Can of Pork

Can of Pork
Compilation album by Various artists
Released April 1992
Recorded July 10, 1990-January 1992 at Art of Ears Studios in San Francisco, California;[1] March 1992 at Dancing Dog Studios in Emeryville, California[A]; January 1992 at Westbeach Recorders in Hollywood[B]
Genre Punk rock, ska punk, hardcore punk, pop punk
Length 70:18
Language English
Label Lookout! (LK 44)
Producer Andy Ernst, Kevin Army, Fat Mike[B]
Lookout! Records chronology
The Thing That Ate Floyd
(1989)		 Can of Pork
(1992)		 Punk U.S.A.
(1994)

Can of Pork is a compilation album of various punk rock artists. It was released on two 12-inch vinyls and one CD in April 1992 through Lookout! Records (LK 44). The vinyl version came with a booklet of lyrics and photography and the CD version features information on contacting the bands and a detailed description of the compilation's production. Since its release, Can of Pork has been cited by Lookout! Records itself and fans as an important album and has been regarded as a highly influential punk rock compilation.

Background, recording and production

In August 1990, Lookout Records owner/co-founder Larry Livermore and Chris Applecore, founder of the Puddle fanzine, had decided to make a compilation album of various artists.[1] Applecore contacted groups such as The Offspring, Cringer and Jawbreaker in October 1990, asking them if they wanted to record a song for a compilation album, all of which declined the offer.[1] In December, Livermore met Pat Hynes,[1] a U.C. student, artist and founder/publisher of the fanzine 2+2=5, and hired him to work for Lookout and asked him to get involved with the production of Can of Pork.[1] The two then contacted bands such as The Wynona Riders, Fifteen and The Mr. T Experience in February 1991 [1] and asked them to record songs for the upcoming compilation, all of which accepted,[1] and a deadline was set for April, which was eventually changed a number of times for 11 months.[1] Livermore, Hynes and Applecore came up with working titles for the compilation such as The Thing That Ate David (a reference to the previous Lookout! compilation The Thing That Ate Floyd (1989)), Lookout Avenue and This Is Why We Are the Smart Punx, all of which they decided they were not satisfied with.[1] Though in June, the three found out that David Hayes, owner of contemporary punk label Very Small Records, was to be releasing a double compilation that year titled Very Small World.[1] Because of this, they debated canceling the project, but ultimately decided to continue working on it.[1] From December 1991 to February 1992, Livermore was in England and left the production of the compilation to Hynes and Applecore.[1] The same month, Hynes and Applecore contacted the bands they decided on and went to record the compilation with Andy Ernst and Kevin Army at Art of Ears Studios in San Francisco.[1] After the recording process was finished, they finally settled on the title Can of Pork and Hynes began drawing the cover art.[1] Can of Pork was mastered by John Golden at K-Disc in Hollywood.[1]

Release and reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [2]

After a year and a half of production, Can of Pork was finally released on two 12-inch vinyls and one CD in April 1992 through Lookout! Records (LK 44). The vinyl version featured a booklet with lyrics and photography,[1] while the CD version only came with information on contacting the bands and a detailed description of Can of Pork's production.[1] It received mostly positive reviews from critics, with Allmusic rating the compilation 2 and a half out of 5 stars.[2] Since its release, Can of Pork has been regarded by Lookout! Records itself and fans as a highly important compilation album (the CD version features "An important compilational chapter of P-rock history" printed on the spine)[1] and has been cited as one of the greatest punk rock compilations of all time.

Track listing

Side one
No. TitleContributing artist Length
1. "Bad Trip"  Pounded Clown 1:54
2. "Trinidad"  Brent's TV 1:40
3. "Promise Is a Promise"  Lizards 1:48
4. "Evolution"  Engage 5:31
5. "Redneck Woman from Planet Mars"  Horny Mormons 1:50
6. "Get a Job"  One Man Running 1:49
7. "Kick Me in the Head" (written by Larry Livermore, Kain Kong, Tré Cool and Billie Joe Armstrong)The Lookouts 2:56
Side two
No. TitleContributing artist Length
8. "Void"  Anger Means 2:11
9. "Piano Song from Hell"  Krupted Peasant Farmers 3:41
10. "Whiners"  Preachers That Lie 1:39
11. "Sidetrack"  Porcelain Boys 2:51
12. "Hole"  Drippy Drawers 3:02
13. "Noble End"  Lagwagon 1:40
14. "Martian"  Rudiments 2:41
15. "The Future"  Rice 0:13
Side three
No. TitleContributing artist Length
16. "Learning How to Smile"  Blatz 1:51
17. "Parents Are Really Weird"  Jack Acid 1:39
18. "17 Reasons" (written by Jeff Ott)Fifteen 3:47
19. "College Town"  Jüke 2:18
20. "T-Shirt Commercial"  Mystery Experience 1:12
21. "Berthe"  The Vagrants 5:02
22. "Benicia by the Bay" (lyrics written by Aaron Cometbus; music written by Pinhead Gunpowder)Pinhead Gunpowder 1:47
Side four
No. TitleContributing artist Length
23. "North Berkeley" (written by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman)Downfall 2:25
24. "Break"  The Wynona Riders 2:47
25. "Dysfunction"  Spitboy 1:44
26. "Why Quit?"  Good Grief 2:05
27. "Other Day"  Freefall 3:24
28. "Two"  Sawhorse 3:31
29. "Vive le France"  The Mr. T Experience 1:20
Total length:
 70:18

Personnel

The Lookouts

Lagwagon

Blatz

Fifteen

Pinhead Gunpowder

Downfall

The Wynona Riders

The Mr. T Experience

Production

See also

Notes

  1. ^* The only song recorded at Dancing Dog Studios was "Benicia by the Bay" by Pinhead Gunpowder.
  1. ^^* "Noble End" by Lagwagon was the only song on Can of Pork produced by Fat Mike and the only one recorded at Westbeach Recorders.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 Can of Pork liner notes. Retrieved 2012-02-20
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Can of Pork review". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2012-02-20.