Today I am going to present you with one of the absolute best music collections ever put together. I would love to take credit for the conception of the thing but I can’t. That honor goes to a man commonly known to comic book insiders as “PondScum.” I’d reveal his real name but I’m afraid “they” would have me killed for doing so…whoever “they” are.

I do want to take a moment or two to tell you the origin of how I became introduced to PondScum’s “Worst of the 70s” collection. Throughout the 90s I worked off and on as a comic book artist in between my movie/tv gigs. And, as an artist living in Manhattan, I would go in to the offices of Marvel Comics and work (read: hang out) in their bullpen - beginning in 1994, but mainly from 1996 through 1998 or 1999 (around that time they fired the “Raiders” (art department) and essentially killed the heart of the company…which is now run by the former leader of the “Sweatpants Mafia,” Joey the Hutt). A number of my friends worked in the Marvel Bullpen, so it was a great place to hang out, get some work done and scrounge up new jobs.

That is where I met the legend known as PondScum.

I don’t know if anyone was completely sure how long PondScum had been working at Marvel, but he was as close to a permanent fixture at the place as there ever was. He ruled the Marvel Bullpen from the second chair in line. He was the coolest of the cool (I guess “Is the Coolest” because I think he’s still there) and if you were allowed to hang out with him then you were in rarified company.

Anyway, a number of us who hung out there regularly would stay and work in the Bullpen after hours, generally until they shut the lights off and chased us out at 10 or 11 pm. While we were there we’d talk about comics, draw comics and have what, to a life-long comic book fan and member of the Merry Marvel Marching Society like myself, was a grand old time. The other thing we would do was listen to PondScum’s mix tape of music from the 70s. He called it the “Worst of the 70s” and it was a collection of music so perfect that it could cause a physical reaction to an unsuspecting listener — of course, you have to remember this was the 90s and the 70s were still a thing of dislike and disgust, as they should still be.

The first time I heart the collection I laughed so hard I cried. Anyone who can listen to “Patches” by Clarence Carter (the tale of a downtrodden family) and then Timothy by the Buoys (the only song about cannibalism to ever reach the top of the charts) without laughing isn’t human. Today it still holds a special place in my heart.

So, without further ado, here is PondScum’s “Worst of the 70s” playlist. And, PondScum, if you’re reading this, thanks for some of the best times in my life.

Worst of the 70s Playlist

• Take a Chance on Me (ABBA)
• I love the Night Life (Alicia Bridges)
• Patches (Clarence Carter)
• Cherokee Nation (Paul Revere & the Raiders)
• Kung Fu Fighting (Carl Douglas)
• Timothy (the Buoys)
• Billy Don’t Be A Hero (Bo Donaldson & the Heywoods)
• Rhinestone Cowboy (Glenn Campbell) 
• Hooked on a Feeling (Blue Swede)
• The Night Chicago Died (Paper Lace)
• Shannon (Henry Gross)
• Convoy (CW McCall)
• Copacabana (Barry Manilow)
• I Think I Love You (David Cassidy)
• Shaft Theme Song (Issac Hayes)

By the way, I would love to have these songs available to listen to on this site. If anyone knows of a legal way to do so, please drop me a line.

-NiftyMat, Professional Nerd
http://www.theniftynerd.com