The 4-drummered Radwaste presents its debut LP, recorded in 1988 but never before issued. It’s a compelling document from the Los Angeles post-punk scene that delivered into the world Jane’s Addiction, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Thelonious Monster.
Formed from the ashes of Urinals/100 Flowers and the Savage Republic spinoff 17 Pygmies, Radwaste deploys a “drum corps” (Kevin Barrett, Jay Jackson, Rob Malone, Debbie Spinelli) inspired by the infectious beat and huge sound of the marching band phenomenon of South Los Angeles high schools. Interlocking drum patterns, along with the aggressive and direct songwriting of guitarist/vocalist Michael Kory and bassist/vocalist John Talley-Jones results in an appealing and unique mix of pop, punk, funk, and soul.
Radwaste was an instant hit, graduating from the Anticlub and Al’s Bar to one of the earliest underground dance clubs, Power Tools, as well as the eclectic Club Lingerie, and Sunset Strip’s Roxy Theater. The band supported The Jesus and Mary Chain in its first LA appearance, Crime and the City Solution, Minutemen, Gene Loves Jezebel, Thelonious Monster, Firehose, and Jane’s Addiction.
The five-song EP COOKING AND NOTHINGNESS was issued in 1986 and garnered modest college radio attention. Although it was hard to wrangle a band of its size, RADWASTE did make periodic trips to the Bay Area, performing at clubs such as the I-Beam in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury.
At one of the LA dance clubs, Michael met Ex-Clash and PiL guitarist Keith Levene, who volunteered to work with the band as a live sound mixer as well as on the follow-up to their debut EP. It was to be a full-length LP, recorded at Vitus Matare’s Lyceum Sound, then a kind-of in-house production facility for SST bands of the era. Once Keith got the band settled into the studio, Vitus took over for the recording.
Due to circumstance and personnel changes, it was a year before the final overdubs could be completed and the material mixed. Even with a new lineup that included the formidable duo of X’s DJ Bonebrake and the Chili Peppers’ Cliff Martinez on drums, the album’s moment had passed.
UNTIL NOW. With the band recently reformed and active, the album has been remixed to a more dimensional and expressive version of itself. It’s bigger, bolder, and ready to prove itself after all these decades.
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