The Nip Drivers was the brainchild of Mike Webber, a man too bizarre and beautiful to live for too long. Those of you who know this band love them, plain and simple. For those who don't, let me try to give a little info. The Nip Drivers formed in Torrance, California in 1982. They opted for a humorous take on hardcore, but despite the jokiness and novelty, they cooked. They played well, and wrote brilliant, concise songs. They contributed a track to the We Got Power comp soon after they formed. New Alliance Records released the Nip Drivers' debut, 12" EP Destroy Whitey in 1984. In 1985 the band followed up with their full-length Oh Blessed Freak Show (Later both reissued on one CD by Taang!) Some might know these guys for their cover of The Sweet's "Fox On The Run" from the Desperate Teenage Lovedolls Soundtrack. After a period of inactivity, frontman Mike Webber emerged with an all new line-up in the '90s. The self-titled 7" EP (sometimes referred to as Pretty Face) was issued in 1990. I posted this EP last Valentine's day but didn't say much about it as I was out the door to Europe. Nineteen Ninety-five saw the release of the Dirt My Hole EP. Both of these little records are absolutely chocked with heartbreakingly good pop-hooked punk songs made gooder by Webber's unique voice and delivery. Webber, despite his obvious talents and charm, was a troubled man who wrestled with an addiction to opiates for the better part of his too-short life. He died in November 2006 from apparent heart failure just days after an overdose on morphine. I had a chance to hang out with Mike in 1991 at Gilman Street. He was a mess, but a funny and sweet mess, and though I only met him the one time, I have always felt like he was a friend because of the hours of joy and solace his band's records gave me when I was younger. So I guess it's fair to say I miss him. I hope you enjoy these.
Fuck yeah! The Nip Drivers! When I was 15 or so, Matty put "Never Was" on a mix tape for me and I've been loving this band ever since. Had some real strange, wild, but awesome run-ins with Mike Webber at some parties down in San Pedro around 2001 or 2002, one in which, when the cops came, someone brought out a gas can, poured it out in the middle of 4th st. in the shape of a GIANT pentagram, then lit it on fire-- demonic wildness bein' enough to get the pigs racing back to their cars and getting the fuck outta there. Anyhow, thanks for posting these. I never see these records around at all anymore, so it's a nice treat to know they're hangin' on up here.
ReplyDeletei really loved the "pretty face"7" you had posted in the past and i'm eager to listen to the "dirt my hole"EP.absolutely infectious music!
ReplyDeletenice post aesop, thanks bro!!
ReplyDeletepd: I've found some of Rapt :)
Awesome, I posted a Nip Drivers "Almost Complete Discography" when I first started my blog. I even requested that someone send me the "Dirt My Hole" 7", because it was the only thing I was missing. Thanks, again.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to grab that if it's still up. Don't have Destroy Whitey except for a battered well-worn vinyl.
ReplyDeleteThe link was no longer valid, so I re-upped it.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteI never get sick of these guys, and I haven't had one friend yet whose gone, "who is this"? And hate it...
ReplyDeleteOne of the best hardcore bands ever. Period.
I highly liked these records.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
Hard, fast, and catchy.
I can never get enough of that combo.
Really great band. I agree no one I have shown this band too has ever said to me anything but..."burn me a copy of this"
ReplyDeleteOk, I forgot to comment on this before. I really, really like these records - excellent, infectious pop songs! I especially like the Pretty Face 7", and I love what they did with the Stones cover!
ReplyDeleteExcellent shit! I've got their CD compilation already and these EPs ice the cake. Thanks a lot for posting these ! :-D
ReplyDeletei got a ol skool vinyl from the nip drivers, really nice trying to figure out if it wouold be worth money
ReplyDeleteYo Aesop! Long time no time... Thanks for this! I Fuckin Love the NIP DRIVERS!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for these! Now I have all of their recorded output. Destroy Whitey is my alltime fave punk record. I was fortunate enough to play a couple of shows with these guys in the early 80s and am still friends with Adam Bomb who played with them for a bit.
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