tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75561581569800861382024-03-13T09:58:24.803-07:00Noises For The LegSpecializing in super-rare pop , strange high school bands and 'other' (aka, experimental, avant-garde, and other esoteric, interesting sounds).squirrellevelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06873602556657471276noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7556158156980086138.post-77616501137019306302008-07-11T09:57:00.000-07:002008-07-11T10:34:14.204-07:00Bobby & Betty Go To The Moon<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_yMMmwvHJ5yQ/SHeRbKwJpPI/AAAAAAAAABw/0Yuwxg0BrmY/s1600-h/005-17.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_yMMmwvHJ5yQ/SHeRbKwJpPI/AAAAAAAAABw/0Yuwxg0BrmY/s320/005-17.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221802188888188146" border="0" /></a>A Lunar Adventure in the Year 1985<br /><br />There may not be a record made that deserves its own time capsule more than the mid-sixties gem <span style="font-style: italic;">Bobby & Betty Go To the Moon</span>. It's hard for a child of the 70's like me to fathom a society that would approve of this mix of gloriously cheesy sound fx, adventure, info-tainment, space loneliness, party music and sexism. This twisted little record perplexes me so much I sampled it for one of my own records years ago.<br /><br />Side one is the narrated tale of two young astronauts, Bobby and Betty, and their preparations and lunar voyage as the first humans under the age of 21 to reach the moon. First off, what kind of adults-only shenanigans have been happening up there? Why is Betty, an astronaut, for cryin' out loud, so subservient to Bobby? Why does the the quarantine chamber sound so much like a white guy beatboxing? Who the hell could take a nap right after liftoff??? Side Two is a band of session musicians playing a mix of a couple of generic rock 'n' roll, souped-up children's songs and a barely-disguised cover of "I Got You (I Feel Good)" while someone goes apeshit on a delay-soaked theremin and looped crowd sound fx.<br /><br />Listen to a sample from both sides below, and download the entire record from the link below. <br />Sorry about the surface noise. So it goes.<br /><br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" id="divplaylist" width="335" height="85"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=4923840-f39"><embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=4923840-f39" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" width="335" height="85"></embed></object><br /><br /><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/4923839-d30">download zip<br /><br /></a>squirrellevelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06873602556657471276noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7556158156980086138.post-80371192441597931812008-06-07T17:29:00.000-07:002008-08-14T11:32:41.789-07:00Roy Henry Alexander Gover<a href="http://noisesfortheleg.blogspot.com/2007/12/rhag-aka-roy-henry-alexander-gover.html">My first post about RHAG</a> generated a few comments, and I'd like to encourage people to share any information they have about him. I recently found out he is deceased.<br /><br />After months of uncertainty I found the cassette I was afraid I'd lost forever, and I'm overjoyed to share it. It appears to be two sessions, the first from Feb 14, 1987, and one from Feb 27, 1987.<br /><br />If this is your first exposure to Roy Henry, you're probably going to wonder what the hell's going on. This is normal. The text is stream-of-consciousness with muzak accompaniment recorded. It helps if you're acclimated to other English 'eccentrics' (a term that they all hate) like Vivian Stanshall and Ivor Cutler. As I've said before, it's very difficult to come by any historical information on Roy Henry, but judging from this music he lived his life as art, purposefully blurring the line between fact and fiction.<br /><br />The Feb 14 session is a little better, so let's start there. He's been to a work related birthday/Valentines day partyand returned home.<br /><br /><br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" id="divplaylist" width="335" height="85"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=4677876-f6f"><embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=4677876-f6f" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" width="335" height="85"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />The Feb 27 session is shorter and weirder. He has a vision of his parents and talks to his imaginary bandleader.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" id="divplaylist" width="335" height="85"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=4691846-2b2"><embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=4691846-2b2" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" width="335" height="85"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />Download the Feb 14 session:<br />http://www.divshare.com/download/5177430-a77<br />Download the Feb 27 session:<br />http://www.divshare.com/download/5177363-e53squirrellevelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06873602556657471276noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7556158156980086138.post-65316633498452172672008-04-04T08:12:00.000-07:002008-04-04T09:06:39.848-07:00Like This Parade<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.casperfandango.com/LTPimage.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://www.casperfandango.com/LTPimage.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Misawa Masanori (or as he's known in Japan, Masanori Misawa) is Tokyo's unheralded king of melody. Outside of a few compilation appearances you won't find his music in stores-- real life or online. The best way to get his music is to know him. He occasionally burns small quantities of cdr eps under the name <a href="http://www.myspace.com/likethisparade">Like This Parade</a> to give to his friends. With names like <span style="font-style: italic;">CDR Feb 08</span>, these eps are like a 'zine or a diary. Brian Wilson's fertile <span style="font-style: italic;">Smile</span> period is one obvious reference point. But Misawa's music goes beyond stylistic imitation. He creates his own intricate and elegant musical universe. His pieces range from under one minute to just over two minutes in length. These musical miniatures are rendered using mainly toy instruments like ukulele and Casio keyboards employed with an adult's harmonic sophistication. <br /><br />Misawa is also the keyboardist in the immortal <a href="http://www.myspace.com/elekibass2">Elekibass</a>. <br /><br /><br />"Milk-bus to your dream" from <span style="font-style: italic;">CDR Jul07:<br /></span> <object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" id="divplaylist" height="28" width="335"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=4171283-c69"><embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=4171283-c69" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" height="28" width="335"></embed></object><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /></span>"The March of Bel*Air (Rough sketch)" from <span style="font-style: italic;">CDR Feb08:<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /><br /></span></span><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" id="divplaylist" height="28" width="335"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=4171282-900"><embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=4171282-900" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" height="28" width="335"></embed></object><br /><br />"The March of Bel*Air" was written and recorded at my house!!!<br /><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/4171281-a11">Download <span style="font-style: italic;">CDR Jul07</span></a><br /><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/4171280-73c">Download <span style="font-style: italic;">CDR Feb08</span></a>squirrellevelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06873602556657471276noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7556158156980086138.post-40524090014887094932008-02-27T07:30:00.000-08:002008-02-27T21:20:44.341-08:00Allan Sherman- Music to Dispense With<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.casperfandango.com/disp1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://www.casperfandango.com/disp1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>In 1966 Allan Sherman was apparently as famous as Paris Hilton. Being negative eight years old I don't have very reliable memories of the pop culture gestalt of the time. But when I brought this record home from the flea market in 1998 I knew it was destined to become one of my favorite van-passenger testing tools. If you can hear the brilliance in this most silly record then I wanna hang out with you.<br /><br />The Scott Paper Company commissioned Sherman to write six songs for them. They were handed a masterpiece of parodic songs concerning the effects of reforestation, technology, and economics on man and dog.<br /><br />Did Scott flinch when Sherman declared their products made holy water 'somewhat holier' or made chicken soup taste 'twice as jewish?' And when was the last time a corporation risked being directly responsible for religious humor?<br /><br />These mp3 files are taken from a vinyl rip. The vinyl source was in poor condition, so I did the best I could to de-click the thing. It may not be the audiophile treasure of the year, but if you care that much you're missing the point.<br /><br /><br />Makin' Coffee (Makin' Whoopee)<br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" id="divplaylist" height="28" width="335"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=3890738-663"><embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=3890738-663" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" height="28" width="335"></embed></object>squirrellevelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06873602556657471276noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7556158156980086138.post-52278220985924317282008-02-26T12:56:00.000-08:002008-02-26T13:42:38.656-08:00Brazil Classics 1: Beleza Tropical<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.casperfandango.com/brazilclassics1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://www.casperfandango.com/brazilclassics1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />At the tender age of 17 my best friend and I were looking at colleges in Washington D.C. We found time one evening to take in an animation festival. The first clip in the festival was this:<br /><br /><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fKV9k2ZpEc8&rel=1"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fKV9k2ZpEc8&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br /><span>We arrived in NYC a few days later on the same college campus tour. His godmother took us to Tower Records where I somehow located this cassette. There hadn't yet been a <span style="font-style: italic;">tropicalia </span>renaissance, no hipsters constantly praising Os Mutantes, so finding the album without much information wasn't hard. I remember there only being one shelf of world music cassettes.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">Brazil Classics 1</span> was compiled by David Byrne and in 1989 was the first release by his then new label Luaka Bop, under the Sire Records banner. It stands as one of the finest compilations I've ever heard. It could be argued that it did for <span style="font-style: italic;">tropicalia </span>what the <span style="font-style: italic;">O Brother Where Art Thou?</span> soundtrack did for country. This is not one of my rarer picks. <span style="font-style: italic;">BC1:BT</span> is relatively popular, and being released through a major label means its not hard to find. You can purchase <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Brazil-Classics-1-Beleza-Tropical/dp/B000RG9C8I/ref=dmusic_cd_album/104-0695385-9770348">the mp3 album </a>on Amazon. I'm only adding my voice to the choir of listeners in love with this album. It's one I always take on tour. More serious students of Brazilian music may tell you this compilation is obsolete and says nothing about the state of music today. I don't have many <span style="font-style: italic;">tropicalia </span>albums, but I can tell you if you're craving a couple dozen indestructible melodies this is the album for you.<br /><br /><br />Lô Borges- Equatorial<br /><br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" width="335" height="28" id="divplaylist"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=3890736-702" /><embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=3890736-702" width="335" height="28" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed></object><br /><br />Jorge Ben- Ponta de Lanca Africano (Umbabarauma)<br /><br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" width="335" height="28" id="divplaylist"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=3890734-c88" /><embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=3890734-c88" width="335" height="28" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed></object>squirrellevelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06873602556657471276noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7556158156980086138.post-84701483398788318362008-02-04T18:44:00.000-08:002008-02-26T13:43:50.382-08:00Renaldo & the Loaf - Arabic Yodelling<img src="http://www.casperfandango.com/ay.jpg" alt="Renaldo & The Loaf- Arabic Yodelling" align="left" border="2" height="194" hspace="5" vspace="5" width="192" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">My band is about to board a plane for Japan to play pop music, eat udon noodles and speak slowly with our friends over there. So I can't go on too long right now.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">All you need to know is this: Renaldo & the Loaf is pop music. Really, really weird pop music. Just about as far out as you can get while maintaining any semblance of a verse-chorus-verse dynamic. Like many, I first heard their music on the Residents' </span></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >Video Voodoo</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"> compilation.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">How does this make you feel?<br /><br /><br /><br /></span><br /><object style="font-family: georgia;" height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3n3MbVoLYns&rel=1"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3n3MbVoLYns&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">It makes me scared, but aware of beauty. I can think of very little else in the art world that does that to me? True, much of that reaction comes from the video, not the music which is what I'm supposed to be writing about. But without the slightly disturbing yet whimsical video the music still makes me feel lost and bewildered. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">RatL have been written off in the Trouser Press guide as "weird for weird's sake." Sounds like a cop-out. Music either connects with you or it doesn't. Maybe you just don't like it. But for those of us that like feeling something harmlessly strange Renaldo & the Loaf are magic, like Harry Partch making dance music.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Their second release on Ralph Records</span></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > Arabic Yodelling</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"> is less aggressively weird than the music in the video, which is from their first album, </span></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >Songs for Swinging Larvae. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:georgia;">It's downright pastoral at times. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Okay, I've gotta go. I've got to make sure I've packed my purple lamé pants, so </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://renaldoloaf.turkeyworld.org/albums/AY.htm">read this webpage</a><span style="font-family:georgia;">, listen to the tracks. I find their music rewarding upon repeated listens.</span></span><br /><br /><br />"Green Candle" <br /><br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" width="335" height="28" id="divplaylist"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=3700021-7c3" /><embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=3700021-7c3" width="335" height="28" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />"A Critical Dance" <br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" width="335" height="28" id="divplaylist"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=3700022-e88" /><embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=3700022-e88" width="335" height="28" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed></object>squirrellevelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06873602556657471276noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7556158156980086138.post-71587400991411454212008-01-31T09:59:00.000-08:002008-02-01T21:13:14.263-08:00It's Time For Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers<img src="http://www.casperfandango.com/JonathanTimeFor.jpg" alt="It's Time For Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers" align="left" border="2" height="194" hspace="5" vspace="5" width="192" /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Respectably underproduced by our new fave rave Andy Paley, </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;" >It's Time For </span><span style="font-family:georgia;">is another album-- like </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;" >Jonathan Sings! </span><span style="font-family:georgia;">and </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;" >Rockin' and Romance</span><span style="font-family:georgia;">-- that Jonathan doesn't care much for but is nonetheless stuffed full of gems.</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;" > </span><span style="font-family:georgia;">More than most Jonathan Richman records this one has tunes that aren't too idiosyncratic for a big label artist to cover, "It's You" and "This Love Of Mine" being two prime examples. </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;" >It's Time For </span><span style="font-family:georgia;">was released on Rough Trade in 1986 and never rereleased.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">It's not very rewarding to write about the songs. This is probably the reason Richman is slightly stand-offish in his rarely granted interviews. His songs speak for themselves like no one else could. They draw up strong, specific emotions using everyday language, and expounding on them is redundant. Suffice to say, if you like Jonathan (aka Jojo) and his take on the ideal American beach party with the ideal American girlfriend you need this record. If you don't know what I'm talking about you need it even more. And if you need a recipe for a double chocolate malted, Jonathan's got that covered for you, too.</span><br /><p><br /><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">"It's You"</span><br /><object style="font-family: georgia;" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" id="divplaylist" height="28" width="335"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=3602511-549"><embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=3602511-549" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" height="28" width="335"></embed></object><br /><br /></p><p><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">"This Love Of Mine"</span><br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" id="divplaylist" height="28" width="335"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=3602512-e7c"><embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=3602512-e7c" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" height="28" width="335"></embed></object></p>squirrellevelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06873602556657471276noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7556158156980086138.post-40837198130431179352008-01-25T13:07:00.001-08:002008-01-25T13:27:56.819-08:00The Paley Brothers<img src="http://www.casperfandango.com/PaleyLP.jpg" alt="Paley Brothers Lp 1978" align="left" border="2" height="194" hspace="5" vspace="5" width="192" /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">The pedigree brought to bear on this album is astounding. Andy and Jonathan Paley were part of a scene that fed directly into the pop end of the punk spectrum. They were there when CBGB's became the center of NYC rock 'n' roll culture. Jonathan Paley rehearsed briefly with the Heartbreakers, and Andy Paley played with Jerry Harrison in Catfish Black before Harrison joined the Modern Lovers. Andy would go on to produce multiple Jonathan Richman records as well as Madonna and Brian Wilson.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Paley Brothers played power pop, a genre about which has been said is all about wearing stupid clothes, playing your stupid songs on your stupid guitar and not being stupid. Their sole self-titled LP is a perfect example of stupid-on-top/clever-underneath. Song titles like "You're The Best", "Lovin' Eyes Don't Lie" and "Come Out and Play" will rot your teeth out on sight. And if you stare too long at the free poster you might need a root canal, or washcloth, depending on your orientation. But these would-be heartthrobs are freakin' talented! Aside from their ringer of a guitarist, Eric Rose, this record excels in songcraft and arrangement. There are clear traces of Brian Wilson on the opener, "You're The Best." The quirky country flavor of their version of Mel Tillis' "Stick With Me Baby" reminds me of Lindsey Buckingham. The rest of the record is a melting pot of pop influences spiking outward into LA new wave, Appalachian Everly Brothers, British blues and Boston power pop. However, the entire record being barely thirty minutes long, no single subgenre claims high ground, making this record truly omnipop.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">Enjoy!</span><br /><br /><br />"You're the Best"<br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" id="divplaylist" height="28" width="335"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=3602048-8e1"><embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=3602048-8e1" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" height="28" width="335"></embed></object><br /><br />"Stick With Me Baby"<br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" id="divplaylist" height="28" width="335"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=3602049-c04"><embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=3602049-c04" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" height="28" width="335"></embed></object>squirrellevelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06873602556657471276noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7556158156980086138.post-54012447999408721362007-12-18T14:53:00.000-08:002007-12-18T15:05:07.252-08:00Why do you read other blogs?Because I'm on them.<br /><br />Matt at You Ain't No Picasso asked me to make a mix for his 12 Days of Mixmas series. <a href="http://www.youaintnopicasso.com/2007/12/18/12-days-of-mixmas-day-5jason-nesmith-of-casper-and-the-cookies/">I was happy to oblige. </a> YANP is a great blog that tracks the current musical taste of one Matt Jordan. He's got other Mixmas entries this year from our pals <a href="http://www.youaintnopicasso.com/2007/12/16/12-days-of-mixmas-day-3justin-lloyd-of-fishboy/">Fishboy </a>and lots of others. <br /><br />This is the second year in a row I've been allowed to make a Mixmas for YANP. You can <a href="http://www.youaintnopicasso.com/2006/12/21/12-days-of-mixmas-day-8-jasoncasper-of-casper-and-the-cookies/">read my '06 entry here</a>, though the mp3 links are dead.squirrellevelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06873602556657471276noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7556158156980086138.post-34154014138180832962007-12-12T11:08:00.000-08:002007-12-13T12:13:43.993-08:00Arnie Lawrence & the Children of All Ages-- Inside an Hour Glass<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.longhousepoetry.com/arnie.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://www.longhousepoetry.com/arnie.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />I promise we'll get to some pop music soon, guys. But this record's just too unique to pass by.<br /><br />Jazz saxophonist Arnie Lawrence's resumé includes his years as a soloist in the Tonight Show Band and stints with Chico Hamilton, Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, and Louie Bellson. A more complete bio can be found <a href="http://www.jazzweek.com/pipermail/jazzproglist/2005-April/003273.html">here</a>. The sounds on <span style="font-style: italic;">Inside an Hour Glass</span> will not make you feel like you're returning from a commercial break to find Bill Bixby and Mary Lou Renton sitting on a couch. This is improvisation that could only come from NYC in the wake of <span style="font-style: italic;">In a Silent Way</span>, all weird atmospheres occasionally giving way to flecks of funk and souljazz. The Children of All Ages on this session were Dick Hyman, Richard Davis, and Ed Shaughnessy. But some participants were presumably playing hooky from daycare.<br /><br />My knowledge of jazz is pathetic, so you will want to look elsewhere for an aficionado's perspective. My interest in this record comes from the two <span style="font-style: italic;">actual </span>children, Ricky Lawrence and Dickie D. Davis, ages eight and four respectively at the time. The credits include the words 'total improvisation.' For children, improvisation that can be easy and innovative to adult ears, but it also often means repetitive and potentially annoying. Especially once Ricky picks up the recorder. Honestly, Dick Hyman's organ playing doesn't fare much better in a couple of places. But the point of this essentially unedited session -- aside from that one big edit when you have to flip the record-- is to get as free as children. If you're along for the ride a little annoyance can pass after a moment.<br /><br />This is forward thinking stuff for sure. Lawrence's sax is electronically processed. The rhythm sometimes slips out from under the group. The kids' contributions range from conversation to drum solos. For some <span style="font-style: italic;">Inside an Hour Glass </span>will sound like lazy masturbation, the dead-end that many feared was coming for jazz after Miles went electric. To these ears it's a battle between free will and chance. If nothing else, it's an interesting idea worth documenting, and those seem to be at a premium.<br /><br />The files are recorded from a vinyl source charitably described as 'fair'. And the pressing itself ain't too sterling, either.<br /><br />Have I sold you yet?<br /><br />See Carson Arnold's wonderful <a href="http://www.longhousepoetry.com/hourglass.html">two</a> <a href="http://www.longhousepoetry.com/hourglasses.html">part</a> piece about <span style="font-style: italic;">Inside An Hour Glass </span>on his website <a href="http://www.longhousepoetry.com/hear.html">H(ear)</a>.<br /><br /><br />You can stream both tracks below, but unless you've got a supersmooth connection I'd advise downloading them. <br /><br />Side one: "Inside an Hour Glass" (33:20)<br /><br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" id="divplaylist" height="28" width="335"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=3103091-968"><embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=3103091-968" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" height="28" width="335"></embed></object><br /><br />Side two: "Ricky, I Wanna Talk to You" (21:20)<br /><br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" id="divplaylist" height="28" width="335"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=3103092-c18"><embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=3103092-c18" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" height="28" width="335"></embed></object>squirrellevelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06873602556657471276noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7556158156980086138.post-8775734563635127602007-12-11T08:02:00.000-08:002007-12-11T12:39:40.454-08:00NRBQ "Get That Gasoline Blues" b/w "Mona"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.sundazed.com/shop/images/LP5185-200.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://www.sundazed.com/shop/images/LP5185-200.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />It came as a shock to me today to realize I've been a fan of NRBQ for over 15 years and didn't even know about their fourth album, <span style="font-style: italic;">Workshop</span>. It must be as rare as a three dollar bill. In all my years of scouring the 'N' section at used record stores I've yet to ever see a copy. <a href="http://www.sundazed.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=878">Sundazed </a>reissued the album on vinyl in 2007, but it's never been available on cd. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.<br />Original guitarist Steve Ferguson and singer Frank Galder left shortly after recording their third album, <span style="font-style: italic;">Scraps</span>. <span style="font-style: italic;">Workshop</span> was Al Anderson's 'Q debut. Al proved to be the kick in the pants the band needed to set them on the path to becoming one of the greatest and most versatile bands in history, thanks to his triple-threat skills of singing, songwriting, and fiery, innovative guitar playing. He would stay until 1994 when he left for a career as a Nashville songwriter. He occasionally releases solo albums and appears live with NRBQ at their anniversary shows in Northampton, MA.<br />The two tracks I'm presenting today can be found on <span style="font-style: italic;">Workshop,</span> but these files are ripped from the Kama Sutra "Get That Gasoline Blues" b/w "Mona" single. The A side is a novelty rave-up written by Terry Adams and C.Craig (?) that continues to be relevant apart from Terry Adams' aside, "Ninety-five cents a gallon!" Joey Spampinato's "Mona" is a gorgeous miniature love song. He would refine this style with later songs like "Beverly" and countless others, but the lilting acoustic arrangement and sneaky chord changes make this a lost gem.<br /><br /><br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" id="divplaylist" height="28" width="335"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=3081483-c0a"><embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=3081483-c0a" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" height="28" width="335"></embed></object><br /><br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" id="divplaylist" height="28" width="335"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=3081484-375"><embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=3081484-375" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" height="28" width="335"></embed></object><br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" id="divplaylist" height="28" width="335"><br /></object>squirrellevelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06873602556657471276noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7556158156980086138.post-50904532442663883662007-12-08T11:51:00.000-08:002007-12-09T09:36:02.284-08:00RHAG aka Roy Henry Alexander GoverThere is precious little information available about RHAG on the web. I can't find any pages dedicated to him anywhere. His invisibility is curious, as his art seems tailor-made for the blog age. RHAG is a seventy- (now eighty-?) year old drag queen and multi-media artist who rambles in character over FM radio instrumentals. <br /><br />I came to find out about RHAG via a session musician visiting my studio. As she played us the bizzare contents of her cassette she filled in the backstory: a friend-of-a-friend-etc who is a pizza delivery guy stole it from a pile of cassettes at some guy's house. When he realized what he had on his hands he was compelled to share. The story is probably a complete fabrication, but I like to imagine your average klepto pizza dude jammin' to this for the first time.<br /><br />His sole official release <span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://search.insound.com/search/showrelease.jsp?p=INS3872">LGO (Life Goes On)</a> </span>circumnavigates the copyright problem by using music specially composed by Fab Modine. It's a decent record, but I would love for someone to archive the cassettes online. In hopes of inspiring someone more well-connected, I present to you RHAG's version of "California Dreaming."<br /><br />I will eventually post the entire cassette when I run it down.<br /><br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" id="divplaylist" height="28" width="335"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=3045477-e4d"><embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=3045477-e4d" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" height="28" width="335"></embed></object>squirrellevelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06873602556657471276noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7556158156980086138.post-8895761632686842032007-12-08T09:05:00.000-08:002007-12-08T16:32:23.107-08:00Remember Lennon<object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/IM-tMyPEh4Y&rel=1"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/IM-tMyPEh4Y&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></embed></object>squirrellevelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06873602556657471276noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7556158156980086138.post-7581679661842934142007-12-07T16:14:00.000-08:002007-12-07T17:50:37.606-08:00Karlheinz Stockhausen R.I.P.It was announced today that Karlheinz Stockhausen died on December 5th at the age of 79. Between 1950 and 2007 he composed over 100 smaller works and several large-scale works, including the longest opera cycle on record. He continued to compose, give concerts, release records and teach composition courses until the very end. He was the epitome of a <span style="font-style: italic;">lifer</span>. His influence was not limited to 20th century classical, but spread through pop and jazz.<br />Pitchfork posted a more informative article: <a href="http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/page/news/47527-karlheinz-stockhausen-rip">http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/page/news/47527-karlheinz-stockhausen-rip</a><br />You can find out more about the man from <a href="http://www.stockhausen.org/">www.stockhausen.org</a><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mrzi4YNhvig&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mrzi4YNhvig&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>squirrellevelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06873602556657471276noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7556158156980086138.post-13730216981091431352007-12-07T15:51:00.000-08:002007-12-08T16:32:02.605-08:00The last available Bonzo Dog Band related blog name available?Other potential names for this blog were:<br />My Pink Half of the Drainpipe (taken)<br />We Are Normal And We Want Our Freedom (brilliant, but too long)<br />Mr. Slaters' Parrot (sorry)<br />Keynsham (just missed it by this much)<br /><br />I intend to provide you people with a selection of rare aural oddities varying in nature from noisy to catchy. I hope to post music from various high school bands (my own and others) from time to time, as well. Were you in a band between the ages of 0-19 that made music described as 'rarefied'? (i.e. You didn't play Led Zeppelin covers exclusively.) Drop me a line.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.stockhausen.org/"></a>squirrellevelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06873602556657471276noreply@blogger.com1