CORONERS REPORT - Lunchtime 7"

CORONERS REPORT Lunchtime 7”, is an impossible to find relic from the Los Angeles punk/new wave scene of the early eighties - 100 were pressed and most were reportedly lost or destroyed in the 90’s. Either side of this could go on a Killed By Death compilation, purely based on its rarity. However, it was released in 1984, with so many ideas in punk already - this is far beyond garage rock or hardcore. When I was in The Zingers I was obsessed with the specific bands on KBD comps that seemed to be ‘punk by accident’, they sounded as if they were influenced by movies as much as avant garde ideas and the Sex Pistols. The Mad, The Molls, Count Vertigo, Ice Nine are a few examples - they seemingly could actually play and had left field ideas about instrumentation/themes, leaving behind one mysterious 7 inch (two at most). Coroners Report are a band made up of members who played with Stiv Bators and later Mad Parade (the latter is inferior compared to this), they have two guitars, bass, vocals, synthesiser and drum machine. The A-side ‘Lunchtime’ which can be heard on yt, is a quality abrasive horror-themed romp with stabby synth which takes a surprising turn. It nosedives into a some badness - a deft dance beat with a vicious clap, elevated by some seedy night-time-on-the-sunset-strip sounding guitar wails. The B-side ‘Coroner’s Report’ has grown to be the real winner for me, with synth that opens apart the tune - in a somewhat Units feeling way, demented low pitched vocals and Zappaesque riffing, the tape cutting out before it launches into fusion territory…. CR sound very much sound like they belong somewhere between the Los Angeles punk and new wave cauldron. It almost sounds like they’re trying to write pop tunes that naturally end up discordant perhaps due to their their chaotic personalities and pushing their equipment in the red. But really, i mean, what is this? An in-joke they decided to record? - ‘let’s record a single, no sweat!’ And as the insert claims, recorded in their apartment living room?? I would like to have heard a whole album of this.

Reissued in 2022 by Queer Pills which is a sub label of Puke N Vomit Records. Gauging from the few records I own of theirs, their remastering is exemplary (this is no exception). Trust old heads to know how this music should sound.

CUSTOMER PICK UP AVAILABLE FROM THORNBURY, MELBOURNE