filed under Local Yokels | Music
Rash of Stabbings In Local Coffee Joint
4:58PM ON
01/27/2008
BY
Matthew Lawrence
![RESCUING_cover[1]](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2126/2224369364_54d33c5b5b_m.jpg)
During this morning’s sleepy stumble into Blue State Coffee, I noticed a CD display on the counter amidst the Bush countdown clocks and Democratic dog treats and whatever else it is they have there. (I’m generally too caffeine-deprived/apathetic to focus.) The cover of the album they were selling didn’t reveal much about its contents–Blue State’s white logo on a blue background, with some mention of the album being a benefit for the Fund For Community Progress. Picking it up, I expected to find a Starbucks-like album of local folk singers or whatever.
But lo and behold, it wasn’t that at all! In fact, the first track on the CD is by Rash of Stabbings, the twenty-something year old Providence-based punk band with one of the most headline-friendly band names ever! I don’t know much about them–apparently they were big around when The Living Room got going–but they’d show up periodically on mixtapes I made back in the pre-internet era when taping songs off the radio was a sensible thing to do. I think they were a favorite of Ed Slota, whose Citibeat show on WRIU taught me just about everything I know about eighties punk music.
The Blue State CD also features Neutral Nation–another local favorite–as well as, um, a bunch of other bands that I don’t remember right now. And it’s put out by Blue State Records. And while Blue State might be kind of young to start expanding in new directions, the benefit album makes a lot of sense. With Starbucks-only releases now hitting the top 100 on the Billboard album charts, why not see if a local cafe can sell some copies, too? And it’s not like there’s any music stores around, anyway.
My only reservation–aside from the fact that I didn’t have the cash on me to actually buy the darn thing– is that I can’t find a single mention of it online. Not on Blue State’s website, or the Fund For Community Progress website, or Neutral Nation’s Myspace, or any local blogs. Not even if I put things in quotes, as one smartalecky commenter (aka my roommate) mentioned the last time I said I couldn’t find anything about a local band.
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5 Comments on “ Rash of Stabbings In Local Coffee Joint ”
January 27th, 2008 at 5:19PM
ethan Says:
Try putting it in quotes.
[Reply]
January 28th, 2008 at 12:31PM
Matthew Lawrence Says:
Okay, I was paying more attention today. It’s $10.99! It’s called State of Blue! It’s also got Six Star General! And The Masons! And Benny Sizzler, featuring Middletown activist and one-time Rolling Stone covermaker Gail Greenwood! And the Brimstone Assembly! And others!
[Reply]
January 28th, 2008 at 7:59PM
mark Says:
official track listing-
1. Rash of Stabbings - Save Face
2. Hope Anchor - Means To An End
3. Six Star General - Chesthair Plus One
4. Neutral Nation - Rocky Point
5. Verbal Assault - On (Live in Italy)
6. Coat of Arms - Fall (live)
7. Backwash - Dreamers Often Lie
8. The Masons - Spaceman
9. Benny Sizzler - Kickstart My Face
10. Von Doom - Gravitational Pull
11. The Brimstone Assembly - Redemption
[Reply]
February 12th, 2008 at 8:52PM
Terry Linehan Says:
Matthew, thanks for your interest and talking about the comp. My name is Terry Linehan and I put together the comp. I began paternity leave the day after the record came out so I’m playing catch up now.
The ownership of Blue State Coffee(I’m the assist mgr) approached me about putting together a record to benefit a charity and I decided to try and do a partial Providence history. I say partial as I’m aware that the bands on the comp are just a small slice of what Providence has to offer. I was thinking about how everyone in San Francisco knows The Dead Kennedy’s, Faith No More, Grateful Dead, etc are from there but there has been a real disconnect between kids listening now and a band like Rash of Stabbings. Rash was signed to Rough Trade! This should be Prov 101 for kids learning about local music. I thought that if we could do this record and benefit the FFCP which has 26 member orgs such as the George Wiley Center, it would be a good day for Providence. Thanks for bringing to my attention that the cd was not available for sale on our website, which has since been remedied.
thanks again,
Terry Linehan
[Reply]
March 3rd, 2008 at 7:11PM
Ed Slota Says:
Taping off the radio? Jeez, and I always operated on the theory that there wasn’t anybody listening….
[Reply]