Stretch Marks


albums w/ jackets & lyrics
One of the leading groups in Winnipeg’s punk movement in the early 1980s was Stretch Marks, formed by highschool friends vocalist Dik Savage (real name Dave McComb) with the Jackson brothers – Bill on guitars and Kelly on drums, and bassist Sikbee (real name Mark Langtry).

They played anywhere and everywhere they could throughout central and western Canada, drawing good crowds and developing a cult following. They then formed their own Headbutt Records in ’83, and took a trip across town to Mid Ocean Studios with producers Mitch Funk and Richard Duguay from fellow Winnipeg punksters Personality Crisis.

The result was the six track EP called WHO’S IN CHARGE later that year. Their anthem “Professional Punks” summed up their attitude, although the music was a little blatantly offensive to some, exemplified by “Force Fucker” and “Sik Pleasure.”

After signing a distribution deal with BYO Records (Better Youth Organization) a year later, they followed it up with their first full-length album, WHAT D’YA SEE, recorded in July of ’84. No singles were released, but their mayhem was personified in tracks like the lead-off title track, “Turnbuckle Stomp” (spawned by the band’s love of pr wrestling), “Lookin’ For Danger,” and “Another Tragedy.”

Some more dates around the area led to a few mini-tours Stateside, including dates in Arizona with Flower Leperds and Channel 3, California, and the mid-west. The previously unreleased “Foreign Policies” made it to BYO’s compilation album, SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN later that year, and Psyche Industry Records released “Old Man Understand” on its compilation called IT CAME FROM THE PIT.

But by 1986, with punk all but out the door, the band broke up and everyone went on to other projects, or got out of the business all together. Langtry and the Jacksons went on to form Honest John with Personality Crisis frontman Mitch Funk.

After that group had run its course, Langtry then started up The Fabulous Kildonans with John Campbell, who’d replaced Bill Jackson in Honest John in that group’s final days. Langtry even tried his hand at his other profession as a pro wrestler for a couple of matches prior to gigs with The Kildonans. As part of a tag team, he was disqualfied for use of a foreign object.

Stretch Marks re-united only once post break-up, for Punk Rock Bowling in Las Vegas in the mid ’00s, where they played with some of their old touring mates, including CH3, Youth Brigade, and 7 Seconds.

NOFX released their cover of “Professional Punks” in 2010, while anyone’s attempts to re-release WHAT D’YA SEE have been futile, due to a dispute between the band and the reps at BYO Records.

  • With notes from Mark Langtry, Joe Myles, Glen Smith

    who's in charge
    WHO’S IN CHARGE (1983)
    Who’s In Charge
    Force Fucker
    Dogs World
    Barren Cities
    Sik Pleasure
    Professional Punks
    what d'ya see
    WHAT D’YA SEE? (1984)
    What D’Ya See
    Time In Black
    Another Tragedy
    Family Affair
    Turnbuckle Stomp
    Lookin’ For Danger
    Preacher Deaducated
    No Answers
    Tomorrow Will Be Better (If There Is One)
    Just A Game
    No Freedom Bad Moon