Maids In Bataan - The Maids (Gutterwall Records)
There is a genre of music that collectors refer to as “Killed By Death” or ” KBD”. The label refers to onscure 1970s or 1980s punk rock records that were usually independently released by the bands themselves in small print runs.
“Killed By Death” was also a series of bootleg compilation albums that illegally reissued these songs (kind of like the “Pebbles” of ‘70s and ‘80s punk).
The Maids’ recordings were first heard by the punk rock collecting masses on volumes 7 and 17 of “Killed By Death” and thanks to these bootleggers, the legend of the band has grown.
The two songs on this 7” single, "Back To Bataan" and "I Do I Do", were originally released in 1979 in a print run of 2000, but only sold between 100 and 200 at the time, due to the fact that this Berkely, Califormia, band only played two gigs during their existence. One of which was opening for a Grateful Dead wannabe band. The original 7” has sold for up to $1300 on FleaBay!
Thankfully, Gutterwall Records - run by Joey Kelly of Mad Parade, an American punk band who sound like they were brought up on a healthy diet of Stiff Little Fingers singles - have re-issued a very great looking and great sounding legitimate re-pressing. It sounds like master tapes were used rather than a dub of an original 7”.
You may ask what does it sound like? Well it doesn’t sound like ANY punk band I’ve heard. True, it is young, loud and snotty. The singer has a desperate and& frantic attitude (almost like a punk Iggy). The guitar sounds like a cheap Strat played through the dirtiest amp the band could find. The drums hammer, and the bass somehow manages to hold it all together.
If you dig The Psychosurgeons (or any of those great Aussie punk bands from the '70s), Buzzcocks, The (UK) Boys, Ramones, Heartbreakers, or NY Dolls, you may well go nuts over this. Although it sounds NOTHING like any of those.
The sound on this is huge! I think it's killer! And you may too. - Steve Lorkin
