Philadelphia Bands

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there's a couple threads regarding specific philly music [bro jt, matt pond pa, siltbreeze recs], i thought might be a nice idea to look at the whole city in general.

past, present, whatever. list 'em here.

search:
the teeth / raccoon "christmas city" ep
[both excellent bands, this is the best work they've individually released]

s prcss "mnml"
[i dont know if this band is defunct or just on hiatus.]

the swims s/t ep
[keeping the fires aflame at the temple of love worship; contains a member of an albatross]

national eye "the meter glows"

the trouble with sweeney "i know you destroy"

clockcleaner s/t cd
[flipper, with a sense of humor]

lenola's full-lengths
[i never got into MBV the way that lots of kids my age did, but i sure as hell do love lenola.]

the interpreters "back in the ussa"
[people love to hate on this band, but in philly thats not surprising. people just hate on everything here. this record isnt so bad, in retrospect. however, if i listen again, it might wind up in destroy. it walks that fine line.]

hail social "pink" and "blue" eps
[guitar based indie rock thats just better than the rest. reminiscient of lots of 90's bands.]

cordalene "blue" ep
[high octane power pop. most excellent.]

destroy:
this radiant boy "proud to be a chemist"
[not as good as their forthcoming record, a weak document of their earlier lineups.]

the capitol years, whatever they've released
[100% fun in live performance, snoozeworthy on record]

lenola "oh yes, jeep is good!" 7"
[i played my copy the other day and it just wasnt very good.]


thats all i can come up with in 5 minutes.

maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Thursday, 22 April 2004 12:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Three Times Dope

Chris 'The Velvet Bingo' V (Chris V), Thursday, 22 April 2004 12:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Bardo Pond!

NickB (NickB), Thursday, 22 April 2004 12:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Schooly D! The Strapping Fieldhands! Mandrake Memorial!

scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 22 April 2004 12:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Steady B! The Delfonics! Rufus Harley!

scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 22 April 2004 12:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Woody's Truck Stop! Thunder & Roses! Cash Money!

scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 22 April 2004 12:56 (twenty-one years ago)

John Coltrane! The Sun Ra Arkestra!(kinda) Hall & Oates!(kinda)

scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 22 April 2004 12:58 (twenty-one years ago)

The Reds! Robert Hazard! Pretty Poison!

scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 22 April 2004 12:59 (twenty-one years ago)

The Burning Brides! Ink & Dagger! Policy Of 3!

scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 22 April 2004 13:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Buzz Zeemer! Pink Slip Daddy! Scab Cadillac!

scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 22 April 2004 13:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Look at him go - he's unstoppuhbobble!

NickB (NickB), Thursday, 22 April 2004 13:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Tuff Crew! Skip Heller! Pat Martino!

scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 22 April 2004 13:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Sink Manhattan! Patti Labelle! Teddy Pendergrass!

scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 22 April 2004 13:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Rancid Vat! The Intruders! Chubby Checker!

scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 22 April 2004 13:07 (twenty-one years ago)

The Orlons! Perry Leopold! Linda Cohen!

scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 22 April 2004 13:08 (twenty-one years ago)

The Vels!

hstencil, Thursday, 22 April 2004 13:10 (twenty-one years ago)

hstencil, you have a beautiful soul.

Curt (cgould), Thursday, 22 April 2004 13:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Bent Leg Fatima
Telepathic Butterflies

S PRCSS has a new album, Taste Like Daughter coming out in May on My Pal God Records.

Curt (cgould), Thursday, 22 April 2004 13:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Billy Paul! Stinking Lizaveta! Mario Lanza!

scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 22 April 2004 13:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Bunnydrums!

briania, Thursday, 22 April 2004 13:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Marian Anderson! Grover Washington Jr! Un!

scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 22 April 2004 13:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Solomon Burke! Danny & The Juniors! Executive Slacks!

scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 22 April 2004 13:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Tapping The Vein! The Stick Men! The Dead Milkmen!

scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 22 April 2004 13:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Mikey Wild! Count Coolout! Atom & His Package!

scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 22 April 2004 13:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Sink Manhattan!

Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaadddddddddddddddddddddddddd the boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooook!

Rockist Scientist (rockistscientist), Thursday, 22 April 2004 13:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Sadistic Exploits! F.O.D.! Quaker City String Band!

scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 22 April 2004 13:48 (twenty-one years ago)

RUIN! Scram! Conjunto 23!

(I almost said Sadistic Exploits!)

No Milk!

Rockist Scientist (rockistscientist), Thursday, 22 April 2004 13:51 (twenty-one years ago)

(Wait, were they from Philadelphia?)

Head Cheese.

These are all old bands since I'm profoundly out of the loop. (Except for Conjunto 23, but that's a different sort of thing.)

Rockist Scientist (rockistscientist), Thursday, 22 April 2004 13:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Byard Lancaster--arrested outside WaWa for making music!

Rockist Scientist (rockistscientist), Thursday, 22 April 2004 13:53 (twenty-one years ago)

E Tribe! (I liked them when I finally got to see them, but then they broke up)

Rockist Scientist (rockistscientist), Thursday, 22 April 2004 13:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Jimmy Bruno! John Swana! Shirley Scott!

scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 22 April 2004 14:00 (twenty-one years ago)

MFSB! The Three Degrees! Boyz II Men!

fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 22 April 2004 14:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Does Joan Jett count? I think she is from Upper Darby.

scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 22 April 2004 14:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Joan Jett was born in Philly. Oh, and Chuck Eddy to thread. Not that we need him with Scott Seward up in this beeeyoch.

Jeanne Fury (Jeanne Fury), Thursday, 22 April 2004 14:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Heh, x-post.

Jeanne Fury (Jeanne Fury), Thursday, 22 April 2004 14:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Elliot Levin! The only friend I have who has toured with Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes AND Cecil Taylor.

scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 22 April 2004 14:03 (twenty-one years ago)

For Chuck: Cinderella! DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince!

scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 22 April 2004 14:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Elliot Levin is too far out for me, when he does far out stuff. I know he can play fairly inside sorts of things since I originally saw him playing as part of Scram's extended line-up, before they disappeared.

Odean Pope Saxophone Choir!

Rockist Scientist (rockistscientist), Thursday, 22 April 2004 14:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers! John Eddie and the Front Street Runners! The Hooters!

fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 22 April 2004 14:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Elliot has played with virtually everybody.

scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 22 April 2004 14:10 (twenty-one years ago)

He's definitely a recognizable Philadelphia personage.

Rockist Scientist (rockistscientist), Thursday, 22 April 2004 14:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Fabian! Samuel Barber! Bobby Rydell!

scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 22 April 2004 14:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Stan Getz! Todd Rundgren! Jim Croce!

scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 22 April 2004 14:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Now, I'm actually trying to recall the people who are on the philadelphia walk of fame on broad street.

scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 22 April 2004 14:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Gerry Mulligan! Nina Simone! McCoy Tyner!

scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 22 April 2004 14:15 (twenty-one years ago)

The Brecker Brothers! Jimmy Smith! and duh, Philly Joe Jones!

scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 22 April 2004 14:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Am I going to be the first motherfucker to mention the Roots, Bahamadia, and Jill Scott? Me?!

Rockist Scientist (rockistscientist), Thursday, 22 April 2004 14:24 (twenty-one years ago)

YDI - enemy for life / i killed my family / FOD - murder castle / suburban cowboy / Blunder Boys - conspiracy / i'm afraid of the night /
middle class morals / Little Gentlemen - no justice - no law, no crime - no flaw / Autistic Behavior - tv messiah / power head // Ruin -
proof / love dog / Informed Sources - right & wrong / dense pack / Seeds of Terror - brain down / straightedge / McRad - inflation dub /
ejected / The Heathens - oohleigh at great adventure / my twin from hell

scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 22 April 2004 14:25 (twenty-one years ago)

yes you are, Rockist.

scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 22 April 2004 14:25 (twenty-one years ago)

I think Pearl Bailey is on the walk of fame.

scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 22 April 2004 14:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh and he's got live footage of RUIN from the 80s:

http://freedomhasnobounds.com/?cat=6

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRvYu_DUrpQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiAJssHF6Bw

_Rudipherous_, Saturday, 25 June 2011 19:49 (fourteen years ago)

Thank you youtube, I'm not getting any laundry done.

_Rudipherous_, Saturday, 25 June 2011 19:53 (fourteen years ago)

This Baby Doll might be the best of the live videos I've checked out so far:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xah7WYiqJHU

_Rudipherous_, Saturday, 25 June 2011 20:07 (fourteen years ago)

four years pass...

Anyone heard of Alex G?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_G

calstars, Thursday, 27 August 2015 03:15 (ten years ago)

Yeah! I saw him play at OK Fest this year, he is p amazing

Y Kant Max Read (Stevie D(eux)), Thursday, 27 August 2015 03:23 (ten years ago)

There is so much amazing music in Philly right now (Pinkwash, Sheer Mag, Girlpool, Hop Along, Swearin', Waxahatchee, Cayetana, Amanda X, Chondria, +HIRS+, etc)

Y Kant Max Read (Stevie D(eux)), Thursday, 27 August 2015 03:24 (ten years ago)

The Goats were Philadelphia weren't they? & were actually a band when they played live at least.
I love Tricks of The Shade but not No Goats No Glory so much. They lost a central member between the 2 releases though I think. Have hoped that some live material by the band might appear somewhere but think I've only got one track possibly.

I know the Arkestra did spend some time in Philadelphia but can't think what era they were based there in. What Sun Ra lps does that relate to?

Stevolende, Thursday, 27 August 2015 09:31 (ten years ago)

one year passes...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GLqs-fwDM4

_Rudipherous_, Tuesday, 4 October 2016 14:02 (nine years ago)

Started a thread about this band, but I'm going to post it here too. These are reacreations, years later, by band member Todd Shuster, but I think the songs still come through. Late 70s Philadelphia punk.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y88VGIIkTOA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bozfE4v5-MQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tT5DQJiq35s

_Rudipherous_, Tuesday, 4 October 2016 14:32 (nine years ago)

four months pass...

Sink Manhattan (mentioned upthread):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFdJeupPLlQ

_Rudipherous_, Sunday, 19 February 2017 02:06 (eight years ago)

Ghostwriters (who I mistakenly called Ghost Riders upthread):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zh1t1he4IEY

_Rudipherous_, Sunday, 19 February 2017 02:09 (eight years ago)

no mention thus far of the great PURLING HISS? tsk tsk...

alpine static, Sunday, 19 February 2017 10:10 (eight years ago)

two weeks pass...

Lots of grist for my false nostalgia:

http://freedomhasnobounds.com/

_Rudipherous_, Saturday, 11 March 2017 17:51 (eight years ago)

Rudipherous, when were you in Philly?

Fluffy Saint-Bernard (Stevie D(eux)), Sunday, 12 March 2017 14:35 (eight years ago)

As a child, something like 1973-1978. As an adult: 1989-2008

But also went to Temple 1983-1987, and worked and played there most of 1987-1989.

_Rudipherous_, Sunday, 12 March 2017 16:24 (eight years ago)

Rightly or wrongly, my paying attention to local rock (and related fringe things) was largely limited to the 80s.

_Rudipherous_, Sunday, 12 March 2017 17:02 (eight years ago)

lol i wonder if you're friends with any of my friends who were doing the whole lancaster ave punk squat thing in the 90s

Fluffy Saint-Bernard (Stevie D(eux)), Sunday, 12 March 2017 22:18 (eight years ago)

I wasn't doing anything that interesting back then, although it's certainly possible that I might at least know someone who knows them. I smoked a joint at the Fake House once. That's about the closest I got to that scene.

_Rudipherous_, Monday, 13 March 2017 01:02 (eight years ago)

I saw RUIN and Scram! much more often than any other local bands (not counting the Sun Ra Arkestra). Also, a lot of my experience of the bands from that era was via WXPN and WKDU (especially 78-83 before I started college).

_Rudipherous_, Monday, 13 March 2017 01:28 (eight years ago)

(Or Relache, not that they were even a band of any sort.)

_Rudipherous_, Monday, 13 March 2017 01:31 (eight years ago)

Relache! man, talk about nostalgia. ever go to a show at the funk dungeon? or hang out at the crass house at temple?

scott seward, Monday, 13 March 2017 02:12 (eight years ago)

i think i moved there in 1988. just in time to see karen finley at the painted bride.

scott seward, Monday, 13 March 2017 02:13 (eight years ago)

Nope to both of those. Was that a house occupied by Crass fans or something?

_Rudipherous_, Monday, 13 March 2017 02:39 (eight years ago)

I know there were a lot of houses for different organizations (though that sounds unofficial!). I was in the honors program at Temple (not really what it sounds like) and when I first started there, they still had their own house. I think my college years (and beyond) would have been a lot more interesting if they had kept that house.

Like most Temple students (at that time--probably still?) I commuted. Had crushes on some of the Yardley girls who headed home every day in more or less the opposite direction.

_Rudipherous_, Monday, 13 March 2017 02:44 (eight years ago)

yeah, it was just a big punk party house at temple. they would have shows.

scott seward, Monday, 13 March 2017 02:52 (eight years ago)

funk dungeon was a huge cavernous warehouse space in north philly where they would have massive parties and shows in the 80's. i did acid there once and had to walk home to center city in a snowstorm. that was frightening and memorable. and it took forever. it was miles from center city. but temple people would go there.

scott seward, Monday, 13 March 2017 02:56 (eight years ago)

You were probably at least safer thanks to the snow, but it doesn't sound like a great idea overall. Was Funk Dungeon north or south of Temple?

I was kind of a wuss in terms of what venues I would venture to, or what crowds I wanted to be around (although generally keeping a distance from skinhead punks was not such a bad idea).

_Rudipherous_, Monday, 13 March 2017 03:03 (eight years ago)

i want to say it was on cecil b. moore so not that far north actually. it probably just felt like a million miles that night. nowhere i would have gone sober. i used to walk everywhere in philly when i was young. mostly during the day, but i would start walking north or west or south and just keep going. looking for records usually. i never took buses. just walked. but i never really "hung out" much outside of center city. that was my base except for a brief time in west philly.

scott seward, Monday, 13 March 2017 03:11 (eight years ago)

at night sometimes i would walk to a show at the khyber from my place and then take a cab to my door when it was done. i was all about getting in and out in a hurry.

scott seward, Monday, 13 March 2017 03:13 (eight years ago)

it was all so long ago. i don't think about it much anymore. it wasn't exactly cool to be in philly in the 90's. though it was a perfectly okay place to live. when we moved rufus was 2 months old and now he's 14! already many moons ago.

scott seward, Monday, 13 March 2017 03:15 (eight years ago)

scott, where in west philly were you?

Fluffy Saint-Bernard (Stevie D(eux)), Monday, 13 March 2017 03:16 (eight years ago)

False nostalgia, incidentally, because (a) a lot of these bands were mediocre at best, to be honest and (b) I wasn't really having such exciting times nor was I that immersed in these scenes.

_Rudipherous_, Monday, 13 March 2017 03:23 (eight years ago)

scott, oh yeah, I used to walk all over the place all the time (though took occasional public transportation and cabs). I miss that. I remember walking back from the Chestnut Cabaret to Spring Garden/Art Museum Area. Even when I was doing salsa dancing, I used to walk home to center city from Delaware Avenue at 2AMish and never really had problems.

_Rudipherous_, Monday, 13 March 2017 03:27 (eight years ago)

Sounding so old.

_Rudipherous_, Monday, 13 March 2017 03:27 (eight years ago)

that's where i lived in west philly.

scott seward, Monday, 13 March 2017 03:31 (eight years ago)

i used to have to take the trolley to the subway to old city to work in the morning. maybe that's why i walked everywhere for the next decade.

scott seward, Monday, 13 March 2017 03:33 (eight years ago)

wow I live two blocks away from where you lived! it's a v happening neighborhood these days.

Fluffy Saint-Bernard (Stevie D(eux)), Monday, 13 March 2017 15:28 (eight years ago)

four months pass...

I was going to put this on a Christgau thread, but it's only tangentially related to him (because it took me forever to find it, it became the most elusive A-record from his '80s book for me): Persian Gulf's Changing the Weather. Once through, and the two songs that jumped out were "It's a Good Thing" and "(I'm So Glad I'm) Living in the Free World." The latter struck me as good, not great, but I thought it pretty interesting how it anticipates Neil Young by five years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABntttO9pKA

clemenza, Saturday, 5 August 2017 02:34 (eight years ago)

one month passes...

Some missing RUIN tracks finally appearing on youtube:

Great Divide, psychedelic speed metal/punk:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2qGOu9xZkQ

From their previous album:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flf-TrOVk0A

etc.

_Rudipherous_, Saturday, 16 September 2017 17:53 (eight years ago)

Did not mean to make this into a nostalgia Saturday. That usually happens when I'm a bit depressed, which I'm not today.

My other favorite from Fiat Lux follows something like the Great Divide formula:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO-b1bJgMhM

_Rudipherous_, Saturday, 16 September 2017 17:57 (eight years ago)

Altar, good inspirational hardcore:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buylfmEkjUo

And the classically brief Rule Worshipper:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZLhB3hZgdc

_Rudipherous_, Saturday, 16 September 2017 18:00 (eight years ago)

Apparently this is all a result of their two albums being reissued last year which I missed.

_Rudipherous_, Saturday, 16 September 2017 18:04 (eight years ago)

They plead being but coming persists!

You tell 'em!

_Rudipherous_, Saturday, 16 September 2017 18:13 (eight years ago)

Oops, ruined it:

They plead being but becoming persists

_Rudipherous_, Saturday, 16 September 2017 18:14 (eight years ago)

He-Ho is such a good album. I used to prefer Fiat Lux. I think I like my favorite Fiat Lux songs more, but He-Ho has pretty amazing flow:

https://open.spotify.com/album/78INC6nI6P9fgXYuU4qJMA

_Rudipherous_, Saturday, 16 September 2017 22:03 (eight years ago)

Throw in a few bonus tracks of course and that throws off the flow. Mouse was not on the original album. Don't even know where that came from.

_Rudipherous_, Saturday, 16 September 2017 22:14 (eight years ago)

Although the one-two punch of You and Make Believe at the beginning of Fiat Lux is nothing to dismiss lightly.

_Rudipherous_, Saturday, 16 September 2017 22:19 (eight years ago)

Nice to see these reissued on Southern Lord alongside so much Boris!

_Rudipherous_, Saturday, 16 September 2017 22:22 (eight years ago)


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