VS. + Alley Cats @ Berkeley, CA 1979-10-31

 
ALLEY CATS @ BERKELEY, CA PAULEY BALLROOM  10/31/79  https://we.tl/t-gflN2p4RzR
VS @ BERKELEY, CA PAULEY BALLROOM  10/31/79 https://we.tl/t-bawS1mGmY7

 

 

Alley Cats
Pauley Ballroom
Berkeley, CA
1979-10-31 (Wednesday)

THTP Release 75

Recording chain:
Stage mics > splitter (split to house snake/SBD and TH snake) > TH dedicated snake >
Peavy MkII 12 channel mixing board (10 channels snake, 2 channels audience mics) >
AKAI GXC-570D Cassette Deck (Dolby B on) > TDK SA-90 tape

Archival Process:
1999: Sony TC-KA3ES > TDK SA-90 tapes playback (NO Dolby) > BBE 462 Sonic Maximizer (to clean up tapes) >
Tascam DA-30 DAT > HHb DAT-125 DAT tape
2002: HHb CDR-850 Professional CD Recorder (In real time) > HHb CDR74 Gold 100 year archival grade CDRs
2005: Transfered to HDD in AIFF file format

Dime release processing: AIFF Master Files > FFMPEG > 16 bit FLAC 8 > tagging, cover artwork, checksums.

Recorded, preserved, and master AIFF files provided by: Terry Hammer

Setlist:
01. //Today
02. Under My Thumb
03. Just An Alley Cat
04. Licorice Cats
05. One More Chance To Survive
06. Black Haired Girl
07. Night Along The Boulevard
08. Nightmare City
09. The Hardest Thing
10. Too Much Junk
11. Jailhouse Rock
12. Nothing Means Nothing Anymore
13. Summertime Blues

Length: 42:30

Band:
Randy Stodola - guitar, vocals
Dianne Chai - bass, vocals
John McCarthy - drums

Notes:
* The Alleycats were one of the early Los Angeles punk bands, venturing up to San Francisco for this show. They were always really great live, as were the Bags, also from SoCal. Very smart punk rock, with a great flair.

* Band Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AlleyCatsSOB/
* About the band: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Alley_Cats_(punk_rock_band)
"The Alley Cats are a Los Angeles, California-based punk rock trio formed in 1977 featuring Randy Stodola (guitar and vocals). Along with Dianne Chai (bass and vocals) and drummer John McCarthy, they were members of the early L.A. punk rock scene. Originally signed to Dangerhouse Records alongside other seminal California-based punk bands including the Bags, Black Randy and the Metro Squad, and X, they released their first single "Nothing Means Nothing Anymore" backed with "Give Me a Little Pain" on March 30, 1978. At Dangerous they released the album Nightmare City (1981), while major label MCA released Escape From The Planet Earth (1982). They are among the six bands featured on the 1979 compilation album Yes L.A. and appear in the 1982 film Urgh! A Music War."
* You'll remember the URGH series from Magazine (THTP 1), Stiv Bator's Dead Boys (THTP 15), and the Members (THTP 24), though the SF concert was not in the movie.

* About Dangerhouse Records: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dangerhouse_Records
"Dangerhouse Records was a punk music record label based in Los Angeles, California
...
Dangerhouse was one of the first independent labels to document the burgeoning West Coast punk rock scene. Started in 1977 and collapsing by the end of 1980, it was a short-lived enterprise, which nonetheless left an indelible mark on the punk rock history.
Established by David Brown and Pat "Rand" Garrett, both members of the punk rock band Black Randy and the Metrosquad, the company operated on a limited budget, supported by the more conventional typesetting and aerospace jobs of the founders. Black Randy himself got a day job in telemarketing and joined the effort as a business partner.
Despite its scarce resources, Dangerhouse was notable for its production quality. They released records on many of California's finest first-wave punk bands, including X, Bags, Avengers, the Weirdos, and the Dils."
* It's hard to really overestimate how important Dangerhouse Records was to the West Coast scene in general, yet another example of how many pieces were required to make such a vibrant scene work.

* Includes photos, sample flyer.

===========================================================

No distribution in lossy formats!!
No selling!!
No bootlegging!!
No remastering!!
Yes sharing. Definitely share.

Support the artists when or if they play, and buy their records/merchandise.

Please correct any errors or oversights in this information in the comments section so the information can be as accurate as possible.

If you can find related materials like flyers, posters, ticket stubs, even photos, etc, please add them in a comment and I will add them to the main release folder, so that can be included on the next re-seeding. Every bit is welcome, and as I am time constrained on this project due to the amount of material, I cannot spend as much time on each release doing research as I would like, so if we can add to and improve the information and release contents during this series, that would be great.

Please make an effort to pick at least one of these THTP releases and keep it seeded for as long as you can, particularly the lesser known groups. That will really help out long term.

===========================================================
About Terry Hammer and the THTP:

Someone put my feelings very well about these recordings in the following quote. I can't really improve on their words beyond noting that these recordings sound absolutely and utterly stunning, and I consider myself incredibly lucky to be able to present these to you here in their original, first generation, lossless hi-fidelity versions, for the first time ever.

"[These recordings were] recorded and preserved by collector/engineer Terry Hammer, for broadcast over the UC Berkeley station KALX and several others from the 1979 -1981 period. Anyone who spent a night at one of these clubs knows how chaotic the atmosphere was. That he was able to, not only get a decent feed from the sound mixing board, but was also able to get clean recordings was something of a miracle. And the fact this guy did it over and over again is pure dedication to the cause of preserving history for decades to come. Fortunately for everyone, he’s been making these gems of history available and their value as historic documents is inestimable. This is really exciting stuff and I am grateful for Terry’s foresight and deft skill."
src: https://pastdaily.com/2014/06/25/gang-four-live-american-indian-center-san-francisco-1980-nights-roundtable-concert-edition/

As Terry notes about the process of recording these shows: "Like all of my live recordings this was mixed direct to 2-Track Reel To Reel (and Cassette deck for backup and personal use) using headphones. Sitting in the club with the loud P.A. sound trying to drive the amp in my mixing board loud enough to hear what I was mixing.If you've ever been to a live concert,then,you know how loud it can be."

If you've ever been looking for an excuse to upgrade your sound system, these recordings certainly should provide you with some motivation, because they have incredible sound. And if you already have a quality sound system, you are in for a treat!! The audio goes straight to 20k hz, no losses I can detect. Due to the reality of tapes, even high end as used here, the low end starts at 47 hz.

And if you want to learn more about this incredible musical era, listen to the stuff you haven't heard, there are amazing gems in there.

Do we call these soundboards? Technically not precisely because this is not the house mix, these shows were mixed using a dedicated mixing board, with an additional 1 to 2 audience mics (1 for Mab because he needed 11 snake inputs), 2 at other clubs) in the mix. But I call it the Terry Hammer Tape Project (THTP) to make sure there is no doubt about the project's creator.

TECH:
Note that Terry made 2 master recordings (recording at the same time) when he mixed these shows live:
1: Reel to reel, for the radio stations:
Technics RS-1500 Reel To Reel (mostly TDK Audua L-1800 & LB-1800 tape with back coating or Scotch 206 / 207 with back coating. Maybe a few Maxell UD-XL). All the KALX shows went to KALX, they supplied the reel to reel tape.

2: For his own use, and as backup in case something happened to the reels:
AKAI GXC-570D Cassette Deck (Dolby B on) > TDK SA-90 tape

Terry isn't sure, but thinks the audience mics he used maybe were Electro Voice EV-DS35's.

Info: http://www.bbesound.com/products/sonic-maximizers/482i.aspx

===========================================================
 - teetering

VS.
Northern California Punk Fest
Pauley Ballroom
Berkeley, CA
1979-10-31 (Wednesday)

THTP Release 92

Recording chain:
Stage mics > splitter (split to house snake/SBD and TH snake) > TH dedicated snake >
Peavy MkII 12 channel mixing board (10 channels snake, 2 channels audience mics) >
AKAI GXC-570D Cassette Deck (Dolby B on) > TDK SA-90 tape

Archival Process:
1999: Sony TC-KA3ES > TDK SA-90 tapes playback (NO Dolby) > BBE 462 Sonic Maximizer (to clean up tapes) >
Tascam DA-30 DAT > HHb DAT-125 DAT tape
2002: HHb CDR-850 Professional CD Recorder (In real time) > HHb CDR74 Gold 100 year archival grade CDRs
2005: Transfered to HDD in AIFF file format

Dime release processing: AIFF Master Files > FFMPEG > 16 bit FLAC 8 > tagging, cover artwork, checksums.

Recorded, preserved, and master AIFF files provided by: Terry Hammer

Setlist:
01. Death Control
02. Dark Shadow
03. Rigor Mortis
04. (title ?)
05. Magnetic Heart
06. Young Boys
07. (title ?)
08. S&M Is No Joke (?)

Length: 22:16

Band:
Olga de Volga - bass, vocals
Heidi Familiar - vocals
Indian Wells (?) - guitar
Alex MacNicols (?) - drums

Notes:
* Note this is not the British R&B group VS! Obviously.
* This was a 2 day event, today's show featured Crime, SVT, the Dils, VKTMS, and the Alleycats (THTP 76).
* Note the bands ongoing references to Halloween, this being 10-31 and all (see included event flyer).
* I'm assuming the lineup late 1979 is the same as on their 1980 single Magnetic Heart:
https://www.discogs.com/VS-Magnetic-Heart-Leather-Complex/release/1234699
* Missing titles for 3 of the tracks (guessed on 8). Any help appreciated.

* Monkey Records appears to only have put this Magnetic Heart / Leather Complex 7" single out.
* You can hear this rare single here:
- Leather Complex: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXEnqCuGZGw
- Magnetic Heart: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJFNAZz0n4U

* About band (discogs): https://www.discogs.com/artist/1046541-VS-2
"From the liner notes of 'Girls In Leather 1978 Demo': "VS was the very first all girl punk band in California... formed in early 1978, VS was the brainchild of bassist Olga DeVolga, fresh from The Offs; the other original members were Anny Unger, guitar (later to go on to The Gun Club) & Jane Weems (Insane Jane), drums (from The Maggots), as well as a few nameless guitarists; in thier brief early history, VS included Carola Anderson (Rosenthal), first on sax, then later on some vocal duties. VS were in the orbit of the very early punk scene of San Francisco... they played the very first "Off Broadway" show with the Avengers and The Dils, and were the very first band to ever step onstage to play the historic 1839 Geary Temple Beautiful venue...
After recording an early demo, they disintegrated, breaking off into other bands. Later incarnation of VS were to include a constant succession of other members, including men, but the first original line-up proved to be the most visually true & powerful to the original concept of Olga's"."

* Includes photos, event flyer.

===========================================================

No distribution in lossy formats!!
No selling!!
No bootlegging!!
No remastering!!
Yes sharing. Definitely share.

Support the artists when or if they play, and buy their records/merchandise.

Please correct any errors or oversights in this information in the comments section so the information can be as accurate as possible.

If you can find related materials like flyers, posters, ticket stubs, even photos, etc, please add them in a comment and I will add them to the main release folder, so that can be included on the next re-seeding. Every bit is welcome, and as I am time constrained on this project due to the amount of material, I cannot spend as much time on each release doing research as I would like, so if we can add to and improve the information and release contents during this series, that would be great.

Please make an effort to pick at least one of these THTP releases and keep it seeded for as long as you can, particularly the lesser known groups. That will really help out long term.

===========================================================
About Terry Hammer and the THTP:

Someone put my feelings very well about these recordings in the following quote. I can't really improve on their words beyond noting that these recordings sound absolutely and utterly stunning, and I consider myself incredibly lucky to be able to present these to you here in their original, first generation, lossless hi-fidelity versions, for the first time ever.

"[These recordings were] recorded and preserved by collector/engineer Terry Hammer, for broadcast over the UC Berkeley station KALX and several others from the 1979 -1981 period. Anyone who spent a night at one of these clubs knows how chaotic the atmosphere was. That he was able to, not only get a decent feed from the sound mixing board, but was also able to get clean recordings was something of a miracle. And the fact this guy did it over and over again is pure dedication to the cause of preserving history for decades to come. Fortunately for everyone, he’s been making these gems of history available and their value as historic documents is inestimable. This is really exciting stuff and I am grateful for Terry’s foresight and deft skill."
src: https://pastdaily.com/2014/06/25/gang-four-live-american-indian-center-san-francisco-1980-nights-roundtable-concert-edition/

As Terry notes about the process of recording these shows: "Like all of my live recordings this was mixed direct to 2-Track Reel To Reel (and Cassette deck for backup and personal use) using headphones. Sitting in the club with the loud P.A. sound trying to drive the amp in my mixing board loud enough to hear what I was mixing.If you've ever been to a live concert,then,you know how loud it can be."

If you've ever been looking for an excuse to upgrade your sound system, these recordings certainly should provide you with some motivation, because they have incredible sound. And if you already have a quality sound system, you are in for a treat!! The audio goes straight to 20k hz, no losses I can detect. Due to the reality of tapes, even high end as used here, the low end starts at 47 hz.

And if you want to learn more about this incredible musical era, listen to the stuff you haven't heard, there are amazing gems in there.

Do we call these soundboards? Technically not precisely because this is not the house mix, these shows were mixed using a dedicated mixing board, with an additional 1 to 2 audience mics (1 for Mab because he needed 11 snake inputs), 2 at other clubs) in the mix. But I call it the Terry Hammer Tape Project (THTP) to make sure there is no doubt about the project's creator.

TECH:
Note that Terry made 2 master recordings (recording at the same time) when he mixed these shows live:
1: Reel to reel, for the radio stations:
Technics RS-1500 Reel To Reel (mostly TDK Audua L-1800 & LB-1800 tape with back coating or Scotch 206 / 207 with back coating. Maybe a few Maxell UD-XL). All the KALX shows went to KALX, they supplied the reel to reel tape.

2: For his own use, and as backup in case something happened to the reels:
AKAI GXC-570D Cassette Deck (Dolby B on) > TDK SA-90 tape

Terry isn't sure, but thinks the audience mics he used maybe were Electro Voice EV-DS35's.

Info: http://www.bbesound.com/products/sonic-maximizers/482i.aspx

===========================================================
 - teetering