It's Time To Edjamacate Your Ass To Some Culture... Here's Pere Ubu.

This weeks lesson in culture involves one of the finest rock and roll bands you've never heard of:

Pere Ubu

Pere Ubu is from Cleveland, and is largely the product of the gifted and somewhat eccentric David Thomas. Had they headed off the New York City with the Dead Boys in 1976, Pere Ubu would have defined (and dominated) that city's punk/new wave/art band scene for a decade. Here's their wikipedia entry and their website, both of which will give you some idea of what they're all about.

About the only good thing that came of growing up in Cleveland was being exposed to Pere Ubu's first singles via WMMS. Here's Final Solution, which, for me, remains the best thing they've ever done. It can be found on the album Terminal Tower.
 

Heart of Darkness also comes from Terminal Tower, and is brilliant:
 

Here's Non-alignment Pact from their first album, The Modern Dance:

Here's Folly of Youth from Ray Gun Suitcase:

In the '80s Pere Ubu released three wonderful, and for them accessable/commercial, albums: Cloudland, The Story of My Life and Worlds in Collision. Here's Waiting for Mary from Cloudland:

Finally, here's Come Home from Story of My Life:

OK, here's the seven Pere Ubu albums you must own to be considered by Dennis as pure-dee fuckin' cultured out the blow hole:

• Terminal Tower - a compilation of early singles. Contains Heart of Darkness, 30 Seconds Over Tokyo and Final Solution, making it a must-have. Period.
• The Modern Dance - Pere Ubu's first album. Beyond brilliant.
• Dub House - Pere Ubu's second album. More brilliance.
• Cloudland - Pere Ubu does pop. This is where most people will want to start. Essential.
• Worlds In Collision - More pop, with a harder edge. Much fun.
• The Story of My Life - More pop, more twisted. Twisted fun.
• Ray Gun Suitcase - Mid-90's Pere Ubu. More old Ubu than new Ubu, and wonderful in all regards.

Having said that, I assume some of you turkeys are going to whimp out on Dennis and just buy a few Pere Ubu albums. Well, I've thought of that. Here's the DtP Culture Meter for Pere Ubu ownership:

• One Pere Ubu album owned - You bought it, didn't like it, but keep it around to impress the avant-gard, artsy-fartsy crowd when they come over to smoke Arkansas Polio Weed. Basically you're as cultured as Andrew Sullivan.
• Two Pere Ubu albums owned - You bought one, weren't sure, bought another and decided you preferred to listen to Hotel California. You keep them around because Half Price Books will only give you 50 cents for both albums. You'd rather let them rot than get gyped like that. Basically you're as cultured as Roger L. Simon.
• Three Pere Ubu albums owned - Now you're getting somewhere. You are somewhat cultured.
• Four Pere Ubu albums owned - Impressive. You are moderately cultured.
• Five Pere Ubu albums owned - Even more impressive. You are very cultured.
• Six Pere Ubu albums owned - You are the Barney Fife of culture.
• Seven Pere Ubu albums owned - You are DtP certified pure-dee fuckin' cultured out the blow-hole. You are the Gilligan of culture.

Class is over.

Comments

[DocSavage]

What? No mention of 390 DEEGREES OF SIMULATED STEREO? This is a collection of all their live shows from the 70's, when Crocus and the boys were at their peak.

[Dennis The Peasant]

You know, at some point you have to draw the line. It isn't fair to make 'em buy the whole Pere Ubu catalog, although it would do 'em good in the end.

Probably stimulate the economy, too.

[richard mcenroe]

Well, it's no Conway Twitty...

[Uncle Fester]

PINK FLOYD!

[bonze blayk]

I'm sorry, Mr. Peasant, but the best band to ever come out of Cleveland was clearly Blue Ash.

Oh... beg pardon... they were actually from Youngstown.

My bad!

I own no albums by Pere Ubu, none, zilch, nada, zero.

I do, however, own copies of The Godz and Black Pearl, proving that I score pretty high on the Bangs-O-Meter.

[David]

I'm hesitant to say how low I scored. I'll vote "present" on this one.

[DocSavage]

The Godz? They were from Columbus, OH. Even had two albums on the Casablance label in the late 70's.

[Eric Blair]

DEVO.

That is all.

[Tim P]

Damn Dennis! I grew up in NE Ohio (Massillon), listened to WMMS from shortly after they first came on. But by the early mid-70's, I was in the middle of 'leaving Ohio' and missed these guys.
I liked what I heard, so I'll try 'em out.

[Simon]

I've got 'Dub Housing' and 'The Modern Dance'. I never really got on to Pere Ubu. I bought in after hearing Living Colour's cover of 'Final Solution'. The thing with pioneers is that you have to grow up with them. If you get on the bandwagon late like me then it's hard to appreciate how inventive they really were.

[richard mcenroe]

The Tubes!