The original cover art featured a photograph of a “Punk Terrorist” lighting a Molotov cocktail on the front steps of the Oxford, Mississippi courthouse. The photograph was taken by Newt Rayburn and posing in the picture is Brad Boatright..This bit of artistic commentary caused quite a bit of controversy back in April of 1995 after the Oklahoma City Bombing.
The Mississippi locals were not amused. Complaints began pouring into the venues that booked the band, causing some shows to be cancelled, causing cops to show up at at others. The record was pulled from stores, and the host of The Cooters website received numerous complaints about the content, including one complaint from the mayor of Water Valley. The band was eventually asked to move the website elsewhere.
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The record artwork for the second pressing was changed to the collage on the left. This one was released by Chaos or Bust. Both pressings are long out of print.
Both pressings conatined a variety of limited edition 11x17" posters and a lot of stickers. There were a bunch of designs distributed with the record. One day we'll get these designs on this page.
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The tracks on "The Cooters" 7 inch...
1. Crusty
2. I Don't Know
Some reviews of this record...
Dave Edwardson (bassist of Neurosis) called it a "Masonic death wish!"
Michel Langevin (drummer of Voivod) said it was "really cool!"
From Less Than One, Wilmas, California, January, 1996:
"The Cooters 2 song 7" record. Here's a little taste of a band I've never heard of until now, The Cooters. Side one is similar to Buzzoven and Fudge Tunnel burning tortillas and then fighting over it. Good bass line too! Side two is a track called "I Don't Know." It follows in more or less the same style with perhaps a bit of a groove intrusion not unlike the free flow of early Primus or mid-70's Zeppelin. Maybe I'm using some not so good comparisons, but this cool band is definitely on their own crusade of punk. Whatchu talkin' 'bout, Willis?!!? I'm talkin' 'bout the Cooters, Arnold!!"
From Slug-N-Lettuce, New York City, New York, 1995:
"The Cooters 7" I think that I'd call this truly anarchistic punk. Knowing that they live in Mississippi and take their roots in punk rock, I appreciate that they're keeping a D.I.Y. punk attitude and do their own thing. Two songs here, one which is way too funky groovin' (that wa wa 70's tv movie style of funky groove) but the other side is good and it comes with lots of stuff. Posters with lyrics (which are great) and stickers (which are funny). If you want something different and totally unpredictable, then try this."
From World of Difference, Jackson, Mississippi, June, 1995:
"The Cooters are fucking awesome!!!!!! Kinda crusty kinda jazzy and the record comes with some cool shit besides the music. The best Mississippi band!"
