Long-running punk rock tricksters The Dickies are back, and they’re looking back as well.

Earlier this month, the current lineup of the band released a red vinyl 7-inch coupling a brand new recording of their hilarious and massively popular title song from the 1988 cult horror/comedy film Killer Klowns From Outer Space, backed by fresh assaults upon two primal Dickies favorites, “Give It Back” and “Silent Night.”

KILLER KLOWNS: https://cleorecs.com/products/the-dickies-killer-klowns-red-7-vinyl-ep?_pos=1&_sid=22489d610&_ss=r

And it’s joined today by a tumultuous take on “Gigantor,” caught live in 1980 and setting the scene for What Once Was, a live album that founder Leonard Graves describes as their best concert recording ever!

Featuring the original line-up of Leonard Graves, Chuck Wagon, Billy Club, Karlos Kaballero and Stan Lee, What Once Was was recorded live at Euphoria Tavern, Portland, on March 13, 1980, and captures the band tearing through highlights from their first two albums, The Incredible Shrinking Dickies and Dawn of the Dickies, released on A&M in 1979.

It’s as breakneck a performance as you could imagine, with The Dickies powering through uniquely manic versions of favorites “Give It Back,” “You Drive Me Ape (You Big Gorilla)” and “Hideous,” alongside their unforgettable covers of Black Sabbath‘s “Paranoid,” the Moody Blues’ “Nights in White Satin,” plus monster hit “Banana Splits,” “Eve of Destruction,” and so much more!

All wrapped up in an original cover painting from pop-surrealist master KRK Ryden, who has also designed artwork for Michael Jackson, Aerosmith, Tyler The Creator and others!

First, however, “Gigantor” – not only the band’s latest single but also their current release at the time this show took place, the latest in that manic stream of ferocious 45s that, by way of introducing the Dickies to the world, included all of the above and then some.

GIGANTOR: https://orcd.co/thedickies_gigantor

With precedents that date back to the mid-1980s cassette-only (!) We Aren’t The World, this is not the first live Dickies album.  But Graves reckons this is the best of them all.  

“I’ve never been that happy with the live recordings that have been released over the years. That is to say, until we happened upon this. The sound quality is fine and the performances are spot on. 

“If anyone asks me about a Dickies live record, this is the one I recommend.”

And it’s hard to argue with that!

CD/VINYL: https://cleorecs.com/search?q=the+dickies+what+once+was
DIGITAL: https://orcd.co/thedickies_whatoncewas

Track listing

1. Anna from Texarkana
2. Hideous
3. I’m OK You’re OK
4. Give It Back
5. The Sound Of Silence
6. Poodle Party
7. Waterslide
8. Infidel Zombie
9. Nights in White Satin
10. Gigantor
11. Curb Job
12. You Drive Me Ape (You Big Gorilla)
13. Paranoid
14. Rondo the Midget’s Revenge
15. Banana Splits
16. Eve of Destruction