DC Larson's JUKEBOX JURY

Wednesday, August 26, 2026

The Zap Guns

Space Vampire

(Self-issued)

Asplash throughout Milky Way clubs are silver saucers equipped with reverb. Having buzzed the Surf and Punk galaxies -- and hovered o'er cratered alternative orbs uncharted -- they fire alternating chiaroscuro and technicolor beams that have all manners of jumbo-headed aliens playing Twister at the discothèque.

Recommended: "Satellite," "They Live," "Geraldine," "I Don't Know Why," "Quicksilver," "Ghosts," "Dahlia," "Waiting for You"

Videos: "Satellite" (live) "Ghosts" "Waiting for You"

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The Scoffs

Factories in Heaven

(Short Fuse Records)

Lead singer Knuck to Heavy Melody site, in 2023: "I spent a few years on my knees in waste and filth on factory floors, sorting garbage for recycling analysis. I fed machines in cold, drafty warehouses for $12/hour, screwing up my shoulder to have some a-hole boss mock me while I destroyed myself to pad his pocket."

That's a plaint all-too-familiar to this writer, being as I am an erstwhile chief steward with the United Food and Commercial Workers (local 431).

But mine is also a skidding existence on 1977-forward safety-pin margins, soundtracked by CBGBs skronk merchants. The Scoffs' demolition brickbats ring true and land hard. '77 was a launchpad.

Recommended: "Factories in Heaven," "Never Might Be Too Soon," "Such a Mess"

Videos: "Factories in Heaven" "Never Might Be Too Soon" (Official video) "Such a Mess"

Rockin' Bones

Back From the Forgotten Planet: Complete Sessions (1989 - 1994)

(Just Another Normal Guy Records)

As plotted and dispatched by 1990s spell-casters, Psychobilly was possessed of peculiar traits. And there is no more superfluousness here than curling flesh on a skeleton's calcium sticks. Measured, ominous passages have their shifting scene-establishing way; moods hang from ceiling corners of darkened manse.

Rising forth are hustling standup, urgent snare impulsion of vaguely voodoo nature, six-strings intent on velocity, and brusque terminology bitten off with the spiteful iciness of some post-Punk ghoulish watchman. Those listening scrupulously will catch allusions to the old in-out, tongue firmly in une femme sexy's cheek.

Somebody's going to get their head pulled off tonight...

Recommended: "Freddy Krueger -the Final Nightmare," "Tremors," "Vampirella," "Zombie Boogie," "Hot Rod Space," "I Go to the Go Go," "Bone A Billy Boogie," "Erotic Robot," "Welcome to the Forbidden Planet"

Videos: "Vampirella" "Hot Rod Space" "Bone A Billy Boogie" "Erotic Robot"

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Just Another Normal Guy

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Back in the Day, 1995

Blue Devils

In Bed with Betty 10" vinyl

(Fury Records)

Throw yourself into the Bluesabilly go-go maelstrom. Guitars graduated Cool School. Sax honkings and head-back screams ricochet crazily off unrefined Big Beat provocations that'd surely scare hell out of snoots. Where matters concern the idealized Dream Girl undraped, all wagers are off and all limitations crash away.

Recommended: "Betty Page," "Mystery Girl," "Bloody Mary." "Sweet Love," "Tail of a Rattlesnake," "She Does the Do," "Vibrations"

Videos: "Betty Page" "Mystery Girl" "She Does the Do"

Rockin' Rollin' Products

The Sloe Gin Fizz

Herefrom ambles sound of the folks: Rockabilly properly in fundamental state, risen from Hillbilly haunts, and laced with slide that'll give folks their enjoys.

Video: "Black Heart Baby"

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Eliza Stark and the Dappers

Dropping coinage into a Seeburg and punching this selection will result in three astoundingly able practitioners of Rebel styling jumping from the music machine's belly and igniting the coolest blaze all across everywhere.

Video: "Till We Die"

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Sunday, August 23, 2026

Lil' Lisa & the Finks

Introducing...

(Work Whorse / Wavy Gravy)

If it weren't so that these four road-burning mean-kick celebrations of absolutely unhindered hedonism (with mindbending groove accentings) arose as a side project of Chicago punk band The Dyes' Lisa Louise, greasy greenbacks would bolster supposition that they'd swung onto the scene from the soundtracks of a late-60s American International drive-in biker flick, one whose lurid banner cried Wild, Mama, Far-out, Stompers, and Savages.

Recommended: "Chopper," "Have Love Will Travel," "Henrietta," "No Good to Cry"

Videos: "Chopper" "Have Love Will Travel" "No Good to Cry"