Monday, April 01, 2024

Angry Samoans: The Unboxed Set 1995

 

Along with X, Black Flag, Fear, and the Circle Jerks, the savagely satirical Angry Samoans rode the first wave of Los Angeles punk. Formed in Van Nuys, CA, in the summer of 1978, the band was


founded by singers and guitarists "Metal" Mike Saunders and Gregg Turner,
a pair of erstwhile rock critics who'd previously teamed with fellow writer Richard Meltzer in the group VOM. Adding Saunders' brother Kevin on guitar, the group considered names like the Egyptians and the Eigenvectors (a mathematical term), they settled on the Angry Samoans, and enlisted bassist Todd Homer and drummer Bill Vockeroth, and initially set out as a Dictators cover band.
                     

In 1969 the Saunders brothers cut a 14-song high school garage rock album I'm a Roadrunner Motherfucka in their hometown of Little Rock, under a twice-used local band name, The Rockin'

Blewz. The album went unissued until the late 1990s. Mike Saunders briefly played in an early
backing lineup for 1950s rockabilly cult artist Ray Campi during 1975, before moving back to Arkansas for two years (pursuant to a second college degree). Bassist Homer had played in 1977 Masque-era band Jesus Prick, and drummer Vockeroth was a veteran of the Pasadena "backyard kegger party" cover band circuit (which also spawned Van Halen).
               

During 1978, both Turner and Mike Saunders played with rock critic Richard Meltzer in the Los

Angeles punk band VOM, which issued a posthumous five-song EP Live at Surf City on White Noise Records in early summer 1978. Patrick "P.J." Galligan was formerly a member of heavy metal band Cirith Ungol. Galligan died from throat cancer in 2014.
              

Soon, Saunders and Turner began writing original material and Two years later, they resurfaced with Back from Samoa, featuring titles like "They Saved Hitler's Cock," "Tuna Taco," and "My Old Man's a

Fatso." Soon, the bandmembers grew disenchanted with the entire punk culture, and they spent the next several years largely in a dormant state: guitarist Steve Drojensky replaced Kevin Saunders in 1984, Vockeroth went on hiatus, and Jeff Dahl temporarily stepped in for "Metal" Mike in 1985, but by and large the group laid low until 1987's Yesterday Started Tomorrow. Problems with their label and internal differences led the Angry Samoans to disband after recording 1988's STP Not LSD.
               

By the mid-'90s, "Metal" Mike was also fronting a new Samoans lineup, which still included longtime

mainstay Vockeroth as well as guitarists Alison Wonderslam and Mark Byrne, and bassist Adrienne Harmon.
                      

THE UNBOXED SET

                    


The Unboxed Set is exactly what the title implies; a single disc compilation that includes all four of the

Angry Samoans' official pre-breakup 12" releases, including their classic 1982 release, Back from Samoa. One of the truly great '80s punk bands, the music of the Angry Samoans contained all the right elements: juvenile humor, raging barre chords, snotty vocals, and most importantly, a strong sense of justice and the everyman. In addition, they also had an unusually tight rhythm section and great pop songwriting instincts that placed them several notches above their contemporaries. All this is in

evidence here, from vocalist "Metal" Mike Saunders' primordial screams on "Ballad of Jerry Curlan" to the hilarious faux-folk of "STP not LSD." Also included in the package are truly inspired liner notes from guitarist Gregg Turner, which perfectly capture the band's recklessness, nihilism and uncompromising punk attitude.
                     

Angry Samoans – The Unboxed Set
Label: Triple X Records – 51190-2
Format: CD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 1995
Genre: Rock
Style: Punk

TRAXS

               



01. Right Side Of My Mind   2:09
Written-By – M. Saunders
02. Gimme Sopor   1:44
Written-By – T. Homer
03. Hot Car   0:33
Written-By – G. Turner, M. Saunders
04. Inside My Brain   1:36
Written-By – G. Turner, M. Saunders
05. You Stupid Asshole   2:09
Written-By – M. Saunders
06. Get Off The Air   1:29
Written-By – G. Turner, M. Saunders, T. Homer
07. My Old Man's A Fatso   2:55
Written-By – M. Saunders
08. Carson Girls   2:48
Written-By – M. Saunders
09. I'm A Pig   2:17
Written-By – M. Saunders, P. Murray
10. Too Animalistic (Live)   1:59
Written-By – D. Guzman, G. Turner, M. Saunders
11. Right Side Of My Mind   2:16
Written-By – M. Saunders
12. Gas Chamber   1:01
Written-By – G. Turner, M. Saunders
13. The Todd Killings   0:38
Written-By – G. Turner, M. Saunders
14. Lights Out   0:52
Written-By – G. Turner, M. Saunders
15. My Old Man's A Fatso   1:32
Written-By – M. Saunders
16. Time Has Come Today   2:07
Written-By – J. Chambers, W. Chambers
17. They Saved Hitler's Cock   1:40
Written-By – G. Turner, J. Dahl, T. Homer
18. Homo-Sexual   0:52
Written-By – J. Falwell
19. Steak Knife   1:00
Written-By – G. Turner, M. Saunders
20. Haizman's Brain Is Calling   1:56
Written-By – G. Turner, M. Saunders
21. Tuna Taco   0:38
Written-By – T. Homer
22. Coffin Case   0:39
Written-By – M. Saunders
23. You Stupid Jerk   0:23
Written-By – M. Saunders
24. Ballad Of Jerry Curlan   3:08
Written-By – B. Vockeroth, G. Turner, P. Galligan
25. Not Of This Earth   1:12
Written-By – G. Turner, M. Saunders
26. Different World   1:47
Written-By – M. Saunders, T. Homer
27. Electrocution   2:09
Written-By – M. Saunders
28. It's Raining Today   2:43
Written-By – M. Saunders
29. Unhinged   1:55
Written-By – T. Homer
30. Psych-Out 129   1:54
Written-By – G. Turner
31. Somebody To Love   1:55
Written-By – D. Slick
32. I Lost (My Mynd)   1:56
Written-By – G. Turner, M. Saunders
33. Wild Hog Rhyde   2:07
Written-By – G. Turner, M. Saunders
34. Laughing At Me   1:47
Written-By – A. Cooper, D. Dunaway, G. Buxton, M. Bruce, N. Smith
35. STP Not LSD   2:05
Written-By – M. Saunders
36. Staring At The Sun   1:36
Written-By – M. Saunders
37. Death Of Beewak   2:07
Written-By – G. Turner, M. Saunders, T. Homer
38. Egyptomania   1:37
Written-By – G. Turner, T. Homer
39. Attack Of The Mushroom People   2:44
Written-By – M. Saunders
40. Feet On The Ground   1:18
Written-By – T. Homer
41. Garbage Pit   1:40
Written-By – M. Saunders
42. (I'll Drink To This) Love Song   2:04
Written-By – M. Saunders
43. Lost Highway   2:24
Written-By – M. Saunders

LINE - UP

    


Bass Guitar – Todd Homer
Drums – Bill Vockeroth
Guitar – Gregg Turner (tracks: 1 to 25), Metal Mike Saunders (tracks: 1 to 11), Mike Saunders (tracks: 26 to 31)
Guitar [1st Guitar] – Kevin Saunders (tracks: 6 to 11), P.J. Galligan (tracks: 1 to 5)
Guitar [Stun Guitar] – Gregg Turner (tracks: 26 to 43)
Jug [Jug Noises] – Gregg Turner (tracks: 26 to 31)
Lead Guitar – P.J. Galligan (tracks: 12 to 25), Steve Drojensky (tracks: 26 to 43)
Lead Vocals – Metal Mike (tracks: 12 to 25), Metal Mike Saunders (tracks: 1 to 11, 32 to 43), Mike Saunders (tracks: 26 to 31), Todd Homer (tracks: 12 to 43)
Rhythm Guitar – Metal Mike Saunders (tracks: 32 to 43), Steve Drojensky (tracks: 32 to 43)
Vocals – Gregg Turner (tracks: 1 to 25, 32 to 43), Todd Homer (tracks: 1 to 11)

NOTES

               


Tracks 1 - 11 originally released in 1980 as "Inside My Brain," but this is not correct. Tracks 1 - 6 were originally released in 1980 as Inside My Brain while tracks 7 to 11 were bonus tracks on side B of the 1987 reissue on PVC Records.
Tracks 12 - 25 originally released 1982 as Back From Samoa
Tracks 26 - 31 originally released 1986 an untitled 12" EP, later reissued as Yesterday Started Tomorrow
Tracks 32 - 43 originally released 1988 as as STP Not LSD

Flac Size: 490 MB


13 comments:

  1. Again something i don't know. That is very gratifying for me. You know how i love USA punk. I just ordered the 5 cd box V/A BLANK GENERATION US/CAN.PUNK 1975-1981 2 hours ago. I hesitaded for a long time because i have almost a third of it. Thanks, a nice tip. Already ordered !

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  2. A blind PC guru absolutely loved Lights Out.
    Another classic snarky Punky Brewster album is The Dickies-Stukas Over Disneyland.
    Tuna Taco? Yummy.

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  3. Nice one Kostas! I would download it but I already have the CD. I met the singer at the Troubadour in CA--he said they were from El Paso like the Rhythm Pigs--a band I got to roadie one show for in San Francisco on a business trip for work. I was right brain dominant which is cured by Alphabiotics neck correction to fix entire body alignment so I lived their song 'RIght Side od My Mind' it just may have clued me to the cure as I was unbalanced for ten years during this time. Cheers

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  4. Replies
    1. I told you that. I love them.

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    2. Josef & Kostas wanted to let you guys know I posted the band "Jokers Wild" a top garage band from the 60's from my hometown with double album of old singles, etc. but link will expire this Saturday (I made it so due to the vinyl just came out) just a head's up and also wanting to know about Chocolate Paintbox Josef mentioned?

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    3. My dear friend thank you for the tip !
      I will take care of this. Sundazed ! I love the records. I got ROYAL AIRCOACH yesterday, also very good on Sundazed.
      And there are some more tip that i listened to yesterday and think are very good/ good. All received recently.
      Kestrel - Same 1974 prog ala Genesis
      Agnes Strange - them for all dream UK hard rock
      After Shave Swiss 1971 hard rock
      Sorcery - Same US 1978
      and many more !!!

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  5. Hi Viacomeclosedmedown, i was surprised that you responded to my entry on Bordel of Rock blog. I don't comment there anymore and for certain reasons, that why i'm answering here. Yes, i have Chocolate Paintbox. If you would like more tips i would be happy to help you. Just please write here on Kostas blog. ( by the way i have order Jokers Wild as cd).

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  6. That was a misunderstanding on my part.
    You just asked if download the Chocolate Paintbox. Sorry !

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  7. Would love to hear any CB beyond the 94 CD I mentioned I have already but could get you a link. Yeah I will check out what you recommend to my Collector’s Corner du blogposts now let’s see this YouTube on my little phone oh well I am earth grounding on a bare leg Matt to my wall ground for repair this week some Diodes punk w special early live 2010 vinyl I had set aside oh yeah more Elkie Brooks per Kosrzilla she skateboarded w Wipers T shirt ha ha

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  8. Thanks! When I was 13 years old (1985-6) my friend Ginny's cool older sister Paula made me a mixtape with a heavy dose of Angry Samoans on it (plus Dayglo Abortions, Peter & The Test Tube Babies, Circle Jerks, DOA, Minor Threat, etc.) Well, this was even more fun (i.e. offensive) than The Sex Pistols and The Ramones to little newbie skate rat me, so it quickly became my hardcore tape of choice. (Until I discovered the right-on melodicism of Seven Seconds!) Four of us even did a cover of Lights Out at a Jr. High talent show. It would've been better if the metal shredder guitar dude that we roped into it had learned the right song... So it was pretty chaotic ;0)

    And then by age 15, I'd heard John Cage and Philip Glass and I was deep into the whole Eno, Harold Budd, Jon Hassell and Cluster thing, not only because it spoke to me more about my life but also beneficially because ambient music REALLY drove my parents crazy... They could wrap their heads around Angry Samoans because it was still only rock n'roll, but Brian Eno's Ambient 4: On Land or Klaus Schule's Irrlicht was like nails on a blackboard to them. Ha! So I knew I was on the right track.

    Anyhow thanks for the Angry Samoans, it'll be a trip down memory lane. Thanks for running such an awesome blog!

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    Replies
    1. Many thanks for your giant comment and for all these informations, I really appreciate it.

      Delete