Never been sure to start a project like this blog. First, because I am not a huge record collector; second, because I usually don't have interesting things to tell. But things like the following story make me change of idea and keep blogging. Here it goes:
It all started getting a sample of Homework #4 CD from Hyped To Death, listening to it and being blown away for the music – specially for the song “Pot of Gold” by a band called Yo. Almost at the same time, I was addicted to Collector Scum – in fact, I had printed out the International Discography of the New Wave – and one day, looking at the list of records, an intriguing black & white cover got my attention. It was from a band called Xmas Eve. What was my surprise when reading these lines about the record: “All four tracks are cool artpunk. Pre-Yo, similar sound but a bit punkier. [BD]” Wait a minute… Was there a band before Yo? Thanks again to Hyped To Death, I was able to listen to Xmas Eve for the first time, on the Homework #103 CD. The song was “My House”, and as what happened with “Pot of Gold”, it turned out to be a masterpiece.
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| Xmas Eve: Eric Capers (drums), Jerome Capers (bass), Bruce Rayburn (guitar). Pic by Catharine J. Anderson |
Just few weeks ago, I discovered that Mutant Sounds had posted all Yo's stuff. I went nuts and asked for Xmas Eve as well. What happened then, there's no words to describe it: Bruce Rayburn, the original vocalist and guitarist of Xmas Eve / Yo got in touch via email… and he was so kind to send me the complete Xmas Eve record! I don't know how to give him thanks for this beautiful present and express how amazingly kind he is. Maybe this post will work.
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| Xmas Eve Xmas Eve 7" EP (1982) |
Xmas Eve – Paint It Red
Get the whole EP here.
By the way, this is the song that started everything:
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| Yo Good Tidings LP (Deadbeat Records, 1984) |
Yo – Pot of Gold
Get it here.
10 comments:
Thanks so much for this! I have been looking for this single for years.
I used to see Xmas Eve back in Berkeley, including opening for the Fall and Blurt at the Keystone. Great band.
- pontificant
dear dewar,
you are welcome, but please don't give me thanks for this. all the thanks should go to bruce, who was so extremely kind to sent me the songs and scans as well.
if you are interested he is still playing music nowadays, although his last album -if i am not wrong- was with el sob in 2003, great as well!
wow, xmas eve + the fall + blurt same night...
by the way, do you run some project? it would be smashing to know about it!
and thanks for your kind words :)
all the best,
edu
Hi, Thanks for putting up the Xmas Eve ep. We were having a ton of fun back in the early 80's at the Mabuhay Gardens. 3 bands a nite for 3 bucks. Dirk Dirkson was the punk Simon Cowell he would criticized every band before and after you played .He loved to embarrass you. And then at the end of the nite throw everybody out.
Bruce
dear bruce,
glad to hear from you again and many many thanks for being so nice and kind for share and let us listen to xmas eve songs!
oh, i can't imagine how was back in the day, playing at mabuhay and creating a whole new scene from the very beginning.... but guess it had to be an extremely amazing experience! i know, retro is poison, but those were the days. and if nowadays we new generations are listening to this music, created almost 25-30 years ago, it is because it was AND STILL IS the most refreshing, great, inspiring and amazing music ever done. no doubt about it.
hope you are doing extremely fine.
all my best wishes,
edu
ps: shame dirk dirkson passed away...
ps: could i ask you a favour? would you mind to post lyrics from the songs? it would be really really great because all of them are amazing.
Hi,
Wow!!!! Nice to se Xmas Eve get some action in the blogsphere! I used to be the band's photographer :-) I have some great photos from the Xmas Eve, Blurt and The Fall Show, as well as other Xmas Eve Shows. You can see some of my favorites on http://eclypso.com
I am (forever) working on a book and if I ever finish t they will be in there too!
Hi Edu, I didn't realize it was you that put this blog together when I posted before. Nice job . Making contact with Catharine's photo's is a good thing too. blogs are great. I'll send you the words to the songs later I'm to lazy right now, sorry. I'm hoping to hear back from Catharine sometime I sent her and email I think?
I hope all is well with you
Thanks again
Bruce
Xmas Eve
hi bruce!
glad to know you could get in touch with catharine. and if with this blog, i could help both of you to stay in touch, then it's all i need to be really happy.
oh, no problem, just take it easy :)
and yes, doing really fine!
hope the same to you as well. still playing, right? that's great!
best wishes.
Link to first track is broken - could you please re-up it? Thanks!
Hi there,
Sure! It's already fixed. Thanks to you for your interest in this amazing and utterly great band was Xmas Eve.
Love,
Edu
Can somebody please re-up Good Tidings?
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