Old-school Tampa emo band Pohgoh — part of the punk subgenre's second wave — always has surprises to share during the holidays. This time last year it was the a new song as part of a new Jobsite Theater production and today it's the news that Pohgoh will re-release its 1997 debut album, In Memory Of Bab, on New Granada records.
A 20th anniversary release, or the fact that it's being handled by New Granada Records (which was co-founded by Pohgoh frontwoman Susie Richardson-Ulrey and her husband Keith), should be no shocker, but a new addition to the record is.
For the first time ever, In Memory of Bab will include the song "Friend X," which first appeared on a 1997 compilation Emo Diaries Vol. 1 alongside tracks from Jimmy Eat World, Jejune, Samiam and more.
"Basically, we signed the song away for Emo Diaries for two years," Keith explained in a message to CL. "When we said it was going to be lead-off track on album we were reminded that we couldn't use it until after two years, so we excluded it from the album."
The song was intended to be the opener on Bab, and it finally is on this version set for release on 200 pieces of clear 180g vinyl.
It's also the first time the effort — recorded in December 1996 and June 1997 by Greg Marchak at Audio Lab Studios in Tampa — has been on vinyl (it was originally released on CD via Orlando's Outback Entertainment Group).
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The artwork has also been re-imagined by Lakeland artist Bump Galletta, and the release will include five previously lost tracks (four songs from WFMU 99.1 New Jersey (1996) and "Friend X" recorded live at Chicago's Fireside Bowl in 1996). The bonus tracks were mastered by Frank Calcaterra of DieAlps!.
"We wanted to do something special to celebrate our only full length release," the band wrote in a release. "We included 'Friend X,' as originally intended, as the lead-off track as well as restoring the 10 minute improvisational jam at the end of "Westerberg" (included on the download version, not vinyl, as it would not fit)."
Visit New Granada Records to order it online or call your local record store to see if it has the release. See more below.
This article appears in Dec 14-21, 2017.