcore punk from the bowels of Toledo, Ohio. Neither as hilariously funny as labelmates THE MEATMEN or as insanely great and aggressive as NEGATIVE APPROACH, this material is still an engaging listen for anyone who likes early ‘80s hardcore. This early version of The Necros, who also recorded the “I.Q. 32” and “Sex Drive” 7” singles and a track for the Process of Elimination 7” EP, featured COREY RUSK of Touch and Go Records fame on bass. Sadly, because of an alleged long-standing dispute with singer BARRY HENSSLER (who took the Necros name and made lame hard rock records after this lineup split), this material has never been reissued nor does it look like it will be in the future. Of course, as a result, it’s been bootlegged a lot, but it’s still hard to find. Fortunately, you can download it all here. Enjoy!
Led by guitarist and songwriter CHRIS BUTLER (formerly of TIN HUEY) and featuring MARS WILLIAMS on sax and former TELEVISION drummer BILLY FICCA, The Waitresses had a unique sound characterized by PATTY DONAHUE’s flippant vocals, herky-jerky rhythms and Williams’ wailing sax, all with a great pop sensibility and terrific, world-weary lyrics courtesy of Butler. The last of their two full-length albums for Polydor, this is superior to their debut Wasn’t Tomorrow Wonderful?. In fact, the title track, the opening track “A Girl’s Gotta Do” and “Thinking About Sex Again” are three of the finest new-wave tracks of the early ‘80s. Tragically, Patty Donahue died of lung cancer in 1996 at the age of 40.
Released on Stiff at the tail end of the ‘70s, this compilation contains compositions by lesser-known Akron-based bands of the time like THE BIZARROS, RUBBER CITY REBELS and JANE AIRE AND THE BELVEDERES (featuring LIAM STERNBERG, who would go on to write THE BANGLES smash hit “Walk Like An Egyptian”) as well as tracks by (slightly) more well-known artists like TIN HUEY (CHRIS BUTLER’s previous band before he formed THE WAITRESSES), RACHEL SWEET and the aforementioned Waitresses (two of their earliest recordings are on this release). While not all of it has withstood the test of time, this compilation covers the breadth and depth of the plentiful Akron scene of that time period and is proof that Ohio had much more action going on at the end of the ‘70s than just the well-known great bands like DEVO and PERE UBU.
