UXA- Illusions of Grandeur LP (Posh Boy Records, USA, 1981)
cover pix currently down Some axed for it and here we go: UXA’s one and only LP. From the Johnny Rotten-alike vocal style (“yyyyyyoooooaaarrr frreeedomm”) in the immortal “Paranoia is Freedom” to the post-punk desperation of “Death from above” and the hardcoreish “No Time”; this is one true landmark! “Innocent Bystander” is so damn gloomy and desastrous sounding like it could only have been written in the snowhite land of L.A. and the same goes for the weird burlesque feeling of “Tragedies”.
“Illusions of Grandeur” has been re-released on both LP and CD on Italy’s “Get back” label in 2004.
BUT.
There are two versions of this LP. The first one, with the white stamped cover, had 10 songs and a different, much dryer mix. It was released in 1980. I think Posh Boy wasn’t satisfied with that one for whatever reason, so they remixed it and released it again, including 2 extra tunes. This is the regular 1981 version of the LP and sound wise, it’s a bit rougher. UXA, on the other hand, weren’t too happy about that 2nd version and this might be the reason why it hasn’t been resurrected earlier. Consequently, the CD version is identical with the first, band approved, version. And sadly so, the better, second version stays in the closet. But ha! Not with me!!
Find some more collector nerdism here.
Paranoia is Freedom.mp3
No time.mp3 & UXA.mp3
Hand in Glove.mp3
I don’t lose Sleep.mp3
You saw me.mp3
Tragedies.mp3
Sister Godfrieda.mp3
Innocent Bystander.mp3
Non-Fiction.mp3
Immunity.mp3
Death from above.mp3
stoever wrote:
Ever since I first heard this a few years after its initial release I couldn’t understand why UXA don’t belong to tthe “big names”. It’s a perfect LP from a to z. Funny how when you posted VIXEN, it reminded me on UXA in a way. Thanks for ruling the blog world!
Posted on 17-Jan-07 at 3:58 am | Permalink
Anonymous wrote:
some of the links arent working. please please fix this is super great!
Posted on 17-Jan-07 at 4:25 am | Permalink
Slobodan Burgher wrote:
now this is looking interesting and i suspect i’ll like it!
the links appear to be working fine, some needs to be tried more than once i think…
goddamn!
Posted on 17-Jan-07 at 5:37 am | Permalink
fred wrote:
Forgot about that white stamped version of the LP, used to see that in the used bins, had no idea of the history.
This LP didn’t take off because, like the Nuns LP, the timing coincided with Black Flag, Circle Jerks & Dead Kennedys, etc. Most kids thought punk was passe when they heard hardcore. Used to piss me off. When hardcore took over I stopped seeing bands for almost a year.
This isn’t the only LP, what about “Tree Punks at Real School” or whatever it’s called? They used to have a website where they listed all kinds of latter day recordings. Probably still play for all I know.
Posted on 17-Jan-07 at 6:52 am | Permalink
Erich wrote:
Yeah fred, just follow the link up there and you’ll see that “treee punks” CD. Never heard it myself. Any good?
Posted on 17-Jan-07 at 7:01 am | Permalink
Biomechanoid wrote:
This was new to me and I can’t believe that I’ve never heard UXA before! As great as GERMS, if you ask me.
I just checked your page counter and then took a short tour visiting other punk mp3 blogs. Why don’t you get more hits? At first I thought 120′000 in 5 months is very good but it seems low after comparing. Why is that? How could we change that? Goodbadmusic is definately the most interesting mp3 blog that I’ve been onto and I think your work should be honored.
MH from Ontario
Posted on 17-Jan-07 at 7:29 am | Permalink
Erich wrote:
mh – i have no idea. maybe because i know shit about rss (what on earth is a “feed”?) etc? you tell me. i’m thinking of moving the hole thing to my own webserver, but haha, i just don’t know shit about anything.
Posted on 17-Jan-07 at 8:28 am | Permalink
antid.oto wrote:
I infinitely prefer The Avengers
Posted on 17-Jan-07 at 11:12 am | Permalink
Erich wrote:
Did you have to choose between The Avengers and UXA?
Posted on 17-Jan-07 at 11:17 am | Permalink
antid.oto wrote:
No, it’s only my personal opinion
Posted on 17-Jan-07 at 11:25 am | Permalink
Anonymous wrote:
aha. how interesting.
Posted on 17-Jan-07 at 12:00 pm | Permalink
Joe Stumble wrote:
I always wondered what the story was behind Dee Detroits outfit on the second pressign of this LP. Its like some sort of 1950’s jungle queen get-up in front of a spiderweb. There has to be a REASON for this?!?
Another classic Erich. Love this LP. Thanks for uploading…one less I have to rip from my collection!
Posted on 17-Jan-07 at 12:36 pm | Permalink
Christoph wrote:
Erich!
All Hail to you!
The fastest Reply (in Words and Music) to a Request ever! Thanks a lot!
(1) Links are working (alas… veery slooooow… kind of “in Realtime”)
(2) which gave me Time to look at the “Nerdism”-Link: puuh! I imagine this to be a quite “enerving” Lifestyle, I mean: caring enough to write and publish about “different red Ink used on Label Pressing”! Respect to those, who have the Nerves, Time, Interest and Patience for such tiny Details. Must be kind of a Zen-Thing.
(3) What do you think about Requests anyway? Do you like it? Hate it? None of it? Because…ähem… talking about PoshBoy: absolutely not findable:
- STEPMOTHERS – You were never my Age
- CHINA WHITE (12 Inch, was that PoshBoy? not sure…)
(4) Anyway: Thanks again for your Blog-Work.
Gruß
C.
(sticking to ENGLISH, thinking of your Non-German-Visitors, cause I myself get a bit sick if not understanding what the Talk is about, like in spanish, italian or portugese Blogs)
Posted on 17-Jan-07 at 12:54 pm | Permalink
Anonymous wrote:
vixen….nooooooooooooooooooooo.
timmy
Posted on 17-Jan-07 at 12:59 pm | Permalink
Erich wrote:
Yer welcome, Christoph!
About requests: I will only respond to requests that are corresponding with the musical mood i’m in. making suggestions is always a good idea, but most of them will be turned down anyway. after all, i’m giving people a lesson here.
As for Stepmothers and China White: I have Stepmothers 12″ and China White is on Frontier Records. Love the first one but never really got into the latter. Will see if they go up. I think it’s about time for some more cheesy metal.
Posted on 17-Jan-07 at 1:07 pm | Permalink
Erich wrote:
Speaking of cheesy metal: VIXEN RULE, timmy!!! Vixen is pronounced like the german verb wixen which has a very humane meaning and is one of the most popular hobbies worldwide.
Posted on 17-Jan-07 at 1:08 pm | Permalink
Anonymous wrote:
no vixen… haha. what about that white pigs demo?? please.
timmy
Posted on 17-Jan-07 at 2:00 pm | Permalink
Erich wrote:
Will post it, Timmy, if you promise to listen closely to the whole Vixen EP three times in a row!
Posted on 17-Jan-07 at 2:04 pm | Permalink
Anonymous wrote:
Dear Sir
This is the most interesting Punk Blog I’ve ever visited. The music selection is incredible and the commentary way above your average blog.
I would like to make a donation but I don’t have a Paypal account. Do you take checks?
Billy M.
Posted on 17-Jan-07 at 2:15 pm | Permalink
Anonymous wrote:
I always thought their best effort was the two tracks on Tooth and Nail. For some reason the band struck me as tired on this record, like they just wanted to get the tracks recorded and get it over with–a gut feeling of this recording I’ve never been able to shake. Its a classic in a way but leans towards the “generic” catagory. Put up the 1995 7″ as a bonus track–I lost my copy!
Posted on 17-Jan-07 at 3:12 pm | Permalink
Anonymous wrote:
i was the one who requested it some time ago. thanks a lot! if you go to YOUTUBE you can see a video of UXA performing “Death From Above”. i suggest everyone checks it out. thanks again for UXA.
Posted on 17-Jan-07 at 3:55 pm | Permalink
Erich wrote:
nice video! sexy singer.
Posted on 17-Jan-07 at 4:10 pm | Permalink
S. Freud wrote:
and then you went to bed in a hurry. Gotcha!!
Posted on 17-Jan-07 at 4:33 pm | Permalink
Anonymous wrote:
I always thought their best effort was the two tracks on Tooth and Nail.
Ditto. Also the Louder Faster Shorter video segment. The album is not nearly as good.
Posted on 17-Jan-07 at 4:35 pm | Permalink
Tore Stemland wrote:
This album is a killer and “Paranoia is Freedom is the the best track. So good that i naed my blog after it.
By the way are going to update CAN YOU HEAR ME – MUSIC FROM THE DEAF CLUB with the missing MP3`s on Mutants and Pink Section?
Love your blog, keep on rockin in the free world.
Posted on 18-Jan-07 at 5:41 am | Permalink
Erich wrote:
Billy – please contact me through the “complete profile” link.
Posted on 18-Jan-07 at 9:32 am | Permalink
Anonymous wrote:
Erich, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, ad infinituum!
PS: I think I forgot to mention something. Oh yeah!:Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!
PPS: And don’t worry about those who don’t like Metal. Real music is good regardless of genre.
Posted on 18-Jan-07 at 3:14 pm | Permalink
Erich wrote:
Posted on 18-Jan-07 at 3:17 pm | Permalink
I Am The Invisible Man.............. wrote:
Feel like a total dumbshit…I never even knew UXA had an album! How the hell did I miss this? LOVE IT! ThanXXX!
Posted on 22-Jan-07 at 1:12 pm | Permalink
Anonymous wrote:
On the UXA tip :
I’m looking for any kind soul who can SCAN and email me the articles on UXA and Michael Kowalsky from Search & Destroy magazine (I think it’s issue 7)
Lost both my original paper copy and the reprint book in move to Europe and NEED this big time.
Can barter over something in return -;)
email : kkworks1@hotmail.com
Posted on 09-Mar-07 at 9:37 am | Permalink
Matt wrote:
great album… But I wish somebody could direct me to their original version of “I” later covered by the Bad Brains. I no longer have a copy of it.
Posted on 20-Oct-07 at 7:44 am | Permalink
Interweb Find: UXA mp3s! « Squirrel Antics wrote:
[...] Listen here. [...]
Posted on 27-Apr-09 at 10:03 pm | Permalink
Earl Foltz wrote:
Can you please post the complete “Can You Hear Me? Music From the Deaf Club?” I had the LP, but it got broken in a move, and I have never been able to find another one. I wish they would get around to reissuing this one.
Posted on 14-Jul-09 at 9:29 pm | Permalink
Matthew B. Kowalsky wrote:
Mike Kowalsky who penned most of the lyrics, was my big brother. He sent me both versions: the original mix on a cassette and the original Posh Boy release. Mike was an inspiration to others due to his humour and creativity; even though he did not have the perfect pitch of our mother! I grew up in Mexico due to our mom’s two messy divorces. My only contact with Mike were postcards and the great music that he sent us periodically from the States. Several years later I played percussion in a Mexican rock band but I decided not to record with them despite having been invited, as like Mike I did not consider myself to be a real musician.
Posted on 25-Oct-09 at 9:57 am | Permalink
Admin wrote:
Thanks Matthew! Do you know whether or not any or both of the two versions are officially available at the moment? If not, I will re-rip both versions. This is just too great a record to stay unavailable.
Posted on 25-Oct-09 at 10:16 am | Permalink