Rapid Pulse Records - The Top Ten Singles

While my label history series is off to a pretty good start with pieces on Dirtnap, Pelado, and American Punk Records, I'm really just scratching the surface. There were so many cool labels during that "second golden age" of punk rock circa the late '90s/early 2000s, and eventually I'd like to cover most of them. Rapid Pulse Records may have been the coolest of them all!

If you were into the '77/garage/punk rock n' roll thing back in the '90s, you almost definitely ordered records from Underground Medicine. You could always count on Jim to distro all the releases you wanted to buy. And if he was touting some unknown band, you knew you had to have their 7". U.M. was perfectly in tune with my taste in punk music - and probably ended up influencing it as well. All these years later, I still look at what Jim's carrying for ideas on bands I should be reviewing.

In 1997, Jim took the big leap and started his own label - Rapid Pulse Records. I know it's a cliche to say it, but it seems like only yesterday that that first single by Apocalypse Babys came out. Now here we are 16 years later. Underground Medicine/Rapid Pulse is still a going concern, and I'm still writing about punk rock. With a catalog numbering somewhere around 40 titles and a roster representing seven countries, Rapid Pulse has put an incredible amount of great punk rock n' roll into the world. I'd consider a number of the label's releases to be "classics" of their day - although Jim would tell you he wishes they'd sold like classics! In all seriousness, though, what's always been great about Rapid Pulse is that Jim has never aimed to put out big sellers. He's aimed to put out great punk rock records - in many cases by highly deserving obscure/underdog type bands. Who else was going to stand up for the likes of NY Whores and Paul E. Ester and the Cruel Shoes?

Compiling a top ten list of Rapid Pulse singles was no easy task, but it was an enjoyable trip down memory lane. Circa 2002-03 especially, Rapid Pulse was probably the best label going. And this list definitely reflects that. I decided not to count any of the releases the label has done since it's reboot last year, but they're all awesome too.

How many of these did you have?

10. (tie) Nikki Corvette - "Love Me" (2003)
The Sellouts - "Hey Mofo" (1998)
After being out of music for 23 years, Nikki Corvette teamed with producer/songwriter Travis Ramin and proved she was still the queen of power pop. She's been going strong ever since. The Sellouts were from Brazil and played killer snotty punk rock that would have been right at home on Rip Off Records. They did another single for Rapid Pulse and a couple other releases that were equally awesome. Brazil's best punk band ever? I think so!

9. The Bomb Pops- "Everything (Looks Like Her)" (2002)
The Bomb Pops were D.D. "Machine" Davis on guitar/vocals plus the Devil Dogs' rhythm section, and as far as I know this was their only release. The trio played classic power pop mixed with '70s punk/rock n' roll, and I went nuts for their single upon hearing it. Why didn't anyone else?

8. Deadly Weapons- "You're So Selfish" (2003)
You know I'm a huge fan of Tina Lucchesi. Deadly Weapons, one of her most underrated bands, dished out ferocious old school hardcore a la The Lewd and VKTMS. This was their second of two totally great EPs.

7. The Pits - "Introducing My New High" (2001)
English punk rock was largely ignored in the '90s and 2000s - but not by Rapid Pulse Records! The Pits hailed from Sunderland and had an authentic '77 Brit-punk sound in the vein of Chelsea and the Sex Pistols. This was their first of two singles on Rapid Pulse. The Pits were one of my favorite bands from my Now Wave webzine heyday.

6. The Saviors- "Ruby Gloom" (2003)
Most people know Dimitri Monroe from his zine writings. But like Andy Shernoff, he's a dual threat! He teamed up with his guitarist pal Brian Morgan to form The Saviors - literate glam/punk throwbacks in the Clash/Thunders/Hanoi Rocks mold. The title track was a mid-tempo hard pop gem, while the B-side turned on the heat a la the Dead Boys. I'm pretty sure there were a few more Saviors songs released elsewhere, but it's been ten years and I've killed a lot of brain cells. So I could be wrong.

5. The Double Nuthins- "Got Into A Fight In Special Ed" (1999)
Out of Providence, Rhode Island, this trio played fast, catchy garage punk with a hint of The Simpletones' juvenile delinquency. They didn't stick around very long, but they did release one more single on Baby Doll Records. The late '90s were the heyday of obscure but great garage punk bands, and The Double Nuthins were one of the best of that lot.

4. Trust Fund Babies - "Can't Trust Me" (1999)
Featuring former members of The Spites and Shifters and future members of The Shrinks and Radio Reelers, Trust Fund Babies were a phenomenal but short-lived band (sensing a pattern here?). This was their debut single. They did a second single for Radio Records and a superb LP for Rapid Pulse. Then they broke up. I still don't know how Rip Off Records missed out on these guys.

3. Apocalypse Babys- "Local Heroes" (1997)
This was the record that started it all- which I ended up proclaiming to be the best single of 1997. I could still probably pass this off as a lost pop/punk classic from 1977 UK. From the tiny English town of South Normanton, the Apocalypse Babys formed way back in 1990...and are still at it today! I once traded three of this band's singles for the first Plimsouls LP. It was a good trade, but I sure missed those singles.

2. The Sleazies- "Gonna Operate On Myself" (2003)
I know I say it all the time, but here was a band that should have been huge. The Sleazies were kind of like an East Coast version of The Briefs - except poppier and way more inappropriate. They followed this single with a CD on Pelado Records - an overlooked masterpiece of goofball pogo punk. Rapid Pulse later reissued it on vinyl.

1. Inversions- "Domestic Disturbance"/"Hung By The Phone" (2003)
Technically, this was two singles. But they were released at the same time and had the feel of a double 7". This was Kevin McGovern's first project after the implosion of The Prostitutes. In my opinion, the Prostitutes were the greatest punk band of the '90s. And The Inversions were a total continuation of that drug-addled awesomeness. "Hung By The Phone" is an all-time classic of snotty punk rock!

Just missed the cut:
Barse - "Council Estate", Bingo/Thee S.T.P. split, The Hore Hounds- "No Time For You"

If you want to read a more thorough discography of Rapid Pulse's original run, check out the label's web page. For the scoop on some of R.P.R.'s more recent releases, go to http://www.undergroundmedicine.com/. Ya gotta have that Lovesores 10"!

-L.R.

Remembering: American Punk Records

Although this blog exists ostensibly to promote "new" music, one of the fun things I've been doing is going back into the past and celebrating some of the bands and record labels that were around when I first started doing zines back in the '90s. One of the best labels of that mid-to-late '90s punk heyday was American Punk Records out of Baltimore. Run by Jakkpot lead singer Rudy "Rude A" Castello, A.P.R. released three Jakkpot singles along with seven-inches from like-minded bands such as the Candy Snatchers and Strychnine Babies. The label also released music by perhaps my three favorite bands of the '90s - the Dimestore Haloes, Fuses, and Prostitutes. If not as prolific or as long-lived as some of the other top punk labels of its time, American Punk was every bit as cool!

My personal story with American Punk Records starts in 1996 with a pair of singles by a Baltimore band called Webster. These were two of the best pop-punk singles of the entire '90s, but for whatever reason Webster didn't catch on with "the kids". But Webster would soon re-group as The Fuses, and the rest is history. Released late in 1997, The Fuses' debut Dress for the New Bomb still rates in my book as the best punk single of the entire '90s. And it came hot on the heels of one of The Prostitutes' greatest singles, Living Wreck. 1998 brought not only The Fuses' legendary full-length, I Wanna Burn, but also the classic Shooting Stars EP from the Haloes. Talk about a hot streak! American Punk Records would eventually cease operations after the breakup of Jakkpot, but no doubt the label had one hell of a five or six-year run. The label roster still reads like a who's-who of east coast/mid-Atlantic punk bands circa '95-2000. Some are rightfully perceived as legendary, and others probably should be (remember The Goons?). What follows is, I think, a complete list of official American Punk releases. If you happen to discover any of these titles in your travels, do not hesitate to buy!

Jakkpot- Just One Fix 7" (1995)
Jakkpot- You Ain't Shit 7" (1996)
Webster- Static 7" (1996)
Webster- 1000 Letters 7" (1996)
Candy Snatchers- Bum Me Out 7" (1996)
Jakkpot- Hit Or Miss 7" (1997)
Prostitutes- Living Wreck 7" (1997)
The Fuses- Dress for the New Bomb 7" (1997)
Dimestore Haloes- Shooting Stars 7" (1998)
Strychnine Babies- Kill Society 7" (1998)
Various Artists- This Is American Punk CD compilation (1998)
The Fuses- I Wanna Burn (CD 1998, LP 1999)
The Goons- No Leaders CD (2000)

-L.R.

Pelado Records: The Ten Greatest Singles

This is the second in a series I'm doing on label retrospectives. Earlier this year I listed the ten greatest Dirtnap Records albums. Now we turn to the late, great Pelado Records. The importance of Pelado Records in my personal music history cannot be emphasized enough. This was my #1 favorite record label in the "prime" of my zine days (later '90s to early 2000s). More so than any other label of the time, Pelado appealed to my taste in music and probably influenced it as well. Most of my favorite bands of that era were either on the Pelado roster (Dimestore Haloes, Prostitutes, Bladder Bladder Bladder) or associated with the label through compilation appearances (Moral Crux, Dead End Cruisers, Trash Brats). It was an incredible time to be a fan of punk music, and all these years later I really feel like the music holds up. And when you look at the thriving state of current labels like No Front Teeth Records, it's clear to see that the torch has been passed. Pelado Records may be gone, but its influence is still felt.

While Pelado released a number of great albums, I decided to focus on the label's 7" output for this particular list. In the early days of the label especially, the singles were what I looked forward to the most. When I sat down to brainstorm titles, it was kind of overwhelming at first. There were so many great singles on Pelado, and by limiting it to ten I had to leave out a lot of worthy contenders. But as always, that's half the fun of this kind of project! Here we go!

10. Primitive Rollers/The Bees - split 7"
Admit it: you forgot about this one! I'd heard of neither band before this record came out, and I don't think either band has released anything since. But what a great record! The Bees did the trashy garage punk thing, and the Primitive Rollers were like The Heartbreakers reincarnate.

9. No One's Victim- The Chase
Pat always had a good ear for the melodic/anthemic side of street punk, and No One's Victim turned out to be one of his best finds. These lads from Clovis, California seemed ticketed for a bright future and a multi-album deal on a label like TKO. For whatever reason, it never happened. But I'll put this record up against just about any street punk release of its time.

8. Dead Empty- Tattoed Women
I saw this band a number of times in the early 2000s, and I was convinced that they were going to be huge. They were that good. Had they arrived on the scene a couple years sooner, when street punk was "hot", they probably would have been huge. Either way, this was a phenomenal record. Guitarist Andy Mehos is now in the very excellent Mean Streets.

7. The Beatings- Kiss On The Cheek
Yet another band I thought was poised for world domination that ended up breaking up with little fanfare. Maybe there was a "Pelado curse"! Ha! The late '90s were a golden age of glam-punk, and The Beatings were a big part of it. Baltimore's finest!

6. American Heartbreak- Please Kill Me
You may recall that in the year 2000, American Heartbreak delivered one of the great rock albums of recent memory. What you might not remember is that said album was preceded by a 7" that came out on Pelado. It was kind of an outside-the-box move for Pat to work with a band featuring former members of Jetboy and Exodus, but he clearly was not a guy who'd let scene politics get in the way of releasing a great record. Obviously, this is the "slickest" sounding thing to ever come out on Pelado. But that's not a bad thing. Glammy power pop rock n' roll par excellence!

5. Dimestore Haloes/Bladder Bladder Bladder split 7"
This was the one that started it all for me. I had heard of the Haloes prior to getting this record, but this was my first time actually hearing their music. They were in their early days and still very much a work in progress. But warts and all, I loved 'em from the start. They contributed the songs "Sickness" and "Tombstone Radio". Bladder Bladder Bladder, Californians by way of the U.K., came off like dead ringers for Mick Jones fronted Clash on "U.S. Dole Queue" and "White American National Killer". My life was never the same.

4. Los Pinkos- Girl Krazy
This is one of my all-time favorites! Los Pinkos were from the Detroit area, and had a poppy garage rock n' roll sound. Main guy Mike went on to form the very similar Metros, who had an LP and single on Rip Off Records. Dig this jam:


3. (tie)
Dimestore Haloes- Everybody Loves You When You're Dead
Bladder Bladder Bladder- No Go Girl
I know. I'm cheating. I'm bending the rules of mathematics. My top ten is secretly a top 11. Oh well. Consider it a bonus track. For reasons already made clear, these two kindred spirit bands are inextricably linked in my mind (if only they'd toured together!). Both of these records came out around the same time. It was 1998, I think. It was a good year. Classic releases from both bands!

2. Exploding Hearts- Modern Kicks
Ah, the late great Hearts. This was supposed to be their first 7" but ended up being their second. I have a hard time deciding which one I like better. The one on Vinyl Warning was incredible as well. Let's call it a tie. Everyone knows the classic title track. And B-side "Busy Signals" is one of the band's most beloved non-album songs. Is it any surprise that this record still goes for mucho bucks? In an interesting note of personal trivia, I sent this record to my friend Vinny as a surprise gift a number of years back. He then returned the favor last year by sending me a copy of the first Dimestore Haloes album. It's a big, old circle of Pelado band love!

1. The Prostitutes- Get Me Sick
This was actually the second Pelado release ever (after the Dead End Kids and prior to The Bristles). If there was one record that put Pelado Records on the map, this was it! The year was 1996. The Prostitutes hailed from my neck of the woods - Harrisburg, PA. And boy, did they ever do us central Pennsylvanian punk rockers proud! Get Me Sick was a neutron bomb of depravity and ill will, fired off with a ferocity that put most "snotty" punk rock bands to shame. It was as if G.G. Allin, The Pagans, and The Humpers had gotten together and made a record. All these years later, I consider the title track to be one of the greatest punk rock songs not just of its time but also of all-time. In my humble opinion, this was the best punk rock band of the '90s. And Kevin's still at it today!

That was a pretty formidable list, I must say. What a great label Pelado was! Honorable mentions go out to Kickstarter, the Romeo's Dead/Burdens split, the Upsets/Richmond Sluts split, and Chinese Takeaway. I'm considering doing a follow-up list sometime in the near future where I'll list the ten greatest Pelado albums. In the meantime, check out the Pelado Records page on Facebook if you haven't already!

-L.R.

Dirtnap Records: The Ten Greatest Albums

In the early, print phase of my writing career, it was record labels like Pelado and Mutant Pop that ruled the roost. But by the time I went electronic in the early 2000s, a new power label had emerged. Dirtnap Records came into existence the same year the Now Wave webzine debuted, and many of its early releases were particular favorites of mine. The whole Dirtnap scene was precisely the shot in the arm punk music needed at the time. And it was exciting to be connected to it. I was all about The Briefs, then the Epoxies, then the Exploding Hearts. I’ve got great memories of reviewing the Dirtnap Across the Northwest comp. And Dirtnap did not let up from there. The label is still going strong today, and without doubt it rates as one of the great punk labels of the modern era. Making an all-time top ten list of Dirtnap LPs was really hard because I had to leave out so many awesome bands. But man oh man, what a formidable list this is! Here goes:

10. The Spits (2003)
As supreme high commander of the starship Now Wave, I always kept the choice promo for myself and sent out a lot of the “second tier” stuff to my staff writers. But sometimes I fucked up and let a real gem escape. Here’s an example of an album I wish I’d kept for myself. What a band! They’re still killing it today.

9. High Tension Wires- Send a Message (2005)
When this incredible album first came out, I totally panned it. Then I regained my sanity, listened to it some more, realized it was awesome, and retracted my negative review. I’m no politician. I can flip-flop if I want!

8. Epoxies (2002)
The only reason this isn’t ranked higher is because Dirtnap has released such a high volume of incredible music. 99 percent of labels would kill to have released just one album this great.

7. Modern Machines- Take It, Somebody (2006)
One of my favorite bands of the 2000s. This, in my opinion, is their best album. It never got the acclaim it deserved.

6. The Minds- Plastic Girls (2003)
It’s killing me that I only ranked this #6. Easily one of the best and most underrated punk albums of the entire 2000s.

5. The Ergs- Upstairs/Downstairs (2007)
It’s hard to believe that The Ergs, who were together for something like ten years and released over one thousand singles, only made two albums. And while I have a sentimental attachment to their first album, I can’t say it’s superior to their second. This was a band that was still getting better even towards the end of its time. Surely with the release of this album, Dirtnap forever shed its “regional label” rep.

4. The Marked Men - On the Outside (2004)
It’s not too soon to call this one a “classic”.

3. Something Fierce- Don't Be So Cruel (2011)
Did I put this too high since it’s fresh in my mind? Only time will tell, but I doubt it. Something Fierce has attained true greatness, and will only get better going forward.

2. The Briefs- Hit After Hit (2000)
When this came out, we talked about the cool bands The Briefs emulated. Now we talk about the cool bands that emulate The Briefs. 

1. Exploding Hearts- Guitar Romantic (2003)
While the majority of my CD collection was, uh, taken without my permission a couple years ago, this is one I still possess. Why? Because it hasn’t left my car in like eight years. One of my all-time favorite punk albums of any era.

So there you have it. Sorry to the Mind Controls, The Pulses, Steve Adamyk Band, Dirt Bike Annie, The Ends, Beat Beat Beat, Sonic Avenues, Busy Signals, and a whole lot of others. Maybe this should have been a top 20!

-L.R.