V.A. Make the Collector Nerd Sweat

This 10" compilation, bedecked in what were at the time, some of the biggest names in East Bay pop-punk, was aimed squarely at the kind of ink-stained nerd who pored over the ads and record reviews in Maximumrocknroll for next great band or the next non-album track from their current favourites to order from Blacklist Mailorder. That nerd, MRML readers, was me.

Make the Collector Nerd Sweat (a sort of gentler sequel to Poison Idea's album Record Collectors are Pretentious Assholes) was put out in 1989 by Lookout Records co-founder David Hayes on his 'solo' label, Very Small (a.k.a. Too Many) Records. Hayes label was quirkier (mostly vinyl in different sizes, bands less wedded to 4/4 time and whoa-oh's) than Lookout but this comp is loaded with Lookout-affiliated bands, like The Lookouts led by that label's other co-founder, Larry Livermore. It's hard to pick favourites when the big draws are Jawbreaker, Mr T. Experience, Samiam, Crimpshrine and some struggling TSOL-loving band named the Offspring. And then, damned if fine songs by the less nerd-sweat inducing bands, The Lookouts, Crummy Musicians, Coffee & Donuts, The Wrong and Plaid Retina don't justify the faith obsessives like me had in the East Bay scene of the time.



Make the Collector Nerd Sweat L.P

Many of these bands can be supported via Interpunk and you can go visit David Hayes' excellent (and download-heavy) blog!