When will Urgh! A Music War be released on DVD?

[Symarip]

Apparently there's a ton of red tape because video contracts in the early 80s didn't include the possibility of new mediums like DVD. Thus, having to renegotiate with the bands would be a logistical nightmare. Sadly, this great documentary of the here-now of music in 1980 will never see the light of day.

[gmoney]

1. Yeah, IRS had the worst lawyers in rock...

Even though IRS had some of the best bands, they so completely fucked up their catalogs that a huge percentage of their stuff remains unavailable. The record says A&M, but a lot of those bands were IRS.

I'm not sure some of those bands would stand the test of time though... didn't Jools Holland do "Foolish I Know" on that? Great tune... and one of the later XTC live performances, before they stopped.

Maybe someone Rhino or someone will surprise us though. Some version of IRS is slowly adding tracks to iTunes.

[Symarip]

3. Tell me about it

It's really kind of sad. IRS was the break out for alot of the 80s that didn't suck. Urgh is a prime example of that. No wonder by the mid 80s all their talent were jumping off their label like rats swimming from sinking ship.

While some of their catalogues can and has been negotiated, I doubt Urgh in it's entirety will ever be re-released in any video format. Kind of sad.

[Eyerish]

2. I saw a website distributing a DVD of it...

I was going to get it for my brother for his birthday. We have it on beta (yeah yeah I know) but I don't know if there's a way to convert it.

Edit to Add Link http://www.urgh-dvd.com/urgh-on-dvd.html
Not sure if they are on the up-n-up but thought it was interesting...

[Tikki]

4. Yes, yes, I know, an oldster....but we were there and it was fun and

amazing...
The LA venue...Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
August of 1980...
And I remember most X, The Cramps, The DK's,
Suburban Lawns and The Alley Cats...we really went
to see the showcase of the local groups...

It was full to capacity..

This is the official T-shirt...at least for LA. I still have it and wear it.



What I, also, remember most was this taped looped declaration heard over and over while we were all in line:

"Attention, attention...by entering this premises you are allowing your likeness
to be used in a major motion picture..."...some voice like Claude Bessey or someone.

Anyway...it was fun and we are glad we went.


The Tikkis

[Symarip]

5. Wasn't there an Urgh concert at the Whiskey, as well?

The Oingo Boingo footage looks exactly like The Whiskey.

[Tikki]

6. I think so...it went on for two nights at SMCA...

We had tickets for the first night and I can't
remember if Wall of Voodoo played the second night or on the Strip.

Also, the Go Gos played somewhere for Urgh!.

I just noticed that on the ticket stub it called the show 'the
1st Urgh! A Music War'....I don't believe there were any more shows in
following years..

Tikki