K.O. Queen – Girls! Girls! Girls!
July 2026:
- Request Freebird – RIP Ben Tan (2026)
- Smirk – Selective Fiction (2026)
- Sex Mex – 21:12 (2026)
- V/A – Summer Doo Wop Party with Chucko (2026, recorded 50s-70s)
- Thee Milkshakes – Showcase (1984)
- Thee Milkshakes – They Came They Saw They Conquered (1984)
- Nirvana – From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah (1996)
- V/A – Dazed and Confused OST (1993, music from the 70s)
- I.C.B.M. – Eyes of the State (2026)
- The Phi Mu Washboard Band – Just Because (1966)
- V/A – 45 Minutes of Unsettling 1930s Music
- Power of Idea – Hyper Yellow Trash (1997)
- The “B” Girls – Who Says Girls Can’t Rock? (1997)
- The Sex Shoppe – S/T (2026)
- Old Yeller – Demo (2026)
- Alien Nosejob – How a Mosquito Operates (2026)
- Matt K. Shrug – Gone Ashtray (2010, recorded 2007-2009)
- L7 – S/T (1987)* RIP Jennifer Finch
- L7 – Bricks Are Heavy (1991)
- Oust – A Girl Can Dream 7” (2026)
- Big Boys – Frat Cars EP (1980)
- HIRS – Friends, Lovers, Favorites Demos (2016)
- Tunnel of Love/Jack of Heart Split 7” (2006)
- Tunnel of Love – Hottt Radio Revenge!!! (2008)
- K.O. Queen – Girls! Girls! Girls! Tape (2026)
- Louis Jordan – Knock Me Out Volume 2 (1940-1942, released in 1986)
- The Redwoods – Never Take It Away 45 (1961)
- The Young Lads – Graduation Kiss 45 (1963)
- Black Lips – Wild Man 45 (2007)
- Black Lips – Cold Hands 45 (2007)
- The Mothballs – Come Out of the Closet 45 (2005)
- The Fagettes – Volumes 1 and 2 Cassette (2011) *I LISTENED TO THE BANDCAMP YEARS AGO, BUT NEVER HEARD THIS PHYSICAL TAPE UNTIL NOW! *
- Bugs and Rats/Northern Liberties Split 45 (2006)
My Birthday is July 15 (also St. Swithun’s Day), so of course this month always rules! I treated myself to some Chinese Food as is my tradition. I also indulged in various records and films. I received some sweet gifts! Alexander Payne’s debut film Citizen Ruth (1996). It’s not as good as some of his other movies like my beloved Election, but it’s an amazing debut and worth a watch. A biting political satire. But what really knocked me off my rocker was Dennis Hopper’s 1980 gut wrenching classic Out of the Blue (1980). Maybe I’ll do an extensive piece on this. I became obsessed with it. Watched it 5 or 6 times last week! Hopper also stars in the film. Well, the late great Linda Manz is the star; Hopper is a late, great too! But yeah, Manz is mesmerizing as the teenage Punk Rock/Elvis fanatic Cebe. She is a rough, unique presence. She articulates pain and bravado and humor all at once unlike anyone else I’ve ever seen. She first caught my eye as Solomon’s Mom in Harmony Korine’s Gummo. Korine loved her in OOTB and it was in his top 10 favorite films of all time. Can’t recommend this enough – sort of, it’s hard to recommend, because it’s not going to be for everyone (what is?!), but it’s an especially heavy film. From start to finish. But, the last half hour is brutal. A gut punch that never holds back. Keeps pummeling you until the end. Fun stuff haha.
Okay, but to the music! The records! The tapes! The digital files… not as cool, but cool stuff nonetheless. My man Noah Britton or in this instance Request Freedbird gave us another tearjerker in the extremely personal “RIP Ben Tan.” The album includes songs with Noah, Ben, and other friends, including while Ben was in hospice. To quote the album credits:
“On 4/23/2026, I visited Ben in hospice and he said, “if anything happens to me, sing ‘Freebird'” because the whole point of Request Freebird was that I’d never perform “Freebird.” We tried it right there, and this is that recording. I’d never sung this song in my life. I’m resurrecting the Request Freebird name just for this. The final Request Freebird song is “Freebird.”
RIP Request Freebird and Ben Tan.
Ben died of cancer on 5/14/2026.”
Indeed, we love you Ben! Always.
On a brighter note, I loved listening to two albums by Thee Milkshakes. I’ve only listened to them a little here and there. Led by the legendary Billy Childish. I’m more familiar with his other band Thee Heaadcoats. This is classic Rock and Roll. Made in the 80s, but keeping the 60s party alive in the best way possible – paving the road for all of us garage spunkers for years to cum.
This month I finally listened to Nirvana’s “From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah.” Crazy it took this long! The reason I never gave it a listen was because I thought it was a greatest hits compilation. This whole time! I finally discovered it was a compilation of live performances. So, I gave it a whirl.
The Phi Mu Washboard Band’s “Just Because” is magnificent. I fell in love with their version of “Love Hurts” a few years back and finally got around to hearing the whole album now. 60s sorority Outsider Pop. Heaven for my ears.
The Sex Shoppe unleashed an impressive eponymous debut (?) album on Ragdoll Records in June. This really stood out to me! I don’t always get that feeling. Actually, I usually don’t. I was feeling Girl Fit vibes. Of course, when I went to the credits I saw Waylon Thornton and Baesha Thompson and realized this pretty much is the same band! At least same members. Girl Fit was one of my faves from 2024. In both instances the songs are more animated and memorable than most Punk I come across. LISTEN! https://ragdollrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-sex-shoppe
Well your Birthday boy was/is one lucky camper. My Tunnel of Love/Andy Macbain discography is nearly complete. A my Bday show at The Sil, Mr. Macbain himself gifted me two Tunnel of Love records! Their split with Jack of Heart from 2006 and 2008’s “Hottt Radio Revenge!!!” If you don’t know Tunnel of Love, they were an extreme Rock and Roll gang from Brookline, MA. I’ve never heard anyone else this crazy. Their music is electrifying pandemonium and puts all other Budget Garage twerps to shame! You may recognize Andy also from such beloved Boston bands and KLYAM favorites as The Monsieurs, Andy California, Mardi Kings, and Puke Pisstols.
My current favorite Boston band K.O. Queen just put out their second album “Girls! Girls! Girls!” and of course I snagged a tape as soon as I could! I attended their album release show at their homebase Cambridge Community Center. It was off the hook. Every KO show is, but you could especially feel the love in the air or the sweat. They have put in a lot of work over the years and it shows. This latest album is crunchy and gunky and has all the raw, but equally fun quality their previous releases and live shows embody. Fans will recognize live standards such as “HIT POLICE” and the previously released “BUTCH BABY” and “DIE F*GGOT.” FFO The Crucifucks, Big Hog, Cexcrime, and a million other cool bands. Also thank you Queens for dedicating the album to Ben Tan (along with Char Clement) and for including us in your “Special thx” section!!! LISTEN: https://koqueen.bandcamp.com/album/girls-girls-girls
I finally got my greasy paws on the “Wild Man” 45 from Black Lips! I already owned the 1966 original by The Tamrons and I have a live recording of the Lips covering it. But just now I picked up a studio recording. Both the original and the Lips cover are among my all time favorite songs. Thee Headcoatees also do a mean rendition. It’s also probably the song I have sang the most in my life. Possibly! My old band (can’t believe I’m writing that) Johnnie and the Foodmasters used to cover it. I miss playing with my fellow Foodfuckers and I especially miss seeing Ben Tan. Lead Johnnie. We love you. Can’t say it enough.
Okay, I’m going to wrap this up. I can’t write about everything! In this day and age where everything appears to be accessible on your phone, physical media feels even more special to me. I love having something in the palms of my filthy hands. I geek out enough as is, but I particularly geek out when I come across shit you can’t find online! Or extremely rare. Boston homies (Quincy to be exact) Bugs and Rats put out a split record with Philly’s Northern Liberties in 2006. I saw Bug and Rat Shawnie posted a photo of it online and realized not only had I never heard it before, but I couldn’t find it online! Either I’m a terrible investigator or the recordings are simply not available online. I think the latter. Well, thanks to the holy Discogs, I was able to find one for sale and I got it!
One final one! You know I love me some Doo Wop! I find often when I mention the genre people have this image of wholesome, cutesy people singing in a slow,non threatening fashion. Granted that is sometimes the case, but that isn’t the whole story! Much Doo Wop is loud, thunderous, and will knock you flat on your fucking ass. What the PJ Doo Wop channel once described as “frantic.” My latest 45 purchase The Redwoods’ “Never Take It Away” is a perfect example of this style. It’s a banger! Makes most of my Punk records feel puny by comparison. Pleases listen below.
That’s all for now! If anyone reads this, thanks! – Chris
Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM) 