Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet
Released in July, 1984 (never sold, just given away to friends and family)
Recorded on four-track cassette Portastudio by the band
SIDE ONE:
- "Customized" [1st version]
- "Eggs Rancheros"
SIDE TWO:
- "Exit From Vince Lombardi High School" [1st version]
- "Is Parent's Burning?"
NOTES:
- The first Shadowy Men recording, recorded shortly after the band started
- Tad Winklarz (from Chalk Circle) plays sax on "Customized"
- "Eggs Rancheros" is one of two titles for the same song. Atomic 7 titled it "The Whirly Girly Revue" on their album … Something For The Girl With Everything. Episode 6 of Season 1 of The Kids In The Hall has a little of this song near the end of the episode.
Love Without Words
Released in August, 1985
Recorded by Dave Botrill and Paul Edwards
SIDE ONE:
- "Our Weapons Are Useless"
SIDE TWO:
- "Bennett Cerf" [1st version]
- "Having An Average Weekend" [1st version]
NOTES:
- There's quite a few slightly different covers for Love Without Words, one black and white, and a number of different versions with the words shaded. Scans are on the Love Without Words variations page.
Wow Flutter Hiss '86
Released in April, 1986
Jetpac WRC3-4485
Recorded by Todd Cutler and Paul Edwards
SIDE ONE:
- "Theme From T.V."
- "Zombie Compromise"
SIDE TWO:
- "Customized" [2nd version]
- "Shake Some Evil"
- "Weird Beards" [recorded backwards]
NOTES:
- There's at least four slightly different covers for Wow Flutter Hiss, one black and white, and two different versions with the logo shaded. In addition, the single came with an iron-on transfer. Scans are on the Wow Flutter Hiss '86 variations page.
- "Customized" is credited on the sleeve as being recorded live, but it sounds like a studio recording to me.
- Yes, "Weird Beards" is on the single backwards. When you reverse it, you can hear the band playing what sounds like a rehearsal, along with someone on sax. Maybe an outtake from the session for the demo tape when Tad Winklarz played on "Customized"?
Schlagers!
Released in April, 1987
Jetpac WRC3-4996
Recorded by Bill Aldred
SIDE ONE:
- "Good Cop Bad Cop" [2nd version]
- "Egypt Texas"
SIDE TWO:
- "Shadowy Countdown"
- "Harlem By The Sea" (Hagen)
- "Malfunction" (The Dundrells)
NOTES:
- Schlagers! is not only a single, but a game. Details are on the Schlagers! game page.
- There are two slightly different covers, one with the mountains white, and one with the mountains tinted blue (as above). Scans are on the Schlagers! variations page.
- "Harlem By The Sea" is the Shadowy Men version of an older jazz standard called "Harlem Nocturne".
- "Malfunction" is the Shadowy Men version of a song by The Dundrells called "Melinda".
- "Schlager" is the German word for "hit" (as in "hit single").
- "Schlagers!" is also the name of a 1970 promotional double album.
Live Record With Extra Bread And Cheese
Released in June, 1987
Jetpac WRC3-5199
Recorded by Carson Foster
SIDE ONE:
- "Woman Shake" [1st version: live]
- "You Spin Me Round '86" [live]
SIDE TWO:
- "Laser Men"
- "Shadowy Countdown" [live]
NOTES:
- Side one was recorded at 46⅓ RPM? Not exactly. According to Don Pyle, "Our friend Carson Foster recorded this on his 4 track cassette. He somehow had the pitch up which made the playback slower. As compensation, we approximated that the speed was 46⅓. It was just intended to tell people to play it faster!"
- Carson Foster also did the narration for "Laser Men". That was used at a Shadowy Men concert of the same name.
- The live tracks were recorded at the Shadowy Men's second birthday party concert, titled "14 In Dog Years".
- The single label shows a limited edition of 500, but that's not exactly correct. Singles are made with some overage planned, and this one had a little over 500 made. The ones over 500 had "?" as the number.
Explosion Of Taste
Released in February, 1988
Recorded by Bill Aldred
SIDE ONE:
- "Musical Interlude"
- "Run Chicken Run" (Wray/Cooper)
SIDE TWO:
Side two of the single is labelled "Demonstration Side - For Home Use Only." Basically, it's the sounds of someone making a batch of Jiffy Pop while Kitty Wells' "It Wasn't God That Made Honky Tonk Angels" plays in the background.
NOTES:
- Explosion Of Taste was originally released in the rare "popcorn" cover. Details are on the Explosion Of Taste "Popcorn" Single page.
- The rear side of the regular version of the single is the "ironon" from Wow Flutter Hiss '86.
- The full caption on side two is "Demonstration Side - For Home Use Only. An edible PROCAN product. For complete nutritional breakdown write Jetpac 334 St. Johns Rd, Toronto - M6S 2K4."
- Inside the inner groove on side one you can see "Instrumental since 1985". On side two, it says "Hey you! This corn's for you!"
REVIEWS:
Reid Does Neil
Released in October, 1988
Recorded by Peter Hudson
Jetpac WRC3-5945
SIDE ONE:
- "Reid Does Neil" [medley]
SIDE TWO:
- "Batman" (Hefti)
- "Friendly Town" (Livingston/Connelly/Diamond/Pyle)
NOTES:
- Special appearance on "Batman" by Quentin Crisp.
- "Friendly Town" is the theme from Bonanza with new lyrics.
Music For Pets
Released in 1991
Jetpac IPU 19
Recorded by Ormond Jobin & Alley
SIDE ONE:
- "Rover & Rusty"
- "Here Kitty"
- "The Cat Came Back" (traditional)
SIDE TWO:
- "Baby Elephant Walk" (Mancini)
- "That Wuz Ear Me Callin' A Horse" [1st version]
NOTES:
- The cat on the cover is Reid's cat Pud (as in "puddin'").
- This single came on both red and black vinyl.
- The title "That Wuz Ear Me Callin' A Horse" is a joke based on Slade's 1972 live album, Slade Alive!. After Slade plays "Hear Me Calling", you can hear "That was 'Hear Me Calling', of course". But with the band's thick accents, it sounds more like "That was ear me callin' a horse". The title is misspelled as a play on Slade's tradition of misspelling song titles, like "Mama Weer All Crazee Now", "Gudbuy t'Jane", "Cum On Feel The Noize", and a host of others.
Tired Of Waking Up Tired
Released in 1991
Cargo CAD-702
SIDE ONE:
- CHANGE OF HEART: "Tired Of Waking Up Tired" (Catto)
- CHANGE OF HEART: "Mythology" (Blurton/Duffy/Maizza/Taylor)
SIDE TWO:
- "Tired Of Waking Up Tired" (Catto)
- "The Alouette, She Was Canada's First Satellite, Way Before The Americans Even"
NOTES:
- Side one was recorded at 33⅓ RPM, while side two was recorded at 45 RPM. Really.
- There's three different versions of the Tired Of Waking Up Tired packaging, two different color vinyl singles and a cassette. Scans are on the Tired Of Waking Up Tired variations page.
Just Marred
Given away as a favor at the party for the wedding of John Mohr and Rebecca Dudley on
September 15, 1991.
SIDE ONE:
- "You May Now Kiss The Bride" [medley]
SIDE TWO:
- "Theme From Love Story / Bird Dance" [medley]
NOTES:
- Both sides of the single were recorded at 33⅓ RPM.
- The single is credited to "Chateau Amen" (sound it out).
- The titles are switched on the single (the title of the A-side is listed on the B-side and vice-versa).
- The singles themselves were paid for by Steve Albini who gave them away at the wedding party, held at Lounge Ax. Roughly 300 were made.
- You can read the story behind the single in the article in the fanzine Your Flesh as well.
- No, not a typo. The title of the single is "Just Marred", not "Just Married".
Dog & Squeegie
Released in 1992
Estrus ES-729
SIDE ONE:
- "Spy School Graduation Theme"
SIDE TWO:
- "Mecca" (Nader/Gluck)
- "Like You"
Sport Fishin' Accessories
Released in 1993
Cargo CAR018
Promotional-only CD single
- "Memories Of Gay Paree"
- "Plastics For 500, Bob"
- "Having An Average Weekend" [1st version]
- "Vibrolux Deluxe"
- "Having An Average Weekend '78"
NOTES:
- Grant Diamond sent me details about this single. About the last track, he says:
… the fifth track is not a live track of "Having an Average Weekend" but rather a studio send-up of the band. The liner states "Not really recorded by us. Also unreleased, this was recorded by that band everbody mixes us up with, Shadowy Men FROM A Shadowy Planet. Not us. Really." It is a 1970's "heavy metal" spoof of themselves.
Take Outs
Released in August, 1993
Derivative DUH001
"The Jehrney" recorded by Steve Albini
"Song Of The Lobster" recorded by Ormond Jobin
SIDE ONE:
- "The Jehrney"
SIDE TWO:
- "Song Of The Lobster"
NOTES:
- Pressed on blue vinyl
REVIEWS:
It's A Wonderful Record!
Released in April, 1994
Jetpac 712
SIDE ONE:
- "Winterfresh"
- MOTO: "Christmas Is Coming" (Guaraldi)
SIDE TWO:
- "Deck The Halls" (traditional)
- "The Twelve Answering Machine Messages Of Christmas" [medley]
NOTES:
- Special appearance by The Vienna Boys Choir on "Deck The Halls".
- Special guests: MOTO (Masters Of The Obvious).
- Pressed on white vinyl.
- Side one was recorded at 45 RPM, while side two was recorded at 33⅓ RPM. No, really. Would I kid about that?
Having An Average Weekend
Released in 1996
Cargo DPRO 1326
Promotional-only CD single
- "Having An Average Weekend" [1st version]
NOTES:
- This is a promo CD single tied to the Brain Candy soundtrack.
- This single has the normal version of the song, as opposed to the version on the Brain Candy soundtrack in which applause was dubbed over the beginning of the song.