What we got here is the "lost" El Smasho album, recorded mere months before we broke up in acrimony in 1994. Commissioned by the long-defunct Icon Records of Detroit, who released our third 7" single in 1993, but wisely passed on releasing a full-length CD by an essentially-unknown local band with no means to promote or exploit such a thing after we (mostly) went our separate ways. Over the years I've had many requests for copies of this, all fulfilled, so it may be that critical mass has been met, but if you've never dug it before, I encourage you to check it out. We were fucking tight, if nothing else.
Tom Deja - vox
Brian Shaw - guitar
Fred Beldin - bass
Tim Ford - drums
Produced by Scott Sendra (down mf) and recorded by Tim Pak (Angry Red Planet) at Woodshed Studios in Detroit, MI (except for the final three songs, which were meant as "bonus" tracks taken from our earlier 7" records). All songs by El Smasho except "The Dave Hill" (The Dave Hill) and "Solid State" (Scott Sendra).
I've said it before -- El Smasho was a great band that wrote some lousy songs, and aside from a few tracks that still sound strong in my old age ("Duncan," "Wristrocket," "Notorious," "Foster Brooks" and our cover of down mf's "Solid State") among others that wax and wane depending on my mood, that's still my take on it. We ruled our backyard of East Lansing, MI between 1991 and 1993, and for better or worse this band set me on the crooked path I've followed ever since ...
Dedicated to all members of the ELHC, past, present and future. FTW.
So glad to have stumbled on this! I was a high school student in Mt. Pleasant circa 1993. We had you guys come up and play a basement high school gig with my band Gimpknuckle. We really admired El Smasho and ELHC from MP. You guys killed it that night including a Rites of Spring cover.
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