Chunklet Rock & Indie 24 Items

Discussing Vangas, it's always brings up the same questions: "How are they so good?" "Why are they so good?" and of course "They're good, but how do they keep getting better?" Well, let this single serve as merely a glimpse into their continuing chaotic world. "Slow Strum" is a sax-drenched track off their full length that's 'in the can' and just shows how rapidly they have been improving since their last album. Recorded and mixed by Dan Dixon. The b-side is exclusive to this release and is a 7/8 romp that's best described as a live show staple.

What Vangas has been doing is simultaneously breathtaking while being undeniably astonishing. Welcome back, Vangas. We've missed you.

In August 1982, Limbo District—percussionist Jerry Ayers, vocalist Craig Woodall, bass player Davey Stevenson, Farfisa player and vocalist Dominique Amet, and guitarist Tim Lacy—traveled from Athens, GA to Winston-Salem, NC to record at Mitch Easter’s Drive-In Studio. The session took place just two months after fellow Athens band R.E.M. had gone there to record their debut Chronic Town EP.

With Easter, Limbo District recorded a five-song set of bewitching rhythms and guttural poetry, chants, and howls that culminated in a Dionysian, avant-garde pulse.

These songs later accompanied photographer Marlys Cox’s images brought to life in Jim Herbert’s experimental film, “Carnival.” Aside from the few seconds of “Carnival” that appeared in Tony Gayton’s documentary “Athens, GA: Inside/Out,” Limbo District has remained unheard by anyone who wasn’t there to witness the band's powerful blend of music and performance art as it happened.

Carnival offers a glimpse behind the curtain, revealing a contemporary of the B-52’s, Pylon, R.E.M., the Method Actors, Love Tractor, and more, and presents a thread to unravel a perfect mystery.

Limbo District’s significance is matched only by its obscurity, and the complete Mitch Easter session has remained unreleased until now.

"When I moved to Georgia in 1991, the only Athens band I was looking for was Limbo District. For decades, I remained empty handed. And now, the crown jewel of the Limbo story is unearthed: Carnival. Chunklet is proud to have excavated this apparition and it is now time to celebrate the band's delirious, cryptic and in-the-moment existence. Behold: Limbo District!"—Henry Owings, Chunklet Industries

“It was exactly the kind of thing that I wanted to be doing. … Limbo District stood tall as being absolutely their own thing, and not remotely concerned with commercial music at all. Still, the songs were catchy.”—Mitch Easter (original producer, owner of Drive-In Studio, Let’s Active)

“Everything about Limbo District is kind of a surprise. Their music is its own category. What struck me was the uniqueness of it. In a college town music scene, there are so many creative young people who tend to wear their influences on their sleeve. Limbo District's music is not easily pegged.”—David Barbe (2023 producer, Chase Park owner, Mercyland)

“Michael Stipe championed Limbo District because he connected with Jerry. They were such close friends back in those early days. He helped Michael see a vision for himself that he would not have seen on his own, and things wouldn't have been the same for R.E.M.”—Lady Clare Butler, The Now Explosion

Tar were an uncompromising prolific Chicago four piece band from 1988 to 1995 who put out many records and toured the US and Europe frequently with the likes of The Jesus Lizard, Arcwelder, Unsane, Surgery, and Jawbox. Over thirty years since the original releases, Tar’s first three 12" records are being reissued. Co-released by the band’s No Blow Records and Chunklet Industries, the Handsome EP and full length LPs Roundhouse and Jackson are being rediscovered. All three records were remastered and cut to lacquer by Bob Weston at Chicago Mastering Service. The artwork was painstakingly reimagined and recreated by the band’s drummer, Mike Greenlees. This music has withstood the test of time. With the stunning remastering and 180gm pressing at Chicago's Smashed Plastic pressing plant, this is no regular reissue. With exacting detail, the highest quality and attention to detail, the listener and fans are invited to truly reexperience these releases anew. It’s time to celebrate Tar. Again.

Tar were an uncompromising prolific Chicago four piece band from 1988 to 1995 who put out many records and toured the US and Europe frequently with the likes of The Jesus Lizard, Arcwelder, Unsane, Surgery, and Jawbox. Over thirty years since the original releases, Tar’s first three 12" records are being reissued. Co-released by the band’s No Blow Records and Chunklet Industries, the Handsome EP and full length LPs Roundhouse and Jackson are being rediscovered. All three records were remastered and cut to lacquer by Bob Weston at Chicago Mastering Service. The artwork was painstakingly reimagined and recreated by the band’s drummer, Mike Greenlees. This music has withstood the test of time. With the stunning remastering and 180gm pressing at Chicago's Smashed Plastic pressing plant, this is no regular reissue. With exacting detail, the highest quality and attention to detail, the listener and fans are invited to truly reexperience these releases anew. It’s time to celebrate Tar. Again.

The B-52s, R.E.M., Pylon, Love Tractor... The roster of early Athens legends is quite distinguished, but one of their closest peers never so much as put a record out. That band is Limbo District. Active from April 1981 until their unceremonious disbanding in May 1983, there was a grand total of one movie made of them by Jim Herbert entitled Carnival while they existed. "They were the band's band," as Mark Cline from Love Tractor so eloquently put it on NPR. While the "Encased" track is on this, the band's first session in the summer/fall of 1981, two other tracks ("Knock Knock Lobo" and "Rhythm Forward") are included. The lyrics were written by vocalst Craig Woodall and songs were arranged and written by the band that included former Factory star Jerry Ayers (neé Jeremy Ayers, Silva Thin) on percussion, from northern France, Dominique Amet on Farfisa organ, Spaniard Margarita Bilbao on guitar and from Dublin, Georgia, Davey Stevenson on bass. This line up of the band existed no more than a few seasons and then went away to be reborn with TIM Lacy (later of ART IN THE Dark) and Kelly Crow both replacing Margarita on guitar in their own time. Behold the greatest ghost to ever haunt Athens, GA: Limbo District. Expect more. Much more.

Chunklet Industries is proud to announce a breakthrough in broadcasting technology. For the first time, the BBC working hand-in-hand with intergalactic audio pioneers Man…or Astro-man? present to you seven volumes of their famed U.K. radio sessions. The band’s debut for famed DJ Mark Radcliffe marks the final BBC session with original member DR. Deleto. Although the band did a complete interview with Mr. Radcliffe, only the four tracks recorded that day in 1994 are presented on this third of seven singles.

This 7-inch release from the Philly-based band offers a master-class in lo-fi sketches à la Pavement or Syd Barrett.

Eight 7inches and a flexi disc.

Chunklet Industries is proud to announce a breakthrough in broadcasting technology. For the first time, the BBC working hand-in-hand with intergalactic audio pioneers Man…or Astro-Man? present to you seven volumes of their famed U.K. radio sessions recorded between 1994 and 1997.

"Even at the time, it felt implausible that Man...or Astro-Man? would do over a dozen sessions at the mighty British Broadcasting Company. Initially it was the legendary John Peel who had the band on his Radio 1 show—six times between 1993 and 2000—after Birdstuff sent him a postcard ordering him never to play the band. Peel allegedly had a shrine to our Auburn heroes at his country estate, and while we believe that to be true, we’ve yet to see photographic evidence. The list of bands that recorded a session for Peel (neé Ravenscroft) is mind boggling and estimable. Most American bands would be lucky to record a single Peel session. For Astro-Man? to have played as much as they did at his request is an indisputable testament to the band’s fevered devotion to performing. But also, let’s be honest: John Peel had pretty great taste. As reference, The Fall performed on Peel’s show more than 25 times between 1977, a year after the band was formed, and the death of leader Mark E. Smith in 2018. The fact that a decidedly obtuse and dorky band from Auburn, Alabama, would perform on Peel’s show more times than The Jesus Lizard, Fugazi, and Nirvana combined is proof positive that Astro-Man truly put in the work... especially on the British airwaves. What the BBC documented in its studios peppered across the country was a band that evolved in plain view from a spazzy surf band into a shit-hot post-punk powerhouse.

More than a decade ago, with my daughter, still in diapers, resting on my lap, I had a sit-down with Coco. He gave my outrageous idea of doing an extended Astro BBC retrospective a cautiously enthusiastic thumbs-up. Flash ahead to 2024: my daughter is now a teenager, and that preposterous idea is finally materialized. Thank the heavens. Thank the stars. The first (and hopefully not the last) Astro box set is now a full-blown reality. To see this completed is a thrill and a privilege, and a highlight of my charmed lifetime as a die-hard Astro fan."—Henry H. Owings (aka The Boo Yaa Boy)

Released just months after their debut album Dive, "Receiver" finds Lifeguard in a much different headspace. Colder and more direct than anything in their catalog, "Receiver" is the sound of the band fully coming into their own. KAI Slater and Asher CASE’s guitars call, respond, and spider web across the track, centered on Isaac LOWENSTEIN’s tasteful mid tempo beat. The splintered finale is the only time the song feels like it’s losing control, collapsing into its stuttered, feedback laced end. B side "Sun Ra Jane" oscillates between time signatures before opening up into a liminal zone that is truly the threshold of where Lifeguard have pushed their sound to date. A new sense of space and maturity saturates these songs, recorded and produced by the band at their Mixed Messages studio.

Vangas has been a four piece based in Atlanta for a while now. Since they were all in high school, these friends have played their own music. Careening between moody, aggressive and melodic, Vangas have been a marvel to witness as they mature from teenagers into young men. Musically, they've become a force to admire. Live performances can vacillate between new jams and complete improv and all of it is lovely to experience. And here we stand, Vangas first vinyl full length. Four of these tracks were on limited lathe singles (also released by Chunklet), but for the first time, an outside engineer was allowed to mix and master Vangas' home recordings. DAN Dixon (Dropsonic, Plspls, producer of local acclaim) came in and whipped these tracks into the fury that rests before your feet. So behold. Vangas.

No Atlanta punk record from the 1980s creates such a lather as the debut single by DDT (except maybe Neon Christ's single, but I digress). Self released in 1983, merely finding a copy would put you into serious debt. That is, until now. Audio was restored by Jason NeSmith at Chase Park from a spotless copy of the record given to Chunklet by Joe Perry who recorded the single at his Bombay Studios in Smyrna. Never before reissued until right now. Get in on the ground floor of Atlanta's punk scene from 40 years ago

After his Chunklet debut lathe single sold out in the blink of an eye, one man pop powerhouse Justin Hubbard is back with five more confoundingly brilliant jams. To those taking notes of such things, Germ House came to our attention after a devoted Chunklet fan turned us onto Justin's frenetic fuzz. And lemme tell ya, Germ House doesn't disappoint. Jam packed with hooks and melody that just won't quit!

The band’s fourth session for famed DJ John Peel is their second with Dexter X from Planet Q. Famously, John Peel who was one the earliest, most visible and most vocal supporters of the band, had an Astro shrine set up at his house. Five songs were recorded, but four are being released on this final installment of seven singles. V in the band's R/o/y/g/b/i/v series.

Chunklet Industries is proud to announce a breakthrough in broadcasting technology. For the first time, the BBC working hand-in-hand with intergalactic audio pioneers Man…or Astro-man? present to you seven volumes of their famed U.K. radio sessions. The band’s second session for famed UK DJ Mark Radcliffe is the broadcasting debut of Dexter X from Planet Q. 1996 was a great year for Astro-Man? Not only were they touring the world supported by the Touch & Go label, Dexter X's inclusion had a band far sharper and tighter. Four songs were recorded and, except for all the interview back'n'forth, all four tracks are being released on this fifth of seven singles. B in the band's R/o/y/g/b/i/v series.

"This is an archival single by Essex’s trash rock/no-fi geniuses Stirling. I was fortunate enough to release their only song “legitimately” back in the 90’s on a Chunklet comp CD, but this is five songs pressed and given to you as a bit of a gift. Pete (the drummer) is probably one of my oldest friends on the planet, John was from punk legends Understand and guitarist Sam Knee is the brain trust behind “A Scene In Between” and serves as a lovely glimpse as to what depraved sounds they’ve got going through their equally depraved minds." - Henry Owings

The mid-90s in Madison, Wisconsin wasn’t necessarily the best time to be a band like Xerobot, but thank the gods that they decided to become one. Spastic, hyperactive scrawl evoking the original New York No Wave scene, Xerobot’s recorded output consisted of a CD, a couple split singles and a handful of comp appearances. This self titled LP assembles 37 tracks in almost as many minutes and collects all their releases and even additional unreleased material recorded by none other than Steve Albini. This LP was mastered by none other than Weasel Walter and includes a 16pp booklet featuring photos, first person accounts of the band and lyrics! First edition of 150 copies.

“Nobody here at Chunklet HQ can find fault in that there haiku cuz it's the damn truth, folks. After the band's debut single evaporated in mere hours, we decided to try a pressed single this time around. Don't expect these to last long, neither. Get up on a thing.”

You might be asking yourself “Is this some kind of gimmick?” or “Is this really a racquetball record?” or most importantly, “Is this really Mogwai?” The answer to all these questions is a resounding “YES!” The Crease is the “nom de performance” for Chunklet Industries Janitor of the Year (for seventeen years running, that is), none other than Henry Owings. Spawning from a crazy idea Owings hatched from years of being a racquetball player, he hired a professional recording engineer to come in and document (in all its 8-track spelendor) a racquetball match. Then, the isolated tracks were sent to Barry Burns from Mogwai, and The Crease “vs Mogwai” is the result. Includes a long-winded essay by and sweaty courtside photographs of The Crease. This is Henry's sophomore release, and the debut of The Crease. Riyl: Mogwai, Racquetball, sweaty dudes, looking at guitar pedals

"During’s self-titled debut is a pipe bomb of originality, set to detonate and shake the foundation of the tired post-punk sounds of today when it hits via Chunklet on ______. And while some more obvious influences show across the ten track LP—like Devo, Sonic Youth and Gang of Four—its strength lies in some of it’s wilder ideas and influences, creating a wholly new approach as yet unseen in the otherwise very tired genre of post-punk. 'I've always been super influenced by post punk stuff. The Fall is definitely up there, as well as Wire and the Urinals, even the Gizmos,' says Fisher emphatically. 'The coolest thing about recording this LP was we didn't know what we were gonna end up with, it just sort of came out the way it came out. So while those influences are there because that's where we come from, none of it is totally clear because it’s jumbled up with so many of our other ideas.' Starting with a dizzying and frantic base, During's sound can best be classified using the hyper-cerebral approach of Devo, garnished with touches of their more frenetic speedfreak acolytes Minneapolis’ Uranium Club. It’s from there that things drift into territories unseen, with a cold vocal delivery not unlike Mark E Smith, a quirky and free-spirited approach like the Cardiacs, atonal riffing that recalls Sonic Youth, and a mildly funk-focused bed to tether down the madness a la A Certain Ratio or the Contortions. All that comes baked in with the care in songwriting found in the Wipers and nods to favorites like the Adaptors, Urinals and even This Heat. During's debut is boundary-pushing with limitless potential, visionary ideas and a sound that is ten steps ahead of the current legions trying to recreate The Fall and Joy Division. Despite all of the serious references and the nods to dizzying originality, During are quick to point out that this is a fun record at the end of the day. 'I'm not really capable of consciously making fun music but I feel like this record is fun, and much more than I knew I was capable of,' chuckles Cory Plump in response to the overall feel of the record. 'It’s just sort of upbeat—that may be the testament to the people in the band or it could just be because I’ve never done anything like this musically before, so I really extended myself in a way that I like.' Grab some headphones and crack open a coldie down by the beach to create the optimal experience for one of the most mind-bending and brilliant records of the year and in recent memory. A record like this doesn’t come around too often, but maybe a listen or two will conjure a few of your own ideas."—Fred Passaro, Creem Magazine

Hot off the heels of their debut album for Trouble In Mind, delve deeper into the world of Atlanta trio Omni with this short, sharp single. “Fever Bass” and “Thesis” were both recorded by guitarist Frankie Broyles at his studio in Atlanta while they were making Deluxe last year.

While putting finishing touches on their next full length, we asked Philly’s Honey Radar if they wanted to do a split single with the Bay Area’s Violent Change. And like that, a release was born. The Honey Radar side is a bit of a departure for them. Instead of working as a band, the pandemic offered them each a chance to do their own individual material and it was all folded together into one gigantic Honey Radar suite featuring songs by the members of the band. Sprawling, baby. That’s the Honey Radar way! The Violent Change side is more of their shambolic home recordings somewhere between The Glands and the Swell Maps all crammed into a cassette tape. A love affair of the most innocent variety.” Edition of 200.