KBD punk ujerks 12" UJ3RK5 young canadians pointed sticks DOA dishrags SUBHUMANS

$

32

This is an auction for a USED gently played vinyl record 12" for fans of the early Canadian new wave punk scene.

UJ3RK5 (pronounced "you jerk," - the five is silent) was a Vancouver-based band from the late 1970s. Their style was post punk/new wave, but was more art rock than synth pop.  The band included local artist celebrities Ian Wallace, Jeff Wall and Rodney Graham, as well as Kitty Byrne, Colin Griffiths, Danice McLeod, Frank Ramirez and CBC Radio host David Wisdom. Their eponymous debut album, portraying the pioneers of Vancouver's school of so-called 'photoconceptualism' or 'post-conceptual photography' in a rare moment of unison, sported an unlikely hit single titled "Eisenhower and the Hippies" - a song inspired by a work of American conceptual art proponent Dan Graham. PEACE POT and PUSSY! 

UJ3RK5 (pronounced "U-Jerk") was Vancouver's pre-eminent art-rock group whose members were well-known in the art community — many of whom would go on to bigger and better things in their respective fields. The only hard artifacts attesting to the existence of this all-star art-punk ensemble are an eponymous 12-inch EP and two tracks on the Vancouver Complication album.

The band flourished from 1979-‘80, but the roots of the band went back to when founders Frank Ramirez and Rodney Graham began playing together in 1975, in places like the Soft Rock Café as “U2” or “Gentlemen2.” The duo eventually expanded their musical partnership, and the first version of UJ3RK5 surfaced in the summer of 1977. They made their first recordings, which were aired that fall on Vancouver Co-op Radio (CFRO). Their first live appearances, however, weren’t until early 1979. Stephen Macklam described their music in SnotRag no.14: “Punk-jazz, art-rock, industrial music, closet avant-garde…. Imagine Pere Ubu on nitrous oxide.”

UJ3RK5 played hall gigs and art galleries, sharing bills with everyone from DOA to Gang Of Four. After PolyGram signed the band and reissued the Quintessence EP, UJ3RK5 split up over disagreements about the band’s future. Many members had secure careers outside the band, and weren’t willing to take things to the next level, whatever that meant.

Les sez: Singer Frank Ramirez co-opted that David Byrne yip-yap chihuahua vocal style, which placed the band in a different niche than punk. They were art-rock leading into the dreaded new wave. Jeff Wall later became a world-famous photographer, adding to his street credibility by shooting the terrific portrait of Iggy Pop on the cover of Pop’s Avenue B.

We ship in sturdy cardboard mailers designed to protect vinyl. Will gladly ship internationally. Canada is $12.99,UK/Europe is $20, Japan/Australia $20 (e-mail for other countrys rates) Serious bidders only! If you dont plan on paying for your auction, please dont bid!