For those unaware, it was just announced that the remastered digital editions of Progressive/Art Rock band Wax Theatricks’ second LP and second single (when their name was Earwacks) have just been re-released this April 14th, 2026.

Embraced by the St. Louis 70’s-80’s indie Punk/New Wave scene in spite of their Progressive leanings. They developed a large local following.

Founded in the early 70’s by brothers Dominic (flute, sax) and Benet Schaeffer (drums) with David Udell (guitar), they were joined by Tracy Wynkoop (bass) and called themselves Earwacks.

The band released two singles, Lauren Garbo and The Scrape engineered by the legendary Oliver Sain and his Archway Sound Studio. These were soon followed by the LP Distances. In 1979 they added keyboardist Dan Stefacek and changed their name to Wax Theatricks.

To announce the new name, they invited 100 fans for a studio party to record three songs for a flexi-disc that appeared in Noisy Paper Magazine in early 1980. Following that they went back into the studio to record their second and last LP, Wax Theatricks. This and other tracks recorded at the time make up this brand new release entitled Different Voices.

This reissue is remastered from the original analog tapes and features many previously unreleased tracks.

1. Fell In A Hole
2. Different Voices
3. Cold Wet Cat
4. Aztec (feat. Carl Weingarten)
5. Conversations
6. Pleasure From Sadness
7. Come On
8. What To Do
9. Debris
10. You Still Can
11. The Scrape [Bonus Track]
12. Dim (Instrumental) [Bonus Track]

A delightful mixture of prog, art rock, and psychedelic pop, the new set opens on the pulsing Fell In A Hole and the synth-driven effectiveness of the titular Different Voices and then we get the crashing Cold Wet Cat, the alluring Aztec (featuring the great Carl Weingarten), before both the jaunty art-rock sound of Conversations and the full ahead Pleasure From Sadness are brought forth.
Along next the sound is pumped a little more for the rambunctious Come On and the low slung alt-rocker What To Do and they are in turn seamlessly followed by the dulcetly languishing Debris (which also, at times, remind me of very early Duran Duran instrumentals) and the forthright stance of You Still Can, the new collection rounding out on the two bonus tracks: the rhythmically melodic, organic in vibe The Scrape and the affecting instrumental Dim.

Official Purchase Link

The Scrape (Second Single-A Side) - Earwacks/Wax Theatricks