Doug and the Slugs - Cognac and Bologna

Doug and the Slugs. I'm not sure where this will end up, as I was never a card-carrying member of their fan club. When this came out in 1980, I was in high school, and there's nothing stronger than the opinion of a teenager who has an opinion - and my opinion of what I heard on the radio was a very strong "meh." The band's brand of quirky new wave (which, in years to come, would be branded ska, but don't quote me on that, as musical genres aren't my strong suit) just wasn't my thing. Give me rock, or give me Gordon Lightfoot. Yeah, that's another story for another time.

Nostalgia is a wonderful thing. Here I am in the basement, spinning the album for my first ever listen, and I'm at their big hit, "Too Bad." I'm sitting here tapping my feet, bobbing my head and singing along to words I never realized I'd actually stored away in my long-term memory.

I'm actually really enjoying this. So far, I'd have to strongly disagree with my teenage self. I was wrong. This stuff is really good. The test was going to be when I flipped the record over. "Chinatown Calculation" was a song I remember liking for the guitar riff and groove, but not really caring for the song. I drop the needle, and it opens up with the groove. After the warm-up from side one, I'm actually in the mood to get slimed.

The last track just finished, and I'm a little perplexed, as I'm having to re-evaluate some long-held beliefs about what sucked and what didn't from my youth. Now, full disclosure, it's not like I've never heard some of these songs before. I picked up Slugcology 101 many years ago - mainly to get some of the band's later songs - but I didn't really spend a lot of time with that one.

The band never really cracked it wide open, but they were a staple of Canadian rock for a long time, and if you're not from around here, you've probably never even heard of the band. Sadly, Doug Bennett passed away in 2004. He was only 52.

I'll admit I got more than my dollar's worth on this one, and the copy wasn't too beat up. It cleaned up nicely and had the liner notes. I may actually cut out my slug ears and see if it actually makes a difference.

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