A Christmas Album to bring in the cheer!
BALL & CHAIN
Ball & Chain is a San Fernando Valley–bred punk rock band that’s been bringing loud guitars and sharp hooks to Los Angeles since 2005. Formed by Charles Bunce, former bassist of After School Special, the band blends classic punk energy with a pop-punk edge. Their holiday release, A Very Special Ball & Chain Christmas, puts a fast, fun, and irreverent spin on beloved Christmas classics, transforming seasonal standards into high-energy anthems perfect for fans who like their holidays a little louder.
AFTER SCHOOL SPECIAL EXTRA CURRICULUM
Way Too Lame
Way Too Lame by After School Special is a newly compiled release that brings together the band’s earliest recordings in one definitive package. For the first time, their first two EPs — The Adam Baum EP and The Existentialist Blues EP — have both been reissued and packaged together as a single collection.
In addition to the standard release, a double CD edition is also available, offering expanded content for collectors and dedicated fans.
Lost Episodes
Lost Episodes is a collection of unreleased recordings from After School Special. The compilation brings together demos and tracks originally intended for an EP that was never released—until now—offering fans a rare glimpse into the band’s creative evolution.
In addition to the standard release, a double CD edition is also available, offering expanded content for collectors and dedicated fans. This special edition provides a rare opportunity to experience the band in a live setting.
Self-Titled
Back in 1997, After School Special released their only full-length recording on the Mutant Pop Records —a near-perfect, 30-minute blast of melodic punk rock. Despite never playing a single live show, the band built a devoted cult following that has endured for nearly three decades.
This release marks a significant milestone for fans and collectors. Originally available exclusively on CD, After School Special’s self-titled is now being reissued for the first time on vinyl, alongside an expanded double CD edition.
Wrong EP
The classic 1997 After School Special Wrong EP on Mutant Pop Records is back—temporarily. The last 152 copies were recently discovered in the depths of the Shoe Hutch basement, and these copies come with brand new sleeves, including an updated write-up by Mutant Pop head honcho T. Chandler. Once these copies are gone, there won’t be any more, so grab one while you can.
A quarter-century after it was recorded, Something To Do Records will release a 12-inch vinyl record by the band Ed Banky's Car, titled "Meanwhile in Grand Prairie, Texas." The 12 songs, originally recorded in 1996, have been remixed by premiere punk rock engineer/producer, Davi Pacote at Hill Valley Studio.
Ed Banky's Car was a mid-1990s punk rock band from the suburbs of Dallas formed in 1995 by two brothers, Matt and Bobby Riggle. The band was known for energetic live shows, often in public parks, and distinctive cartoons on their albums and flyers, drawn by Bobby Riggle. The band ended in 1997 after Bobby's death, from an unknown cause, at age 20. Matt Riggle went on to play in the band 41 Gorgeous Blocks.
Alongside the album release is the publication of a book titled, "Meanwhile in Grand Prairie, Texas: An Oral History of Punk, Art & Grief in Mid-'90s Suburbia," which contains the artwork of Bobby Riggle and a chronicle of the band.
“Ed Banky’s Car and Bobby Riggle’s cartoons are a complete package. A time capsule of frenzied emotional adolescence and uncompromised promise. The entire world needs to experience it.”
- Benjamin Hall (comic book artist & illustrator)
Excerpts from the book:
“Nowadays we all read books and oral histories of, say, Black Flag and how they set the stage for so many bands. But that's how we felt about this band. Ed Banky’s Car really did set everything in motion.”
- Chris Spurrier (Fido’s Revenge)
“This was when local bands would rent out a community center or hijack electricity at a city park pavilion to play to other teenagers. Ed Banky’s Car always seemed to be one step ahead. They had some sort of magic finger-on-the-pulse thing going on that gave their music a unique edge.”
- Chad Huffman (Wonder Wagon, The Wallys)
“It was almost like a comedy act. My sides would hurt from laughing, then they’d bust into a song and I’m dancing my ass off in a circle pit. I had never seen anything like it before and haven’t since.”
- Mandy Britt (friend)
In 1997, Ed Banky’s Car released their only 7" EP, I Don’t Even Like Coffee. The record had a small pressing and quickly slipped into obscurity. Years later, 100 copies were unearthed from Matt Riggle’s closet, and when we put them up for sale, they sold out quickly. Fortunately, all six tracks have been remastered by Josh Roman at Mind Rocket Recordings and are available for your listening pleasure on our Bandcamp page.
Mom’s Basement Records, in collaboration with Something To Do Records, has revisited the legacy of 41 Gorgeous Blocks with Anyhoo: Some Songs From ‘99 To Now, a retrospective collection that highlights the band’s recordings from 1999 to 2010. Along with fan favorites from earlier releases, Anyhoo features three newly recorded tracks mixed by Davi Pacote. The CD edition offers an additional treat for collectors, including five bonus tracks unavailable on streaming platforms such as Spotify.
The album artwork, consistent with the band’s long‑standing visual aesthetic, features the distinctive illustrations of Bobby Riggle, the late brother of vocalist and guitarist Matt Riggle. The two brothers previously played together in the band Ed Banky’s Car, which dissolved following the sudden and tragic death of Bobby Riggle. In the aftermath of his brother’s passing, Matt Riggle went on to form 41 Gorgeous Blocks.
Also worth noting, the album cover’s pea‑ (or puke‑) green color serves as a deliberate homage to Somery, the 1991 compilation album by California punk icons the Descendents. This connection carries even deeper meaning, as two members of 41 Gorgeous Blocks co‑directed Filmage: The Story of Descendents/ALL, the acclaimed 2014 documentary.
PHASE 3 of our Bandcamp series HAS BEGUN!
The Phase Two LP features Volumes 16 - 30 of our Bandcamp digital series.
Ole at Ole Art has once again delivered stunning artwork for this release. Like Phase One, this compilation brings together tracks from our Bandcamp singles series, Something To Do Music For Something To Do People. The series features a brand-new, previously unreleased song from a different artist each month, all released on the same day every month.
By the time we started putting together Phase Two, it was undeniable — and not exactly subtle — that these compilations were directly inspired by the two Just Add Water comps from the ’90s. The influence runs deep and has been a defining force behind this project from the very beginning.
Phase Two brings together a standout lineup, including The Budweisers and The Travoltas, alongside bands that appeared on the original Just Add Water compilations, such as Scooby Don’t and Sonic Dolls.
it's time to say "Long Live The Koopas!"
The Koopas, originally from Sisbee Texas, were a short lived pop punk band,
active from 1999 - 2002, They cranked out 27 killer songs in those three years, all of which were originally scattered over various projects. However, Moms Basement Records has partnered with Something To Do Records and
remastered all 27 songs and finally released them properly on a limited
numbered CD.
