Space Cassette Comp Vol. 1
File under mixed tape:
Years ago, a good friend of mine would make me mixed tapes; his selections were the most varied which included deep cuts from obscure artists that almost always inspired me to go on a hunt to the local record shop and buy more records. Before the age of Spotify, the mix tape, radio, and zines were the only available channels disseminating new music. One needed to seek out rare finds through a grape vine of networks. In some ways nothing much has changed, although, it is possible to find many underground acts through quick searches on the internet, so much great music remains ignored. Here are some unsung giants of indie music, their songs collected on this inaugural Space Cassette compilation. Volume One plays like a mixed tape reminiscent of those made by a music- loving comrade from way back when. Here are Seven bands and projects from across America, that span a thirty- year period of underground low fi recording and are proudly included on this first of many Mixed tapes brought to you by Space Cassette Records.
Get a copy of the cassette here at Space Cassette- along with the Pop Lab zine which includes bios of the musical acts, interviews, comics and so much more.
VASAS is a group of Sacramento lads who love dice games, drink tickets and a half-price meal. They are Psyche-Pop, hopefully not for snobs. They try to rip off a bunch of 60's bands (the good ones), plus Big Star and jangly underhanded pop a la The Go-Betweens and Television Personalities and then somehow manage to draw on jammier "inner space" sounds of select Krautrock and even dub, all filtered through a lively head-first delivery.
A. Kaffer & The Stuffed Shirts got together in 2015 to mourn the loss/ celebrate the life of founding member of the group, Steph E. Schoitz. "We got back together a bunch of times that year, and ended up writing a few songs. And it was hella fun to just play that old dummy rock n' roll, like Bob Segert always says" says Kaffer.
The story of Stuff E. Schoitz & The Stuffed Shirts:
Formed in the early 90's, The Stuffed Shirts was a garage rock party band. Performing mostly at House shows of the houses of the interchangeable members, Steph " Stuff E." Schoitz led his band of friends through a long set of rock classics, sing-a-long style. 50's/60's favorites like Louie, Louie and You Really Got Me, and punk classics by The Ramones, Dead Moon, etc.
Of the reformation, Kaffer says " It almost became some sort of imperative to play music without a computer device and without trying to be clever or worry about the production, or whatever. That's how Steph loved it, in the garage with friends riffin' on classic riffs."
Heartbreak Beat: Formed by Corey Fisher ( Triggered) and Casey Laney (World’s Greatest Ghosts) in 2009, the Portland Oregon based duo have crafted some of the most compelling power pop to come out of the Northwest in the past decade. Fisher’s earnest musings on relationships and familial tensions strikes an earnest note. The power cord-laden guitar riffs and sinewy bass lines launch Heart Break Beat’s message out loud and very clear. True to their moniker, HBB might still break a few hearts with their earnest brand of pop, since it only takes one listen to fall in love with their brilliance.
Cigarette Speedway is from Boise, Idaho. All three members are named Nick. They practice on Sundays.
Apology Calls - Born out of hours of spinning records by Guided by Voices, The Thermals, Built to Spill, and the Elephant 6 collective, Apology Calls began as a guitar-heavy solo concept by Tom Bowers (The Triumphant Returns, Sad Freaks) in 2008, and sat on the shelf until Bowers linked up with drummer Chris Brown (Minmae, Les Flaneurs) and bassist Sasha Shybut (Bradley Wik & The Charlatans) in 2015. "Across that Line" is the lead-off single from Apology Calls' upcoming EP, Sorry/Not Sorry.
The Creeps. 1983. Reagan was president. Jerry Falwell was as big as god. We DAREd to keep kids off drugs. It seemed that the time was right to start a sociopolitical post-punk band. Three young men from Manitou Springs, Colorado, USA did just that. And, god, were their first few shows horrible. They came to be known as The Creeps, and their popularity quickly grew beyond what any of them thought possible. Fast forward to 1985. After a few lineup changes, the lineup was set for a few years. Fred, Shannon and Danny. They quickly earned their place as the tallest hardcore band in Colorado Springs. They soon released Maturity is a Disease on Tard Head Tapes, which sold well in the local record stores. The tape caught the attention of Death Row records and was released internationally to critical acclaim. Not only for the music, but for the thought-provoking lyrics. It’s even been said that the lyrics inspired George Orwell to write the novel 1984 the following year. The huge success of Maturity is a Disease sent The Creeps on a whirlwind world tour, multiple Super Bowl halftime performances and a successful line of Creeps neon-colored plastic watches. In 1987, the band was rejoined by original member Dan Alvarez after a 3-year hiatus. No one could say for sure where he had been—and he would never elaborate when asked—but it is widely believed that he was waiting in line at the DMV. For the next four years the band toured tirelessly, headlining sold out arenas and festivals around the globe. They managed to record another dozen songs in the studio which were never released to the public. On September 11 1991, news emerged that shook the world... The Creeps had just performed at the opening of the new Disney World Creeps-themed attraction; The Creeps’ Splash & Slam Water Slide and Keg Stand Madhouse. A maintenance worker who entered the dressing room after the show found all five band members dead from what was later determined as accidental overdose of marijuana.Their music and message is still considered widely influential to this day..... Never forget
Print(the)Seas is a solo mission explored by Grant M. The findings are coated in lo-fi fizzle with Shoegaze, Dream Pop, Psych & Fuzz Pop influencing the output
Monotronaut, a native of east coast Canada, came to Portland in 2011. The project formed in 1998, progressing from more experimental electronic roots, into a sound more associated with shoegaze/dreampop/post-rock genres. Early recordings started to appear online, attracting the attention of Skylab Operations' Netlabel, Observatory Online, who in 2003 released a curated collection of those tracks. More releases would follow through Cetapath Recordings nanolabel, and independently through Bandcamp. His musical career would eventually lead to film work (SLUM-POLIS, 2015), and more releases through various indie labels