Pieto the Media Ecologist runs quite the fascinating cultural tumblr, especially if your interests are like EuroTrashUtilityBelt's. He is a media scholar at University of Pittsburg, a lover of both the Situationists and meatball sandwiches and I've been gushing over his finds for some time. Here's a few euro-related posts (he has many other likes/types of posts as well) courtesy of Pieto. Grazie!
Sheep Squeeze, the world's first Dorkcore band, the retarded ancestor of groups like the FELDMANS, Spazz, Living War Room, Lost Ground, Slobber, the Shedwellaz, the Nauscopy Record Label, and many others were mostly known to insiders of the legendary West Bay Hardcore scene during its first wave in the years of 1990-1993. This post aims to change that.
The Wonder Years ... Sheep Squeeze came out of Redwood City's burgeoning punk scene in the late 80's. The original line up was Dan Lactose (guitar and vocals), Chris Heee (vocals and sweatpants), Brenkt Sheeply (drums and babbling) and Don Juan, Ph.d on bass. After several months of intense preparation which included many rounds of the game known as "Macho Racho", the boys bumbled their way into the infamous House of Faith studio, then housed in the unforgettable record store, CFY. Eagerly watched in the studio by the HLT Productions mastermind called Leech and OXBOW vocalist Eugene Robinson, the "Everything We Touch Turns to Sheep" sessions were put down on analog tapes by the internationally respected producer Bart Thurber.
Those sessions unleashed upon the world the monumental first self-titled 7", on Milking a Dead Cow Records.
Shows with the seminal bands like Unwound, FYP, Dinkus and Amyglada were written in the Akashic Records of dorkcore, hearts were broken and new vistas reached...(and I don't think once they did their parody of the Misfits' "Hate Breeders" aka "Sheep Breeders")
Borbah - The Movie that made us all cry.
Borbah was proof that the unbridled creativity of the Squeezers could manifest into cinematic utopia. This movie was originally a high school musical, prank and assignment. Following the musical direction of the group, this film is catchy but slightly nauseating.
Please adjust volume to max. Features Christ Heee from the FELDMANS, Dan of SPAZZ, Rawb of the Living War Room, Eugene Robinson of OXBOW and the much maligned BUTTER BOY.
"Live Like Your Grandma" in Half Moon Bay.
The songs on this rare videoed performance include : "Steve" ( a tribute to Steve Sanders of 90210), "Rich Punk" ( the lyrics are for the ages) "Vespa Wood" (not a tribute, but Hee on Trumpet), and the classic "Suck My Ass" which prefigured the Nirvana quiet-loud-quiet-loud song structure by years. Because of this "coincidence", they sued Cobain's estate as that was the only way to get to the guy who stole the Sheep's intellectual property right. Legend has it, that they were paid via a debauched night on the town with Courtney Love herself and consequently picked up her VDs.
Beware, the Racuous Return?
Rampant internet rumors have been spreading in early 2009 as to the return of Sheep Squeeze. Most notably, PunkNew.Org had this press release about their potential US tour...
Dateline: REDWOOD CITY - Immortal rockers never die. In fact, they just reunite, no matter what the costs. Sheep Squeeze, the progenitors of a musical movement endearingly known as "DorkCore" have returned, this time with not just 1 drummer, but all 4. Their first release in decades , entitled "Brenkt’s Rent” has already been banned in several states and a tour with Amy Grant has stalled in the planning process.
AS the public awaits the return, EuroTrashUtilityBelt will hold you over with this download, "Lambthology", the lost 39 song semi-discography released on Brenkt's label Nauscopy.
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