Das Schnitz , a reedição de um dos discos mais raros do Punk Inglês
The band whose records had no sleeves!!!
If you find that weird, then the name of the band will
not help things further -
Das Schnitz were
meant to be called Da Schnitz, because of The
Ramones, who were on occasion referred To as “Da Ramones”. Das Schnitz were formed in 1977 by four school pals - Nadi
Jahanggiri (Guitar), Kevin Perry (drums), Tim Dodge (vocals) and Stu Gordon
(bass). Impressed by the Buzzcocks
DIY ethics, they never looked for a record deal. Instead they went on to press 533 copies of their 3 track ep “4 AM”
themselves to sell in local record shops.
The band recorded the 3 songs in Swan Street Studios
in hour and a half!
The sleeves
were a combination of DIY budget restrictions and Dadaism reminiscences. After
a photoshoot with a friend, they found the budget wouldn’t stretch as far as
the printers!
Instead they purchased a job lot of picture from a
jukebox record supplier in the local market - lots of empty sleeves, screaming
for a spot of indelible marker graffiti !
Their marker pens didn’t hold back - if the record was
in a jukebox in Torquay, the chances to be due a Das Schnitz make over job were high - The Jam, Chic, Dr Hook...they
all got it...Chaka Khan label threaten to sue Das Schnitz for using one of her
sleeves (what were they up to in Torquay remains a mystery). The record was
sold in Torquay record shops, without much fuss...
The band
split up in 1979 and reformed for a
reunion gig in 2009...
10 years later, 1,283 miles away, the iconic Punk-rock ep “4 AM” is being released in a limited edition of 3 coloured vinyl -
red, white and balck vinyl - and needless to say, in its own unique sleeve by Different Class Records (Lisbon, PT).
