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The Wipers' "Youth of America" (1981)

David Pescovitz at 9:29 am Thu, May 3, 2012

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The Wipers were a Portland, Oregon punk band formed in 1977. By 1981's "Youth of America," they had evolved their style from short, sharp punk numbers to longer, more complex, intense, and psychedelic-tinged jams. The title track of "Youth of America" clocks in at more than ten minutes. And it's worth every fucking second. Nirvana's Kurt Cobain cited The Wipers as one of his favorite bands.

David Pescovitz is Boing Boing's co-editor/managing partner. He's also a research director at Institute for the Future. On Instagram, he's @pesco.

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  • tempo

    The Melvins are currently playing a great version of YOA on their current tour.   Check it out if possible.

  • http://twitter.com/MitchellPowers Mitchell Powers

    The Wipers! Crucial!

  • http://twitter.com/bigbadchang Chang Terhune

    amazing!

  • http://jeremyjarratt.com/ x jeremy jarratt

    Fuck yeah Wipers!!

  • markfrei

    Audio geeks of a maker bent will enjoy taking a look at Greg Sage’s work as an audio engineer.  He does some remarkable things to get his sound: http://www.tapeop.com/articles/bonus/greg-sage-zeno-studios-and-wipers/

  • UncaScrooge

    The only punk rock band that I still listen to regularly. But I’m sentimental about it: I lived in Oregon during the years that this record came out.
     
    If you lived in Oregon in those days, then you knew the best way to see the Wipers live and buy their LPs: Move to California.
     
    Bless the internet.
     
    I think that the Wipers album “Land of the Lost” is kind of underrated (while “Over The Edge” is still as good as you remember). Plus, Greg Sage did a very nice acoustic-electric solo album (Straight Ahead). These can be found, properly remastered for CD and reasonably priced on Greg Sage’s website: http://www.zenorecords.com.

  • http://www.facebook.com/jim.anderson.5680 Jim Anderson

    Oh, man, I sure loved these guys back in the day!

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Robb-Orr/100000195155866 Robb Orr

    Always loved Greg Sage and The Wipers, thanks for reminding me of that fact. Great jam! Everyone should listen to this band more often.