The Meatmen - We're The Meatmen...And You Suck! (1983)

If you thought that this blog had any self-respect, then you'll probably change your mind with this post. Rather than posting some Michael Jackson or The Seeds after the death of Sky Saxon, I'm choosing to post We're The Meatmen...And You Suck!

The Meatmen are a punk/hardcore band hailing from Lansing and Detroit, MI and have a reputation for having a really crude and offensive sense of humour. For example, the title of their second LP and a song on this album, is Crippled Children Suck. There is also Pope On A Rope. This is their first full LP, and it was released in 1983. The Meatmen also spend a fair amount of time making fun of homosexuals, as one might notice on the first track. I can't decide how serious all of this is, as they make fun of themselves quite a bit, too, like when Tesco Vee (the headman of the everchanging band) recites the lyrics to "I Sin For A Living" as if they are poetry, or on "Crippled Children Suck" where he is just screaming incoherently. Ironically, Tesco Vee was a fourth grade teacher. The lead guitarist in Rock and Roll Juggernaut was also my 11th grade history teacher. And the guitarists in War of the Superbikes are some ex-Minor Threat characters.

I don't really recommend any of the tracks. As a whole, it's a fun listen every now and again, but most of the charm of The Meatmen lies in their offensive jokes, horrible lyrics, and self-deprecation. The first side of the record is the Blood Sausage EP, while the second side is filled with "the jammin' live tunes recorded at The Mudd Club and other various holes". My favourite parts of these live tunes are the reluctant applause and the occasional lone scream from a man in the crowd. This is a really long write-up.

Lineup: Vocals - Tesco Vee; Guitar - Greg Ramsey, Rich Ramsey; Bass - Rich Ramsey, Mike Achtenburg; Drums - Mr. X, Berl Johnson;

Track Listing:

Side One

1. The Rap

2. Tooling For Anus

3. 1 Down 3 to Go

4. Snuff 'Em

5. Becoming A Man/Freud Was Wrong

6. Ive Got A Problem

7. I'm Glad I'm Not A Girl

8. Dumping Ground

Side Two

9. Meatmen Stomp

10. Mr. Tapeworm

11. Orgy of One

12. I Sin for A Living

13. Crippled Children Suck

14. Buttocks

15. Middle Aged Youth

16. Meat Crimes

The Meatmen - We're The Meatmen...And You Suck! (1983) - 320kbps