Jonny Cat Collectibles

Found some old Jonny Cats artwork while visiting NM last week. Thought I'd share them. Here's some music to go along with the images.

Banksy Cat in Tokyo

The Jonny Cats bandcamp page now has the whole catalog - so you can make your own Cat Box set.

The Jonny Cats: S.B.C.P.M.F.

Recently uncovered masters from The Jonny Cats. These songs were released in very limited edition cassettes back in 1994. The Burrrns Rubber 7" was taken from these sessions. Hearing them now, in better fidelity, after over 15 years; they seem to have aged like fine whisky. Rumor has it that Kenta and Jon (along with High Iron) are playing these tunes again. Recordist: Ryan Martino. Also available on on bandcamp.

Outer Space Tonight: more from Swayback

This week we have more Americana from Swayback.

Style: cow punk, surf punk, garage, Americana
Album: Outer Space Tonight -unreleased demo E.P.
Recorded live to Minidisc in 2002.
Engineered by David Chavez.
Players:
Lucky- Bass,
Jon Reed -Guitar & Vocals;
me-drum kit.

Track list:

1)And then Aliens Invaded From Space
2)Ready to Fall Again
3)Step Through the Door
4)Clean My Bones
5)Last Ride

These are pretty high fidelity, so I went ahead and uploaded them to the internet archive in lossless Flac format (MP3 and Ogg Vorbis too, don't worry). If you are not familiar with Flac, you can find out more info here including free software that allows you to use the format.

For any recordings in previous posts that are of high enough quality, I will be posting Flac versions on the internet archive. If you have a request, let me know.

The Jonny Cats' Last: Ode to Sergio

Today we have the final album by The Jonny Cats. It was recorded in the waning days of the cowboy lounge just as the band's dedication to all things self-destructive began to take over and tore the band apart. Copies of the album have circulated hand-to-hand among friends of the band, but it has never had an official release. To my ears this is a more distinctive album than Burrrns Rubber with a clear connection to traditions in American roots music that recognizes punk rock's place as roots music. So, grab your best girl or guy, hop in the convertible Caddy, turn this one up loud, and hit the road...but be sure to hold on to your hat.

Record: Last - Ode to Sergio (FLAC, Ogg Vorbis, MP3)
Style: surfbeatcowpunkmutherfucker, Americana
Recorded in 1995, never released.


Tracklist:
1) Ode to Sergio
2) Bring Down the Bull
3) Parched
4) Johnny T's O.D.
5) Hellfire and Damnation
6) Fix Up My Tears
7) Face Down
8) Mi Vida es a Toda Madre
9) Creepin' Man

Enjoy.
Update: Now officially endorsed by the great PunksOnPostcards blog

The Jonny Cats burn rubber on a punk rock 7 inch

By request we have what will be the only vinyl posted here.

The second release by The Jonny Cats was this punk rock 7 inch. These sold out quickly, but if you are in Albuquerque, Dave over at Charley's Records & Tapes (7602 Menaul Blvd NE Albuquerque NM 87110, (505) 296-3685) tells me he has a few tucked away.

The Jonny Cats were:
Kenta Henmi - lead guitar
Dave Chavez - bass
Jonny Jarden - vocals, nudity
Jonny Reed - guitar
Johnny T- drum kit

Record: Burrrns Rubber
Style: surfbeatcowpunkmutherfucker
Released in 1994 on 7" vinyl (500 copies).
33 &1/3rd RPM
American Low Fidelity Recordings
Cover art by J.B. Jones (R.I.P.)

Download

Track list (player plays all tracks):
1) Pinky Black
2) Comfort
3) White Trash
4) Whiskey Woman

Stupid trivia...rumor has it that this poster was seen hanging on the wall at the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame.

Stay tuned for A.O.S., more Waltz Bop Shop, the unreleased Jonny Cats full-length, more experimental soundscapes, the genius of Joe Brown, and whatever else I can dig up.

Enjoy

covers: Waltz Bop Shop & Jonny Cats

Playing covers of other people's songs has never been a big part of any of the bands I have been in over the years. Today's post contains a couple of exceptions to that rule.

Up first is a cover of the T-Rex classic Liquid Gang performed by Waltz Bop Shop and recorded at KUNM. Waltz Bop Shop was a trio (and later a quartet) and was the longest lived project I have been involved in. Spanning most of the 90's Waltz Bop Shop played proto-math-rock and fractured jazz with a decidedly quirky mix of pop and experimental sensibilities.

Track: Liquid Gang
(from the cassette: All my idears are flawed in sum way)
Players:
Keif Henley - guitar
Rodney Cupp, ph.d. - bass, vocals, piano intro
me- drum kit

Get it here (@192)

Up next is a cover of Gun Club's Sex Beat by the infamous Jonny Cats. The Jonny Cats tore through the Albuquerque scene alongside bands like The Drags in the mid-90's playing surf-beat-cow-punk-mutherfucker. The Jonny Cats would have been household names if it weren't for a focused dedication to all of the most self-destructive aspects of the rock-n-roll life style. This track was recorded for a compilation cd that never happened.

Track: Sex Beat (unreleased)
The Jonny Cats were:
Kenta Henmi - lead guitar (now in The Violenta)
Dave Chavez - bass
Jonny Jarden - vocals, nudity
Jonny Reed - guitar
Johnny T- drum kit

Get it here (@ 192)

More tunes from both bands will follow.