IRVING KLAW TRIO/ WHAM-O/ UNION POLE

good question! saw the Trio twice around 10 years ago, they were great both times.

here's a review of a 2004 solo album:

http://www.bagatellen.com/archives/reviews/000520.html

I heard from him not long ago! He lives in Japan.

seems the entire union pole cassette discography is now available as a single $1 download

http://www.unionpole.com/cassettes.html

a label from a bit before my time which I've heard and read good things about in old copies of Muckraker, Bananafish, etc, but never properly explored. i know some of these artists, but any particular recommendations?

Mark's 'Regressing' is great.

http://unionpoletapes.bandcamp.com/album/up20-regressing

I also like Tony Green. His song on 'A Large Bottle of Gallo' is excellent.

http://unionpoletapes.bandcamp.com/album/up26-a-large-bottle-of-gallo
http://unionpoletapes.bandcamp.com/album/up16-greatest-hits

God Is My Co-Pilot's tape is good, I think that's the only one I have. Paste was good too iirc.

Wow. Great to see all this stuff made available again. My teenage tastes were heavily informed by Union Pole (and Jeff's zine Wooly Bugger), Shrimper, EF Tapes, and Chocolate Monk. My favorite Union Pole releases are Prick Decay 'Cuba, Planet Cuba', Climax Golden Twins S/T, and the great New Bad Things offshoot Wallpaper's 2 tapes.

I had never heard of this band/label/guy, but I discovered what has to be a deep-state Pavement easter egg on this album (…and It’s not the track with “Pavement” in the title, though that sounds like an homage, too):

https://unionpoletapes.bandcamp.com/album/the-pinup-king-up06