Rich Kids On LSD

RKL - It's A Beautiful Feeling 7"

RKL - Keep Laughing

RKL - The Best Of RKL on Mystic Records

RKL - Rock 'N Roll Nightmare

RKL - Revenge Is A Beautiful Feeling

RKL - Greatest Hits: Double Live In Berlin

RKL - Reactivate

RKL - Riches To Rags

Here is everything I have from one of the greatest punk/metal/hardcore bands of all time. For me and my group of friends in high-school these dudes were the be-all-end-all. Every song is fucking killer. RKL are the best out of all the nardcore bands (even if they were from Santa Barbara). The stuff on Mystic Records suffered from shitty production, but the songs all totally slay so who gives a fuck. The progression in musicianship that these guys made in the two years between the release of Keep Laughing (1985) and Rock 'N Roll Nightmare (1987) is unreal. I mean they were technical as fuck. The Double Live In Berlin album is one of the best punk live albums and it really showcased their skill as a band, plus they played all the old Mystic stuff (which sounded way better than their studio versions). The Revenge Is A Beautiful Feeling album is just a best of released in Germany that contains their Mystic Records recordings (the band was finally able to make some money off those recordings, as their German label actually paid them). Then in 1989 they broke up. A couple years later they resurrected the band without vocalist Jason Sears (drummer Bomber took over vocal duties) and they released Reactivate through Epitaph Records in 1993. It was a total Butt Rock album that really turned fans off (whatever I like it) and was promptly deleted from Epitaph's catalog. During the European tour for Reactivate Bomber quit the band to do drugs and they flew Jason in to finish out the remaining dates. The re-invigorated RKL returned to the United States and recorded their best album, Riches To Rags, which is the perfect hybrid of hardcore and thrash. Members from this band went on to play in Lagwagon, No Use For A Name, The Other, Me First And The Gimme Gimmes and Good Riddance.

Guided By Voices - 1996-2004

Guided By Voices - Under The Bushes Under The Stars

Guided By Voices - Tonics And Twisted Chasers

Guided By Voices - Sunfish Holy Breakfast EP

Guided By Voices - Plantations Of Pale Pink EP

Guided By Voices - The Official Ironman Rally Song EP

Guided By Voices - Mag Earwhig!

Guided By Voices - Do The Collapse

Guided By Voices - Hold On Hope EP

Guided By Voices - Isolation Drills

Guided By Voices - Universal Truths And Cycles

Guided By Voices - Earthquake Glue

Guided By Voices - Half Smiles Of The Decomposed

So this is it, everything I have from the greatest band to ever emerge from Dayton, Ohio (and perhaps all of Ohio, sorry Trent Reznor). This is their "hi-fi" period (the exception being Tonics And Twisted Chasers which was a 4-track recording, like bee thousand, made by Robert Pollard and Tobin Sprout as a fanclub LP) in which the band utilized 24 track consoles, proper studios and budgets that went to recording, not just alcohol. Some truly amazing material was released during this period. From the Kim Deal/Steve Albini produced Under The Bushes Under The Stars, the Rick Ocasek produced Do The Collapse and the Rob Schnapf produced Isolation Drills (the final three full lengths were produced by the band and Todd Tobias). Every one of these albums slays. Nobody sings with a better fake British accent than Robert Pollard. During this period they also released four boxsets (Suitcases 1-3 and Hardcore UFO's) several live discs and tons of singles. They are all worth hearing because their are only three types of GBV songs: Really great, plain great, and just good.

Robert Pollard - Not In My Airforce

Robert Pollard - Not In My Airforce

This is the first solo album released by Guided By Voices frontman Robert Pollard. A couple dudes from GBV play on most of the tracks so any fan of the band will like this. Matt Sweeney from Chavez (who was one of the bands earliest champions and brought them to the attention of Matador Records) contributes guitar and vocals to the track "Quicksilver". Not In My Airforce is on par to Under The Bushes Under The Stars in both sound and cohesiveness. This is essential listening for any fan of GBV and a true classic.

Guided By Voices - 1993-95

Guided By Voices - The Grand Hour EP

Guided By Voices - Vampire On Titus

Guided By Voices - Static Airplane Jive EP

Guided By Voices - Bee Thousand

Guided By Voices - Get Out Of My Stations EP (Reissue)

Guided By Voices - Fast Japanese Spin Cycle EP

Guided By Voices - I Am A Scientist EP

Guided By Voices - Alien Lanes

Guided By Voices - Tiger Bomb EP

Dayton, OH's Guided By Voices are one of the most prolific bands of all time. Even in selecting a three year period of the band from which to post they had eight releases (they really had nine, but I don't have the "Clown Prince Of The Menthol Trailer" EP, sorry). This was the bands more lo-fi period where they recorded on the cheap in Robert Pollards laundry room and self released almost everything in small quantities (500 copies or less). Around this time they caught the ear of Matador Records who helped to distribute the album Bee Thousand and fully released Alien Lanes (which is said to have been recorded for only $10 once you subtract the cost of beer). Alien Lanes has some of my favourite GBV songs, especially "Game Of Pricks" and "Motor Away". GBV head honcho Robert Pollard knows how to write a great song and even when that song is covered in fuzz the hook and melody still shine through. These releases all pretty much contain the "classic" line-up of the band: Robert Pollard, Tobin Sprout, Mitch Mitchell, Kevin Fennel, and Greg Demos who were all well into their thirties by the time Alien Lanes was released. It is this line-up that reunited earlier this year to play Matador Records 21st birthday celebration in Las Vegas and subsequently tour as well.