(Us and) All our friends are so messed up

I seem to enjoy the sleazy late 80's junkrock version of the Pagans much more than the short sharp shocks of their classic period. It just "resonates more deeply with me".

Pagans - Family Fare MiniLP








First up is "Her Name was Jane", a song that already appeared on the 1982 Cleveland Confidential compiled by Pagans vocalist Mike Hudson. Then it was done by "The Severe" but apparently written by Pagans bassist Tim Allee, so I guess it counts as a Pagans song. Anyway, the new version greatly benefits from Hudsons vocals and has all around more driedupoldmensexdrive to it. Next up is the excellent juicy Morphineroller "I Do" - a song Johnny Thunders would have loved to have written, but unfortunately he was this sapless dunce with no songwriting talent whatsoever and so couldn't even dream to get close to a gem like this. Take a listen to the gem: >>>The Pagans- I Do
Third number on side A is just some pointless recital over some pointless guitarscreeches (the downside of addiction) and consequently for the bin. At least it adds historical context:"George Bush is president and James Brown is in jail!"



Another shot of Pagans

However, Side B picks up the pieces, starts strong and never lets up."I Stand Alone","Slice Of Life " and "All Our Friends Are So Messed Up" are all exceptionally lovely songs with just the right amount of everything from pointy pricky to velvety fluidy things, from hazy dawns to sobering up a bit at 7pm.
These also were recorded a year before and sport another production, which is a bit flat, but still OK for 1988, I guess. (Have you never noticed how rockmusic from 1983 onwards always sounded like crap? Remember - 1983 - the year everything went down the toilet. But more on that in a future post)
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Here's the complete MiniLP ripped from vinyl with the Korg MicroBR and transmogrified into LAME VBR -2 mp3s:
>>>Pagans - Family Fare - Glitterhouse Records - 1989