1978-1981: Never Mind the Gizmos Here's the Gizmos

This 2002 release, 1978-1981: NEVER MIND THE GIZMOS HERE'S THE GIZMOS, assembles the 14 tracks originally released on Gulcher vinyl by the post-Ken Highland/Eddie Flowers Gizmos. Standout tracks are early versions of 'Cry Real Tears' (Vulgar Boatmen) and 'The American Dream' (Walking Ruins), and a cover of the Sex Pistols B-side 'Did You No Wrong.' Within two years Niemiec, rhythm guitarist Steve Feikes, and tambourinist Phil Hundley were gone, and downsized to a quartet of Dale Lawrence, Billy Nightshade, Shadow Myers, and new guitarist Tim Carroll, the Gizmos released the 1980 split HOOSIER HYSTERIA album with Dow Jones & The Industrials. Highlights include the manic 'Dead Astronauts,' ironic 'Rock & Roll Don't Come From New York,' and Al Green's 'Take Me To The River.' A year later, unaware of their impending Indiana fame, the band relocated to Hoboken, New Jersey. With new drummer Robbie Wise, they recorded several demos with the MX-80 Sound production team of Mark Bingham and Mark Hood. Only 'The Midwest Can Be Allright' was released then, on the 1981 Gulcher compilation LP RED SNERTS; it took another 20 years for the 1981 NYC DEMOS CD-EP to appear. A bonus living room take of 'Please Panic' concludes this collection; although they unmercifully slagged their mentors, Bloomington's high school Panics covered several Gizmos songs, including from this CD 'Tie Me Up,' 'Pay,' and 'Abdul In-A Babylon' ('Reggae Song').