Illegal Foreign Object

Born from the ashes of New York hardcore/metal/comedy act Ludichrist (well, kind of), Scatterbrain leaned hard into the comedic side of the band’s tunes and released Here Comes Trouble in 1990.

At the time, I was a 13-year-old, Gary Larson-worshipping, MTV-devouring, RIP and MAD Magazine-reading metalhead. For a moment in time, Here Comes Trouble became my favorite album. Having put fresh ears on it, I can say that the album holds up in 2023.

Scatterbrain wasn’t a new band, per se. Here Comes Trouble was recorded as Ludichrist, but after catching a wave of PMRC-fueled b.s. from Conservative Christian record distributors, the band decided to change the name of the band. Here Comes Trouble was the best-recorded album the band had released to that point — seeing it buried by a bunch of close-minded jackasses because it was on a small label didn’t make sense. Scatterbrain figured it better to leave that fight to Ozzy, Slayer, and Dee Snider.

Lyrically, most of Here Comes Trouble is hilarious. Singer Tommy Christ has the gift of gab (and his gab shouldn’t be taken too seriously). “I’m With Stupid”, a song about growing an extra head (Headamorphosis, y’all) after mocking God, is typical of the album’s lyrical content. The song is also a fair representation of Here Comes Trouble’s musicality — it cooks! Jumping back and forth between jangly speed metal, power chord majesty, and funk bass interludes, “I’m With Stupid” successfully tackles four subgenres in one song. “That’s That” is more of the same, vacillating between funk rock, thrash, and Suicidal Tendencies tribute band.

You wouldn’t be wrong if you came away from Scatterbrain’s Here Comes Trouble thinking you heard a blenderized version of “Good Time Boys”-era Red Hot Chili Peppers, “I’m The Man”-era Anthrax, and Cheech & Chong. Speaking of the comedy duo, Scatterbrain covers “Earache My Eye” to silly success.

I don’t know what it was about the late-’80s and early-’90s, but that time resulted in several “funny” metal bands. Faith No More, Fishbone, M.O.D., S.O.D., Primus, Infectious Grooves, and the previously mentioned Anthrax and Red Hot Chili Peppers all rolled up their sleeves and got goofy now and again. Remember that “Apple Pie” song by White Trash? Man, whatever happened to those guys?!

Still, despite humor working its way into several subgenres of rock, under the best circumstances, Here Come Trouble was destined to find its way into the Sam Goody cutout bins. That’s where I found it when I scooped it up. It’s tough to mix comedy with metal, regardless of how damn good the album is. The majority of the thrash metal-listening fanbase, for better or worse, took their bands very seriously back then. It’s unfortunate because Scatterbrain was a great band with killer chops. “Down With The Ship (Slight Return)” mixes Van Halen, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Woody Woodpecker, and Metallica into a two-and-a-half-minute medley of madness. It’s a frantic, delightful romp (as is the band’s cover of Mozart’s “Sonata #3”), but nothing on Here Comes Trouble tops the powerful narrative voice of “Don’t Call Me Dude”.

I’m being serious.

Thanks to a smattering of airplay on MTV’s Headbangers Ball, “Don’t Call Me Dude” became the tiniest of cult classics among crate-digging metalheads. The song, a glorious trainwreck that mixes doo-wop, chicken pickin’, thrash metal, and narration into a tale of heartbreak-fueled insanity, is the band’s finest moment. It’s a ridiculous story — it’s also borderline comedy genius.

Here Comes Trouble is one of those albums I played at a loud decibel while sharing many happy moments with friends. It was the soundtrack to several skate sessions, random hangs, and long walks to nowhere. That it isn’t widely remembered by the metal masses is of little importance to me. I remember it (and the memories that come flooding back to me when I play it) — that’s more than enough for me.

Track List:

1. Here Comes Trouble 9/10
2. Earache My Eye (Cheech & Chong cover) 8/10
3. That’s That 8/10
4. I’m With Stupid 8/10
5. Down With The Ship (Slight Return) 8/10
6. Sonata #3 (Mozart cover) 7/10
7. Mr. Johnson And The Juice Crew 9/10
8. Goodbye Freedom, Hello Mom 7/10
9. Outta Time 7/10
10. Don’t Call Me Dude 10/10
11. Drunken Milkman 8/10

Grade: 81