Expanded Max’s Comp Revisits ’76 and Beyond

Back in the late ’70s/early ’80s, connoisseurs of the cut-out sections of record stores couldn’t avoid Volume Two of the Max’s Kansas City compilations, which brought together a bunch of bands who defined obscure. Most of them also weren’t very good. Which made Volume One much more attractive with early recordings from Pere Ubu, Suicide, Wayne County and The Fast (who had the best songs on the album.)

Over 40 years later, Max’s Kansas City ’76 is getting an overhaul as Max’s Kansas City: 1976 & Beyond, available May 5th. Smart buyers can now choose between the media of double CD or LP to get the re-issue of the original LP (sans the Pere Ubu song which you should already own on an Ubu album anyway) backed with a heaping helping of rare or unreleased songs including Jayne County’s superior reprise of the Max’s Kansas City song, selections from Iggy Pop, the New York Dolls, The Heartbreakers, Nico and Sid Vicious.

I’m excited for what I believe is the first CD release of the studio version of Jimi Lalumia & the Psychotic Frogs’ song “Death To Disco,” a harsh take on Rick Dees’ “Disco Duck” that took me forever to find the 7″ of after my friend Mike got his for either a dime or a quarter at the North 85 Drive-In flea market. Would’ve been nice to have gotten his take on “Eleanor Rigby” as well but this re-issue looks awesome anyway.