F.O.D / The Dead Milkmen
split 7" / download
SRA Records
Released: October 30, 2015
The first Philly hardcore band I remember seeing live in the early 1980s was YDI. They opened the hardcore door for Frank FOE.
F.O.D. and The Dead Milkmen were probably the next two Philly bands I witnessed live. I am pretty sure F.O.D. holds the record for "the band most often witnessed by Frank FOE". I have no idea how many times I have seen F.O.D. 1982 through 2015. If Russian Meatsquats practices count, then the record might be held by those Lehigh Valley PA legends... or maybe Weston...
Anyway...
The "story" of this split record goes as follows:
This is a lost record from 1985. We didn’t find the tapes, or the reels, we found the actual records!!! This was recorded and pressed sometime in 1985 for the Datchord label. While working on The Great Rock N Raoul Swindle comp tape, the Datchord label decided it was probably a good idea to make a “real record” if they wanted people to take them seriously. They got their good friends FOD and THE DEAD MILKMEN to record tracks for a split 7″. Both bands handed in their tracks but it never materialized. Meanwhile behind the scenes, the guys from Datchord had talked a young friend into financing the record on his parent’s credit card unbeknownst to them. Unfortunately the shipment of records and the invoice showed up at their house while the young man was at school but his folks were home. The parents told him they sent the records back the pressing plant, but here 30 years later, that young man has come home to help his folks move into an assisted living home only to find the records, the plates and the original xeroxed art for the cover in the back of the basement!!! He turned them over to the bands and here they are! We assembled the records and they are ready for your listening enjoyment!
In reality, the facts are that FLAG OF DEMOCRACY (F.O.D.) recently recorded "Valedictorian", "Defective Service" and "Quit Your Culture" and the Dead Milkmen recorded "If the Kids Could Git Together". All of these songs, the 7" packaging, the lyrics printed on the sleeve, takes me back to the early - mid 1980s. The FOD songs are blistering fast and with early '80s 7" typical production values. These old men play these three tracks as if they should have been on the legendary/classic "Love Songs" 7" from 1984. "Defective Service" has that classic, set the blender on the fastest speed sound. Amazing. You have to hear this! The lyrics also recall topics as if the old men of FOD were back in high school ripping things up, rather than being the doctors, lawyers and chiefs that they turned out to be (still ripping things up) along with being one of the longest standing hardcore bands EVER. Screw your culture, the american dream, your elitist clique and doing what you are told. Don't follow the map.
The Dead Milkmen continue with the vintage theme. "If the Kids Could Git Together" could have easily been on the 1985 LP "Big Lizard in My Backyard". Fun, enjoyable, catchy perfection.
One of the best records of the year!
Thank you SRA, FOD and Dead Milkmen! Love this record!
Cheers,
Frank FOE
