Archival Series: Benzene Jag - Vol. 2 - 1982-1983 (featuring Bob Bryden, Ken Blair, David Jones, Rob Fisher, David Moses, Richard Keelan): 'The First Grant Avenue Sessions - 1982' / 'Rehearsals at Star Records' / 'Basement Benzene' / 'The January 1983 Demo' / 'Live' at Larry's Hideaway, Toronto'

by Bob Bryden

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Our band Benzene Jag were a curious, fish-out-of-water in hard rock, punk town Hamilton, Ontario from 1981-1985. We were too 'rocky' for the punkers and too 'punky' for the rockers. Our particular brand of relentless social commentary ('protest music') was not popular in factory town. People didn't particularly want to listen to us telling them how band things were after their hard week at the steel mill. They much preferred Teenage Head or The Forgotten Rebels. Still the Jag plowed on relentless, writing and playing all the time. At first there was just Ken Blair and I writing songs in his living room. Then Dave Jones joined us - we met through Star Records. Dave Moses, a local musician of some renown joined in as did Richard Keelan. This collection documents two different band-line-ups (second and third - see album credits) and apart from the four Grant Avenue sessions, is basically primitive, home-baked 'demo' material.

The first 11 tracks feature David Moses (vocals, keyboards); Richard Keelan (vocals, guitar), Ken Blair (bass), Dave Jones (drums) and myself on vocals and guitar. I was particularly pleased to be able to play with Richard Keelan, whom I had admired greatly as a founding member of The Perth County Conspiracy. The remaining tracks are the subsequent four man line-up of Blair, Jones, Bryden plus Rob Fisher on rhythm guitar and vocals. ... more

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1.	Love Recession (From 'The First Grant Avenue Sessions' - 1982) 03:39		buy track
2.	The Threat (From 'The First Grant Avenue Sessions' - 1982) 03:41		buy track
3.	Something's Gone Wrong (From 'The First Grant Avenue Sessions' - 1982) 02:28		buy track
4.	Heavy Water (From 'The First Grant Avenue Sessions' - 1982) 03:26		buy track
5.	Kyrie Eleison ('Live at Star Records - 1982') 06:15	info	buy track
6.	Humphrey Bogart's Ghost Is Following Me ('Live at Star Records - 1982') 03:40	info	buy track
7.	I Want To Benzene Jag (from 'Basement Benzene' 1982) 03:28	info	buy track
8.	Can't Get Up (from 'Basement Benzene' 1982) 06:57	info	buy track
9.	Just Jammin' (from 'Basement Benzene' 1982) 01:36	info	buy track
10.	The Flush (from 'Basement Benzene' 1982) 03:29	info	buy track
11.	Maybe You're Dead (from 'Basement Benzene' 1982) 03:51	info	buy track
12.	Look But Don't Touch (Excerpt) (from 'Basement Benzene' 1982) 00:48	info	buy track
13.	Do The Bop (The January '83 Demo) 03:37	info	buy track
14.	Angel of Love (The January '83 Demo) 03:34	info	buy track
15.	The Threat (The January '83 Demo) 04:09	info	buy track
16.	Man of the Year (The January '83 Demo) 03:57	info	buy track
17.	Regard These Men With Wonder (The January '83 Demo) 03:22	info	buy track
18.	Your Number (The January '83 Demo) 02:50	info	buy track
19.	Bout-Da-Break-A-Day (The January '83 Demo) 02:36	info	buy track
20.	Healing Wind (The January '83 Demo) 03:28	info	buy track
21.	Now You're Leaving (The January '83 Demo) 02:46	info	buy track
22.	Love Recession (The January '83 Demo) 03:29	info	buy track
23.	The Contender (The January '83 Demo) 04:17	info	buy track
24.	The Day That John Wayne Died (The January '83 Demo) 02:26	info	buy track
25.	Flip It Over Rap - End of Cassette, Side One (The January '83 Demo) 00:46	info	buy track
26.	Fuck Off 1984 (The January '83 Demo) 03:51	info	buy track
27.	Waving From the Ark (The January '83 Demo) 02:16	info	buy track
28.	Escape (The January '83 Demo) 02:42	info	buy track
29.	I Think the Sun Might Even Shine (The January '83 Demo) 02:44	info	buy track
30.	Vigilance (The January '83 Demo) 02:29	info	buy track
31.	Terminal Restaurant (The January '83 Demo) 02:41	info	buy track
32.	You Did Everything For Me (The January '83 Demo) 02:39	info	buy track
33.	Amerika Takes a Gun and Walks To Your Front Door (The January '83 Demo) 07:15	info	buy track
34.	Every Human Needs a Friend and a Car That Works (The January '83 Demo) 06:31	lyrics	buy track
Song by Bob Bryden. Arranged by Benzene Jag.
35.	Interested Parties Rap - End of Cassette, Side Two (The January '83 Demo) 00:40	info	buy track
36.	Look But Don't Touch ('Live at Larry's Hideaway, Toronto, Summer 1983) 03:18	info	buy track
37.	Inflammable Man ('Live at Larry's Hideway, Toronto, Summer 1983' 03:34	info	buy track
38.	Time To Live Today ('Live at Larry's Hideaway, Toronto, Summer 1983') 05:23		buy track

about

This collection constitutes a real mixed bag. A mixture of two band line-ups and a REAL mixture of sonic anomalies. The selection represent early attempts at D-I-Y 'at home' recording. All of the tracks were mastered from the only remaining sources - cassette tapes. Outside of the four 'First Grant Avenue Session' mixes - recorded at Grant Avenue studio in Hamilton, Ontario, everything else is homemade. There are two tracks recorded off-the-floor (originally to four track) while the band (second line-up) rehearsed at Star Records also in Hamilton. There are also 6 tracks (second line-up) from a compilation of reference recordings recorded at our practice hall called, 'Basement Benzene'. The main body of the collection constitutes a long 'demo' made by the band (third line-up) for a trip I made to the Midem Music Conference in Nice, France in early 1983. 'The January '83 Demo', as it was called, was also originally recorded on 4-track reel in our practice hall at Bull's Gym in Hamilton. The 4-track reel is long lost. This 're-master' was done from a well-played cassette dub manufactured by 'Opus' (an Israeli company?!) It was a real challenge to try and resuscitate this material. Tape hiss was extreme. Strange anomalies present in the original recording abounded. The bass was incredibly loud - often to the point of overwhelming everything else in the mix. The vocals were often muffled, muted, distorted and/or dripping with a strange reverb effect and too much high end. From track-to track many compromises had to be made. As anyone knows who has worked with archival tapes full of hiss, the more hiss you remove - the more frequencies you also lose. I had to roll off bass throughout just to bring out the guitars, drums and vocals. The result is often a bit 'tinny' or conversely, bottom-heavy but at least you can just about hear everything. The set ends with tracks recorded from the board 'live' at Larry Hideaway in Toronto in 1983. In another strange turn, the bass was shut off at points in these recordings. The overall purpose and result of this 'album' is that I wanted to preserve what I believe are the incredible songs Benzene Jag wrote. Despite all the sound problems, I believe the songs still shine through. I'm also rather proud of the fact that the third, four-man line-up of the band was the only time in my musical history where I played sole LEAD guitar. It's pretty, raw, basement-band, fuzz-pedal stuff - but I like it. I'm also grateful to friend Maurice Lovelock for making me a new dub of 'The January '83' Demo' cassette to work from. The First Grant Avenue Sessions, the Star Records and Basement Benzene session fared a little better sonically. At least the problems weren't as extreme.

credits

released April 16, 2018

Benzene Jag: Various band line-ups:

First:
Bob Bryden - vocals, lead guitar
Ken Blair - bass
Dave Jones - drums

Second '(First Grant Avenue Sessions' / 'Live' at Star Records' / 'Basement Benzene'):

Add:
Richard Keelan - vocals, lead guitar
David Moses - vocals, keyboards, flute

Third ('The January '83 Demo' / 'Live at Larry's Hideaway'):

Bob Bryden - vocals, lead guitar
Rob Fisher - vocals, rhythm guitar
Ken Blair - bass
Dave Jones - drums

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about

Bob Bryden Burlington, Ontario

Formerly of Reign Ghost, Christmas, Benzene Jag and Age of Mirrors.

bobbryden.com

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