We lost someone incredibly near and dear to the KLYAM fam this past week. RIP to our beautiful Ben Tan. Without you Kids Like You & Me wouldn’t exist and that’s a massive understatement.
Our memorial (originally a benefit) show at Midway was outstanding! Packed, sold out, lines out the door even an hour before door time! It was insane. Unlike anything I have ever experienced before.
Beat Happening – Music to Climb the Appletree By (2003, recorded 1984-2000)
X – LIVE – January 10, 1981 Club 88, Los Angeles, CA (1981)
VHS and the Babies – S/T (2004)
Alice Donut – Dry Humping the Cash Cow – Live at CBGB (1994)
Fleatbite – TTYL EP (2015)
Miss World – Keeping Up With Miss World (2018)
Aquarian Blood – A Love That Leads to War (2019)
Charlie Parker – Boppin’ Bird (2025 Compilation, 1949, 1953)
The Sleeveens – S/T (2024)
Cullen Omari – New Misery (2016)
The Beach Boys – Sunflower (1970)
Brainwashed Victims – S/T Cassette Tape (2026)
Peter Grudzien – Hunky Honky (1994)
Honey Bane – You Can Be You EP (1979)
The Lurkers – Peel Sessions (1978)
Lunachicks – Babysitters on Acid (1990)
The Feederz -Ever Feel Like Killing Your Boss? (1983)
Departmentstore Santas – At the Medieval Castle Nineteen 100-Year Lifetimes Since (2015)
The Bluestars – Bluestars Comp (1965-1967)
The Breeders – Pod (1993)
Pagans – Everybody Hates You (Live) (1994)
Sheer Anxiety – If You Want Blood You’ve Got It (2026, recorded 2018-2025)
Lupo Citta – Inverno (2026)
Muddy Waters – Folk Singer (1964)
Ramones – Too Tough to Die (1984)
Michael Jackson – Off the Wall (1979)
I know I’ve said this before and I will probably say it again, when I do these monthly posts it always feels like I just did the previous one. Where did the month go? Where does time go? A wise man once said “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while you could miss it.” True. With my precious time, I’ve spent much of it listening to music both new and old. I am a sucker for my old favorites, but I make an effort (as indicated here) to listen to things I’ve never heard before. Honestly this month not too many albums floored me, but most of these releases have at least one song if not several that I believe are phenomenal. If anyone who knows me reads this they may be surprised at what I have never actually sat down and listened to (or at least not to my recollection). Like the last two albums listed. Especially the Ramones. It may sound like sacrilege, but as I suspected, much of the mid-later Ramones albums only contain a few bangers, but the rest is not great. The first few albums are amongst the best recordings ever made. Not as much as you go further down the discography in my humble opinion. Still, Joey’s voice always kills me. I find it harder to finish a recording and be totally blown away by all of it the more I listen to. Not so much as a criticism of the artists, but more my own reaction. I’ve been making a point to put quality (whatever that is) over quantity. Not try to listen to too many things. What’s the point if you don’t retain most of it? It’s a balancing act! On one hand, I don’t want to lose touch and wish to keep an open mind. On the other hand, sometimes you just want to listen to your favorites. There’s only so much time. The holy Pagans, The Lurkers, and The Feederz (found them in an April-May 1984 Maximum Rock N Roll issue purchased at the Hassle Flea! May have heard before, but can’t recall!) blew me out of my tree this month. Enough rambling for now. On to May…. – Chris
Ben Tan is someone who is extremely near and dear to KLYAM. In fact, it was his idea for us to name it Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM) in reference to lyrics from the song “Bad Kids” by our favorite band Black Lips. I can’t imagine what we would have dreamt up for a name! Ben has been one of our best friends since we were lads. He has been fighting cancer hard and we hope to raise some dough to at least help with the expenses and support him and the fam during these difficult times. Ben has always been there for others and is a pillar of the music community. Now it’s time to show him some love!
March flew by! Already digging into some new tunes for April. But before we get there, above is what I listened to in March. A couple Boston heavy hitter Garage Punk demos from new/oldcummers Lithophones and Puke Pisstols. I caught The Showcase Showdown opening for Dropkick Murphys. Their first show since 2000 and my first time seeing them! Hey, I’m not a fucking dinosaur and I guess I wasn’t a hip child. Sue me. They were great! I had already heard one of their albums before and some of their EPs/45s, but I listened to the others in preparation for the show. Catchy songs that you can hear once and remember forever. Haven’t felt that way about a band since our darling Fat Creeps many moons ago. I have caught Showcase members Tom and Victoria in more recent years in their sick goth band Gossip Collar. Boston legends. Speaking of Boston legends – yes a GG Allin acoustic album was one of my faves this month (sue me again!) but no, I wanted to discuss a new release from a different group of Boston legends. DMZ. I have been a fan of their stuff and it’s pure Rock and Roll/Classic 70s Punk/Garage Rock. So much fun! The holy Crypt Records released a lost studio session from 78 with different takes of DMZ classics fans should recognize. Until next time. Gritty and Nervous Guys are hitting the road; maybe I’ll have some stories! Cheers! – Chris
Ornette Coleman – The Shape of Jazz to Come (1959)
V/A – He’s Bad! 11 Bands Decimate The Beats of Bo Diddley (2021)
Bo Diddley – Have Guitar Will Travel (1960)
Nicole Kidman – Nicole Kidman (2009)
Jeff Unfortunately – Sitcom Songs (2025)
The Car Thieves – Everybody’s Going Ape! 7” (1993)
Only God Forgives – Extra Strength (2025)
Jaguar 777 – Jaguar 777 (2026)
W-9 (demo) (2026)
Itchy and the Nits – Greetings From… (2026)
Adam Green – Chop Off Heads with Me (2026)
Rotten Apples – “as is” (2011)
Virgin Mega Whore – The Doorknob of San Diego EP (2005)
Sex Cult – Plain Jane 7” (2012)
Snare & The Idiots – Recycled Garbage EP (1985)
Riff Randells – S/T 7” (2000)
Clorox Girls – Baby 7” (2003)
Junior Varsity – Pep Rally Rock! 7” (1997)
The Brentwoods – You Broke My Heart (I Broke Your Jaw) 7” (1995)
The Pagans – Six and Change 7” (1977)
Jeanie & The Tits – Slut Fame 7” (2007)
Wristwatch – III (2026)
The Cramps – Stay Sick (1989)
Gavin Caine – Is Lemons (2025)
Straight Arrows – Middleman/Do the Sloth 7” (2026)
Wicked Witch – Unreleased LP (1978)
BZDET – Dwa Wymiary (2026)
DBR – “Unbearable” (2026)
Various – Anxious Color: 60’s Garage Rock Psychedelic Moody Bands RARE Music Compilation ALBUM LP (2014)
ZULO – El Álbum Blanco (2026)
Nitwitz – First 7” EP (1980)
Billie Holiday – Great Women of Song (2023)
Tiny Tim – God Bless Tiny Tim (1968)
Dayemmm, I know February is the shortest month, but that flew by! I don’t like to speed up time, I like to linger, but fuck, get me out of this snow. At least the tunes have kept me warm. I like to think of myself as a head, but then sometimes I don’t. I’m not one of those see/saw kids or whatever the fuck, I can’t keep up with y’all! I want to focus more on quality over quantity. I started something new this month. I’m putting my favorites in bold. My favorite contemporary release was the impressive debut/demo from New Orleans’ W-9! A lot of punk can get stale and boring sometimes, but this one whipped my ass and it did before I even finished my beer! It’s a fun racket. Noisy and dirty, but I can hear everything smoothly. They just had their first show and it looked splendid. I’d love to see them live! Here’s their bandcamp: https://w-9music.bandcamp.com/album/w-9-demo
You’ll notice a series of older releases in bold as well. I found all of those on Sean Lynch’s You Tube channel. Amazing! So much good shit! Lots of weirdo Punk (block your ears if you’re squeamish and uptight), Power Pop, Old School Hardcore, and more! And I barely scratched the surface! Peep it here. https://www.youtube.com/@TelevisionTrash
Well, this was fun, but onto March. Seeing The Spits and Snooper (among others!) in NYC and Boston next week. Pumped! Peace. – Chris
Formaldehyde Junkies – …Are A Total Wreck EP (2005)
Subjects – Self-Titled Tape (2025)
Happy Farm – Demo (2025)
Hot Chicks – Reloaded (2025)
Science Man – Monarch Joy – Part 3 – or The Laughing Hour (2025)
Wasted Pido – Same Shit Eveywhere (2025)
Puke Pisstols – The Lost Recordings (2026)
Thee Amazing Andy California – Stomp EP (2026, older recordings)
Beatniks – Beatniks EP (2016)
Bobbyteens – I Wanna Go 7” (1998)
Supreme Dicks – The Unexamined Life (1993)
Phil & The Spectras -Every Night 7” (2026)
Hurts & Noises #19 Johnny Sick Mixtape (2025)
Sick Thoughts – Goner LP Demos (2019)
Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments – Bait and Switch (1995)
Teengenerate – Audio Recording (1993)
Teengenerate – Savage!!! (1996)
Mala Vista – Snub Nose .38 7” EP (2025)
Beer – Beer III EP (2025)
Pisaur – SZKODLIWY NIZ ZNAD POLSKI 7” (2025)
Ultimatum – Demo (2025)
Flippeur – Elastique (2025)
Tee Vee Repairman – Goner and Total Punk 7” (2025)
D.I.V.A. and Jacket Burner – Split (2025)
Big Hog + Resource Network Split (2025)
Rearranged Face – Rear Ranged Face EP (2025)
Unfortunately, my list didn’t save in Microsoft Word, so I am probably missing some stuff here! I was able to list off the above based on my queues.
Boston’s Puke Pisstols’ debut “The Lost Recordings” is the best thing I heard this month! The latest rock and roll juggernaut from Andy Macbain/Hilken Mancini/Johnny Sheeran/Simon Simard. Supergroup! It has that classic Macbain blown out sound. I don’t know how he gets it! The whole gang is great though. And hey, we the KLYAM get a shout out on “Year of the Rat.” Holy shit!
There’s also a new Andy California release (older songs).
Lots of good shit, current and old, and a handful that were fine, but probably won’t receive a second listen!
Happy Farm had a sick demo! Weird ass, screechy vocals the way I love them! Maybe you’ll see them on a Best of 2025 list if I ever actually get around to that…..
Split System – No Cops in Heaven/Pull the Trigger 7” (2025)
Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band – Gorilla (1967)
Larry & the Jerks – Kicked in the Head by Joe Devola (2024)
Citric Dummies – “Split With Turnstile” (2025)
The Paris Sisters – Sing Everything Under the Sun (1967)
Angel Face – Out in the Street (2025)
Premier Lawn Service- Pissed Off EP (2025)
Half – HALF Live Demo (2025)
Candypants – Candypants (2000)
Glueman – Glueman III (2025)
Outside View – 2025 Cuts (2025)
Spooky Visions – Unraveled EP (2025)
The Chocolate Watchband – The Inner Mystique (1968)
Country Christmas with Buck Owens, Glen Campbell, Ferlin Husky, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Sonny James, Roy Rogers & Dale Evans (1967)
Ray Conniff and the Ray Conniff Singers – We Wish You a Merry Christmas (1962)
Dean Martin – The Dean Martin Christmas Album (1966)
Baby Tyler – Sucker with a Dream (2025)
Freak Phone – Demo (2025)
Shitcontrol – Hungriga, Frusna och Lamslagna (2025)
Proglottid – Bodies Change to Dust (2018)
Electric Light Orchestra – A New World Record (1976)
DISPO – “Idüll” (2025)
Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments – Negative Guest List (1994)
Laughing Corpse – Beyond Recognition 7” (2025)
Cheap Fix – Re-animator Blues 7” (2025)
Giustino DiGregorio – Sprut (1995)
Tive – 恥部 (2022)
Coffin Lids – Live Trash (Abbey Lounge Records) “The Nice Price” (2005)
Sabrina Carpenter – Man’s Best Friend (2025)
Bang! Bros – Hard Rocks Volume 1 (2012)
Itches – House Animal Included (2025)
Les Rallizes Dénudés – Heavier Than a Death in the Family (2002)
Institute – Salt EP (2014)
Hickey – Us vs Them 7” (1995)
Enuf – Demo (1988)
Doc Corbin Dart – Patricia (1990)
I don’t have a year ender for you yet! I’m still compiling that; stay tuned! In the meantime, this is what I listened to for the first time in December. Lots of Christmas music! I got a few new records this year. Dean Martin, Ray Conniff, a sweet Country compilation, in addition to all the usual classics I enjoy!
Angel Face’s Out in the Street was probably my favorite! No surprise with members hailing from the legendary Japanese Garage Punk outfit Teengenerate! I thought it was better than their previous releases. Not as fiery and messy as Teengenerate, but some sick, impressive Power Pop. Gritty and I saw them at Gonerfest in 2024 and we actually met them at the airport. Super kind! Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments is a band I’ve been meaning to listen to forever and have only done in bits and pieces over the years. I finally listened to a whole album! It was awesome! What have I been smoking this whole time? New Bedford icon Mike Mountain’s favorite! Scuzzy, not quite right, but fees too good to be wrong noisy rock and roll comparable to fellow Ohioans Pagans as well as Pussy Galore. To quote Marge Simpson “I Just Think they’re neat.” Freak Phone is a newer local band (Portland, ME) I have my eye on! I’ll see them at Midway on 1/31 and I hope to book them myself in the new year!
Happy New Year fuckers, suckers, bozos, jokers, smokers, uppers, downers, dinos, winos, dryjanuaryers, and keeping wet dreams alive. I’ll be posting my year enders soon enough. Maybe even a movie year ender????? Who knows?! Cheers! – Chris
It’s been fun doing these monthly documentations of what music I have been hearing for the first time! I look forward to making this post every month, but more importantly it will be even more enjoyable months and years later to look back and see where I was way back when.
November:
Spoiled Brats – Jackie’s Never Coming Back 7” (1993)
Snorkler – Hot Dignity Dog and Other Future Classics (2025)
Puppet Wipes – Live Inside (2025)
Puppet Wipes – it’s called punk are you stupid? (2018)
Brenda and The Tabulations – Dry Your Eyes (1967)
Доктор Лазер – Болимпиада EP (2025)
Infiltrators – S/T (2025)
The Mamas and the Papas – If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears (1966) *I probably heard before in its entirety, but I don’t recall and I just got the record!
Retail Simps – Tantic Decapitation: 64 Minutes of Trichotomy and Liquefaction (2025)
Dru the Drifter – The Plumber (2025)
Jeff Clarke/ Movie Star Junkies Split 7” (2025)
Malcolm McLaren – Swamp Thing (1985)
Blondie – Blondie (1976)
Megan Thee Stallion – Something for Thee Hotties (2021)
Norm Dogs – S/T (2025)
The Blisters – Fast Food 7” (1987)
185 Miles South 1980 Hardcore and Punk Playlist
The Cowboys – Captain Easy’s Downfall (2025)
GUM – Demo (2025)
SLOKS – “FLESH / STAB ME” 7” (2025)
Thought Partner – Work Cake (2021)
Jacket Burner – Eat Shit + Die (2025)
ADMIN – Systems EP (2025)
Useless Eaters – Egg Shell/Rub 7” (2025)
Thought Partner – When Your Money Fails (2025)
Gee Tee – Demo (2022 – unreleased tracks from a few years before that…)
Odd Future – 12 Odd Future Songs (2011)
Bitch Boys – Jag Trivs (1980)
KISS – KISS (1974)
Adult Learners – Demo 2025 (2025)
Killer Kin – Killer Kin (2023)
Hack Hack Hack – Demo 1st (2025)
Th Fingers – Isolation 7” (1978)
Sonic Youth – Bad Moon Rising (1985)
Teengenerate Live at the Empty Bottle (recorded 1995, released 2025)
Screen Star – Cop City EP (2025)
Snooper – Worldwide (2025)
Triple 6 Mafia – Body Parts (1-4) (1996, 1997, 2005, 2013)
The Teardrop Explodes – Richard Skinner Session (1981)
Frantix – My Dad’s a Fuckin’ Alcoholic (recorded 1982-1983, released 2014)
Butter Swamp – Nightmare On Butter Street! (2025)
KNEE – S/T EP (2024)
Whyte Lipstick – Deadbeat (2025)
P.V. – Behold (A dude) (2025)
A lot of Punk and Garage and blah blah blah as usual. Lot of current releases including some local heads: Whyte Lipstick, P.V., Orange Whip, and Adult Learners! All great live bands too! I tried to also lean into some other genres a bit more like Hip Hop. Meagan Thee Stallion, Odd Future, and Triple 6 Mafia. I listened to Blondie’s debut album (I had previously only heard the singles) and Malcolm McLaren’s Swamp Thing at the recommendation of a friend. I didn’t even know he made music! It was a bizarre one and I don’t know if I’ll revisit or not, but it was worth the ride!
October has come and gone… way too fast! I often listened to a Halloween mix I made 5 years ago as I do every October!
Anyways, below is stuff I listened to for the first time ever. Lot of new shit, Lot of punk shit. Got into Schizos again. Not sure if I ever listened to their stuff before besides a Live at Hi-Tone record in which they were thrown out of the Hi-Tone venue! I was there! It was a Gonerfest after party. It was a crazy show and then I saw them again there a year later. They somehow managed to sneak their way in under an alias. At THAT show I got a concussion. Records can’t do justice, but they come close enough! Another stand out for me was an album I never thought I’d ever actually see or hear or whatever. Incoqnekro – Incoqnekromicon (2006). I read about this years ago on the Black Lips’ Wikipedia page, but either it wasn’t linked there before or I’m just a fool. But former Black Lip Joe Bradley apparently produced this Atlanta Hip Hop album and lent his own raps in the mix too! As one G. Gordon Gritty also noted, it sounds like proto 200 Million Thousand (2009) for you Lips fans out there! Give it a listen here. Solid, fun rap album! And pretty damn obscure. I can’t find it from a Google search and can’t find much on it beyond a Myspace page via wayback machine. https://incoqnekro.bandcamp.com/album/incoqnekronomicon
October:
Tall Juan – Raccoon Nights Demos (2025)
Science Man – Monarch Joy Part 2 (2025)
Black Flag – Panic Demos (1978)
Joe Glass – Slither (2022)
Nape Neck – Nape Neck (2020)
Nape Neck – Look Alive EP (2022)
Nape Neck – The Shallowest End (2025)
R.M.F.C. – Ecstatic Strifeby (2025)
The Slash – Demo (2025)
Life Stinks – Life Stinks (2013)
The Unknowns – Looking From the Outside (2025)
The Thought Criminals – Hilton Bomber (Full 7” released 1978, reissued 2025)
The Reatards – Plastic Surgery 7” (2005)
Ramones – Subterranean Jungle (1983)
C4 – Payback’s A Bitch (2025)
I.C.B.M. – A Nation Ends (2025)
The Kinks – Muswill Hillbillies (1971)
Picniclunch – snaxbandwitches (2025)
Black Lips – Season of the Peach (2025)
Quintron and Miss Pussycat – Crystal Crunchy EP (2025)
V/A – Snap! Crackle! Pop! Where The Action Is, Vol. 1 (2025)
Dollbait – a revolting simulacrum of femininity (2025)
The Prize – In the Red (2025)
I keep saying each month I’ll listen to more new (both actual new and older music I have never heard before) shit and I never meet my intentions! Ohh well! This was my best effort. Several of these bands I’ve listened to many times, but I either don’t recall listening to the recordings here or I never heard them before! Lot of good shit, but I can’t pinpoint a favorite. Frankly much of it I have a hard time remembering, because it’s so much. Anyway, cheers to October… – Chris
Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM) 