Mystic Records had earned a pretty sad reputation by the mid-80's, mostly for putting out piles of miserable 7"-ers from every generic hardcore band in California, as well as for releasing compilation LPs that had so many bands crammed onto them that they were unlistenable. Most of the records on Mystic sounded like they were recorded in a cave and pressed using the most outdated equipment available. Supposedly Doug Moody's plan was to shot-gun as many low-budget records from as many bands as possible, so if one of the bands ever made it big he'd be there to reap the rewards. (I don't think that ever happened, though, unless the Flower Leperds got really huge and I just wasn't aware of it.) Which made it even more surprising when Government Issue, at the peak of their powers-- having just recorded "Joyride" and "The Fun Never Ends", their two best LPs-- decided to release a record or two, or three, on Mystic of all places. Not that the records were anything too fancy, just an EP of out-takes (with a corresponding 7") and a live LP, but they were definitely not throwaways, providing additional crucial documentation of Tom Lyle's incredible, thick guitar sound, as well as John Stabb's off-center wit.
My original copy of the Live LP is long gone, of course, so when this not-so-gently used copy showed up for cheap at Redscroll a while ago, I couldn't help but snap it up (along with a "Boycott Stabb" test-pressing, my thanks to whomever traded that one in). All of these tracks can be found on the re-issue CDs that came out on Dr. Strange about ten or twelve years ago, but I decided to rip them and post them here anyway. I won't go on and on about how Government Issue are one of my top 5 favorite '80s bands, etc etc, since I already sorta did that in one of my zines, which I've so very helpfully scanned and posted down towards the bottom there. There's a mistake in it, too, if you can find it.
Government Issue -
"Interview"
"Familiar"
"The Next Time"
"Fun and Games"
"Hall of Fame II"
"Understand"
4 comments:
A friend of mine used to insist Stabb was a poseur 'cause he had long hair.
Regardless, one of the best bands ever! It really bites that one of the the Dr. Strange CDs has some bad mastering issues (that the label refuses to acknowledge). It's not like I don't have it all on vinyl, as well, but still. Does no one get test pressings of CDs releases before manufacture and distribution?
Which one has bad mastering issues? I forget, and I think you've mentioned it before.
I hardly listen to the re-issue CDs, I still have almost all of their records on vinyl or cassette, myself.
Funny how someone would call John Stabb a poser. With his plaid pants and spaced-out one-liners, he's like the original punk rock freak.
I really liked you zine, Incremental Decrepitude. Some cool reviews! Will there be another issue?
Thanks! I might do another one this year, though it depends if I can get another band to talk to me, otherwise I won't have anything to put in it.
Post a Comment