Shudder To Think ‘50,000 B.C.’ (Japanese Bonus Tracks)

Shudder To Think is easily the most impacting and compelling rock act I’ve ever heard, right alongside Thought Industry (who I’d already outed as fans of Shudder To Think). At a Shudder To Think show in Detroit around ’94, I suggested to singer/guitarist Craig Wedren that Thought Industry’s ‘Mods Carve the Pig…’ was the only thing I found comparable to their dissonant, angular, jarring song-structures – and that lyrically there were similarities in their stream-of-consciousness, non-literal approach.
Craig had once said in an interview that his lyrics reflected the way words to FM pop songs tend to find their way into your head, so that you’re singing what you thought you were hearing (even if it doesn’t make sense) – then when you find out the actual lyrics, you tend to like your version better. Thought Industry’s Brent Oberlin, on the other hand, had described the process as paring down varied literary explorations to the limited meter of the song (even if his CD booklets are perhaps the most prolific in heavy metal).

Both bands also evolved quite determinedly with each album: Shudder to Think’s earliest material (Curses, Spells, Voodoo, Mooses and Funeral at The Movies/Ten Spot) had a distinctive yet familiar discordant DC post-hardcore sound, marked by Craig’s ethereal, soaring vocal melodies. Their Get Your Goat was a similarly dreamlike effort that marked the grand divide, as their next effort would exhibit the flamboyant, sexually-charged, smug art-rock that would come with Epic’s major label support:

Sony doesn’t want me to imbed the superior “X-French Tee Shirt” video, but CLICK the link: you NEED to see it.

A few other things I want to mention about Shudder To Think:

• I was an indie record store employee around the time of Pony Express Record, and got an invitation to “dinner with the band” before their show. About nine local media/music people sat at a longtable while the band made their rounds with handshakes. Craig complimented my shirt, which was a floral-print thriftstore find. The band sat for a moment, answering a few questions – at which point a hunched-over, pensive Craig, rubbing his temples and forehead, excused himself to “warm up”.
• There were a number of songs performed live around ’95 that I have some clear sonic memories of; but my understanding is that the recordings were scrapped: the songs were too dark or weird to release as a Pony Express Record follow-up. I really would like to hear those songs again. Craig’s unfortunate illness soon marked the months leading up to 50,000 B.C. as a delicate time of appreciating the stuff of life, in such a precarious industry.
• There’s a wealth of Shudder To Think rare tracks that could be gathered as one collection: there’s the orange/dog picture Epic promo CD of live in-studio recordings, the live in-studio B-side “Shake Your Halo Down”, their contributions to the ‘Sweet Relief‘ and ‘O Come All Ye Faithful‘ comps. I’ve even got a couple radio show acoustic songs. Their earliest demo tape material is even available in mp3 form at this website.

My own offering to those Shudder To Think enthusiasts who’ve read this far is the two bonus tracks found at the end of the Japanese import press of ‘50,000 B.C.’. You need to own the US pressing because it contains elaborate multimedia bonus features w/ acoustic performances, great images, and rehearsal audio. But, if you can’t track down the import, here’s the only songs you’re missing:

There’s A Word
No Room 9, Kentucky (acoustic version)