A Record Collector's Guide

Sicko might not appear to fit with the rest of the bands featured on this site.  If that's what you're thinking, well...you may be right.  I don't care.  I like them, and have for many years now, so I am putting them on here.  Sicko really did perfect the art of the pop-punk sound.  They had some fantastic releases while they were active, and some highly collectible ones as well.

V/A - For a Longer and Better Life - A Compilation 7"

Top Drawer TDRU-1, released 1992

Includes the Sicko song "fB Song"

The inaugural Top Drawer release was also the first Sicko appearance.  This was not coincidental.  The label was run by Ean from Sicko.  The other bands featured on this comp were Bone Cellar, Shag, and Sore Jackson.

Count Me Out/Broken String b/w Kathy's Dance/fB Song

eMpTy MT-209, released 1993

Four songs of pop-punk fun.  eMpTy Records.  Translucent black vinyl, easy to find.

Mr. T Experience/Sicko Split 7"

Together Tonight b/w 80 Dollars

Top Drawer TDRU-3, released 1993

Pop Kid PKD004

eMpTy MTR-372, released 1998

Another solid single - this one had several different versions.  It was originally released on Top Drawer.  I am not sure how many copies were originally pressed.  However, 50 of those copies were licensed to Pop Kid Records.  These copies had the same sleeves as the Top Drawer release, with the addition of the Pop Kid logo stamped on the backs (see below).  They also came with Pop Kid catalogue inserts.  The single was later re-released in 1998 on the eMpTy label.  All copies were on translucent black vinyl.

Top Drawer Insert	Pop Kid Stamp	Pop Kid Insert
Top Drawer	eMpTy

You Can Feel the Love in this Room LP

eMpTy MT-268, released 1994

Sicko's first album is very good.  They got better.  It was released by eMpTy on black vinyl.  Still a pretty easy and inexpensive find.  The vinyl contains an alternate version of the track "Pain in the Ass" (not listed on the sleeve).  This version of the song can only be found here.

V/A eMpTy Records Sampler Vol. 1 CD

eMpTy, released 1994

Includes the Sicko tracks "Kathy's Dance" and "Along the Way"

This comp was the only place to find "Along the Way" until the Brief History of Sicko CD came out.

V/A Viva la Vinyl LP

Deadbeat DB 05/Campground CR 04, released 1994

Includes the Sicko track "Weight of the Sun"

This comp was the only place to find "Weight of the Sun" until the Brief History of Sicko CD came out.  Black vinyl, as far as I know.

V/A 13 Soda Punx LP

Top Drawer TDRU-8 CD, released 1995

Munster MR 077 LP

Includes the Sicko track "Pain in the Ass"

Solid compilation released on Top Drawer, with the vinyl rights licensed to Munster.  There is some really good stuff on here in addition to the Sicko track.  There's a great cover of the Cars' "Best Friend's Girl" on here done by Cub.  I never got the connection between Cub and Sicko, but apparently, the bands were close.  Maybe it was the bond from being pacific northwest bands running their own labels outside of the grunge scene.  Sicko covered Cub's "Little Star," and Cub covered Sicko's "fB Song" at one point as well.  This comp was the only place to find this version of "Pain in the Ass" until the Brief History of Sicko CD came out.  Black vinyl.

Laugh While You Can Monkey Boy LP

eMpTy MT-306 (CD), released 1995

Munster MR 079 (Spain)

Sicko's second album is on par with the first.  eMpTy licensed the vinyl rights to Spain's Munster Records.  It has a printed inner sleeve with lyrics on it.  Black vinyl.

V/A Teenage Kicks 10"

Custodial, released 1995

Includes the Sicko track "Lady"

This comp was the only place to find "Lady" until the Brief History of Sicko CD came out.  Black vinyl.  Came with a zine insert - each band did their own page.

Chef Boy R U Dum LP

eMpTy MT-315 (U.S. CD), released 1995

Munster MR 094 (Spain LP)

This was an excellent album.  The first two are very good, but this one was the first that Sicko put out that made me keep going back for repeated listens.  Munster had the vinyl rights for this one as well.  The Japanese CD version of Chef Boy R U Dum had a bonus track - "80 Dollars" from the Mr. T Experience split single.

V.M.Live Issue #16 - 3/23/96

V.M.L. V.M.Live-029, released 1996

This was part of V.M.L.'s live series.  Sicko's performance was recorded at the Fireside Bowl in Chicago.  The label had a policy of pressing enough of these to meet demand so that the price never really rose, so we have no idea how many were actually pressed.  It's not too hard to find.  Black vinyl.

V/A Joe Queer Presents More Bounce To the Ounce 2xLP

Lookout LK 154, released 1997

Includes the Sicko tracks "Escape Velocity" and "Hipster Boyfriend"

2xLP comp with a couple of good Sicko songs on it.  "Hipster Boyfriend" subsequently came out on the You Are Not the Boss of Me! LP.  However, this was the only place to find "Escape Velocity" until the Brief History of Sicko CD came out.  Black vinyl.

Three Tea b/w Last Word/Steven

Mutant Pop MP-18, released 1997

Killer KILL 009

There are lots of fun variations of this single.  It was originally released by Mutant Pop in 1997.  Mutant Pop based the sleeve design on the standard Sub Pop model.  The first 500 copies were on clear vinyl.  There were also 1000 black copies pressed at this point.  The label later (1998) repressed the record with a different sleeve (the second one above).  I don't know how many were made in the second run.  Killer Records, a Finnish label, released the single as well, on three different colors of vinyl.  First, they pressed 100 copies on brown vinyl, which had special hand-numbered sleeves with maroon logo text.  There were also 300 pink copies and 600 orange released by Killer.  These all had sleeves with red text, which were not numbered.  The brown copies came with a white paper lyric insert, while the pink and orange copies came with off-white inserts.

Mutant Pop Insert - 1st			Killer Insert - White
Killer Insert - Off-white

You Are Not the Boss of Me! LP

eMpTy MTR 359 LP, released 1997

This is easily my favorite Sicko album.  It is the most complete album, and the one I keep going back to when I am in the mood to listen to their material.  Almost every track on here is worth your time.  Released on CD in Japan on A Pizza of Death Records (one of my all-time favorite label names), and in the UK on Crackle.  Each of those versions had its own exclusive bonus track.  The Japanese version has a cover of the Husking Bee song "8.6", and the UK version has a cover of the Misfits' "Astro Zombies."  Both are amazing covers, so track them down if you can.  Black vinyl, not terribly tough to find, but it is becoming more difficult.

A Brief History of Sicko CD

Mutant Pop MP-518, released 2000

Neatly wrapping up Sicko's releases was this Mutant Pop CD, released in 2000.  It contains a lot of the tracks that the band had released only on singles or compilations, along with a recording of their final show from 1998 in Seattle.  It's a great disc, and it brought some closure to the seemingly abrupt end to the band's run.  It comes with an extensive set of liner notes, giving you as many details as you could possibly want about the 32 tracks within.