THREE RING CARCASS

Listening to these songs for what is likely the first time in a decade, I now realize that THREE RING CARCASS were simply way over my head when I saw them regularly in Norman, Oklahoma.  This was the band that I didn't quite know if I liked, but I knew they were really good at whatever it was they were doing.  Equal parts BUTTHOLE SURFERS, NOMEANSNO, FLAMING LIPS and pre commercial grunge, THREE RING CARCASS live shows were a fucking sight, and were anything but predictable...listen to the freakout at the end of "Underwhelming," and imagine that plus about a million decibels drawn out for 10 minutes and then launching right back into vaguely tuneful chaos.  "Big Mess" from this demo is the song I most remember from their live sets, and though it's not the best on this tape (that honor goes to "Motor City Mudhole"), there is something purely magical about the 6'5" Jon Mooneyham screaming "MY DICK'S TOO SHORT TO FUCK WITH GOD!!" that is permanently etched into my memory.  I seem to remember Mooneyham being shockingly old when I was living in Norman (by "shockingly old," I mean I think he was something in the neighborhood of 30, which was fucking ancient in the eyes of a 19 year old from a small town), and hailed from Antlers, Oklahoma (I remind myself of this when I talk about how my town was small and shitty)...I suggest scouring dollar bins across the midwest for the sole LP by his first band, THE MEMLUKS, totally ahead of their time psychedelic post punk weirdness, give it a listen here. (I traded mine in years ago because it "didn't rock enough"...I might also add that I am sometimes an idiot, so if anyone has a copy they aren't attached to, please drop me a line).  Five delicious tracks on this 1991 demo.

THREE RING CARCASS

Now hopefully I can track down the 10 Lbs Of Shit In A 5 Lb Bag tape for a future post!