Left of the Dial: Dispatches from the Underground

[styler]

Artist: various
Title: Left of the Dial: Dispatches from the Underground
Label: Rhino
Format: 4 CD Box Set
Release date: 2001

Great set! Really brought me back to when i was developing my musical tastes. for anyone who came of age in the early 1980s this set really captures the origin of alternative rock, which is of course no longer alternative. by the way whats the new "alternative." i digress, good box set. they even put on music by Green on Red!!! i know those guys! LOL. good anthology of the "good" music from the 1980s. stuff i used to hear on the "Virgin Vinyl" show with "Uncle Milty's Set" on the local public station in 1983. i give it a 9/10 and rank it as a must have box set. :thmbsp:

 

[Fast_Eddie]

That sounds like my kind of collection! I'll check it out!

Ed

 

[mg196]

Hey Styler, that set was a birthday gift from my Uncle this past December. I was 7 in 1980, so much of this stuff was hitting me in my formative years. They cover an incredible amount of ground in only 4 CD's. Great liner notes/booklet as well. I recommend it HIGHLY! XTC!!

If you like this, get Rhino's "Pt. 1" to this set, which is "No Thanks: The 70's Punk Revolution." This was also a gift from the aforementioned Uncle (a fellow audiophile).

 

[styler]

i agree

i have "no thanks" too. together they make up my music experience from 13 yo to 20 (except for a heavy Clash influence). as a side note, i ditched my 8th grade graduation in 1982 to see the Clash!!! they did virtually all of London Calling - forever a top fav for me.

 

[jay1066]

this set really captures the origin of alternative rock, which is of course no longer alternative.

I always thought it was funny to hear radio stations describe themselves as "Alternative".

 

[shrinkboy]

>1982 to see the Clash!!! they did virtually all of London Calling <

i didn't have to ditch 8th grade or anything to see 'em on that tour. just had to find a baby sitter, and then off to the aragon ballroom where we found a table 10 feet from the band, and i swear to god my tinnitis today dates from that night, but i still incredulous that we were that close for more than an hour to ....The Clash.

if you guys have XM radio ( i know i know) check out Fred, channel 44. it seriously kicks ass with punk (1rst gen), post punk, no wave, new wave, synth pop...a really great playlist

 

[Johncan]

The Aragon "Brawlroom"... I have many fond memories of seeing punk bands there...

I saw Iggy Pop there in the early 80s... the only concert I have ever been to that I was actually scared for my life... lots of hardcore fans beating the crap out of other.

I also saw Stevie Ray Vaughn there several times.

They served beer there by the bucket.

 

[shrinkboy]

johncan-- devo, twice, b-52's, uhhh, sheesh, sorry i missed iggy, don't remember hearing about that one. gosh, who else did i see there? did you ever go to the hot club? or in the infamous DJ's on oram at greenville?

 

[Johncan]

I mainly went to shows at the Cabaret Metro, the Cubbie Bear, and the Aragon Ballroom. I left Illinois in 1989 to move to Athens, GA. I know I am forgetting some clubs/bars. I also used to go to Champaign and see bands at Mabels and the Fieldhouse.

I saw great bands like the Stranglers, R.E.M., the Replacements, the Pretenders, Iggy Pop, the Pixies, Ministry (back when they were a new wave band), the Psychedelic Furs, the Clash, Husker Du, Minutemen, Eleventh Dream Day, Los Lobos.

There was always some great band to see... that was when WRXT was considered cutting edge and Popular Creek was still around. I had friends that worked at Popular and would always get us tickets.

 

[Dan ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ]

Had the pleasure of seeing Iggy at the Antenna Club in Memphis, around '78 or '79. Had Clem Burke (from Blondie) on drums, Bowie on keyboards and the Hunt Brothers on guitar and bass. Dirty Looks was the opening act. To say it was a great evening would be an understatement! Also got to see the original line up of The Pretenders at the Orpheum in Memphis twice! :yes:

 

[Fast_Eddie]

Had the pleasure of seeing Iggy at the Antenna Club in Memphis, around '78 or '79. Had Clem Burke (from Blondie) on drums, Bowie on keyboards and the Hunt Brothers on guitar and bass. Dirty Looks was the opening act. To say it was a great evening would be an understatement! Also got to see the original line up of The Pretenders at the Orpheum in Memphis twice! :yes:

Wow, I spent a lot of nights (some I can recall) in the Antenna Club. I lived in Memphis for 18 months and that place was on the agenda almost every weekend. Never saw anyone big there, but used to really enjoy seing a local band called The Simple Tones there. Later they had to change their name to The Simple Ones. Someone else had the Tones name.

I met a girl there one night (this is before I was married) and got to chatting. She knew the band (lets leave it at that) and liked to go see them a lot. Couple of weeks later, she drug me down to Ole Miss to see them in some house where a gang of folks were having a party.

When I say party, I mean PARTY. This house should have been condemed. Holes in the walls and floors. There was a fridge in one of the bedrooms full of beer. The band was in the living room with matresses on the walls I assume to help with the sound. There wasn't a stick of furniture in the place. The people there were only barely there, and I'd only be guessing if I tried to tell you what got them in that state.

I'll admit, this was beyond my ususal experience. Had a really wild "underground" feeling to it. Nothing scarry though. Man I had a great time. Wonder what ever happened to that girl?

Man I'm glad you mentioned the Antenna Club. I hadn't thought about that in years. If the people who work for me now could see me then!

Ed

 

[mg196]

I always thought it was funny to hear radio stations describe themselves as "Alternative".

I think today that statement really rings true, but back in the mid-80's, there was no way a band like XTC or Jane's Addiction or REM was going to break through into AOR. I think Alt Radio was "College Radio" before it became "Alt Radio." Agree?