I love singles. A single can be the perfect shot of tunes right when you need it, and they can leave an indelible mark on your psyche, where certain songs must always be played together, and in a particular order. Singles are also a collector’s dream since they are often limited runs with non-album tracks or different versions, coloured vinyl, great artwork and inserts. Compilation or split singles in particular also have another thing going for them: they are a great way to discover new artists.
Over the years I have bought a comp or split because I knew one of the bands, only to also become a fan of another artist on the single, and I always check out the bins at my local shop for a good comp or split single. There are lots of random and one-off’s, but recently I got thinking that there have been a lot of great indie/punk comp or split single series over the years. The caliber of bands that participate in these singles series can be incredible, and they can also provide a great document of a region, an era, label or style of music. These series don’t seem to get much love these days, so in this post I am laying down my top ten to show how cool these indie/punk sets are. But, just like my Homestead Records post, we need some ground rules.
First, this is not a complete list, or the top ten, it is just my top ten. These are the series I return to most and have some of my faves on it, but there are definitely lots more.
Second, there have been some great compilation single box sets over the years like the Devil’s Jukebox, Endangered Species, or the many Estrus box sets, but that is not what this list is about. This is a list of the type of series where you had to work at it to collect each one, and it was often damn near impossible to get them all.
With all that in mind, here we go (with some extras)…
10. Noise From Nowhere
Started in Pamona, California in the early 80’s and subsequently relocated to Tuscon, Arizona, Toxic Shock Records put out some great stuff during its time and is still active for mailorder. In addition to releasing records by great bands like Skin Yard, Th’Inbred, Hullabaloo and Peace Corpse, Toxic Shock put out ten volumes of its Noise from Nowhere series during the late 80’s to early 90’s with some killer bands on them. Some of the noise on these singles was provided by House of Large Sizes, Green Magnet School, God’s Acre, Treepeople, and many others who are not as well known but worth checking out. Also note that Toxic Shock put out a single by the insanely good Canadian band Red Tide (with Ken Jensen who went on to join D.O.A and the Hanson Brothers, and Stephen McBean who went on to Black Mountain) and a single by the Massacre Guys which included a pre-Descendents Karl and Stephan, both of which are from 1984 and are collected on a Dr. Strange Records CD comp from 2002 aptly titled “4 Old Toxic Shock 7” EPs”.
“Breakout Breakfree” by Kent State, from “Noise From Nowhere Volume 1” on Toxic Shock Records, 1983
Toxic Shock Records, Pamona CA circa 1985. Photo by Patrick Houdek
9. Working Holiday
Simple Machines records has two entries on this list, and for good reason since comp singles series were s a big part of this label’s stock and trade, and theirs contain some of the best in class of 90’s indie and punk. Hailing from Arlington, Virginia, Simple Machines was founded in 1990 by Jenny Toomey (from bands like Tsunami and Choke, among others) and Kristin Thomson (also in Tsunami). This first entry from Simple Machines is the Working Holiday series which has twelve editions released in a monthly series from January to December 1993 (13 if you got the Working Holiday Party bonus single). This series had some great bands like Superchunk, Pitchblende, The Grifters, Crain, Jawbox, Crackerbash, My Dad is Dead and Lungfish. You could also get a collectors box to store them all in when you subscribed to the monthly series, and the tracks were collected on a CD also with an accompanying live CD including artists not on the singles like Archers of Loaf and Rodan.
“Another Child Bride” by Nothing Painted Blue, from Working Holiday “July” 7’’ on Simple Machines, 1993
8. The Machines
Also on Simple Machines records and released from 1990 – 1993, the Machines series is another great set of comps. There were six of these in the series, each named after a mechanical implement: pully, lever, screw, inclined plane, wedge and wheel. Here again we have some great groups when it came to 90’s indie and punk like the Nation of Ulysses, Severin, Circus Lupus, Jawbox, Superchunk, Rodan, Unrest, Lungfish and Edsel. I have always thought of this series together with the Working Holiday Series since they have a similar vibe and share many artists (both with some obvious Dischord Records connections), and just like the Working Holiday Series, the tracks in this series were also collected on a CD. And, of course, Simple Machines put out many other singles and full lengths from this era full of 90’s indie greatness.
“Moment Before Impact” by Holy Rollers, taken from “Wheel” 7”, 1990 on Simple Machines
7. Clawfist
The Clawfist Singles Club was released from 1990-1995 by the Vinyl Solution record store in Portobello, London (now called Intoxica). The tracks provided were exclusive to the series and they were limited to 1400 each. With over 20 releases, not all were splits (Trumans Water and Man Or Astro Man? have their own, for example), but a fair amount of the singles were splits. Some of the artists included on the splits were the Walking Seeds, My Dad is Dead, Bastro, Edsel Auctioneer, The Membranes, The Ex and the Poster Children. Vinyl Solution also released full lengths by the likes of Bailter Space and Gallon Drunk.
“Nothing Special” by Bastro from split 7” w/ My Dad Is Dead, 1991 Clawfist
6. Jabberjaw
For the noisier and grungier side of things, look no further than the Jabberjaw series of singles comps put out in 1994 on Mammoth Records. This series had four editions, with four unreleased tracks on each, and each single was limited to 1500. The bands on this series were some of the best at the time, with more than a passing resemblance to the Amphetamine Reptile Records crew, and included Helmet, Karp, Jawbox, Girls Against Boys, Hammerhead, Unsane, Chokebore, Slug, Unwound, Mule, Seaweed, and Surgery. The sixteen tracks were all collected on a CD “Jabberjaw Vol. 5: Good to the Last Drop”, with three extra tracks. The Jabberjaw series also eventually included a second CD in 1996 entitled “Pure Sweet Hell” with similarly excellent artists.
“Jabberjammin’” by Southern Culture on the Skids, from “Jabberjaw No. 4” single, 1994 Mammoth Records
5. Gearhead
Now for something slightly different, here is the Gearhead series for a garagier slant to 90’s grunge and noise. Originally started as Gearhead Magazine in 1993, the first ten issues came with a split single before the magazine evolved into a full fledged label, releasing full lengths up until as recently as 2017. While releasing comp singles with the magazine, they released tracks by Claw Hammer, Gas Huffer, Mono Men, Man Or Astro Man?, Southern Culture on the Skids, The Untamed Youth, Melvins, Mudhoney and The Hellacopters. Packed with more reverb and instrumental tracks than the previously mentioned comp series, these tunes were again all collected on a CD called “Runnin’ On Fumes” in 2000.
“My General Lee” by The Untamed Youth from split single with SCOTS, 1997 Gearhead Records
4. Sides
Co-released by the mighty Skin Graft Records and Gasoline Boost Records, starting in 1995 this series is an AC/DC tribute of sorts, comprised of either AC/DC covers or songs inspired by AC/DC (see for example, “Dunderdruck” by Yowie, or “Back in Blanc” by the Dennison Kimball Trio). Just when you thought it couldn’t get better, three of the four editions were double 7”ers, and each edition was also housed in a comic book. With some not-so-subtle connections to Touch and Go Records bands, and in addition to the bands already mentioned, also contributing on these sets were Shellac, Big’n, Zeni Geva, Killdozer, Colossamite and Mule. Not too shabby.
Mule covering “Have a Drink on Me” from “Sides 11-14” single on Skin Graft/Gasoline Boost 2008
3. Self Mutilation
Released in the early 90’s on Hippy Knight Records out of Australia, initially there were three volumes in this series that were also eventually collected on a CD (with extra tracks), and later volumes 4-6 were released on a CD-only comp. In the spirit of self mutilation, the artwork was some pretty gnarly drawings of actual self mutilation, and the contents were killer. Some of the bands involved were Coffin Break, Superchunk, Green Magnet School, Jonestown, Sandy Duncan’s Eye, Vertigo, Seaweed and Stump Wizards. All are primo examples of 90’s punk/noise/grunge, and Hippy Knight Records also put out some other great releases worth checking out.
“Polsen Petrolium” by Sandy Duncan’s Eye, taken from “Self Mutilation Volume 2” 1991 Hippy Knight Records.
2. Teriyaki Asthma
For some reason I always think of this series when I think of the Self Mutilation series. It might be because I got some of these around the same time, but there are other similarities since here too we have some serious slabs of 90’s brilliance. On the essential C/Z Records from Seattle, there were nine volumes in this series which were also eventually collected on two CDs (the unreleased volume ten is contained on the second CD volume). Being on C/Z Records and having deep ties to the Seattle grunge scene, its no surprise that the list of bands on these comps is insane, and here are just some of them: Nirvana, Coffin Break, L7, Alice Donut, God’s Acre, Icky Joey, Jonestown, Gas Huffer, Porn Orchard, Daddy Hate Box, Olivelawn, Unrest, Poster Children, Superchunk, Treepeople, Ween, Superconductor, Trash Can School, Crackerbash, etc. See what I mean?!
“One Proud Stout” by Stymie from the “Teriyaki Asthma IX” single, C/Z Records 1993
1. Dope Guns ‘N Fucking in the Streets
Still being released today (albeit intermittently), these singles by Amphetamine Reptile Records are the best comp series in my books, and they really deserve an article all their own. Based out of Minneapolis, this series started in 1988 and volume 14 was released in 2018 (this latest edition represents a bit of rule bending in the list since it was released on 10”). As good as the series mentioned above is, when you see who are on these sets you can see how it rises above the others. Additionally, the more recent editions are packaged in label head Tom Hazelmyer’s insane artwork and limited edition coloured vinyl pressings, making them true pieces of art. Only some of the artists included are U-Men, Mudhoney, Tar, God Bullies, Cows, Tad, King Snake Roost, Boss Hog, Vertigo, Helmet, Melvins, Jonestown, Jesus Lizard, Unsane, Superchunk, Jawbox, Love 666, Steel Pole Bathtub, Chrome Cranks, Rocket From the Crypt and Big Business. In the early days the volumes were collected a few at a time on three full length LP and CD collections, and more recently volumes 1-11 were mercifully collected onto a triple LP or double CD set.
“Action Candy” by Surgery from “Dope Guns ‘n Fucking in the Streets Vol. 3” single, 1989 Am Rep.
And then some…
In addition to the releases listed above there are many other series out there put out by many labels and zines, past and present, that should be explored. In no particular order, you should also check out the recent Joyful Noise “Cause and Effect” series, as well as the Rhino and Light in the Attic cover song ones, or the Howl and OX fanzine singles, Puget Power, Love and Napalm, SF Underground, Live at Emo’s, Blobs, Scumbait, Ow Quit it, as well as the duo of Four on the Floor and Three on the Tree. Get on it, revisit some old favs, and discover some new ones! And also go see live music. R
-Ryan is one of the hosts of the You Don’t Know Mojack Podcast-