Tales From The Piss-Eyed Sleazoids
“This is our theme song for all you fucking shitheads that don’t know your cocks from your asses. It’s called I’m a Piss A Piss-Eyed Sleazoid” is the intro to the new archival release on Celluloid Lunch Records and aren’t you the luckiest puppy alive now that it’s out. The record collector elite, stinking up the aisles of fine and disgusting establishments the Country over can finally sit back and listen to an attainable collection of selected tracks from one of the more infamous bands in the Canadian canon of Punk. A petroleum by-product worth the tar sands. Finally.
Da Slyme existed in the barnacles and salty air of St. John’s Newfoundland, Canada. The very beginnings of which date back to the Winter of 1977. Every single story about early Punk blossoming starts with disaffected people and their interest in the usual suspects: Ramones, Stooges, Bowie, other assorted Glam acts. It becomes a bit boring to go thru the why it happened. Punk Rock was a global exploration that for the most part blossomed as a normal evolution or maybe devolution (depending on whether you have good or bad taste) of Rock music. What makes Da Slyme special is their relative isolation and raw DIY approach to the style. In 1980, they released a double LP documenting 40 songs of complete reckless abandon. As the legend goes, after getting the vinyl pressed, they couldn’t afford to get covers made up so opted to stencil their band name overtop of other LP covers. Each edition comes different. You might find Barry Manilow’s “This One’s For You” or a compilation of Ukrainian Dance music with the sticky graffiti splashed across it’s face. Inside you’ll be treated to such hits as “Truck Stop Nun”, “Defecation On The Nation” or “Violence, Anarchy, Baby, Mother, Daddy-o Dig”. Some of these tracks you’ll find on this new archival release and some of them you’ll need to track down on the original 2xLP - a copy of which is going to run you either 1500 bucks or 50 cents. Depending on your luck.
Look at these fuckin’ hosers. Photo shamelessly stolen from Da Slyme’s own site.
Musically Da Slyme fits in perfectly with the Lo-Fi, garage-destined racket you’ll hear on the best Killed By Death compilations and it’s a massive oversight that they were never given the privilege of being bootlegged on a single one of them. Even the more-recent, Bloodstains Across Canada opted for a track by (stupidly named) Negro Jazz Funeral instead of a bonafide, Maritime smash by the Slymers. Wrongs sometimes get righted and Da Slyme are finally getting a bit more attention. And it’s about time. Thanks to Celluloid Lunch for sorting out this artefact. Just like the 1980 release, there is a nice booklet insert to the LP. Press clippings, eye-popping gig flyers and other ephemera scanned and included. I’ve forever grateful for this because these things aren’t easily accessible. The LP is a mixture of radio spots, jam space recordings, alternate takes and more. The radio spots are incredible. If anyone picked up that The Venom archival that was released on Radio Raheem a few years back, you’ll be familiar with the style of this release. On a personal note, my original 2xLP is missing the original insert booklet and i’d very much appreciate one if anyone reading this has a spare original or can send me a scan. Help a rocker out. For further reading, head over to the Slymer’s own webpage and have a full read of their biography. It’s very worth it. And for Gods sake buy this thing off of me.