***Essential Styrenes Volume One is the first release in a four part-series of Double-7" EPs—a "Best Of" collection compiled from 35 years of recordings by a band that Rolling Stone once called "post punk before punk ever happened." PAUL MAROTTA formed THE STYRENES in Cleveland in early 1975 while playing in MIRRORS and ELECTRIC EELS. David Fricke wrote, "The Styrenes proved to be a crucial missing link between Sixties punk grunge and Eighties avant-rock—a rarefied smashup of raggedass psychedelia, proto-No Wave guitar noise, corkscrew jazz & pummeling freak rock." The eleven songs are programmed in chronological order. Disc one opens with the 1975 classic "Drano In Your Veins." Sounds from the garage, a monologue with music (with supplied text), and fast, rocking songs follow, including the often covered "Jaguar Ride." Disc two contains tracks that in 1979 had been scheduled for release as solo singles from Marotta and JAMIE KLIMEK, but did not appear until 1982, after The Styrenes had relocated to NYC. The set is packaged in a beautiful, tip-on, double-gatefold cover with art by the acclaimed Cleveland-based cartoonist and graphic-novelist/historian, DERF.