Hypnotics Indoor Fiends LP reissue
How have I never heard of this before? Is Indoor Fiends supposed to be a play on the word “endorphins”? And just exactly what the hell is happening on this album cover? I’m left with these questions and more after listening to the reissue of this HYPNOTICS LP from 1982. Packing 22 songs that fill up a full 34 minutes and change, this thing is a straight-up KBD monolith showcasing a slew of sharp tunes. As much avant-garde art as it is outsider rock, the music uses subtle synths to beef up its quirky punk sound that calls to mind bands like Minneapolis first-wavers the SUICIDE COMMANDOS and San Francisco’s legendary NUBS. Subject matter here spans the realms of strange, offensive, personal, and sometimes even poetic, and they cap off this barrage of off-kilter toe-tappers with two fantastic back-to-back instrumentals (“Wild Kingdom Safari” and “The Quest”). It’s a fun ride that warrants many replays. Led by a guy that called himself “Marky De Sade,” this Long Beach band was known for their chaotic live shows, and the comments section on a YouTube upload of this album is filled with fond memories from locals who were there. If you’re into the oldies, you oughta have this one, and now you can own it on “Grimace purple” vinyl, no less.