ASTIGAFA, OH MY LADY b/w WINGNUTS (Great Ape, 1974)Jack Kevorkian expired over the weekend and to commemorate an event of such significance we here at Brave Old Waves thought we would offer up a note from the back-pages of another prominent Royal Oak, Michigan native that is sure to have the crust punk coterie flying their butt-flap flags at half mast and (hopefully) the more sexually insecure Still Single subscribers reaching for their razorblades.
That’s right: it’s Marshall Crenshaw - pre-Beatlemania!, in the basement with some buds, shotgunning anything saccharine they can lay their hands on into the double barrel of their lone private issue single, circa 1974. Often and very disingenuously hyped as hard rock or even proto-punk, Astigafa enjoys much more in common with the smooth early 70s style of Hall & Oates mixed with the MOR/pop revival approach of, say, Emitt Rhodes or Todd Rundgren (all of which being VERY good things!). The band’s name is supposedly some obscure Beatles’ reference, but I don’t have the energy to figure it out now (they do have a website – complete with pictures and blow-by-blow – for anyone who must know the truth). While the A-side is the obvious cup-winner of this set – with Crenshaw’s distinctive sparkling wine vocal delivery already firmly in place – the B-side stands a close runner-up with its very clear debt to the Beach Boys by way of Steely Dan.
Even though my spirit rests eternally with the brothers Gruberger in the holy year ’73, Crenshaw and his crew kind of have me curious now to find out what happened next. Did it really all end up coming back? Greg? Allan? Gene? ANYBODY??!?!
Enjoy both sides of Astigafa below!
'Oh My Lady'
'Wingnuts'
1 comment:
The name "ASTIGAFA" was supposed to be an acronym for "A splendid time is guaranteed for all" (from 'Being FOr The Benefit Of Mr. Kite' from Sgt. Pepper's by you-know-who.) Where that extraneous 'A' came from, I have absolutely NO idea!
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