We're Loud: 90's Cssette Punk Unknowns Release Party!

Not having lived in Las Vegas in the 1990's (we got here in 2003 and didn't really become party of the "scene" until a number of years later), I was not familiar with Jaime Paul Lamb or any of his many groups that he fronted or participated in during that time. In fact, I really found out about this show due to the fact that the Swamp Gospel drummer Lenny Ribaudo was going to be playing drums for a Dirty Babies semi-reunion (minus guitarist Kei, who is living in the mid-west now). But, I'm glad that I did find out, as it was a wild'n'fun bit of tasteless garage madness!

I will not even attempt to list everyone involved or all of the bands that were somehow represented here, but Jaime played and sang throughout - sometimes lead vox, sometimes backing, often on his Farfisa organ - giving the proceedings a cool, garage feel - sometimes on guitar. Numerous others came and went from the stage, many that I did not know - apparently a number of people have moved away from Vegas over the ensuing years. In fact, I think that our pal Jonoboe (who did a terrific job on bass) and Lenny were the only two that I knew.

As I said, a lot of different bands were represented, with names like the Barf Bags, the Drop Outs, the Oblong Boxers, the Fucking Pigs, the Heck Yas, Le Fleur de Mal, the Van Buren Wheels and, of course, the afore-mentioned Dirty Babies. Everything was generally high-energy garage rock with tasteless/goofy lyrics and titles like "Rip Your Cunt", "You're Gonna Die", "I'm a Sissy", "Community Cunt", "Pink Fingers", "I'm a Date Rapist", "Jenny Was a Christian", "I'm Better Than You", "Sweet, Sweet Satan", etc. Of course, it was great for me to finally be able to simply watch Lenny smash'n'bash'n'crash his drums to tunes like "Up All Night" and the finale of the ubiquitous garage cover "You're Gonna Miss Me".

I think the only complaint anyone had was that things didn't go on longer, but it seems like the gang covered all of the material that they had planned, and then some! Great show of totally fun'n'crazed rock'n'roll. I did pick up the double-LP compilation, so more on that when I have some time!

I will not attempt to identify all of the culprits here, but I took tons of pix: