Eno Rarities

Ian Cognito’s recent posting of the sole recorded output of 70’s weirdo supergroup 801 reminded me of just how good Brian Eno once rocked. Here’s another footnote in Eno history, his collaboration with The Winkies. In 1974, between Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) and Another Green World, Eno attempted an actual tour using glam/pub rockers The Winkies as his backing band. This disastrously ended after four gigs with Eno being rushed to the Hospital with a collapsed lung. The recordings from this period include a John Peel session featuring more rocking takes of ‘The Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch’ and ‘I’ll Come Running’ (here titled ‘Totaled’) plus ‘Baby’s on Fire’ and a version of ‘Fever’. Additionally, there’s the ‘Seven Deadly Finns’ 7”, a perverse number about some Finnish men traveling to France to fulfill their unique sexual fantasies. The flip, ‘Later On’, is an edit of the two tracks from Eno’s collaboration with Robert Fripp, No Pussyfooting. In keeping with the theme, I’ve also included ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’ and ‘King’s Lead Hat’ singles.

Hollins and Starr - Sidewalks Talking (US psych/folk 1970)

*Request for repost*
Here’s a quick one mostly due to the fact that I can’t really find much information on the duo of Chuck Hollins and Dave Starr. Chicago folk label Ovation put out their sole LP in 1970 and it’s an eccentric blend of lite-psych folk with occasional left-field outbursts. A Nick Drake gloominess prevails throughout but some cuts, like the title track, have a real groove that reminds me of downer hip-hop act Basehead’s first CD. Makes sense then that DJ Shadow used a loop from 'Twin City Prayer' for his epic track, 'What Does Your Soul Look Like'.

For your listening pleasure, choose between the side one/side two transfer (recommended for the full experience as the tunes tend to flow into each other) or edited into individual tracks for today's short attention span ipod listening youth.

Best of 2008

Hello! What’s this? It’s the most ear-expanding sounds from 2008.

01 Rhys Chatham & His Guitar Trio All-Stars • Guitar Trio Pt. 1, Minneapolis
from Guitar Trio Is My Life!
02 Keiji Haino and Tatsuya Yoshida • Zhuddiposshk
from Uhrfasudhasdd
03 No-Neck Blues Band • Again
from Clomeim
04 Paavoharju • Tyttö Tanssii
from Laulu Laakson Kukista
05 Hush Arbors • The Light
from Hush Arbors
06 Fanal • Ich Kenne Sie Nicht
from Fanal II
07 Indian Jewelry • Cutthroat
from We Are The Wild Beast
08 Rainbow Arabia • See No Hear No
from The Basta EP
09 Matthew Baldwin • Winter
from Paths of Ignition
10 Sic Alps • Everywhere, There
from U.S. EZ
11 Boris • Next Saturn
from Smile (Japanese version)
12 Plastic Crimewave Sound • Shockwave Rider
from Plastic Crimewave Sound
13 Gunslingers • Gigolo Albinos
from No More Invention
14 Bardo Pond • Slip Away
from Batholith
15 Earth • Miami Morning Coming Down II (Shine)
from The Bees Made Honey In The Lions Skull
16 Fursaxa • Leaves of Bryony
from Kobold Moon

D'oh! Number seven was supposed to be something offa Free Gold! Oh well, I dug 'em both and at least this one was reissued in 2008.

Harem Scarem - Dogman EP

Killer 1984 blooze-rock from Australia's Harem Scarem.

Robyn Hitchcock - K Records 7"

1995 single finds a post-Egyptians Robyn alone on Calvin's porch with his guitar and occasional harmonica.

Special Pillow - Tomorrow Night b/w Paranormal

1995 single from this Hoboken all-star psych-pop combo. The band's still going and have a website and a recent CD to prove it.

René Halkett & David Jay - Armour b/w Nothing

Truly creepy 1981 collaboration of Bauhaus bassist David J and artist/poet Rene Halkett of the original Weimar Bauhaus school of art and design.

Fruitcake - The Garden of Earthly Delights b/w Stan

Sub-garage mindblower on the b-side.

Crush - Squeaky b/w Taller Than Jesus

1989 single featuring Bob Weston of Volcano Suns, June of 44, Shellac, Mission of Burma fame.

The Sweet Things - Teen Guitars EP

Sure, the Velvets inspired a ton of bands. How many bands can claim they were influenced by The Beachnuts though? Probably just this one.

To Preserve Disorder - Chicago Punk & New Wave 1978 - 1984

"Gentlemen, get the thing straight once and for all - the policeman isn't there to create disorder, the policeman is there to preserve disorder."
Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley defending police misconduct during the 1968 Democratic Convention riots.

The Cunts - Chemicals In The Mail The Luchs Brothers - Kill Me I'm Rotten The Mentally Ill - Gacy's Place Skafish - Disgracing The Family Name Immune System - Ambivalence and Spark Plugs Special Affects - Innocence The Exit - Out In The Street Meaty Buys - New Freedumb Epicycle - You're Not Gonna Get It Dadaistics - Paranoia Perception Wazmo Nariz - Checking Out The Checkout Girl Bohemia - American Life The Imports - Side One (Visions of Reality) Strike Under - Sunday Night Disorientation DV8 - Guns on the Right Subverts - Can’t Control Myself Effigies - Haunted Town Bonemen of Barumba - Government Money Da - Dark Rooms Big Black - Steelworker URBN DK - Future Primitive Silver Abuse - Cuban Homo Farm Toothpaste - Spy Guy Naked Raygun - Swingo Articles of Faith - What We Want Is Free Negative Element - Police Beat (On Me) Rights of the Accused - Hypocrite Urge Overkill - Lympdiccus Seismic Waves - Lip Synch To The Go-Go's Savage Beliefs - Shake Your Neighbor's Hand

Allen Ginsberg with The Gluons - Birdbrain

Released a year before appearing on The Clash’s "Ghetto Defendant”. Allen Ginsberg’s first shot at punk credibility, recording his poem "Birdbrain" with the Denver band, The Gluons. Terrible punk-by-numbers B-side.

Birdbrain

Johnny and the Jumper Cables - Kielbasa!

From the band's MySpace page:

Known as the proud proponents of what local scribe Brett Milano once dubbed “proto-garage-metal,” Johnny and the Jumper Cables were part of the 1980s Boston club scene, direct descendents of bands like the Nervous Eaters, Real Kids, and Neighborhoods.

Started in 1982 as a recording project by guitarist and band roadie Johnny Black and the legendary Kenne Highland of Afrika Korps and Gizmos fame, the band was joined in the Radiobeat studios in Kenmore Square by Swinger’s Resort/Outlets drummer Tom Bull and bassists Lee Harrington (Peytons/Neighborhoods) and Jonathan Paley (Paley Brothers/Nervous Eaters) for sessions that produced “Not Your Kind,” “I Get Nervous,” “Landmine,” and “Death Squad of the Mind.”

An invitation in September of 1984 to play a garage rock show at the now-defunct Jumpin’ Jack Flash club in the Fenway had Johnny, Tom, and Kenne looking for a bass player for live shows. Carl Biancucci of the Classic Ruins signed on, cementing the band’s permanent line-up. The Cables went on to record a series of 45s and compilation album tracks for the Stanton Park, Dionysius, and Modern Method labels in the US and Dog Meat in Australia.

The band garnered a reputation for loud, raucous live shows aided and abetted by the on and offstage consumption of copious amounts of alcohol. Kenne Highland appeared onstage in a kilt that often ended up at his feet, went through a Jackie Gleason phase where he wore vintage suits and opened the show with a hearty “And away we go!,” and once decided to honor headliner Disneyland After Dark by showing up in drag. The band’s AC/DC-inspired “Kielbasa” was usually performed with Highland wielding a real sausage that was then tossed into the crowd, who, in true punk spirit, tore it to pieces, leaving the club floor and stage littered with smashed chunks of meat.

A typical Cables set included original local radio hits such as “Total Depravity,” “Kielbasa,” “Hail Mary,” and “Georgia Skinheads Must Die,” along with an eclectic list of covers by the Dead Boys, Jimmy Reed, New York Dolls, Flamin’ Groovies, John Lee Hooker, Blue Oyster Cult, Iggy and the Stooges, Roky Erickson, Mott the Hoople, and a demented version of “Misty Mountain Hop.”

The band performed as recently as 2004, although Kenne Highland, once a staple of the local rock scene, has now apparently forsaken rock and roll for gospel music and has not appeared onstage since.

Kielbasa!