Friction, rust, salt air, lust
        Passion in its final heat
        Real life with its final cheat
        California’s falling falling…
                …into the ocean

        100 Flowers, 1983

We have a very special show today. Vitus Matare of Warfrat Grammophon sent us a new compilation record entitled Son of Warfrat Tales, Last Notes From Pompeii. The original release was scheduled for 1990 and it was intended to be a souvenir for the bands that hung out at Lyceum Recordrs in California. Vitus put together this comp to help raise money for the rent at Lyceum, but only a few cassettes were copied back in 1990. 30 years later, 300 copies of a CD were printed, so I guess it’s still a bit of a souvenir! But it’s really great to hear this album. We use it as a guide to remind ourselves of some other truly important compilation records that defined the 80s underground and they are very much related to Son of Warfrat Tales. Original Warfrat Tales from 1983 is an obvious one to refer to. This album introduced to the world a stunning list of Los Angeles bands that in many ways shaped the 80s rock scene. Another related compilation that we’re going back to in this show is Keats Rides A Harley and the Happy Squid Sampler both from 1981 that predate Warfrat Tales. These were organized by the members of Urinals. All these, augmented with great extra material, are available on the secondary market as CDs (although maybe not so easily). Since Son of Warfrat Tales contains slightly newer bands, we also refer to the legendary Radio Tokyo Tapes organized by Ethan James (criminally, still not reissued…) And finally, Vitus says don’t forget Hell Comes to Your House (Bemisbrain 1981)… no we won’t! Finally, big thanks to Vitus for sending us this new, ultra rare disc!

The Last – Try To Rise;
Danny And The Doorknobs – Wooden legs With Real Feet;
Danny And The Doorknobs – Melody
100 Flowers – Reject Yourself;
100 Flowers – From The Fire;
Trotsky Icepick – Yolanda Won’t You Give Me A Job;
Leaving Trains – Jalama;
Leaving Trains – Leaving Train;
Leaving Trains – Virginia City;
Leaving Trains – Creeping Coastlines Of Light;
The Ringling Sisters – 56 Reasons To Go Downtown;
Devil Squares – Red And Blue;
Question – Head On Straight;
Question – Brand New World;
Question – Shall Be Love;
Carmaig De Forest – Blank Verses;
Carmaig De Forest’s Deathgrooveparty – One More Time;
Chainsaw Pop – It Doesn’t Get Any Better;
Action Now – I Want You;
Human Hands – Hypnotica;
Human Hands – Jimmy Loop;
The Dream Syndicate – Lucky;
House of Freaks – Barn Burning;
The Last – Brand New Drug;
The Last – She Don’t Know Why I’m Here.