Squirrel Bait “Squirrel Bait” 1985. Clear red vinyl EP, Homestead Records (and cover designed by Steve Albini). Young punks from Louisville, Kentucky, at times melodic and others more hardcore. Six of the eight tracks were originally recorded in ’84 when the band members were still in high school. They toured the Midwest in the mid-80’s, opening for bands like Hüsker Dü, Naked Raygun and Big Black (hence the Albini hookup). I have vague recollections of seeing the band’s name on flyers – and it’s entirely possible I saw a show if they ever played Wisconsin back in the day – but I honestly don’t remember Squirrel Bait; their style of punk isn’t my favorite. If pressed my top picks would be “Hammering So Hard” and “Disguise” – both are alright when the band stays sharp and tight, but the emocore sound is not my jam. “Perfect” is interesting, with tempo changes, some angularity along with its rhythm — mathcore. Although there is a fair amount of fawning over the band and this EP (they are torchbearers for Fugazi, they were a huge influence on Dave Grohl, blah blah) and about what some of the band members went on to do (playing with The Lemonheads, the Breeders, forming and dissolving a bunch of punk bands), Squirrel Bait isn’t doing it for me. And because it was the mid-80s’ and punks had no money, there’s virtually nothing out there visually but I did find this performance of “Sun God” from Squirrel Bait:

Status Quo “Messages From the Status Quo” 1968. US version of their debut (released as Picturesque Matchstickable Messages from the Status Quo in their native UK). Psychedelic pop that swirls and bops along gaily through lemon drop fields and lollipop forests. It’s adorably ridiculous. The band, and album, came up recently as we were deciding what Camper Van Beethoven records to cull – I absolutely love CVB’s cover of Status Quo’s “Pictures of Matchstick Men.” And while I do know the original, I haven’t really listened to the rest of the album. It didn’t do well upon its release, failing to chart in the UK, but the single “Pictures of Matchstick Men” went to #7 and charted in the US at #12. It’s for sure the best track on the album. The opener is pretty good though that track, “Black Veils of Melancholy” (released as the second single), and “Sunny Cellophane Sky” are both pretty obvious rehashes of “Matchstick Men” – I think they just switched around a few notes and changed the lyrics. The third single, “Ice in the Sun” is also pretty good – it went to #8 in the UK and to #70 in the US. Other songs are OK too but “Gentleman Joe’s Sidewalk Café” sounds 100% like a Beatles ripoff, “Paradise Flat” channels Cream and Jimi Hendrix plus a dash of Jim Morrison spoken “poetry,” and “Spicks and Specks” is a cover a very early Bee Gees song (but could have been by the Monkees.) All that said, it’s a fun, bright and cheery record that is a great snapshot of the era.

Big Bang Theory “Big Bang Theory” 1986. Funkladen Music (their own label). Bright 80’s new wave, highly funkafied, from Milwaukee. Synth-laden, horns galore and funky funky bass characterize Big Bang Theory. A dash of Oingo Boingo, a splash of Sheila E. and a whole lotta James Brown but white guys in Miami Vice suits. They don’t credit Duran Duran as an influence but I’d be shocked if there weren’t posters of John Taylor on bassist Jo Voboril’s bedroom walls as the style has JT all over. See “Game of Love” especially for a play-that-funky-bass ass-shaking groove. Another good track is “Funk With Me,” which is, obviously, funky. “New Direction” feels very 80’s British blue-eyed soul meets English Beat/General Public and Tears for Fears – it’s probably my top pick on the LP. Overall Big Bang Theory is very danceable, tight and rhythm-forward but it does all start sounding the same after a bit. There’s not much out there about Big Bang Theory (the band, there’s plenty about the TV show) – I learned they recorded the album at Firebrand Recording studio where other MKE acts like The Crusties, Those Spanic Boys, others also did recordings). They do have an active Facebook page and it looks like they’ve been fairly active the past couple of years around Milwaukee. I have zero recollection of the band, but I think their heyday was before I moved here – it looks like they did some touring in the late 80’s and early 90’s, including a set at CBGB’s in ’92. I did find an hourlong performance from ’92 here in Milwaukee, at Steny’s Block Party (lol) where their look had morphed to a more 90’s style: