It should be more'n obvious to you, given the recent "rash" of posts that have been pumped out as of late, that I've been getting a li'l more 'n usual free time to engage in frivolities such as this blog. That will change probably 'round late summer or so, but anyway be thankful that I have been thinking about all of you starved for something different readers just anxious for some potent and vital reading regarding various sonic structures. Out of the kindness of my heart (and kindness of my heart only), I decided to give you a break with some real-deal rock 'n roll writing 'stead of the usual offal slopped out as if you were pigs at the trough waiting for the next 'round of cut 'n paste rock criticism! Who sez I was put on this earth for no reason whatsoever other than to piss off a plethora of enemies, that is!
So welcome back 'n all and even if only one of you appreciates what my hard work and efforts have produced well --- boy will I have failed!
Given the somewhat dearth of fresh listening material to grace my ears this year it's kinda surprising in some ways that recently I've been getting a few really interesting items to refresh the ol' braincell. I guess spring brought out the worst in me (spend-thriftiness-wise) and I've been dishing out some of the ol' hard-begged for a few items I thought I'd wanna hear before I clock outta here for good. I've also been receiving a few special donations from people with such exquisite names as Paul McGarry, Jakob Boysen and Bob Forward which does help out a little with the ol' pocketbook. Naturally given my usual cheapskateiness I wouldn't even dream of buying about 99% of the items either of 'em send my way, but the thought that someone would go this far for a fanabla like me does make me feel somewhat sorta nice 'n tingly inside.
Speaking of Mr. Oberlin I think it'd be a nicey-nice thing to mention (or maybe not--- no second guessing some of you readers that's for sure!) that a whole load of Richard Meltzer HEPCATS FROM HELL radio shows from the late-seventies/v. early-eighties are up and about on the web, and for freefreeFREE at that! I'll be giving a listen to the Claude Bessy one (and a whole lot more) --- as soon as I find a computer with a pair of speakers that are working since mine have been defunct for quite a while now! Now if I can only rely on someone to burn the shows for me so I can not only give 'em a good listenin' to but perhaps even review 'em for the blog...any nice people out there interested in performing a corporal work of mercy for me? How about a sergeant or even five-star general one? Heck, I'll even take a buck private one that's how desperate I am!
(LAST MINUTE ADDITION!!!! No sooner than I had posted this very entry into the annals of blogdom did a parcel containing SEVEN editions of HEPCATS FROM HELL arrive on disque courtesy of none other than Mr. Robert Forward himself!!! Wow, I guess I do have friends in high places if I am to be awarded such a gift as this, and although there are some important shows missing from the batch like the aforementioned Bessy one plus the one where Chris Burden brings some semi-autosomething weapon to the studio and fires it out the window I find these spinners something that I await to listen to, and with baited breath at that! Thanks be to Mr. Forward, even if I do suspect that he's the one who snitched to Jay Hinman on me when I wrote all that nasty stuff about the hemorrhaging one.)
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Here's a little something I recently caught via Youtube, more Iron Curtain-era Czech rock 'n roll filmage which, in this instance, captures a bit of a performance by none other than noted proto-punks Umela Hmota II! Now I know that almost all of you readers are not as whacked out about this particular underground (in the truest sense) scene as I am, but frankly all I gotta say is that I never thought I'd live to see the day when rare archival footage this obscure and so important to the canon of punk in a non-US/English form of expression way would ever be presented to lumpen proles such as myself!:
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And so, as Ethel Merman once said, "on with the show!" (not "getcher paws outta my pants Ernest!!!!!"):
Given that o'er the past decade or so I've pretty much ignored a lotta that Japanese new psychedelia that I was rah-rahing to excess 'round the turn of the century, I decided to give this reissue of a somewhat obscurity from songstress/doll maker/mystical type Shizuka what'cha might call the ol' college of hard knocks try.
Beautiful packaging here, with a heavy duty foldout sleeve, a full color enclosed booklet, embossed lettering on the reverse and the fourth side of thus double duty featuring a bee-youtiful engraving 'stead of grooves! A marvel to just hold in your hands and look through as the moody, at-time violent and mostly dark 'n introspective music that Shizuka and band put forth careens through the air (ooh!).
Shizuka's husband Maki was in one of the later editions of Les Rallizes Denudes and you can sure hear it when the guy lets loose and shows us that perhaps Denudes leader Mizutani was definitely not responsible for all of those heavy duty caterwauls that the group was best known for. Shizuka herself sings slow and haunting in her girlish voice, the results sounding quite like some of the trackage that appeared on the essential NIGHT GALLERY compilation which was a platter which had me doing a few second thoughts about dismissing the music of the early 21st century offhand as I tended to do during some of my more lucid moments.
Going from atonal screech to introspective dreamscapes, HEAVENLY PERSONA will conjure up more'n a few memories we've had towards the new Japanese psych scene with all of the familiar ref. pts. (early Velvets, seventies femme singer/songwriter done right...) while maybe even adding a few new ones to the Japanese underground canon. It might not cater to some of you more rough and tumble readers (other'n the occasional loud howls of guitar feedback that is!), but I can enjoy it the same way I enjoy a Ny Quil dream, the kind that you remember even years after the fact.
More about the packaging. The booklet that is woven right into the cover is a nice little twist on had the people at Black Editions recs just slipped it into the package loose-like, and said booklet contains nothing but a piece Shizuka had written for a Chinese publication, an article dealing with not only the history of the group but her personal and seemingly lonely/gloomy existence and the equally ethereal dolls she created (which are pictured not only in the booklet but on the innersleeves and side four etching). There are also some asides about Shizuka's eventual demise which she seems to be taking matter of fact-ly, as if it were a mere change of scenery without much fanfare or concern for that matter. I sure wish I had her bravery, and given the lady's talents both musically and with regards to her dolls I'd salute her if I only knew the proper way how! Maybe this review is sufficient enough, but I kinda doubt it.
Believe it or leave it, but HEAVENLY PERSONA's an extraordinary 'un that'll absorb you into its universe and should be well worth the additional moolah you'll have to part with to get this aural and visual work of ART ('n I mean it!).
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A lotta this Canterbury jazz rock (as well as a few decidedly non-Canterbury bands with a hefty influence) really doesn't cut it with me especially when compared to local big daddies Soft Machine, so I did approach this with a teeny weeny bit of hesitation. Well, for once my premonitions were kablooey for this '70 sophomoric effort from the infamous jazz rocksters Caravan equals anything that the likes of Wyatt et. al. were cranking out at exactly the same nanosecond. Sure some track might be a little hippydippy pop in spots but most of IF I COULD ONLY DO IT AGAIN snuggles in well with the rest of the early-seventies import bin groups that were popping up in more than just a few record collections worldwide.
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As you are probably aware of especially if you've tuned into the past four or so months of posts, I've been listening to a whole crapload of AACM-related soundscapading as of late. Some of the items I've been spinning are old faves, some have not heard by mine ears in years, and some are ven totally new to my living experience which is good since I can always use a fresh resensitizing once in a while.
This particular 'un's the debut effort from future Art Ensemble of Chicago multitasker Joseph Jarman, and although I have heard the title track the entire album was totally new to me. So this was like a nice li'l dip into one of the many O-mind musical efforts that I had been planning to listen to before I leave this mortal bedspring, and given all of the necessary spinners I need to hear I better do so and fast because, for the life of me, I don't think I'm gonna get a chance to cram everything I wanna hear into the few years I have left!
'n for a debut effort Jarman really does everyone well without the usual clunks and rough edges that some of you'd think would be part of such an effort. Jarman had a pretty copasetic bunch playin' 'long (including future Braxton collab. Steve McCall) 'n from what I can gather each 'n every one of 'em were deeply affected by the new thing jazz that was rufflin' more'n a few spiritual Leonard Feathers out there. Y'know, the kind who still think that all these free players were doin' was just jackin' 'round on their horns when we all knew better.
Of special interest is the appearance of one Christopher Gaddy, a guy whose legend springs from the fact that he died about a year or so after this very session (under circumstances nobody ever seems to mention) and only appeared on three albums during his short stay. As you'd surmise "Song For Christopher" on Jarman's follow-up AS IF IT WERE THE SEASONS is in reference to Gaddy (and in fact based on some noteage the guy failed to complete due to his swift exit), and judging from his neo-Taylorian piano and marimba work on SONG FOR I'd guess that if the man had stuck around he would've been one of the AACM's major players involved in even more platters that will clear the room of people who are just less fortunate than ourselves.
Heh, a more'n just "decent" splash from Jarman, a guy who'd go on to tweek even more musical preconceptions are the years rolled on. Its too bad that his name isn't bandied about in the same sainted way that those such as Miles Davis or even Guy Lombardo's are for that matter.
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From what I can make out there's a new radio show on Cleveland college radio station WCSB which plays by-now ancient live tracks laid down by a whole slew of acts we woulda killed to have gone seen back then but either money problems or transportation kept us from goin' anywhere. Well, at least that was my case but still it is sure grand knowing that some forethinking fiend out there felt it was a good idea to record these shows for future enjoyment!
The Cool Marriage Counselors set really showcases the talents of ex-Electric Eel Dave E, what with his between-song stand up comedy routine patter as well as his new musical direction which, while not as full force intense as any of his previous endeavors, sure sounds great in the light of what good was happening around the time punk rock was turning into punque.
These Counselors (not to be confused with the SECOND 'uns which had not only ex-Eel Brian McMahon in the group but his brother Kevin of Lucky Pierre/Prick fame --- they usedta do a cha-cha version of "Society's Child"!) are the ones that eventually became, without Dave E, the Modern Art Studio. Yes, the same ones who ended up on the CLE flexidisc way back 1981 way with their song "Please Don't Call The Police" that accompanied an article that was probably the only thing ever written about these guys! The Counselors also appeared on that spinner doing the tres retardo/genius effort "Searching Through Sears" and that shows up on this program, as do a number of tracks both new to my ears and downright familiar. A few covers are done up Dave E style including none other than the Sam the Sham great "Little Red Riding Hood" which comes off particularly swell when the man wraps his tonsils around it!
But one thing's for certain, and that lending ear to this recording make me angry just thinkin' that at the time people were ignoring the Counselors while lapping up the dregs of the local bar/cover band rock "scene", the kind that Anastasia Pantsios was hyping to her FM-numbed lovelies who wouldn't know how to insert a buttplug unless she told 'em how to.
Oh yeah, Dave E's comedy routines are pretty snazzy, in tune with the then-new breed of lurch beyond the usual bounds of normality gagsters who'd been springing up at the time. Although I think he was still a long way off from being asked to host SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE I will say that the guy sure had a load of belly-shaking potential in him 'n who knows, with a little more practice he coulda been another Emo Phillips!
The Tormenters who close out this broadcast feature some guy who was associated with the Rubber City Rebels/Hammer Damage Band/Teachers Pet clique of tough and rumble Akron punk acts, and sure as shit smells it shows on this '81 recording. Heavy doody rock is what's in store here, a rock 'n roll as far as far can be from the cut and paste giddy gnu wave that was beginning to prevail at the time. And if you're not mad that the Tormenters didn't get the respect they deserved well then, you must be either Mahatma Ghandi or Karen Quinlan, take your pick.
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Late-sixties English psychedelic band who probably wouldn't be remembered had none other than Bill Wyman not taken an interest in promoting their career. I gotta say thank goodness for small favors because if the Quiet Stone hadn't stuck his high cheekbones into the End's affairs I doubt anyone would remember them --- they're kinda staid when compared to many of the other psychedelic practitioners in England who really had an aerie faerie grasp on the music at hand.
Don't let that deter you none --- the End do somewhat well with their typically English sounding late-sixties English pop-psych which deliver on much of the pop promise of the day without sounding either too twee or overbearing. The revisioning of the Stones' "She Said Yeah" as a slow schmoozer with harmony vocals and jazzy sax was the highlight at least for this not-so-humble reviewer.
If I told you that I didn't find this collection to be spirited and somewhat mind-expanding I'd be a bigger liar than those people who have been dissin' me as someone who is not the true visionary that I most certainly am for years on end awlready! And take it from this true visionary --- INTROSPECTION just might be something you'd wanna snatch up during one of your more adventurous moments --- at least when you got a lotta money just begging to be spent that is.
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The audience left early??? Sheesh, there were only two guys clappin' away to begin with and by the time this was over even they skedaddled! But eh, it wasn't like the 39 Clocks were known to draw that large of an audience now, warn't it? Decent low-fidelity recording of the famed duo of G.H. and J.G 39 playing their warpo neo-garage rock clank not unlike the music that ended up on all those other 39 Clocks efforts that I'm sure some of you people actually still have in your collections. Acts like Big Black took the main ideas that the Clocks spewed and ran rampant with 'em, so don't forget where it all came from now, eh (other'n Metal Urbain o'course!).
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These guys made a big splash 'round these parts back inna seventies but I never paid 'em no mind. I mean, with a name like Poobah I wasn't expecting much if anything other'n a buncha hippies doin' the front porch bluegrass thang (emphasis on the "grass" ifyaknowaddamean) trying to do that old backwoods downhome music hoedown with the cozmik touch of course.
Now that I've finally heart these guys (who had a number of albums that even ended up in the local bins) all I can say is that they were much better'n I thought they would be. Sure they are derivative of the hard 'n heavies of the day (well, at least to a certain extent) but it's a good derivative which doesn't come off carbon copycat cover band robotic.
Coulda used more of an early-seventies punky Iggy/Alice approach to the procedures, but otherwise I'd much prefer to have been at a Poobah show than one by the raging reams of local snoozathons who were rakin' in the big bux for an audience that was probably more interesting in a quick pickup than the sounds at hand.
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As you may already know I'm not quite as fanatical about these guys as many of you readers are. However I don't mind an occasional spin of Wire's wares in order to appreciate what it was that was appealing to me without getting overdosed to the point of nausea. These early "demos" work as they remind me of that subtle art rock with a punky tinge that Wire were best known for, at least in some cobwebby corner of my mind. Not bad at all, but as you would guess it's something that I gotta be in one of those special moods in order to appreciate to the max.
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The fact that I IN NO WAY remember this 1982 effort from one of El Lay's trailblazing punk rock groups proves that I do have a sieve-like mind! An' although this release mighta come out a good five years after it shoulda I gotta admit how the infamous Dangerhouse denizens kept to their under-the-underground roots and put out an effort that was strikingly rockist and at a time when a good portion of the music listening populace coulda cared less. Even more surprising is that this came out on MCA who earlier axed Black Flag from their roster for being "anti parent", as if this particular platter could be specifically considered pro-parent!
Not so surprisingly enough I do find ESCAPE FROM PLANET EARTH way more straight ahead rock 'n roll (even if you want to use a stringent definition of the term akin to the mores and standards worthy of a Greg Prevost or even Miriam Linna) than just about anything else that MCA or most of the majors of the era coulda mustered up at the time. For a guy who was wallowing in Flamin' Groovies cutouts and BOULDERS compilations man, this woulda made for some GREAT music listening had I only been aware of the thing when it did come out, and had enough lucre to pay for a copy as well.
ADDED BONUS TIME!: the burn I got not only includes the infamous Dangerhouse "Nothing Means Nothing Anymore" single but some outtakes that, from the sound of it, shoulda been included on the original release! So there's yet another reason for you money-packed gotta have everything types to dish out more filthy lucre to get something that you've probably had in your collections for four lousy decades awlready!
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I'm sure that, now Easter's long gone and you've bought up all of those chocolate eggs at way marked down prices, you have a lot more money jingling in your pockets than you would have had if you bought your candy at full price! Howzbout parting with some (if not all) of that moolah for some back issues of BLACK TO COMM which won't be marked down but you shoulda known better to have gotten 'em when they were first up and about! Anyway what are you waiting for --- all that money yer gonna save on Fourth of July fireworks once the fifth rolls around???
Chris - is there any chance you can post the main link to the Hepcats trove so that I can quit drooling and start listening?! This is thrilling news.
ReplyDeleteSJB
I would, if I knew where it was. Just click the link and see what you can dig up.
ReplyDeleteFWIW dept:The Pink Panther comic book series launched in 1971. Also amused by Harvey stalwart Warren Kremer obviously confusing beatniks for hippies, which - coinkydink alert - was also the case in the Pink Panther cartoon short from the same year, Psychedelic Pink. Great cover, just the same.
ReplyDeleteTop Cat --- just checked my PP comic and it came out Sept. '72. I shoulda been tipped off by the 15 cent cover price.
ReplyDeleteHow can you claim to be from the 70s if you don't know that it's Karen ANN Quinlan?
ReplyDeleteI passed on that Alleycats LP a thousand times. Ugly cover w/ stupid computer font, generic bandname, easy to flip by.
How do you not put a photo of diane chai on the cover of an alleycats lp?
ReplyDeleteGreat, now Stigs is going to look up Chai and his ensuing activity will endanger his eyesight even more, if you know what I mean.
ReplyDeleteI liked that Pink Panther comic because he was a dishwasher, and I forget the details, but UFOs were involved. I also had a buddy who was a dishwasher and he was a UFO expert- still is.
ReplyDeletehay mistr stigglyanu have yo evr herd of jack chik .
ReplyDeletechek him out he is good !
bet comiccs ever .
So, if the dirty smelly hippy-dippy degenerates are rebelling against a commie gubmint, you like the dirty smelly hippy-dippy degenerates?
ReplyDeleteOkay. Got it.
SMH!
Sure, what else?
ReplyDelete