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A few comments from John VKTM

John VKTM | 11/09/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Hey...Thanks for these reviews.

Here's a couple of comments. The 415 Records single from 1980 was only two songs. The 1982 album was never released then. It sat in the can until 1993 when two kind fans (Dave Elias and John Eisenhart) decided to form a record label just to put out the record. Of course the tapes were in horrible condition and the whole thing needed to be remixed but it finally came out in 1994.



In 1995 we reunited and would have stayed together for a long time but sadly Nyna passed away from cancer in 2000. Even so we had a few years of great times, both in the first run and again in the second, Not many bands can say that.

Our first reunion show was a wild scene and it was recorded. One of the three live

songs (San Franciscan Nights) was actually from 1995.



Regarding Pincushion... we had been performing it as part of a medley with

Teen Age Alcoholic for so long that when we went into the studio in 1981 we

recorded it that way. Also. out of respect for Steve Tupper and Subterranean Records we left that out. So the song was only available from them.



More info can be found at myspace.com/vktms"

One of SF's best punk bands

Brewzerr | On the fault line, CA | 06/15/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I've been a big fan of the VKTMS for many years now... collecting whatever rare vinyl I could get my hands on, and evrything I owned of theirs on vinyl was destroyed in a car accident while moving 2 years ago, so the availability of this CD was well-timed for me.



This disc moves pretty much in chronological order (except for the 3 live tracks at the end, which are from '79), starting with the debut EP from '79, to the 3-song single from '80, to the '82 album... and finally a 5-song EP from '95 before the live tracks.



The early output of this band was some of the best punk San Francisco has ever produced. It's raw yet well-produced... the riffs are awesome... and Nyna's voice is right up there in the top 10 female punk voices of all time. Her lyrics are simple, to the point, tough, and funny without being dumb... and very decipherable. No lyric sheet necessary here.



The only problem I have with this disc is that it does not include the original version of "The Ballad of Pincushion Smith", which was on the impossibly rare "S.F. Underground" 7-inch compilation from 1980. This is probably the VKTM's strongest song, but the version included here (from the '82 LP) is a much more slick and less passionate (although faster) version. The band got a little too close to new wave territory in the early 80's for my tastes but the songs are still very good once you get past the synths and the fretless bass. The '95 stuff is pretty much a continuation of the style they were doing with the '82 album... just with 90's production. The live tracks are raw, well-recorded, and very energetic. I would have loved to have been there.



All in all, this is a very good disc and will not disappoint you as long as you're not an old record collector scumbag like me. Highly recommended."

I was there at the Mab

Dear Old State | USA | 09/09/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I attended several VKTMS concerts at Mabuhay Garden in San Francisco in 1981-82. I had just moved to California after college, and one of my friends said I had to hear this band. Those were great shows in a great venue. I loved Nyna Crawford's vocals and am so sad she passed away in 2000. "Midget" is one of my favorite songs, but they are all great songs. The VKTMS came from an era when punk music was often creative, and The VKTMS were certainly that. Highly recommended."