Milton Garrison Interview. Part II: The Vexed Years

I posted in February a Milton Garrison interview, from which you’ve learned about his other musical project like In Vitro Pope, Altered, The Drills and Yeast. One of the things that you don’t know is that the interview has a second part about Vexed and the band’s demo, about which, apparently, not many people know.

You’ll also see in the interview bellow a mention of the Student Nurse band, about which I can’t help on saying a few words. Student Nurse was part of the Seattle Syndrome generation of bands, that ruled Seattle almost a decade before the whole grunge explosion. The band formed in the late 70s and disbanded at some point around 1983. They left behind, as far as I know, two 7’’s and a fabulous four song Ep, As seen on TV.

Now, back to Vexed…Sadly the demo won’t be posted now but Milton Garrison promised us he will be back with the songs and we’ll post a link with them in the comment section. So…do check in often!!!

1. We know about your projects before Vexed (from the previous posts), I know Alfred Butler played in Death of Marat along with Daniel House…What about the rest of the crew?
Vexed was always a work in progress until David Lapp recorded with us. I'm not aware of bands he played in before Vexed. But after Vexed he managed to play professionally in San Francisco with a reggae/dub band.

Billy Warner, who left Vexed in 1984, played in a band called Baba Yaga. Joe Newton played and recorded with us during 1985. He went on to play with Gas Huffer. Jason Fin played with us during 1988 and he went on to Love Battery and Presidents of the United States of America.

Eric Muhs played lead guitar with us during 1984. He was known at that time for Seattle band Student Nurse and he continues to put out recordings as well as doing public performances.

2. Tell me a little bit about the band’s contribution to the first Pyrrhic Victory Compilation? That was the band’s debut, right?
Daniel House was one of the main players in getting Pyrrhic Victory compilation happening. The sessions we did for the recordings including “Six Foot Hole,” were recorded at John's Place.

3. What did you think of the local scene when you first formed? Any band you can recall as a major influence from the Seattle area?
I loved the early 80s Seattle alternative music scene! It was so spread out with all the different sounds. The biggest influence on the band, from Seattle, was Blackouts. We loved the minimalist rhythms with mesmerizing atonal riffing. It's been one of the high points of the last decade to see K Records release a Blackouts retrospective. But it would be misleading to say Blackouts were the only Seattle band to have profound influence. Student Nurse and the Beakers were two others that I loved. I liked hardcore punk. Bands like Rally Go, Little Bears From Bankok and the Beakers were all bands I saw and was influenced by.

4. Here’s a question I always seem to find interesting: Who came up with the band’s name and why?
We had the usual problem with coming up a name. We all made suggestions. I remember looking in the dictionary for cool names. And the word vexed really resonated with me. The word suggested the state of mind I was going through. Life can be annoying as can art and politics. It nailed may reaction to the Reagan/Bush years. Annoyances can trigger anger. I suggested Vexed and it turned out to be the one we all hated the least.

5. What are your best and worst memories from that time?
My best memories involve when shows were amazing. When all the aspects worked and we pulled it off. My worst memories involve the only time we didn't finish a show. I should have canceled after our drummer was mugged trying to call us.

6. Lyrically, what did Vexed express?
Vexed rarely told stories like many song writers do. Most of our song lyrics dwelt in the area of frustration and anger. The emotion helped us deal with topics like government and religious sanctioned bigotry and the general social problems of the 80s. Rather than writing a lyric saying how bad capitalism was we wrote about the emotion.

7. In your opinion, what was your best show?
Our best show happened in 1992. We opened for Artis the Spoon Man and Sad Happy at the Backstage in the Ballard neighborhood in Seattle.

8. Why did you split up in 1990, and what determined the band to reunite two years later?
Vexed, to put it kindly, was by 1988 over and out. There was never a moment where we said, “We're not playing anymore”. It just happened. The same could be said of our next public stint 1992-1994. I say public because Alfred and I made contributions to projects while the band was on Hiatus.

9. Regarding this demo, when and where was it recorded?
The final demo was recorded in Jack Endino's basement in the late 1993. We managed to sound like a Seattle band without trying.

10. What was the reason that these songs remained unreleased?
Vexed was always Daniel House's love child. Without Daniel house we wouldn't have anything released and this interview wouldn’t be happening. Because Alfred and I haven’t really looked at remixing a multi track tape that seems to be missing. I have a copy somewhere of the rough mixes. Usually a band goes back to “mix” a final. This never happened with this demo.

11. Why did the band break up after Cathexis was released?
By the time Cathexis came out we were on auto pilot. Taking shows as they came; not really expending energy trying to get the band out there. In my opinion we became complacent. We'd always prided ourselves on sounding different. By that time one of our friends, Dawn Anderson, said in not so many words that our “advantage” was gone. It wasn't this revelation that did us in. It was a lack of interest on my part to do it anymore. I was burned out.

12. Any idea what are the other guys doing now?
I continue to perform publicly when I'm asked. I continue to write and record. And I often jam and record with friends.
David Lapp continues to play as far as I know in a dub reggae band in the CA bay area. I don't believe Alfred Buttler or Buzz Crocker play music.

...Meanwhile you can download Vexed releases from here.

The Limp Richerds: War Between the States

Like many of you had noticed Mr Epp, unlike the Richerds, caught more attention over the web, and almost all of their material is pretty common among the collectors. I’d say there are two reasons:
1. Mr Epp featured Mark Arm as a full-time member (in Limp Richerds he only played for a little while, behind the drums). This really does it for the grunge-fiends…Or not!
2. A compilation containing everything that Mr Epp recorded was released in 1996 through Darren Morey’s (a former band member) label Box Dog and in conjunction with Steve Turner’s Super-Electro Records. This made their material much easier to circulate even though the CD is now out of print.

Limp Richerd formed in 1981, around Dave Middleton who, back then, was a student at the Highline Community College. The very first incarnation of the band was: D. Middleton on vocals, Ross Guffy on drums, Charles Quain on guitar and Greg Billingham on bass. As in many cases of their contemporaries, people were coming and going, so the band didn’t had like, this stable line-up. I could say Middleton was for sure the only constant member. Mark Arm, Bill Connell were among those who played drums at some point. Scott Schickler and Steve Turner shared guitar duties…A couple of other bass players: Scott Warner and Werner Cooke. Lots of people…but they had time…from ’81 ‘till early ’87.

The band made its debut on The Public Doesn't Exist compilation tape in 1983 with Bob Hope's USO El Salvador Show. They threw two songs on the famous What Syndrome compilation, namely Death to Ivars and Non-Conformity Sox (live) in April 1983. In May the same year they released War Between the States a 7’’split with Portland’s Rancid Vat (which you can also hear on Puget Power III with Breaking Bones , let me know if you have any other material from these guys). They were featured on Sub Pop 9 with My Dad Forgot His Rubber in the same year. Finally, they put up an S/T cassette in December ’84 on Deus Ex Machina.

They played with a lot of local bands such as: Thrown Ups, Mr Epp, The Rejectors, The U-Men and so on, they managed to open for Husker Du in ’84 and for Dinosaur in ’86, and that was all. So there you have it…The Seattle’s worst band ever!!!

from War Between the States

Pat and Ben

My Dad Forgot His Rubber and I Was the Result

Non-Conformity Sox (live)

Death to Ivars

I've Only Got a Nickel on Me, Honest!

Noise by Northwest. A Mixtape

One year and a couple of weeks since the first mixtape I’ve ever posted here. The picture above doesn’t have any connection what so ever with the tracks bellow. It was just a pun on the title of this article and the famous movie North By Northwest that made me post the Cary Grant picture. Enjoy...

Teen Angels - Jesus Is On My Side ( from Jesus Is On My Side b/w Shoot From The Hip 7'' released on Sub Pop in '95 -I think-, this is a post-Dickless band-with membership including Kelly Canary and Lisa Smith-)
Sleep Capsule - Gray Cloud Theory ( from their Mousepuss Lp on Spanish Fly Records, released in 1994)
Alcohol Funnycar - Pretense ( the band's first 7'', Pretense b/w Drive By released by Rathouse Records)
Stymie - Toil & Folly (this is from a split single with Lab Rat, released in 1993, I had order it myself from Adem Tepedelen, it totally rocks)
Porn Orchard - What Kills (from Teriyaki Asthma)
Seaweed – Inside (and this song is pretty common, from the band's S/T LP)

Three bands for Milton Garrison or a Vexed-related post

While I was searching on a gig poster website, about a week ago, I decided to type a rather familiar band, namely The U-Men. The only poster that drew my attention and finally made me came back so soon with a new mystery solved, was the one you see on the left. It features the great north-west legends The Wipers and the U-Men, along with Altered and Circle Seven.
I wrote here a little piece about Vexed a couple of months ago, and I got to admit I didn’t insist that much on the roots of the band. In other words, among others, I also forgot to note that other previous bands in which Milton Garrison played before Vexed, were In Vitro Pope and Altered. Apparently Milton’s website doesn’t mention anything about these last two or about his contribution in the band Yeast. And so quickly I was stricken by the idea of writing a post about all Milton’s projects. Being aware of not having any rich sources I could use, I’ve contacted Milton Garrison. He was really kind and answered to some questions I had about his music involvement along the years.

1. What can you tell me about the bands In Vitro Pope, Altered, and Yeast?
In Vitro Pope: 82-83
The band's genesis was a weekly jam among my self and two teen women non-musicians. At the time I could barely play and I was “the band leader,” if such a thing existed. We sucked badly in most ways but enthusiasm. But the U-Men, especially Tom Price, were very kind and agreed to play a party or two with us.. I never tried very hard to play the songs. I just made noise. I loved the band more than I can tell you. And shared a tear at it's terminal moment.

We have a demo tape which as I recall was recorded in our bass player's attic. The session was really called for Limp Richards a NW noise band if there ever was one. But since it was at our bassist's house we horned in and got a tape out of it. My chief bit was to turn the phaser on full and bash all six of the strings of the fender copy (property of Patrick McCabe of Drills, and active on many recordings of the drills,) and wail about the existential wash that was Reagan era landscape. I think Jack Endino digitized it for me. I'll look again.

The Altered: 83-84
Hiro Yamamoto: bass
Billy Warner: drums
Milton Garrison: Guitar and Vox
At the time the In Vitro Pope tape was recorded, Billy was jamming with Hiro Yamamoto and Kim Thayil whom he had found through the grape vine. Both were fresh young men from Chicago.

Although Billy and I were best friends, I was seriously worried. Because you didn't have to go far to find a better singer, writer or guitar player than I. Having said that, at the time I was blossoming as a guitar player. I embraced song structure if not guitar technique. I enabled a different chord voicing for each song. Needless to say we weren't punk nor metal enough for most tastes.

Hiro decided to cast his lot with Billy and I. We spent several months woodsheding and then actively gigged. At one time Hiro and Billy lived in the same house with Chris Cornell. We rehearsed in the largest room, it was Hiro's.

Fortunately for us, we had good friends that got us booked at the big, for the time, all ages venue, Metropolis. We ended up playing at least five times there opening for national acts: The Wipers, and Violent Femmes among many peer local bands of the day. At that time the owner of the Met said that I made him laugh. Splui Numa was a proto grunge band of the time that also played often. As I recall , they were quite witty; as were Mr Epp, with stage banter. We were later joined by a talented singer and writer with which we gigged briefly. We never recorded.

Yeast: 87-89
Memory does not serve all personnel changes. The base membership was the following:
Al Tompkins: bass
Daniel House: drums and vocals
Matt Cameron: drums at one or two shows when our drummer bailed.
Milton Garrison: Guitar and Vox

Of all my bands this was the only “off” band that I gigged with. Formed with members of Vexed, Daddy Hate Box, Skin Yard, and Soundgarden it was also the sloppiest since IP. I also thought we had the best chance of getting a deal. Although Soundgarden was one of the few being signed by that time, things we're feeling ripe in Seattle.

I had heard Nirvana, Tad, and the rest and could tell something was changing. But I was sure Vexed wouldn't be part of it. So for a time, Al and I tried to take the band to a different level with trying different drummers and vocalists until I retired from public performance in 1990. I would reemerge to reform Vexed in 92'.

2. Did any of these bands release anything? (If yes, what was the record label and who was the producer(s) of the material(s)?)

Yeast was the only band of those listed above, other than Vexed, to record. C/Z records released: Too much of one thing b/w this; a 7” 45. We we're also on a Teriyaki Asthma. Jack Endino, Rich Hinklin and Phil Ek worked on various recordings.

3. With whom did Yeast share bills that era?
Yeast played with many of the heavies of the era including: Tad, Love Battery and Soundgarden. We also played with Common Language and other alt rock bands playing the circuit; Squid Row, The Vouge, the Central and other lesser known clubs.

4. Did any of the bands, In Vitro Pope and Altered, share a similar sound to Vexed?
Not really, none of the other bands I played in sounded much like 1988 Vexed. But you need to understand Vexed was really three different bands. The early 84 version was more similar to Pell Mell and Talking Heads than Killing Joke. That would come later when we nailed our style. So I'd have to say that early Vexed sounded like late The Altered and to a lesser extent, Alfred Butler's earlier band Death of Maratt.

5. Was Vexed already formed when you were performing in the band The Drills?
The collaboration I did The Drills happened largely in the early 80s. The earliest around 82'. So my involvement occurred during In Vitro Pope and The Altered. Some may have happened during early Vexed.
6.Did you perform in other bands after Vexed split?
You know I didn't until last year. I formed the band: Enter the Nine and played about a year: Myspace.com/enterthenine. This band had more to do with all the bands I've been and none. I say this because I put it together with out any preconceived notion as to what we would play. I called it a mix of Neil Young and Fugazi. It will sound like Seattle to some folks. And that's fine because I'm proud to be lumped with Seattle bands. I love that heritage.

7. Have you done any reunion shows for either of these bands?
I'm currently recording some songs on my PC. The bassist of Enter the Nine, Steve Alpers, will contribute to the project. I finished the preproduction in January 2010. I've since been layering. It will sound decidedly more pop than many of my previous efforts. But I sill love punk and metal and you can hear that in the mix. I will post the songs to myspace.

As for previous efforts: That's something I'd do in a heartbeat believe me and I think I've made it clear to one or two people of that. So for the record I'm interested.

Milton also offered to get me in touch with Allen Tompkins. I didn’t missed that chance as I wanted to find out more about the band Yeast. See bellow :
”Yeast was a collaborative side project that started with me, Milton, and Daniel House (CZ records owner) about 1988-89 or so. Over the short time we played together, we had 2 additional singers, Micheal Fantod, and Eric Johnson (Pearl Jam's go to guy). We opened for a number of fairly bad ass local shows, but never hit the road. That was really the only regret, but we really didn't need to tour.

Our single "Crisco Wristwatch" had both accolades and a bitter hate letter from the Yeasty Girls of NY... with a cease and desist threat, claiming first right to use the word Yeast... I remember that Daniel framed the letter and had it on the wall of the SubPop offices. The record cover, if you can find it, is classic!”

What are your best memories from that time?
“My coolest memory was a benefit show we did for The Fluid, on tour in Seattle, their equipment was ripped off. The lineup was pretty cool: Yeast opening for SoundGarden, Mudhoney and the Fluid. I remember passing out fliers the week before at a Mother Love Bone and Jane's Addiction show.”

Allen Tompkins played in a number of Seattle band starting from ’85. That list includes: Strange Bulge, Ebb and Flow, Death and Taxes, SET, Yeast, Mr Happy (members of The Derelicts and Gas Huffer) , Daddy Hate Box (members of TAD and Coffin Break) , Curtis (Joy Division cover band), Wally World, The Sheites, Kristen Barry's Band, Jangletown, Sledge, Derision, Mustard, Resonator, El Revengo, Dark Matter Noise, The Jaggies, Brothers of the Sonic Cloth (Tad's new band). Currently he plays in Misericords along with Kurt Danielson and Mike Mongrain.

from Yeast - Crisco Wristwatch 7''
Too much of one thing
This

Blood Circus: The Sub Pop's hair-rising, motorcycling, primal rock!

As, probably many of you observed, my blog was more of a record-friendly to C/Z or Empty Records than to Sub Pop. Probably Sub Pop will never forgive me for this (and that would be the reason they don’t answer to any of my emails….hmmmmmm….I was just kidding!!!) so I’ve thought of a way to make it up to them. Leaving aside Nirvana and Mudhoney, other legendary bands that were part of the Sub Pop 200’s generation were Blood Circus, Cat Butt and Swallow.
But the one band that rocked out the hallways of Sub Pop’s headquarters so loudly, that eventually made Jon Poneman and Bruce Pavitt to release a CD version of the band’s early material, was Blood Circus. The band was indeed the true definition of rock, even the title of their non-single material self-explains it, Primal Rock Therapy…..Not to mention that the lead singer of the band inspired me in letting my hair to grow long at some point, or that they messed up Pearl Jam’s plans to be the first grunge band to write a song about surfing.

The band formed in 1987 by T-Man (his real name, Tracey Simmons) on bass, Doug Day on drums, guitarist Geoff Robinson, and Michael Anderson (who played a short period in the first line-up of Swallow) on voice and guitar duties as well. They played their first show at the Vogue, opening for The Obituaries (and I’m planning a post about them some time in the future). Shortly the band was signed to Sub Pop and made their vinyl debut in 1988 with Two Way Streetb/w 6 Feet Under single (SP13). Next they contributed with the song The Outback to the Sub Pop 200 compilation and let everyone with their mouths’ opened, a year later, after releasing Primal Rock Therapy Ep . The EP was recorded by no other than Jack Endino at Reciprocal Studios, and features 5 songs.

Blood Circus played tones of shows with most of Seattle bands and also shared bills with bands such as The Flaming Lips, Butthole Surfers, White Zombie, etc; they’ve had an U.S tour and split up in 1990. Michael played in Hard Belly Lloyd and T-Man joined the band Yummy for a period. Luckily Sup Pop reissued Primal Rock Therapy on CD in 1992(with their debut single and five songs from an aborted 1989 recording session) and the band did a couple reunion shows in Seattle.

Primal Rock Therapy EP

Road to Hell

Part of the Crowd

My Dad's Dead

Two Way Street

Gnarly

DC Beggars: A short trip to the Rathouse

Although it is kind of late, I’ll give it a try to see if that Santa costume still fits me. Now, five days after Christmas and before breaking into the new year, I’ll try to make some grunge fanatics happy by spreading the word about another unspoken and requested band, namely DC Beggars.The band story began in 1989 after Carla Sindle left Ohio for Seattle leaving behind the punk rock band Fallen Chandaliers. A year later she became the lead singer for the just-formed band DC Beggars. The band membership included Carla Sindle on vocals, Adrian Garver on bass, Steve”Hougie” Gero on drums and Julian Gibson on guitar. In the same year the band moved into the Rathouse (19th and Denny Way, Seattle) which was actually a practice space at the Central District. Other bands that fit that crew were The Gits (they actually owend the house), Officer Down, 7 Year Bitch and Alcohol Funny Car. In 1991 DC Beggars were featured on the first Rathouse release, Bobbing For Pavement - A Seattle Compilation, the band’s contribution were two songs, Tale Of Lies and Narrow As A Sin. Other bands featured here: Gas Huffer, The Gits, Bay of Pigs, Big Brown House, Hammerbox, My Name and The Derelicts (this compilation was re-released on CD in 1994). Same year (that is 1991) the band made their second appearance which was actually the second Rathouse release You're So Pretty But You Make Me Sick 7’’.

Not much I could find on the internet about the next band’s release, that is: Love, Money, and Power 7" EP (Smiilin' Ear) in 1992. What I did find interesting was actually a little review taken from 10 Things Jesus Wants You To Know fanzine:
“Finally over a year later we get another offering from this wonderful underrated punk band. Deathtrip is unlike their past stuff, it's heavy pounding with snarling vocals and very powerful. The songs on the flipside are the Beggars I remember, powerful female vocals and the guitars, bass and drums are definitely heavier. Black Moon Rising reminds me of early Siouxsic. This bands deserves an album now! --Dan
Their best release to date. A-side is an atypical Beggars tune--more melodic and less thrashy then usual, and it works really well . Great song. Flipside is more what you'd expect, showcasing singer Carla's Jello-like vocals. –Parker”

From ’90 to ’93 the Beggars’ did extensive tours in USA, Canada and Europe. Finally the band was featured on another compilation called Power Flush: San Francisco, Seattle & You released by Broken Rekids and Rathouse Records featuring Seattle bands such as Alcohol Funny Car, 7 Year Bitch and The Gits. Sadly, same year, Mia Zapata is murdered, DC Beggars dissolves, and the Record Label resigns.

I would be really glad to see some comments on this post. Also if any of you have the Love, Money, and Power EP or You're So Pretty 7’’ please send me a link with them.
Now late-Santa Dan is sitting comfortable on his chair wishing you all a Happy New Year.

from Bobbing For Pavement - A Seattle Compilation

Tale Of Lies

Narrow As A Sin

Does MyHairsprayQueen love Seattle Hardcore Acts?

Part 1: Jesters Of Chaos

This is the first piece of writing that I’ve ever done on a Seattle hardcore band. I won’t post Mr Epp or Limp Richerds as you might have expected. I’m happy to surprise my readers once again with a post about Jesters Of Chaos. The idea for a Jesters’ post stroke me about two weeks ago, after finding a Discharge 7’’ in a record store.Somehow a connection formed in my brain...in a way, those English dogs reminded me of the Jesters. Although the band fits more into the wide variety of UK political punk rather than into the noisy hardcore of northwest…Jesters of Chaos played a significant part in the early Seattle Punk scene during the late 80's.

The band formed in 1985 in Seattle. They had numerous changes of drummers and bass players, the only constant member remaining Jeffro (voice), Maddy (guitar) and Kenny (second guitar). They finally set with a solid line-up in’87, now, also including Tyler on drums and Theo on bass. In ’88 the band recorded 13 songs (only 4 of them made it to vinyl) and a self titled Ep (released by Horton/Reflex Records) including the songs: Behind a mask, A message, Violent States Of America and Murder of the church.

I couldn’t find much information about the band on the web …I assume they split up in the early ‘90s. Lead signer, Jeffro, died in ‘92 due to a fatal motorcycle accident. Except Maddy, who now plays in The Bloodclots (myspace here) there is nothing I could find about the others. I know I’m forgetting something now…oh, yes…They shared bills with: Subvert, The Derelicts, Aspirin Feast, Coffin Break, A.M.Q.A, No Means No, Accused, SGM, Poison Idea, Soundgarden, Skin Yard, and other few more.

Jesters Of Chaos - Demo Cassette

I grabbed a(n) (almost) 19 minutes long mp3 (from this page here) with the full demo cassette of the band. So check this page up…lots of diy hardcore punk, covering Seattle and Portland as well. See you next time.