01/09/2008
Classic DIY: Dusting Off The "Hits"
Did you know that the Scrotum Poles got their name from the situation where a group of men need to form a makeshift totem pole, thus also forming a "scrotum pole?" Clever, no? This group of Scottish punks were clever enough to pen the catchy 1980 DIY classic "Pick the Cats Eyes Out." Don't worry, this isn't a song about blinding animals. In Britain, "cats eyes" are the highway reflectors embedded in a road and a common motorist safety warning used to be "Cats Eyes Out Ahead."
17 year old Steve Treatment showed up in London in 1975 and started hanging out with Marc Bolan and the TRex crew. His 1979 Pop-Rock single, "Change of Plan" certainly alludes to Bolan's musical influence.
Anorexia used to have George Michael's first pre-Wham band, Executive, occasionally open their shows. How Wham went on to super-stardom and Anorexia disappeared into oblivion is a circumstance I will never understand. Regardless, Anorexia's "I'm A Square" is their nerd-punk anthem that regales the virtues of not subscribing to popular culture. Very reminiscent of the Los Angeles punk band X.
Should you adore late 70s / early 80s DIY as much as I, you need to own the Messthetics Greatest Hits compilations. These records will prove to be invaluable resources for exploring this somewhat challenging world.
MP3
Download 'The Scrotum Poles - Pick the Cats Eyes Out'2:53 | 3.30MB
Download 'Steve Treatment - Change of Plan'2:35 | 2.95MB
Download 'Anorexia - I'm A Square'2:07 | 2.42MB
Posted by Emily on 01/09/2008 12:04 PM in Garage Rock, Lo-Fi, Punk
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