1974-1977 was probably not the best time for a band pushing hard at the boundaries of what would become punk to be doing their pushing. Generally it is difficult for a band to find its niche when it is tearing apart the building blocks of a style that isn’t even done being built yet. But that’s essentially the deal with JACK RUBY. At least they were in New York breaking apart their rock n roll. It could have been worse for them in other parts of the country. There are tales of these guys’ near brushes with record contracts and such, but REALLY? I’m not so sure this has ever been major label music, either before or after these guys operated. There’s a Stooges feel to some of this, but it’s always undermined by weird guitar blasts, and falling apart beats. Maybe that’s just the nature of these recordings that I’m listening to. Maybe a major label record would’ve sounded different from this gang. Maybe I wouldn’t have cared at all if that was the case? I do not know. What I do know is that I like this collection of demos, etc. that Weasel Walter’s label ugEXPLODE Records put out late last year. Massachusetts hero label FEEDING TUBE RECORDS will be releasing this on vinyl in the near future as well!! “Hit and Run” starts off all Stooges all the way then the guitar starts sawing away at the song all of it descending into an out noise onslaught while the drums and bass plod along for the last minute of the song. One of these guys wound up in the Contortions. Much love.