THE FUZZTONES: Live at The Dive ’85 LP

The Dive was the CBGBs of the 80s NY Garage scene – a small club with maybe a capacity of 100 at the most. All the NY garage bands played there on a regular basis: The Vipers, Mad Violets, Tryfles, Outta Place, Mosquitos… but the kings of the scene were, undisputably The Fuzztones. This recording was made just before the Dive closed it’s doors forever, capturing the band’s last performance there, before heading off for their first European tour to promote their recently released album, Lysergic Emanations. Besides effectively capturing the enthusiastic atmosphere of the Dive and it’s devoted garage contingent, this recording also spotlights the band in a comfortable setting, relating casually to their friends and peers. But the high point of this recording may just be the band’s surprise performance of songs from garage rivals The Lyres, Cheapskates and Chesterfield Kings! These songs were only ever played one time (with the exception of “She Told Me Lies,” which the band played live one other time) and the fact that they were captured on tape is a bit of a miracle in itself. Also of interest is the band’s versions of “It Came In The Mail,” and “One Girl Man,” two songs that remained unrecorded until the advent of the L.A. line-up a few years later, as well as their version of Terry Knight & the Pack’s “Numbers,” another song that was never played again after this night!