It is the first time that a Punk/New Wave scene, from its inception in 1976 through to the end of 1979, has been documented
in its entirety. In their presentation of Colorado's musical reaction to the initial wake of Punk Rock in the late 1970s, the compilers have set the bar unattainably high for future would-be historians. While Colorado's late-1970s underground music scene was small and existed on the margins of the larger, more well-known scenes, its documentation is important in that what is being presented is a complete and accurate portrayal of part of the cultural movement that was taking place at the time. Thorough and comprehensive research viewed through an objective lens provides a previously unseen snapshot of America's musical underground of the period. This documentation shows that the Punk movement of the late 1970s was anything but paint-by numbers - a concept that seems to have been sadly lost on younger generations.
Until now, very little has been known about what transpired in Colorado's musical underground in the late 1970s. Did you know that Wax Trax, who later became world famous for their record label in the 1980s, started as a store in Denver in 1975? Their early story is told here. Or that Jello Biafra of Dead Kennedys fame is a Boulder native? Contained in this compilation you will find the origins of the Dead Kennedys name as well as some of Jello's pre-Dead Kennedys recordings, available for the first time ever (including a bonus, vinyl only recording of the improvised, very crude original "California Uber Alles").
But it is much more than success stories that comprise any music scene. Though a tiny number of bands from this scene released records, the vast majority of the groups presented here are unknown and unheard until now. It is their collective story and music that is compiled here in great detail, contextualized within the broader musical and cultural underground of the time.
Rocky Mountain Low presents Colorado's entire late-1970s Punk/New Wave scene within a deluxe, 52-page 7.5" x 7.5" softbound book containing extensive historical liner notes, dozens of photos (b&w and color) and complete biographies for 19 bands, 17 of which are represented with recordings: Ravers - Front - Radio Pete - Jonny III - Immortal Nightflames - Joey Vain & Scissors - Dancing Assholes - Dirty Dogs - Corvairs - Lilly Rose & The Thorns - DefeX - Healers - Instants - Profalactics - Guys - Cells - Transistors. This deluxe edition contains a 31 song CD and bonus, vinyl only 4-song 7" - 35 songs/90 minutes of music. All material is previously unreleased with the exception of the Dirty Dogs track which was taken from their 45, self-released in 1978.
