Reptile Ranch, Tax Exiles, Immortal Invisibles, Various
Messthetics #104:D.I.Y. '77-81 South Wales

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MESSTHETICS MOST OBSCURE COLLECTION TO DATE. BY THE END OF 1977 YEARS OF MUSIC-INDUSTRY NEGLECT (AND THE ABRUPT DEPARTURE FOR LONDON OF THE FEW FECKLESS PUNKS WHOD LANDED RECORD-DEALS) HAD LEFT SOUTH WALES FERTILE GROUND FOR D.I.Y. THE MOST BASIC INSTRUMENTATION, ONE-TAKE RECORDINGS AND BLACK-ANDWHITE GRAPHICS RULED THE DAY, SO ITS NO SURPRISE THAT NOT ONE OF THE RECORDS HERE SOLD MORE THAN 1200 COPIES. MINDFUL OF THESE FEEBLE SALES, A DOZEN ALUMNI OF CARDIFFS Z-BLOCK LABEL (AND VARIOUS MATES) GAVE UP RELEASING RECORDS ALTOGETHER, AND BUSIED THEMSELVES IN A FRENZY OF INCREASINGLY-SOPHISTICATED HOME RECORDING. (HERES JUST THE TIP OF THAT ICEBERG.) 23 SONGS ON THE CD PLUS SIX BONUS MP3 TRACKS. 24-PAGE BOOKLET, LOVINGLY DOCUMENTED WITH HISTORIES & PHOTOS GALORE, PLUS A REUNION APPEARANCE OF THE LEGENDARY GREAT POP THINGS ROCK-HISTORY COMIC. MESSTHETICS #104 FEATURES (EXTREME) RARITIES BY REPTILE RANCH, TAX EXILES, IMMORTAL INVISIBLES, FLYING BRIX, DECADENT FEW, RALPH & THE PONYTAILS, CZECHS, CURRENT OBSESSIONS, WHAT TO WEAR, SPITFIRE BOYS, DISCOUNT CHIEFS, PURITAN GUITARS, JANET & JOHNS, CRASH ACTION WINNERS, ADDICTION, BOYWONDERS, AND HUGH VOLK. UNRELEASED RECORDINGS BY REPTILE RANCH [LIVE], THE SANE [EX-DEC. FEW & REPTILE RANCH], TABLE TABLE [EX-EVERYONE, INCLUDING YMG], JOHN MARLON [PRE-4AD, EX-TAX EXILES], THE FILMSTARS, AND THE 12- AND 13-YEAR-OLD SPLENDOR OF THE AUTONOMES. PLUS PREVIOUSLYUNPUBLISHED MOORS MURDERERS TALES AND GREAT POP THINGS FEATURING CHUCK DEATH (JON LANGFORD).