Attempt to create "punk" when it was still a nascent idea in the USA and already over in the UK?

Corporatism with a mohawk?

Or actual punk band after the game of Telephone of punk crossing the Atlantic in the other direction?

As I type this I have heard exactly 3/4 of a Plasmatics song and Wendy O Williams is sawing a Stratocaster in half. ("Butcher Baby")

It's not terrible, but it's not great, so far. The music is not terribly different from Sham 69 or UK Subs. Of all the bands of that era, I absolutely never hear anyone speak nostalgically about their music.

Any lasting impact on culture at all?

dontfeartheringo wrote: Thu Oct 28, 2021 5:06 pm Attempt to create "punk" when it was still a nascent idea in the USA and already over in the UK?

Corporatism with a mohawk?

Or actual punk band after the game of Telephone of punk crossing the Atlantic in the other direction?

I always got the impression it was shock-value performance art in a punk/metal wrapper. Kinda like GWAR without the foam dicks and subwoofer punishing bass.

As I type this I have heard exactly 3/4 of a Plasmatics song and Wendy O Williams is sawing a Stratocaster in half. ("Butcher Baby")

It's not terrible, but it's not great, so far..... I absolutely never hear anyone speak nostalgically about their music.

Any lasting impact on culture at all?

I had a friend in high-school who had an eternal raging boner for Wendy O. As a result I got to listen to a lot more Plasmatics records than I would've bothered with on my own. From what I remember it was pretty forgettable. Her personality and politics seemed pretty cool at the time, even if the music wasn't that great.

I remember watching Reform School Girls with said friend more often than was necessary. There's an MST3k or Rifftrax waiting to happen.

I'll say that New Hope for the Wretched had its charms. Wendy had a pretty limited vocal range, to say the least.

Geiginni wrote: Thu Oct 28, 2021 6:08 pm I always got the impression it was shock-value performance art in a punk/metal wrapper. Kinda like GWAR without the foam dicks and subwoofer punishing bass.

That's a bit harsh on GWAR - the Plasmatics were operating closer to W.A.S P, IMO. Maybe even the Mentors in terms of trashiness... or Vice Squad without even the handful of tunes...

I'm sure it was a fun spectacle live and Lemmy spoke highly of WOW, but the music is crap.

Plasmatics were more a guitar version of Sigue Sigue Sputnik. An exploitation thing with a performance art component.

Musically, they started by aping the faster Dead Boys songs, later turning into a plodding Twisted Sister sort of metal band. The earlier stuff is definitely better, although it comes off as a sort of less-punchy DOA.

Jean Beauvoir, the bass player, went on to produce a lot of the bad Ramones stuff of the 80s-90s. Live videos show him playing an aluminum bass, not sure if Bean or Kramer.

Crap, WF Wendy’s personality. I think you probably had to be there at CBGB’s in 1978 to get anything out of this otherwise really average punk, and the metal stuff is just awful, Mad Max-style videos or not.

Back in the old days, somebody had to actually prove the stereotype - thank god for the Plasmatics. Great name, great look, violence against instruments, boobs. The music was beside the point. Huzzah, the great rock and roll swindle part IV.

NC

For my sins, every so often I remember that I had the Wendy O. Williams album Maggots: The Record on repeat in the tape deck of my '76 Buick Skylark a few years after I graduated from high school. I had fallen into the concept album whirlpool and snatched up anything with that particular flavor.

I just read the wikipedia article on it, and they call it a 'thrash metal opera', which seems about right. I won't be renewing my relationship to it, though.

The band itself, based on what I've heard, crap.

iembalm wrote: Fri Oct 29, 2021 10:40 am For my sins, every so often I remember that I had the Wendy O. Williams album Maggots: The Record on repeat in the tape deck of my '76 Buick Skylark a few years after I graduated from high school. I had fallen into the concept album whirlpool and snatched up anything with that particular flavor.

I still throw on Maggots every once in awhile. It's aight.

biscuitdough wrote: Fri Oct 29, 2021 8:03 am

Jean Beauvoir, the bass player, went on to produce a lot of the bad Ramones stuff of the 80s-90s. Live videos show him playing an aluminum bass, not sure if Bean or Kramer.

He had a couple of TB4000 wedge basses:

http://www.travisbeanguitars.com/index. ... detail.htm
http://www.travisbeanguitars.com/index. ... detail.htm

M.H wrote: Fri Oct 29, 2021 4:56 am

Geiginni wrote: Thu Oct 28, 2021 6:08 pm I always got the impression it was shock-value performance art in a punk/metal wrapper. Kinda like GWAR without the foam dicks and subwoofer punishing bass.

That's a bit harsh on GWAR - the Plasmatics were operating closer to W.A.S P, IMO. Maybe even the Mentors in terms of trashiness... or Vice Squad without even the handful of tunes...

I'm sure it was a fun spectacle live and Lemmy spoke highly of WOW, but the music is crap.

Always think of the Mentors. Not Crap.
It serves a purpose. I think the SHOCK value, especially when you're young, is a great thing, and can lead you towards so much more, if'n you are of a certain mindset. HIGHLY doubt I'll be listening anytime soon, but do appreciate it.