Pink Section (MP3s)

I can't tell you much about Pink Section, a San Francisco art punk band existing from 1979 to 1980. Pretty much the only thing about them I knew was that they were playing shows with the Inflatable Boy Clams back in the day. However, that was good enough reason for me to try and track down all their recorded output, and I was not disappointed by the 10 tracks I found. Since their recordings do not seem to be available commercially, I thought I'd share them with you. Enjoy.

MP3s: Shopping | Tour of China | | Wine World | Midsummer NY | Flat Dog | Part Time | Francine's List | Jane Blank (live) | Francine's List (live) | Been in the Basement 30 Years (live)

There is also a YouTube video of Pink Section playing in Portland in 1980. And if you like this stuff, you should definitely check out Fatty Jubbo's post on Silver Abuse.

Comments

[R]

I actually found a Pink Section LP (presumably their only release, given the fact that they were rather short-lived) in a thrift store a few years ago. I thought they were from Seattle, since according to the liner notes, that's where they recorded the album, and that's where their label was based.

There's not much else to be gleaned from the liner notes, other than a couple of photos of the band looking very new wavey, with the girls in cocktail dresses and the boys in suits and sneakers. The credits are as follows: Mr. Todd - Guitar, Bass, Vocals; Judy (Gittisohn) - Vocals, Synthesizer, Keyboards; Stephen Wymore - Bass, Guitar, Synthesizer, Vocals; Carol Detweiler - Drums, Vocals. Released in 1980 on Modern Records.

[Liz B.]

Thanks Lukas! I love Pink Section, discovered them in the record stacks of my old college station in CA. Nice to get the tracks here. FYI, the name Pink Section refers to the "Datebook" events listing section of the Sunday SF Chronicle/Examiner (it's printed on pink paper, hence the nickname).

[Kosten Koper]

KILLER band. One of the best from that era. Inflatable Boy Clams were formed by Judy & Carol of Pink Section after the band broke up. They released one (yes, just one) 7" (Subterranean, 1981) which is jaw-dropping. So... yes... you have posted the entire PS recorded output from discog as follows : 'Tour Of China' b/w 'Shopping' 7" (Modern, 1979), the three live tracks are from the compilation 'Can You Hear Me Music From The Deaf Club?' LP (which also saw recorded debut of The Dead Kennedys) (KBG, 1979) and the rest are from 'Pink Section' 12" mini-LP you mentioned (Modern, 1980). Now where did i put my cigarettes...

[devoislies]

Judy and Carol from Pink Section were also in Inflatable Boy Clams (as well as Longshoremen). There is talk of a cd release with unreleased songs.

[Mike H.]

I had some of these songs on a mix tape someone made me years and years back...damn these MP3s sound good. I love these songs! Thanks.

[Steven Brown]

Great sounding band. Had these tracks on my MP3 player this morning on the way to work and listened again and again to each song. Excellent!

[Matt Heckert]

Thanks for posting these- I was the guitar and sax player in Pink Section. Haven't heard these in years. I think I still have the vinyl around but just never have gotten them out.
It's true Carol and Judy went on to form the Inflatable Boy Clams after Pink Section split. They were great.
I have some MP3s up on my site of stuff I have done in the ensuing years.
www.mattheckert.com there's a tab at the bottom for MP3s and video. Also some video on YouTube- lookup Sfzia75

thanks for all the nice comments people made and thanks for WFMU!

[Deran]

So very cool to find these mp3s. I loved Pink Section, they played at Roscoe Louie's and the Showbox (I think it was still the Talmud Torah then?) in Seattle several times. Thanks!

[Kiwi Ro]

Hey

Great to hear these again. As the New Zealand music scene had no choice but to be underground (tiny poulation, no cash, no system), we went the whole hog and most good shops had world wide selections, esp US stuff. Which is where I scored "Can You Hear Me?" and first heard Pink Section, Black Flag, already knew the Dead Kennedies from the "Too Drunk to F***" single. We Kiwis are a pragmatic and phlegmatic bunch - first time my ma heard that one, she noted that it was hardly a revolutionary new idea, which clipped the rebel wings a bit, but it led me on to a whole new musical world, which I later found was also being influenced by NZ bands like the Chills, Verlaines, Toy Love, the Clean, the Bats etc. Global village, small planet.

[Buddy]

I found this web page by mistake and I love it! I found a 12" vinyl EP of Pink Section as one of the few records I actually saved from this bygone era ad looked on the web to see if there was anything about the band! The EP has Wine World, Midsummer New York, Flat Dog, Part Time, and my all time favorite FRANCINE'S LIST! This song still gets a laugh out of me after all these years! Saw this band in Seattle way back when, and thanks for the memories!

[Judy Gittelsohn]

Hey - thanks so much for posting these. It is great to hear them and on the computer!!! - wow

Best,

Judy

[Steve Omlid]

I was a HUGE fan of Pink Section back in the day (I was in college then); I saw them many times and owned all of these records. I offloaded all of my old vinyl years ago, so it's been ages since I heard any of this. Thank you so much for posting all of these! It makes a guy pushing 50 feel like a kid again.

[Pontiac De Lamour aka Stephen Wymore]

Those that remember and comment are truly the hardest of the hard-core and I salute you and WFMU .

The SF scene at the time of these recordings was amazing, in a city that doesn't exist now as it did then, actually Bohemian with a DIY spirit that was homemade and sounded like it! The Pink Section single was recorded in our apartment by the illustrious
Tommy Tadlock RIP who was a tech Guru to many. Pink Section did take it's name from the SF Chronicle but we always thought it had sexual and communist references as well filterd through our Cali comic sensibilities of the time, par example:

"I've been thinking and the Sha's a jerk, my times open for some volunteer work"
from Jane Blank

I had totaly forgotten about that song and it made me laugh out loud and smile remembering it. The Red Brigade remember them? Italian terrorists were much more stylish and cool then the ones we have today. Jane might have a rough time hooking up with the Taliban now...hmmmmm.... or this could be part two for Jane after her relaease from the slammer....can anyone say remix

"Asked why, Jane replied, I HAVE MY MIND!"

"I know there's a big future for me, I can be cowboy on Chinese TV!"
Tour of China
I was just in Beijing and believe me it is going to happen for someone

Pontiac