There comes a time when there are few rocks left to turn over after living in Georgia for twenty years and then something like this just lands in my lap.
From what I’ve been able to find out, there were a total of two editions of the Samizdat tape series and this is the first that I’ll post here on the site. As you can gather from the J card, there’s minimal information and well, apart from the ‘names’ that I know, there’s nothing else I can offer up.
Bar-B-Q Killers: A legendary Athens band that I’ve gushed about here on the site in the past. Doing a cover of "Magnet and Steel".
Porn Orchard: Yet another legendary band. Ted Hafer later redid this song with Six String Fever which can be connected back to Harvey Milk.
JackONuts: Like duh. Another legend from Athens’ past. This was, from what I can gather, before Laura Carter (not the Elf Power one) joined the band.
Vic Chesnutt: God, this is getting unintentionally sad and/or redundant, but here’s another brilliant, legendary and now deceased artist. This was early on in his stay in town.
Mercyland: Another one of the senior class bands that was muttered in hushed tones when I moved to town featuring the inimitable Dave Barbe. Saw a reunion show in ’94 (or thereabouts) and this past spring at Vic’s memorial show weekend at the 40 Watt. Truly great. Recorded live at CBGB.
Tanzplagen: A recording project loosely affiliated with Michael Stipe and led by the infamous Tom Smith.
In an effort to find out more information, I’d love it if people involved with the project or foik from Athens back then could shed some light on the other bands on this release or perhaps more information on the compilation series in general.
Including additional tracks by Die Monster Die, Dr Mandible’s Beast Orchestra and Damage Report (or at least I think that’s who it is) and hoping we can all, together, fill in the blanks.
Oh, and do you want a high quality rip of the cassette? Then click here.
Thanks to Arthur for lending me his copy of this tape.
Porn Orchard – Black Tidal Wave
Tanzplagen – Treachery
Dr Mandibles Beast Orchestra – Mr Nice Guy
JackONuts – You’re Doing It All Wrong
Vic Chesnutt – Mr Riley
Damage Report – Silencer
Die Monster Die – Perfect Picture
Bar BQ Killers – Maggots and Steel
Mercyland – Down (live)