Bag People formed in 1977 in Chicago before relocating to New York. The short-lived no wave band burned bright and faded fast. In the febrile, highly creative NYC scene of the late ’70s, they became known for their fiery live performances but never managed to release a full-length album. Now, Drag City—home to Ty Segall, among many others—steps in to release »Bag People«, an archival album of tracks that had never seen the light of day. The recordings fizz and crackle with the raw energy, noise, and sheer sonic intent of their time. This album feels like both a time capsule and a portal to a chaotic era of rock music you didn’t know you were missing.
Notably, Bag People’s lineup features longtime Swans bassist Algis Kizys, alongside irrepressible vocalist Diane Wlezian, guitarists Carolyn Master and Gaylene Goudreau, and drummer Pete Elwyn. Together, they create a dissonant, often jarring, spittle-flecked scree of sound that sweeps the listener up in its serrated guitars, yelped vocals, and manic energy. Opener »Fire God« lands like a collision between early Sonic Youth and classic Stooges. »Dead Meat« delivers earworm riffs and snarls with snot-nosed rage, while »Parade« slows things down into a grinding, almost menacing take on their noisy formula. Despite the decades that have passed, the record never feels like a patchwork of forgotten scraps. While the tracks have clearly been remastered and cleaned up, the album could just as well have been released in its original era. If you’re craving a slab of vintage noise rock, you can’t go far wrong with this record.
Bag People
