Friday, February 17, 2006

Suckdog: Drugs are Nice

self-released, 1990,

A slumber party for delinquent teenage girls (and a guy) who never had a slumber party. Their imaginary brothers are in the basement playing punk rock and the girls invade for a song or two to sing about dragons and beasties. They then go to the kitchen to suck on sugarcubes and bother Mom. Later, it's up to the bedroom to do those annoying things teenage girls do (scream, blather, scream, talk about boys, play with tape machines). The night ends in the proverbial attic contemplating love and death and listening to a music box as the New Hampshire winter snow falls. It's horrifying, it's retch-inducing, it's sad and makes for a great listen every few years.

Lisa Suckdog, ingenue, waif, then-pseudo-slut, performance-artist-as- Horatio-Alger- story, future sex authoress and companion of dangerous men corrals her New Hampshire freak family together and somehow produces a critically aclaimed vinyl release. Well, a few critics liked it (they've all since gone through detox and sell flowers on the street corner, though). Included in the line-up are members of GG Allin backup-band wanna-bes Insanicide. Think of this as sort of a King of Comedy with Lisa as Rupert Pupkin and Jim Hildreth as Sandra Bernhard (and GG Allin as Jerry Lewis, although he doesn't make an appearance, alas).

By the way, you can pretty much get the same experience of a good deal of this album, though, by going to Youtube.com and typing in pajama party, sleepover or farts (not that I've every done anything like that - ed.). Or you might, GG forbid, have a teenage daughter and have experienced it for yourself. Even so, this record and most of Lisa's life has been a kick in the teeth to the establishment. So, cheers.

Not much here really lends itself to iPodization - it's an album to hear all the way through and then go curl up in a corner and die. But the opening track ("Your Dragon") sounds like what might have happened had Julia Cafritz had the balls to strangle Jon Spencer and take over Pussy Galore and the closing track, "Brontes in the Attic", an early precursor to all those music box sounds that proliferate in music these days, makes the cut for me. Even before I had read Lisa's book. Ms Carver, who has since become an accomplished essayist and writer, described the making of this song in her recommended book, Drugs Are Nice (A Post Punk Memoir) as a soundtrack to a disintegrating adolescent love affair:



Songs:
"Your Dragon"
"Brontes in the Attic"

Links:
  • Here's a link to Lisa's book Drugs are Nice in case you care to buy it. You should. You would understand so much more. And as the queen of branding, Lisa also has a DVD entitled, you guessed it, Drugs Are Nice: A Suckumentary. My friend Gordon Gordon (Teen Fag publisher) says it's "pretty good."
  • Lisa has succumbed to myspace.com fever to promote her book and documents her recent, and as per usual, storied "book tour" in her blog (she has run afoul of Satanists it would appear). There's a stream of one of her recent very punk rock recordings.
  • Lisa's Rollerderby site and her Suckdog site, where you can buy this album in CD format for $5.
  • Lisa is currently a hot commodity in da blogs. Number 1 Song has a typically confusing interview with her and Davy from Large Hearted Boy has her write about her book for his Book Notes feat.

Saved Round:

When asked about the similarities of the album cover for Drugs Are Nice to Roxy Music's Country Life, she wrote: I believe the same elements that caused them originally to pose or be posed like that caused similar posing in us.









Backcover - liner notes


43 comments:

Seb said...

Not to keep dropping the Zappa references here, but "Your Dragon" is I think the only time other than "Dina Moe Humm" that I've heard a song reference angora sweaters. Hot damn. Not to mention it's good to hear a young lady shrieking like the dickens every now and then.

Anonymous said...

Color me surprised!

This was one of my favorite LPs way back when. I still have it too! :-)

What a treat/shock/surprise to pop onto your blog and see the cover staring back at me!

Anonymous said...

Ed Wood had a thing about angora sweaters too...

On a vaguely-related note, as you've alluded to them in the past, any chance of a bumper Psychodrama post one day? I could never work out from Conflict & FE whether Bret Kerby "meant" it - or indeed what "it" was.

Jim H said...

Check out the current Teen Gluesniffer - there's a reprint of a page from Brett Kerby.

I have an interview I did with them and a "tour diary" I wrote after accompanying them to Atlanta for the WREK Destroy All Music festival.

AFAIK, Psycodrama never made it to the hallowed pages of FE (I suspect that Byron and Jimmy wouldn't have liked the music and subsequently ignored them)... GC printed a Psycodrama advert and may have reviewed a tape or two.

Somewhere I have my interview with them and I wrote a piece for Lowlife on accompanying them down to Atlanta for the Destroy All Music festival.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, GC definitely reviewed them. But Brett Kerby also got to write a 2 page article in FE (might even have been a Suckdog tour diary!). Unfortunately the main things which stick in my mind at this distance are his dungarees and bushy beard in the accompanying photo.

Any chance of you reprinting that stuff one day? And any idea what BK is up to now?!

Jim H said...

yeah, if I reprint it it'll be in teen glue sniffer... gotta find it first - i didn't exactly keep records.

I missed that FE (which issue?)...

I have lost touch with Brett after I wrote him a bad letter.

Maybe Lisa knows...

Anonymous said...

By some miracle FE 17 is to hand and in the back issues listed it says that the Suckdog tour diaries (plural!) are in FE 16 (the one w/Savage Pencil on the cover).

I'll be watching Teen Glue Sniffer like a hawk - nice one!

Anonymous said...

Psychodrama is not as vaguely related as one might think.My best friend is embroiled in a romance with the venerable Suckdog as we speak.I really thought I had some problems, too.Not anymore.

Anonymous said...

I'm Black Smurf's best friend and Lisa Suckdog is the sexiest creature I've ever known, and the only woman I've ever threatened a Satanist with a knife over.

Jim H said...

I met Lisa when she was still a teenager, spent a night on the phone with her and her then boyfriend Costes and then hung out with them when they played DC. I have the coat she smeared kitty litter on in the late 80s and the stain is still there.

Anonymous said...

It looks like things are looking up Endover.

Anonymous said...

And congrats on the old stain,Jim!

Anonymous said...

BUBBA SEZ/ I MASCULATE HAY AND SO SHOULD YOU . JIM H BET ON A HORSE WITH AIDS. SPARKY

Anonymous said...

Hey mang - do yourself a favor and get yurself back to Hay market. Atlanta?!?

TANK

Anonymous said...

EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA- BUB

Anonymous said...

YEAH. I WAS DOWN THERE LAST WEEK PICKING UP HARLEY DAVISON PANTIES FOR MY GIRL, SOUTHERN REBEL CASSETTES FOR M"Y TRUCK AND SOME JOHNBOY AND BILLIE KOOZIES FOR MY BEER CANS. THIS IS ALL A MAN COULD WANT AND THINK ABOUT.

THEN I SAW A HOOKER WITH FLATTENED TITS AND PURPLE EYE SHADE STANDING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. PUKING HER GUTS OUT. THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE YOU. NOW I KNOW.

TANK

Anonymous said...

NAW THAT WAS MY EX-OLD LADY.YES CREWS IS A HOMO.SO IS DON IMUS- BUB

Anonymous said...

BUBBA - This one is for you.

TANK

Anonymous said...

I'M JUST PISSED AT IMUS FOR KICKING ME OFF HIS CONTEST LINE FOR SAYING SOMETHING RUDE ABOUT TERRY ''THE HUMAN FLY -CATCHER''SHIAVO LAST YEAR -BUB

Anonymous said...

Brett, is that you?!?!?! I want to come see you. We will have fun.

Anonymous said...

NO MY DEAR THIS IS BUBBA. THE MEAN UGLY GUY. REMEMBER? PS LOVED THE BOOK.

Anonymous said...

DESTROY ALL FACES!!!

TANK

Jim H said...

YOU SAW HIM??

Anonymous said...

NO BUT I KNOW A FELLER[ A FAMOUS NC MOONSHINER]WHO MET HIM.BUB.

Anonymous said...

twee

Anonymous said...

hey tank id like to drop yr an e mail sometime its been a long time.if its ok. say hi to gordon and bernie. regards sparky.

Anonymous said...

lisa try to get in touch and ill tell yr about the p drama situation in deatail. hugs n kisses ; mark/sparky.

Jim H said...

SPARKY:

Try

nsapc3f at yahoo.com

I have lisa's address. Saw Gordon last August when he was in DC - have a picture some where. There's something funny I have to tell you there.

Bernie is married and living in the cuntry, literally and I see Gordon more than him.

Anonymous said...

TANK WAS DRUNK LAST NIGHT AND CUT MY FOOT ON A HUGE PIECE OF WINE BOTTLE. HAD TO TO GO TO ER FR STITCHES. LOTS OF COLERD FOLK WITH GUNSHOT WOUNDS.ILL GIVE YOU MY EMAIL . WOULD RATHER NOT POST IT HERE. BUB.

Anonymous said...

WINE?! WER U AT A FERN BAR?!

TANK HAGGERTY

Anonymous said...

IT WAS ONE OF THOSE BIG GALLONS OF PORT.THE BOTTOM HALF STCKING UP LIKE A CHURCH SPIRE. HAD THE LIGHTS OFF AND WAS DRUNK AND NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT I WAS DOING.CREEPY MD PUT IN STTCHES. ASKED ME IF I SAW '' BROKEBACK MNTN.'' YET AND WHAT A HORRIBLE GUY BUSH IS. THOUGHT THE FUCKER WAS GONNA START SUCKING TOE AT ANY MINUTE. BUB.

Anonymous said...

LISA. PSYCODRAMA DISBANDED IN DEC. 19 92 ATER A LOUSEY SF SHOW.LOST CONTACT WITH BRETT SHORTLY AFTER.HAVENT SEEN OR HEARD FROM HIM IN TWELVE YEARS.I SUSPECT HE DOESNT WANT TO BE CONTACTED .BUB

Anonymous said...

than he sits down NEXT TO ME AND STARTS POKING ME IN THE RIBS STILL YELLING. I FNALLY SNAPPED AND BELTED HIM A GOOD ONE RIGHT INHIS TEETH. THE COPS ARE CALLED AND IGET 48 HOURS FOR NOT SHAKING THE PRICKS HAND.THE GUY WAS ON PROBATION AND DIDNT PRESS CHARGES BUB.

Anonymous said...

TWEE.

Anonymous said...

Bubba, I'll come hang in a titty bar with you. Write me at lisaccarver@verizon.net. You still in Virginia? Naw, I'm not a Jew.

Anonymous said...

WELL THATS FER DAMN SURE A RELIEF.YER AUNT TINA WOULD BE HEARTBROKEN. UNCLE BUBBA.

Anonymous said...

Only one member of Insanicide (not me, I despise Lisa!) is on this record, and I don't think any of us wanted to be in a band with GG. (Though I appreciate his saving my life that time...)

Anonymous said...

AINT HEARD THAT NAME FOR A WHILE. BUB.

Anonymous said...

GODDMN BEER TRUCK RAN OVER MY PAYCHECK

Tony said...

I was in Insanicide and we were never GG's backup band ... at least not when I was in the band. I think we did a show or two with him - or he didn't show up to do a show with us - I don't remember. But, I never played with the guy.

I've read Lisa's book and it's very good. It brought back a lot of memories.

Anonymous said...

"Drugs Are Nice" now available on iTunes. Need Rollerderby 10 badly, will trade corn mash or cash for a copy in good to excellent condition. Contact Doug at nutmusic at hotmail.com. Booiiinnnggggg!!!!

Anonymous said...

Bubba, are you in France now?

Love, Tank.

hildreth said...

I was in Insanicide and the last think we wanted to be was GG or his back up band. he was not to be seen when Insanicide was active anyway. Now the band we wanted to be, if any, was the mighty Kilslug.