Angst

Sleeve Notes

In May of 1995 I finally made it to Memphis. I was on a BIG STAR Pilgrimage, a not uncommon act for faithful followers of Chilton, Bell, Stephens and Hummel. The annual Memphis In May celebration was in full swing; festivities include an outdoor music festival and a full-blown salute to a different country each year. Thailand was the focus then, and I could barely keep Alex Chilton’s raucous “Bangkok” out of my head.

I spent much time happily sequestered in local record stores where I scored a copy of TOMMY HOEHN’s Losing You To Sleep and THE SUSPICIONS album (local energetic pop from 1982 featuring Jody Stephens of Big Star on drums.) I also discovered the hypnotic blues of JR KIMBROUGH and had the pleasure of seeing VAN DUREN perform. Yet try as I might I could not find a copy of THE SCRUFFS Wanna Meet The Scruffs? which was released on HENRY LOEB’s Power Play records in 1978.

I wasn’t too upset at not finding Wanna Meet as there were only 2,500 copies pressed to begin with and I figured even if I did find one it would cost me dearly. Besides, like many fans I already possessed the long out of print album-sort of-in the form of a dubbed tape! Well, actually I think I have a dubof- a-dub-of-a-dub, but on a good tape which sounds swell (I’ll retire it when my CD version arrives). I never even knew the titles of the songs till this year, upon making acquaintance with STEPHEN BURNS vox/primary songwriter of the group, who sent me a *sealed* copy of Wanna Meet (talk about your Southern hospitality).

THE SCRUFFS’ music has a Brit-rock edge. Beatles? But of course, yet so much more. Only Memphis kids could whip up such a glam-meets-popabilly sound served with dramatic flair. The firstword out of Stephen’s mouth on “Anything,” the opening track on Angst is a curt “All right!” sounding just like a London Boy. Let’s just say there are few things more charming-sexy really-than a Memphis lad singing with a faux British accent.

Angst is a most appropriate title for this set of early work by THE SCRUFFS. This disc has the boy/girl (that’s “gurl” if you follow the Memphis/ Brian Wilson spelling) scenario down pat. There’s also enough depression here to keep one down for days-unless, like myself, you’re buoyed by the sad stuff. Either way, lovers of luv, I do believe you’re in for a treat. The first half of Angst features various lineups of friends in the studio. It’s important to realize that Stephen not only sings lead and plays guitar on Angst, but also recorded and mixed everything. He did a nice job. “Number One,” the second track is a sweetly sinister number in which the singer warns “You never ought to put me down / I get angry when I get knocked around.” A lusty ode to a mod girl
(“tight dresser cause you’re up all night”) follows.

Virtually everything on “Those Girls” is overdubbed, phased and very swirly. Things slow down for “I Remember” which Big Star fans may compare to “13.” “Visions” has a Trex-ish vibe. “Wrong Idea” kicks back into rawk mode with a rather spindly guitar part. “So You Want To Be A Big Star” is a nod to Roger McGuinn’s “Rock and Roll Star,” with a bit of a snip at Memphis’ glam rock copy-cats of the day (“Oh, I can’t dig that / January fellows in drag”) and loads of Big Star references.

At this point Angst turns a little nasty-certainly angsty - as “Liar” and “Wha’ch You Gonna Do?” showcase the fact the protagonist of THE SCRUFFS material isn’t always the nicest fellow, certainly unprepared to put up with any perceived games. These fittingly lead into a pre Wanna Meet version of “Revenge” that is as enigmatic as they get (Jesus? Karma? Lewd Dreams?). Then “Afterlife” leads nicely into “Breakdown,” two somber numbers which really need no explanation.

Following this aching sadness comes the first of three songs on Angst to mention that beacon of hope and redemption in music: the radio. You can’t beat lines like “Your radio eyes still haunt me too/ yes you move” as heard on “This Can’t Go On.” And those handclaps slay me. Check out the superb Chris Bell influenced rocker “Never Too Late” (“You play me like a rock and roll record / you take me like a
photograph”/ “I listen to the radio / no word from you, you haven’t shown”) Finally Stephen moans “Oh little girl, your eyes are listening to the radio / and you can’t hear, but darling you can rock and roll” to a young woman in “Make Out.”

Lovely medieval acoustic guitar carries “You’re That Girl” directly into the most melodramatic moment of this disc “Insane/Depression”: snarling vox and pounding guitar veer off into vaudevillian piano and lilting voice. A few songs later Stephen welcomes us to his “Nightmares” which feature an unusual vocal lead and oddest little touch of Who-ish (Townsend) backup vox if you listen close.

The anthemic “Tragedy” contains one of THE SCRUFFS most
remembered lines “It’s just a teenage dream / Then your old” and is here two years before it would appear on Wanna Meet in a dressed up fashion. The album winds down with “Let Me” a classic one last- stab attempt to keep the object of one’s desire (“Let me talk you into me / or try to talk you out ofleaving”).

We are then treated to the slightly manic “Money Rocks” which sounds like it was performed by the Banana Splits-dig that saxophone-though I doubt this was the intent. Angst ends with one verse of “Revenge” sung alone by Stephen on his acoustic guitar.

THE SCRUFFS wound up releasing their well acclaimed debut, moving to New York City and taking a stab at making it. They didn’t. They should have. A few spins of most of the cuts here will reinforce that belief. Are THE SCRUFFS over the top? At times. Heartbroken? I think so. Cool? Ooh yeah.


JUDITH BEEMAN
- publisher BACK OF A CAR magazine