CHICKENHEAD / LOS CANADIANS - Split CD - 2002(?)

   I never heard of CHICKENHEAD until a year after they had already broken up, so I never got to see their singer Chuck Loose set himself on fire. I never got to see their guitarist, Iggy running around in boxer shorts and spitting beer in people's faces. I only had their 7" from 1993 to listen to and wonder what kind of fucked up people write these fuckin' punk songs about stealing cars, drinking Robotussin and not having a future. My bandmate, Joey Tampon would always bring his CHICKENHEAD demo tape on tour an only play it in the middle of the night on long drives. The warbly fucked sound of that tape was so alien to me at the time, but so full of life, nihilism and decay. I got their 7" and spent many wasted nights blasting it in the park in downtown Huntsville: "Do you like my car?! It was free because I STOLE IT!!"

CHICKENHEAD playing on the moon. Photo by Josie, I think.

   CHICKENHEAD started in 1991 in Miami with Chuck Loose on vocals, Iggy Scam on guitar and Buddha on drums. They put out the aforementioned, ramshackle demo tape before adding Scott on drums and moving Buddha to bass. Their shows could be chaotic and fucked. Chairs got thrown, bottles got broken and beer got spilled. They went on a couple of tours around the US that seemed to be funded solely off of crime and scams. After routinely getting banned from clubs for silly offenses like spitting beer on people, destroying mics and setting themselves on fire, the band called it quits in 1993 after a show in Berkeley, CA.

   LOS CANADIANS, also from Miami, evolved out of CHICKENHEAD and a short-lived band called THE TRI-RAILS. Buddha and Scott (from CHICKENHEAD) played guitar and drums respectively. They were joined by a wizardly bass player named Timmy and Ivy on vocals. LOS CANADIANS and most of CHICKENHEAD either lived at or hung out in an abandoned 13-story hotel in Biscayne Bay called "The Mutiny", which is where a few of LOS CANADIANS' early songs were written. They played their first show in an abandoned, hurricane-damaged warehouse outside of Miami in 1992. LOS CANADIANS wrote fast, quick tuneful songs about alienation, pain and drugs. I didn't "get" them at first, but they soon became indispensable in my life.

LOS CANADIANS on the moon. Photo by Josie.

   I met Iggy and Ivy at the same time in the parking lot of a life-changing all day punk show in Chattanooga in 1995 (across the street from Wally's at McCallie and Holly). The next week, I played a generator show in the Everglades that Iggy set up with LOS CANADIANS, THE STUN GUNS, AGAINST ALL AUTHORITY and many more. Over the years, I got closer to these people and this music that provided so much inspiration to me. Iggy (now Erick), Ivy and Buddha have maintained a close musical partnership over the years that lasts to this day, writing countless, timeless classic punk songs.

  This CD was put out by This Here Records out of Chattanooga and compiles almost all of the recorded output for both bands. One of my favorite things on here is the acoustic, early version of LOS CANADIANS'  "Never Can" recorded in the Mutiny. It's my favorite song by them and I would be happy hearing as many alternate versions of it as possible, Chuck Loose still lives in Miami, went on to play in THE CRUMBS and now plays drums in the DUST TRAPS. Timmy is currently hiding out in the middle of the country and plays bass in HELLO SHITTY PEOPLE. Buddha has been in so many bands that I can't even keep track of them all. He currently lives in Chattanooga and plays guitar in the FASTBOYS (they have a new record that you can get from Young Monster) and HIDDEN SPOTS. Scott went on to play in THE HIDDEN RESENTMENTS with Iggy. He now lives in the East Bay and plays drums in CITY DELUXE. Iggy and Ivy went on to play in a few bands together over the years, like MIAMI, ALLERGIC TO BULLSHIT (with me!) and they are currently in BLACK RAINBOW (with me and our friend, Morgan..next show in March in SF). I think that covers it.

Download Mutiny in Miami - CHICKENHEAD / LOS CANADIANS
updated May 2013

CHICKENHEAD photo by Josie, I think.

Sorry if this is a little scattered. I'm getting over some wild sickness and can't think straight.