The Hoodlums (1982-1987)

Dan Padgett - Bass
Andy Hooper - Vocals & Trombone
Eugene Flores - Vocals
Monica Casagrande - Saxaphone
Brooks Brown - Saxaphone
Alexi Petrohilos - Drums
Dov Osheroff - Guitar
Phil Miller - Guitar
Elise Hefti - Trumpet
Dick Glass - Keyboards
Jakob - Drums
Gary Kemp - Guitar

Got some help on the personnel, seems that a number of folks were in the Hoodlums at various points. Big thanks to Jennifer Gale for the Hoodlums poster at the top of this post, can't remember where I got the other pic, Jennifer was that you too?  I'm sure additional recordings of the band exist but this is all I've been able to unearth so far. I used to see The Hoodlums at the EMU Ballroom and the WOW Hall, even as a teenager I never understood how these guys weren't more popular than the Crazy 8's, love this band!

Venice Liberation Army

Andy Hooper - Vocals and trombone
Dov Osheroff - Guitar
Chris Higgins - Bass
Harris Thurmond - Guitar
Elise Hefty - Trumpet
Monica Cassagrande - Sax
Eric Moore - Harmonica
Glenn Bonney ? - Trombone

Big thanks to Tim Arnold for supplying the Venice Liberation Army track, a post-Hoodlums effort.

01. Shaved Ape

DOWNLOAD HERE

The tape was recorded from the sound board so it's high quality, think this must have been from one of the shows where they opened for the Crazy 8's way back in '84. A guy named Ed that I think was the brother of the Go-Go's bassist gave me this tape and a cassette of the band's unreleased album (find that below) when he was working at Valley River Records about 28 years ago. I guess he was living in a house with some of the band members. Glad that he gave me a copy and glad that I'm a pack rat or this would be lost to the ages. Most of the song titles are guesses so help me out if you know better, thanks!

The Hoodlums - Live at the EMU Ballroom 1984

1. You and I (partial)
2. This Person
3. My Chiquita
4. Wouldn't You Like to Talk
5. Follow Your Heart (Pt 1)
6. Follow Your Heart (Pt 2)
7. Find My Heaven
8. Through My Eyes
9. Hold Them High
10. Talk To Me
11. What You Are
12. Five Characters
13. I'm Laying Down

DOWNLOAD HERE

The Hoodlums were around in '84-'85 and played with the Crazy 8's a lot, too fast to be reggae, too slow to be ska. The Hoodlums neglected to release any material at the time. These recordings were for a planned LP that never materialized. 

The Hoodlums Unreleased LP

1. This Is Your Life

2. This Person

3. Through My Eyes

4. Follow Your Heart

5. You and I

6. My Chiquita

7. My Beach

DOWNLOAD HERE

Johnson Unit (1984-1987)

John O'Neil - Guitar/Vocals
Steve Nordby - Bass/Vocals
Dean Guernsey - Drums
Dan Padgett - Drums on "Self Destruction"

This first Johnson Unit tape was the first local music I bought. I like the lo-fi sound but guitarist/singer John told me that I was one of only two or three people to ever think this tape was any good. I think it was $3 well spent! This was the first release from what would later become Dunghill Recordings which I think John & Steve co-founded.

1. Old Wounds

2. Production Surfing

3. EWOT

4. Another Journey By Bus

5. Image Promotion

6. Thinking For Themselves

7. Live For Today

8. Production Dub

9. Self Destruction

10. Image Promotion (Live)

11. So You Want To Be a Rock 'n Roll Star? (Live)

12. Their Kind of Rebel (Live)

THE TRIANGULAR EFFECT DOWNLOAD HERE




John O'Neil - Guitar/Vocals
Steve Nordby - Bass/Vocals
Robert Christie (R.I.P.) - Drums/Vocals

The second Johnson Unit cassette was recorded by Steve Nordby on his 4-track. I think this is a Eugene classic. This was the first tape I actually bought directly from a member of the band. John probably sold me most of the local tapes I've been carrying around for the last 25 years while he worked at House of Records. Please check the Panic on 13th Facebook page for many many Johnson Unit photos.

Johnson Unit - The Poor Get Poorer

1. Shop For Style

2. Imperialist

3. Their Kind of Rebel

4. Endless Story

5. Pneumatic Nightmare

6. Rally

7. Blitzkreig Lounge Bop

8. Chemistry

9. Reproduction

10. Instant

11. 100 Years Too Late

12. Story Through Your Eyes

The Poor Get Poorer - Download Here

John O'Neil - Guitar/Vocals

Steve Nordby - Bass/Vocals

Robert Christie (R.I.P.) - Drums/Vocals

The 3rd and final cassette by Johnson Unit released in '86. John and Steve would go on to form Uncle Charlie while Robert continued to play in Snakepit and would eventually also join Some Velvet Sidewalk and Oswald Five-O. The title of the tape was in reference to the construction of the parking lot on 13th and Patterson that I believe forced the demolition of Lenny's Nosh Bar as well as a number of other local businesses. Easily one of the best Eugene releases in my collection. Side one was the band doing originals, side two were covers. Enjoy!

Johnson Unit - Quick To Condemn (Dunghill, 1986, Cassette Only)

1. Before

2. Two Extremes

3. Lines

4. Not So Far Away

5. Watching Him Die

6. Singled Out

7. Quick To Condemn

8. Shutoff

9. A Victim

10. Facing Up (Bonus Track not on original release)

11. Niteline

12. Hazy Shade of Winter

13. Bad Moon Rising

14. Sonic Reducer

15. I Think We're Alone Now

16. New Wave Girlfriend

17. Time Won't Let Me

18. Abdul & Cleopatra

19. Casiotune

20. Jam Up and Jelly Tight

21. Space Truckin'

Johnson Unit - Quick To Condemn - DOWNLOAD HERE