 Book Reviews: AUG 2024
The small advertisement in the back of my brother's Creem Magazine read: "MUSIC THAT MATTERS! Support the Underground. Dead Kennedy's, Black Flag, Crass, D.O.A., Circle Jerks and many more!" I could support the "underground" for the princely sum of 50 cents mailed to a place called "Toxic Shock" in Ponoma, California. I had heard of the Dead Kennedys and Black Flag. I hadn't heard of the other bands. What would I get for my 50 cents? Would I get anything? What was "Toxic Shock" anyway? If the other bands were as good as Black Flag what would I have to lose? Several weeks later, I received a printed catalog roughly 10-13 pages in length. The catalog listed punk records by label. Each band got a sentence or two describing their sound. I found out quickly that the descriptions of bands were mostly spot on. Therefore, the Toxic Shock catalog served as a record guide and a catalog. They also sold t shirts, and punk zines and even accepted cash as long as it was well hidden ("we're honest folks but sometimes the mailman....") saving me the extra money changed for getting a money order. My journey into punk rock moved to high gear. The Book "Toxic Shock Records -Assassin of Mediocrity" details the rise and fall of Bill Sassenberger's record store/label Toxic Shock. Toxic Shock started as a brick-and-mortar record store, which expanded to a mail order store and record label. Toxic Shock was started in 1980 in Ponoma, California. A second branch of Toxic Shock was attempted in New Orleans before the final move of the store to Tuscon, Arizona.
 Toxic Shock (later rebranded "Toxic Ranch") specialized in selling independent punk records at a time when many of these records were hard to find. If were you were looking for records from the likes of Conflict, Rudimentary Peni, and Flux of Pink Indians, and didn’t have a good record store near where you lived, Toxic Shock was the most reliable retailer available (back then even a 'good' record store didn’t necessarily carry a large selection of punk rock) Punk rock in the 1980's was not the money-making proposition it is today (e.g., Epitaph records, Fat Wreck Records...). Even when records were moving briskly, Toxic Shock often had trouble making the rent.
"Toxic Shock Records- Assassin of Mediocrity" is as much a personal manifesto of how music can change a person’s life as a story of the history of record store/label. Sassenberger's journey to punk rock record store/label owner began through Yippie activism while working at a head shop (what they call a "smoke shop" today). Listening to standard rock fare at the time – album rock- his life was changed by punk rock bands such as the Dead Kennedys, X, and Black Flag. As ridiculous as it may sound, while such a change in musical tastes might seen trivial today, but in those days could get one beat up. Punk rock seemed to be a continuation of 1960's activism.
Sassenberger thew himself into the D.I.Y (do it yourself) ideology with the enthusiasm of a true believer. In addition to running the Toxic Shock record store the Toxic Shock record label released highly regarded albums by the likes of Sloppy Seconds, Zero Boys, The Hickoids, The Stupids, Decry, Raw Power, House of Larger Sizes, Dayglow Abortions, Corrosion of Conformity, and Datura Seeds (among others). If a band was released on Toxic Shock records you could count on them being pretty good. He also organized tours for several bands on his label and went on the road with several of them. Touring with punk bands circa 1990's -2000's is a comedy/tragedy of low paying lousy gigs, stolen equipment, transportation issues, and occasionally great shows which are recalled with wit and blunt honesty. Any musician who has ever gotten in the van to "tour" will instantly relate to these accounts. I really regret missing Raw Power when they played in Austin. For the life of me I cannot remember why I did not go. Sorry, Bill.
"Toxic Shock- Assassin of Mediocrity" isn't just about bands. Sassenberger met his future wife Julianna at Toxic Shock records. Julianna played in several bands including Skinner Box and Insulin Reaction; both great bands that I had forgotten about. Unfortunately, Julianna suffered a stroke in 2011. Sassenberger’s devotion to his wife before and after the stroke is very touching.
As the saying goes, no good deed goes unpunished. Toxic Shock records closed its doors in December 2013. The immediate cause was a landlord dispute and Bill's need to spend more time with his wife during her recovery from her stroke. However, with the change from "underground" music from "art" to "commerce", Toxic Shock was no longer a money-making proposition (not that Toxic Shock was ever rolling in the dough even in their gravy days). Ultimately, commerce will almost always defeat art; although art can occasionally put up a hell of a fight. Assassins of Mediocrity indeed.
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Toxic Shock Records - Assassin of Mediocrity: A story of Love, Loss and Loud Music (Fluke Publishing)