SPIES “MY RADIO / BAD GIRL” 7″ (HOUSTON, TX- GIANT SQUID, 1982)
8.5.2011 UPDATE
I posted upgraded rips of both songs that are full-length versions, unlike the previous rips I had on here- enjoy! Also added a scan of the back of the sleeve which, like the front, has very cool artwork done by someone named Kathy H (I can’t make out the whole last name). Some copies also came with an insert but I don’t have a picture of it. Supposedly there were only a total of 100 copies pressed so the insert is very rare.
Here is a total mystery band- thanks to the Collector Scum Texas Discography I know the label name and that the band was from Houston, home of many fine bands like Really Red, Legionnaire’s Disease Band, Hates, etc, etc. Like The Mel, the Spies suffer from an un-Google-able name and an internet search turns up only a bunch of horseshit that has nothing even remotely related to the record.
For my ears, “My Radio”, is the real winner here with its speedy pace and great guitar strumming. Very catchy. A bit poppy but not too poppy, let’s call it “pop flavored punk with a nice bite”. The B-side, “Bad Girl” is more poppy, what with its hand claps and sing-along lyrics, but they still pull it off OK and don’t turn off people like myself who are usually not fans of poppy stuff. Luckily, they did NOT insert any “Whoo ohhh ohhh” wanna-be melodic singing or else I would’ve totally skipped it over ya hear.
In 1982, when this disc was released, I can only imagine that it flew off the store shelves since hardcore was beginning to take over the land. I kid, I kid, I be sarcastic- I am guessing that this Spies 7″ was largely ignored by folks who wanted it faster and louder in 1982, not melodic and catchy, and that the 7″ quickly faded into obscurity and thus into the realm of “the ultra rare” after copies were either tossed away or starting lining bird cages of Houston hardcore fans. Ah the scenarios we can only imagine 28 years removed, eh.
I don’t have a vinyl copy of this record unfortunately. One day “My Radio” played during a random shuffle of songs on my iPod so I decided to post it- happy accidents rule!
/files/98398-90993/02_Bad_Girl.mp3″>Bad Girl.mp3
ENDNOTES
The other punk bands with a similar name- the Spys from Canada and the Spy’s (with an apostrophe S) from Sweden- also put out fine 7″s in case you forgot- ‘specially them Swedes. There was also a Spys from the U.K. who put out a powerpop-ish 7″ if you’re so inclined. The Canadian Spys also have a posthumous LP that came out on Incognito about 9 years ago that is pretty good too.