Some FEATURED ARTISTS on this week’s Stronger Than Dirt (Saturday, December 31, 8-10pm) include the Specials (RIP Terry Hall), Pretty Things, Devo, Flys, Standing Waves, Spaceshits, Ladytron, lots of new music, as well as the weekly Dusty Diamond.
COVER ART OF THE WEEK: Devo released their first single, “Mongoloid” b/w “Jocko Homo,” in 1977 on their own Booji Boy label. It came in a triptych gatefold jacket with a cover design by the band, photographics and layout by Jeff Seibert, and photography by Gregg Kaiser. There were two pressings on Booji Boy followed by European pressings on Stiff (UK) and Barclay (Belgium) Records. The band rerecorded both songs with Brian Eno producing and included those on their 1978 debut album. Click on image to enlarge.
DUSTY DIAMOND OF THE WEEK (a forgotten gem from the STD vaults): The Guaranteed Ugly were a British garage band that included Spacemen 3 drummer Natty Brooker. They were active during the early and mid 90s and released a couple albums and some singles. Produced by Billy Childish, “Soup Kitchen” is a bit of social commentary (Dickensian garage?) with a gritty wall of guitar and a simple but effective organ groove. It appeared in 1995 on a one-sided single on the Hangman’s Daughter record label. Listen to it here:
Promo art from the Spaceshits’ 1997 “Winter Dance Party” album on Sympathy for the Record Industry. The uncredited cover art was based on the “Winter Dance Party” poster for the ill-fated 1959 tour that ended with the death of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. Richardson (The Big Bopper) in a plane crash.