Not Crap.

I only know a handful of songs. but not crap.

I really, really like "Mexican Radio", which was, AFAIK, their only hit.

Based on that, I sought out some of their records.

Their records are also not crap. I even kinda dig Stan Ridgeway's voice.

They have a nice mystique.

Absolutely not crap.

Index Masters, Dark Continent and Call of the West are all great albums with mostly great songs (a few clunkers, but so many hits!)

Back In Flesh is a great song.

I think many people only identify with Mexican Radio, which is a shame. For many would categorize them as a one hit wonder.

I find them quite challenging. Pere Ubu + Devo + Spaghetti Western blended with a nice topping of angst and urban discomfort. I like the drum machine mixed with the pots and pans drumming. The guitar playing was pretty cool. The crazy keyboard arpeggios that weave in and out of many of the songs are really awesome and unique. And the sound effects mostly worked, especially on the studio version of Back In Flesh.

I didn't care for them so much after Stan left and they became a more straightforward LA rock band.

Yeah, Stan era was where it was at. "On Interstate 15" and "Lost Weekend" are two great songs from the Call of the West LP, and the "There's Nothing on This Side" b-side was an amusingly dark prank call excursion. I can't say I followed the band after the split, and I found Stan's lyrics to be quite...not so good on the first solo LP.

Sadly, two former members (guitarist Marc Moreland and percussionist Joe Nanini) are now dead. Shame.

Not crap.

I think this is one of the bands that I could almost say none of their output was crap. That and Bauhaus.

NOT FUCKING CRAP.

Do you get the message?

Maurice wrote:Sadly, two former members (guitarist Marc Moreland and percussionist Joe Nanini) are now dead. Shame.

Not crap.

I didn't know they had lost two members!

"Lost weekend" is a personal favorite.

Check out this cover of "Ring of Fire" they did. Pretty amazing stuff, actually.

http://www.wallofvoodoo.net/music/stanridgway_ring_of_fire.mp3

Way not crap.

I guess Stan Ridgway is playing with Pere Ubu in London later this month.

Yahtzee!

any preiboy wrote concrete blond's "tomorrow, wendy."

that's a damn fine song. and johnette napolitano got pipes.

stan ridgeway had a decent song on that wayne kramer comp, as i recall too. i can't recall the title, but i recall not skipping over it. something about a movie star.

though mudhoney's song (later released on that album with the horns, i forget the title of that too) "inside job" was the highlight of the comp.

anyways, wall of voodoo, not crap.


one more thing: anyone rememer that episode of seinfeld where kramer was reversing his peephole and singing "mexican radio?" that just seems right to me, kramer and wall of voodoo.