The Rip-Offs - Make Up Your Mind - Rip Off Records 7" #004.

Second single from The Rip-Offs and Greg Lowery had decided to spring for a printed back cover this time.  Flip side 'Wild Jane' is the undoubted star of this release. This one is for Matt. Enjoy.

The Rip-Offs - Make Up Your Mind - Rip Off Records 7" #004.

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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.

greg lowery rip-off records rip-offs shane white The Fingers The Rip-Offs

The Rip-Offs - Fan Club E.P. 1993. Pure Filth Records 7". PF595901 (242)

Released in a hissy fit by Shane White ("I totally regret putting that out," White admits. "Total passive-aggressive bullshit.") this single release of practice session versions of songs hastened the end of The Rip-Offs. (See 'We Never Learn' for the full story). Only one show followed its release (not including the Flogging A Dead Horse gigs of 2007). It's actually not that bad, but it's not a patch on their official releases. Enjoy.

The Rip-Offs - Fan Club E.P. 1993. Pure Filth Records 7". PF595901.

greg lowery punk rip-offs shane white sheer filth The Rip-Offs

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.

garage The Fingers The Infections The Rip-Offs

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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Various Artists - The Rip-Offs / Teengenerate split single. Wallabies Records WAL-005.

It's like all your Christmas's coming at once. Two of the finest 90s garage punk bands on a package as compact as you'd want it without getting all silver and pointless. The Rip-Offs tracks have never been reissued. The Teengenerate tracks have. Or were from earlier sources. Unless they are different versions of those previously and subsequently released, of course. If any of you have a clue about any of this, please let us all know. In the meantime, get stuck into this beauty.

Various Artists - The Rip-Offs / Teengenerate split single. Wallabies Records WAL-005.

japan teengenerate The Rip-Offs wallabies records

The Brentwoods - Fun In South City. Radio X LP. RX-05.

A full LP for a change, and one of the most sought-after rarities of the Budget Rock scene. Following the acrimonious split-up of Supercharger, Greg Lowery started The Rip-Offs with the White brothers, Jason and Shane, and drummer Jon Von and Darin Rafaelli and Karen Singletary kick-started The Brentwoods with the mysterious Patty on vocals and Danielle Pimm of The Trashwomen on bass. Somewhere along the line Dr. Pat Phelan late of The Saturn V featuring Orbit joined in, but details of who played what, where and when is lost to known civilisation.  Click on the image of the front cover to read the story of Colonel Brain's ruckus with 'The Riff-Raffs'.

It's an acquired taste and very much the logical end-point of the Supercharger sound. The Brentwoods are to Supercharger as Loli and The Chones would be to The Rip-Offs; sonic extremes.  Anyhow, if you like badly-recorded, badly-played, badly-sung, immature shite then this is the record for you.

The Brentwoods - Fun In South City. Radio X LP. RX-05.

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