In The Trashcan
Records GEM050
"When you're lost in space while on a picnic on
Pluto, don't call spacelab: call James Bond in space..."
From Yuma, Arizona, almost alien area, they were in love with The Trashwomen. These would-be Chinese triad gang JD's recorded this lo-fi garage punk EP in 1996 for Rerun Records.
A psychedelic space garage instrumental by a Greek quintet. It's the John Barry tune with a twist. Horror garage from 1994 on Corduroy. See also vol 48.
After 1993 they lost track and the brothers started to fight. They tried to reinvent themselves and returned to the record label that discovered them in 1984, Creation Records. But it was already too late. "Rocket" is a great song, but the (indie) world wasn't waiting for another Reid/Reid composition. I like it, though. It's the flipside to "Cracking up", a 1998 release. One year later they disbanded once again to reform a decade later.
Weird 1978 single-only B-side gem. It's the flipside to "5 minutes" and reappeared on a 1996 reissue of the album "No more heroes". Les Hatepiks from France recorded a cover version on their 2007 "Hate! Oupupo songs" for Squoodge Records. The Stranglers never made it to the moon...
Yokkaichi City, Japan, is the town where Tony OK lives. He plays alll the instruments and he had this song remastered by aliens to be UFO-proof. The weirdest instrumental guitar sound I've ever heard, even in space. Corduroy Records released this EP in 1998.
Split-EP with The Phantom Surfers from 1994 on Pin Up Records, also from Bielefeld. Space surf rock from Germany from their "Rocket to Europe Tour".
Legendary gimmick punk band formed in 1977 and disbanded in 1983. In 1995 they reformed, but without frontman Glenn Danzig. Named after a Marilyn Monroe movie. This 45 was released in 1979 on Danzig's Plan 9.
Girlie garage pop by this Scandinavian outfit wearing space suits on the all-girl record label Thunderbaby Records from 1996. Other tracks on this EP are "Star", "Blue men" and "Temptress".
Not Thee Cybermen, but the Finnish combo from Helsinki. In 1992 they recorded this 4-track EP for Destination Uranus. Easy-going garage pop with a nice organ from Mars in the background.
Psychedelic garage instrumental as if it were 1968 instead of 1978, by Australian garage godfathers Radio Birdman featuring Deniz Tek on guitar. It was coupled with Deniz Tek's "100 fools" from 1981 on his 1983 Citadel Records 45. As it's an instrumental you won't hear singer Rob Younger.
Space surf instrumental from 1994 by these college kids from Alabama. Released on One Louder. See also vol 84 for more info about this 5-song EP.
The first time I heard this, I thought it was Jean-Michel Jarre composition. In 1978 it was released in several forms; this is the flipside of "Die Roboter" on Kling Klang. In Brasil it was coupled with "The model" and also with "The robot". It's hard to calculate the impact of this German electro pioneer band, who are most famous for "Autobahn". Formed in 1970 by Ralf Hütter, who wrote and produced this track.
I love each and every release on Shot Down Records, a German label from Bielefeld. This is from 1995 and I think their first release. Mix garage, Medway beat and a bevvy of rock 'n' roll clichés and you know what I mean. It's a privilege to live and die on Planet Bop!
Billy Bragg's punk outfit from 1978 yelling he wants to be a cosmonaut, not an astronaut. Even then Billy was a socialist. They broke up in 1981 and Billy went solo and the world welcomed his masterpiece "Life's a riot with spy vs spy" a little later.
Again Shot Down Records from Bielefeld. The Astronauts (not the US band) were an instrumental surf band as well. On this 45 you get "Space cocktail", an excellent version of "War of the satellites" and this "Picnic on Pluto". Fender fun in outerspace.
Back to Shot Down Records for the best Astronauts release. Only 300 copies were pressed of this "Special West Coast tour edition" on green wax. Superb spacey surf instro madness from Germany.
