Tranzmitors + Guests!- The American, Vancouver, BC: April 11, 2026

 

 

Opening for the Young Fresh Fellows in Vancouver was, the Tranzmitors who are comprised of many veterans of the local rock scene. I don't believe they've released a full album of new material in almost 20 years, but there was a promise of a new record and along the way there's been singles and even a collaboration with Lisa Marr, from CUB for a 7"er in 2019. The lineup of the band that played the American on April 11th, included a few former-Smugglers including guitarist, Nick Thomas. The day of the show, the local music paper, Georgia Straight, featured an article about Thomas that covered a lot of material, along with a brief history about the bands he's performed in. An interesting, informative read from a really good publication (I wish Winnipeg had a decent local music paper!) that also published a couple of pieces a day earlier about, Kurt Bloch and the Young Fresh Fellows (it mentioned the 1991 Hoodoo Gurus/YFF Winnipeg show/incident I wrote about last post), all written by Allan MacInnis (he writes a great blog). The blog has a review of the show with much more pro photos.

 

  

What caught my attention with the Tranzmitors set was the promise of special guests, Grant Lawrence and Andrew Molloy. I would consider the Smugglers and BUM, two of my favourite Canadian bands, who released some truly classic albums, Selling The Sizzle and Wanna Smash Sensation . It was through the Popllama mail order catalog that I first heard about BUM and ordered WSS, based on the fact it was produced by Kurt Bloch and the Smugglers, In The Hall of Fame CD. Hearing some of those songs again with Lawrence and Molloy backed by the Tranzmitors was definitely a highlight. I would love to see a BUM/Smugglers show in the future and I would seriously consider traveling back to the West Coast to see it!

 

 

The recording turned out okay, the vocals were a little hard to make out at times, but mainly it sounds good. Overall, I'm glad I recorded the set! Unfortunately, I'm not familiar enough with the Tranzmitors to know the names of some of the songs on their setlist. If anyone can figure out the song titles (tracks 2-5, 7), it would be greatly appreciated. Looking forward to coming back to Vancouver in the near future, it's been too long!

Enjoy!

 

 

Please do NOT sell or profit from this recording!

Do NOT convert to lossy formats, except for personal use.

Please share!

 

 

TRANZMITORS
The American
Vancouver, BC
April 11, 2026
Audience Master

Sony ECM-DS70P mic> Tascam DR-07> SD card > 16 bit Wav>
Direct Wave MP3 splitter> FLAC> rar

01. Dancing In The Front Row
02. Post Atomic
03. Round And Round
04. Mod Shop
05. Blame In Oni Boy ?
06. Beating Up My Heart
07. Easy Inside
08. Look What You're Doing To Me
09. Instant Kool Ayd (BUM)
10. Your Disciple (BUM)
11. <banter- Grant Lawrence>
12. To Serve, Protect And Entertain (The Smugglers)
13. She Ain't No Egyptian (The Smugglers)
14. Stay with Me (The Dictators)

Special guests:
Track 9, 10- Andrew Molloy- lead vocals
Tracks 12, 13- Grant Lawrence- lead vocals, Beez- backing vocals
Track 14- Molloy, Lawrence, Beez

 

TRANZMITORS- 2026-04-11 The American, Vancouver, BC FLAC Master. rar

The Suitesixteen- Mine Would Be The Sun

 

 

When I first heard the album (CD), Wanna Smash Sensation by Victoria, BC's, BUM, it was love at first listen. The songs were catchy, the guitars were crunchy and the songs were amazing, not just a few, but the whole album! It really was a revelation, I regard this album as one of my favourite records of the 90's, maybe even of all-time. Whenever I listen to the album (which I still do consistently), it never fails to put a smile on my face. During the next year, I saw the band twice, bought their 7" singles and their follow-up CD's, I Am Superwoman and Shake Town- Live! and the band broke up. Actually, co-founder, guitarist vocalist, Rob Nesbitt left the band within a year of Wanna Smash Sensation's release and the band limped along briefly without him and released their final record the little known (and underrated), Make It Or Break It released in Spain (vinyl only) with Nick Thomas from the Smugglers on guitar. 

 

Purchased Wanna Smash Sensation through Popllama's mail order. That and The Smugglers CD.

Thanks to Scott McCaughey for the advice! Excellent show!

 

 After Nesbitt left the band, life went on. The band has reunited a few times since reuniting in 2014 for the Rifflandia festival in Victoria, guitarist Andrew Molloy released a great record with his band Budokan and Rob Nesbitt has been writing and recording material for a new project. Nesbitt's "project" is 25 years in the making and 16 years of work that was finally released this January. Mine Would Be The Sun is a concept album of songs he had written about a girl he spent his teen years obsessing about, a one-sided romance, call it self-therapy. This proved to be an epic obsession!

What we have is sixteen tracks from The Suitesixteen, Rob Nesbitt's career defining moment comulating on two discs of vinyl packaged in an incredible presentation. For the full experience, you must get the ultra-deluxe limited edition of this record and apparently, there is only 500 physical copies available. I can't honestly say I've even seen (or owned) such a lavish package with a triple gate-fold housed with two LPs, 45 rpm for the finest possible sound quality and a 52 page full colour book. The book and the gatefold is the highest quality and with it's meticulous detail it's obvious no expense was spared to make this a very special and one of a kind item. The book includes 15 pages of handwritten lyrics and photos taken at the sites where the events occurred on the album beautifully shot by Nesbitt's wife, Wendy. The package reads a lot like a coffee-table sized (autobiographical) memoir with a very cool soundtrack. The album is also available digitally on The Suitesixteen Bandcamp page that includes a high res pdf version of the book and you can sample the tracks before purchasing.

The album speeds fast out of the gate, side one could easily be mistaken for long lost tracks from BUM. It shouldn't come as a surprise the melodic pop-punk sound of BUM is evident throughout, which is a good thing because if you're a fan like me I've long missed the sound of this great band. It's an updated version of BUM with perhaps a more mature sound, depth and wider musical range. A Very Well Known Secret and My Wife, Doom, Singular, Fate are pure power pop, That Sweet Ache is a great pop song and Us In Pure Sound is pure punk and all the songs sound fresh and crisp. This isn't a lo-fi vanity bedroom project, the album sounds great, you can hear the attention to detail in the sound recorded at the JC/DC studio in Vancouver and Nesbitt's house with Rob doing all the vocals and most of the guitar work. He had help in the studio with several musicians including the likes of David Carswell from the Smugglers on guitar (who co-produced) and John Collins and Graham Watson (from BUM/Smugglers) on a couple of tracks. This album is completely an independent release. No record label, no grant money or fundraising, this album is completely funded with Nesbitt putting most of his life savings into the project. It's interesting how you change the way you listen to something once you realize what the subject matter is all about. Normally, I rarely listen closely to the lyrics of songs, but after reading the book and reading more about this project, I can't help listening to this story in a whole different way. Nesbitt claims that 98% of his songs even with BUM were about her.

 

For more insight about The Suitesixteen (aka: Rob)/Mine Would Be The Sun, I recommend this excellent article, "Why It Took Musician Rob Nesbitt 25 years To complete His New Album", written by (Smuggler/CBC-er) Grant Lawrence for the Vancouver Courier which includes an interview with Nesbitt. This album is clearly a leading candidate (personally) for the "best of the year" for 2020 and hopefully more people actually hear this record. I know there are fans of BUM that read this blog and trust me this is one of the best records I've heard in years and you won't be disappointed! Please spread the word and share this post.

Enjoy!

To purchase- The Suitesixteen- Mine Would Be The Sun

*Digital album (FLAC, mp3...) @ thesuitesixteen.bandcamp.com

 

*Ultra-deluxe limited vinyl edition (is not available in stores!) - contact Rob directly @ thesuitesixteen@hotmail.com 

 

Oh Canaduh!

The tribute to (belated) Canada Day continues with a fine compilation, Oh Canaduh, which features some excellent bands from Canada, the US and beyond (Japan). Cover songs from bands from the late 70's and early 80's Vancouver punk scene, such as DOA (Disco Sucks), K-Tels (I Hate Music), Modernettes (Won't Have To Worry) and Viletones (Screaming Fist).

Many of the bands on this compilation have been featured here on Teenage Dogs, so you know I appreciate this collection. I'm not certain, but I think most of these tracks are/or were exclusive to this release, so it makes this even more special and essential. A fine soundtrack to your Canada Day (or Independence Day) and the rest of your summer!!
Enjoy!

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Oh Canaduh! (1996)

1. Teengenerate - Top Down
2. Bum - Screaming Fist
3. Lord High Fixers - Fuck You
4. Tonics - I Hate Music
5. Young Fresh Fellows - Disco Sucks
6. Smugglers - What Do You Want Me To Do
7. Al Perry - Fun While It Lasts
8. Fastbacks - Won't Have To Worry
9. Supersnazz - I Don't Like You
10. Evaporators - I Can't Puke
11. Man Or Astroman - Eisenhower & The Hippies
12. Onyas - I Don't Give A Shit
13. Cryin' Out Louds - Now I Ain't Got No Face
14. Stupes - American Bandstand

VARIOUS ARTISTS- Oh Canaduh!. rar

Bum- Wanna Smash Sensation!

They may not be a household name or you might not even know who Bum is, and that's really too bad. This record seemed to come out of nowhere when it was released in 1993 on the Popllama label and I might not have ever discovered this record if it wasn't for the catalog update newsletter from Popllama Records I received with an order. Without ever hearing the band (since there was no Internet "song samples" or myspace), I took a chance on this CD because I got a good deal pairing it with The Smugglers, In The Hall Of Fame (the only other Canadian band on the label) and the fact it was produced by Kurt Bloch from the Young Fresh Fellows and the Fastbacks. Note to power punk/pop fans: any album that is produced by Kurt Bloch will be great!...I'm just saying.

It might be an overstatement, but in some way this record changed my life. At around this time I was pretty much into a lot of pop/punk rock, particularly the Bay-area, Lookout Records or bands that played at Gilman St. Bands such as the Mr. T Experience, J Church, Wynona Riders, Jawbreaker and early Green Day all performed more of a melodic pop-punk style that I thought was too good not to heard by the mass, and really only Green Day cashed in when it did catch on and became mainstream. I also listened to a lot of Seattle bands, mainly the ones that weren't really grunge, but the ones that were more catchy and power-poppy (YFF, Fastbacks, Flop, Hazel, Posies, Stumpy Joe, Dharma Bums (Portland), Pure Joy, Sicko etc.). My point is, I'm so amazed Wanna Smash Sensation didn't receive the attention or half the success all these other bands enjoyed. I think this album came out before Green Day's, Dookie and that record definitely broke things open. Bum was so under appreciated and obscure, when I saw the band when they came through town back in 1993/94 (?), I was maybe one of a half a dozen people in the bar and when they came through again a month or so later (coming back across the country on tour) there was more people, but it was cheap draft night. A great live band and I was lucky enough to have the privilege to see them in a small empty bar...a wonderful memory! The best part was chatting with the band after and getting them to sign some 7" ers, very down to earth guys and it's a shame they never gained the success they deserved. I heard they were bigger in Spain and a good document of their live show is their "live in Spain" CD, Shake Time! (which I posted a while back and the download link is still active!)
Enjoy!

BUM
Wanna Smash Sensation (1993)

1. Debbiespeak

2. Your Disciple

3. When She Walked

4. Eternal Ideal

5. Wedding Day

6. Bent on Being Bent

7. I Hardly Breathe

8. Mallory

9. Instant Kool Ayd

10. At the Well

11. Promise Is a Promise

12. I'm Not One

13. No Idea

BUM- Wanna Smash Sensation. rar

Bum- Shake Town!

Happy Canada Day!!
I thought as a tribute to this great day (and mid-week day off from work), I should post a truly great piece of Canadiana, but since I don't have any Gordon Lightfoot, Guess Who or Nickelback (thank goodness!) available, instead I will post something from one of my favourite Canadian bands, Bum. Their best known album, Wanna Smash Sensation was and still is a underappreciated gem, if you're into indie-powerpop from the early 90's, this Victoria, BC band blasted it's way into my record collection with several 7"ers, LP's and CD's, many of which were released in Spain. Instead of posting WSS (you can download it by clicking the link), I'm posting their hard to find live CD, Shake Town!, which I think I bought through mail-order from Midnight Records back in the day.

For some reason many bands have had a big (if not bigger!) following in Spain more than in their home countries. Bands that come to mind are the Jayhawks (who reunited their mid-90's lineup there) and Jonathan Richman, while several bands have recorded their live albums (and toured extensively) in Spain, such as Young Fresh Fellows, Model Rockets, Smugglers and Bum. Bum's live album called Shake Town was recorded at the Revolver Club in Madrid, Spain on May 27, 1994, more than 15 years ago. This recording is a fine example of their energetic live show and showcases what a fun and powerful band Bum was live. I had the pleasure of seeing them in a small club twice and though both shows were poorly attended the band still put on a killer set. After both shows I had a chance to talk to the band and get some 7"ers signed...nice guys and a great band!
(For Bum's 7"ers, the blog, Wilfully Obscure has posted a collection on his site...very recommended!!)

BUM
Shake Town!
1. Debbie Speak
2. I Wanna Be
3. When She Walked
4. Instant Kool Ayd
5. Lift Up Your Hood
6. Wedding Day
7. 1983
8. Why Go Out Your Way
9. Eternal Ideal
10. A Promise Is A Promise
11. Hi-C Half
12. Your Name Was Next To Mine
13. I Hardly Breathe
14. Mrs. Rock-n-Roll
15. Sea And Sand
16. Depression

download: BUM-Shake Town! .rar