“There ain’t no difference between a flying saucer and a time machine…. People get so hung up on specifics they miss out on seeing the whole thing.”
Miller, from Repo Man
Where to start? This is a decidedly “lo-fi” album of a soundtrack to a quirky “cult” film that featured aliens, punk rockers and the great Harry Dean Stanton as a deadpan “repo man.” Want more? Otto, played by Emilio Estevez, learns that his stoned-out parents have donated all their money to a televangelist, and hits the streets, only to be enlisted by “Bud” (Stanton), to “repo” a car. Otto learns the ways of the “repo man,” but gets mixed up in a plot to seize a car with dead aliens in the trunk, collides with rival repo gangs and men and women “in black” (a/k/a the government). He also hangs with an assorted cast of punksters, low-life criminals and a somewhat grimy oracle of the repo lot – Miller- whose job is to clean out the repossessed cars. Miller has uncanny insights into this world and the next. (“The more you drive, the less intelligent you are.”)
The film, written and directed by Alex Cox, was produced by Michael Nesmith (yes, that Michael Nesmith). As a theatrical release, the film made little impact. But the soundtrack drove the film’s re-release and later success in the early home video market. And, it’s a killer.
Iggy Pop sings the title track, and various punk bands contribute tracks, including Black Flag, the Circle Jerks and Suicidal Tendencies. If you are unfamiliar with this music, it is a potent mix, and is as good a sampler of the hardcore punk scene as any.
The original album was released on San Andreas Records, an imprint of MCA that featured a logo of the famous fault line:
The soundtrack includes Chicano-tinged surf music from The Plugz[1] and a Peter Gunn-style riff on Pablo Picasso by the Burning Sensations. Combined with some first rate hardcore punk, this one will keep you amused.
This record is not meant for critical listening. It’s the kind of music you crank up when you are in a mood. And watch the film if you’ve never seen it. It may change your life.
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[1] Another band that captures this sound is Los Straightjackets, a crew of first-tier Nashville session guys clad in Mexican wrestling masks who play rockabilly versions of television show theme songs with a Mexican-surf vibe. They are brilliant on stage: only one member addresses the audience- in fake Spanish.