Pere Ubu cavorted and caterwauled with surreal swagger on the dark and difficult artsy garage rock of this post punk primer. The group formed from the ashes of Cleveland garage pioneers Rocket From the Tombs with David Thomas and Peter Laughner getting together with Tom Herman, Scott Krauss, Allen Ravenstine, and Tim Wright. They released two singles on their own Hearthan label: '30 Seconds Over Tokyo' and 'Final Solution'. Laughner left the group and died less than a year later from acute pancreatitis brought on by his drug and alcohol abuse. Wright quit and joined DNA and was replaced by Tony Maimone. Pere Ubu was signed to Mercury Records who formed a new subsidiary Blank Records just for them.
'The Modern Dance' was recorded at Cleveland Recording and Suma Studios in Cleveland, Ohio. The band produced the album with Ken Hamann and the sessions featured David Thomas on vocals, musette, and percussion; Tom Herman on guitar and backing vocals; Allen Ravenstine on EML 101 & 200 analog synthesizers, saxophone, and tapes; Tony Maimone on bass, piano, and backing vocals; Scott Krauss on drums; and Tim Wright on bass guitar. 'The Modern Dance' never charted; but its unique sound was hugely influential on several different strands of the ensuing post-punk movement.
Thomas reflects: "I like 'MD' fine. I might like other albums better. I think 'Dub Housing' is a masterpiece. I don't think 'MD' is. It doesn't mean I'm not fond of 'MD'. By some counts 'Art of Walking' sold more than 'MD'. So I'm not sure it is the most popular. But that doesn't matter. What 'MD' had that none of the others could have was its shock value. It introduced the sound. It was the first...The songs haven't aged. The process of discovery is basic - just figure out what the hell the idea was in the first place. More often than not it was an accident we liked or couldn't be bothered to fix. Or didn't notice at the time. Now since all versions of Ubu have worked essentially in the same way it makes the process of rediscovery simply a matter of extending what is known in the present backwards through time. It's a form of Uniformitarianism. It's the same band that thinks as a band in the same ways. The people now (except me) are different. Band members are individuals who come and go over time and who bring unique personalities to the gestalt. Still they function in the band consistently with what the band requires of them. What is required of any member of Pere Ubu is to be both Slavishly Obedient to The Rules and manifest a Fiercely Independent Spirit."
'The Modern Dance'
full album:
All songs written and composed by Pere Ubu (David Thomas, Tom Herman, Allen Ravenstine, Tony Maimone and Scott Krauss), except as noted.
Side one
"Non-Alignment Pact" – 3:18
"The Modern Dance" – 3:28
"Laughing" – 4:35
"Street Waves" – 3:04
"Chinese Radiation" – 3:27
Side two
"Life Stinks" (Peter Laughner) – 1:52
"Real World" – 3:59
"Over My Head" – 3:48
"Sentimental Journey" – 6:05
"Humor Me" – 2:44
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