On a recent visit to the newest Used Kids Records location, I picked up a live CD documenting the 1997 edition of Comfest. While disappointed that their local section has shrunk considerably, I understand that they’re not running a charity and must do what they can to stay afloat. Nonetheless, I am thrilled to pick up this gem, as ’97 also marked the year I first moved to C-bus. And it’s always kind of haunted me that I had plenty of opportunities for attending Comfest that year, but didn’t.
Though living only an hour or so away for most of my life, and theoretically able to drive down since at least the age of sixteen, the ’97 event is the first clearly blown opportunity. In fact, I remember one guy walking around at work that weekend asking if anyone planned on attending, because he needed a ride – and I had no idea what he was talking about! In later years I would catch a number of these bands playing out around town, but listening to this disc now is kind of like glimpsing a spirit on the periphery…perhaps whichever one these people are dancing to on the trippy album cover!
When a little more inspired, I’ll attempt filling in the gaps with some research, because I too am curious how this year’s event fared. Until then, examining documents such as this will have to fill in the gaps. Here’s a rundown on the highly enjoyable 1997 souvenir:
- Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments – Down To High Street
A terrifically infectious track and one I should probably embed as the theme song for my High Street post. Perfect opening selection for this CD.
2. Watershed – Half Of Me
I would witness these gents playing a couple times and even meet them at a house party. They were somewhat considered by many people I knew – nothing personal, guys, because I happen to disagree with popular sentiment – a bit cheesy and unimaginative. If listening to this track, however, the impartial observer will note that they serve up perfectly fine Midwestern rock tunes, kind of like if the Smithereens and the Jayhawks both moved to Ohio and a couple of members of both created their own supergroup in 1995. Or something like that. You get the drift. And they are still going strong.
3. Johnson Brothers – Chocolate
Energetic party jam from this legendary outfit, replete with horn section. The first conversation I ever had with my good friend Miles, o trivia buffs, centered around this band. He had seen these guys recently and was explaining to me the difference between them and 1970s band Brothers Johnson, of Strawberry Letter 23 fame. You will usually see these guys referred to as The Fabulous Johnson Brothers, but I’m going with the name used on the CD package.
4. Ekoostik Hookah – Lady Vanilla
A near constant presence around the scene for eons now. At this juncture, they still have original member John Mullins in the fray, too. This starts out like a rollicking almost bluegrassy or at least Allman Bros type number, but soon devolves into Dead-lite. It’s decent but nothing I’d go out of my way to hear. I just noticed what the curators did here thematically, though, following up Chocolate with Lady Vanilla. Clever!
5. Hoo Doo Soul Band – Love and Happiness
These cats were a fixture of Oldfield’s every Sunday night for years upon years. If you ever wondered what kind of band might theoretically cram 386 paying customers into a room the size of your grandma’s assisted living kitchen, and keep them in palm of hand all night, well, here’s your answer. They would deliver a clinic on that topic every time out. This is a cover of the Al Green classic.
6. Tater – Want And Need
Somewhat of a garden variety angsty mid-90s rocker. But pretty good, for what it is, and I would include the performance as well as the mix. The drums sound great, for example, and it must be said that whoever recorded the audio for this disc did an awesome job all around.
7. Scrawl – The Garden Path
I was never a huge Scrawl fan. As far as I’m concerned, Marcy Mays’ greatest contribution to this fine city is the Surly Girl Saloon. It’s great that they eventually punched through to a major label deal and all, but, well, whatever. Having said that, this has to be the best song of theirs I’ve heard. The bass guitar has a terrifically menacing edge to it, and that tension laden drum pattern has you on the edge of your seat.
8. Rymocerous – Asleep On The Can
Wow, I know nothing about these guys and can’t find much online, either, but this sure is a fun track. 3 of the next 4 band names, this one included, tell you an awful lot about unfortunate 1990s trends, however.
9. Moxie – Impressions
Nifty jazz tinklings which I didn’t expect based solely upon the name of the group. The piano and sax players in particular are really smoking on this selection. Only later will I catch them live and learn that this all-female ensemble totally rocks on every inch of the stage. This is their take on the Coltrane classic and is a somewhat chill but no less impressive performance.
10. Ishkabibble – Tinker
Okay, it’s a little disconcerting to see that even fairly memorable acts like this haven’t bothered getting their music onboard for online streaming yet. But at least we have Youtube! This was a live favorite of theirs, a stomping, energetic cut.
11. Triggahappy – Get A Job
These guys too. I suppose things disintegrate and it’s tough getting everyone on the same page, but…they were kind of popular back in the day, yet Googling this track yields nothing. It’s kind of sad, really. This is some more of that ’90s ska revival business, yet a little more deftly executed than most.
12. Willie Phoenix and the Voodooz – No Woman No Cry
Willie is of course a Columbus institution at this point. The only time I remember actually seeing him play live was at Andyman’s Treehouse also but he’s one of the few guys who was semi-famous around town to where people would throw his CDs on just chilling at their houses or whatever. Here he presents a Bob Marley cover and of course does a fine job executing it. He also plays at Comfest just about every year, it seems.
13. Th’ Flyin’ Saucers – She’s Evil
These guys were a big deal too. They do at least have a Facebook page. But the website mentioned on said Facebook page is out of commission, so it would seem this isn’t a going concern for anyone involved. This here is what I would call a somewhat demented take on rockabilly.
14. Action Family – James Alley Blues
Entertaining enough scuzz rock, all things considered. Their band name is surely the best of those collected here, though – so take your victories where you can.
15. Salthorse – What D’ya Say
Though seeing these guys live painted a somewhat incongruous picture, in that the frontman’s antics were so annoying we almost couldn’t watch them, this isn’t a bad track. Of course, even here, I find that the music stomps, but I’m not so crazy about the vocals. Although I did eventually borrow one of their CDs from the library years ago, and burned that, as they did somewhat grow on me after a while.
In summary, as noted by the number of working links I was able to track down, most of these bands are now toast, or were possibly just local cover operations. It’s interesting to note that out of the 15 tracks, it’s definitely front-loaded in the first half of the disc with more groups who have taken themselves seriously all these years – that’s true now, but it must have been obvious even at the time. All I can say to these outfits who are no longer around, is that you should pretty please find a way to get your music online in some capacity, because this stuff still matters.
