Blast From The Past: Record Reviews from the Rutgers Observer – 1982

So there I was, staring at this email attachment from my college radio buddy, Joe, and I was catapulted back to 1982. He had just sent me images that I’ve posted here. They are record reviews from the Rutgers Observer, the school newspaper of my alma mater. I only wrote for the music page, and when I felt like it. F those deadlines. I was so ornery in college, I can’t even imagine anyone being able to deal with me. AND when I saw the headline: No Powder Burns – The Gun Club, which is a review of the band’s excellent MIAMI record, I recall clear as day how bummed out I was (pardon the pun) that the R and the N were so close together that it read “No Powder BUMS” instead of what I intended. Read ’em and weep, so they say! The Dream Syndicate’s “The Days of Wine And Roses” with a review as well. Nice find, Joe, thanks!

It is worth mentioning, that I did my Senior Thesis on these records along with the Power Trip 7″ and the 100 Flowers “Presence of Mind” single as well. It was a huge installation in the gallery on campus. I typeset and illustrated these articles and mounted them like 4 sides of a cube. Atop the cube was a plexiglass dome, and inside of it was a group of 8 track players. I had recorded the 4 pieces of music to tape, and then mounted headphones on each of the four sides, so the attendee could slap on the headphones, listen to, read and look at each of the illustrated articles for each project. If I ever find photos of the installation I’ll be sure to post them, but I do not ever recall seeing a photograph of the entire contraption. Another college radio friend, Ira got me the hookup to the recording 8 track system oh so long ago. Here I am talking about it some 37 years later. I am somewhat embarrassed of these reviews, but I was a snotty punk at that time, and I will say I still love both records, although it might not have seemed like love from the articles shown here! Check my interview with Steve Wynn of the Dream Syndicate, Miracle Three and the Baseball Project – who just played at the Rock Hall to kick off All-Star week.