Pretty rugged set today. Starts off soft, but doesn't stay there.
Big Ass Truck, "Return to Thermopolis"
I encountered Big Ass Truck when their first record showed up at WRCT while I was working there. How was I not going to play a band called Big Ass Truck? Turned out to be a funk record, and I somehow ended up with not only that record but the followup, Kent. I'll be honest, I haven't thought about these guys in a long, long time. Maybe I should listen to one of the records again, see how it's aged?
Sightings, "Ich/Ic"
Ahhh, the dulcet tones of Sightings! If there's an opposite of funk, it might be this brand of no-wave noise.
Einstürzende Neubauten, "Tanz Debil"
Fuck yeah, noise! This is the first song off Neubauten's first album, Kollaps, so this is really the birth of one of the true originals in music. This album is about as undiluted as industrial music ever got, a truly pure expression of a particular aesthetic. It was hugely influential on that entire scene. Neubauten have spent their entire career evolving, as any truly great band will, but it's still fascinating to listen to this album to hear where it started.
Dag Nasty, "Simple Minds"
Hardcore stalwarts from Washington DC, featuring ex-Minor Threat guitarist Brian Baker. I actually discovered them from another direction, as Dave Smalley (the original singer for Dag Nasty) was All's first singer. Anyway, this is pretty pure hardcore, although with certain melodic elements that make them reasonably accessible.
Melvins, "Creepy Smell"
Love the drums opening this song. Really, I just love Crover's drumming in general. At any rate, this is a great example of early Melvins (from Ozma), when they were thunderous, but still very Sabbath-y.