Fear Of Smell

So I’ve always loved this compilation since first reading about it. I didn’t read an MRR review of it, probably because Sam was a columnist at the time and there was a weird rule that you couldn’t talk about other columnists (which may still exist – I haven’t really read MRR in years). I was always intrigued about the cover – why were they all done differently? What the hell is up with the art? Was there an idea or theme supposed to go with this? Why the fuck is Infest on the same comp as Nation Of Ulysses (well, duh, because they’re both awesome).

It took me a few years to actually get a copy; I had heard about it sometime in 1993 or maybe it was 1994… distros weren’t what they are now. Plus by the time you’d hear about something it was sold out. I was sure this was the case. Ah well, I’d make do.  In fact I’d make do without hearing or seeing a copy for about 4 years. After moving to Austin Texas, I ended up trading John Lund (guitarist in Pisspoor, and later joined the army and became the subject of a Society of Friends song) for it. My side of the bargain was the MDC split with Capitalist Casualties and the Son of Bllleeaaaurrrghhhh 7″ on grey marbled vinyl. Maybe it was purple. We’re talking close to fifteen years ago now. Never looked back. Well, I do still need a copy of Son of Blleeeaaaarrrggghhh or however you spell it.

That’s how I came up with my copy. Of course, that’s how we all got records pre-ebay. Now stories of getting records include last minute sweaty palms typing in random values and hoping you’re not outbid.

Never mind that bout of old-man syndrome. I got access to a record collector board (the long-dead HRPS) and someone started a thread about the Fear of Smell covers. People posted. I posted mine. Someone collected a bunch. That board died, and I though, shit. That was a great resource – I have this webspace that I’m not doing shit with, I should put it to use. So I did. Then I let the hosting lapse the next year. Oops.

A couple years later, the domain brokers lost interest in robotvsrobot.com so I rebought it. Of course, my back up of the site didn’t have the database info – which was all the posts. Fuck. So I’ll re-create them as best I can. Feel free to e-mail me if you want to contribute. E-mail images to dietsociety@yahoo.com with Fear of Smell or something like it in the subject so I don’t trash it. Enjoy. Oh yeah, if you’re ebaying a copy let me know. I’ll grab the images as well.

Fear of Smell Ad c. 1993

[Recollection of original introduction, previously posted in July 2007]