The 'All My Blues For Sale' single by Jackknife is a small but interesting artifact from the early-1990s American garage-punk underground. It came out in 1994 as a 7-inch vinyl release on Sympathy for the Record Industry, a label that played a huge role in documenting the raw, scrappy side of alternative rock during that era.
Like many releases on Sympathy for the Record Industry, the single sticks to a simple formula: two songs, pressed on a small run of vinyl, with a rough-around-the-edges sound that feels closer to a rehearsal room than a polished studio. One side features the band’s take on "I Hear You Knockin'", a classic rhythm-and-blues song that has been covered countless times over the decades. Jackknife’s version strips away any sense of polish and leans into distorted guitars and a pounding garage-rock groove. Flip the record over and you get the title track, “All My Blues For Sale,” which captures the band’s signature style: short, punchy, and driven by gritty guitars and shouted vocals.
Jackknife themselves were part of the loose network of garage revival bands that popped up in the United States during the late ’80s and early ’90s. The group revolved around guitarist and vocalist Sandra Rizzardi -often credited as “Super Sandra”- along with guitarist and vocalist Rich McKinley, plus additional players including Darin Lin Wood and drummer Chris Merlick around the time this single was recorded. They weren’t a major touring act and didn’t put out big studio albums; instead, their legacy mostly lives through a string of small-run singles and compilations that circulated among garage-rock fans.
The obscure 7" single 'Kill Myself” by Il Y A Volkswagens is one of those rare artifacts from the early-1980s British underground that continues to intrigue collectors of post-punk and minimal synth. Though the project left behind only a small recorded legacy, its connection to influential producers and the broader experimental scene of the era has given the record a lasting cult reputation.
Released in 1981 on the small independent label Mechanical Reproductions, 'Kill Myself' features the title track on the A-side and “American Dream” on the B-side. Its stark, lo-fi production and repetitive structure reflect the raw aesthetic that defined many DIY post-punk releases of the period. Despite its limited distribution, the single became a minor underground curiosity and has since been rediscovered by collectors and DJs interested in early minimal synth and experimental post-punk.
"Kill Myself" is built around a minimalist arrangement: rigid drum machine patterns, skeletal synth lines, and detached vocals that emphasize the bleak humor of the lyrics. The song’s repeated phrase -“I’m gonna kill myself / And watch it on television”- captures the dark irony and media-obsessed paranoia typical of the early-1980s post-punk mindset. The track’s hypnotic repetition and rough recording style give it a confrontational quality that feels closer to performance art than to conventional pop songwriting.
Behind the project were Eric Radcliffe and John Fryer, two figures who would later become respected producers and engineers within the British alternative music scene. Radcliffe would go on to run the influential Blackwing Studios in London, while Fryer became widely known for his production work and for being one of the core members of This Mortal Coil. Their collaboration under the name Il Y A Volkswagens appears to have been a short-lived studio project rather than a conventional touring band.
The project is often associated with the wider Leicester post-punk scene, which produced a number of experimental groups in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Members of that scene later formed or participated in other bands, including The Apollinaires, illustrating the fluid, interconnected nature of the UK’s underground music communities at the time.
The Hook ’N’ Pull Gang were a short-lived indie/garage rock band from Edinburgh, Scotland who briefly surfaced in the mid-1980s UK underground scene. Like a lot of small bands from that era, they left behind only a tiny recorded footprint, but the little that exists has become a curiosity for collectors of obscure British indie singles. The group mixed raw garage-rock guitars with a surprisingly soulful vocal approach, giving their sound a slightly unusual edge compared to the jangly indie bands that were dominating the UK at the time.
The band reportedly grew out of a friendship between drummer and vocalist Eileen MacMullan and bassist Alan McDade, who started writing songs together before bringing guitarist Rita Blazyca into the lineup. Early press coverage described their music as loud and gritty, with a “wall of sound” guitar attack and vocals that leaned more toward soul than punk. Their songs also carried a streak of dark humour and slightly macabre imagery, something that was reflected in the band’s name. According to contemporary interviews, “Hook ’N’ Pull” was a reference to the notorious body-snatchers Burke and Hare, whose crimes in 19th-century Edinburgh became part of local folklore.
Their only widely known release is the 7-inch single 'Pour It Down Yer Throat / Gasoline', which came out in 1987 on their own tiny DIY label, Bitch Hog. The record feels very much like a product of the independent cassette-and-demo culture of the time: rough around the edges, loud, and unapologetically raw. The A-side, "Pour It Down Yer Throat", is a snarling, swaggering track driven by thick guitars and a vocal performance that sits somewhere between garage rock attitude and deep soul phrasing. On the flip side, "Gasoline" leans into the band’s heavier side, with a darker, slightly more aggressive feel.
Around the time the single appeared, the band were starting to get a bit of attention from the UK music press and were playing occasional showcase gigs in London. Some reviewers picked up on the unusual mix of styles, describing the band as pairing big, thrashing guitar backing with vocals that sounded almost like they belonged in a soul band. Despite the early buzz, the momentum never really turned into a full breakthrough, and the group faded from view not long afterwards.
Today the single survives mostly as a small oddity from the late-80s indie underground. Because it was self-released in small numbers, copies don’t turn up very often, though when they do the price usually isn’t extreme. For collectors of obscure UK garage or DIY indie records, 'Pour It Down Yer Throat / Gasoline' remains one of those fascinating little artifacts from a scene where dozens of bands briefly flared into existence, pressed a record or two, and disappeared again.
'Another Alternative?' is a super obscure cassette released around 1987 by Generation Waste, a punk band out of Chicago. Like a lot of underground releases from that time, it was most likely self-produced and circulated through tape trading and fanzines rather than any formal label. One of the few traces it left behind is a review in Maximum Rocknroll, which praised it as a “damn hot first tape,” highlighting its mix of fast, aggressive punk energy with a surprising sense of melody and thoughtful lyrics.
Listening to it (or even just going off descriptions), the sound seems to sit somewhere between hardcore punk and thrash, but not in a totally chaotic way. There’s a drive and intensity, sure, but also structure and hooks that make it stand out from more raw, one-dimensional demos of the era. That balance between speed and melody hints at where punk would go in the following years, especially with the rise of more melodic hardcore styles.
As for Generation Waste themselves, they’re pretty much a mystery. There’s barely any documented history, which usually means they were a small, local band that didn’t stick around long or didn’t put out many recordings. That wasn’t unusual at all in the 80s punk scene -tons of bands would form, record a demo or two, play some local shows, and disappear. Still, those short-lived projects were a huge part of what made the scene feel alive and constantly evolving.
In the end, 'Another Alternative?' isn’t just interesting because of the music -it’s a snapshot of a whole DIY culture. Back then, you didn’t need a label or big distribution. You just needed a tape, some copies, and a way to get it into people’s hands. Even if Generation Waste never became a well-known name, this cassette captures that raw, self-made spirit that defined underground punk in the 80s.
Label:
Not On Label (Generation Waste Self-Released) – none
The split single 'Buffalo Bob / More Than Love' from 1988 is one of those great little artifacts from the Australian underground, the kind of record that perfectly captures how tight and collaborative that scene really was. It pairs up feedtime and King Snake Roost, two bands who shared stages, influences, and a general love for loud, stripped-down, no-frills rock.
What makes the record especially cool is the concept behind it. Instead of just contributing their own tracks, each band covers the other. feedtime takes on “Buffalo Bob,” originally by King Snake Roost, while King Snake Roost returns the favor with their version of “More Than Love,” a feedtime song. It’s less of a split in the usual sense and more like a conversation between the two bands, each one filtering the other’s material through their own sound.
The feedtime version of “Buffalo Bob” leans hard into their signature style -slow, pounding, repetitive, and almost hypnotic. There’s a kind of blunt-force groove to it, like a blues riff that’s been dragged through mud and distortion until it becomes something raw and primitive. On the flip side, King Snake Roost’s take on “More Than Love” is rougher and more chaotic, pushing the song into noisier territory, with a sharper, more aggressive edge that hints at the direction noise rock and early grunge would take in the following years.
Both bands were central figures in the late 80s Australian underground. feedtime had been around since the late 70s and built their reputation on a minimalist, blues-infused take on punk that felt completely out of step with trends at the time. Their music was repetitive in a deliberate way, almost trance-like, and later on it would be recognized as a major influence on the grunge and noise scenes that exploded in the US.
King Snake Roost, coming out of Adelaide in the mid-80s, were a bit more abrasive and chaotic. Their sound had more in common with the harsher end of American noise rock, but they still shared that same DIY spirit and obsession with raw texture. They even made their way over to the US and worked with Butch Vig before he became a household name, which gives you an idea of how connected these scenes were becoming.
There’s also a live element to their relationship that adds another layer to this record. The bands played together often, and it wasn’t unusual for members to jump on stage with each other. At times, King Snake Roost’s Peter Hill would even perform “Buffalo Bob” live with feedtime, blurring the lines between the two groups even further.
In the end, this split isn’t just a couple of songs pressed onto vinyl -it’s a snapshot of a moment where a small, noisy scene was cross-pollinating in real time. You can hear the shared DNA, but also the subtle differences in approach, and that’s what makes it such a satisfying listen, especially if you’re into the roots of noise rock and grunge.
"Distance" is one of those tracks that feels like it slipped through the cracks of music history. Released in 1980 by Exhibit A, it sits right in that fascinating moment when punk was mutating into something colder, moodier, and more experimental. You can hear that shift clearly in the song -it trades raw aggression for atmosphere, leaning into tension, space, and a kind of emotional detachment that defined a lot of early post-punk.
The track itself is pretty minimal on the surface, but that’s part of its charm. The guitars are sharp and a bit jagged, the rhythm feels steady but slightly hypnotic, and the vocals come off distant, almost deliberately disconnected. It’s not trying to be catchy in a traditional sense -it’s more about creating a feeling, a kind of sonic mood that lingers rather than grabs you immediately. There’s a quiet intensity to it that rewards repeat listens, especially if you’re into that darker, stripped-back sound.
As for Exhibit A, they’re one of those bands that never quite broke through but still managed to leave a small imprint on the underground scene. Like many groups operating in the late ’70s and early ’80s, they were part of a wave of artists experimenting beyond punk’s limitations, pulling in influences from art rock, dub, and early electronic music. They didn’t have a long or particularly high-profile career, and documentation about them is pretty scarce, which only adds to their mystique.
What makes Exhibit A interesting is how representative they are of that era’s DIY ethos. Bands like them often released singles on small labels, played local circuits, and disappeared before getting any real mainstream attention. But that doesn’t mean the music wasn’t compelling -if anything, it’s often more raw and exploratory than what was happening in the charts at the time. “Distance” is a perfect example of that: understated, a little eerie, and very much a product of its moment.
Over the years, tracks like this have found a second life among collectors and fans digging deep into post-punk’s lesser-known corners. It might not be a classic in the traditional sense, but it captures a specific mood and time so well that it feels like a hidden gem waiting to be rediscovered.
'Look To This', the elusive 1982 release by Doo-Dooettes, stands as a curious artifact from the fringes of the early ’80s American underground. Issued as a private pressing on the Solid Eye label, the record emerged from the orbit of the Los Angeles Free Music Society, a loose and prolific network of artists operating in Los Angeles who embraced lo-fi production, irreverence, and total creative freedom. Like many LAFMS-related releases, the album feels less like a polished statement and more like a snapshot of a moment -raw, strange, and defiantly unconcerned with convention.
The record drifts between fragments of pop structure and bursts of chaotic experimentation. Hints of melody and rhythm surface briefly, only to be interrupted or reshaped by tape manipulation, found sounds, and a playful sense of absurdity that keeps everything slightly off balance. This constant push and pull -between something almost familiar and something entirely unhinged- gives the album its peculiar charm. At times it brushes against the spirit of no wave; elsewhere it leans into collage and musique concrète, never settling long enough to be easily defined.
What makes the album particularly compelling is how it reflects the ethos of its scene. The Doo-Dooettes weren’t aiming for mass appeal or even coherence in a traditional sense; instead, they were part of a broader conversation about what music could be when stripped of industry expectations. The rough edges, abrupt transitions, and flashes of randomness feel deliberate, forming a quiet rejection of polish in favor of immediacy and experimentation.
Over the years, the record has remained a collector’s curiosity, circulating mainly among those drawn to underground and outsider music. Beyond its rarity, 'Look To This' offers a vivid glimpse into a creative community that thrived on limitation and unpredictability, capturing a moment when making music meant pushing boundaries simply because they were there.
Label:
The Solid Eye – A1, Los Angeles Free Music Society – L.A.F.M.S.#14
Format:
Vinyl, LP
Country:
US
Released:
1982
Style:
Art Rock, Modern Classical, Experimental, Free Improvisation, Free Jazz, Jazz-Rock
Tracklist:
A1 Zombie
A2 I Got Right To Sing The Blu
A3 The Flying Eyes
A4 Baby
A5 Bird And Bee Orchestra
B1 Schlagerzeit (Tolstoy's Anemic)
B2 Dr. Phibes Visits Chicago
B3 Scrapyard
B4 Red Wrec. Said
B5 That Latin
B6 Yurei
Notes:
Elaborations:
A1 - this is the music from an Italian film entitled "Zombie", this version is the 'Ettes testimonial to horror.
A2 - recorded live on KCRW, Los Angeles; 3AM, April 4, 1982, on Brent Wilcox's "FRGK" program.
A3 - this is an excerpt from a longer piece, presented here is the first ten minutes; no overdubs or edits.
A4 - no comment.
A5 - environment created live entirely by mouth and limb.
B1 - this piece grew out of an annoying song Dennis used to play incessantly whenever he encountered a piano, by recording it in the studio and making it a big number we hoped we would cure him of the habit. It worked.
B2 - after working on "Zombie" in the studio and dealing with all that structure, we had to flex our improving muscles. "Dr. Phibes" was the result. If you listen carefully you can hear him speak as he arrives in town.
B3 - a condensation of 20 minute piece down to about three. A random sampling with flavor enhancers by Tom.
B4 - excerpt of a piece used by Doug Henry in his film of the same name. Title courtesy Doug.
B5 - our version of "Nights in the Gardens of Spain"?
B6 - is not listed on the cover or labels, only on the insert. this tracks starts at the end of the side and run into the lock groove.
Recorded at The Sound Chamber in November 1981 except track A2 which was recorded at KCRW Radio, Los Angeles.
Mastered at Kendun. Pressing by KM.
Thanks to Kevin Laffey, Erling and Dagmar Nilsen, Dave Nold, Jan Paulhus, Paul Sanoian, Tom Potts, Mark Takeuchi and LAFMS.
Includes single-sided 11.5" square insert with credits.
Released in 1985, 'In A Coma….' is a rare 7-inch single/EP by the Japanese underground band Coma (コーマ). Issued on the independent label ADK Records, the record stands as a small but intriguing artifact from Japan’s mid-1980s post-punk movement. Like many releases from that era’s DIY scene, it was pressed in limited quantities and circulated primarily within underground networks, which helps explain its scarcity today.
'In A Coma….' reflects the darker, mood-driven aesthetics that defined much of the global post-punk sound during the early to mid-1980s. Contemporary commentary, including mentions in the influential punk zine Maximum Rocknroll, noted the band’s resemblance to the tense, brooding style of Killing Joke. That comparison places Coma within a lineage of bands that fused punk’s raw urgency with heavy, atmospheric guitar textures and a brooding rhythmic foundation. While reviewers at the time considered the record competent rather than groundbreaking, its sound captured the restless experimental spirit that characterized Japan’s underground rock scene.
The mid-1980s Japanese independent circuit was vibrant and diverse, with small labels like ADK Records documenting a range of punk and post-punk acts. Bands such as GISM, Cobra, and The Stalin are often cited as defining figures of the era, yet many lesser-known groups -Coma among them- contributed to the broader sonic landscape. These artists experimented freely, blending Western influences with local sensibilities and creating records that now serve as time capsules of a fiercely independent cultural moment.
The 'Broken Paws' cassette from 1986 is one of those fascinating artifacts from Canada’s underground home-taping era that seems to hover just outside mainstream documentation. Released as a self-titled tape, Broken Paws emerged from Calgary, Alberta at a time when independent musicians were embracing cassette culture as an affordable and creatively liberating format. Rather than pursuing traditional label routes, artists in this scene often recorded, duplicated, and distributed their music themselves, resulting in small runs that have since become rare collector’s pieces.
Behind the project was Richard Reynols, who used Broken Paws as a personal outlet for experimentation. The cassette captures the spirit of mid-1980s DIY electronic music: minimal synth textures, drum machine rhythms, and analog synth explorations woven together with a distinctly homemade aesthetic. There’s a rawness to the production that reflects both the limitations and the charm of home recording technology at the time. Unconventional touches -such as the inclusion of clarinet or even music box sounds- add a layer of unpredictability that makes the tape feel exploratory rather than polished.
Clocking in at over an hour, the cassette follows the generous runtime typical of the format. Tracks such as “It’s All Made Sound,” “Slander,” “Closed Eyes,” and “Street Life” suggest a mixture of introspective mood pieces and rhythm-driven synth sketches. Like many releases from the cassette underground, official documentation is scarce.
'Adjusting The Mirror' is a fairly obscure cassette release from 1992, issued in the UK under the name Another Green World. It was self-released, which usually means it was produced independently and likely in a small batch. In the early ’90s, that kind of DIY cassette culture was still very much alive, especially within experimental, ambient, and underground electronic circles. Artists would often duplicate tapes themselves or in very limited runs, distribute them by mail, or sell them at small gigs and through niche record shops. Because it wasn’t put out through a major or even well-known independent label, there isn’t a huge amount of documentation available. That scarcity is part of what gives releases like this a certain mystique. They tend to live on through collector databases and word of mouth rather than mainstream music archives.
Stylistically, the project is generally associated with electronic and ambient sounds, with touches that have been described as downtempo and possibly influenced by folk or world textures. That suggests something atmospheric and layered rather than song-based in a traditional pop sense. Early ’90s ambient and experimental electronic music often leaned toward mood and texture -synth washes, field recordings, minimal rhythms, and introspective tones- so it likely sits somewhere in that sonic territory.
The name "Another Green World" can definitely cause confusion, since most people immediately think of Brian Eno’s 1975 album of the same title. However, this cassette is completely unrelated. The shared name appears to be more of an artistic nod or coincidence rather than a direct connection to Eno’s work.
Label:
Not On Label (Another Green World Self-released) – AGW 003 GWM
Format:
Cassette, Album
Country:
UK
Released:
1992
Style:
Downtempo, Ambient, New Age, Progressive Electronic
