Descendents Kick off Milo Goes to college Reissue Campaign
Descendants in Baltimore photo courtesy of ©dickslaughter.com
The art of reissue or remastering in the music industry is often nuanced and characterized by differing intentions. Some artists reissue albums in the hope of continuing a trend of popularity; others do so in the hopes of redistributing a project that originally sold poorly. In the case of Milo Goes to College, the mission is simple: preservation, access, and introduction.
Originally released in 1982 on New Alliance and SST Records, Milo Goes to College is often associated with a large historical footprint within the world of punk. One that outscales that of any Sasquatch prints anyone has ever seen, and this is due to the record's ambitious and influential ability to fuse hardcore with catchy, almost pop elements, ushering in a new creative outlet for the genre. Often, the record is cited as one of the very first pop punk records, in addition to being a tight, caffeine-infused, snotty display of hardcore attitudes. The record has known very little of limitations in terms of influence, being featured on Rolling Stone’s “40 Greatest Punk Albums of All Time,” Spin’s “50 Most Essential Punk Records,” and Pitchfork’s “200 Best Albums of the 1980s.”
Milo goes to PRB—Photo Courtesy of ©dickslaughter.com
Now, the band, partnering with Org Music, has announced the highly anticipated, mouth-watering, thoroughly lusted-over reissue of Milo Goes to College, available September 19th on LP, CD, and cassette. The restored record marks the beginning of a long and extensive reissue campaign. One that is full-heartedly centered on preservation rather than nostalgia, although that fact might play an unspoken part in the hearts of many fans who will be waiting in line to pick this up. This mission's intent is to allow access and a physical reintroduction to the music that made the band staples in the first place. Allowing physical media to persist and the music of Descendents to be accessed and preserved by those who hold this album just as sacred as the band. Too often, precious art is lost to the furnace of time, burnt and never to be seen again. This dramatic scenario is one that has sadly faced many punk groups, with lost EPs, singles, and albums that can never see the light of day again, either lost or destroyed. In essence, the reissue campaign is an extension of preventing that scenario.
Descendents at Riot Fest 2024—photo courtesy of Paul Holstien
The reissue is to be introduced with a variety of exclusive editions and formats. Among these editions and formats is a limited “Punk Note” edition featuring alternative packaging by John Yates (Steal Works), inspired and influenced by the designs of Reid Miles and Francis Wolff, two men who helped define the Blue Note Jazz Label. Each “punk note” title includes new liner notes by BrooklynVegan senior editor Andrew Sacher and is housed in a deluxe case-wrapped jacket.
LIMITED/EXCLUSIVE VARIANTS:
Punk Note Edition (silver vinyl)—Org Music exclusive
“Suspended Gold” LP — Descendants Exclusive sold out
Pink LP—Zia Records exclusive
Smoke LP — Rough Trade exclusive
“Statue of Liberty” LP — Going Underground Records & Seasick Records exclusive
Black LP with Exclusive Obi Strip — Celebrated Summer Records
“Coffee” Cassette — Tapehead City exclusive
