Pass No Past - EPs & Singles

This two-disc set collects post-punk & industrial EPs and singles released by Tokyo's Pass Records in that magic interval between 1978 and 1980. Some of the artists included here went on to achieve some notoriety: Friction's lead singer, Reck (formerly of Stooges-esque punk band 3.3), moved to New York City just in time to join the final incarnation of Teenage Jesus & the Jerks. Members of Can backed Phew (who previously led the punk band Aunt Sally) on her first solo album, and she's had an interesting career that continues today. Totsuzen Danball made records with Fred Frith and Lol Coxhill, and I believe are still active. The rest, though, are gloriously obscure and equally worthy no-wave exponents. I enjoy the miserable disco grind of Tsunematsu Masatoshi ("grinning grinning grinning in your face!!"and the jittery DNA-ish blurt left behind by Gunjogacrayon. The lone 7" by Rough Trade-ish Boys Boys (reminds me of Bow Wow Wow or X-Ray Spex, sort of) is fun, too.

disc 1
disc 2