Found a cheap and
used copy of this rare gem over the internet about a month ago. I'm talking
about the Pravda Vol 1, a compilation tape released by Pravda Records in '82.
Having a lot of free time on my hands I thought this would be the perfect opportunity
to digitize it and share it with my readers.
The label was born in
1982 in the home of Desperate Times Magazine in Seattle’s University District.
It was founded by Dennis White and Maire M. Masco, both publishers for the
Desperate Times, a magazine that was covering the punk scene of Seattle as well as international bands
that played the local bars.
Pravda's catalog
featured some of these local acts covered in the zine. In one year period, Maire
and Dennis, put together the Mr. Epp EP, "Of course
I'm Happy.Why?", a Student Nurse single and the Pravda Compilation tape,
an artifact of Seattle's new wave/art rock/post-punk scene.
Another important
mention would be that Dennis White also managed Dadastic! sounds in the recent years,
doing a great job in releasing obscure music. Check it out, maybe some of the releases
are still available for buying/download here.
Now back to the tape! Sunworm opens and ends this,
over-half-hour, audio time machine in a gloomy manner field with accelerating
rhythm sections, squeaking guitars and a monolithic voice. Sunworm also
contributed with a song on "The Public Doesn't Exist" compilation and
shares John Rogers as common member with Student Nurse. John also made appearances
in other art rock/experimental bands such as Steddi 5 or Audio Letter.
Spectators were a pleasant surprise, especially with the
song "Idiot Culture". Rapid-i also, and a bit more experimental. Besides being on
this compilation, Joe Despair And The Future haven't
released anything to my knowledge. You can see some photos from two of their
gigs on Mike's Leach
site.
Student Nurse are contributing to this compilation with only
one song and that's a shame because I love them and it seems
impossible to get my hands on any of their releases.
For some reason the Billy Shaffer song volume is kind of low, but I've
uploaded it here anyway. Billy Shaffer was the art director for Desperate Times.
This is an acoustic/folk track that comes from a home-made tape of demos he
recorded.
Mr. Epp is probably
the most expected band on the compilation. They are, after all, the godfathers
of grunge! Steve and Marks' band before Green River. Actually the term of
"grunge" was first coined in the second issue of Desperate Times, in a letter sent by Mark
himself, describing Mr. Epp's music as "pure grunge, pure shit".
Pravda Compilation Tape, everyone! Enjoy!
