Fartz Because This Fuckin' World Stinks - Seattle Fartz Records First 500 Press

$

33

Original first press - 500 only under the Fartz label.

Will ship as preferred, just let me know whether you want priority or media mail.

The Fartz original lineup in 1981 included vocalist Blaine Cook, guitarist Tommy Hansen, bassist Steve Hoffman, and drummer Loud Fart. Tommy Hansen and Loud had formerly played together in the Seattle band Kaos (not to be confused with the UK version with the same name). Blaine and Steve had first met in 1979 when they worked together at a local restaurant called Red Robin. Tommy Hansen taught Steve Hoffman how to play bass. Steve asked Loud to play drums when he saw him tinkering with Robo's drum kit at a Black Flag show in Seattle. In the punk tradition of the Ramones, each member of the band took on the family name Fart, so they became known as Blaine Fart, Tommy Fart, Steve Fart and Loud Fart.

On the strength of the nine song Because This Fuckin' World Stinks E.P. produced by Neil Hubbard and self-released by the band on their own Fartz Records in 1981 as a 7-inch vinyl 45, they were signed to Jello Biafra's San Francisco-based Alternative Tentacles Records, which released their full length LP entitled World Full of Hate in 1982 as Virus 17, and also re-released their first single as Virus 21 later that same year. This made the Fartz the first Seattle band since Heart to break out of the local music scene and get signed to an out of town record label.

They also had one song, "Campaign Speech," appear on the 1981 Seattle Syndrome Vol. I compilation released by Engram Records.

Paul Dana, who had earlier been in the proto-hardcore Seattle band Solger, replaced Tommy Hansen on guitar during the recording of the band's 1982 album, although Hansen still played on five of the 15 tracks on the LP. After the recording of the first LP was completed in June 1982, Loud was replaced on drums by Duff McKagan, who played on a five-song demo recording that was made in November 1982 but not released until 1990. Duff's role in the Fartz has sometimes been exaggerated. Blaine has been quoted as saying Duff was only "in the band for a few months," while Steve has said he only played one or two shows with Duff in the Fartz.

During their brief two-year existence, the Fartz became known as one of the trilogy of West Coast hardcore punk bands that included San Francisco's Dead Kennedys and Vancouver´s D.O.A. These three groups often played together up and down the West Coast between San Francisco, California and Vancouver. The Fartz song "Buried Alive" appeared on the Eastern Front Vol. II punk compilation album released by Enigma Records in 1983, along with tracks by other West Coast hardcore punk acts such as The Lewd, Channel 3, Wasted Youth, Shattered Faith, and JFA. Despite their regional reputation, the Fartz had a difficult time getting booked to play clubs in their own hometown of Seattle, although their practice space was in the backstage area of the Showbox Theater on First Avenue, where many of the early all ages punk shows took place while the venue was managed by Modern Productions.