Wasted Lives / Big Black Puppets – Divorce / False Hopes [7''] (1979, Spoken Records)

 

This 7″ single, Wasted Lives / Big Black Puppets – “Divorce” / “False Hopes,” is a split release from the very early Vancouver punk scene. It came out in 1979 on Spoken Records and is a classic example of the DIY, small-run singles that were popping up around Canada at the tail end of the ’70s punk explosion. Copies are scarce today, which has helped give it a bit of cult status among collectors of early Canadian punk.

 
On one side is Wasted Lives with the track “Divorce.” The band was short-lived but packed with people who would go on to play important roles in the Vancouver scene. Members were connected to bands like D.O.A., Modernettes, UJ3RK5, Corsage, and Private School, making Wasted Lives something of a brief but intense crossover project. “Divorce” is raw, fast, and straight to the point -very much in line with late-’70s punk energy. 

The flip side features Big Black Puppets with “False Hopes.” They were also part of the same Vancouver punk and new wave ecosystem, contributing to a scene that was energetic but not always well documented outside the region. Their track balances aggression with a slightly more angular, art-punk feel, fitting right in with what was happening locally at the time. 

Overall, the single is a snapshot of Vancouver punk in its formative years, before many of these musicians became better known in other bands. It’s historically interesting, musically rough around the edges in the best way, and now considered a pretty desirable piece of Canadian punk history. 

Label: Spoken Records – none 

Format: Vinyl, 7" 

Country: Canada 

Released: 1979 

Style: New Wave, Punk 

 

Tracklist: 

A Wasted Lives – Divorce 

B Big Black Puppets – False Hopes 

 

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