Outta Place
Prehistoric Recordings

LA RECENSIONE

Within the complex American garage-punk scene, many groups emerged, some of which might have been overrated at the time. Certainly, great bands included the Fuzztones, the Chesterfield Kings, the Miracle Workers, the Morlocks, the Lyres (in my opinion, the best of all), the Plan 9, and the Tell-Tale-Hearts. It must be said that perhaps the Italian specialized critics excessively promoted what was still a niche phenomenon. Among the bands to remember were definitely the Outta Place, who came from New York like the Fuzztones. Alongside Rudi Protrudi's group, the Outta Place became a leading name in the New York scene. In 1983, they released a demo (strictly recorded in mono) that was simply explosive and is now reissued by the ever-attentive Area Pirata under the title Prehistoric Recordings. From the opening track “Psychedelic Siren,” we are overwhelmed by a powerful and raw sound that revives the spirit of the Sonics. The guitar of Jordan Tarlow (later with the Morlocks), Orin Portnoy’s pulsating bass, Sharil Mirojnik’s Farfisa, and Andrea Kusten's simple and dry drumming literally rock, while Mike Chandler’s voice is suitably arrogant and hoarse. Five of the tracks here, namely “Outta Sight, Outta Mind,” “Don’t Crowd Me,” the inevitable cover of “Louie Louie,” “Dirty Old Man,” and “We’re Outta Place,” were later included in the first legendary EP of the Outta Place, released in 1984 by Midnight Records, which has now become a true cult object as one of the very first garage-punk records. Prehistoric Recordings is completed with four tracks recorded live on March 10, 1984, at the Dive. The album is dedicated to the memory of the singer Mike Chandler, sadly deceased in 2018. Available on Bandcamp: https://areapiratarec.bandcamp.com/album/prehistoric-recordings.