1983 The Angry Red Planet EP 7" Punk Negative Approach Necros Misfits KBD TSOL

$

159

ARTIST: Angry Red Planet
TITLE: The Angry Red Planet E.P. / Too Much Knowledge Can Be Dangerous
LABEL: Angry Red Records
RECORD GRADING: NM-
SLEEVE GRADING: NM-
NOTES: Super rare.  ____
All records ship both domestically (USPS Media Mail) and Internationally (USPS), and will be packed/protected like a pro with experience. 

Formed in Detroit in 1982, Angry Red Planet was a vital but often overlooked pillar of the Michigan hardcore scene. While their peers in Negative Approach and the Necros were codifying the ultra-aggressive "Midwest Hardcore" sound, Angry Red Planet—originally consisting of Tim Pakledinaz, his brother John Pak, and drummer Vince Delisi—carved out a niche for what fans called "intelligent garage-punk." Their 1983 debut, The Angry Red Planet E.P. / Too Much Knowledge Can Be Dangerous, was a self-released 7-inch on their own Angry Red Records that balanced frantic speed with surprisingly melodic sensibilities and sharp-witted lyrics.

The EP is defined by a quirky, high-tension energy that set them apart from the era's more monochromatic thrash bands. Tracks like "Mummy From Hollywood" and "Apathy" showcase a band that was as comfortable with a catchy, sing-along chorus as they were with a jagged, high-speed riff. The production, handled at Marz Productions in Royal Oak and pressed at the legendary Archer Record Pressing in Detroit, captures a raw, treble-heavy snap that feels like a caffeinated version of 60s garage rock filtered through a Reagan-era lens. The title track, "Too Much Knowledge Can Be Dangerous," serves as a mission statement for their cynical, cerebral take on suburban life.

In 1985, the band gained wider national recognition when they signed with the influential Touch and Go Records to release the Gawker’s Paradise EP. This follow-up refined their "slam-grass-adjacent" (in spirit, if not in sound) approach to punk, emphasizing social commentary and the absurdity of voyeurism in the modern age. By the time they released their full-length album, Little Pigs, Little Pigs, in 1987, the band had evolved into a tighter, more rhythmic unit. They were a constant presence at Detroit's Graystone Hall, bridging the gap between the city’s industrial grit and its long history of high-energy rock and roll.

Lyrics were always a focal point for the group, with Tim Pakledinaz writing songs that were often more observational than the typical "smash the system" tropes of 80s punk. They tackled subjects like Hollywood superficiality and the "zombie-like" nature of the general public with a smirk rather than a scream. This "smart-punk" approach won them acclaim in the pages of Maximum Rocknroll, where reviewers praised their ability to be "uncommonly intelligent" without losing their punk-rock teeth. They remained a DIY operation to the core, often hand-stamping their records and managing their own tours across the Midwest and beyond.

The legacy of Angry Red Planet lives on not just in their rare vinyl, but through the subsequent career of Tim Pakledinaz (often credited as Tim Pak). After the band dissolved, Tim became a renowned producer and engineer, working with a "who's who" of the Detroit garage-rock resurgence, including the Dirtbombs (whom he also played with). Today, the Too Much Knowledge Can Be Dangerous EP is considered a holy grail for collectors of Detroit punk, representing a time when the scene was small enough for everyone to know each other, but loud enough to be heard across the country.

50 Similar Records (80s Midwest Punk, Snotty Hardcore & Detroit Gems)

This list focuses on the intersection of Detroit’s heavy legacy, the "Touch and Go" sound, and the quirky hardcore of the mid-80s.

Category Essential Releases 1–25 Essential Releases 26–50 Detroit / MI Icons 1. Negative Approach – Tied Down 26. Cinecyde – Don't You Know My Name? 2. Necros – Conquest for Death 27. L-Seven – L-Seven 7" 3. The Fix – Vengeance 28. Fate Unknown – Fate Unknown 4. Meatmen – We're the Meatmen... 29. Violent Apathy – Here Today 5. The Crucifucks – The Crucifucks 30. Bored Youth – Bored Youth 6. Laughing Hyenas – You Can't Pray a Lie 31. Allied – Allied 7. Gories – Houserockin' 32. Figures on a Beach – Self-Titled 8. Pagans – Pink Album (Cleveland) 33. Destroy All Monsters – Bored Midwest Hardcore 9. Zero Boys – Vicious Circle 34. Die Kreuzen – Die Kreuzen 10. Articles of Faith – Give Thanks 35. Toxic Reasons – Independence 11. Effigies – ForAgainst 36. Husker Du – Land Speed Record 12. Naked Raygun – Throb Throb 37. Replacements – Stink 13. Big Black – Lungs 38. Tar – Handsome 14. Rapeman – Two Nuns and a Pack Mule 39. Jesus Lizard – Pure 15. The Gizmos – World Tour 40. Dow Jones and the Industrials – 7" Quirky & Snotty Punk 16. Angry Samoans – Back from Samoa 41. The Dickies – Incredible Shrinking 17. Adrenalin O.D. – Wacky Hi-Jinks 42. Screeching Weasel – Boogadaboogada 18. The Queers – Love Songs... 43. Descendents – Milo Goes to College 19. Agent Orange – Living in Darkness 44. T.S.O.L. – Dance with Me 20. Circle Jerks – Group Sex 45. Fear – The Record Hardcore Standards 21. Black Flag – Damaged 46. SSD – The Kids Will Have Their Say 22. Minor Threat – Out of Step 47. DYS – Brotherhood 23. Bad Brains – Bad Brains 48. Jerry's Kids – Is This My World? 24. Germs – (GI) 49. Negative FX – Negative FX 25. Dead Kennedys – Fresh Fruit... 50. Siege – Drop Dead