Chris Moffa & The Competition - "Places To Live"

Chris Moffa of New Jersey's Chris Moffa & The Competition referred to his band's music as "Contact Music" which in his words meant "music brought about by a real need to express some serious social issues". They were compared to the Clash (though he didn't completely agree) and the song "Places To Live" is filled with Clash style references to rap/rock/disco and politics. The band's music had punk and pop/rock influences as well. They toured up and down the east coast in support of an ep from which this track comes but soon split up when Chris joined Soul Attack (soon to be featured here).Chris Moffa & The Competition were Chris Moffa - guitar and vocals, Jim Ohm - drums, and John Lewis - bass, although Frank Roselli played bass on this track.

Chris Moffa & The Competition - "Places To Live".mp3

Student Teachers - "Looks"

Larchmont, New York's Student Teachers were one of few teenage bands on the NY punk scene and had one of the first female rhythm sections in a non-all-girl band . Shortly after they began playing, Jimmy Destri (the keyboard player from Blondie) started producing the band. The song "Looks" was released on a compilation called "2 x 5" on legendary Marty Thau's Red Star label along with tracks from the Bloodless Pharoahs, Revelons, Comateens, and Fleshtones. They opened for Iggy Pop, The Ramones, Richard Hell and The Dead Boys among others. In November of 1980 they released an EP entitled "Easter 78 - Halloweeen 80" and broke up. The Student Teachers were David Scharff - Vocals, Philip Shelley - guitar, Joe Katz - guitar, Bill Arning - keyboards, Lori Reese - bass, Laura Davis - drums. Philip Shelley later founded the Mystery Dates and the Nitemares. David Scharff has worn many hats in the music industry including fanzine publisher, and record company art director and writer. "Looks" was covered in 2000 by former Soul Coughing's Mike Doughty.

Student Teachers - "Looks".mp3

The Cosmopolitans - "How To Keep Your Husband Happy"

Like it or not "The Stepford Wives" have returned so it's fitting that this week's song is The Cosmopolitans - "How To Keep Your Husband Happy". The Cosmopolitans (Jamie Sims & Nel Moore) started out in North Carolina as a dance troop called Cosmopolitan Dance Troop, then moved to New York City and mutated into a rock act that integrated some dance/performance mayhem. In this song from 1981 they quote lines from 60's fitness guru Debbie Drake's excellent checklist for keeping your husband happy like "Firm and graceful body", "Be interested in him and the things he does" and "Excess fat (taboo)" over guitar and drums provided by fellow Carolinian Mitch Easter. Mitch Easter also co-produced the song with Jamie for Allen Betrock's Shake Records.

The Cosmopolitans - "How To Keep Your Husband Happy".mp3

The Go - "Don't Take Her Away"

I'll never forget how nervous I was the first time I crossed the Hudson River from New Jersey to go to New York City's Bowery and CBGB's to see The Go. I was a 19 year kid who rarely strayed from the safe environs of the NJ club scene. Hearing their clean, jangly Power Pop sound made the graffiti covered walls of CBGB's less threatening. The experience opened up NYC as a club destination for me and The Peppermint Lounge and Mud Club became new haunts. The Go were from nearby Yonkers, NY and played CB's as well as many other tri-state area clubs regularly. Unfortunately they only managed to release an independant 4 song EP in 1980. Despite coming close to getting a recording contract they called it quits a couple years later . The Go were Kenny Dutch : Guitars/Vocal, Tom Conte : Guitars/Vocal, George Peters : Bass/Vocals, Joe Brya : Drums/Percussion Kenny and Tom still play in a band called Hipripper.

Blotto - "I Wanna Be A Lifeguard"

It's officially summer so what better way to kick it off than with a classic new wave beach song. Blotto spent two years honing their chops playing the clubs in Albany, New York, then raised enough money to produce a four-song ep which this song comes from. It seemed that anytime The B52's "Rock Lobster" was played in a club in 1980 it was followed by Blotto's "I Wanna Be A Lifeguard". You can read all about Blotto's history here and download more music too. Taking a cue from The Ramones, Blotto was vocalist Sarge Blotto, bassist Cheese Blotto, guitarist Broadway Blotto, guitar-vocalist Bowtie Blotto, and drummer Lee Harvey Blotto. Female lead singer Blanche Blotto joined the band for a while, then quit, being replaced by Chevrolet Blotto.

Blotto - I Wanna Be A Lifeguard.mp3