We are in Kansas still

One of the retrospective embarrassments I have with Rip It Up and Start Again is The Embarrassment  - the non-appearance of the Kansas (post?)punk group and their terrific 1980 debut single "Sex Drive". 

But during the original postpunk era, I'm not sure I'd ever even come across the group.  Their name and their music did not reach our side of the pond. 

Not sure how they actually swam into my ken but eventually they did a few years ago. I became quite addicted to "Sex Drive". 

Particularly enjoy the unusual drumming from Brent Giessmann, which has a curious flappy yet powerful quality that really drives "Drive" along. Its placing in the mix adds to the unusualness, like the drum kit is on a promontory of the stage jutting into the audience, so it's right up in your face.

I read someone somewhere describing this song as pure American punk with nothing English about it at all. 

Ah, now I remember - it was while researching Still In A Dream, the grunge chapter. I was reading an early edition of Sub Pop when it was a fanzine. So it must have been Bruce Pavitt. He was going through that transition common in underground US music, from utter Anglophile Noo Wavism to full-throated Anglophobia. Hence describing The Embarrassment as "all-American rock, nothing to do with effete Anglo crap".

However to my ears the guitar on "Sex Drive" sounds distinctly early Banshees. As though at least one copy of Join Hands had reached a Lawrence, Kansas record store. 

B-side "Patio Drive" also superb. 

Apparently, the Embarrassment genre-tagged themselves as "Blister Pop", which is neat.

A valuable corrective supplement to  Rip It Up arrives with the publication of No Choice but Action: The Kansas Postpunk Revolution by Darren DeFrain and Francis X. Connor. It's out now on University of Kansas Press.

Release Rationale: 

The Embarrassment. Get Smart!. The Moving Van Goghs. Micronotz. Truck Stop Love. These weren’t outliers. They were the beating heart of a vibrant, self-sustaining cultural ecosystem pulsing through Lawrence, Manhattan, Topeka, and Wichita. With no industry infrastructure to lean on, musicians built their own: basements turned into venues, cassette culture fueled DIY distribution, photocopied zines became lifelines, and word-of-mouth grew into a network strong enough to launch bands onto national stages. Additionally, Black Site has produced an essential audio companion album that includes twenty-four tracks of bands featured in the book. No Choice but Action challenges the coastal narratives by positioning the Midwest as a creative epicenter, not a cultural afterthought.

At a moment when conversations about how creator economy and independent artist culture thrives, this book offers fresh insight, rigorous scholarship, and a narrative accessible to both scholars and general readers.

There is also an album accompanying the book, released this very day by Black Site. 

You can hear the comp here: https://ncba.bandcamp.com/album/no-choice-but-action

release rationale;

Kansas postpunk from 1978 to 1994 wasn’t just music—it was a lifeline, a defiance of the ordinary, and a community built from raw energy and unapologetic passion. In small towns and underground venues across the state, bands created a sound and a movement that refused to go unnoticed. For decades, the stories of those bands—their late-night gigs, road trips, DIY recordings, and the bonds they forged—lived only in the memories of those who were there.

The "No Choice but Action" book started as a way to capture that spirit before it faded. It began with interviews, old fliers, photographs, and cassette recordings unearthed from basements and boxes. As the stories came together, what emerged wasn’t merely a history book—it was a testament to the grit and creativity that defined an era. The book became a love letter to the Kansas punk scene, an attempt to preserve the voices of those who lived it.

But something was missing. As much as the words told the story, it was the music that brought it all to life. The idea of pairing the book with a vinyl record felt inevitable. Postpunk isn’t just read—it’s felt. The compilation you’re holding is more than an accompaniment to the book. It’s a revival of the sound and attitude that made Kansas punk unforgettable. 

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the musicians, producers, and archivists featured on this album for their contributions to the Kansas punk rock scene. Your music not only defined a generation but also continues to inspire new audiences today.

We also acknowledge the support of Wichita State University, whose commitment to academic and cultural research provided the foundation for this endeavor, and more specifically, Joshua Smith, Gloria Esparza, Shaybree Haynes, Lucas Gill, and Joshua Cary for their assistance in the production of this album.

Finally, to the fans of punk rock—past, present, and future—thank you for keeping the spirit of this music alive. This album is a tribute to the DIY ethos, raw energy, and unrelenting creativity that defined Kansas punk rock.

We hope it serves as a time capsule, an invitation for further discussion, and a source of inspiration for generations to come.

Goodness, there was a whole documentary about the Embarrassment. But you'll have to watch it on YouTube as its age-blocked.

Ah, the guitarist Bill Goffrier went on to be in Big Dipper,  who I do remember from the Still In A Dream era. Quite liked the releases they had on Homestead but not as much as some other things on the label.