Well sure, DJ nights are all the rage these days, but not so much in 2004 when our friends Rick Taylor and Brandon Grover set about with their Post Punk/Peel Party, WE FOUGHT THE BIG ONE at DC’s Marx Cafe. Their monthly shindig celebrates its 10th Anniversary TONIGHT and we thought of all the records played over the years, getting the lads to narrow down 10 favorites by way of an introduction for the uninitiated would be in order—and they set to it with aplomb:
“This is our attempt at trying to whittle down the 10 tracks that have most defined WE FOUGHT THE BIG ONE over the last 10 years. And actually, no hair pulling, food throwing, or fist-fighting over these. WE FOUGHT THE BIG ONE comrade Brandon Grover and I were in complete agreement on these 10 songs.”
WE FOUGHT THE BIG ONE: 10 Years in 10 Songs
The Lines – “Nerve Pylon” (1980) | Quite possibly the most transcendent slice of DIY pop magic to have cast a spell on both Brandon and myself, capped by an extraordinary vocal performance from singer/ guitarist/ sound guru Rico Conning.
The Lines were from North London, but had absolutely zero showbiz instincts or commercial aspirations to speak of. And that may have been their undoing—that, and the fact they tended to write the kind of nuanced material that could only be fully appreciated after repeated listens. If you like this, I recommend investigating their back catalog, which was lovingly reissued via Acute Records a few years ago. Thank you Dan Selzer!
48 Chairs – “Snap It Around” (1979) | Ringing chord changes, a whiplash drum machine, sexy female vocals, darting synthesizers, and even a whiff of jazzy guitar—what’s not to love? This catchy and stylish single has been a long-time stable of WE FOUGHT THE BIG ONE through the years. 48 Chairs was the brainchild of U.K. multi-instrumentalist John Scott, who was John Cooper Clarke’s guitar player (back when famed Joy Division producer Martin Hannett was in the band).
Scott was a very active guy in his post-punk heydey, having a hand in a multitude of releases, including most of the Absurd Records singles. Martin Hannett fans take note—there is a cautionary message on the back of the single that promises this is “not a Martin Zero production.”
The Mo-dettes – “White Mice” (1979) | It’s not opinion, it’s fact—“White Mice” is as close to perfection as post-punk singles get. It’s very rough-edged, of course, but those extremely catchy hooks pierce you from every angle—from the hiccupping vocals and thumping beat to the propulsive bass, and Girl Group-ish handclaps.
Let’s talk punk credentials for a sec—the singer, Ramona, was from Switzerland, which explains the charming accent. Their not-so-professional guitar player, Kate Korus, was from New York and moved to London, and previously played with The Slits. And the bass player, Jane Crockford, famously bit Shane McGowan’s ear during a 1976 Clash gig. And how about those lyrics? “Your arse is tight / And moves alright / Your eyes / Are big and blue / And if I were / A homely girl / I’d like to marry you / But I’m naughty / Sweet and haughty / Forward with it too / So come and visit and then kiss it / Like all my lovers do. Don’t be stupid / Don’t be limp / No girl wants to love a wimp.” Nuff said.
The Homosexuals – “Hearts in Exile” (1978) | This is one that takes a few plays to fully appreciate, but “Hearts in Exile” ranks as one of the most inventive and forward-thinking singles of the post-punk era. As Hyped2Death label founder/ living DIY encyclopedia Chuck Warner writes in the liner notes to the band’s three-disc Astral Glamour collection, The Homosexuals “wrote great pop tunes … but seemed to have much more fun dismantling and sabotaging them.”
In the case of “Hearts in Exile,” the U.K. band was inspired in the mixing stage to try fading in and out the guitars, vocals and harmonica ala their favorite Jamaican dub, with the end result something akin to Wire jamming with Lee Perry. To put this recording into perspective, it’s worth noting that “Hearts in Exile” hit the streets before PIL released their landmark Metal Box album, before The Clash went dub with Sandinista and before The Slits worked with Dennis Bovell. I nearly did cartwheels when I saw a mint copy at DC record shop Som Records a few years ago, which I quickly snapped up—Neal Becton, you’re the best!
Vivien Goldman – “Launderette” (1981) | U.K. music journalist, Bob Marley biographer and later “Punk Professor” (she is an adjunct professor at NYU and Rutgers), Vivien Goldman was also a highly talented musician who appeared on a number of post-punk releases in collaboration with other artists, but her finest work is arguably this stunner, which featured PIL’s Keith Levene on guitar, experimental tribal percussionist/bass player George Oban, Robert Wyatt on percussion, Steve Beresford on toy piano, and The Raincoats’ Vicky Aspinall on violin, to name a few.
Supposedly, the record was made on Virgin’s dime during PIL’s Flowers of Romance sessions—hence the co-producer’s credit for John Lydon. Originally released in 1981 as a 7-inch single on a tiny U.K. label called Window, the record was subsequently released by Ed Bahlmann’s 99 Records as an 12 inch with an additional dub track after Goldman made a sojourn to NYC (she gave Bahlmann a cassette of the recording, which he quickly fell in love with). Sadly, Goldman only made this one solo record, though she did go on to work with Massive Attack.
Jowe Head – “Swiss Air” (1981) | “There was a young fellow called Jowe-man / Whose digestion was that of a ploughman / His music was strange / And his lyrics deranged / But he loved to go sailing his Dhow (man)” (A poem for Jowe written by Phones Sportsman)
The skewed brilliance of the mighty Jowe Head is no secret to post-punk aficionados, since Jowe was one of the original members of U.K. noise pop innovators Swell Maps, a band that influenced everyone from the Jesus and Mary Chain to Sonic Youth and Big Black. Soon after Swell Maps disbanded in 1980, Jowe embarked on a solo venture with delightfully deranged results, as evidenced by “Swiss Air.” At the time, Jowe wanted to take a break from the non-stop guitar assault of Swell Maps and explore a more open-ended approach to music.
There’s little to no guitar on “Swiss Air,” but Jowe creates an incendiary and insanely catchy pop tune out of a charging bass line, skronking sax, insane piano, off-kilter drum machines, cider bottle percussion, and hilariously shouted lyrics like “the hills are alive with the marching of garden gnomes.” Jowe went on to play in an equally influential band—the TV Personalities, who were hugely influential on the C86 bands and much of the U.K. guitar-based indie pop that followed.
If you like this, be sure to catch Jowe on his East Coast tour this month—he’s playing CD Cellar in Arlington on Thursday, April 17 and his band members include DC music veterans Martha Hamilton (The Plums) on bass; John Howard (The Plums) on saxophone, keyboard and alt percussion; John Masters (Harness Flux) on guitar; and Sammy Ponzar (formerly America Hearts) on drums. The FB event page is here.
Abecedarians – “They Said Tomorrow” (1984) | Brandon and I are both huge fans of this Orange County, California-based trio, one of only a handful of American bands to have recorded for the famed Factory Records label (ESG and Ike Yard are others that come to mind). A little late to the post-punk party (which may partially explain the band’s obscure status), Abecedarians’ first single didn’t emerge until 1985 (the pulsating “Smiling Monarchs” on Factory) and their first album, “Eureka,” wasn’t released until 1986.
We estimate that this demo was recorded sometime in 1984, but it didn’t see official release until 1990 via “The Other Side of the Fence” collection on Bruce Licher’s Independent Project Records label (Savage Republic/Tone). With its icy keyboard line, haunting vocals, twitchy drums, minimalist guitar work, and slow-burn atmosphere that gradually envelopes you, it shouldn’t be a surprise why we love this song so much. In fact, it’s probably the most played song in WE FOUGHT THE BIG ONE’s 10-year history.
And if you like this, be sure to pick up Pylon Records’ reissue of “Eureka,” which includes this and many other killer tracks. Fellow Abecedarians uber-fan and dj Eugene Sotela, whose enthusiasm for the band is impossible to measure, made that reissue happen by the way—goes to show what passion and persistence can achieve when they go hand in hand. Thank you Eugene!
New Order – “Turn the Heater On” (1982) | A fun hypothetical: What would New Order have sounded like if they pursued an alternate creative direction—one driven by a love of dub atmospherics and strange riddims? We have one Peel Session recording to suggest what this alternate New Order would have sounded like. And it may have been produced unofficially by Martin Hannett himself. Though it’s not been confirmed (has anyone asked Peter Hook?), there is some speculation that Hannett showed up at the Peel Session studio to be sure the mics were properly placed and to offer his “advice” on the mixing.
“Turn the Heater On” was a cover of a Keith Hudson song, with the band aiming to combine the flavor of the original version and its flip side dub take. The song was a favorite number of Ian Curtis, and the band recorded it for John Peel in honor of his memory. Deborah Curtis wrote about Ian’s love for Keith Hudson and other reggae artists in her Touching From A Distance book. Throughout the course of WE FOUGHT THE BIG ONE, Brandon and I have both played this track with great frequency—we both find the atmosphere and vibe completely intoxicating, and the percussion from Stephen Morris is simply stunning. Still have a hard time believing a human did those drums.
Christof Glowalla – “Erde 80” | A landmark slice of weirdo-synth Neue Deutsche Welle, and the type of adventurous approach to minimal synth we wished there were more of. Glowalla was working with little more than a Korg MS-10 synthesizer, a primitive drum machine and a few DIY sound generators when he cut “Erde 80” in West Berlin in 1980. The track was self-released in limited quantities and gradually garnered a devout cult following among collectors, pushing the price up to steep levels (an original copy often goes for over $100).
Despite the sharp sonic edges and harshly spoken German (apparently, the track is about heroin abuse), I’ve always felt there’s a regal quality to the recording. And the flurry of sonic surprises (check out the syncopated electronic wind chimes) means there’s always something new to discover with every listen. Personally, I’ve never been a huge fan of minimal synth—I find the self-imposed limitations of the genre to be too constricting for its own good. But with “Erde 80,” Christof Glowalla shows how the style can be a gateway to creative possibility rather than a closed door. A bonafide classic.
Grauzone – “Eisbar” (1980) | Inspired by a nightmare that Grauzone vocalist/ guitarist/ synth player Martin Eicher had about talking polar bears, “Eisbar” became an unexpected hit for this Swiss band, selling over 500,000 copies. Martin’s brother, Stephen, who was also in the band (also on guitar and synth) had connections to New York’s No Wave scene, which may explain some of the track’s jarring atonality. Their drummer, Marco Repetto, and bassist, GT, were previously in a punk band together and joined up with Martin and Stephen hungry for something new.
That quest for newness led the band to bring on board a sax player (Claudine Chirac) for live shows and recordings. “Eisbar” is the remarkable result of this creative frisson, and the track has been covered by everyone from Nouvelle Vague to Dresden Dolls. Few tracks are as adept at combining musical innovation and catchiness with a sense of menace and humor. A German-speaking friend of mine told me the lyrics roughly translate to “I want to feel nothing. Polar bears do not feel. I want to be a polar bear.” Please tell me that’s true. What a classic.
If you enjoyed these tracks, note that there will be a limited number of WE FOUGHT THE BIG ONE 10-Year Anniversary mix CDs available at the Marx Cafe (just ask at the dj booth). The mix CDs expand our list of favorites to 20 tracks and includes many rare post-punk classics and obscure gems.
WE FOUGHT THE BIG ONE | 10 DJs celebrating 10 Years!
Friday, April 4
10-Year-Anniversary Party
Marx Cafe, 3203 Mt. Pleasant St., NW, Washington, DC 20010
10pm – 3am | NO COVER 21+
For this very special WE FOUGHT THE BIG ONE, Brandon and Rick will be joined by Archie Moore (Black Tambourine, Velocity Girls), Marc Masters (Pitchfork, No Wave author, The Plums), Josh Harkavy (Red Onion Records), Mark Williams (Soundclash, Taking the P*ss), Patrick Kigongo (Ra Ra Rasputin), Paul Krolian (Baltimore Pop Fest), John Straub (Equinox, WMUC) and Greg Svitil (Silo Halo, Teething Veils)!
Happy hour prices on Chimay and Yuengling all night long while supplies last! Cake!
WE FOUGHT THE BIG ONE 10-Year Anniversary mix CDs (the best songs from the last 10 years), t-shirts, and posters! Join us in the celebration!
