Slow Turtle Fast
“Salivating Babies” b/w “The Lord Don’t Forget”, “Gonna Getcha Bucky”
scum stats: 100 hand-numbered copies, green vinyl, each sleeve a completely unique hand-made design
This thing arrived in the mail who knows how long ago. No idea who sent it or why. I listened once and put it aside in the metaphorical “Need to give this one a second listen” pile.
Cleaned off the shelves last week, couldn’t remember why I put it in the “second listen” pile and pledged to re-investigate.
That is not a knock. Honestly, bands from suburban Detroit like Mad Cow, 400 Pounds of Punk (later known as the Surgeon Generals), Dirt Squad, Gut, Frame, Full Circle, Blood Sledge Electric Death Chickens all hold a place somewhere deep in my heart.
(There is a long rambling essay buried somewhere in my body about the time spent with/enjoying these bands at the Wired Frog Internet Cafe in Roseville, Michigan. But I digress…)
“Salivating Babies” meanders as a sub-Tool, bass-led angst exploration. “The Lord Don’t Forget” is pop-punk by numbers in a completely inoffensive manner (and really, isn’t inoffensive the raison d’être of pop punk?)
“Bucky” is in the vein of those aimless songs on “Bleach” and “Incesticide” that feel like the must’ve REALLY meant something to Cobain, otherwise, they kinda seem to just sit there as a placeholder.
The main takeaway from this release is, did these guys not know the past fifteen years had happened? The imprint, Mystical Records, is wildly fascinating in the depth of its catalog…they’ve put out a ton of shit! But only a handful of the 50-ish releases ever came out on vinyl.
The art on my copy (#96) is crayon-based and crude in a childish manner. And I’m a total sucker for it.
If you like taking a chance, I would recommend the lone copy of this single sitting on Discogs at the moment. It’s worth the $13 asking price. If you’re not into it, I’ll buy it off you.
A further challenge: if anyone can track down and supply me with digital files of Mad Cow from (I believe) St. Clair Shores, I will repay handsomely. I’ve got a cassette I bought from them after a show that’s an amazing time capsule, but I always thought they did more. I can find zero evidence online of the existence of this band, but there are probably no less than TEN other outfits with the same name. I think the guitar player was named Mike Bishop. He may have gone to Bishop Gallagher high school. I don’t have Facebook. I don’t know how to find people. Don’t aggravate the guy if you find him, you know, I just wanna hear the stuff.
