― gygax! (gygax!), Thursday, 31 July 2003 19:29 (twenty years ago) link
― alex in mainhattan (alex63), Thursday, 31 July 2003 20:04 (twenty years ago) link
So which of their later albums are worth getting? I've heard one of Greg Sage's solo albums from around mid-80s and that was OK but I don't think I have ever heard any later Wipers.
― Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Thursday, 30 December 2004 16:03 (nineteen years ago) link
― Trip Maker (Sean Witzman), Thursday, 30 December 2004 16:32 (nineteen years ago) link
― George Smith, Friday, 31 December 2004 18:01 (nineteen years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 31 December 2004 18:40 (nineteen years ago) link
― Brian O'Neill (NYCNative), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 02:51 (eighteen years ago) link
― George 'the Animal' Steele, Wednesday, 8 March 2006 03:20 (eighteen years ago) link
― the thing is it's alive, Wednesday, 8 March 2006 16:51 (eighteen years ago) link
― eedd, Wednesday, 8 March 2006 17:19 (eighteen years ago) link
― latebloomer: keeping his reputation for an intense on-set presence (latebloomer), Wednesday, 8 March 2006 17:56 (eighteen years ago) link
― der i, Wednesday, 8 March 2006 18:03 (eighteen years ago) link
― polyphonic (polyphonic), Thursday, 9 March 2006 09:09 (eighteen years ago) link
― latebloomer (latebloomer), Thursday, 9 March 2006 09:12 (eighteen years ago) link
This sunday a WIPERS COVER BAND SUPER GROUP IS PLAYING IN MPLS!!! : ) :)
Three Old Guys Play The First Five Songs Off The Wipers' Over The Edge Record And The Song Youth Of America---which features Zak Sally (Low), Freddy Votel (Cows, TVBC, Skoal Kodiak) and Dale Flattum (Steel Pole Bathtub).
― cheddar burress (M@tt He1ges0n), Friday, 21 August 2009 19:18 (fourteen years ago) link
^^best band name ever!
― cheddar burress (M@tt He1ges0n), Friday, 21 August 2009 19:19 (fourteen years ago) link
I would go to that in a heartbeat.I've been seeing these new Wipers vinyl reissues, which is cool, but they cost 25 dollars, which is not. I've got the three cd box and Land of the Lost on lp.
― Trip Maker, Friday, 21 August 2009 19:21 (fourteen years ago) link
This cover the Wipers stuff is a trend:
http://www.thefader.com/2009/08/20/at-the-bar-with-southern-comfort-vivian-girls-telepathic-love/
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 21 August 2009 19:39 (fourteen years ago) link
lol yeah but the old dudes are so old they can actually like play their instruments and shit
― cheddar burress (M@tt He1ges0n), Friday, 21 August 2009 19:43 (fourteen years ago) link
I don't actually think there's a bad wipers record. sure after the first three it's basically the exact same formula on every song, but like the ramones it's a formula where if it's played well it NEVER gets old.
― Jamie_ATP, Friday, 21 August 2009 22:11 (fourteen years ago) link
I have been listening to Is This Real in my car for the last three weeks. It is excellent all the way through but i find it hard to articulate why apart from "These songs are so good". Maybe they are like a Chekov short story- no wasted notes.
― Hinklepicker, Friday, 21 August 2009 22:50 (fourteen years ago) link
No wasted notes, yes, but also epic (not just the long songs), which is a tricky combination to pull off. Interesting, though, to listen to the "bonus" material on the triple-cd box--none of which are nearly as compelling as the tracks that made it to vinyl. So someone, I assume Sage, had a good ear for his best material, and for sequencing. Which isn't true of many (most?) artists.
― Michael Train, Saturday, 22 August 2009 03:22 (fourteen years ago) link
Oh yes. I wasn't talking about Youth of America but I suppose the comparison still stands.
― Hinklepicker, Saturday, 22 August 2009 03:48 (fourteen years ago) link
Best of Wipers & Greg Sage on spotify now is just evening chocolate ear candy now. Love how one song makes ya appreciate space between notes and next is just balls out. Worth a revisit for tempos and timing alone.
― BlackIronPrison, Tuesday, 8 July 2014 22:32 (nine years ago) link
Why is Dud even an option
― i also enjoy in line skateing (spazzmatazz), Wednesday, 9 July 2014 01:12 (nine years ago) link
You know what's awesome? Greg Sage's "Straight Ahead" solo album. Wonderfully moody and almost ambient. Why is this out of print and seemingly unknown?
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Tuesday, 13 January 2015 17:16 (nine years ago) link
lol I described it as "OK" 10 years ago upthread but yeah it is awesome, although I can only picture the title track in my head at the moment.
― Just noise and screaming and no musical value at all. (Colonel Poo), Tuesday, 13 January 2015 17:31 (nine years ago) link
Wipers POX, chronological
Better Off Dead (off the 1978 single - this song is incredible, and i wish i had found it earlier! everything that they did well was there, right at the beginning.)qAlien BoyMystery Window Shop for LoveNo FairYouth of AmericaTelepathic Boy (from the 1982 Alien Boy single)Over the EdgeDoom TownSo Young
it is hard for me to overstate how much i'm currently enjoying the last 3 in that list, all from Over the Edge. Youth in America, both the song and the album, seems to be the consensus pick for wipers, and i can't disagree as a starting point. it's the most consistent as well. but 'Over the Edge' starts off with an obliterating trio of songs. it's really cheesy to think or way but they rock so hard it's unbelievable. THESE GUYS ROCK HARD, GUYS. but they totally do. you can hear sage's vocal cords ripping apart in the title track. if you're ever going to overcrank your stereo to the point of damaging the speakers, this is the song to do it on. there's a connection between the intro of 'Doom Town' and that one part in sonic youth's 'Hey Joni' when lee ranaldo says "Kick it!" - they come from the same place. (there's also a straight line between the same part of 'Doom Town' and the hook of Men's 'Bataille' - the Men straight up ripped them off there). 'So Young' should have been a massive hit. it's anthemic as fuck and it's amazing how full and powerful it sounds despite it coming from a power trio.
― Karl Malone, Thursday, 14 December 2017 00:08 (six years ago) link
I like the later stuff much better for some reason The Circle ownsThe Herd ownsStraight Ahead ownsStar Sail owns
― brimstead, Thursday, 14 December 2017 01:01 (six years ago) link
Youth Of America is undeniable however
― brimstead, Thursday, 14 December 2017 01:03 (six years ago) link
Into this band for sure. Finding them after the Hot Snakes was cool cause I got to have a eureka moment w/r/t the origins of their 'downstroke warlordism.'
But there's always been two major obstacles holding me back from further developing my fandom: (1) the vibe is so unrelentingly bleak and humorless that even when I'm achieving peak personal enjoyment, I struggle to ignore my happy fundamental self calling me a poser for pretending to be more depressed than I really am. Willfully cultivating angsty teenage loser moods is pretty nagl for a grown man imo. I just like guitars! (2) name always always always makes me think of wiping butts
― del griffith, Thursday, 14 December 2017 01:10 (six years ago) link
timely revive, I listened to the entire 3CD in the truck last week
"Better Off Dead" is goddamn incredible and it bums me out so much that Greg didn't put that single on the box set
Is This Real still my fave for the concise approach, I feel like Youth Of America is maybe 4 minutes too long, and the note about the extra tracks being not as good is otm. Great stuff, though, I listened to all of it with pleasure.
― sleeve, Thursday, 14 December 2017 01:16 (six years ago) link
"When It's Over" is the most hypnotic song ever released.
― Ich bin kein Berliner (alex in mainhattan), Tuesday, 19 December 2017 12:30 (six years ago) link
"Doom Town" always reminds me of "Dirty Boots" for some reason.
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Thursday, 21 December 2017 04:39 (six years ago) link
Things I didn't know: Sam Henry was in a pre-Dead Moon band https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Henry_(musician)#The_Wipers and gives drum lessons http://www.samhenrydrums.com/
― StanM, Thursday, 21 December 2017 08:49 (six years ago) link
I haven't listened to the Wipers in ages but for some reason or other Over The Edge is my number one jam today
― Colonel Poo, Saturday, 21 March 2020 17:16 (four years ago) link
Song, album or both?The title track is an all-timer for me, but the while things is great
― Karl Malone, Saturday, 21 March 2020 17:24 (four years ago) link
The instrumental breakdowns after the “over the eeeeeeeeeeedge!” parts are just everything to me
― Karl Malone, Saturday, 21 March 2020 17:25 (four years ago) link
started with the song, is now the album
― Colonel Poo, Saturday, 21 March 2020 17:26 (four years ago) link
If I ever get into a fistfight I’m going to ask the other person to wait a minute while I put the title track on speakers
― Karl Malone, Saturday, 21 March 2020 17:27 (four years ago) link
excellent guitar work throughout, sort of a thin mean sound that occasionally catches you off guard with little expressive bits
― budo jeru, Saturday, 21 March 2020 18:50 (four years ago) link
Haven’t listened to this in ages but I should
― curmudgeon, Monday, 23 March 2020 16:22 (four years ago) link
for me Wipers sound is the perfect intersection of neil young/melvins/husker du. so basically the perfect band.
― Hmmmmm (jamiesummerz), Tuesday, 24 March 2020 15:21 (four years ago) link
basically, sad ass urban 80s lonerism
...so perfect for these times.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Tuesday, 24 March 2020 15:29 (four years ago) link
the wipers are so needed in these times of no toilet paper
― the burrito that defined a generation, Tuesday, 24 March 2020 16:20 (four years ago) link
definitely a lot of sad asses around
― Hmmmmm (jamiesummerz), Tuesday, 24 March 2020 16:29 (four years ago) link
I would characterize the wipers (at least their first few) as “sad” so much as doom and gloom. Which yes, is very 2020 right now
― Karl Malone, Tuesday, 24 March 2020 16:49 (four years ago) link
would _not_ characterize, I meant
― Karl Malone, Tuesday, 24 March 2020 16:50 (four years ago) link
Doom and desperation
DOOM TOWN
― J. Sam, Tuesday, 24 March 2020 18:15 (four years ago) link
I was revisiting the first Sonic Youth EP the other day, and when the sung melody of "She Is Not Alone" came on, I was like, "Wait...where is that melody from?!" I eventually realized it's the opening notes of "Youth of America". Knowing that SY was a fan of the Wipers, first I thought they might have (subconsciously?) borrowed that melody; but the "Youth of America" album apparently came out in Nov 1981 (per Wikipedia), and SY had been playing "She Is Not Alone" live in 1981 (before November) before going into the studio (Dec '81, Jan '82) for the EP. So maybe it's just a coincidence?
― ernestp, Sunday, 28 November 2021 17:54 (two years ago) link
Interesting observation. Though I must admit that i do not hear any resemblance of the two song tunes at all. Sonic Youth is much more drum and percussion oriented (those cowbells!) than guitar oriented as on later releases. Or let's say the guitar is played in a rather rhythmic way. They seem still to be searching for their own sound.
― walking towards the sun since 2007 (alex in mainhattan), Tuesday, 18 January 2022 17:41 (two years ago) link
Best band ever
― even the birds in the trees seemed to whisper "get fucked" (bovarism), Saturday, 4 June 2022 03:43 (one year ago) link
^. sucks all the vinyl reissues in last few years have been so expensive though.
― Hmmmmm (jamiesummerz), Saturday, 4 June 2022 10:31 (one year ago) link
so classic, for much more than the first three records that get all the attention
― brimstead, Saturday, 4 June 2022 16:15 (one year ago) link