Like Radon (And Tom Petty and Death) Dogs on Ice (bassist Brian McCabe, drummer Paul Arcos and singer-guitarist Joe Popp) hailed from sunny, tacky Florida. D.O.I. may have been an almost-ran in the Jawbreaker-Fugazi 200-meter dash but damnit they ran as if they had a hellhound on their tail. Their higest profile moment was issuing a fine L.P. on Allied Records (founded by artist John Yates,who worked with the Dead Kennedy's Jello Biafra at his label, Alternative Tentacles) called Salt Wound. However, nothing on Salt Wound (or their previous album, Pushin' Rope) ever surpassed the lunatic "On a String" from their 1993 e.p, Housefly. Right from the get-go, the drums go wild, then the guitars leap about before Popp starts bellowing like his lungs are on fire - as a song it's a perfect aural encapsulation of the indie-punk aesthetic in-between the Nirvana explosion and the Green Day aftershock.
Dogs on Ice - On a String
Joe Popp put the the entire Dogs on Ice catalog on line - so go hear more.
P.S. When first posted last year (before all my MassMirror links died) this turned out to be MRML's least popular download ever. Now that you've been stirred by the magnificent "On a String" maybe we can move it's ranking up to...maybe...fifth least popular.
Great band. Still have the Pushin' Rope CD. Saw them open for Jawbox (here's a poster for the show - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=108857&item=350106418026). Thanks for the blast of Popp and the link to his catalog.
Great band. Still have the Pushin' Rope CD. Saw them open for Jawbox (here's a poster for the show - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=108857&item=350106418026). Thanks for the blast of Popp and the link to his catalog.
ReplyDeletegee!cool post!
ReplyDeleteAl
ReplyDeleteThanks for the poster link and the kind words.
Jawbox were a great live band - someday I must post the Tools and Chrome single
Andy
T'anks glad ya liked it.
That sure brings back memories! Another single I wish I hadn't gotten rid of. I also remember not digging the album quite as much.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I don't have my copy any more either but I come back to the song every few years an enjoy it allover again.
ReplyDelete