Beat Until Stiff

Last updated
Beat Until Stiff
Hullabaloo - Beat Until Stiff.jpg
Studio album by
Hullabaloo
Released1989
Recordedby Paul Q. Kolderie, 1989 at Fort Apache South, Roxbury, MA,
† 1988 at Fishtraks, Portsmouth, NH
Genre Noise rock, post-hardcore, grunge
Length33:04
Label Toxic Shock
Producer Paul Q. Kolderie
Hullabaloo chronology
It's Not Enough to be Loud, You Have to Suck to.
(1988)		Beat Until Stiff
(1989)		 Dead Serious
(1990)

Beat Until Stiff is the second release, and first full-length album, by Hullabaloo. It was released in 1989 on Toxic Shock. For Beat Until Stiff, TQ had taken over as full-time lead singer for the band (though Sluggo sings on the tune "Taskmaster" and hidden track "Sea of Trash"), and his vocals that range from a growl to a scream begin to characterize the band's sound. [1] [2] The band's punk rock sensibilities are still in the forefront with fast, thrashy songs like "The Lickyerbutt Song" and "This is My Rifle", and with subjects like "Retardo Porn" and "Suicidal Maniac." But with the songs "Beat Until Stiff" and "Gotta Go" some slower tempos and heavier guitars are introduced, giving the album a proto-grunge feel. The trademark trumpet and saxophone solos are still present throughout. [3] Kris Fell, in the Boston Phoenix said that the "lyrics on Beat Until Stiff are blunt, almost photographic representation of the grotesque..." [4] This album features a guitar solo by Mr. Horribly Charred Infant of the Happy Flowers. [5] [6]

Contents

Note that Hullabaloo rarely used their real names and instruments on the personnel listing of their records. The names on this record are their "British Invasion" names. These names are also scrawled upon a picture of the British invasion band The Hullaballoos on the inner sleeve. [6]

Beat Until Stiff's new songs were recorded and mixed at the Fort Apache South studio by Paul Q. Kolderie. Kolderie also re-mixed the two previously released songs for this album. The cover art for the album lists the producers as "Hugo & Luigi," [6] but this is yet another allusion to The Hullaballoos, who were "packaged for U.S. consumption by Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore, notorious vice presidents and A&R directors of Roulette Records.". [7]

Critical reception

Beat Until Stiff rolls like a big old tank truck fulla beer and piss taking a fast turn onto Alice Cooper Memorial Turnpike.—Spin [8]

Here's a totally psychotic mindfuck if there ever was one....Satan himself would shit his pants if he heard the vocals on this album.—GROT [1]

An album worth having two copies of, for when your first wears out.—Backlash [3]

TQ hollers as if possessed by the spirits of both Ozzy and Jimmy Swaggart while the band bashes out chords of destruction and disarray...—CMJ [9]

If Marlon Brando's Godfather figure had been played by a growling lion, he would be the singer of this band.—Rockpool [2]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Hullabaloo, except where noted

Side Kick
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Gotta Go" 3:54
2."Beat Until Stiff" 3:43
3."Suicidal Maniac" 2:00
4."The Lickyerbutt Song †" (previously released on Suffer This: A Compilation of Boston's Backwash) 1:56
5."The Violent Death of Johnny Camaro" 2:58
6."Hole Lotta Rosie" (cassette only bonus track) Angus Young, Malcolm Young, Bon Scott 3:34
Side Order
No.TitleLength
1."Louisville Slugger"2:21
2."Retardo Porn" (guitar solo by Mr. Horribly Charred Infant of the Happy Flowers)3:31
3."B.H.T."3:24
4."Taskmaster †" (previously released on Suffer This: A Compilation of Boston's Backwash)3:58
5."This is my Rifle"2:19
6."Sea of Trash" (hidden track)2:59

Personnel

Hullabaloo
Technical personnel

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bratmobile</span> American punk band

Bratmobile is an American punk band from Olympia, Washington, formed in 1991. They are known for being one of the first-generation "riot grrrl" bands. The band was influenced by several eclectic musical styles, including elements of pop, surf, and garage rock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swingin' Utters</span> American punk rock band

Swingin' Utters is a Californian punk rock band that formed in the late 1980s. After U.S. and European tours supporting the release of 2003's "Dead Flowers, Bottles, Bluegrass and Bones", some band members concentrated on raising their new families. From 2003-2010, the band played frequently, though mostly limited to the west coast of the United States and Canada, taking a break from any longer, comprehensive touring or recordings. During this time, they released the "Live in a Dive" double live album on Fat Wreck Chords (2004), and "Hatest Grits", a b-sides and rarities compilation (2008). After a seven-year gap in the release of any new, original recordings, the band released the "Brand New Lungs" 3-song 7-inch ep in 2010, followed by the "Here, Under Protest" LP (2011), and have since released four more records, and have resumed touring internationally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wreckless Eric</span> Musical artist

Eric Goulden, known as Wreckless Eric, is an English rock and new wave singer-songwriter, best known for his 1977 single "Whole Wide World" on Stiff Records. More than two decades after its release, the song was included in Mojo magazine's list of the best punk rock singles of all time. It was also acclaimed as one of the "top 40 singles of the alternative era 1975–2000".

<i>No Depression</i> (album) 1990 studio album by Uncle Tupelo

No Depression is the first studio album by alternative country band Uncle Tupelo, released in June 1990. After its formation in the late 1980s, Uncle Tupelo recorded the Not Forever, Just for Now demo tape, which received a positive review by the College Media Journal in 1989. The review led to the band's signing with what would become Rockville Records later that year. The album was recorded with producers Sean Slade and Paul Q. Kolderie at Fort Apache Studios, on a budget of US$3,500.

<i>Singles Collection: The London Years</i> 1989 compilation album by the Rolling Stones

Singles Collection: The London Years is a compilation album by the Rolling Stones, released in 1989. It was released as a 3-CD and a 4-LP set.

<i>Fopp</i> (EP) 1988 EP by Soundgarden

Fopp is the second EP by the American rock band Soundgarden, released in August 1988 through Sub Pop Records. Fopp was later combined with the band's first EP, Screaming Life (1987), and released as the Screaming Life/Fopp compilation album in 1990.

<i>Something to Crow About</i> 2003 studio album by The Riverboat Gamblers

Something to Crow About is the second album by punk rock band The Riverboat Gamblers, released in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Numb (band)</span> Canadian electro-industrial band

Numb is a Canadian electro-industrial band that is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Hullaballoos</span> British band

The Hullaballoos were one of the original British Invasion bands. They are best known for their 1965 cover of Buddy Holly's "I'm Gonna Love You Too".

<i>Buildings and Grounds</i> 2000 studio album by Papas Fritas

Buildings and Grounds is the third studio album by Papas Fritas, released on Minty Fresh in 2000. In Australia it was distributed by local label Half a Cow, their first release of a non-Aussie album since Bettie Serveert's Palomine five years earlier. It was the band's final studio album.

Paul Q. Kolderie is an American record producer, engineer, and mixer. He has worked with Pixies, Radiohead, Orangutang, Hole, Dinosaur Jr., Juliana Hatfield, Wax, Warren Zevon, Uncle Tupelo, Throwing Muses, Morphine, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Abandoned Pools, the Go-Go's, and Mike Gordon of Phish. He usually works with production partner Sean Slade.

<i>Loses Control</i> 2003 studio album by Hey Mercedes

Loses Control is the second and final studio album by American rock band Hey Mercedes. Following the release of Everynight Fire Works (2001), guitarist Mark Dawursk left the band was replaced by Michael Shumaker in May 2002. Between then and the end of the year, the band spent time writing new material. They recorded Loses Control in April and May at Camp Street Studios in Cambridge, Massachusetts with producers Sean Slade and Paul Q. Kolderie. Loses Control is an indie rock, pop-punk and power pop record that used bigger and thicker guitar sounds, and Nanna double-tracking his voice.

<i>Gently, Down the Stream</i> 1998 studio album by Come

Gently, Down The Stream is the fourth and final album by Boston indie rock band Come.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Knew the Bride</span> 1985 single by Nick Lowe

"I Knew the Bride (When She Used to Rock 'n' Roll)" is a song written by Nick Lowe and first popularised by Dave Edmunds. It was released on Edmunds's 1977 album Get It and a year later in a live version by Nick Lowe's Last Chicken in the Shop on Live Stiffs Live.

Hullabaloo is a punk/grunge band from Cambridge, Massachusetts, started in 1986 by guitarist/vocalist Sluggo and vocalist/multi-instrumentalist TQ. The band cites myriad influences from John Coltrane to Iron Maiden and King Diamond contributing to their at times "surreal" and "psychedelic" sound. They also employed unusual instrumentation for a band of their ilk; TQ playing trumpet, tenor sax and electric piano in addition to vocals.

<i>Dead Serious</i> (EP) 1990 EP by Hullabaloo

Dead Serious is the third release, and second EP by Hullabaloo. It was recorded in 1990 by Paul Kolderie at the Fort Apache Studios in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was released by Toxic Shock in the United States and Musical Tragedies in Europe. The band's lineup had changed significantly since their previous release, Beat Until Stiff. Their previous bass player had left the band. He was replaced on bass by former drummer John Quinn, who was in turn replaced on drums by Chris Rossow. In addition, the band added a second guitar player, Kevin James, formerly of noise-rock instrumental band The Loving Six. James also produced the recording.

<i>Suffer This: A Compilation of Bostons Backwash</i> 1988 compilation album by various artists

Suffer This: A Compilation of Boston's Backwash was a collaboration of five Boston punk\post punk\noise rock bands in the late 1980s. The five bands include The Five, Hullabaloo, Slaughter Shack, Hectic Heyday and Feeding Frenzy.

<i>Lubritorium</i> 1991 studio album by Hullabaloo

Lubritorium is the fourth release and second full-length album by Hullabaloo. It was released in 1991 on C/Z Records.

Toxic Shock Records was an American independent record label based first in Pomona, California, then in Tucson, Arizona. The label was spawned from the record store of the same name, by its founders Bill Sassenberger and Julianna Towns in 1983, when they released the first of the Noise from Nowhere series of 7-inch EP compilations. For the next decade they released singles, compilations and albums by many notable and influential bands of the hardcore, noise rock and post-hardcore scenes.

References

  1. 1 2 John L. (1989). "Hullabaloo Beat Until Stiff". GROT.
  2. 1 2 "Beat Until Stiff". Rockpool. Oct 15, 1989.
  3. 1 2 H.H. (1989). "Hullabaloo, Beat Until Stiff". Backlash.
  4. ↑ Fell, Kris (January 26, 1990). "Grand slam". Boston Phoenix.
  5. ↑ "Hullabaloo (3) - Beat Until Stiff". Discogs.com. 1989. Retrieved 2016-02-22.
  6. 1 2 3 Hullabaloo (1989). Beat Until Stiff (LP). Toxic Shock Records.
  7. ↑ Unterberger, Richie. "The Hullaballoos - Music Biography, Credits and Discography". AllMusic.
  8. ↑ SPIN Media LLC (July 1990). SPIN. SPIN Media LLC. pp. 87–. ISSN   0886-3032.
  9. ↑ "Hullabaloo Beat Until Stiff". CMJ. June 30, 1989.

Beat Until Stiff at Discogs (list of releases)

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.