The Dishrags
Three (Supreme Echo)

Titled Three because it presents the original trio lineup of the Dishrags—Jade Blade, Dale Powers, and Scout—this is an essential release for anyone who cares about first-generation Vancouver punk, all-girl rock bands, or early punk in general.

It begins with the Vancouver Complication recordings of “I Don’t Love You” and “Bullshit”—vital slashes of nasty teenage girlishness that rank among the scene’s best tunes. Also incorporated are original studio recordings of “Past Is Past”, “Tormented”, and “Love Is Shit”, from their first single; and there’s one song from Gary Taylor’s Rock Room that was previously released on that Love/Hate Dishrags retrospective CD, now out of print.

The real excitement, however, comes from previously unheard (and excellent-sounding) live tapes from a 1978 show at the Windmill and a 1979 concert at the Commodore in which the Dishrags opened for the Clash, covering “London’s Burning” while Joe Strummer and company danced in the wings. Highlights include a tough, entertainingly spazzy vocal from Powers on “High Society Snob”. That song segues into the Ramones’ “I Don’t Wanna Walk Around With You”, which is rewritten to end with “I ain’t gonna fuck you!”

Lovingly assembled by Supreme Echo with a booklet packed with cool photos, liner notes, gig–poster reproductions, and a 1976-1979 gig chronology, it’s not to be missed.