The Pukes “Murder”

sfilzen — Mon, 19 Sep 2016 16:31:41 +0000

The Pukes “Murder” b/w “Execution” 2016. Tire Fire Records. This past weekend was our neighborhood party, Bay View Bash. Free music on multiple stages, local vendors and businesses promoting their wares (I worked the booth for the yoga studio that I teach at for a couple of hours), good cheap beer and food trucks.

Local Milwaukee boys, The Pukes, hit the Rush Mor Records stage at 3:00, after the Mercurys finished their awesome set (and I made enough room on my phone to record their entire performance of “New York”). The band’s name suggests punk, and they kind of are, but in the irreverent and snotty definition of punk, not the hardcore scream-sing thrash guitar meaning. They describe themselves as “boogie woogie rock-n-roll,” also true, who enjoy “dancing around in our underwear, using hairbrushes as microphones as we sing Shagri-La’s tunes.”

“Murder” is a happy, bouncy surf punk song with just enough edge to justify the song’s title. “Execution” has a rolling beat, early 60′s flavor sweet as sugar along with the melodic growl of “I want my execution to go down in history.” The description of the 45 from the band’s website is “Something every nose-picking loser should have. With the hole just the way you like em’, BIG. This garbage comes wrapped in artwork by Eric Von Munz!”

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Mercurys “New York”

sfilzen — Fri, 17 Jun 2016 18:30:46 +0000

Mercurys “New York” b/w “Vacation” and “Conquistador” 1995. M-Fly Records. Local Milwaukee band (and at the time of this release the band included my sister-in-law, Angela, on bass; she also did the cover art for the 45). The Mercurys are getting back together for a show tomorrow night at Club Garibaldi, opening for another local band, The Pukes. It’s been a loooong time since we’ve seen the Mercurys play out so I’m pretty excited. Angela won’t be playing but frontman/guitarist George will be (day job – owner of the excellent restaurant Cafe Corozon in Milwaukee’s Riverwest and Bay View neighborhoods).

Their shows were always great – high energy, lo-fi garage rock. Two of my favorite songs appear on this 45: “Conquistador,” a Latin-flavored instrumental, and “New York” a deep groovin’ screamer with a killer bass line, excellent guitar solo and GREAT lyrics:

New York City! WASTED! In New York City! Ahhhhahhahhahhahhahhh…. Yeah! New York City! Hahahaha! [sound of tires squealing] New York City! New York City! [Brooklyn accent] Can’t you see I’m walking here? Ahhhaahhh!

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mercurys Archives - Vinyl From The Vault

The Pukes “Murder”

Mercurys “New York”