NEW YORK DOLLS
attitude of the
-inspired raw riffs and the sleazy
known for their wild fusion of
punk rock band
are a seminal
members
Larry May
Vocals
Matthew Odietus
Guitar
Willy Johns
Bass
Sergio Ponce
Drums, Vocals
Raw Punk Rock Legends of the ’90s Underground
Emerging from the gritty underground scene of the 1990s, they quickly established themselves as a fierce and unforgettable force in punk music. Their lost album, Moronic Pleasures: The Saga of the Lost Candy Snatchers, recorded in 1997, tells a unique story of creative passion and frustration. Intended as the follow-up to their acclaimed debut, this collection of fiery, untamed tracks was shelved after guitarist Matthew Odietus rejected the final mixes, feeling the guitar sound didn’t meet the band’s high standards. Despite successful recording sessions with the explosive lineup of Larry May, Matthew Odietus, Uncle Willy Johns, and Sergio Ponce, the album was buried for more than 20 years due to perfectionism and studio setbacks.
Following several attempts to revisit the material, the band released Human Zoo in 1998, but fans who had heard the original Moronic Pleasures sessions always sensed something rawer and sleazier was missing. Thanks to the dedication of loyal fans and collaborators like Dan-O Deckelman and Dennis Kane, these original recordings have now been remixed, remastered, and officially released for the first time. Moronic Pleasures captures The Candy Snatchers at their peak — relentless, raw, and unapologetically punk — offering a powerful glimpse into a band that was truly ahead of its time. After two decades in obscurity, this long-awaited album finally lets the world hear the gritty, untamed energy that defined The Candy Snatchers’ sound and legacy.
Discography
The Candy Snatchers
Safe House
TRACKLIST
1. She's Gettin' Loose
2. Yeah You
3. Well I…
4. Motion
5. Nightcrawler
6. Fed Up With You
7. This Town
8. Sympathy Trip
9. Haunted Road
10. Turnin' Blue
11. Matty's Room
12. Sauced Again
13. It's Too Late
14. Why I Drink
15. Whisperin' Wind
16. Tomato Man
Human Zoo!
Go-Kart Records
TRACKLIST
1. No Time To Waste
2. Color Me Blood Red
3. If You Can't Have Fun, You Ain't No Fun
4. Burn It To The Ground
5. Treda Douche
6. Hard Up
7. 30 Grams To Life
8. Hooligan
9. Real Thick Head
10. Drunken Blur
11. Gone For Good
12. Killin' My Buzz
13. Pain In The Ass
14. Such A Fool
15. Pissed Off, Ripped Off, Screwed
15. Moronic Pleasures
Down At Delilah’s
Drug Front Records
TRACKLIST
1. A Message For All Our Listeners
2. The World Is Wrong
3. Huffer
4. Dead Wrong
5. All The Way To Denver
6. 9.1.1
7. Doin' Time
8. Ashamed
9. It's On Me Now
10. Run Jive Turkey, Run!
11. You're So Beige
12. She's A Real Asshole
13. Debtor's Prison
14. Me & Uncle Willy
15. Me & Uncle Willy (Slight Return)
Moronic Pleasures
Hound Gawd! Records
Taking their name from an obscure, bizarre, and trashy 70's horror flick late one night after drinking heavily, THE CANDY SNATCHERS formed in 1992 in Virginia Beach. They are a mix of 60’s garage, the Detroit sound and late 70’s punk with the energy and intensity of any hardcore band. Besides the insanity that ensued as soon as they hit the stage — breaking bottles, cutting themselves with the glass, blood everywhere, setting the bass on fire while being played, drums were routinely collided with and obliterated — the band played amazingly well, with great songs in the vein of the Dead Boys, early Misfits, Radio Birdman and The Saints. The bands end was because of the passing of guitarist and co-creator, Matthew Odietus in 2008. His death marked the end of the 16-year band as we know it, and left the rock ‘n’ roll community reeling.
In 1997, with explosive new drummer, Sergio Ponce, they had written an impressive amount of new songs and were ready to start tracking them to tape for their second album. The first attempt to capture the magic took them to Compactor Studio in Brooklyn, NYC, with Paul Johnson engineering. Nineteen (19) songs were laid down with 17 planned for the new album titled «Moronic Pleasures» and two («Bum» and «You Want What») slated for a 7” single. The 17 album tracks were given only a rough mix and dubbed onto cassette for the band to review; the two 7” single tracks were given a proper, final mix and sent to the record label for pressing. After they did the basic tracks, Matt went back and played a second rhythm guitar and solos pretty much the same way: from song to song without stopping the tape. Vocals, same thing. Larry belted out one song after
another. They simply played the songs from a setlist. Then they mixed and off they went. For some inexplicable reason that has gone to the grave, Matt rejected this session. Later he told, he was unhappy with the guitar sound.
The second attempt to record was a quick stop at Andy Slob’s basement studio in Cincinnati, Ohio, while they were on tour. The band was supposedly unhappy with the overall sound and rejected these sessions as their new album. With both attempted sessions rejected, the band eventually headed back to NYC with Dean Rispler at the engineering helm to re-record most of the songs for the THIRD time. This final session became their second album now titled «Human Zoo». The album was released in 1998 and the previous «Moronic Pleasures» session at Compactor Studio was forgotten for 20 years.
«Human Zoo» rocks L.A.M.F, but «Moronic Pleasures» as recorded at Compactor Studio is the Candy Snatchers at their zenith. The performances are stronger and the feel of the songs is sleazier.
TRACKLIST
1. No Time To Waste
2. Color Me Blood Red
3. Pissed Off, Ripped Off, Screwed
4. If You Can't Have Fun, You Ain't No Fun
5. Burn It To The Ground
6. You Make It Hard
7. Hard Up
8. Hooligan
9. Real Thick Head
10. Gone For Good
11. Killin' My Buzz
12. Run You Down
13. Fresh Rag
14. She Sure Can Blow
15. Such A Fool
16. Moronic Pleasures
17. Ass Casserole
18. Bum
19. You Want What
