Never fear my few blog readers for I will have the next installment of the Lucy's Record Shop calendar sometime before October is over. I've just been busy doing stuff lately. I even went and saw MJ Lenderman live in Knoxville over the weekend. It was a most excellent night of music that I might do a full blown review on in a few days. We sat in the balcony at the Bijou Theatre which was great, but my iPhone didn't really get decent photos. You'll figure that out if do the review.
My focus the last few weeks was finally using my Bandcamp artist account. I loaded a few old solo songs up along with a couple of new ones, a full length set of demos, an old Michael Landon's Ghost track, plus my band Dracula's "Tales from the Strip" album that RE in San Antonio had cobbled together for me years ago. The sound quality is suspect on almost all of the stuff, but the heart and soul is there. I am capable of writing catchy tunes. I'll keep posting more music there so bookmark it, share it, follow me, and all that jazz. But only if you really want to....
Here's another Tuesday Tunes for all of you hip ladies and lads and whatever you want to be. This time around I'm doing it minimalist style. Embedded YouTube video along with a label should suffice.
The Monitors - Singing in the 80's
Papas Fritas - Hey Hey You Say
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Antenna - Shine
Sunstate - Less of Me
Cassie Ramone - He's Still On My Mind
Hello Mary - Three
Welly - Cul-De-Sac
Nice Biscuit - Love That Takes You Up
Dinosaur jr - Out There
Bonus video in honor of the fact that I scored tickets to see Jake at the Bijou in Knoxville in a few weeks.
It's the 6th in my continuing series to cover the Lucy's Record Shop concert calendar. When we last left our intrepid all ages establishment the Man was trying to shut them down, but Donnie Kendall and Mary Mancini marshaled their forces and built the needed up to code bathrooms during December 1993 and early January 1994. I've probably said it before and I'm sure I will say it again, but all of us who enjoyed playing shows, hanging out, and even sometimes buying records at Lucy's Record Shop owe Donnie and Mary (along with all of those who helped them) plus "that bitch at the door" April, our undying thanks. Now for the standard disclaimer: this list was compiled from old newspaper listings, actual Lucy's calendar sheets, and other internet wasteland sources. As Cat from the band Fun Girls from Mt. Pilot told me, the lineups were subject to change. One more thing: as I work on these posts I find things to add to older ones. Type in Lucy's Record Shop in the search block and you might find updates!
Monthly listings first and then maybe some notes, links, and videos posted about some of the shows. If I don't write anything about your favorite artist feel free to comment. If you happened to be at Lucy's for any of these nights then let me know.
14-Jan-94 Grand Re-Opening with Ballpeen Hernia, The Slackers, Fun Girls from Mt. Pilot 8PM $5
15-Jan-94 For Kate's Sake, Collin Wade Monk & more 8PM $5
20-Jan-94 Nashville Anti-Extravaganza with Thee Phantom 5ive, Bedwetter, El Lion 8PM $4
21-Jan-94 Nashville Anti-Extravaganza with Who Hit John, Hellbilly, Godplow, Today is the Day 8PM $5
28-Jan-94 Fingerhut, Tigerlillies, Crop Circle Hoax 8PM $5
29-Jan-94 Jack, Flat Mass, Stone Deep 8PM $5
You would have thought there would have been a big splashy writeup in The Tennessean about Lucy's reopening, but there wasn't. It did get a little love in the Hot Ticket capsule on January 14, 1994, but like Black Flag sang, "...I need some more!" The first night back brings us Ball Peen Hernia's Lucy's debut, Huntsville, Alabama punk rockers The Slackers, and Nashville's own Fun Girls from Mt. Pilot. The Slackers played Lucy's 3 times including opening for Bikini Kill later in 1994.
The Slackers - The Big Scam
For Kate's Sake, Collin Wade Monk, and more are shown in the listings for January 15th. I haven't been able to find out who the "more" was on this night. A week later begins the now annual Anti-Extravaganza in response to the mainstream Nashville Music Extravaganza which was happening at the same time.
Greensboro, North Carolina band Bedwetter is still in the game which is quite amazing, but back in 1994 they were playing on the first night of the Anti-Extravaganza. Nashville surf monsters Thee Phantom 5ive opened the bill which was headlined by a group named El Lion. If anybody out there in the ether knows anything about El Lion let me know. They are a mystery to me.
January 21, 1994 is the second night of the Anti-Extravaganza. Godplow makes their 7th and last appearance at Lucy's. Who Hit John makes an appearance. Hellbilly makes their 2nd appearance. One of my former bandmates and friend Wes played drums for Hellbilly initially before joining the Teen Idols. He even did some recordings with them. Hellbilly leader Jay McDowell was the episode 5 guest on the Lucy's Record Shop podcast.
Hellbilly
The headliners for the night were Amphetamine Reptile recording artists Today is the Day. They are an example of a Nashville band that made it fairly big in the alternative music universe. Of course, they relocated to Massachusetts during the halcyon days. Main guy Steve Austin now lives in Maine (main guy lives in Maine.....I slay myself) where he runs his own studio. There will be some live video of Today is the Day at Lucy's shared in a future post. Here's their music video for "6 Dementia Satyr."
The Anti-Extravaganza rolls on for one more night with Poppy Trail, the ubiquitous Lambchop, one of my favorites 8 Bark from Chicago, and Louisville post hardcore/math rock legends Rodan closing out the show. I haven't found any live footage of Rodan at Lucy's but here's a good live cut off the Simple Machines compilation Working Holiday that was released in 1994.
Rodan ' Big Things, Little Things
January 28, 1994: Fingerhut, Tigerlillies, and another one of my favorite bands Crop Circle Hoax take Lucy's by storm on this night. Fingerhut which went under various spellings over the years and played over 10 times at Lucy's. I believe the Tigerlillies that played this show were the Cincinnati based indie rockers. There will be a performance uploaded by Crop Circle Hoax when I get to 1995.
The first month back after the up to code bathrooms were installed ends with my friends in Jack, Flat Mass from Austin, Texas, and the first of 15 listed performances by rap/rock innovators Stone Deep. The Stone Deep lineage goes all the way back to 80's when Mr. Zero was burning the roof off the mother. Stone Deep were together from 1992-2000 before reforming around Glen Cummings and Ron "The Beast" Cartwright in 2022. They are so cool (or maybe uncool depending on your views) they even have a website page devoted to their style brand.
Stone Deep live January 21, 1994 at 328 Performance Hall an NEA performance
3-Feb-94 Lambchop, Versus 8PM $4 4-Feb-94 Staring at the Sun, Ringo Levio, No Remorse 8PM $5 5-Feb-94 Soul Hitch, Clubber Lang, Love Bucket & Slaphappy Superfly 8PM $5 6-Feb-94 House O' Pain Migraine Matinee: Well Away, Rain Like the Sound of Trains 3PM $3 11-Feb-94 Brutus Fly, The Used, Uncle Daddy 8PM $5 12-Feb-94 Necropolis, Impetous Doom. Excruciating Pain 8PM $5 18-Feb-94 Locus Solus, The Grifters, Polvo 8PM $5 19-Feb-94 Daphne's Operation, Liberty Caps, Dump 8PM $5 25-Feb-94 Toy Bean, Tiny Corkscrews, Azalia Snail 8PM $5 26-Feb-94 Pud, My Dad is Dead, Truman's Water 8PM $5
February 1994 is a very noisy month at Lucy's Record Shop. The first show of the month is probably the most sedate with Lambchop opening for Versus who were making their second visit to Lucy's after playing November 1993. Lambchop was on that bill too. Indie rockers Versus from NYC are masters of soft/loud mix of dream pop with some grunge thrown in for good measure. They understand dynamics.
Versus - Be-9 from their The Stars Are Insane album released in 1994 on Teenbeat
Staring at the Sun makes their 7th listed appearance on February 4, 1994 and it's the 5th time for No Remorse. My research, as limited as it is, shows that Ringo Levio was from Birmingham, Alabama. I would guess they are named after the Emmett Grogan book Ringolevio: A Life Played for Keeps. They have a tune on this compilation compact disc album.
February 5, 1994 has Clubber Lang who would play Lucy's twice in 1994. There was a hardcore band from NYC with that name, but there is also a Florida group with the same name. One bad thing about using a pop culture reference for a name is that it makes finding out information on the group difficult. I believe Soul Hitch was local along with Love Bucket & Slaphappy Superfly. More on the latter in a future post. A Migraine Matinee happens on the 6th with Memphis punk rockers Well Away and a band with one of my favorite names: Rain Like the Sound of Trains. Well Away make an appearance on the XXX: Some Ideas Are Poisonous compilation which would be issued in 1995. I have the embedded YouTube clip set to start at their song "Embodied" as it runs from 10:41 through 13:25. The whole comp is great.
Well Away - Embodied
Washington D.C. band Rain Like the Sound of Trains featured former members of Soulside, Beefeater, and Verbal Assault. I mentioned that before when I covered August 1993, but it's worth mentioning again. Naturally their debut record came out on Dischord. They were post hardcore with some funky elements. Their politics were strident, but perhaps not as immediately appealing such as Rage Against the Machine.
Rain Like the Sound of Trains live in Salt Lake City 1993
Brutus Fly is the lower billed band on February 11, 1994. They were from Nashville and would play Lucy's multiple times. They would put out a 45 EP in 1995 on Potty Mouth Records. Go check out their Bandcamp page where you can get their whole discography for free. Do it! They were a fun bunch. The Used who I wrote about in a previous post and Uncle Daddy rounded out the bill.
Brutus Fly photo I borrowed from their Bandcamp page
Necropolis, Impetous Doom. and Excruciating Pain bring the death and a little bit prog on February 12th. They are all repeat performers at Lucy's. The next weekend brings some Sonic Youth influenced noise rock to the fore. February 18, 1994 begins with Locus Solus. There are multiple artists bearing that name which was the name of a French novel by Raymond Roussel. It was also the name of a short lived literary journal. The literal meaning of the words together is unique or solitary place. I am guessing this Locus Solus is the one that put out the album Waverly on Grass Records in 1994 since they were locals. I think I had it at one time as I was big fan of Grass Records. It's funny that one of the comments at YouTube for the Waverly album says it reminds the commenter of the Grifters because Memphis band Grifters are next on this Friday night. This would be their 2nd and last appearance at Lucy's.
Grifters - Teenage Jesus released in 1993
North Carolina's finest purveyors of noise rock with a bit of shoe gaze thrown in Polvo headline this night. They were my friend Bingham's favorite group, but I didn't really like them back then. However, after a couple of decades I finally grasped their brilliance. I've either gotten mature or regressed. Suffice it to say Polvo rocks! They reunited in 2008 which is cool because their sound is timeless. Here's a real treat for y'all. I couldn't find any footage of them at Lucy's, but someone who goes by the handle 0hno0 has posted video of them playing the Pantheon in 1992!
Polvo at the Pantheon 1992 "Can I Ride"
My friend Bingham, who loves Polvo, gets to play Lucy's Record Shop the very next night on February 19 with his band Daphne's Operation. So, if you happened to miss the Polvo show from the previous evening you'd get to hear a group that sounded a lot like Polvo if you happened to be at this one. My band would end up doing at least one (maybe more) gigs with Daphne's Operation and I have nothing but praise for them. Just like with Polvo, I didn't quite get where they at musically in those days, but have since come around to enjoy their clamorous sound.
Daphne's Operation
The Liberty Caps were a ska band who would put out an EP on Darwin Records in 1994. They would play Lucy's 5 times per the listings. They were much liked by all. Unless you happened to hate ska. Why would anyone not like such a great genre?
The Liberty Caps EP #1 1994
The February 19th headliner was Dump. I am just guessing on this one, but I bet it was Yo La Tengo band member James McNew's Dump.
Dump (James McNew)
February 25, 1994 has Toy Bean, Tiny Corkscrews, and Azalia Snail. I believe Toy Bean was local. Some of them would play later in the year proclaimed as part of the Trance Syndicate group. Tiny Corkscrews was something put together by Nashville drummer Chris Davis. He is really into experimental music and runs the FMRL (Ephemeral) group so go check that out. It's the only appearance at Lucy's of Los Angeles artist Azalia Snail. She's been making cool music since 1989 and is still out there in 2024!
Azalia Snail - Into Yr. World released in 1994
The last listed show on February 26, 1994 with Pud, My Dad is Dead, and Truman's Water. I believe Pud would be the California punk band. My Dad is Dead is basically Cleveland, Ohio native Mark Edwards post punk musical project. This would mark his only appearance at Lucy's. This is also the one and only time at Lucy's for San Diego art noise merchant's Truman's Water.
4-Mar-94 Power Trip, Crisis Under Control, Act of Faith 8PM $5
5-Mar-94 Havens Manor, Mind Station, Crop Circle Hoax 8PM $5
6-Mar-94 House O' Pain Migraine Matinee: Hoover, Hammerhead 3PM $5
11-Mar-94 Ball Peen Hernia, Locus Solus, Mule 8PM $5
We start March 1994 off with a punk show on the 4th. Power Trip is back for the second time. I believe this is a local group with a name that has been used by multiple bands with varying degrees of fame. Straight edge group Crisis Under Control was from Duluth, Georgia. They have a Bandcamp page so check 'em out. Act of Faith was most likely the hardcore punk band from Atlanta. There is a setlist.fm entry saying the band Crain played Lucy's on March 1, 1994, but I can no find nothing to corroborate that.
March 5, 1994 looks like an indie rock night probably booked by Mary Mancini. She would typically book the more college rock groups while Donnie Kendall would book the metal and punk acts. It's one reason I think the venue worked so wonderfully. People attracted to maybe one spectrum of the alternative music world would come each weekend night thanks to the low $5 admission charge just to hang out. I can't find any info on Haven's Manor. Mind Station is next on the bill. This is probably Todd Beene's (later with Glossary and Lucero) band. They put out a CD called Train of Thought in 1993.
Crop Circle Hoax headlined this night. I'll have more on them later. They played Lucy's multiple times all the way to the 2nd to last week of its existence. Here's the video to their tune "Warmup Set" filmed in and around Nashville probably the summer of 1993.
Crop Circle Hoax - Warmup Set
We return to loud and aggressive music on March 6th with Hoover and Hammerhead playing the Migraine Matinee. Hoover was a short-lived Dischord Records recording artist. They were pretty intense.
Hoover performing "Father" at the Washington Peace Center 1993
Hammerhead were from Minneapolis, Minnesota and were just as noisy as Hoover. They had already put out several records on Amphetamine Reptile so you know they're good. I believe they would have been touring to promote their latest release Into The Vortex. Somebody captured them on video just 20 days later in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Hammerhead live in Fort Collins March 26, 1994
Locals Ball Peen Hernia and Locus Solus open for Mule on March 11, 1994. Mule were from Detroit, but had a swampy country punk blues sound. Go figure. They put out 2 full length albums on Quarterstick Records and they are quite good.
Mule at Sneaky Dees in Toronto summer of 1994
It's Gizzard, Garden Variety, and the Dazzling Killmen on March 12, 1994. Gizzard was from Jacksonville, Florida. They were an interesting punk band with saxophone and flute played by the now deceased Brian Hicks. The great NYC producer and performer Kramer even produced some of Gizzard's stuff. This was their only appearance at Lucy's Record Shop.
Garden Variety was a Long Island, New York indie/punk outfit. Lots of cool photos of them are available at their Instagram page. Their music sits in that middle ground of punk and alternative.
Garden Variety - Complete Discography teaser
St. Louis, Missouri's Dazzling Killmen were top of the bill with their math/noise mayhem. Many math rock bands veer into some ascetic progressive territory that emphasizes their musical acumen, but the Dazzling Killmen were more about atmospheric smog laced power. Smoke in an alley.
Dazzling Killmen - Medicine Me released in 1993
The Migraine Matinee for Sunday March 13, 1994 is an epic one. Crain is at Lucy's on this day along with Don Caballero and Laughing Hyenas. Crain was a pretty popular group from Louisville, Kentucky playing post punk math rock style tunes. Their very first 45 was produced by the late Steve Albini. It is their second listed appearance at Lucy's.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania group and Touch and Go recording artist Don Caballero is next on the bill. They are an all instrumental band that hates the term math rock. So don't call their odd time signature pieces that. Just call it music. Laughing Hyenas from Ann Arbor, Michigan closed this matinee out. They were already almost legendary in the punk rock/alternative music world by this time. They were also on the Touch and Go label. They had a dirty aggro sound that I love. Larissa Stolarchuk's guitar sound will either kill all the bugs in your house or maybe attract more.
Laughing Hyenas - Everything I Want released in 1990
Indiana student Cindy Mordi visited Lucy's on spring break in March 1994 and was photographed for a story by Tennessean staff writer Sylvia Slaughter. This was featured in an article in The Tennessean about local record stores on March 18, 1994. I'll put the story section on Lucy's below the photo. It's funny that they were promoting the next week's shows and not that night's.
March 18, 1994 is Muff Weasel, Thumbnail, and Fun Girls from Mt. Pilot. I can't find anything on Muff Weasel. Thumbnail was from Knoxville, Tennessee and they had a record coming out on San Diego, California based label Headhunter Records. It may have already been out at this time. They have a nice Instagram page full of old photos. They sounded like they belonged on Dischord Records.
Thumbnail - Foreign Language Class off their debut album released in 1994
Cannibal Holiday makes their 5th listed appearance at Lucy's on March 19, 1994. Bert got some love in the fourth installment of these Lucy's Record Shop posts so click on the link and scroll down to August 1993 for info on them. Horace Pinker headlines this one. It's their 2nd of 3 listed Lucy's appearances.
March 23, 1994 was a Wednesday night and the listing is simply Supreme Dicks and more. I don't know what the more was, but the experimental indie rock Supreme Dicks were from Amherst, Massachusetts. Per the Discogs entry on them they were massively influential on many great alternative bands of the 90's. I checked out some of their tracks posted to YouTube and I wish I had been at this one. I can hear why they were noted as being influential. Jagjaguwar has been rereleasing their albums. I'll add them to my always expanding list of music I want to buy. I wish I was at Lucy's on this night.
Supreme Dicks - The Fallout Song released in 1994
However, I was at the next Lucy's show on Thursday March 24, 1994. Tiny Corkscrews were back with their 2nd and last appearance. Champaign-Urbana, Illinois group Hum played next. They would have a hit tune the next year with "Stars" garnering quite a bit of radio play. I went on this Thursday night because I had to see Scat Records artist Prisonshake. I had gotten into the whole Ohio Scat Records deal somehow and the Cleveland band's The Roaring Third would become one of my favorite records of 1993. I'm pretty sure I had it already or I wouldn't have bothered to go that night. It was a sparsely attended show, but they rocked with a vengeance that night. I would buy a t-shirt and one of their other records that night. It was their one and only visit to Lucy's Record Shop.
Prisonshake - 2 Sisters from The Roaring Third released in 1993
Future indie pop darlings Papas Fritas from Somerville, Massachusetts are the star attraction on March 25, 1994. Colin Wade Monk opens with his 10th listed appearance which is also his last. The ever present Lambchop serenade the attendees too. Papas Fritas would release a single in 1994 on the Sunday Driver label which would also put out a Lambchop 45, but beginning in 1995 they would begin putting out some great albums on the Minty Fresh label.
Papas Fritas - Friday/Angel 45 released in 1994
March 26, 1994 will wrap up this Lucy's Record Shop calendar post. Hellbilly opens, Sugarsmack plays the first of their 2 times at Lucy's, and Poppy Trail is at the top of the bill.
I hope you've enjoyed this look back at the first 3 months on 1994 at Lucy's Record Shop. I'll be back at some point in the future with April 1994 through June 1994. My band Dragula will make 2 appearances during this time. There will be many returning artists and lots of new ones from all over the USA. I would love to hear any comments if you have them.
We've got some new music videos and some old music videos for this mega-sized edition of Tuesday Tunes. Your Aunt Fritzi Ritz is going to love this one.
The Hinds rhythm section may have quit the group but Carlotta Cosials and Ana GarcÃa Perrote are still making wonderful music. "The Bed, The Room, The Rain and You" is sublime. Synth smacking good!!
The Atlanta, Georgia band Lunar Vacation have a new album titled Everything Matters, Everything's Fire coming out on September 13th. The latest video for the song "Tom" sounds like The Beths to me which means it sounds great.
Lunar Vacation
John Davis was working on a new Superdrag album, but it didn't quite take so the songs have been rescued with the help of Knoxville legend Stewart Pack along with his son Henry. 2 songs have been released from the album called JINX which will be released on September 27th. Both songs are fire as my 19 year old would say. Here's the latest one titled "Take My Brains Out." You can be like me and pre-order the record either from here or here.
John Davis
Jesse Welles is one prolific dude. He posts a few songs almost every week at YouTube. He's usually outside playing either a Stella or Gibson acoustic with a harmonica hanging around his neck. His group Welles has some sold out shows coming up soon, so I'll be interested to see if he keeps up his current pace. The songs he posts are hit or miss, but boy when they hit it'll make you feel glad you spent your time listening. He recently put up this one on why he doesn't want to shop at Wal-Mart and it hits home for me. I used to work at Wal-Mart way back in the 90's and it was okay. I don't think I would want to work there now. Most of the stores, especially in the small towns, give off crystal meth vibes. I rarely venture inside one these days.
Jesse Welles - Wal-Mart
Our first old video is of a group that is still big in Japan. The Southern AOR of The Boys Band featuring B. James Lowry and the grown children of gospel greats Rusty Golden (his father was William Lee Golden of the Oak Ridge Boys) and Greg Gordon (his father was in the Chuck Wagon Gang) didn't make too much of a splash in 1982, but this video for the tune "Runner" is certainly interesting.
Runner
Rusty Golden recently passed away so perhaps that is why I was drawn to find more videos of his music career. That quest led to the songs he did with his brother Chris as The Goldens. They put out one compact disc titled Rush for Gold in 1990 for SBK/Capitol Records. It's filled with great harmonies. The video for "Take Me Back to the Country" really caught my eye as it was shot in downtown Nashville. That's the downtown I remember riding my skateboard around late at night. I miss it.
The Goldens
There were a bunch of Red Hot compilations in the 90's released under the auspices of the Red Hot organization. Brooklyn band Babe the Blue Ox contributed the raging "Hazmats" to the Red Hot + Bothered one which was released in 1995.
Babe the Blue Ox - Hazmats
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion were blowing up in the 90's spreading the "fever" all across this great land. I got to see them live a couple of times. 1994 at the now gone Mercury Theater in Knoxville and December 31, 1999 at the now gone 328 Performance Hall in Nashville. They were fantastic for both shows. I hadn't watched the "Flavor" video in years and forgot about Beck and Mike D being in it. There's also the great homage/parody of the Run-DMC "Walk this Way" video too. Aerosmith, who are featured in the Run-DMC video (hmmm I wonder why haha) have announced their retirement in the wake of frontman Steven Tyler's voice troubles which is sad. So let's remember them rocking out with Run-DMC instead. The 1986 cover version was all over the radio in the summer of 1986. I remember hanging out in a Wendy's parking lot with DD Blank while he rapped along with the song. Some younger guys were also there and they quizzed DD on how he knew the words so well. The Aerosmith original didn't exist for them.
We're up to post number 5 in my quest to share what artists played Lucy's Record Shop in Nashville, Tennessee back in the last century. It was a grand time to be alive filled with rock and roll all ages shows! Now for the customary disclaimer. These listings were compiled from a variety of sources and there is always the possibility that bands cancelled and substitutions were made. If I didn't write about a band you loved you can check other postings as I might have written about them in one of those.
This time around I'm sharing the monthly calendar first and writing about some of the bands afterward.
2-Sep-93 The Posers, Bent 8PM $3
5-Sep-93 House O' Pain Migraine Matinee: Staring at the Sun, Cranial Vacancy, Uncle Daddy, Lonely Souls 2PM $5
8-Sep-93 Medicinal Porpoises, Canteen 8PM $2
9-Sep-93 Hellbilly, Hush, Sick-N-Tired 8PM $3
12-Sep-93 House O' Pain Migraine Matinee: Cannibal Holiday, Pulse, Burning Bush 2PM $4
16-Sep-93 Crop Circle Hoax, Ruby Falls 8PM $3
17-Sep-93 Bloodsucker Records Showcase: Killers & Suckers of Blood, Meateaters, Spray, Medicinal Porpoises, Canteen 8PM $4
19-Sep-93 House O' Pain Migraine Matinee: Dump, Fiddlehead, Love Bucket & Slaphappy Superfly 2PM $4
23-Sep-93 Eunichs of Arizona, Horse of a Different Color 8PM $3
24-Sep-93 Nosie Fest: 9R3R023 live transmission with Rev. Keith A. Gordon & more 8PM $3
26-Sep-93 House O' Pain Migraine Matinee: Jack, American Lesion, The Obvious,Teen Idols 2PM $5
September starts off with some good ole punk rock with The Posers and Bent who hailed from St. Louis per Discogs, but per the Lucy's calendar they were from Virginia. I should buy a big map of the USA and put pins in it of all the towns the artists that played Lucy's Record Shop came from. Cranial Vacancy who were on the September 5th show were from El Cajon, California. The Lonely Souls were from San Diego.
One of my favorite band names since it's a pun is Medicinal Porpoises who are listed as playing Lucy's 3 times in 1993. The first 2 are this month including the Bloodsucker Records showcase on September 17. They would come back in October for the Pogo for Choice benefit.
Paul Booker photo taken by Matt Swanson from the Nashville Scene tribute
Paul Booker was the main guy with them and he played with many bands over 3 decades. These would include the Wax Dolls, Beyond John, The Last Surviving Dolphins, Medicinal Porpoises, CYOD, Dave Cloud and the Gospel of Power, and Paul Booker and The Dynamite Operators. I'm sure he would still be playing today if hadn't passed away at the age of 49 in 2016 due to lung cancer. There's a great tribute to Paul written by his friend and often bandmate Matt Swanson at the Nashville Scene. Paul's friend Laurel Parton (of future Trauma Team fame) posted a video of the band at Lucy's in 1993. Maybe it's the first one with Canteen. Or that one may be a misprint in the listings and the Bloodsucker Records Showcase would be the show.
Medicinal Porpoises live at Lucy's Record Shop 1993!
Canteen was another Bloodsucker Records artist. Notable for me was the presence of former Shadow 15 and Dessau musician Barry Nelson.
September 9 brings the rockabilly of Hellbilly, who like my future band Dragula, has a name that would get used by White Zombie which relegates us way down in the search engine world. The Migraine Matinee for September 12th has Cannibal Holiday, Pulse, and Burning Bush. I don't know anything about the band named Pulse who were from Kentucky, but I'm assumed Burning Bush was the all girl post punk outfit from Arizona. Their last year together was 1993. However the official Lucy's calendar says they hailed from Augusta, Georgia. Was it the same band? Someone let me know in the comments section.
Burning Bush from Arizona
September 16 sees one of my future favorite bands Crop Circle Hoax and Ruby Falls. Ruby Falls was a math rock band from New York who typically also had an all girl lineup like Burning Bush, but not always. Here's a sample tune for you that was released later on in 1996.
Ruby Falls - Amended released in 1996
There's the Bloodsucker Records showcase next followed a couple of days later by a Migraine Matinee. Reference September 17 and 19 for those bands. This is as good a place as any to say: I just don't have the time to go over every date. If you love an artist I've skipped leave a comment about them and let myself and the world know about them. It might even be fodder for a future post just about them. Let's just finish September off with a show I saw since it was a Sunday Migraine Matinee. Jack, American Lesion, The Obvious, and the Teen Idols rocked out on September 26, 1993. Don't fret Teen Idols fans, I will be posting videos of them at Lucy's in a future post.
The Obvious - Home released in 1987
American Lesion - Tacorama
jack - Take it Out
2-Oct-93 The Posers, Fun Girls from Mt. Pilot, Load 3PM $4
3-Oct-93 House O' Pain Migraine Matinee: Janitor Joe, Hammerhead 3PM $5
7-Oct-93 Drift, Cyco Moto Goat, Blue Million 8PM $3
9-Oct-93 Pogo for Choice - A Planned Parenthood Benefit: Bedwetter, 9R3R023, For Kate's Sake, Helo Kitty, Lambchop, Medicinal Porpoises, Canteen 2PM $5
10-Oct-93 House O' Pain Migraine Matinee: Power Trip, Finger Hut, The Used 2PM $4
14-Oct-93 Neer Do Wells, Jack'O'Nuts 8PM $3
16-Oct-93 Lambchop, Guided By Voices 8PM $4
17-Oct-93 House O' Pain Migraine Matinee: Needles, Stale Fish, Shatterkin Clover, Godplow 2PM $5
24-Oct-93 House O' Pain Migraine Matinee: Thee Phantom 5ive, Uncle Daddy, Man or Astro-Man? 2PM $4
28-Oct-93 Karl Hendricks Trio, Smog 8PM $3
29-Oct-93 Tidy Bowl Benefit with Poppy Trail, Crop Circle Hoax, Dump, Who Hit John, Idaho Beach House, Love Bucket & Slaphappy Superfly A.A. 7PM $5
30-Oct-93 Tidy Bowl Benefit with For Kate's Sake, 9R023R, Lambchop, Staring at the Sun, Cannibal Holiday, Excruciating Pain 7PM $5
31-Oct-93 Tidy Bowl Benefit with Jack, Ball Peen Hernia, Fun Girls from Mt. Pilot, Copout, Teen Idols, Five-Eight 3PM $4
October comes in with some punk rock by The Posers, Fun Girls from Mt. Pilot, and Load who were from south Florida. They had a Melvins vibe which was cool. House O' Pain put out their "Sleestack" 45. There's even an hour plus long documentary on the group available currently at YouTube.
Load - Sleestack released in 1993
The Migraine Matinee on October 3rd has a couple of Minnesota bands that were on the great noise rock record label Amphetamine Reptile. Janitor Joe is probably most known now for being Kristen Pfaff's first band before joining Hole in 1993. I believe she may have still been touring with Janitor Joe at this time, but I'm not sure. Hammerhead had that Midwestern Big Black type stomping sound. They could make a lot of loud noise with only 3 guys. Janitor Joe was also just a trio and they had a monster tone with Kristen's bass being a key component part of the whole. It's a shame she died of a heroin overdose in 1994 at the age of 27.
Janitor Joe - Steel Plate 4/13/93 Tampa
October 7, 1993 is a night I can't turn much up on, but I know Blue Million was a band David Mead was in so I would think this night was more in the alternative college pop rock vein. Pogo for Choice benefit was next on the calendar with lots of local artists including the almost ever present Lambchop. Finger Hut (their name would be spelled all kinds of ways) comes back for their 2nd Lucy's show for a matinee with The Used. No, this isn't The Used from Utah that went on to fame. It's basically most of Superdrag having some fun. You can hear some of this stuff at Bandcamp if you so inclined. It's fun punk stuff.
Next up was one of those almost odd pairings as you get Lookout Records roots rocking Ne'er Do Wells and Athens, Georgia noise rockers Jack'O'Nuts on October 14th. The big concert of October arrives on October 16th with the by now obligatory Lambchop opening for (drumroll please) the Dayton, Ohio powerhouse Guided By Voices. I wanted to be at this one. I really did, but I was still working at Wal-Mart and couldn't get out of my shift. I was already addicted to their music thanks to Mary Mancini stocking their records at Lucy's. I wonder if the place was packed on this Saturday night. Let me know if you saw this show. Did Lambchop lull you to sleep before GBV tore the roof off the place? Maybe you first fell in love with Lambchop instead. Here's a video of GBV live just a couple of months before of their first concert ever in Philadelphia. Damn, it's great!
GBV - live at the Khyber 8/7/1993
October 17, 1993 we get a cool Migraine Matinee with Needles, Stale Fish, Shatterkin Clover, and the return of Godplow who had played Lucy's 4 times before. I couldn't dig up anything on Needles or Shatterkin Clover, but there's a whole concert by Missouri punkers Stale Fish from 1991 at YouTube. They put out a 7 inch on Sour Note Records in 1993. One neat thing about them is that the drummer was the singer for the trio.
Scooby Don't is another incredible band name. They come to town on October 21 hailing from the state of Minnesota. I bet they were way better than Relativity Records artist Piss Factory that headlined.
Scooby Don't - Trailer Park Queen released in 1993
October 24, 1993 is a bill with bands my own band, Dragula, would end up doing shows with. More on Thee Phantom 5ive, Uncle Daddy, and Man or Astro-Man? to come in upcoming posts. Pittsburgh band the Karl Hendricks Trio open for Smog on October 28th. There was lots of trios at Lucy's during this time. The Karl Hendricks Trio played post punk and would probably still be at it if the namesake and only consistent member of the band Karl Hendricks not passed away in 2017.
Karl Hendricks Trio live at the 9:30 Club, Washington D.C. January 1993
Smog was a group put together by Bill Callahan. This night is in a close race for best show of the month with the GBV one. Callahan and Robert Pollard get compared often due to their prolific natures.
Smog - A Hit live at Bay State Hotel 10/17/93
Things were going great at Lucy's Record Shop with interesting new music coming in from all over the country to perform all-ages shows. It was a safe and welcoming place, but the government was casting its baleful eyes at the space. As was mentioned in my first calendar post on Lucy's Record Shop there was a history of all-ages clubs being shut down by the Metro Nashville government. The truncheon that would be used in this case was the plumber's friend AKA a plunger. The bathroom situation was not sufficient and unless this was fixed the plug would be pulled on Lucy's being a music venue. Donnie Kendall and Mary Mancini put their heads together and came up with a couple of fundraising nights branded the Tidy Bowl Benefits held on October 30th and on Halloween. Regular Lucy's bands performed and the money was raised to install the needed porcelain shrines. All of this would be done by Donnie and friends. The Lucy's Record Shop group at Facebook has several photos documenting the process which I will share at the end of this post. There would be no shows in December 1993 due to the construction work, but there was a magical night on November 6th with Lambchop, Canteen, Versus, and Tsunami. Wally Pleasant would do an in-store on November 12th.
Tsunami - In a Name live 8/11/93 at Brave New World, San Francisco, CA
11/13/93 the work begins
As you can see Donnie and the crew were still hard at it on New Year's Eve. Their dedication and hard work paid off though as Lucy's Record Shop as a venue would reopen on January 14, 1994. Be patient and I'll go over who played from January through March of 1994 in a my next Lucy's calendar post. If you're lucky I will get that one out before the end of September. Feel free to leave comments. While I do have to approve them before they are published I usually only reject them if they are spam or just really rude.
