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Song of the day – 158: 8 Eye Spy

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Anyone with more than a passing knowledge of the Music That I (Really) Like will catch the reference in the name right away.

It’s a tribute to one of Lydia Lunch’s seminal No Wave bands from back in the early 80s. (Actually, I think they were more Beefheart-influenced jazz skronk than straight No Wave, but we’ll let that pass.) (Note to self: ban use of the word ‘seminal’.) Lydia who? Oh come on…

I digress. Time  Kevin from the ever-wonderful Yr Heart Out blog tipped me off to this bunch of Chinese femme pop provocateurs, 8 Eye Spy. In his blog entry he said he was first drawn to a video of theirs on YouTube by chance, intrigued by the possibility of a Chinese tribute band to 8-Eyed Spy… as we all would be right? Even the most rudimentary of listens proves there’s more going on than that. Kevin actually sent me the link with the comment “the spirit of UT lives on”, in reference to my known total love for this forgotten trio of NYC iconoclasts from the 80s, who I must have watched antagonise audiences on at least 50 occasions. It has the same skewed angry fuck-you attitude, and wonderful abrasive guitar sound, and vaguely tortured vocal. UT who? Oh, come on…

I wrote about UT extensively here. For anyone interested in The Trail, they were the band I immediately thought of when I first heard Babes In Toyland. I’m digressing again. There’s a totally awesome comment underneath the next video of 8 Eye Spy in YouTube which absolutely sums up what it was like to be a fan of UT in the 80s (weird that it never really applied to being a fan of Babes In Toyland now I think on it: it couldn’t have simply been because the music press TOLD people they should like them? Nah…).

The comment? “Wow, you guys fuckin SUCK.”

Ha ha ha ha ha.

It seems like China (8 Eye Spy are from Nanjing) has a pulsating DIY music scene to rival even that of Brisbane. I was aware that there was some fierce femme punk rock happening over there, but… No Wave to rival James Chance? Whoa.

Someone over at the Discontent blog has posted a mix-tape (and explanation) of this music which I’m downloading in delirious anticipation. Here’s the link.

And I think I’ve just found 8 Eye Spy’s Chinese MySpace page – if it’s not them, it’s someone equally as rad, so go and have a listen.

5 Responses to Song of the day – 158: 8 Eye Spy

  1. Pingback: 2 Great No Wave Tracks « Reinspired

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