THE LAST L.A. Explosion Orig UK LP Powerpop Garage Punk

	£		25
	$		33

** RECORD COLLECTOR **

THE LAST

L.A. Explosion

Original UK LP released on Bomp! / London Records in 1979.

Influenced by '60s surf, psychedelia, and folk-rock, brothers Joe (guitar), Mike (vocals), and David Nolte (bass) of Los Angeles formed the Last in 1976, along with associates Jack Reynolds (drums) and Vitus Matare (keyboards). The Last might be considered a seminal indie band, having released early singles on their own label, Backlash. Their first album, L.A. Explosion, released in 1979 on the Bomp! label, has been lauded as a powerful and nearly perfect first effort.

The Last recorded a second album, Look Again, in 1980 on Backlash and distributed it privately. In 1982, they returned to Bomp! for the EP Fade to Black, and then completed Painting Smiles on a Dead Man for Lolita Records (see our other listings this week!) before disbanding in 1985. David Nolte left to join Wednesday Week and eventually ended up in Lucky.

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Perhaps the least known of the late-'70s L.A. pop acts, the Last rose from the ashes of the Los Angeles club scene alongside bands like 20/20, the Knack, the Nerves, the Plimsouls, et al. The music contained on this platter is as brilliant as anything that came from that era. Led by Joe Nolte and featuring his brothers Mike and David amongst its members, the Last's secret weapon was the keyboard/flute-playing Vitus Matare, who added extra texture and flair to Joe's engaging songs. Heavily influenced by '60s pop, this album has it all: pure pop ("This Kind of Feeling," "Someone's Laughing"), sunny beach pop ("Every Summer Day"), punk-pop ("I Don't Wanna Be In Love," "Slavedriver"), psych-pop ("She Don't Know Why I'm Here"), etc. Thinly produced, this album has a charm and innocence to it that not many other artists have been able to match.

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Their debut album -the band were to record some of the best L.A punk nuggets ever to be committed to tape. And listening now, many people will be surprised to discover how dang catchy they are. Short and succinct, the fifteen songs on L.A. Explosion run the gamut from cheery pop ("This Kind of Feeling," "Every Summer Day") to neat-o psych ("She Don't Know Why I'm Here," "Bombing of London,") to Buzzcock -y punk-pop ("I Don't Want To Be In Love," "Looking At You"). It's a perfect mix, and it characterizes a perfect debut album by a band of hooligans who were formed before the Sex Pistols even released their first single. Influenced as much by the sixties "punk" sound as the Ramone climate that the band had been born unto, they were certainly a creative lot. Stray genres also find solace in L.A. Explosion - "Slavedriver," for example, has a powerful surf guitar part, and the album's third last song just happens to be a cover of "Be-Bop-A-Lula.

Tracks Are :-

Side One

She Don't Know Why I'm Here

This Kind Of Feeling

Bombing Of London

Century City Rag

Walk Like Me

Slavedriver

Every Summer Day

Side Two

The Rack

Objections

A Fool Like You

Someone's Laughing

I Don't Wanna Be In Love

Be-Bop-A-Lula

Looking At You

The Rack (Reprise)

Released on 'Bomp! / London Records' in 1979

Catalogue No. SH-Z 8540

Disc is in EX++ condition

Sleeve is in EX++ condition

Please contact me via Ebay Messages with any questions I will try my best to get back to you as quickly as possible.

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However, I am no longer willing to carry combined transactions beyond two weeks and in these cases would appreciate payment promptly after the close of the second week’s auctions.

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