John Paul Young Uses His Carboard Brains

Vocals:  John Paul Young
Bass:   Patrick Gregory; John Thomas (Replaced Gregory, 1979)
Guitar:  Vincent Carlucci
Drums:  Mickel Keena; Dave Richardson (Replaced Keena, 1979)

Toronto's Cardboard Brains formed in September of 1976.  They played the same Queen Street clubs -- The Edge, The Horseshoe Tavern, etc. -- as the Viletones, Teenage Head, The Ugly and others, defining the strip as the epicenter of a New Music movement.  But unlike the aforementioned groups, Cardboard Brains' musical output was brainier, with a "unique, King Crimson-inspired art-punk" sound: intelligent lyrics, and decidedly Post-Punk before the term even came into being.    Throughout a series of lineup changes, the one constant has been singer and group leader, John Paul Young (and possibly Vince Carlucci). 



In 1977, the band released a four-song EP called simply, 'The White EP'. 

Naturally, when they followed it up in 1979 with another four-song EP of original songs, they called it, 'The Black EP'.    The group was also immortalized in the film and record, “The Last Pogo”, that year. 


However, John Paul Young  (not to be confused with the Scottish “Love Is In The Air” JPY) seemingly wasn't satisfied.  With the official death of Toronto punk, he decided to go solo so he could produce "a more stable and reliable format" for his musical yearnings.  In 1980 he released a new set of semi-autobiographical recordings, which he called “The Life of Ermie Scub”, on which he played all the instruments.  These are the dark tales of a presumably lonely boy, an errant genius who was clearly ahead of his time and lost in his own fantasies. 


The Cardboard Brains reunited on April 26, 1981 for The Edge's brief resurrection and anniversary celebration.  Recordings from this show were released as a live album before the band split up for good. 


Patrick Gregory went on to form Woods Are Full Of Cuckoos as well as The Lawn.  Vincent Carlucci would perform in Station Twang and John Paul Young worked as an actor and has contributed to movie soundtracks.  He has since resurrected the band to coincide with the release of a “Best of” compilation, which is no longer available.  


I once had the pleasure of meeting John Paul Young, in 1998.  I was working towards a documentary on the Canadian Punk Rock scene of 1976-1979 and was doing some research when I found out he was releasing the John Paul Young And Cardboard Brains compilation, which he dedicated to his brother.  I bought it off him for $20.  (In the interests of full disclosure, I've divided up the songs into the original releases, for archival and educational/informational purposes.)


      Interesting sidenote: John Paul Young is a decendant of Brigham Young as well as Dr. Robert Goddard, the father of American rocketry.  

Cardboard Brains - The White EP (1977):

 1. I Want To Be A Yank
2. Can Stress Kill
3. Stepping Stone
4. Living Inside My Head

Cardboard Brains - The Last Pogo (1979):

1. Babies Run My World
2. Jungles

Cardboard Brains - The Black EP (1979): 

1. Caesar Drives A Fast Car
2. Out, Out, Out
3. And So I Hide
4. The Rescue Crew

THANKS TO TONE & WAVE FOR THE UPLOAD! 

John Paul Young - The Life Of Ermie Scub (1980):

1. Ermie Has Feelers
2. All The Sad Goodbyes
3. Have You Seen The Boy In The Gutter With The Broken Mind?
4. Our Time Escapes
5. Summertime!
6. Is That Why?
7. The Monster In Ed
8. The Girl Spells Grief
9. Angels With Dirty Faces
10. Boulevards Of Hope
11. Surrender To The Void




(No Cover Available -- Click On The Link Below)


Cardboard Brains - Live At The Edge (1982):

1. Ermie Has Feelers
2. Have You Seen The Boy In The Gutter With The Broken Mind

John Paul Young and Cardboard Brains (1998):

1. World Within A Dream

Battered Wives and Cigarettes

Toby Swann: Vocals, Guitars

John Gibb: Vocals, Guitars

Cleave Anderson: Drums

Jasper (aka Larry) Klassen: Vocals, Bass

Patrick Mooney: Drums (Replaced Anderson)

The Battered Wives were part of that same Queen Street scene that spawned The Viletones, Diodes, Teenage Head, The Curse, The Ugly and dozens of other bands that populated Toronto's downtown during the lava-hot summer of 1977. 

Naturally, with a moniker like "Battered Wives", they were no stranger to controversy.  Women's groups were critical of not only the band's name but their logo: a fist with a lipstick smeared across the knuckles.  The band never apologized for the name, claiming they were drunk when they chose it.

Women reportedly picketed every venue they played.  But the constant controversy and media attention became too much for Cleave Anderson (who, seemingly, has played with virtually every Toronto punk rock band from the era).  He would leave the band to join The Sharks (with Sherri Kean of "I Want You Back" fame), to be replaced by Patrick Mooney.

Eventually, they bowed to public and record company pressure, releasing their follow-up as The Wives.  They opened for Elvis Costello on the European leg of his tour.  But with no promotion for the western gigs, the group asked to be released from their deal with Bomb records.  Ready Records picked them up and even let them use the "Battered" prefix in their original name.

Ah, but all things must come to an end, or at least a whimper.  Punk rock's hedonism petered away and the band split up.  British born Toby Swann had a solo career and founded Gamma Gamma.  Jasper Klassen became a successful Nashville songwriter.  John Gibb returned to his business career.  Patrick Mooney played with several Toronto bands.  Cleave Anderson would have the most success, of course, as a member of Blue Rodeo.

Meanwhile, here's something interesting (as pointed out by Beau of It Came From Canada -- please visit his site...he's got some neat stuff there!):

Listen to "Angry Young Man" and you'll notice a mysterious resemblance to the J. Geils Band's "Freeze-Frame".  "AYM" came out in 1977/78, while "FF" was released in 1982.

Makes you wonder. 

Battered Wives (1978):

1	Battered Wives	Daredevil	2:57
2	Battered Wives	I Want It All	3:08
3	Battered Wives	Get What I Can	3:18
4	Battered Wives	Uganda Stomp	2:59
5	Battered Wives	Suicide	3:52
6	Battered Wives	Angry Young Man	2:20
7	Battered Wives	You Better Be Right	2:35
8	Battered Wives	Lovers Balls	3:42
9	Battered Wives	Everybody Loves A Loser	3:24
10	Battered Wives	Freedom Fighter	3:36
11	Battered Wives	Talkin' Shop Liftin'	4:18
12	Battered Wives	Something She's Hiding	3:04
13	Battered Wives	Best Part Of A Man	3:33
14	Battered Wives	Rocking Good Summer	2:02
15	Battered Wives	Rodeo	3:58
16	Battered Wives	Bad News	2:56

By The Way:

Thanks To Shane For The Following Upload!!!

 

This is the Wives' ultra-rare second album, Cigarettes. It's the sound of The Man winning the argument: as the band shortened their name.    Not as "Punk Rock" as their earlier material, but still great.  I'm hearing these songs for the first time and I love 'em. 

Enjoy.

Cigarettes (1979):

1	Battered Wives	Ready Or Not	3:10
2	Battered Wives	New Wave Robot	3:11
3	Battered Wives	Afraid Of The Dark	3:48
4	Battered Wives	Windy Beach	2:32
5	Battered Wives	Run For Your Life	3:33
6	Battered Wives	Hit And Run	2:49
7	Battered Wives	Plastic Princess	2:59
8	Battered Wives	(I Love) Telling You Lies	2:26
9	Battered Wives	Fantasy	2:38
10	Battered Wives	Wake Me When It's Over	2:53
11	Battered Wives	Mandy	5:13
12	Battered Wives	Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll	2:52
13	Battered Wives	Pass Out	2:59
14	Battered Wives	Love Abuse	2:53
15	Battered Wives	Factory Girls	4:11
16	Battered Wives	Classified	3:40
17	Battered Wives	Giddy	2:04

Dangerously Americanized Canadians

I wish I could tell you more about this band.  What I know is they're from Winterpeg (Winnipeg), Manitoba.

This record was reportedly pressed in 1989, but apparently it took three years to print the sleeve.  Rarely lasting more than 1:30, Face Tomorrow is full of short, sharp shots of hardcore fury.  Not entirely my bag...but then again: I do this more as a history lesson and for archival purposes. 

I originally found this EP on a collection called We Can't Help It, We're From Winnipeg.  With 32 songs, it was too large to clean up.  So I've separated this into the original EP from DAC.  I'll try to get you the rest of WCHI,WFW once I get some more time.

Here's a review from a 1989 issue of Maximum Rock N Roll:

Dangerously Americanized Canadians - Face Tomorrow (1989):

1	DAC	Together	1:39
2	DAC	Lyuberites	1:46
3	DAC	Evil Co.	1:28
4	DAC	Bench Warmer	1:11
5	DAC	Youth Uprising	1:37
6	DAC	Sheet People	0:34
7	DAC	Material Fool	1:14
8	DAC	Southern Comfort	1:23
9	DAC	Born Again	1:27