ok, regan, you win

looks like i'm gonna be foregoing the next coupla weeks at doc's in order to own big beat (u.k.)'s double cd get rational, which compiles early singles and rarities by detroit garage kings the rationals, a band i've loved since finding their one self-titled album on crewe records in a bargain bin for 99 cents ca. '71. some of this stuff was included in their legendary "fan club album," which made it as far as the acetate stage back in '66 and was never released, although it's been circulating in bootleg form for years. i have the fan club album and some other early acetates on a cassette that i got from rationals frontman scott morgan, but i figure that tape won't last forever and i've gotta have that music, if only because the rats' cover of "smokestack lightning/inside looking out" has special significance for my sweetie 'n' me. big beat is planning a second volume to include the crewe album, and _someone_ is supposedly gonna release the fan club album on vinyl. we'll see.

ADDENDUM: from the motor city music archives, here's a 1970 creem article on the rats.