Category: Electric Love Muffin

Electric Love Muffin – Live Tapes

Live Tapes of Electric Love Muffin recorded and given to me by Don Sheluga (Thanks Don!). I will add more as I split up the tracks and figure out the titles (when I can.)  Check out the new Electric Love Muffin site.

Houston Hall Auditorium – Penn 09/16/1989

01 – Unknown
02 – Islands in the Sun
03 – Blackness That Could Be Blue
04 – Unknown
05 – Unkown
06 – All Fools Dance
07 – A Better Song – Late Nights- Early Mornings – Down Easy
08 – Between Songs-Running With the Devil
09 – Unknown
10 – Unkown – the Revolution Comes to North Street – Muffin March

MediaFire Zip of all files

Trocadero 05-12-97 (Reunion show with Ruin & FOD)

01 – Backstreet Ride
02 – Down Easy
03 – Islands in the Sun-Blackness That Could Be Blue
04 – Listen
05 – A Better Song-Late Nights Early Mornings
06 – I Aims to Please
07 – Sperm of the Moment
08 – Trilogy
09 – June
10 – Venus-The Revolution Comes to North Street
11 – Muffin March-Club Car
12 – Highway Star

MediaFire Zip of all files

Khyber Pass – 4/21/90

01 – Backstreet Ride / Down Easy / Sperm Of The Moment
02 – June
03 – Happy Birthday Rob
04 – Mr Softy’s Wild Ride
05 – Unknown
06 – Late Nights, Early Mornings
07 – I Aims To Please
08 – A Better Song
09 – Diamonds & Glass
10 – Islands In The Sun
11 – Unknown
12 – Drunk & Horny
13 – Bad Moon Rising
14 – Muffin March / Norwegian Wood
15 – Highway Star
16 – Unknown
17 – Club Car / Venus
18 – Meet Me This Afternoon

MediaFire Zip of all files

Khyber Pass 02/22/90 Homeless Benefit for St Johns Hospice

01 – Unknown
02 – A Better Song
03 – Unknown
04 – Bad Moon Rising
05 – Guess Who’s Lying
06 – Walking to Ambler
07 – I Don’t Mind
08 – Unknown
09 – Unknown
10 – Unknown
11 – I Got a Line
12 – Get Ready
13 – Norwegian Wood

MediaFire Zip of all files

JC Dobbs 02-14-90 Benefit for Women of Hope

00 – Intro
01 – Club Car / Meet Me This Afternoon
02 – Get Ready
03 – Unknown
04 – Unknown
05 – Unknown
06 – Unknown
07 – All Fools Dance
08 – Drunk and Horny
09 – I Got a Line

MediaFire Zip of all files

Khyber Pass – 12-31-1989

01 – A Better Song / Late Nights – Early Mornings / I Aims to Please / Down Easy / Sperm of the Moment
02 – Unknown
03 – Jake
04 – 2-Unknown-Songs
05 – Unknown / Islands in the Sun / Blackness That Could Be Blue
06 – Drunk and Horny / I Got a Line / Muffin March
MediaFire Zip of all files

City Paper Alternative Music Showcase @ Chestnut Cabaret – 12-28-1989

01 – A Better Song
02 – Aims to Please – Down Easy – Sperm of the Moment
03 – June
04 – You Don’t Get to Be Crime Boss
05 – Who’s a Toker
06 – Chump Change
07 – Islands in the Sun – Blackness That Could Be Blue – I Got a Line
MediaFire Zip of all files

Bacchanal 01/20/89.

01 – I Aims to Please
02 – Sperm of the Moment
03 – Diamonds & Glass
04 – Not So Perfect Stranger
05 – Mr Softy’s Wild Ride
06 – Unknown
07 – Islands in the Sun / Blackness That Could Be Blue
08 – Unknown
09 – A Better Song
10 – Late Nights- Early Mornings
11 – Down Easy
12 – Drunk & Horny
13 – I’m a Man
14 – Venus
15 – Get Ready
16 – I Got a Line
17 – I Don’t Mind
18 – Muffin March
19 – Highway Star
20 – The Revolution Comes to North Street

MediaFire Zip of all files

The “Sons” of Electric Love Muffin

sons of ELM covers

A very recent nice development has been members of bands from the 80’s getting back together and/or starting new bands. Three of them from Philly all have members from of one of my favorites Electric Love Muffin. Another fan of ELM has been releasing records by these new/old bands on Sister Raygun Records. According to him the label’s main goal is to promote local Philly bands (though we have non-Philly bands too). Plus it is “purely a labor of love for me — just trying to help put out some good under-the-radar music….” The great part is these bands aren’t rehashing the sound of any of their old bands they are  expanding on those sounds in many new directions. For some videos Check out the Sister Raygun YouTube channel
Now, getting back to the three bands:

Poppy

Poppy was first formed in the early 1990s with members of 2 of 80s Philly punk scenes favorites Electric Love Muffin (Brian Campbell) and Scram! (Craig Heim) with Kate Campbell’s powerful vocals and loud guitar. They returned a few years ago and have been playing all over Philly. First time I saw the reformed Poppy was at the Tusk (I think) and they were heavier than I had remembered and it was just a good time seeing them again. In November of last year (2019) they released a new album Snakes of New Jersey.  There are a variety of styles on the album from Noisy Blues with powerful vocals to straight ahead pop rock to one song Marga, which in some ways reminds me of  (I’m not sure what it’s been labeled) but bands like  Seam/ Dustdevils/ Breaking Circus/ Polvo.

FoxyContin

FoxyContin formed in 2003, the band features members of  2 Philly punk legendary bands The Electric Love Muffin and Krhissy. Rich Kaufmann (ELM singer) wanted to start a band  that channeled the first wave of punk rock after the end of his country rock, the  Rolling Hayseeds. He was working with Ravine Veneer at Silk City who played guitar and got Michael Barndt (Krhissy) on drums and Mike Stifel on bass. I missed recent Foxycotin shows since they have been back, but once we can return to seeing bands, I plan on going, Their long awaited debut album This Time You’re On Your Own (see below) comes out on August 7th on Sister Raygun. There is something for everyone on this album.  A song for the sad state of politics in America (The Whole World Knows I’ll Never Get Over It Now), A reworked Rolling Hayseeds song (It’s Starting to Show), and a couple of songs have organ music by Sam Steinig (Mondo Topless and GTVs) that reminds me of the organ parts of early Elvis Costello songs,  plus lots of cool covers from all over the musical spectrum.

Mt Vengeance

Mt Vengeance is Rich Fravel – singer/guitarist (Uptown Bones, Latimer, Ashtabula, Blue & Realtor extraordinaire who helped me buy my house), Brian Campbell – bass (Electric Love Muffin & Poppy) and Nicky Santore – drums (Valsalva, Glory Hole). I have seen them live a few times and for me it was a strange (in a good way) mix of nostalgia for the 90s but with enough freshness to it to make it sound new. Their first album Covered in Dust from 2018 was one of my favorites of that year and the new album Machines is even better (see below).  There are a lot of different styles on this album. A few songs have a  pop sensibility but with a harder edge. Others like Nil By Mouth has distorted noisy guitar with a grove.  Then it all wraps up  with the song Machines which has a metalish Hawkwind sort of sound.

Here is a video I shot before the Photon Band / American Trappist / Mt. Vengeance show at JB’s.  Brian (ELM, Poppy, Mt. Vengeance), Rich (Uptown Bones, Mt. Vengeance), Art (Uptown Bones, Photon Band) & Noel (Uptown Bones) played two Uptown Bones songs and an ELM song.

Other Sister Raygun bands include Philly’s own Beretta 76

Good Power Pop Italian band Mad Rollers

I have to use the bandcamp description for Pre-Cog in the Bunker – a sci-fi post-punk duo blending punk noise, classic melodies, and literary lyrics.

And The Professor Fuzz 63 is a cool, lo-fi, rocking’ trio from Dallas,

Pictures & Flyers

(some pics from the label and a couple I took)

Electric Love Muffin – Live @ CEC

The Muffin live from the CEC in West Philly – A rock against hunger show with Constraint (From Leigh Valley) and Government Issue. This is the last video I have of them – As usual they put on a great show. Some time I will try to get the Constraint and GI video from this show up as well. I’m not sure I have anything else to say about Electric love Muffin since this is my third post on them. I did get asked if I had any video or audio of their cover of Highway Star and I think they started doing that after all the videos I have so if anyone has any more video or live audio please let me know.
Again there are a couple of songs I remember but I couldn’t figure out the titles. So, if anyone knows please let me know in the comments. Thanks

Thanks again to Pete at Drugmusic.com. for the beta tapes

Audio files

01 – This Time I’m Gone
02 – American Family & Tomorrow’s Regrets
03 – ? & One Year Removed & I Should Have & ?
04 – I Don’t Mind & Look For Me
05 – NorwegianWood

MediaFire Zip

Electric Love Muffin – Elk’s Lodge AC 7/26/85

Video from an Electric Love Muffin show at the Elk’s Lodge in Atlantic City. The show was on July 26, 1985 and they were opening for Die Kreuzen and Articles of Faith. I was never at any of the Atlantic City shows but from what I’ve heard (and now watched) it looked like a good venue. Lenny and Crunch Productions always put on good shows. This video is from a bunch of videos I borrowed and converted from Betamax tapes from Pete at Sounds of Tomorrow So keep in mind this video was captured from a 25 year old Beta tape. I’m not sure if it the tape or the camera at the time put Rich gets kind of washed out when he is in the spotlight. Hopefully I got the song titles right besides their normal cover of Norwegian Wood – during a string break on Butch’s guitar they do Bad Moon Rising and the Who’s I don’t Mind. I’m not sure what the last song is it sounds familiar but I can’t figure it out. Also, here is an old zine article about touring with the Muffin from Free TNT zine

Audio Files

01 – Backstreet Ride
02 – 16 Years Old
03 – In Your Face
04 – Blackness That Could Be Blue
05 – 44 Ways
06 – This Time I’m Gone
07 – Tomorrows Regrets
08 – One Year Removed
09 – Bad Moon
10 – I Don’t Mind
11 – I Should Have
12 – Muffin March
13 – Norwegian Wood
14 ?

MediaFire Zip

Electric Love Muffin

Besides Scram I don’t think there is another band that I have seen as many times (or ever will) as Electric Love Muffin. For the first two years I lived in Philly I saw them (and usually Scram) it seems like at least once a week. I think my memory might be right this time. The very first show I saw in Philly they played with NOTA – the show got broken up by the cops but then Scram was playing at another party in West Philly later so, the trend of seeing both bands started on my first night of shows in Philly. I’m not sure why but the venue that sticks out for me was seeing them at Tops which was the space above McGlinchey’s. Probably because their rules on carding where somewhat lax at the time (although I might have been straight-edge at the time so who knows.). Electric Love Muffin were always fun to see and they would throw in some great covers like Highway Star (often with guest singers), Venus and Norwegian Wood. I always thought their sound seemed influenced by Minneapolis bands like Huskers and Soul Asylum (Pre-MTV days). As far as I can tell from searching the web none of their records are currently available to buy so I’m putting them up here.
More info at Tape Wrecks site

UPDATE: All three albums are remastered and up on bandcamp now so I removed the song links below – for more go to the Electric Love Muffin site.

There are a couple of bands with members of ELM now playing out. An upcoming show has two of them Poppy & Foxy Contin March 13 2020 with DJ Major Luke at Kung Fu Necktie

Brian is in two current bands Poppy with Kate Campbell (Guitar & Vocals) & Craig Heim from Scram (Drums) & Brian Campbell (Bass & some vocals) Check out their new album at bandcamp. & Mt Vengeance which is Rich Fravel (Uptown Bones, Ashtabula, Latimer) – guitars and vocals & Brian Campbell – bass & Nick Santore – drums

Foxy Contin is Rich Kaufmann- Guitar plus Vox & Michael Stifel- Bass plus Vox
& Ravine Vaneer- Guitar plus Vox & Michael Barndt- Drums minus Vox

Playdooh Meathook

Produced and Arranged by The Electric Love Muffin
Recorded at Spectrum Studios, October 1985
Originally released in 1987
Remastered in 2022 by Matthew Barnhart at Chicago Mastering Service

Rassafranna

Rassafranna

Produced by Joe “The Butcher” Nicolo & The Electric Love Muffin
Recorded at Studio 4, Philadelphia in 1988
Originally released in 1989

15 – 44 Ways [cd only bonus track]
16 – Hound Dog [cd only bonus track]
17 – Revolution #9 [cd only bonus track]

Second Third time Around

Second Third time Around

Produced by The Electric Love Muffin & Joe “The Butcher” Nicolo & Originally released in 1990
Remastered in 2022 by Matthew Barnhart at Chicago Mastering Service

Philly Comps- That Was Then This Is Now 7″

This post is the first of three Philly compilations posts I’m going to try to get up today.

That Was Then This Is Now 7″

This 7″ from Plus Records came out in 1986 and songs by Ruin, FOD, Scram and Electric Love Muffin. If I remember right the picture on the front (see below) was of the torn down Love Hall (Hence the that was then). For 86 this was a good representation of probably the most popular bands in the Philly scene but certainly not all of them. The 7 inch came with a insert that I scanned and you can see below plus stickers which probably went on one of my old skateboards, where it stayed in pristine condition since I was not a very good skateboarder.. Here are the 4 Tracks

Ruin-By The By
Electric Love Muffin-Club Car
Scram-Something To Cling To
F.O.D.-Meat Factory

MediaFire Zip

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