I first heard about these guys a few months back, so I guess I missed the boat. I have some extra money now, and after hearing about the death of their bassist, I feel like buying an album of theirs.
I’ve only heard one song, and it was Punk Rock Girl, but I dig it.
Are any of their albums worth buying? If so, which should I get?
I had “Big Lizard in My Backward” way back when. I liked it, but IIRC it had a pretty raw sound that I suspect hasn’t aged well.
Their best of (Death Rides a Pale Cow, I believe) is a pretty good introduction IMO. Also, if you have the extra bones lying around, I recommend the tribute album Flogging a Dead Cow if for no other reason than that I’m on it.
His name slips my mind just now, but the bass player killed himself last week. There was a pretty big obit in the Philly Inquirer.
A got into them through Beelzebubba, which includes Punk Rock Girl, but also contains my personal favorite, Stuart.
From there I moved on to Eat Your Paisley (Beach Party Vietnam). If I Had a Gun is a great album, as well.
If I were you, I’d go with Cream of the Crop or If I Had a Gun, and work from there.
As previously mentioned, Death Rides A Pale Cow is a pretty good album to buy if you want all of their major “hits”. It gives you a nice overview of how they developed as a band. Definitely worth picking up.
Beyond that, I’d consider Beelzebubba almost a required acquisition. Very cool album.
I had “Big Lizard in My Backyard” on tape way back when. I’m now having that attack of nostalgia that will probably tempt me into buying some DM on cd in the near future. So sad to hear that Dave Blood is gone. 
If you’re just starting out, I’ll also suggest “Death Rides a Pale Cow” as the best way to hear more of their repertoire.
Ersatz Shmoe, that tribute album intrigues me. I’ll have to bookmark that page for future purchase. 
Some individual goodies:
Stuart: KNow it, Love it, Memorize it. If you hang out online long enough you’ll find a perfect opportunity to say “DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE QUEERS ARE DOING TO THE SOIL!??”
Instant Club Hit Also known as “you’ll dance to anything”. Fun and bitter!
Lesbian Eskimo Midget Albino Just for the title.
Joey Bazooka Staurt-like with more of a plot and music.
Thing that only Eats Hippies Very crude DM, from their early days.
Bitchin’ Camaro: Just so you can say “My parents drove up from the Bahamas”
And you cannot beat the fun of Methodist Coloring Book
And remember, the places mentioned in PunkRockGirl actually exist. Although I think the Philly Pizza Company closed a few years back. Zipperhead is a shrine, however.
For post-Milkmen goodness. You might want to have a listen to Rodney’s (HP Hovercraft) band Burn Witch Burn. ITs far and away from the DM, but its good.
Or Butterfly Joe which is closer to the late era DM music, when Joe was more guiding the band’s songs.
Jumping Jesus on a pogo stick!
Everyone knows that a burrow owl lives
in a hole
in the ground
Why the hell do you think they call it a burrow owl!?!?
And when I’m bad I sit in a tree
and spit on people who walk under me
and when I’m good I stay at home
I’ve got twenty-nine kids all named Jerome
I Dream of Jesus is a personal favorite.
Like this?
Another vote for Death Rides a Pale Cow, it’s a good mix, although it is missing out on some really good songs.
“My Folks drove it up here from the Bahamas.”
“You’re kidding!”
“I must be, the Bahamas are islands.”
I’d just like to state that Zipperhead is good for nothing but saying you’ve been there.
And the ants. I enjoy the ants.
Aside from that, yet another vote for Death Rides a Pale Cow.
Or this?
- Tamerlane
Hey, its got longevity. It has remained while the rest of South Street is littered with the corpses of other ‘edgy/punk’ stores.
One hidden joy of following the Dead Milkmen is that you can see how they got better and better with their instruments. Early in their career they admit they can’t play them. In later albums you can see how much they had improved.
Of course, Rodney and Joe still can’t sing.
“You might think,
that you’re an intellectual.
But you’re just another
boring bisexual!”
"Big Lizard In My Backyard" was my first exposure to the DM and always ranks at the top if not for just sentimental value. You haven’t heard them until you know “Bitchin’ Camero”. And who can ignore an album with the lyrics “Charles Nelson Reilly nailed to a cross”? (And my favorite song off of it, “Dean’s Dream”, which is just plain good without the funny).
“It’s a Beach Party Viet Nam,
Surfin’ with the Viet Cong,
Cookin’ hot dogs with Napalm,
a Beach Party Viet Nam!”
Ahh, memories…
Now these are the ear worms I enjoy!
“Hey, Frankie! Aren’t ya gonna give me your class ring?”
I have often thought about starting a thread entitled “Unlucky cds/albums”, but never do. My example would be Big Lizard In My Backyard for my most unlucky album. I had it on tape twice, and it was stolen both times. The cd has been stolen 3 times, and my current one has been returned with some pretty bad scratches. With all that going for it, it gets my vote as best DM album to own. At least, me and 5 other people say so! heh
*My baby drives
a truck
My baby has a
pet duck
My baby sure is
good luck
And my baby is a heck of a f-f-f
riend… *
Exactly!
I would also recommend Bucky Fellini. I hear “Instant Club Hit” everytime someone drags me to a dance club. It also contains the great song “Taco Land”.
[bump]
I meant to post this a couple of days ago, but got sidetracked…does anyone know Dave’s real name? A college friend of mine was a huge Dead Milkmen groupie, so imagine my surprise in grad school, 1995, when one of them popped up on campus in the cosmopolitan punk rock capital of Bloomington, Indiana, considering an M.A. in Russian & East Euroopean Studies, with a focus on the former Yugoslavia.
I talked to him for a bit around campus a couple of times, but I’m horrible at remembering names. He never did enroll, and I never saw or heard from him again. Anyone care to jog my memory? The photo of Dave sure looks like him.