Published on Nov 30, 2001
I’m going through all of my CDs, one-by-one, and updating my
list of them. I do this every year, an ‘end of the year’ inventory,
if you will. I piled my CDs on my pool table last year and took a
picture of it, but this year, I’m bringing stacks of CDs into the
den and going through my stacks. I’ve gotten through to the S’s.
Occasionally, I’ve been putting in CDs that I haven’t listened to
in a while.
One such CD is by a band called Strip Mind, whose 1993 release
What’s In Your Mouth didn’t make a lot of noise nationally.
The University of Iowa radio station, KRUI, had a show on Saturday
nights called “The Sonic Nightmare” where DJ “G-Man” played heavy
metal from 6 to 9. The G-Man would play a new Strip Mind song every
week for a period of two months. Hearing the songs as quick four
minutes doses of metal made me fall in love with this band. They
remind me a lot of Spread Eagle, who came out shortly before this
CD. The music is thrashy, with some elements of rock and roll.
The CD starts out with “Bastard,” a tune that immediately
showcases the entire band. The powerful drumming of Sully Erna
features tight double-bass and deep resounding tom interplay.
Vocalist/guitarist Stu Shoaps showcases his melodic approach to his
own “tough-from-the-streets” lyrics.
“Texas Radio Horror” was the first song I ever heard by this
band and it still ranks as my favorite. Erna introduces the song
with a pattern that introduces a thrashy guitar riff. Later he
compliments the melody with straight-forward double-bass rumbling
and tasteful ride cymbal work. I believe Erna was an underrated
drummer who didn’t get nearly the exposure his playing on this CD
deserves. Lyrically, the killer lyrics in this song are “She’s
beautiful/ even though she was dead.”
Next comes “Young, Fresh, Sweet” a song that brings
Independent-era Sacred Reich to mind. This time, though guitarist
Billy O’Malley takes certain stage with his riff and interesting
interplay with Erna, who compliments the song with more double-bass
fills and quick cymbal catches before launching into what can only
be described as ultar-thrash metal. From 2:11-2:45, they launch
into essential thrash metal that any fan of the genre will smile in
delight while listening to. Erna launches into the cleanest
double-bass rumbling.
Until you get to the intro to the next track “I Wanna F*ck Your
Girlfriend.” Say what you will about the lyrics, because I’m not
going close to them, but the music in this song is stellar. The
song toggles from a ultra-fast blitz to a mid-tempo thrash. This
time, though, bassist Tom Catz and Erna lock into a ferocious
groove while O’Malley drops out.
Another great song is the second song I ever heard by this band
called “Kill Me.” O’Malley leads the band through lyrics as “Damned
if I do/ Damned if I don’t.” Nah, never heard that phrase
before.
That brings me to the the lyrics, which revolve around the
themes of love, sex, and rebellion. In “Don’t Care,” vocalist Stu
Shoaps tells the listener, “Hopeless egomaniac/ Any sort of
conscience is what your ass lacks/ Bulldoze all the stupid and
poor/ Have the whole world as your whore.” He continues berating
the wealthy with the lyrics, “Ignorant of all the worldly pain/
Every situation’s about personal gain/ Loving every minute of it.”
Aside from phrases like the above, this CD doesn’t offer much
lyrically.
Musically, this is a diamond in the mine.