nessus@mit-eddie.UUCP (Doug Alan) (06/26/85)
I'm forwarding this message to net.music for James Hofmann because
there seems to be some problem with the info-music => net.music
connection he uses:
From hofmann@AMSAA.ARPA Tue Jun 25 12:10:23 1985
Hello Net:
There's a hot new band from Baltimore currently touring
L'America. Keep your eyes peeled for them. Their name is "Reptile
House."
Last Saturday night, your intrepid and boozed net-reporter
attended their local farewell show at the local Typographers Union
Hall, a sparse and appropriate setting indeed; appropriate since
most of the underground nightclubs in the downtown have been shut
down for one reason or another (take heart, though, the legendary
Loft reopens this 30th).
Two Marylande bands opened for the Reptile House. The first
promising group, Roadside Petz (from St. Mary's City) are so young
most of them just celebrated their High School graduation. Their
original songs decry the stupid injustice wreaked on them by the
local Jocks. Their lead singer, Tom, bursts with pure energy and
camaraderie with the enthusiastic audience who dance as if they are crazed
DeadHeads practicing grope therapy imitating KamiKaze pilots. The
other group, Friends of Enemies, featured a dazzling cover of
Queen's "We are the Champions" (part 1) and their own "Tylenol
Killers."
Reptile House, though, stands heads above all other Balticore
bands. Vocals and lyrics are done by Daniel Strasser. His dark
brooding and maniac composure (or lack thereof) evokes images of
Morrison, Boylan and young Lou Reed. Their most popular song,
"Keel Haul Love" drove the dancers into a feeding (read: slamming)
frenzy. It starts with a Rock-Lobster like lead and boasts
some of the most darkly humorous lyrics I've heard in a long one.
The song describes the death of a sailor apparently thrown overboard
with just a rope tied to around his waist by his bored but fun-loving
mates.
"THIS IS MY FIRST HAUL
THIS IS MY LAST
I HEAR THE MOANS DOWN BELOW
OF KEEL HAUL VICTIMS PAST"
The images of "Barnacles in my back, Baby" and "dolphins chirping
like maniacs" reinforce the theme of disillusionment to the nth
degree with the romanticism of the sea-life.
"Of course I can't be heard now
I am underneath the ship
I relax I try to enjoy myself
My limbs begin to rip"
Hilarious. Scary. This song is included in their 7 inch - 33 RPM
recording, "I Stumble as the Crow Flies." Other songs on the
recording are "Social Champion", a demonstration of how well free form
poetry mixes with hardcore music (OK, punk, if you will). "Mrs. Rain"
is a "Annie Christian" meets "Mrs. Robinson" story. It is rife with
sexual/religious images describing an affair with an older, apparently
religious woman that ends when the poet spies his brother with Mrs.
Rain "through the spotty window." The last song on the recording is
entitled "Sleestak Weather." It is a veiled attack on the mindlessness
of television by describing the ultimate consumer in the guise of
those thoroughly ridiculous zombies from that thoroughly ridiculous
but popular 1974 Saturday morning TV show, "Land of the Lost." [ Hollie!!
Will!! Dad!! ]
"My nerf ball eyes
scan the ground
for a jaw bone big enough to
instinctively grip and
instinctively swing
to brutally strike down
the Alabaster City"
jumping ahead for the sake of net-brevity:
"...My two twin brains
will tell me whether to walk on
or to club you, not to death,
but to idiocy
I don't want to turn you off
I want to change your channel"
Other songs they did on Saturday are a tune called "Devil
Talk", which ribs the Motly Crue (don't forget the Umlauts!)/
Def Leppard etc etc ... psuedo-Satan worship and "I Stumble
as the Crow Flies" which for some reason isn't included on the
mini-lp of the same title. Thankfully, Daniel Strasser recites
the words before they play it. No video needed here, folks!
"The black bird's eyes were blue" says it all for me. They
also did a cover but for their originals were so good that
for the death :-) of me I can't remember it.
Reptile House will be on tour until August 11 and you
can get more information on the record as well as tour dates
by writing to:
Reptile House Info:
c/o Druid Hill Records
2 Harvest Road
Baltimore, Md 21210
The record costs 3$, so if you are really desperate for new tunes
send the bucks and whatever postage you think it will take or
write me and I'll give you their phone number.
Till later, then:
James Hofmann
"Live Music is better! Bumper Stickers will be issued"