jesus 7"
[1980, anxiety]

punk rock certainly doesn't lack in "controversial" bands or figures, and the singer of arizona's feederz, frank discussion, is one such figure; live hijinks include, but are surely not limited to, firing blanks from an ak-47 into the unsuspecting crowd and such performance art as gluing dead animals to himself and also flinging carcasses into the unsuspecting crowd. i think that quantifies as performance art. also, i'd think that they wouldn't be so unsuspecting after awhile. frank also took his punk rock ethos outside of music, passing off anti-education propaganda as being from the department of education, an act which would lead to his departure to san francisco. it's rumored that he currently spends his time in mexico with the zapatista army of national liberation... which should be a requirement for privileged white douchebags wearing che guevara t-shirts.. but i digress.

there's also plenty of controversy when it comes to feederz music.. and album art. the cover of 1986's teachers in space featured a picture of the challenger's explosion (i believe, wherever she is, christa mcauliffe is unamused). back to the matter at hand, this seven inch, which also features the talents of guitarist clear bob (dan clark) and drummer art nouveau (john vivier), is built around, easily, one of the most blasphemous songs of the punk era, or that i've ever heard, for that matter.

while, for a great deal of us, the veneer of shock value has probably worn off over the past, fuck, thirty years, i'm sure that if this 7" was released today the westboro baptist church would send a death squad after frank discussion, seeing as how they think lady gaga is the anti-christ. the lyrics to jesus include such highlights as we nailed you to a cross, but you're still a fucking pain, dead 2000 years, still can't get it through your brain. you're just a worthless corpse, you're just a pile of shit, give me a couple of nails, and i'll ventilate your pit. it goes on to paint our lord and savior as a pretty big fag (the gays are ok with us, though) with the chorus of jesus entering from the rear, fucking you in the ass. just another faggot, in just another mass. unfortunate anti-gay sentiment aside, the song is so good because the music is. hell, the sung chorus is damn catchy, too, with the airy background ahhhhhhhhahhhahhhhhs supporting frank. the instrumental dynamic is also noteworthy. the vitriolic verses are yelped out over (fairly groovy) solitary bass riffs, but then when the hook comes in they switch over to clark's guitar for a great change in tempo. the song closes with arguably its best lyrics: jesus on a plate, jesus a la carte, jesus under glass, just another fucking tart. amen. ugh, now i'm definitely going to hell.

stop you're killing me features a somewhat playful cha-cha-esque start/stop rhythm and has frank detailing the manners in which you're killing him with strained vocals. i like the understated addition of separate vocals which are spoken in a plain manner underneath frank's, as well as the simple repeated refrain of the song's title amidst ascending waves of frenzied guitar chords.
the record's titular track might get top billing and garner all the attention, but the second side opener, avon lady, is, in my opinion, the real reason everyone should have this. matter of fact, the idea that jesus and avon lady are on the same 7" together makes me fucking giddy. it begins with plucked guitar strings that sound like a doorbell, which immediately puts a smile on my face, then dives into a very familiar uptempo bass groove which has frank discussion extolling the virtues of said solicitor, "comin' to my door, a ringin' on my bell, i want your beauty products, i want your beauty gel!" the apex of the song would have to be the gang sung, and elongated, avon lady in the background, assisted by the normal, memorable chorus and wonderful crashing percussion.

the minimal lyrics of the closing song terrorist are in reference to brenda ann spencer, who, in an act of apparent boredom / fame-seeking, took to shooting up a san diego area elementary school in 1979, killing two. someone's in the tower, someone's in the dirt, someone's got a gun, someone's getting hurt is spoken out (more or less) over a slow, lurching rhythm, which puts to great use both guitar and bass. the piercing guitar chords, which shoot out over the steady bassline every few seconds, are a nice creative touch. feederz will opt for a terrific instrumental breakdown rather than a chorus and the change of pace that it provides, as well the catchiness of it, make it a wise decision.

assuming that you're not easily offended by such taboo subject matter as jesus being a sodomite and beauty products, this 7" is a must have. the opening songs on both sides are the obvious standouts, but the other two do more than merely tread water.

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(the seattle-era (post-2000) feederz line-up performing) stop you're killing me @ modified arts 2003