Wipers
Is It Real?

LA RECENSIONE

This is a perfect record that could appeal to everyone. "Is It Real?" Yes, it is.

Released in 1979, it was ahead of its time by at least ten years, triggering many mechanisms that became established during the Grunge period. Halfway between punk and new wave, "Is It Real?" is packed with wonderful songs that change both in order and number, depending on whether it’s a CD, and which edition, or vinyl.

The Wipers take their name from one of the jobs of singer-guitarist Greg Sage, who worked as a dishwasher to make ends meet. He is the key figure of the project, which changed in lineup, namely bass and drums, on every album except 'Youth Of America', where the lineup of 'Is It Real?' is repeated. Their fame extended only in the northeast of America, becoming a local cult. Some fame came in '94 with '14 Sing For Greg Sage', a tribute album featuring covers by Nirvana, Hole, Hazel, and Thuston Moore (singer-guitarist of Sonic Youth). In short, if you play in a band and do indie or alternative: the Wipers, it is good for you to know, for better or worse, have influenced you. Their sounds, their approach, certain vocal attitudes, the distortions, have created their post.

'Is it Real?' launches at three thousand with Return of the Rat, a track covered by Nirvana, which rages with heavily distorted guitars. After one masterpiece, another immediately begins: Mistery, perhaps the most beautiful pop song ever with a perfect melody. My favorite track on this record. Is It Real?, the track, has truly been copied and recopied by thousands of bands, making it impossible to describe... but surely you know it. With D7, another track covered by Nirvana at Reading and in a Peel Session, they become far more interesting than any group of the era, venturing into much broader territories than the bands of that period.

You can't talk about these songs... there's too much perfection. It leaves you in awe.

So, in short, if you've lived on bread and Nirvana until today, you've done just fine. There's no more pleasant and knowledgeable person about music than you, but it's right to know where Nirvana's music and so-called Grunge comes from. Without Wipers, I don't know what would have happened, but thankfully they were there, and indie and alternative had their god who created them. Bye bye