Cassette: A Date with the Dead Milkmen
This one was sent to me by our old friend Seven. Its an original cassette copy of “A Date with the Dead Milkmen” that belongs to Kurt Schulthise. Kurt asked Seven to transfer it to CD soon after Dave passed, which he did, (he’s waiting to see him to return it, didn’t want to trust it to the mail).
There’s a lyric sheet with the tape. It’s a scan of a faded photocopy and I tweaked the contrast a bit so as to be a bit more readable here. Joe signed it (as Jack Talcum) and that stands out very clearly. Also, it is cut off on the edges of the original — I didn’t crop it that way.
This was recorded in Manayunk on Baker Street where Joe and Dave (plus others) shared an apartment, and released to friends in 1983 - before I (Dean) joined the band. I believe that Rodney is playing drums on these recordings. Maybe Joe or Rodney can provide some details about this tape in the comments.
Thanks to Kurt and thanks Seven!
May 12th, 2006 at 11:45 pm
Rodney did play drums on some of these tracks (Filet of Sole is one) and, through the magic overdubbing, Dave Blood played both bass and drums on others (Ask Me to Dance is one). There were no other drummers. It’s still hard for me to believe that Dean was willing to join the band even after hearing this tape.
I’m also amazed now that we had the audacity to sell copies of this tape to a local indy record shop. AND we sent to it to a local ‘zine which reviewed it (our first press!). Each copy of the tape (we made 10) was packaged with hand-colored xeroxed art covered in clear contact paper plus Scotch tape over a hand-cut cardbaord case. The very bad art is mine.
Seven also made a copy of the tape for me on CD. The songs are posted on MP3 format at http://jacktalcum.com/audio.php if you care to listen.
GUNS FOR TOTS is the only song on here that was never re-recorded. I’M LIVING IN WISCONSIN was later recorded by Butterfly Joe but the title was shortened to WISCONSIN.
R.I.P. was the name of the “label” and 002 means that this is the second “release” for R.I.P. The first tape on R.I.P. was called PURGATORY BEAT, which was also recorded in Manayunk, but was not so widely distributed (I think we only made 3 or 4 copies and did not sell them). I do not have a copy of PURGATORY BEAT myself.
May 16th, 2006 at 4:29 pm
Holy crap! I loved hearing these songs from “Cassette: A Date with the Dead Milkmen”
I’ve owned Big Lizard for over 20 years and I never knew the lyrics for “Right wing” and the Junkie song.
It’s funny now, I’m actually becomming more conservative now that I am a parent with small children.
Your band was so great. Recently on a music web-site (SOMB) out of Chicago, there was a huge “Dead Milkmen appreciation thread.” I LOVE the Dead Milkmen!
Now, if I could only figure out what the lyrics to Tugena are…?
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June 11th, 2007 at 9:34 pm
i am getting older and not more conservative. it seems i have avoided the disease. but not the kids.