Besides demos, one of my favorite musical forms in the world is the four- or five-song debut EP. Like
- R.E.M. – Chronic Town
- The Buzzcocks – Spiral Scratch
- Joy Division – An Ideal For Living
- Fall of Saigon – EP (thanks Andy)
Shivers. Anyway, I’m going to compile all the good first EPs I can think of and find. The strictures are: the EP must proceed a first LP, although not necessarily a first single; the genre is ‘not world, folk, or hip-hop;’ the time period is 1976-1996. I’m on the fence about including awesome short demos, like New Order’s Western Works session. Leave suggestions in the comments. And George, don’t worry: they’re all going to have covers.
I write screenplays, books and push software; I'm a collector and indoorsman. If you have a Masonic scepter or a copy of the Boyd Philadelphia Blue Book (any year), drop me a line.