Sifting through punk rock in the mid to late 1980's is like listening to a desperate last scream against growing old itself. With that, it is also the final shout before the nonconformist was invariably sold out by Moloch-marketing.
It's about before the internet. It's about before MTV programmed popular music. It's just before culture "became the marketing".
The majority of these recordings were found on an old tape called "All You Kids Do is Destroy" which replicated itself around upstate New York's college campuses in the 1990's. Not much is known about who made the tape, except that they gave 150 percent and required nothing in return.
Alamogordo is believed to hail from Madison NJ, in 1984 or 1986. Alamogordo also happens to be a town in New Mexico near where the first atom bomb was detonated. It seems to be an amalgamation of various people who stopped by the basement of someone documented on the tape as "Johnny Spitfire", who functioned as the guitarist as well as house producer. It is true NJ Basement Punk Rock in the finest sense.
It is unclear if the people in the band ever continued onto college or even graduated high school. Next to nothing is known about their live performances. There is no visual documentation. They are rumored to have played with stolen equipment. Various vocalists would sit in on sessions which only supported their prime campaign of anti-rockstardom. The only thing that remained consistent, was the level of frustration and angst embedded in all the songs.
These are not stupid teen-agers, but teen-agers in a stupid world.
Alamogordo reminds us that there will always be angst, and there will always be a remedy for that angst in spontaneous song.
Peace,
X.F. Pine (2002)
From the album: "All You Kids Do is Destroy"
01
- Heroes of Our Age
Half
battle cry, half march into punk madness. A sinister edge commenting on
the act of war?
02
- Under the Landfill
Some
kind of New Jersey Futurist 1950's retro punk instrumental. There are
things lurking, breathing, and multiplying under the landfills of New
Jersey. The backing audio is believed to be from the Sci-fi movie "Forbidden
Planet".
03
- Sniffer
Playing
guitar fast isn't enough. Playing guitar fast through a voltmeter is.
Defies the theory of relativity between good and bad noise.
04
- Drugs
A
commentary on both the damaging and medicinal effects of drugs. The accent
of the gentleman (believed to be R. Spellman) sounds more intelligent
than he might appear.
05
- Chickenbackroadrunner
Some
kind of royally fucked up version of a Link Wray instrumental bred with
a Modern Lovers Classic, melded through a voltmeter to reach supersonic
sounds.
06
- Tribute to Carl Banish
Downward
spiral Instrumental featuring the voice of Carl Banish. (?) Why anyone
would have a tribute to him is still mysterious. Just who was Carl Banish
and why was he so important? Some believe he "lost his life, perusing
the sport that meant so much to him" means he was a deep sea diver
or a lion tamer.
07
- Ugly Stick
A
boppy song made exclusively for driving around New Jersey aimlessly in
family cars on a Friday Night learning how to smoke cigars.
08
- Code of the Devil
More
voltmeter, break the tape recorder experimental puck rock basement guitar
crappola.
09
- Love?!?!
There
is only one word to this song. What word can only be both a question and
an exclamation simultaneously. Love sneaks up behind you like a overdriven
guitar and rips into the most vulnerable parts of your heart. This track
was believed to be recorded in a pit of snakes. Johnny Spitfire can be
heard laughing like he is possessed or insane at the end. Note the precision
drum playing by Andrew Spider's bother John on this track.
10
- Where'd you get these quotes?
Tom
Brown reading some kind of anti-promotional material put out about the
band inviting anti-celebrity as that was their punk rock credo.
11
- Dooop
This
appears to be of some kind of karmic/moral lesson. Perhaps the magic word
was used to ward off bad hoodoo spirits and re-institute favorable mojo.
The genesis of the word is believed to be from Tom Brown and his mythology.
12
- Happiness is...
A
reinterpretation of the Charles Schultz classic. This version is distinguished
by a certain brilliant dark foreboding. This is not a snoopy comic whatsoever
anymore. It is a realization that childhood is gone forever, and adulthood
will prove to be a big fat hassle. Vocals by Marc Blade and Robert Spellman.
Remember that Happiness is not what it seems.
13
- Report Card Day
This
high speed voltmeter version is the only surviving copy of the song. It
was rumored to have actually been recorded on Report Card Day 1985 when
Tom Brown failed Spanish, and knew it would drastically effect his college
aspirations if his parents discovered his report card. The song is truly
a reaction to a situation. Notice how Alamogordo manages to rip off Twisted
Sister in the middle break.
Your
mom's a ham. All she ever cooks is Spam.
It's
report card Day, and it's here to stay,
Your parents won't let you go out to play.
14
- Academic Genocide
A
classic critique about the state of Education from the inside looking
out. Lyrics by Jimmy Rocket. The dedication to "Mom" at the
beginning is none other than Eric Chaos, who happened to drop by the basement
that day.
I
loose interest, I lose hope.
You've driven me to booze and dope.
You
judge me, and it's a shame
I'm fucked up, and you're to blame.
15
- Edge of Darkness
An
awesome interpretation of an electric punk rock sea shanty about traveling
to far away lands and tripping in general. The Lyrics and Vocals were
believed to be by Edward Bomb. Unsettling, but comforting in the knowledge
that most things wear off in time.
Bonus Live Tracks
Believed to be recorded at the Battle of the Bands at Madison High School 1985. Madison, New Jersey, and found on another circulating tape. Other performers that night included Wizard and 24 West. Alamogordo was believed to have been escorted off the stage after their equipment failed during the fourth song. These recordings were believed to be from the board. They were rumored to be on stage early in the evening, as no audience seems to be present, or perhaps the audience was just in a state of "dumbfoundedness."
Alamogordo Lineup (1985-1987)
Johnny
Spitfire - Guitar - Producing
Jimmy Rocket - Drums - Vocals
Andrew Spider - Bass
Tom Black - Drums
Guest Vocalists: Tom Brown, Marc Blade, Robert Spellman, Eric Chaos, Edward
Bomb