You’re not too used with the more well known bands here. It’s called KBD for a reason. Still there are bands that where on quiet big labels that’s still criminally overlooked. Punishment Of Luxury is one of them. They didn’t look punk and didn’t sound punk by numbers. Lump them in among inventive bands like Devo, early Adam And The Antz etc. They where a little too good at their instruments to play the usual three chord chuga chuga. Not only that. They knew how to write tunes which was well arranged but without getting lost in instrumental masturbation that’s often the case with too many well skilled musicians(funny I said that considering I’ve been listening to Rush three days in a row now). A bit theatrical and too proggy for the real punx and of course that’s why I love them. Fuck the punx!
Country: UK
Year: 1978
Label: Small Wonder
Format: 7″
Songs:
Puppet Life.mp3
The Demon.mp3
brainbomb’ are simply great. Great to find out that Niels already did great writing about Punisment of Luxury, which saves me time, wink wink. More reading can be done here and here. More Punilux onKBD, who just posted Punilux today as well! secrets brainbomb Posted on November 12th, 2008 by h-bomb in 1979, UK | No Comments » | 0 views
Bought this one when it came just because it was a Small Wonder-record. “Puppet Life” were a little fave back then, didn’t like the b-side then and still doesn’t now. Bought another single and the Laughing Academy-album after that but lost interest quite fast. I also were a Rush-fan in the ’70s. (And in the 80’s as well but then only combined with illegal rökverks) But butt, this is a nice little 7″ after all.
this one is a classic weird punk.
But Rush? what are you doing with Rush?
I’m glad you posted some decent rips of this “Goofy Rock” single. I think “the Demon” was written about Erich :).
Thanks. I like it because I like Ultravox. What is wrong with Rush?? “Bastille Day” kicks ass!!!!!!
@ Anonymous Jerk: I’m so happy you didn’t say that “Puppet Life” was about me :-)
Unbelievably great band. This and the first LP always make me feel ashamed I only discovered them so late. On the other hand, like WIRE or JAM and other borderline bands, this is “adults music” and definitely nothing a (pre-) pubertarian kid in some small village would have understoof back then.
RUSH? Yes sir!!!
Guess I was a pre adult back then ;).
What I’m doing with Rush? Dig ‘em Sir! Closer to the heart, A farewell to kings, Free will etc etc etc.
Haha, Peter. That’s what Pierre Bourdieu meant that, when writing our own autobiographies, we’re becoming “ideologists of the self”.
Which means we all exaggerate and lie about what we liked and not when we where young to make ourselves look better in the eye of the public depending on what’s hip and not. And remember that that conclusion is applicable on each and every person you meet. Especially when you have your own experience as the law of how you measure each and everyone ha ha. I think I have to take a dump and think about Pierre a little bit. Was he cute?
It’s maybe not so much of a voluntary thing sometimes. But you know, 11 years old listening to Punishment of Luxury and understanding it that sounds a bit weird. We all could go back and say we were musically raised in the 60s because our pregnant moms once stood nearby a radio with Greatfuld Dead blasting out. ;-)
I don’t know where you get your assumptions from Erich but I think you have to read it all over again :). I think you’re interpreting something I’ve never said based on your own experience and that noon else could’ve thought about it in any other way then you did. I never reflected on Devo as being “weird”. They sounded different and was great. That’s how I thought about them 11 years old. So no I didn’t “understood” that they sounded different.
I can’t understand how you thought about this as adult music 10 years old. If I’ve had heard this in 1978 I would’ve instantly loved it. Now it took another 2 years.
Cool stuff. Despite the comments here that this band was well known, it sure wasn’t known out here in Portland, Oregon. On first listen, kinda reminds me a bit of the Deadbeats.
There was a band called Three Day Stubble long ago that were described as “Monster Nerd Rock”. I would put Punishment of Luxery and Devo in this category. I’ve been a Devo fan about 30 years now btw.
PS: Xtc=Monster Nerd Rock
The a-side is great. It sounds familiar so I assume it’s on the “Laughing Academy” LP that i have? That’s a monster LP with some killer angular art-punk blasts.
“Brainbomb”…..it still gives me goose pimples when I listen to it. I’m sure I picked up my copy after reading Pushead rave about it in either MRR or Thrasher mag back in the mid 80s. How must it have sounded in 79!
Yepp Charlie, Puppet Life is the first track on the Laughing LP.
I don’t exactly favor this record, BUT I love The Shades’ post. I listen to Beaverworld almost everyday.
The non-punk song I listen to everyday is Echoes, by Pink Floyd, specifically the Live at Pompeii version.