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My Memorial Day took on a different meaning after I completed the cleaning of my spare closet, thus providing a walkway to get to my 7-inch collection. I haven't listened to my singles--let alone purchased one--in some time. A quick flip through them turned up some memorable slices of wax from my younger years. (Listen to these tunes by clicking on the appropriate title in the sidebar to the right.)


Man or Astro-Man? - "The Carbonated Comet": Taken from The Estrus (Records) Cocktail Companion, which was released in 1994. The comp is a triple 7-inch collection packaged in a fancy little box complete with a plastic stirring straw and a coaster. Also features songs from Jackie & the Cedrics, The Apemen, The Cowslingers, Southern Culture on the Skids and Teengenerate, among others. Oddly enough, I don't remember much about the only MOAM concert I witnessed, since I missed over half of their performance. I also don't own any of their other records, although listening to this tune makes me yearn to hear one.


The Sundowners - "The Summer Song": Nice cover, eh? On the back of the sleeve is a "key" of sorts to help you identify just who our male protagonist is having his way with. (In case you're wondering, the upper left would be Pat Benatar, while the lower right would be Valerie Bertinelli. You'll never guess who The Sundowners are. If you're thinking a Chicago country & western band from the '60s then you're dead wrong. Actually, it's Bill Callahan from Smog, along with some "Palace Folk". The exact members who recorded this particular single are probably never going to reveal themselves to us. However, Will Oldham and Callahan teamed up for the first Sundowners single, which I don't own. This was released in January of 1996 on Sea Note, a subsidiary of Drag City.


Beat Happening - "Sea Hunt": I love me some Beat Happening from time to time, don't you? Until the Crashing Through box set was released three years ago, this little nugget had gone sadly forgotten. Taken from the seven inch of the same name released in 1991 on K Records in conjunction with the British indie Bi-Joopiter. Indie music sure has come a long way since the early '90s, when tiny indie pop labels like Bi-Joopiter could exist in peace and release their Beat Happening singles. Anyone remember Harriet Records? Sigh...


M.O.T.O. - "It Tastes Just Like a Milkshake": A year ago I picked up the latest M.O.T.O. full length, Kill M.O.T.O., and was sadly underwhelmed. I guess I just miss the good old days for Paul Caporino, he the Master of the Obvious. Like, for example, this song released on the Jacuzzi for the Dead seven inch around 1994 on an obsure German label.


Los Marauders - "Slicker than Snot": Don't blink, or you'll miss this one-minute rockabilly barage from these rock stars from Mexico? Nah! Texas? Nope! Try Iowa (I think!). I don't really enjoy rockabilly, but this is more like thrashabilly. It's also the only tune from Los Marauders that I own compliments of the TeenBeat 100 compilation seven inch from 1993. Ten bands, ten songs, ten minutes total. Also features such throwbacks as Blast Off Country Style, Eggs, Bratmobile, Butch Willis, Unrest and Tsunami.


The Coctails - "Road Hog": I recently put a different Coctails songs from this seven inch--Songs for Children (1991, Hi-Ball Records)--on a mix for my friend Mary, who had just given birth to a bouncing baby boy. So, technically, I've listened to this recently. But, whatever. I'll never forget the first (and only) time I saw The Coctails on the side stage at Lollapalooza. Was the year 1995, maybe? I believe it was the same year I saw Brainiac AND Yo La Tengo on the side stage as well and got to talk to James McNew for a bit after Tengo's set. I miss 1995. What a good year for the side stage.


The Makers - "It's Your World": Now this little ferocious cut of garage punk is how I will choose to remember The Makers, who rocked my world a decade ago. Also on this single (Music to Suffer By; Estrus Records, 1995) they do a darling rendition of "Baby Let Me Take You Home", popularized by The Animals.

Have a good week everyone, and enjoy the tunes!