THE GEARS Rockin At Ground Zero LP PLAYGEMS 1980 US 1st press+insert CONTROLLERS

	£		70
	$		93

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Kidd Spike was a guitarist with one of L.A.'s first punk rock outfits, the Controllers, 

but by 1980 he was eager to do something a little more eclectic, and he joined forces 

with vocalist Axxel G. Reese to form the Gears. The Gears enthusiastically embraced 

the fast and loud part of punk, but they also threw in dashes of surf music, garage rock, 

blues, and cool sounds of the '50s, and their first album, Rockin' at Ground Zero, 

is a killer blend of punk speed and fury tempered with greaser cool. 

"ROCKIN' AT GROUND ZERO"

Produced by Gary Hirstius

1980     PLAYGEMS RECORDS     GS 6471  

PRINTED IN U.S.A.    1983 LAST PRESSING ON BAD TRIP

[First released with a silkscreened cover, in very limited number. 

These are easily identified by their matte finish and more of a darker red/purple coloring. 

Later pressings have a slightly glossy finish, and are a burnt red color.

A side matrix reads 005A F1 MASTERED BY CAPITOL

B side matrix reads 005B F1 MASTERED BY CAPITOL

Later pressings have additional etchings]

THICK CARDBOARD COVER (AMERICAN STYLE)

SINGLE SLEEVE (light brown/gray inside) + INSERT

[Includes single-sided 'Elks Lodge Blues' insert]

Barcode and Other Identifiers

Barcode: none

LABEL: PLAYGEMS  - YELLOW LABEL - BLACK TEXT

Catalog on cover: (spine) gs6471 

Catalog on label (Side A only): GS 6471

Matrix / Runout (Side A): 005A F1 MASTERED BY CAPITOL

Matrix / Runout (Side B): 005B F1 MASTERED BY CAPITOL

On labels: produced by gary hirstius

© 1980 four speed music          label by ROOH

(on Side A only): © ? 1980 playgems records

On Back Cover: engineered by Noah Shark and Max

recorded April 22 1980

all songs written by the GEARS

©1980 Four Speed Music

written by R. Urbina/D. Drive

©1979 Four Speed Music

Tito Larriva/backing vocals

Photos - Ronn Spencer

from my records collection

tracklisting

Side A: BABY RUNAROUND - LET'S GO TO THE BEACH

DON'T BE AFRAID TO POGO - ELKS LODGE BLUES

TEENAGE BRAIN - WASTIN TIME - DARLIN BABY

Side B: TRUDIE, TRUDIE - HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS - THE LAST CHORD

HEARTBEAT BABY - ROCKIN AT GROUND ZERO

I SMOKE DOPE - KEEP MOVIN - LAST CHANCE

grading

RECORD NEAR MINT but (please, read above description)

SLEEVE VG+ but (please, see pictures and read above description)

Reese is a solid vocalist with plenty of swagger in his voice but no wasted affectations, 

while Spike's thick, gutsy guitar work and the crash-boom-bang rhythm work of bassist 

Brian Redz and drummer Dave Drive keep these songs in forward momentum at all times. 

The Gears could sing about cars, girls, and good times with tongue just slightly 

in cheek on tunes like "Let's Go to the Beach" and "Darlin' Baby," but 

"High School Girls" and "I Smoke Dope" show they weren't afraid of more 

dangerous pleasures. "Don't Be Afraid to Pogo" is a great (and only slightly 

ridiculous) punk anthem, and they chronicle one of the most infamous real-life 

moments in the war between L.A. punks and cops in "Elks Lodge Blues." 

"Teenage Brain" is angst at its most enjoyable, and "The Last Chord" and 

the title cut both manage to make the end of the world sound cool. 

Rockin' at Ground Zero is good, raucous fun from an unjustly overlooked band; 

the rise of hardcore made bands like this seem obsolete at the dawn of the '80s, 

but history and this album prove these guys truly had the goods...(AllMusic)