I used to think that wtiting music for commercials was a total sellout. Then I heard "Search & Destroy" used to sell sneakers.That shot that theory to hell. In my own case, the commercial deal fell in our lap 30 years after the band broke up. So it was not created with that as a goal. However, because we recorded at the highest quality available, these things have come our way. I agree with you regarding the fact that it's getting harder to make a living off of music. It was hard enough 20 years ago when I had a major label deal with RCA. That's why I have another career in which I make my money. This way I can play the type of music I love without ever having to worry about making it commercial. Still, I want whatever I do to sound as good as possible. I'm not just talking about local bands either. I've seen a few national acts even bands coming over from Europe that play really well & draw good sized crowds at the best clubs in town. I bought their CD's from their merch tables, & found them unlistenable. I personally know a few DJ's from Little Steven's Underground Garage radio. I've given them CD's of some hot local bands. They can not play these lo-fi CD's on the air. A little airplay on a station like that can really help a band survive. I went to Art School. I studied Photography. I remember a kid in my class came to school with a crappy camera. Our professor told him that he should think of the camera as the tool of the trade & that a craftsman is only as good as the tools he is using will allow him to be. It's the same with music. If you use crappy gear and record as cheaply as possible, it's going to sound cheap & crappy. Till this day I hear people complaing about the mix on Johnny Thunder's Heartbreakers LP LAMF. I remember them in the very early days as a much better live band than that record captured. They're gone, the record is all that's left. It's not as good as it could have been. You see where I'm coming from here?

I can see both sides of the debate on this. I find some of the more extreme lo-fi groups aesthetically pleasing, others not so much. "Un-listenable" is definitely a relative concept now days. I think the songs and ideas in the music are more important than getting paid. However, sometimes you need to get paid in order to keep doing it. Really though I think the era of "going somewhere" with your music (for bands playing rock 'n roll, punk, etc) is coming to an end. The only place you're going to go is to little pools of people in the huge ocean of the internet (unless perhaps you're really good. Even then don't count on it) If you're writing a song to try to get in a tv commercial you're just as bad as Justin Beiber or someone like that. On the other hand if you record a certain way to fit in to what you think people in a certain clique like or expect you aren't really any better. So in the end just do what you like and please yourself first and foremost.

There's a topic I've been wanting to discuss lately, especially with other musician's. Lately there has been a trend for bands, especially Garage Bands & Rockabilly bands to release their recordings in lo-fidelity.  Basically, setting up a mic or two in the room and getting a live sound, but with all the bleed between instruments, it's pretty lo-fi. There's usually a lot of distortion from over driven amps, especially the bass, which is such a large sound wave it's hard to capture. Plus tons of white noise from ringing cymbals.

I don't understand this approach. I generally record live, but wth all the instruments separated & the vocalist in a booth. This gives you better mixing options and overall clarity of each instrument.

I know a few bands that are pretty popular on the club circuit but can not get their music played on the radio because it;s so lo-fi. It's pretty short sighted really. It may be cool to be trendy & retro, but ultimately, it's closing doors that could help some of these bands actually go somewhere with their music.

I've been recording for over 30 years. I've seen so many trends come & go. Luckily I had the foresight early on, as did my band mates to record at the highest quality we could. My first recordings with The Speedies were done at Skyline & Electric Lady studios in NYC. Not only have they stood the test of time, but since they were recorded in such high quality, those recordings are still generating income for me as they've been used in commercials and as a theme to a skit on the Jay Leno show.

So my advice, to the younger bands out there. Don't sell yourself short. If a record is un- listenable why even bother?

Ramones first
Dictators go Girl Crazy
1st Generation X lp
1st Clash Lp
1st Modern Lovers Lp
Horses Patti Smith
Vibrators Pure Mania
Television Marquee Moon
Buzzcocks Singles goin Steady
Jam all Mod Cons
undertones 1st lp
StrAnglers 1st lp
incredibly Shrinking Dickees

Singles Going Steady is one of those rare comps that really deserves to be considered like an actual planned LP. It's not just a mish-mash of greatest hits or odds and ends, it's a brilliantly curated collection that adds to any fan's understanding and enjoyment of a great band. The Kinks Kronikles is another one like that.

Nocount said:

Buzzcocks - Singles Going Steady - I know, i know, Not really an album. So what. It sure felt like one when I got my gready mitts on it some 30 years ago.

So , so hard to choose. I'll toss the first names that come offa the top of my head:

Clash - Give 'Em Enough Rope (Or The Clash, or London Calling)
The Blasters awe-inspiring first LP
Squeeze - Argybargy
Never Mind the Bollocks, of course
Heartbreakers LAMF
Television - Marquee Moon
any of the first 3 Ramones LPs
Stiff Little Fingers - Inflammable Material
Bad Brains s/t
....hell, I could do this all day. What an era!

What do you think about :

Joy Division "Unknown Pleasures" 1979 (post-punk - cold wave)
The Exploited "Punk's Not Dead" 1981 (heavy trash punk)

Here's a pic from that early line-up with Steve & Jeff, back in '98. I've seen them many times over the years and they always put on a good show, though I too liked that "Mink Rabbit or Rat' line-up the best. Rachel can be prickly, but f' it, she can sing. Rocket 455 were amazing live!

Rocket 455 was a great band! I think I still have their album on Get Hip.

Brian T. Kirchner said:

They were at their best when the band was led by Steve Shaw(Fondas) and Jeff Meier(Rocket 455).

They were at their best when the band was led by Steve Shaw(Fondas) and Jeff Meier(Rocket 455).

Slovenly is one of my favorite labels. I mean, they really haven't put out anything I wouldn't want to own.

Yep, SLOVENLY really rules ! You should check all their releases and order these great records right now !

ok, I'm having trouble downloading it. Was I supposed to click to open or click to download?

This sampler **KIcks*** Thanks Slovenly! --Elisa

Sounds great! I will sign up. Can't wait to get one! :)

Here is another!

Some reggae nuggets on my page, Check it out ?
Just click on the photo with my face on it.

YES YES YES !!!
That's great news !

Can't get any better than that, kids!

We're happy to announce that Mike Stax's show, Ugly Things on the Radio, which was recently added to the lineup of Real Punk Radio, will now be part of the GaragePunk Podcast Network and included in our network feed. Mike will soon be posting the episodes on his Hideout blog here, so watch for those, too. In the meantime, feel free to subscribe using his show's RSS feed link:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/UglyThings

Subscribe to Ugly Things on the Radio by Email

Cheers,
kopper
GaragePunk.com

I love any band that can crank up real live mayhem on demand. It's quite a mental and athletic feat to do that night after night, and these guys do. Saw 'em in a tiny place in Austin and it was pretty insane.

Check them out tonight - they're doing some live stuff on the 'Later.. With Jools Holland' show on BBC TV.
The show starts at 11:50 pm UK time on the BBC 2 Channel.

saw 'em in Nottingham last year. ace. one of their songs (cement mixer) is on my playlist on my page here..

A few psychobilly songs for your list:

The Coffin Nails - Myra Hindley

Nekromantix - Jack the Stripper

Hi everybody,

I only realize a few months ago that the driving stupid were from '66 ... Always thought it was a revival thing or something like this. The shock has been hard.

I read the little story of the band included in the cd leaftlet but I don't know anything else 'bout them ... if there's something to know !

So, maybe someone can tell us about them ? Did they put something out other than "horror asparagus stories" ? Btw, Is there a vinyl version of this album ?

This stuff comes from outter space ... "Girl's got a turtle" song is a real religious experience...

anybody !?