Aston Neighborhood Pleasure Club

“The Emperor’s New Clothes” b/w “My Girl’s Pussy”

Hold Fast Records

scum stats: 500 clear vinyl copies, limited edition of 10 copies housed in hand-made “Pussy Hat” knit by local female Michigan artists, all profits donated to Planned Parenthood

I don’t really like taking “requests” for this little column here. I like to feel like I’m unencumbered by such things and just get to write about what I want.

But when Hold Fast owner Rob St. Mary presented me with one of these badass limited copies, housed in a handmade knit hat…well, his mild request for me to write was far overshadowed by the product itself.

Is this the first piece of vinyl packaged in a hat? I’m hard pressed to name another. Just clever enough without being worthy of an eye-roll.

A-side features the legendary David J (Bauhaus, Love and Rockets) on vocals and whether considered veiled or not, definitely seems like a critique of the current president of the United States. Not bad in the old time big band jazz style.

B-side is a cover of the classic double-entendre tune by Harry Roy, which it took me playing in my office just now to have Swank yell from across the hall that he and David Viner used to cover it. I never knew that. Lyrics that I’d rather not retype here notwithstanding, the jaunty vibe and honking horn solos with thundering floor tom accompaniment are always welcome here. I could definitely enjoy and entire album of similar material from ANPC.

On the business end, the weight, profile and color of this single is among the most impressive I have ever seen from Archer Record Pressing in Detroit. Still killing it since 1965!

And since I want to help a small label and Planned Parenthood, if anyone is bold enough to jump in and buy the “Pussy Hat” edition…email me your receipt and I will happily send you an added bonus from Blackwell’s closet: inquiries@thirdmanrecords.com