He was a Knockout Artist

I’ve been on a Harry Crews jag lately. I’m deep into heavy anticipation. A friend of mine is sending me a 1972 Morrow edition of Car by HC. I've been wanting to read it fot quite some times. Though it gets mixed responses, it's from 1972, sixteen years prior to The Knockout Artist, & I like my Crews raw. Plus its about a guy who wants to eat a car, so...

So I’ve been re-reading some past hits. I started with Celebration, my least favorite FAVORITE.

Then I hit up All We Need of Hell.

Now I’m reading Scar Lover. Nearly tied with my favorite Harry Crews. Deeply Southern gothic.

Next I’ll be hitting my fave The Knockout Artist.

Harry Eugene Crews should be around still. With the bacon craze in full swing, Crazy Crews from Bacon County, Georgia (March 28, 2012 R.I.P.) he be more crisp than ever.

& so to be in sync with the read-a-mania, I thought it apropos to be listening to Lydia Lunch, Kim Gordon, & Sadie Mae as Harry Crews, the band.

A short lived project created by these female post punk heavy weights. Harry, the writer, was their muse. They made much of his themes, words, & ideas. Their music has been most appropriate in capturing the mood of Crews’ writing in their bombastic sound. Harry Crews toured Europe from September 1 - 24, 1988. The album was recorded live at the Mean Fiddler, London & in Vienna, Austria by Vienna Radio."

Harry Crews - Naked in Garden Hills, Big Cat ABB 21, 1990.

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Side A –

About the Author

Man Hates a Man

Distopia

You’re It

Gospel Singer

Knockout Artist

(She's in a) Bad Mood

Side B –

The Way Out

Bring Me Down

Car

S.O.S.

Orphans

Enjoy,

NØ

More Cowbell

Exuma, the Obeah Man, was born Macfarlane Gregory Anthony Mackey on Cat Island, Bahamas on February 18, 1942. His friends knew him as Tony or Obeah Man. He grew up on Canaan Lane off Shirley Street, Nassau, Bahamas. His work is an potpourri of reggae, African, heavy Bahamian folk dirges, swinging calypso, pounding junkanoo ruckus, & the groaning incantations of Obeah Man voudoun.

After growing up on Cat Island, Tony moved to New York City at age 17 to study architecture. However, he did not complete his studies. He became interested in writing, singing, & playing music. He formed a group called Tony McKay & the Islanders. In New York's 1960s Greenwich Village folk scene Tony found himself performing with such greats as Bob Dylan, Richie Havens, & even a young Jimi Hendrix.

Along with his partner & lifelong friend, Sally O'Brien, & several musician friends, Tony launched Exuma, a multi-faceted group that toured & recorded albums starting with Exuma I (The Obeah Man) in 1970 & ending with Rude Boy in 1986. This backing band was known only as the Junk Band & included Sally O'Brien, Lord Wellington, Mildred Vaney, Frankie Gearing, & Spy Boy Thielheim among others.

On Exuma I, the performers are: Tony ‘Exuma’ McKay – lead vocals, guitar, bells (ankle, junk, & elephant), & Sacred foot drum; Frankie Gearing, Geraldine McBride, Mildred Vaney, Princess Diana, & Sally O’Brien - backing vocals; Spy Boy Thielheim - backing vocals, triangle, cabassa, whistle, & bells; Daddy Ya Ya – backing vocals, bells, foot drum, & Sacred sand; & Lord Wellington – congas.

Exuma - Exuma I, Mercury SR 61265, 1970.

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Side 1 –

Exuma, the Obeah Man
Dambala
Mama Loi, Papa Loi

Side 2 –
Junkanoo
Seance in the Sixth Fret
You Don't Know What's Going On

The Vision

The group soon caught the attention of Blues Magoos manager Bob Wyld. Wyld brought Exuma to Mercury Records where he convinced them to sign Tony & Company. In 1970 Exuma released the albums Exuma I & Exuma II. From those albums he released the singles "Exuma, The Obeah Man", "Junkanoo", "Damn Fool", & "Zandoo". Exuma also garnered recognition for their song "You Don't Know What's Going On", which was featured on the soundtrack to John G. Avilsen's 1970 film Joe starring Peter Boyle, Susan Sarandon, & Dennis Patrick.

On Exuma II, the performers are: Tony ‘Exuma’ McKay – lead vocals, guitar, ankle bell, & Sacred foot drum; Daddy Ya Ya – backing vocals, bass, attar & elephant bells, & marching drums; Yogi - backing vocals & junk bells; Spy Boy Thielheim – high harmony congas, cabassa, & Sacred sand; Lord Cherry - congas & whistle; Lord Wellington – congas; & Princess Diana & Sally O'Brien – backing vocals & whistles.

Exuma - Exuma II, Mercury SR 61314, 1970.

Side 1 –

Damn Fool
Baäl
Paul Simon Nontooth
Fire in the Hole

Side 2 –

 A Place Called Earth
We Got to Go
African Rhythm
Zandoo

Exuma left Mercury in 1971 to sign with the Kama Sutra label, where they released the albums Do Wah Nanny, Snake, Reincarnation, & Life. From these albums they released the singles "Do Wah Nanny", "The Bowery", "Brown Girl", "Rushing Through the Crowd", & a cover of Paul McCartney's "Monkberry Moon Delight".

On Do Wah Nanny, the performers are: Exuma, the Obeah Man – lead & backing vocals, guitar, ankle bells & Sacred foot drums; Yogi – backing vocals & junk bells; Spy Boy Thielheim - congas & cabassa; Daddy Ya Ya - backing vocals & marching drums; Lord Cherry & Lord Wellington – congas, percussion, & junk bells; Cordell Thompson & H. W. Mannings – cow bells; & Diana Claudia Bunea & Sally O'Brien – backing vocals & whistles; with Bruce Samuels – bass; Alfred ‘Peewee’ Ellis – saxophone; & John Gatchell – trumpet (on “Do Wah Nanny”).

Exuma – Do Wah Nanny, Kama Sutra KSBS 2040, 1971.

Side 1 –

Do Wah Nanny

Silver City

Eybrows & Beard

She Looks so Fine

Side 2 –

Roweena

The Bowery

22nd Century

Do Wah Nanny (part 2)

On Snake, Exuma are: Exuma, the Obeah Man - lead & backing vocals, guitar, cowbells, calling bells & triangle; John Russo - bass, violin, & lead guitar (“Don’t Let Go”); George J. ‘Duke’ Clemmons - upright bass;  Stanley Wiley (except “Don’t Let Go” & Happiness & Sunshine” – Dave Libert) – piano; Michael B. Olatunji – talking drum, African congas & shaker; Akinjorin ‘Juice’ Omolade – lead saxophone & African drums; Michael O’Neil - backing vocals, congas, & saxophone; Carl Jennings & Jerry Congales – trumpet; Chuchlow Eliebank – steel drums; Jeffory Miller – set drums; Michael Laneve – timbales; & Yogi Achmed Ben Mansel, Barbara ‘Omolaye’ Simon, Sally O'Brien, & Tonice Gwathney – backing vocals.

Exuma – Snake, Kama Sutra KSBS 2052, 1972.

Side 1 –

Obeah, Obeah, O

Snake

Don’t Let Go

Attica, Part 1

Side 2 –

Thirteenth Sunday

Subway Bound for Hell

Happiness & Sunshine

Summertime in New York

Andros is Atlantic Rising

Exuma’s Reincarnation

On Reincarnation, the musicians are: Exuma, the Obeah Man – lead & backing vocals, guitar, cowbell, whistle, goat skin drums, ankle bells, Sacred sand, & throat harp; Baron Samedi - backing vocals, cowbells, bass throat harp, & shadow ring; Yogi Achmed Ben Mansel - backing vocals, cowbell, percussion, sand box, & walking road; Kenny Aaronson – bass; Al Hicks – backing vocals & drums; with Richie Wise – guitar (“Monkberry Moon Delight”); Fernando Gumbs - bass (“Pay Me What You Owe Me” & “Walking Home”); Paul Carpenter - piano (“Monkberry Moon Delight” & Pay Me What You Owe Me”); & Kester Smith - drums (“ Brown Girl”, “Monkberry Moon Delight”, &  “Exuma’s Reincarnation”).

Exuma – Reincarnation, Kama Sutra KSBS 2062, 1972.

Side One –

Brown Girl

Monkberry Moon Delight (Paul McCartney)

Metastophaliese

Obeah Man Come Back

Baby, Let Me In

Pay Me What You Owe Me

Side Two –

Empty Barrels

Walking Home

Rushing Through the Crowd

Ballad for Sammy

Exuma’s Reincarnation

On Life, the players are: Exuma, the Obeah Man - lead & backing vocals, guitar, goat skin drums, bugle, trumpet, whistle, & cowbell; Yogi Achmed Ben Mansel – backing vocals, cowbell, maracas, & whistle; Kenny Aaronson – bass; Kester Smith – drums; Patti Brown – piano & celeste; Michael O’Neill -  backing vocals, congas, saxophone, & claves; Kurt Nurse – steel drums & timbales; with Priscilla Rollins – backing vocals (“If it Feels Good, Do It”); George J. ‘Duke’ Clemons – upright bass (“You Can’t Always get What You Want”); Steve Love – guitar & sitar (“If it Feels Good, Do It” & “Paint it Black”); Kenny Bichel - piano (“If it Feels Good, Do It” & “Paint it Black”); Jeff Smith - saxophone (“Viva El Matador”); Tyrone Demmons - trumpet (“Viva El Matador”); Richie Wise - tambourine (“If it Feels Good, Do It”); & Bryan Maday - drums (“If it Feels Good, Do It” & “Paint it Black”).

Exuma – Life, Kama Sutra KSBS 2074, 1973.

Side One –

If it Feels Good, Do It

Paint it Black (The Rolling Stone)

Love is Strange

The Jumping Dance

Iko Iko (James ‘Sugar Boy’ Crawford – original title “Jock-a-Mo”)

You Can’t Always get What You Want (The Rolling Stone)

Side Two –

Night Time People

Hayride

Oh! Lovey

Sodom & Gomorrah

Kenyatta Alisha

Viva El Matador

Drawing on the traditional Bahamian folk songs, the infectious beat of Junkanoo, ring play, myths & linguistic idiom, Exuma the Obeah Man through his musical recordings, performances & paintings promoted Bahamian heritage & presented Bahamian music to the world more so than any other contemporary Bahamian recording artist.

On Rude Boy, Exuma are: Exuma, the Obeah Man – lead & backing vocals, congas, cowbell, drums, acoustic guitar, & keyboards; Charles Brady – guitar; Bruce MacDonald – backing vocals & guitar; Charles Handcock – lead & backing vocals, bass, cowbell, rhythm guitar, & handclapping; Lisa Mednick – backing vocals & keyboards; Bilal Sunni Ali – flute & saxophone; Hack Bartholomew – trumpet; Steve Amedee – backing vocals & drums; David Farrell – drums, shaker, tom-tom, & triangle; Miguel Banegas & Rafael Cruz – congas, cowbells, & timbales; & Sarone Run Raa – cowbell.

Exuma – Rude Boy (Producer’s Cut 1993 re-issue), Exuma CD777, 1993.

(originally on ROIR 1986)

Tracklist –

Rude Boy

Clean on the Outside,  Dirty on the Inside

They Coming ‘Junkanoo’

Shirlene

Dready

Fishing on the Rock

Saint James Road Slim

Soca ‘Bite Me on My Belly’

Dream

Bam Bam

In the late 80s, Tony suffered a mild heart attack, after that devoting much of his time to painting, his other great talent. His paintings have been featured on many of his album covers, exhibited many times & are collected by art lovers & friends. Tony never really abandoned his music however. He still wrote & performed his original music, continuing to perform at the New Orleans Jazz Festival until 1991.

Self Portrait with Songs

On January 25, 1997 he died peacefully in his sleep. At the time he had been shopping around for a label to release a new album. Tony left behind several children, including Gavin, Kenyatta (“Kenyatta Alisha” from Life), Acklins, & Jahleena. His first son, Shaw & Shaw’s mother ‘Sammy’ (“Ballad for Sammy” from Reincarnation) were murdered in the early 1970s in New York's Lower East Side. Both Acklins & Kenyatta Alisha are gifted vocal artists carrying on the musical tradition of their talented father.

Enjoy,

NØ

High Priests of Electronic Dub

Various – High Priests of Electronic Dub, Hypnotic CLP 9757-2, 1996.
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Tracklist –

Nature™ - In a Gentle Mood

The Future Sound of London – Papua New Guinea (Dub mix)

Controlled Bleeding – Trang & I

Burning Retina – Master X

Synaesthesia – Outland

Divination – Agrippa

Giez – No Voice

Psychic TV – Wrongs of Spring (remix)

Coercion – The True Will

Download – Attalal (remix)

Test Dept – Critical Dub

Enjoy,

NØ

More Mori

Probably said enough about Ikue Mori here before this.

Born & raised in Japan. Went to New York City in 77 initially for a visit but fell into the music scene. Remained in New York ever since.

Drummer for seminal No Wave band DNA with Arto Lindsay & Robin Crutchfield. After DNA became active in the New York experimental music scene. Formed Death Ambient (earlier post). Beyond solo recordings, has recorded or performed with Marc Ribot, Dave Douglas, Butch Morris, Kim Gordon, Thurston Moore, & many others. Member of Hemophiliac with John Zorn & singer Mike Patton, also Zorn's Electric Masada. With Zeena Parkins, records & tours as duo project Phantom Orchard. Often records on Tzadik as well as designing covers for many of their albums.
  
On Painted Desert, the artists are: Ikue Mori – drum programming, Robert Quine & Marc Ribot – guitars. Recorded at Sear Sound NYC Februart 14-16, 1994.

Ikue Mori, Robert Quine, & Marc Ribot - Painted Desert, Avant Records Avan 030, 1995.

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Tracklist –

Mojave

Medicine Man

Desperado

Cheyenne

El Dorado

Santa Ana Excursion

Gundown

Painted Desert

Enjoy,

NØ

Free Diving with the Second Apneists

Apnea is a term for suspension of external breathing. Apnea can be voluntarily achieved, drug-induced through opiate or tryptamine use, mechanically induced by strangulation or choking, or it can occur as a consequence of neurological disease or trauma. When a person is immersed in water, physiological changes due to the mammalian diving reflex enable somewhat longer tolerance of apnea even in untrained persons. Tolerance can in addition be trained. The ancient technique of free-diving requires lengthened breath-holding, & world-class free-divers can hold their breath underwater up to depths of 214 meters for more than four minutes.

Segunda Apnea is the name of the group from Barcelona, Spain born in 2006 from the ashes of Apnea. Marc (Desmond) - vocals, Yves - bass & Llobet – drums from the original Apnea teamed up with Edgar Beltri & Álvaro - guitar & Natalia Escaño  – keyboards to create the Second Apnea. As its name suggests, the project is a second attempt to complete their free-dive. Apnea went down for the first dive, had to come up for another breath of air to form this new band.

They recorded a three song demo in 2007 & then this self-titled CD in 2008 on the Arindelle Records label. The new team of six divers with enough experience in various seas & styles have managed to compose these breathless tracks. This is an album of beautifully independent ambient post-rock tinged compositions. Diving below the surface without scuba tanks, drifting off on the wonders of these mostly instrumental tunes reveals a personal immersion into an ocean of sound.

Find a dark & solitary space to escape from the outside world & immerse your self. Songs like “La Atlántida” &  “Sombras Marinas” showcase the great craftwork behind this band, uncovering new worlds that lie beyond the last known sea.

Segunda Apnea – Segunda Apnea, Arindelle Records AR14, 2008.
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Tracklist –

La Atlántida (Atlantis)

Miran Al Cielo (Looking to the Sky)

El Viejo Faro (The Old Lighthouse)

La Laguna Principal (The Laguna Home)

Sombras Marinas (Marina Shadows)

Dunas Negras (Black Dunes)

Enjoy,

NØ

Discard after Using

I was thinking of posting this up because I just featured Trigger & the Thrill Kings a few days ago. Hypo is a one-off with David Foley on guitar, Kai Eric on bass & T&tTK alum Jim Sclavunos on drums. Super rare 7” on clear vinyl.

Hypo  ‎– The Dark Leader Speaks 7”, Disastro-Mix ‎ NR 19140, 1992.
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Side 1 –

The Dark Leader Speaks

Side 2 –

Doctor…Nurse…Meat

Enjoy,

NØ

Love is the Law, Love under Will

This is a cassette from Rudy. G. performed under the name Thelema. Recorded in 1987 in Arnhem, The Netherlands. This tape is dedicated to Aleister Crowley. Slow drone with lots of guitars, electronics, & rhythm machines.

“It may be through the blind night thou shalt see thine Angel. Come hear the faint whisper of His wings. Behold the starry breast begemmed. You shall catch the subtle voice. Neophyte has to acquire perfect control of the Astral Plane. We must penetrate…Magus.

Hawk-headed Lord, the intelligence who wrote the Book of the Law together with Crowley. Aiwaz or his magickal self. Bini bek. Bartzabel. To work up the magickal enthusiasm through the exhilaration induced by musick. To create Belial.”

Thelema - Aiwaz cassette C46 III, 1987.
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Side A – Holy Guardian Angel

1

2

3

4

Side B – Aiwaz

5

6

7

8

Do what thou wilt,

NØ

How about some Ambient...Death Ambient, that is!

Death Ambient teams three of the world's most exciting improvisers in a fascinating album that blurs styles & smashes genres in a dark world of unusual sounds & unorthodox techniques.

Japanese bass player Kato Hideki, founding member of Ground Zero & Bass Army, moved to New York City in 1992 where he began working with a number of musicians, including John Zorn, Marc Ribot, & Christian Marclay. In 1995 he met & began collaborating with Japanese drummer & composer Ikue Mori.

Mori herself had moved to New York City in 1977 where she joined the NoWave band DNA (along with Arto Lindsay & Robin Critchfield) as their drummer although she had never previously played drums. After DNA disbanded, Mori took to experimenting with drum machines which she modified to play samples. After DNA Mori recorded with Death Praxis (with Tenko), Vibraslaps (with Catherine Jauniaux), Ursa's Door (with Zeena Parkins) & many others. 1995 was a busy year for Mori. Beside teaming up with Hideki, she played on Painted Desert (with Marc Ribot & Robert Quine) & Hex Kitchen (with Hideki, Jauniaux, Zeena Parkins, David Watson, Hahn Rowe, & John Zorn).

After Hideki & Mori teamed up, they asked experimental guitarist Fred Frith to join the group. Frith is probably best known as a founding member of Henry Cow & the Art Bears. Frith had been living in New York City for 14 years & had also collaborated with many of the experimental musicians there. He is one of the most important & influential guitarists in improvisational music of the past three decades. He has played in: Skeleton Crew; Curlew; Cassiber; Aksak Maboul; Massacre; Material; the Golden Palominos; French, Frith, Kaiser. & Thompson; & Naked City. He has recorded with: the Residents; collaborated with Henry Kaiser; John Zorn; Rene Lussier; Derek Bailey; Ferdinand Richard; & Chris Cutler. He recorded numerous solo albums on ESD, SST, Ralph, Rift, Incus, Recommended, Rec Rec, Victo, Crammed Discs, & Sub Rosa.

As Death Ambient, the trio recorded their first album, the self-tutled Death Ambient at Green Point Studio in Brooklyn, New York City in 1995. The Death Ambient music is a collection of improvised pieces that included Mori's drum machine generated sound samples, released the same year in the New Japan series on John Zorn's Tzadik record label.

Death Ambient – Death Ambient, Tzadik TZ 7207, 1995.

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Tracklist –

Prophecy

Imperial Thorn

Hedgetrimmer

Alchemy

Heart Set 1

Rain

Broken Blue

Loquat Tree

White Eye

Coyote Got Away

A Dead Staphylococcus Looks like a Skull

Heart Set 2

Loading & Running

Flash

Ways Out

The inner label lists the songs as track 5 – “Rain” & track 6 – “Heart Set 1” while the disc is listed as above. The above listing is correct, as “Heart Set 1 & 2” are tracks 5 & 12 respectively.

Enjoy,

NØ

How about some Killer Party Service?

The Painless Dirties began in 1983 as Killer Party Service with Kai ‘Speed B’ Boysen – vocals, guitar, & keyboard, Felix Fango – vocals, bass, guitar, & keyboard, & Manni ‘Rudi’ Mentár – drums & backing vocals. After regularly playing various clubs in the Hamburg area, in June 1984, now known as The Painless Dirties, they went on tour of Germany with Trigger & the Thrill Kings.

In 1983 Truus de Groot - vocals hooked up with James Sclavunos ( Lydia Lunch, Sonic Youth, the Cramps, & now with Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds & Grinderman) - drums, Jim Duckworth - (Tav Falco’s Panther Burns & Gun Club) & Danny B. Harvey (Honey Dippers, Twenty Flight Rockers, The Head Cat with Lemmy, Mad Violets & many more) – guitars, & Charles Leyland – bass to start Trigger & the Thrill Kings. T&tTK played a raunchy blues, punk-rockabilly mix.

Moanin’ Low by Trigger & the Thrill Kings.

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A major tour like this provided The Painless Dirties with a much wider audience. They gained a great deal of attention & a month later, they signed with Alfred Hilsberg’s indie label What's So Funny About. They soon released their first LP, the self-titled The Painless Dirties that same year.

Critic’s described the band’s music as a mixture of Doors & The Velvet Underground.
By the end of 1984 The Dirties had added Tom Grom on piano, organ, & harp which allowed both Kai & Felix to sing & concentrate on their primary instrument without switching frequently to keyboard duties. In 1985 TPD recorded their second album, Minimal Brain Dysfunction (joined here by Nainz - vocals on “Doctor Olander”, backing vocals, & sampling).

After a series of line-up changes, the group split in 1987 into the two bands: Felix Fango’s The Movin’ Ooh! & Kai Boysen’s Comrad, from which later emerged Station 17.

The Painless Dirties – Minimal Brain Dysfunction, What’s So Funny About SF 36, 1986.

Side A –

Hey Girl

Beaten Dogs

Don’t Touch Me

Jump Out

Rotten Blues

Dr. Olander

Side B –

Dripping Tongue

Living in the Dark

One Night at Home

I’m not Mean Enough

Subito

A2 is listed “Beaten Dogs” on the back sleeve, “Beaten Dog” on label.
A3 is mentioned only on label, not on the back sleeve.
A4 & A5 are mentioned in reversed order on the back sleeve.
A6 is “Dr. Olander” on label, but “Doctor Olander” on the back sleeve.

Enjoy,

NØ

Scott Asheton R.I.P.

A great example of Scott ‘Rock Action’ Asheton’s drum chops…

T.V. Eye - from The Stooges – Fun House, Elektra EKS 74071, 1970.

Who ever thought, back in the early 70s, that Iggy would be the last Stooge standing?

Original Stooges drummer Scott Asheton, who co-founded the band in 1967 alongside Iggy Pop, bassist Dave Alexander (who passed away in 1975) & brother guitarist Ron Asheton (who died in 2009) has died.

No cause of death has been given, but he had been unwell since suffering a stroke after the band played at Hellfest in France in 2011. His last studio appearance was on last year’s album Ready To Die.

Confirming that Asheton had passed away on Saturday, Pop said in a statement:

“Scott was a great artist. I have never heard anyone play the drums with more meaning. He was like my brother. He & Ron have left a huge legacy to the world. The Ashetons have always been, & continue to be, a second family to me. My thoughts are with his sister Kathy, his wife Liz, & his daughter Leanna, who was the light of his life.”

R.I.P.

NØ

Musick for Your Mutha

Been quite some time since I’ve done that Parliafunkadelicment thang. Well, here’s some tight funk of the 7" kind. No "Maggot Brain" or "Free Your Mind", just the heavy heavy sound of pumpin' 45s. This is one of the best singles collections by any band ever assembled. Early-period Funkadelic remains the standard by which all other mind-expanding funk is judged, JB or no JB. Included is the twelve page booklet (from the CD) with everything you’ll need to know about these singles & the great artists who made them.

Funkadelic – Music for Your Mother: Funkadelic 45s 2xLP,
Westbound Records SEW2 055, 1992.
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LP One

Side One -
Music for My Mother
Music for My Mother (instrumental)
Can't Shake it Loose
As Good as I Can Feel
I'll Bet You
Qualify & Satisfy
Open Our Eyes

Side Two -
I Got a Thing, You Got a Thing, Everybody Got a Thing
Fish, Chips, & Sweat
I Wanna Know if It's Good to You
I Wanna Know if It's Good to You (instrumental)
You & Your Folks, Me & My Folks
Funky Dollar Bill
Can You Get to That
Back in Our Minds
I Miss My Baby (US music with Funkadelic)

LP Two

Side Three -
Baby I Owe You Something Good (US music with Funkadelic)
Hit it & Quit It
A Whole Lot of B.S.
Loose Booty
A Joyful Process
Cosmic Slop
If You Don't Like the Effects, Don't Produce the Cause
Standing on the Verge of Getting it On
Jimmy's Got a Little Bit of Bitch in Him

Side Four -
Red Hot Mamma
Vital Juices
Better by the Pound
Stuffs & Things
Let's Take it to the Stage
Biological Speculation
Undisco Kidd
How Do Yeaw View You

Enjoy,

NØ

Casting Pearlman before Swine

Philip Gadahn, born Philip Pearlman, is an American musician from western Riverside County, California. He is best known as the artist behind several psych-folk happenings in the 60s & early 70s. He has attracted more mainstream attention in recent years because of his son, Adam Yahiye Gadahn, a convert to radical Islam & a suspected al Qaeda operative. Pearlman attended the University of California at Irvine. Phil is the son of a Jewish father & Protestant mother. Pearlman himself was raised agnostic. He converted to Christianity in the early 70s, just prior to recording the underground classic Relatively Clean Rivers. After conversion he changed his last name to ‘Gadahn’ as a tribute to the Bible’s Gideon.

The earliest known release from Phil is a surf/hot rod 45 with some unusual touches from the less-than-legendary Phil & the Flakes. Listed as #23 on the Top 40 Surf Music Vocals by Montjurich Surfboards.

Phil & the Flakes – Chrome Reversed Rails b/w Blower Scoop 7" 45,
Hydra Music FINK 1010, 1964.
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After the Flakes flaked, Phil hooked up with other like-minded SoCal BoHo musicians & recorded a free spirited project called The Beat of the Earth.

The Beat of the Earth – The Beat of the Earth, Radish 0001, 1967.

Side 1 –

This Record is an Artistic Statement Part I

Side 2 –

This Record is an Artistic Statement Part II

Outtakes from the 1967 The Beat of the Earth recording session.

The Beat of the Earth – Our Standard 3-Minute Tune, Radish 0001½, 1994.

Side 1 –

Part I

Side 2 –

Part II

The Electronic Hole is a band put together after BOTE. Pearlman assembled The Electronic Hole in 1969 strictly for personal use, to serve as auditions for musicians for a new band. To help accomplish this & also to add to his own collection of demos, he used local studios in off-hours thanks to his friendship with album engineer Joe Sidore. The fact that Phil did a lot of his own recording helped create the rather unique sound tone of The Electronic Hole. One of the first things is the strange fuzz & noisy power combined with psychedelic riffing complexity. The next thing may be that it only has two song titles…"The Golden Hill" & "Love Will Find A Way" which are then divided into numerous parts. The whole noise usage & street-wise vocals may remind of The Velvet Underground. Pearlman's voice has a sound similar to John Cale's & The Electronic Hole has been called “a West Coast Velvets.

This album contains extremely rare songs from an extremely rare band. Original heavy psych sound that drones you into mind wandering.

The Electronic Hole – The Electronic Hole, Radish 0002, 1970.

Side A –

The Golden Hill Part I

The Golden Hill Part II

The Golden Hill Part III

The Golden Hill Part IV

Side B –

Love Will Find a Way Part I

Love Will Find a Way Part II

Love Will Find a Way Part III

Phil assembled his band in the early 70s & eventually recorded this magnificent rural rock album in 1975. The Relatively Clean Rivers album stands with the very best albums of the era, possessing a purely American sound. Amazingly well produced compared to previous Pearlman releases, it is the very antithesis of his earlier material which was for the most part garage (although they in truth project a certain tangible level of sophistication). No measurable degree of time or expense was spared in the creation of the Relatively Clean Rivers album, which took over a year to assemble. It is one of the most flawless snapshots of the California seventies underground scene you will ever hear.

Some feel this album is the second coming, with strong apocalyptic acid visions & wonderful musicianship. Others feel that it’s a solid rural rock record with strands of late period psychedelia.Whichever, it is worth a good listen.

NOTE: Please avoid purchasing this album from the Radioactive label. Radioactive & its related label, Fallout are pirate operations, meaning they do not pay the original artists or copyright holders when they sell bootleg vinyl rips on CD. Read more about it at NothingExceptional.com.

Relatively Clean Rivers is: Phil Pearlman – vocals, guitar, bass, flute, baglama, harmonica, & synthesizer; Kurt Baker – vocals & guitar; plus John Alabaster – congas & Hank Quinn – drums on “The Persian Caravan” with Dwight Morouse – effects on “The Persian Caravan” & “A Thousand Years”.

Relatively Clean Rivers – Relatively Clean Rivers, Pacific Is 17601, 1976.

Side 1 –

Easy Ride

Journey Through the Valley of O

Babylon

Last Flight to Eden

Side 2 –

Prelude

Hello Sunshine

They Knew What to Say

The Persian Caravan

A Thousand Years

Enjoy,
NØ