Friday, February 15, 2008

The MYSTIC EYES (USA)

SONGS ABOUT TUGBOATS
-CS
199? (bootleg)





"Bernie Kugel wrote some of the catchiest, most memorable garage tunes of the 1980s. His ability to mix the jangle of the Byrds with the snot of the Seeds was unparalleled in the genre, and his band, The Mystic Eyes, was the lucky recipient of his talent...

Kugel really can't sing, so this is why The Mystic Eyes were sure to remain firmly planted in the garage tradition. In more delicate hands, some of the Mystic Eyes love songs would be reduced to standard pop. Under Kugel's direction, however, even the most gentle of love songs retains that certain garage-rock edge." - Timothy Gassen


" I think I was still at the University of Rochester when I first heard Mystic Eyes, though I can't remember if it was via a recording or a live show they did in Buffalo with the Chesterfield Kings. I do remember my reaction to their first 45, "My Time To Leave"/"From Above" (Get Hip GH-102). The A-side original was nothing short of amazing. An Acetone organ-colored anthem, "My Time To Leave" took its place in the BlairBoard Top 10, spending quite a few weeks at #1. (Indeed, it holds an honored place in the hallowed halls of the music museum of my mind.) Underneath, there was the genius cover of "From Above," which I'd first heard done by The Telltale Hearts." - Blair


"In 1983, Bernie Kugel decided to record a song for possible inclusion on VOXX RECORDS' Battle of the Garages (Volume Two) compilation LP of modern-days garage bands. The only problem was that, having dissolved his college band, The Good, Bernie was without an actual garage band. This was of little concern, as Bernie corraled drummer and record producer, Mike Brydalski, to perform both tasks. Bernie played guitar, bass and sang on an updated cover of THE STOICS' "Enough of What I Need" and sent the finished master to Greg Shaw at VOXX.

A short time later, Bernie asked his pal, Mad Louie, what he thought a good name for a garage band would be. "I've always thought Mystic Eyes would make a great band name," the Mad One replied.

"Then Mystic Eyes it shall be!" belched Bernie in between swigs of Pepsi.

Sure enough, the track made the cut for the album! Bernie cobbled together a ficticious band bio for the LP liner notes and then set about beating the bush for like-minded garage-mates.

In December, Bernie got so drunk at his sister-in-law's wedding reception that he invited Craig Davison to join his new band. They exchanged phone numbers just as 1983 came to a close." - Craig P. Davison


TRACKLIST:
01 - Intro
02 - Bidwell Beach
03 - Where Have All The Good Times Gone
04 - Girl, You're On My Mind.mp3
05 - Give Me The Answer, Girl
06 - Take It Or Leave It
07 - It Happens Every Day
08 - No Reason To Complain
09 - I'm A Nothing
10 - I Wish This Moment Could Last Forever
11 - Look For Me
12 - Outro (garbled, not included)
13 - My Life Today
14 - I Woke Up In Love This Morning
15 - Promise Me
16 - For You, For Me
17 - The Subject Of My Thoughts
18 - Without Crying
19 - Killer Of Men
20 - Little Girl
21 - A Hard Day's Night
22 - Love For A Price
23 - The Fun We Had
24 - Little Girl (7inch)
25 - She's Gone (7inch)

DOWNLOAD (192k, 87Mb)

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great post!!!! Ultracool band!!!!

Anonymous said...

I always dug their version of Love For A Price. Thanks for posting. Where did you get this?

Craig D said...

Wow - Where'd you get THIS?

I put this cassette together so we'd have something to hawk during our appearance at FUZZFEST '97.

I don't think we sold a single copy.

I kinda remember sending out a copy or two via US Mail over the years, so you must've been one of the folks I mailed it to.

ANYHOO - thanks for remembering MYSTIC EYES.

You, too, "anonymous" commentator!

Cough (Bernie) Cough...

Dgrador said...

What's that old slogan again?

"Music trading is killing home taping"... or sometin' like that.

The package was postmarked from the lost continent of MU.

Anonymous said...

Hi Craig, I guess you must have drink too much at Fuzz Fest :-)
I, too, was there in 97 comin' over from good ole Europe and you definitely sold copies of the cassette, at least one to me. Be sure, I ALWAYS WILL remember the Mystic Eyes, not only for the VERY best cover version of "Little girl" but for numerous outstanding other songs, too ! And sorry for the late reply, I discovered your comment too late! All the best to you and the other guys from the Mystic Eyes !
Where has Fuzz Fest gone ? One's not enough ! I wish there were another one ! Was a great experience and I VERY much LIKED "Little Five Points", that FABULOUS small suburb (??) of Atlanta, one of the best places to go I've ever seen.
Mitch

Dgrador said...

Special thanks for this one Mitch!