Wednesday, October 1, 2008

THE VERTEBRATS

Ive always really liked this record . I think the lyrics to diamond in the rough are every as bit as relevant today as they were when these guys wrote them . In the early-80s, the patron saints of the Champaign, Illinois music scene were a four-piece band named The Vertebrats, They formed around 1978, and played a brand of simple, urgent, garage-rock --influenced by 70s punk and the British Invasion rock of the 60s-- defined the budding music scene. The ‘Brats were raw, dynamic and unpretentious, raised on The Clash, Rockpile, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Ramones, and Neil Young, and empowered by their peers, like The Replacements, Husker Du, and Mission of Burma. Ironically, what makes the band sound so vital today is probably the same thing that kept the ‘Brats from getting a record deal in their prime. The Vertebrats music was too tuneful to make them “punk”, too rough around the edges to qualify them as “new wave”. Despite their rave reviews in the rock press of the day, shortsighted label executives didn’t know what to make of their approach. I think this was self released . Theres another great track called left in the dark on a comp called battle of the garages that I think voxx put out . Some of this info came from this website http://www.parasol.com/labels/reaction/reactcd003.asp .
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1. Jackie's gone
2. Diamonds in the rough
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VB RECORDS 1980
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