T.S.O.L. - Anticop (2001)

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Artist(s): T.S.O.L.
Title: Anticop
Format: 7"
Year: 2001
Label/Catalog: Nitro 15837

The original members sans Todd Barnes, who died of a brain aneurysm in late 1999. Fairly different than their stuff from the early 80s, both musically and vocally (Jack Grisham's singing voice seems to get higher as he gets older). Like it or not, this is here, if only for the B-side ("White American"), though I personally didn't mind Disappear (the album "Anticop" is from), but they've unfortunately lost most of their appeal to me now.

The loudness war is in full effect here. This record is so incredibly hot that I could hear it coming out of my stylus alone at a near-comfortable level! Something is weird on "White American", it sounds like some bad inner-groove distortion on the left channel, but it comes and goes. I'll try for a better rip in the future, it's possible the vinyl is damaged (and it's on clear wax which makes it even harder to tell). A shame because "White American" doesn't appear anywhere else.

T.S.O.L. - Man And Machine b/w Peace Thru' Power (1990)

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Artist(s):  T.S.O.L.
Title: Man And Machine b/w Peace Thru' Power
Format: 7"
Year: 1990
Label/Catalog: Posh Boy PBS 24

An early version of "Peace Thru' Power" from their first studio session in 1981 with slightly different lyrics ("A lonely teenage daydream / of things I might just be", instead of "A lonely teenage daydream / of things I just might be", pretty substantial, hey?) and nearly identical music. "Man And Machine" is the same take that kicks off the Weathered Statues EP on Alternative Tentacles from 1982.

T.S.O.L. - 1980 Demo (1994)

 

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Artist(s): T.S.O.L.
Title: 1980 Demo
Format: 7"
Year: 1994
Label/Catalog: (bootleg)

The demo that got them signed to Posh Boy. Includes early versions of "80 Times", "Superficial Love", and "Silenty Majority" as well as the only studio recording of "You Don't Have To Die".  500 hand numbered copies, with this being #69. This is one of three records I got in early 2006 that were all numbered "69", which I always thought was a bit strange.

Sourced from a cassette (generation unknown) and pressed on some pretty thin vinyl, this record isn't bad considering. Tape hiss is present but it's nothing major and is to be expected. One major tick/pop manually removed near the end of "Silent Majority". All dropouts are from either the cassette copy or original tapes.

The semi-official write-up from Posh Boy: Dave Fergusson of London liked his cassette copy of the original T.S.O.L. demo recordings so much that he released an edition of 500 copies with a folded xerox picture sleeve; Posh Boy subsequently obtained the rights to the demo's from the band and added the 2 best recordings 80 Times and the never before released You Don't Have To Die to the German release of the Thoughts of Yestreday CD (Musical Tragedies/EFA). For reasons unknown, Nitro chose not to release these tracks on their own re-issue even though they were included in the purchase agreement.