Battered Wives LP

The Battered Wives were a punk band from Toronto that consisted of Toby Swann (guitar and vocals), Larry "Jasper" Klassen (bass and vocals), John Gibb (guitar) and Cleave Anderson (drums). This was their first release which was a self-release and it came out in 1978 on Bomb Records, the same label that did the Last Pogo compilation, which was like a soundtrack for Colin Brunton's movie. This first Battered Wives album had memorable songs like 'Daredevil', 'Suicide,' 'Freedom Fighters,' and perhaps their best known hit, 'Uganda Stomp (Bomp Idi Bomp)', that poked fun at Ugandan dictator Idi Amin. The band would present a copy of the single to the Uganadan embassy in Ottawa. Although the band was criticized within the scene for being too rock 'n roll or stadium rock sounding, evident in the slow do wop song writing in songs like 'Lovers Balls'. they had a great ability to write a catchy number and come across as an early version of the Toy Dolls. They certainly fit into the camp of punk that worked to offend like the Angry Samoans or the Dickies. This first LP came out in late 1978 or ealry 1979 and was released on red vinyl. The songs on it are:

1. Daredevil
2. I Want it All
3. Get What I Can
4. Uganda Stomp
5. Suicide
6. Angry Young Man
7. You Better Be Right
8. Lovers Balls
9. Everybody Loves a Loser
10. Freedom Fighters

In 1999, the album was re-issued as a CD on Pacemaker Records. This release included the songs:

11. Talkin' Shop Liftin'
12. Something She's Hiding
13. Best Part of a Man
14. Rocking Good Summer
15. Rodeo
16. Bad News

Flyer - Wednesday, March 28th - Saturday, March 31st, 1979

Flyer - Friday March 23rd - Saturday March 24th, 1979

DOA "Triumph of the Ignoroids" 12"

This was DOA's first 12". The record came out on the band's label Friends Records. The recording is live from a Battle of the Bands set that DOA played. But the cover is the big deal. The women sitting in the picture is Margaret Trudeau and was a photo taken in front of the El MoCambo when the Rolling Stones played. This photo appeared on the cover of the Globe and Mail and led to suspicion that Canada's first couple were having marriage problems. It was beleived that Margaret was sneaking around with Mick Jagger or Keith Rochards. I'm not sure which one it was.

As for pressing information there was three different pressings of the 12". According to the band's manager at the time there was three pressings. The first pressing was done in a rush so that the band could take them on their first US tour. This first pressing (1979), had an "un-censored" paper sleeve, with Margaret's genitalia fully exposed. Some pressings had cardboard sleeves.

They sold out the first pressing and so when the band returned to Vancouver they re-did the cover omitting Margaret's shame. This cover was printed with blue ink and cardboard sleeves. There was 1,000 of these pressed.

The third press was done overtly by the label owner. The band had gone back out on tour and the label owner pressed a additionally 1,000 copies without having the original artwork so he photocopied the cover. This is part of the distinguishing feature about this press. The blurry cover. The band was pretty pissed and stopped doing things with Friends Records.

The songs on this 12" are:

1. Nazi Training Camp
2. Want Some Bondage
3. Rich Bitch
4. Let's Fuck

Various Artists "The Last Pogo" LP

This is a compilation that came out to honour the Last Pogo shows. The live shows were recorded by Comfort Sound and released by Bomb Records. The recordings are taken from the two nights at the Horseshoe Tavern on December 1 and 2, 1978. The show was promoted by the Garys. The songs on this compilation are:

1. The Secrets - Teenage Rampage

2. Drastic Measures - Flowers

3. Cardboard Brains - Babies Run My World

4. The Scenics - In the Summer

5. The Scenics - Sunshine World

6. The Mods - Between Four Walls

7. The Everglades - Rock 'n Roll Cliche
8. The Secrets - Shout (cover of the Isley brothers)

9. The Ugly - All Because of You

10. Ishan Band - Egzebier

11. Cardboard Brains - Jungles

12. Drastic Measures - Mr. America

13. The Everglades - I'm in a Coma

14. The Mods - Step Out Tonight

Below are the covers for the record which had an extensive thank you list that is a who's who of the early Toronto punk scene. The flipside is a great collage of photos.

The Red Squares "Ottawa Today" ep

The Red Squares were a punk band from Ottawa. This was released on a label called Double Helix and the labels were on the wrong side. The songs on this are:

1. Transmitter
2. Ottawa Today

They can be downloaded at Killed by Death Records.

The Fits "Bored of Education" ep

The Fits were one of the first wave Toronto bands. They were overshadowed for a number of reasons but they did self-release an ep titled "Bored of Education" on Stage Fright Records and was limited to 800 pressed. the songs on here are:

1. Just Lust

2. Bored of Education

3. Sailing to Hell

The band was brought back to attention with teh "Smash the State" comps as they appeared on the ep that was released with the book and the first comp LP.