BloodLust!: Intrinsic Action - CBGB - T-shirt + Hoody + Tote

Intrinsic Action CBGB
New T-shirt, Hoody and Tote

Intrinsic Action played at famed NYC music venue CBGB a few times, and our last appearance there was kind of a strange one. We were initially booked for Saturday October 15, 1994, but as had happened before, we were bumped from that bill and shifted to a lineup on Friday November 18. I think we were paired up with Drag because they were an industrial band from Chicago that had a connection to Ministry. Sacred Addiction was a post-punk leaning rock band that played around NYC at the time. More surprising, as I'm a huge fan of Blue Öyster Cult, was that we followed The Brain Surgeons, a new band launched that year by Albert Bouchard, a founding member of BÖC. That just didn't quite compute, but I was definitely pleased to share that stage with them, even if our music was at odds. I still have my copy of The Brain Surgeons' debut CD, "Eponymous," which was released earlier that year.

I don't remember it being a remarkable show, for us, and it certainly wasn't a particularly friendly or easy bill for us to be on. It was our last show of the year, and following one more show the following spring, Angel, Megan and I launched BLOODYMINDED. I have a recording of the show, which definitely sounds solid, though. And loud! Typically, if you had a sound engineer at CBGB record your set, you got a very high-quality board recording. I also recall that they charged an arm and a leg to do so. I suppose it was a lucrative way for them to supplement their paycheck. Listening to the tape as I type this, I can't hear much audience interaction (heckling), compared to what we were used to, especially for a crowded Friday night at CBGB. Not surprising, really, since it was such a diverse bill. The best part is probably how well the recording picked up Megan screaming on "Mantra." I'm planning to release recordings of select Intrinsic Action shows, so maybe this one will make the cut. Songs from prior CBGB shows ended up on our "Manhattan Power Surge" single (also on the "Peepland" CD), as well as on the CD re-issue of "Bad Jack."

As soon as we finished playing you can hear Ozzy Osbourne's "Diary of a Madman" over the PA. I've heard far worse choices of music during tear-downs, over the years. Looking at the ad that I clipped from the Village Voice, it's also cool to see that our friends Crisis played there the night before. And on a fitting side note, one of my favorite albums of 2020 was Albert Bouchard's "Re Imaginos," which only came out in November, but which I've already played, a ton.