----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Scott" <scott@nicevacations.com>
>>> Hm, what are some of the other hardcore obscurities of that era, 
>>> ones
>>> that don't make me want to plunge a fork into my eyeball...
>>
>
> For me, there are several on a Columbia Legacy CD I found in a 
> cutout bin years ago called "The Best of 415 Records."
>
> These include:
>
> Red Rockers "China"

The flipside of this single is an absolutely *scorching* punk song 
called "Voice of America."  I think it's absolutely the equal of 
anything that Red Rockers drummer Jim Reilly's former band Stiff 
Little Fingers ever did, but because Columbia and 415 had already 
decided that the band were going to abandon their hardcore punk roots, 
it was left to languish.  Pity, because it's a simply outstanding 
song.

> Romeo Void "A Girl in Trouble" and "Never Say Never"

All of Romeo Void's albums are worthwhile, as is the comp WARM IN YOUR 
COAT, which includes an otherwise unreleased soundtrack recording from 
early 1985 that was the last thing they ever recorded, and also one of 
their best.

> Translator "Everywhere That I'm Not"
> and Wire Train "Chamber of Hellos."
>
> Not sure if these charted or not because I was never into radio much 
> and I'm apparently too dumb to find old charts on the web as I've 
> spent the last half hour trying to determine if these ever spent 
> time on the radio. I seem to remember hearing these on MTV or at 
> parties.

"A Girl In Trouble" was a minor hit, but none of the others charted --  
bizarrely, though, "Everywhere That I'm Not" has become ubiquitous on 
'80s radio and album comps, to songwriter Steve Barton's bemused 
delight.  It's one of those songs (like the Plimsouls' "A Million 
Miles Away") that has kind of retroactively become a hit even though 
it wasn't at the time.

S