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:: Alcoholics Unanimous - Santa Claus DWI ::

Released in 1989 in a pressing of 500 on snow white wax, with a second edition of 300 on black vinyl and a different sleeve, Alcoholics Unanimous bring us this crusty holiday treat to accompany us while we swill our rum-laden eggnog and holiday gift booze. I’ve had a taped version for years until happily finding a copy of the first pressing buried in a box of crappy 45s the last time I sifted through the stacks at the Philadelphia Record Exchange.

Alcoholics Unanimous was formed by a few of the members of the Portland line-up of Rancid Vat in the late 1980s. Though I don’t yet own the rest of their output, I’ve heard some of it and it’s in the same vein as this single: drunken drinking songs devilishly doled out by drunks, with some pretty hilarious lyrics to boot. Dig the fine mental imagery that this verse from “Santa Claus D.W.I.” inspires: “Weaving through the clouds, driving pretty weird / Shit in his pants, puke in his beard / Cruising to the store for another case / Santa is the terror of outer space.” Shit, can someone loan me a million bucks so I can make this song into a movie?

The record was produced by the 450 pound guitarist for Poison Idea, Tom Roberts (a.k.a. Pig Champion). There’s a great insert included with the record, A.U.’s Ten Commandments of Drinking, for which I still need to buy a frame and hang on my wall. It’s so great I’m including it here for your enjoyment and edification.



There are also funny liner notes provided by band member Whiskey Rebel, in which he reminds us of all the reasons to groan at Christmas time – the wasting of drinking money on gifts for boring relatives, having to spend the day with said relatives, the onslaught of torturous Christmas TV specials and receiving sweaters. I’ll drink to that.


Phil

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