The Gizmos In New York 1980-81

In the spring of 1980, three-fourths of the Gizmos moved to Hoboken, New Jersey, from their native Bloomington, Indiana. Within a few years, Dale Lawrence would co-front the Vulgar Boatmen, Billy Nightshade would play in Boston's Unattached, and Tim Carroll would form the Blue Chieftains, before establishing a formidable solo career in Nashville. But in 1980, they had their sights set on infiltrating New York's post-punk scene. Hooking up with Long Island drummer Robbie Wise, they soon began getting gigs in the city. But getting anyone to notice proved a tougher nut. "We thought we'd been operating in a void in Indiana," remembers Lawrence. "In New York we found out what a void really was! At least back home, people cared enough to dislike us." The Gizmos would finally call it quits the following summer. But in that one year of east-coast residency, they would tighten up their rhythm section, expand their songwriting, and make the best recordings of their career, at Zeami Studios with fellow Hoosiers Mark Bingham and Mark Hood producing. "The Midwest Can Be Allright," released at the time on the Red Snerts compilation of Indiana bands, is often cited as the group's finest song. The rest of that session is presented here, along with live recordings and living-room demos. Several songs make their official debut: "Now I Wanna Go Fast," "Pignose," "Tricky Rhythms," "Shoplifting," "Nervous Man in A $4 Room," and a cover of Jerry Lee Lewis's "Little Green Valley." A superior-sounding version of the Billy Nightshade classic "Don't Forget About Lightweight" is also in evidence. All in all, The Gizmos In New York is a fitting document of the very end of the long and twisted Gizmos saga. Limited edition of 100.