The Rip-Offs - Now I Know (It's You) / Can I Come Over - Rip Off Records #003

Here's the first release by disco favourites and garage rock supergroup, The Rip Offs. It lacks the power of their one, and only, long player, 'Got A Record', but it did serve as an effective calling card. As with the vinyl, the sleeve was one-sided; the text below is from an insert included in each copy. I've no idea how many were made but I'd be surprised if it was fewer than 1,000. Anyhoo, enjoy.

The Rip-Offs - Now I Know (It's You) / Can I Come Over - Rip Off Records #003.

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The Fingers - You Get On My Nerves. Bag of Hammers 7". BOH 006.

My fourth and final Fingers upload. Recorded and engineered by Trent 'Not good enough for The Untamed Youth' Ruane. The picture on the sleeve of this one always sums up The Fingers at their 'exotic' best for me - the band in their skinny-tie, faux new wave costumes, Los Bros White flanking Mr. Raul Balcarel. With a stained crotch. Way to go, Raul! Shitty 90s garage-wise, this is as good as it gets. Only Supercharger's Pre-BS single gets anywhere near. Enjoy.

The Fingers - You Get On My Nerves. Bag of Hammers 7". BOH 006.

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The Infections - Kill For You. Rip-Off Records 7" RO18.

I originally thought Jason Dancer was Jason White using a daft name. Wrong. It's a guitarist with a daft name. With that in mind it's probably best that I don't elaborate on this record beyond saying it's another Lowery/White (Shane) love letter to the world.

The Infections - Kill For You. Rip-Off Records 7" RO18.

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The Fingers - The Rusty Quan E.P. 1992. Rat City Records RC-8.

Four more tracks by The Fingers. This is another post-split up release and features material recorded by Mr. Raul Balcarcel on a boom box. Allegedly. What's In It For Me? was meant to be The Fingers track on the announced but never released Pre-BS Fingers/Supercharger split single. It was also later recorded by The Rip-Offs, but, as Mr. Shane White indicates in his comprehensive and learned sleeve notes, "that version sucks balls compaired (sic) to this one."

The Fingers - The Rusty Quan E.P. 1992. Rat City Records RC-8.

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The Spoiled Brats - Rich Kid. Real Records. Real 103.

The Spoiled Brats were yet another amalgamation from the limited gene pool that coughed up most of the budget rock / garage scene in the early 1990s. So, here we have Elka Zolot fresh from or on her way to The Trashwomen, The Count Backwurds and The Spastics, alongside Shane White whose career could only head down after The Fingers split up. In the meantime he pouted meanly on behalf of The Rip-Offs, The Infections, The Tight Fits, The Loose Lips and The Bearded Tits. This is a great single, managing to get that shitty Brentwoods vocal sound nailed to the meatiness of The Rip-Offs. It came free with Sooprize Package magazine which was run by a great fella down on the south coast whose name I have, rather embarassingly, forgotten. So, sorry Tarquin Lunchbox, or whatever your name was, but thanks for the finest of the two singles (not including the MRR split) that The Spoiled Brats put out. And I hope that when you put 'Laundrymat Brat' as the flip you were just following orders.

The Spoiled Brats - Rich Kid. Real Records. Real 103.

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The Fingers - The First Time / Barracuda. Budget Rock Showcase 7". 1991.

For my good friend Anonymous, who liked Melons on Melrose so much he (or she, but much more likely to be he based on years of scientific research and analysis into this sort of thing by me and the rest of the scientific community) became this blog's very own Oliver Twist by asking for more. More Fingers. Ouch! And here it is.  My first Fingers single. The one that ruined me for all other garage bands.

The Fingers - The First Time / Barracuda. Budget Rock Showcase 7". 1991.

By the way, if you like this shit, tell your friends. I'm feeling kind of lonely.

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The Fingers - Melons On Melrose EP. Sheer Filth Records PFR-595903.

The last release from The Fingers (to date, there are ongoing rumours of a CD compilation) goes back to their earliest days when they had just changed their name from Chainsaw Blues. It's not their best by a long way, but does at least show they were beginning to pull it together (in as much as they ever pulled it together).  There is a great article on the East Los Angeles scene here.

The Fingers - Melons On Melrose EP. Sheer Filth Records PFR-595903.

More to follow, including more, better, Fingers,Vulcaneers, Brentwoods LP, Loli and The Chones on Repent etc.

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