My New #1 Wanted Band: The Royal Nonesuch

These guys aren’t a punk act per se, but damn did they kick much ass. The Royal Nonesuch was a 60’s-style garage act from Springfield that played out in the mid to late 1980’s. (They were the first live band I ever saw. It was 1986-I was twelve. They were opening for Judy Tenuta. I have no explanation.) For those of you not familiar with the band, check out their music video and witness the awesomeness. I’ve got their first 45, the “Something Strange” single (pictured), but am lacking anything else. If anyone has any of their stuff, please share. I probably won’t post it here, but really, really want to hear it. Thanks.

Initial Detonation-s/t 7” and So Selleth the Shepherd, So Buyeth the Flock 7”

Of all of the bands profiled here, Initial Detonation came the closest to achieving some amount of popularity outside of the Ozarks. The band consisted of former members of Encrusted and Satan’s Ice Cream Truck along with Larry on drums and Jeanene providing some scorching co-vocals (guitarist Roger had also played in the original lineup of the LA punk act Total Chaos). They adopted an anarchist-thrash sound that was very popular at the time, and were clearly aiming for bigger and better things than playing local shows. They put out one demo tape, and then released their first record, a self-titled 7”, in 1998. They followed up with another 7” the next year, both records being released on Sensual Underground Ministries out of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Both records received great reviews, particularly from Slug & Lettuce. Maximum Rock ‘n Roll complemented them on their “great crusty style”, which I always found amusing. The band looked ready to become a big act in the anarchist crust scene, but broke up during what sounded like a really hellish two-month nation-wide tour. As far as I know, they’re the only Ozark punk band with their own wikipedia entry.

s/t 7”

Mary Kay Commandos
I am
America the Poisoned
Did You

So Selleth the Shepherd, So Buyeth the Flock 7"

Society of Robots
So Selleth the Shepherd, So Buyeth the Flock
Jesus Slaves
Silver Linings

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Update:

One of the former members of I.D. maintains a MySpace page dedicated to the band. You can see it here. And in other and more bizarre news, I recently learned that Jeanene, co-vocalist of the group, was a participant on the now-defunct network TV show “Extreme Makeover”. It looks like the corporate network people paid for a shitload of plastic surgery, or used some black magic ritual to transfer her consciousness into a new body. Check out the photos and decide for yourself.

Brine-Operation Manual and Learning Process 7”s

After Now or Never broke up, Brine took on the mantle of best punk rock act in Springfield, Mo. The band started out as a four piece called Uncle Fester, and released a demo tape in the early 90’s. After their original vocalist quit, the band’s bass player Tyler took over singing, and under their new name the band improved tremendously. Tyler’s distinctive bass playing style meshed well with his brother Dane’s guitar licks and Mike’s tight drumming. They released their first 7” “Operation Manual” around 1996, and it contained some strong playing and songwriting. But it was on their 1998 e.p. “Learning Process” that the band reached their full-throttle potential. Tyler wrote non-rhyming, heavily political lyrics that proved that any piece of writing can be matched to any music so long as you don’t mind pronouncing words in ways they’ve never been pronounced before. Both releases came out on Amendment Records out of Virginia, and while they got good reviews, the band never achieved much popularity outside of the Springfield area. A darn shame, considering how my better they were than most of the lefty punk bands around at the time.

Operation Manual 7"

1. Slacker
2. Fraternity Song
3. Numb
4. Mechanics
5. Velcro Head
6. Thesis Statement No. 1

Learning Process 7"

1. Rehearsing Death
2. Letter to Shaun
3. Every Little Thing Counts
4. Quote Unquote
5. Problem Solving
6. Untitled [Smoking Song]
7. Priority List
8. Faith




Enjoy

Gabe’s Most Wanted

I’ve done a pretty good job of saving all of the old tapes, records, and CD’s released by Ozark punk bands back in the day. However, there are a few holes in my collection. If you possess any of the recordings listed below, please contact me at the e-mail address listed on the right and I will be eternally grateful.

The Rising Sun-Definitely at the top of my want list. The Rising Sun was an anti-racist skinhead band active in Springfield, Mo in the late 80’s. I know they released at least one demo tape, which was quite good as I remember it.

Force Fed Patriots-FFP was a Springfield band that was around for a couple of years in the early 90’s. They released a demo tape which I seem to have lost somewhere along the line.

Queen City Punks-OK, we’re getting really obscure here. These guys played out around Springfield in the early 70’s with other local acts like Granny’s Bathwater and the Ozark Mountain Daredevils. They were supposed to have sounded kind of like the New York Dolls. I have no idea if they ever recorded anything. (BTW, did you know the New York Dolls played a gig in downtown Springfield in 1973? The opening acts were the Queen City Punks and…Lynyrd Skynyrd!?)

Skullduggery-I’m not completely sure this band even existed. Supposedly they were a punk act comprised of SMSU students and played out in the mid 80’s. They may have released an LP.

Many thanks to anyone who can help!

U$MC-The Rise and Fall of the Middle Class CD-R

It’s pretty safe to say that this 1999 release by U$MC (Uncle Sam’s Misguided Children) is the best punk album to ever come out of Joplin, MO. Considering some of the other bands around at the time (Encrusted, Initial Detonation, etc.) that’s no small praise. I’ll always remember the night when these guys opened for Blanks 77, the Quincy Punks, and the Dropkick Murphys and blew them all off of the stage. Wee Rock Records released this disc, which unfortunately never got much notice outside of the Ozarks. Included here are the twelve tracks from the CD as well as a red-hot outtake song from the same recording session.

1. Caveat Emptor
2. Hate Junkie
3. Big House
4. Yes Sir
5. Dickhead
6. 88 Hell
7. Corpse Fucking Retro Prick
8. Idoicide
9. Bury My Heart at Jonestown
10. Happy Egos
11. My Room

Bonus Track:

12. Die Heathen Die

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Encrusted-Coverup Demo Tape

Encrusted was an anarchist band from Joplin, Missouri who played some very bracing and aggressive shows before folding during an ill-fated west coast tour. They managed to release this demo tape in 1995 during their brief existence as a band. Two of the group’s five members later played in Initial Detonation, another anarcho-punk outfit that actually managed to get some attention outside of the Ozarks (more on them later).

1. Control to Destruction
2. Murder, Pray, and Die
3. March of the Redneckkks
4. Throw it Away
5. Something
6. Addict
7. U.ASS.A.

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