Musick that Needed Work - R: Roots of Madness

This month I'm tackling the letter R in my quest to fix up all the Musick that Needed Work. 

Plenty of work to be found in this folder. 

Hope you enjoy the results. 

 

 

Roots of Madness was a psyche folk free improv band formed in San Jose, CA in 1969 by Geoff Alexander & Don Campau including Joe Morrow, Jim Kulczynski, & David "Dave Dolphin" Leskovsky. 

 

Geoff (known as "The Gumball Greek" after his patent family heritage & orthodontry problems) had just begun to experiment with the band's sound in 1969. It consisted of Electric Trumpet, Short-wave Radio (tuned to WWV - Denver), & Proctological Tubing. The melody base was an obvious borrowing from the blues-guitar style of the late P.P. McFeelie. In fact RoM proudly claims brotherhood with this obscure Ebo City musician who died tragically of Phlebitis shortly after recording "You Are My Sunshine"  included here for your comparison.

"It was Don who was our great inspiration," sez Joe through his speaking tube (an early unfortunate bout with Kyphosis made it impossible for Joe to use his larynx. Doctors fashioned an experimental plastic reed which is inserted directly into his duodenum. Thus the piercing sound in some of the compositions as Joe 'plays' with his voice as if it were a flute). "Don was an inspiration because of his willingness to play piano with only one arm."

Joe is referring to Don's tragic experience at age 5 when he lost one arm in a player piano ratchet. Ironically, it is the player piano that Don favors the most, hitting it (pounding it, really) with his one remaining arm.

Several critics have come to point out that Roots of Madness is probably part of the South Bay Delta Blues Confluence, rather than the Ben Lomond Blues School as represented by Blind Joe McBlind. I wouldn't know. But I do want you to open up your ears to some of the swingin'-est, smarmiest, satinyist music since Holst hung up his act. 

 

Roots of Madness - The Girl in the Chair, Dogmouth BALH1760, 1971.
decryption code in comments

Side A -
Réalisation II
Nihility in Being
Cat's Tail
We Had a Love (But it Died)

Side B -
The Yell
The Big House
The Old Man's Ass
Flight of the Ocka Bird
You Are My Sunshine – P. P. McFeelie (guitar & vocals)

Enjoy,
NØ