v/a "Ow, Quit It! Volume 2" double 7 inch (Volvolo Records/1994)

I have made it no secret that my favorite type of music is music that is recorded at home. Some see it as romanticizing but for someone like myself with a background as a publicist and a writer for a variety of music magazines where I every mediocre band was touted as the best thing since sliced bread, music that is recorded at home is simply a breath of fresh air. Music that is personal and just made to simply pass the time or express one's self. No one is selling you anything-well except for a record, or tape or whatever but I think you all know what I mean. And a double 7inch release like Ow, Quit It! Volume 2 is great as it documents a nice cross section of the type of stuff that people were recording during the whole home taping explosion of the 90s. There are great tracks from Lou Barlow's Sentridoh, Portastatic (Mac from Supercbunk's solo project), Tugboat 3001ad (Darren Rademaker of Further/The Tyde),  Soul Junk, O (from Fluf), Back Off Cupids, The Yak, Fellaheen, and Steve Fisk. The sounds captured on these two pieces of vinyl are lo fi bedroom pop, folk, bedroom and experimental stuff. I also must say that regardless of how off sounding the song starts out "I Stopped Singing" may possibly be my favorite Sentridoh song. I'll just shut up so you download the darn thing already.

Ow, Quit It! Volume 2 track listing
1. Tugboat 3001ad "One Planet From Home"
2. Back Off Cupids "Painted Half a Picture"
3.Portastatic "Weighted Raft"
4. Steve Fisk "To Abide in the Flesh Pt. 3"
5. Soul Junk "Matthew 5:13-16"
6. O "Little Lamb"
7. Sentridoh "I Stopped Singing"
8. The Yak "You're Breaking My Fucking Heart"
9. Fellaheen "Mor-X (A Tribute to Darren)"

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Tugboat 3001ad "First Tell Me Your Name" 7 inch (Little Mafia/1996)

Anyone who knows me well knows that this was bound to happen...a Further related post! Next to Sonic Youth who will always  be numero uno in my book, the 90s indie rock band Further is one of my favorite bands. I have been listening to them since high school and feverishly collecting all of their records. As if that dive into obscurity isn't enough I have also devoured just about every note unleashed by the Rademaker brothers (Darren and Brent). From The Summer Hits, Beachwood Sparks, The Tyde, Frausdots and even the pre Further outfits Shadowland and A New Personality. But it doesn't stop there as almost on cue with other bands from the 90s- a home recording solo project was a must and Further's Darren Rademaker was no exception. In the lo fi 4 track home recording spirit Darren gave the world Tugboat 3001ad. In what I usually refer to as the "Shrimper style" Tugboat 3001ad released several cassettes, vinyl and compilation appearances throughout the 90s that explored lo fi sound collage, bedroom pop and folk. Fans of Further, specially the Sometimes Chimes era of the band, should absolutely love the sounds of Tugboat 3001ad.

This 5 song 7 inch single, First Tell Me Your Name on Little Mafia Records was released in 1996 and as far as I know is still available from the label so I strongly recommend if you like what you hear to drop them a line. I have been regularly stocking the record in my distro for the last two maybe three years. Gianni is a super nice dude and I am sure would love to hear from you! I generally sway from sharing releases that may still be available but for documentation's sake I think that it is important as I don't believe most Further fans are even aware of Tugboat 3001ad. So Further fans get on it! A few notes about this 7 inch is that there is an earlier version of the song "The Fakers and The Takers" which was on the last Further ep. And also there is a "joke" song if you will dedicated to John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats called "I Was Almost a Mountain Goats Song" which is an absolute gem.

Information about Further on the internet has increased over the last few years which is great because it is indeed exposing a great band and great music to a whole new generation of fans. On the flip side information about Tugboat 3001ad is nearly non existent so with that being said here is my attempt at putting together a complete Tugboat 3001ad discography. Obviously if anyone has any input feel free to share.

Discography:

Beyond the Solar System Beyond the Stars cassette (Ecto Tapes/1992)

How Long Has Rock Got? cassette (X-Mas Records/1993)
Get Offerman EP cassette (X-Mas Records/1993)

Pacific Splashdown cassette (Flannel Banjo/1995)
First Tell Me Your Name 7 inch (Little Mafia Records/1996)

Compilations appearances:
Ow! Quit It: Volume 2 double 7 inch (Volvolo Records/1994)
Belly Up and Down For Davey Jones cassette (Flannel Banjo/1995)
The Pleasure Fair Volume 1 7 inch (Motorway Records/1997)

First Tell Me Your Name  7 inch track listing
1. First Tell Me Your Name
2. Indian Rocks
3. The Fakers and The Takers
4. Teenage Boys Need Revolution Too
5. I Was Almost a Mountain Goats Song


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