A couple years ago, I picked up a stack of formerly blank 8-tracks. Some had labels with what was on them, some did not. These tapes ended up containing some absolute treasures on them. Today we're gonna focus on one of them. (Yes, this is one of those "good band" entries!)
Torn & Frayed was a Winnipeg band who formed in 1977. They went on to be one of Canada's first "new wave" bands. They released their first EP in 1978 with a highly anticipated album on the way. Two years later, their one and only album "First Legg" (also released as "Not Frayed of Nothin'") was finally released. Apparently the EP set peoples' hopes quite high and those who patiently waited for this album were mildly disappointed due to the sub-par mixing job.
Today I'm bringing you two exciting things... A first-spin from a sealed copy of their album, and an interview with the band from Feb. 13, 1979 broadcast on the University of Manitoba radio station. The 8-track I pulled the interview from contains both rougher versions of songs what would appear on their album plus some songs that never made it. I'm currently missing their EP, but I will post a copy here when I get my hands on one.
I had never previously heard of this band until I bought the 8-track. The rough versions of their songs are absolutely fantastic. I would say they're comparable to what ended up on the debut album by The Cars. This is what moved me to track down their album. When I finally got their album, I realized that it sounded much different from the recordings on the 8-track. This time, they were more comparable to The Talking Heads than The Cars. The album is still good, but the early recordings were more raw and dare I say, more enjoyable (including the twelve minute "Mainstream"). I'd love to find a better copy of the versions played on the radio, but I have a feeling that this 8-track is the only remaining copy in existence. Therefore, WE MUST SHARE! If by some chance I'm wrong about owning the only copy, feel free to let me know.
The band's lineup seems to be all over the place between these two recordings. The only thing that's evident is how much the band members hated disco music. There is very little information available on the internet about this band. I'm only guessing that they split up after the release of their album. If you remember this band from back in the day, feel free to share your memories in the comments section.
Interview: 11th Hour Special
Songs in interview:
1) Rock n' Roll's Goin' Underground
6) 70s Kids
7) Mainstream
* Rock n' Roll's Goin' Underground is an early version of Never Leave Alive
Click on each song to listen
Listen to the entire interview
First Legg / Not Frayed of Nothin'
01) Through The Past
02) Rolling Down
03) And You Show Well
04) Come On Now
05) South Dakota Line
06) Gimme Little Hit
08) Sweet Baby J.R.
09) Take What You Want
10) 70s Kids
11) Head Down The Road
Guess what? Christmas is coming! We need some holiday cheer (or sadness). We'll be diving into something Christmas related in the very near future.
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