A Taste of the Oil Tasters

I love buying random albums, placing them on the turntable, and discovering interesting sounds that I would have never found without the luxury of access to cheap used vinyl! This was the case with Oil Tasters' 1982 self titled LP on Themidor Records. Their music is difficult to categorize and thats what makes the band's sound so interesting. If I HAD to pinpoint the Oil Tasters sound, I would call it a blend of post-punk and new wave, with heavy dose of brooding saxophone riffs. Since I had no real idea what the record would actually SOUND like in the store, I relied on the album's cover as it quickly struck a chord with my dada loving sensibilities. The cover features a random single tire set against a brightly colored backdrop with bold typography. Simple, mysterious, and eye catching, all while not really saying anything specific. Hailing from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, The Oil Tasters appear to have a bit of a cult following and were a local favorite in the early 80's. I am featuring three of my favorite songs from the album, as well as highlighting some of the band's gig posters as designed by their drummer, Guy Hoffman. Dig it!