This Can’t Be Today – A Trip Through the US Psychedelic Underground 1977-1988

In 1977 punk gave American kids permission to explore music. Some had grown up in L.A., listening to the Sunset Strip bands in heavy rotation, others worked in record stores with old heads who taught them the secret history of the past, or educated themselves by digging through the vinyl library at their college radio stations. Thrift shops were full of paisley rags and fringed jackets, and young bands started dressing like it was 1966, dreaming of rewriting the history of rock, finding inspiration from songs that didn’t get played on the radio and discovering the forgotten weirdness of that decade. This Can’t Be Today captures a snapshot of America’s second wave of psychedelia, a coast to coast phenomenon that saw bands as diverse as R.EM., The Dream Syndicate, Green On Red, Flaming Lips and Meat Puppets revisit a sound and aesthetic all but blown away by the pomp of 1970s heavy rock, AOR and disco. Knowingly backwards looking and infused with a pop sensibility, many of these bands became household names and legends in their own lifetime, whilst others produced one-off, scene defining classics or became a footnote in a later band’s origin story. Inspired by the seminal ‘Nuggets’ and ‘Pebbles’ compilations, often with one eye on “swinging London” and working to tight budgets with college radio listeners in mind, this was the polar opposite of Reaganomics, shiny movies and day-glo hair metal. Take a trip to an America the rest of the world rarely got to see. Resplendent in artwork by the inimitable Cally, and compiled by American A&R, production, promotion and artist management veteran James Barber, this is both a time capsule for those who were there and an invaluable entry point for those with an interest in America’s response to punk rock and the post-punk scene. TRACK LISTING DISC ONE 1 The Last – She Don’t Know Why I’m Here 2 Plasticland – Office Skills 3 The Bangs – Getting Out of Hand 4 Chris Bell – I Am The Cosmos 5 The Fans – True 6 The dB’s – Nothing Is Wrong (Demo) 7 Green On Red – Death And Angels 8 The Unclaimed – Deposition Central (The Acid Song) 9 The Vertebrats – Left in the Dark 10 The Dream Syndicate – Sure Thing (Live at KPFK) 11 R.E.M. – Gardening At Night 12 Action Now – Try 13 Tommy Keene – Mr. Roland 14 Translator – Nothing Is Saving Me 15 R. Stevie Moore – I Go Into Your Mind 16 Al Bloch – Hangin’ Around 17 The Long Ryders – And She Rides 18 Wednesday Week – Sad Little Dog 19 The Rain Parade – What She’s Done To Your Mind (Album Version) 20 True West – Steps To The Door 21 The Point – Magic Circle 22 Wire Train – Everything’s Turning Up Down Again 23 Darius And The Magnets – Saturday At 3:00 P.M. DISC TWO 1 The Rain Parade – This Can’t Be Today 2 Plan 9 – White Women 3 Redd Kross – Citadel 4 Droogs – For These Remaining Days 5 Plasticland – Euphoric Trapdoor Shoes 6 The Dream Syndicate – Mr Soul (Live at KPFK) 7 Bangles – The Real World 8 The Long Ryders – Too Close To The Light 9 The Three O’Clock – Her Head’s Revolving 10 The Pandoras – It’s About Time 11 The Reverbs – Picture An Eye 12 The Twisted – Sheez Wycked 13 Naked Prey – The Story Never Ends 14 Meat Puppets – Plateau 15 The Eyes Of Mind – With You Again 16 The Tell-Tale Hearts – Come And Gone 17 Dreams So Real – Everywhere Girl 18 The Impossible Years – Flower Girl 19 Thee Fourgiven – Anything 20 The Prime Movers – True To Me 21 The Suburban Nightmare – Every Night 22 Yard Trauma – Must’ve Been Something I Took Last Night 23 The Romans – Vicki Seventy DISC THREE 1 The Rain Parade – This Can’t Be Today 2 Plan 9 – White Women 3 Redd Kross – Citadel 4 Droogs – For These Remaining Days 5 Plasticland – Euphoric Trapdoor Shoes 6 The Dream Syndicate – Mr Soul (Live at KPFK) 7 Bangles – The Real World 8 The Long Ryders – Too Close To The Light 9 The Three O’Clock – Her Head’s Revolving 10 The Pandoras – It’s About Time 11 The Reverbs – Picture An Eye 12 The Twisted – Sheez Wycked 13 Naked Prey – The Story Never Ends 14 Meat Puppets – Plateau 15 The Eyes Of Mind – With You Again 16 The Tell-Tale Hearts – Come And Gone 17 Dreams So Real – Everywhere Girl 18 The Impossible Years – Flower Girl 19 Thee Fourgiven – Anything 20 The Prime Movers – True To Me 21 The Suburban Nightmare – Every Night 22 Yard Trauma – Must’ve Been Something I Took Last Night 23 The Romans – Vicki Seventy