The Taxi Boys – The Taxi Boys [7''] (1981, Star Rhythm Records)

 

The Taxi Boys ' 'The Taxi Boys' 7″ single is a small but interesting slice of early-’80s American punk and garage rock history. It came out in 1981 in the United States and was released on Star Rhythm Records, with the catalog number SR-1002. Like a lot of indie singles from that era, it was pressed in relatively small numbers, which is why it tends to pop up today more as a collector’s item than a commonly documented release.

 
The band itself, The Taxi Boys, didn’t stick around for long. They were active for only a brief period around 1981 and are generally described as a raw rock-and-roll or punk-leaning garage band. As far as anyone can tell, this 7″ single is essentially their main official release, which adds to its obscurity and appeal among record collectors and fans of underground punk.

 
There’s also an important connection to John Felice, best known from the Boston punk band The Real Kids. According to stories that circulate in punk and collector circles, The Taxi Boys were formed by Felice during a short breakup or downtime period for The Real Kids. The Taxi Boys project didn’t last long, and Felice soon returned to The Real Kids, making this single feel like a quick side project rather than a fully developed band with a long career.

 
Details about the exact track listing and credits on the 7″ are surprisingly hard to pin down, which isn’t unusual for DIY releases from the early ’80s. Some references link the band to the song “Up Is Up,” which appears in online audio and video uploads, but official documentation is sparse. Discography sites like Discogs do list the single (and sometimes related releases under the same name), though even there the information is fairly minimal. 

Overall, 'The Taxi Boys' 7″ is one of those records that sits at the crossroads of punk history and collector culture: short-lived band, tiny discography, strong connections to a more famous act, and just enough mystery to keep people talking about it decades later. 

 

 

Label: Star Rhythm Records – SR-1002 

Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, EP, Stereo 

Country: US 

Released: 1981 

Style: Garage Rock, Power Pop 

 

Tracklist: 

A1 I Can't Kick 2:40 

A2 Down To You 2:12 

B1 Up Is Up 3:03 

B2 Some Love Like Yours 3:50 

 

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