goo 1990 (v2.0.0.5)

1990's "Goo" is a somewhat patchy affair, but it does contain one of my favourite ever Sonic Youth tracks - "Tunic (Song for Karen)" - so I was slightly bemused on listening to the remastered 2005 release to find "Disappearer", with backing vocals by Don Fleming, vying for my attention. It was released as a single - prior to "Kool Thing" and "Dirty Boots" - so I ought to remember it. Latterly, it seems to be those songs featuring Thurston Moore on vocal duties which work the best for me; this was by no mean always the case, previously.

Another mild surprise was just how much I enjoyed the studio outtake, "Lee #2", which didn't make the cut first time around. The Deluxe Edition features 31 tracks in total, 20 of which are newly (well, 3 years ago recently) mixed outtakes, b-sides and rehearsals; all of which adds up, of course, to a far more comprehensive document or snapshot of that period in between "Sister" and "Dirty". Mixed by Aaron Mullen for the 2005 repackage, "Lee #2" is easily up there with any of those songs on the original vinyl release.

Here's an excerpt of what Mullen had to say regarding the remastering process:

"While reference CD’s of the new mastering were being made, listened to, and commented on, we were sorting out bonus tracks. The demo version of the complete album which had been previously bootlegged, and which many people have long preferred to the album proper, was an obvious thing to include. The sound of the released versions of the demos had always been a bummer. Thurston pointed out that the bootleg disks of the demos sounded better than the band’s own version which they released through the (now-defunct) Sonic Death Fan Club. So we dug out the original mix DAT and checked that out. It was better than the Fan Club CD. Then we dug out the 1/2” multitracks, and were totally blown away by the sounds Jim Waters had captured on the original tape."

Recorded at Sorcerer Sound and Greene Street, NYC, 1990.

Thurston Moore: guitar, vocals; Lee Ranaldo; guitar;
Kim Gordon: guitar, vocals; Steve Shelley: drums.

Produced by Nick Sansano; Ron St. Germain; Sonic Youth.
Mastered by Howie Weinberg.

▼ SONIC YOUTH: DISAPPEARER from "Goo: Deluxe Edition" 2 x CD (Goofin' / Smells Like) 1990/2005 (US)

▼ SONIC YOUTH: LEE #2 (STUDIO OUTTAKE) from "Goo: Deluxe Edition" 2 x CD (Goofin' / Smells Like) 1990/2005 (US)

PURCHASE GOO DELUXE EDITION 2 x CD
PRISONSHAKE: SPOO 45 @ ONE BASE ON AN OVERTHROW

plan 9 from outer space

The Austin collective's second release for International Artists - the same label responsible for inflicting Mayo Thompson's fellow Texas Rangers, the Red Krayola on the record buying public - is yet more psychedelic hillbilly fare best known, perhaps, for the 8 minute plus joint Erickson and Hall opus, "Slip Inside This House", opening side 1. The first song here is penned by guitarist/producer, Stacy Sutherland; the second by Roky and Tommy.

Of course. Barack Obama slips inside the house presently, while the Texans mosey on out with their tails between their legs. And take the silverware with them before the flying saucers touch down on the western world's best maintained lawn.

Roky Erickson: vocals;

Dan Galindo: bass; Stacy Sutherland: guitar;

Tommy Hall: jug; Danny Thomas: drums

Produced by Stacy Sutherland & engineered by Frank Davis.

listen to the mekon

▼ 13th FLOOR ELEVATORS: NOBODY TO LOVE from "Easter Everywhere" LP (International Artists) 1967 (US)

▼ 13th FLOOR ELEVATORS: DUST from "Easter Everywhere" LP (International Artists) 1967 (US)

PURCHASE EASTER EVERYWHERE

laugh at me (shindig)

"live": "shindig" (ABC TV), 11th August, 1965.

The real Bono.
Not that Irish imposter with
the crap sunglasses.

Atco 45-6369.
son of a gun

▼ SONNY BONO: LAUGH AT ME (OVERDUBBED VOCAL PERFORMANCE) from " Laugh At Me" 45 (Atco / ABC: "Live" on Shindig) 1965 (US)

tilting at windmills, signor cervantes

"don quixote" by pablo picasso, 1955.

"The drawing was made on August 10, 1955 for the August 18-24 issue (No. 581) of Les LETTRES françaises, a weekly French journal directed by Aragon, in celebration of the 350th anniversary of the publication of Don Quixote, Part I. The journal presented articles (p 1, 9-11) by José Bergamín, Jean Marcenac, Antoine Adam, Alice Ahrweiler, and Pierre Darmangeat, and in a small headline on its first page proudly announced “Un document exclusif: Don Quichotte vu par Picasso.”

Continental LPP-21.

Luiz Bonfá: guitar; João Donato: accordion;
Antônio Carlos Jobim: piano; Altamiro Carrilho: flute;
Claudio: violin; Quinidio Teixeira: tenor sax;
João Stockler: drums; Vidal: bass; Galhardo: bass.

▼ LUIZ BONFÁ: VIOLĀO NO SAMBA from "Luiz Bonfá" LP (Continental) 1955 (Brazil)

PURCHASE LUIZ BONFÁ

bang, bang (my baby shot me down)

caution: sibling shot on the bleachers.

Written, of course, by Sono Bono. From the first of only two studio releases by the overlooked Reid, who suffered as the result of producer, Mickie Most's mismanaged business interests; not quite coincidentally, the LP also featured a reworking of Donovan's "Season Of The Witch".

Terry Reid famously declined guitarist, Jimmy Page's invitation to join the New Yardbirds as first choice in the role of lead singer. Which was good news for one Robert Plant.



▼ TERRY REID: BANG, BANG (MY BABY SHOT ME DOWN) from "Bang, Bang (You're Terry Reid)" LP (Epic) 1968 (UK)

PURCHASE TERRY REID: SUPER LUNGS (THE COMPLETE STUDIO RECORDINGS)

bombay bulletin

▼ GEORGE HARRISON: MY SWEET LORD from "All Things Must Pass" 3 x LP (Apple) 1970 (UK)PURCHASE ALL THINGS MUST PASS

fuckin' asshole

Bob, here, was probably never called an asshole, either.
At least not to his face.

Well. Not in New York. Funny fuckin' guy.

▼ JOHN CALE: PABLO PICASSO from "Guts" LP (Island) 1977 (UK)*
* Thanks to Nathan Nothin'. Featuring guitar from Chris Spedding and Ray Manzanera.

OUT OF PRINT

where the pyramid meets the eye

eye of horus.

"The Eye is traditionally considered a symbol of power.
It was also believed to have protective and healing powers and is associated with
rebirth. It was a popular funerary amulet to give protection in the next world -
one was found on the mummy of Tutankhamen.

More recently the Eye has been linked to the all seeing eye of the Masons
and the eye in the pyramid of the US Great Seal."

third eye.

don't skimp on the mayo

Mayo Thompson: lyrics, vocals, guitar; Noel Kupersmith: bass;
Tom Watson: guitar; harpsichord; synthesiser; John McEntire: drums, ukulele;
Stephen Prina: guitar, harpsichord, piano, organ, tambourine.

Recorded and mixed by John McEntire.

Dedicated to Jörg Schlick (1951-2006).

▼ THE RED KRAYOLA: GREASY STREET from "Introduction" CD (Drag City) 2006 (US)

▼ THE RED KRAYOLA: L.G.F. from "Introduction" CD (Drag City) 2006 (US)

PURCHASE INTRODUCTION

wee tam and the big huge

Vocal by Robin Williamson.

▼ INCREDIBLE STRING BAND: THE YELLOW SNAKE from "Wee Tam & The Big Huge" 2 x LP (Elektra) 1968 (UK)

PURCHASE WEE TAM & THE BIG HUGE

sketches of spain

picasso's sketch book:
"toro y toreros lavis dencre de chine sur papier, 1959."

It is impossible to think on Miles Davis' collaboration with arranger, Gil Evans on 1959's "Sketches of Spain", without acknowledging the marriage in popular culture between jazz and the visual arts which simultaneously saw Picasso's most fluid artistic expression pass directly into the mainstream. Recorded between November, 1959 and March, 1960, "Sketches of Spain" - a compendium of arrangements loosely derived from the European folk tradition - is widely regarded as the most commercially accessible milestone in Davis' career. No surprise when one considers how this key release conspicuously tapped into the zeitgeist which fueled the very public celebration of Latin culture which would carry over from the decade's closing chapter well into the 1960s and beyond.

Not nearly as improvisational in approach as more cerebral later statements which would culminate in "On the Corner", this LP nonetheless serves as a defining moment which led jazz out of the Bebop cul-de-sac which had dominated the better part of the preceding decade with its faster tempo and predictable structure. Most irritatingly, in turn, it was derided in some hardcore jazz circles as being little more than sophisticated easy listening.

A similar parallel can be observed in those bohemian loft space coteries antagonized by Picasso's own commercial success in the same period; a sneering derision that he could sell out so brazenly as the straight bourgeoisie embraced and bought up tourist kitsch with a Spanish or Mexican theme by the vacationing trunk load.

Elevator music, maybe. But what a f@cking lift.

Composed by Joaquín Rodrigo.
Recorded November 20th, 1959.

▼ MILES DAVIS: CONCIERTO DE ARANJUEZ (ADAGIO) from "Sketches Of Spain" LP (Columbia) 1960 (US)

PURCHASE SKETCHES OF SPAIN REMASTERED

sugarcubism

"Everything is a miracle.
It is a miracle that one does not dissolve
in one's bath like a lump of sugar."

"Bad artists copy. Good artists steal."

"God is really only another artist.
He invented the giraffe, the elephant, and the cat.
He has no real style.
He just keeps on trying other things."

pablo picasso

el torro! avant la pique

"avant la pique" by pablo picasso. linocut, 1959.

Wouldn't it have been entertaining to witness the vastly overrated Ernest Hemmingway trotting through the sawdust in circles with a lance in his fat ass ? Considering the severely weighted odds, the spectacle of the 'noble' bullfight feels akin to watching emaciated gladiators defend themselves with wooden swords and one hand tied behind their backs.

Produced by John Cale.

▼ THE MODERN LOVERS: PABLO PICASSO from "The Modern Lovers" LP (Beserkley) 1976 (US)

PURCHASE THE MODERN LOVERS

salvador kali

"mad hatter" by daniel james harris.

By which time, the pocket watch completely melts.

From Inkblot Magazine:

"Bishop is a splendid acoustic guitarist with a sure touch and an impressive vocabulary gleaned from the Spanish flamenco and North Indian classical traditions with a bit of Belgian Django Reinhardt's gypsy swing jazz mixed in.
For variety he tosses in a Moorish piano fantasia that conjures images of kif-addled cowboys doing sabre dances."

Released through John Fahey's Revenant label.

▼ SIR RICHARD BISHOP: PEDRO'S LAST RIDE from "Salvador Kali" CD (Revenant) 1998 (US)

PURCHASE SALVADOR KALI
SIR RICHARD BISHOP OFFICIAL SITE

crAcked

▼ DAVID BOWIE: CRACKED ACTOR (lOs anGeLEs) from "Aladdin Sane" LP (RCA) 1973 (UK)

PURCHASE ALADDIN SANE REMASTERED

yes, but is it dialogue ?

the age of the kali yuga

"Kali, the harlot of Revelation 17, that is, the energy of our time cycle.
That energy is indicated by the "rowdy, drunken party."
The kings of the earth become drunk on the wine of the harlot,
which evokes the emotion of fury or wrath. Kali is said to evoke the emotion
"tamasisk," which means fury.
At the end of the three-stage cycle, Kali, the harlot, is deposed."

hmmm...

Just when I thought I was getting
my head around the
Revelation of Saint John.

red rag to a bull

el torro

doctor doolittle

design by vaughn oliver; photography by simon larbalestier.

Recorded at Downtown Recorders, Boston, Massachusetts. Mixed at Carriage House Studios, Stamford, Connecticut.

Black Francis: guitar, vocals; Kim Deal: bass, vocals; Joey Santiago: guitar; David Lovering: drums.

▼ PIXIES: I BLEED from "Doolittle" LP (4AD) 1989 (US)

PURCHASE DOOLITTLE

spiral tribe

"The Triple Spiral symbol, based on motifs found at the prehistoric site at
Newgrange, Ireland, and used as a neo-pagan or Triple Goddess symbol.
This version is made up of mathematical Archimedean spirals."

foghorn leghorn

sri yantra

kali yantra

ai giri nandini

Hey! From the self-financed, mainly acoustic, Baked Goods release touting "several devotional songs composed and/or adapted by Mascis and dedicated to Hindu religious leader Mata Amritanandamayi, or Ammachi, whom Mascis is a devoted follower of."*

Recorded, one assumes, at Bob's Place (studio) in Amherst, Massachusetts.

From Surefire Distribution:

'"Ayi Giri Nandini," is a metalized version of a Sanskrit hymn by Adi Shankaracharya. Written around 1300 years ago, the hymn sings the glories of the Divine Mother as she slaughters the demonic forces of Mahisha Asura, the Buffalo Demon.'

Featuring a searing guitar solo, as the pace heats up a tad we are also treated to some primeval drumming even Rat Scabies would be proud to bring to the table. Play loud and get your blood circulating.

▼ J MASCIS: HEAVY METAL AI GIRI NANDINI from "J + Friends Sing And Chant For Amma" CD (Baked Goods) 2005 (US)

* Wiki.

PURCHASE J + FRIENDS SING & CHANT FOR AMMA

hare krsna

artwork by annie.

Formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota (hello Matt) in 1979.

Bob Mould: guitar, vocals; Greg Norton: bass; Grant Hart: drums.

A trio, manager David Savoy Jr. was considered the fourth member of the band; his suicide was a major contributing factor in the group's dissolution just four years after this album's release. Apparently, Greg Norton now runs a successful restaurant business. I wonder if the menu is vegetarian.

"Hüsker Dü", I only recently discovered, is Norwegian for "Do you remember ?"

▼ HÜSKER DÜ: HARE KRSNA from "Zen Arcade" 2 x LP (SST) 1984 (US)

PURCHASE ZEN ARCADE

yes, root damage

pulp chambers.
"source: nutritional and physical degeneration by weston a. price."

"Fig. 137 - Case of a girl who had forty-two cavities in twenty-four teeth. With the diet reinforced with activator X, the pulp chambers built in secondary dentin and all the teeth were saved. Full dentures had been recommended."

I have just this morning visited my dentist. Fortunately, all that was prescribed was a scale and polish.

Earlier in the car park on our way to school I had a minor altercation with the father of a nineteen year old woman who previously attempted to mow down both me and my son and a neighbour's young children. Naturally, I remonstrated with the man's daughter over said incident. Big fucking deal.

Apparently, people with a compulsion to plough recklessly through residential areas in charge of two and a half thousand lbs of steel feel both victimised and terrorised should one feel obliged to complain.

And show some teeth.

I'll say it again - with full Phil Spector production - for the clearly hard of hearing:

"fuck you."

no, not root damage

Recorded sometime between January 13th-20th, 1991 in Stockton, California.

Steve Malkmus: guitar, vocals; Scott Kannberg: guitar, vocals; Gary Young: drums; Bob Nastanovich: percussion; Mark Ibold: bass.

Produced by Pavement.

The dishevelled Gary Young was renowned for making gifts of cabbage and other assorted vegetables to fans in a state of profound inebriation. When I was introduced to him at a venue in Belgium, 1992 - where Pavement were supporting Sonic Youth on their international "Dirty" tour - he handed me a box of spent matches.

Maybe he thought I was intent on razing the hall to the ground. Well. The firebug in me has shrivelled and withered with age.

Then again, perhaps he was just encouraging me to give up smoking.

▼ PAVEMENT: ZURICH IS STAINED from "Slanted And Enchanted" LP (Matador / Big Cat) 1992 (US)

PURCHASE SLANTED & ENCHANTED: LUXE & REDUXE

levitate me

design by vaughn oliver, of 23 envelope.

Recorded March, 1987 (1987-03) at Fort Apache Studios, Roxbury, Massachusetts. Originally released on British independent, 4AD - a subsidiary of Beggars Banquet - under Ivo Watts-Russell.

Black Francis: guitar, vocals; Kim Deal (Mrs. John Murphy): bass, vocals; Joey Santiago: guitar; David Lovering: drums.

Written by Black Francis, Mrs. John Murphy, David Lovering, and Jean Walsh. Produced by Gary Smith; engineered by Paul Kolderie.

"Come on pilgrim, you know He loves you."

▼ PIXIES: LEVITATE ME from "Come On Pilgrim" LP (4AD) 1987 (US)

PURCHASE COME ON PILGRIM REMASTERED

peter and his chromatic fantasy

worchester, massachusetts, august 1949. photograph by herbert gehr.

A double helping of prime bison steak from New York on Sweet Touch.

Paul Buffa: bison bonasus; Harry Smolker: bubalus quarlesi; Nicky Grodsky: bubalus arnee; Andrew Atkin: bubalus bubalis; John Murchison: bison bison; Dave Smolker: bos gaurus; Emil Hewitt: syncerus caffer.

On this song, translates as:

Paul Buffa: lead vocals, rhythm guitar; Harry Smolker: lead guitar; Nicky Grodsky: drums. Andrew Atkin: bass; Emil Hewitt: background vocals, string arangements.

Written by Paul Buffa. Produced by Emil Hewitt.

Go easy on the mayo. In fact, lay off the sauce altogether, she said.
Thanks to Ben from Sweet Touch records for turning me on to this.

remember the bison

▼ BUFFALO DRIVE: SHOCK THERAPY from "Peter And His Chromatic Fantasy" Promo (Sweet Touch) 2008 (US)

▼ BUFFALO DRIVE: SHOCK THERAPY (REPRISE) from "Peter And His Chromatic Fantasy" Promo (Sweet Touch) 2008 (US)

BUFFALO DRIVE @ MYSPACE

eh, mushroom, will you mush my room?

SR 10009.

From what is sometimes referred to as the "Lost Gong Album", featuring as it does full support from Daevid Allen and musical entourage. This is perhaps the most conventional arrangement on the LP, ending side 1 with a vocal contribution from William S. Burroughs, immediately preceding the psychedelic freak out which sprawls across the entirety of side 2; "Cielo Drive/17".

Dashiell Hedayat: vocal, guitar, keyboards; Daevid Allen: lead guitar; Didier Malherbe: sax, flute; Christian Tritsch: bass, acoustic guitar; Pip Pyle: drums, guitar; Gilli Smyth: vocal; with Robert Wyatt, voice; William S. Burroughs, voice.

Recorded at Strawberry Studio on May 1971.

"Warning: This record must be played as loud as possible, must be heard as stoned as impossible and thank you everybody."

Grab it while it's hot. And steamy.

▼ DASHIELL HEDAYAT: EH, MUSHROOM WILL YOU MUSH MY ROOM (part iii): LONG SONG FOR ZELDA from "Obsolete" LP (Shandar) 1971 (France)

PURCHASE OBSOLETE