Issue #21 Extra!: Archives, Collections & Reissues

Morgan Fisher - "Hybrid Kids 1: A Collection of Classic Mutants"
Morgan Fisher - "Hybrid Kids 2: Claws"
Various Artists - "Miniatures: 51 Tiny Masterpieces Edited by Morgan Fisher"
Anthony Moore - "Reed, Whistle and Sticks"
Anthony Moore - "Out"
Anthony Moore - "Flying Doesn’t Help"
Outer Limits - "The Scene of Pale Blue"
Pip Pyle - "Pip Pyle’s Equip Out"
Spring Heel Jack - "Oddities"

Spring Heel Jack - "Oddities"

 (Thirsty Ear, THI-57086.2, 2000, CD)

Underground darlings, Spring Heel Jack are the duo of Coxon and Wales from the UK. “Oddities” is their last segment in a trio of recordings the composers created, which has a consistent set of themes between alternating audio backdrops. The album’s opening track, “Root” is almost an homage to Fripp and Eno from the grating metallic wow’s to the droning synthesizer which propels the rhythm rattles of the piece. Track two features a droll reading from noted author William S. Burroughs, famed for his novel, “The Naked Lunch”. The next piece, “Trouble” would be exactly that in the hands of trip hop listeners looking for that missing mantra. Rhythmically the piece is little more than miscellaneous random spurts of electronics in a collage of deconstruction mayhem. And that is probably the point of it then. “Shine a Light” has an engagingly simple theme, which recalls the synergy created by Moebius and Roedelius (Cluster) during their renaissance period circa “Sowiesoso”. Another influence on Coxon/Wales comes in the form of a dizzying swirl of a track entitled, “2nd Piece for La Monte Young”, author of Music Concrete. The last track on the disc in an outright audio assault on the listener; it’s worthy of any comparisons to Pelt or other progenitors of environmental noise. My overall feeling is somewhat like an updated version of George Harrison’s experimental windfall, “Wonderwall Music”. At times the standard catalogue of the group has been comparable to that of peers, Aphex Twin or even the Chemical Brothers. But “Oddities” does a great service to render clues to nail this imaginative unit as non-trivial and essential for not just the drum ‘n bass acolytes. - Jeff Melton

Morgan Fisher - "Hybrid Kids 1: A Collection of Classic Mutants"

 (Blueprint BP262CD, 1979/1997, CD)

Morgan Fisher - "Hybrid Kids 2: Claws"

(Blueprint BP273CD, 1980/1997, CD)

Various Artists - "Miniatures: 51 Tiny Masterpieces Edited by Morgan Fisher"

(Blueprint BP159CD, 1980/1994, CD)

In the middle of his work as a keyboard player (with Queen, Mott the Hoople, and others) and as a producer (Allan Holdsworth), Morgan Fisher came up with two albums worth of oddities called “Hybrid Kids,” home recordings of mostly cover tunes, incorporating innovative techniques like tape loops and pitch manipulation. The first volume consists of pop tunes mangled with glee, much like the Residents have done, and presented under a variety of goofy pseudonyms. His interpretation of Kate Bush’s “Wuthering Heights” is downright creepy, and what he does to “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling” is nearly obscene. I mean that in a good way. In small doses, his deep-dub sonic experiments are quite amusing and interesting. In larger doses – well, I don’t recommend larger doses. The second “Hybrid Kids” collection takes on Christmas tunes with the slogan, “Let’s put the X back in Xmas.” “O Come All Ye Faithful,” “We Three Kings” and many others are given the psycho-dub treatment. My favorite is a Public Image Limited inspired version of “The Coventry Carol.” The Residents resemblance comes to mind frequently, as the mangled vocals are very like something from the mystery band. Miniatures is a different sort of animal, though full of the same experimental spirit. Fisher asked many artists from different genres to contribute recordings (mostly music, but also including poetry and sound effects), all of which would be edited into vignettes lasting no more than one minute each. Probably simply listing the artists involved will give a better impression of the wild contrasts: Fred Frith (with a 60-second bit called “The Entire Works of Henry Cow”), Half Japanese, Monty Python’s Neil Innes, Robert Fripp, Ivor Cutler, the Residents, Andy Partridge of XTC, Pete Seeger, and more others than I have room for. It’s more than a little schizo, but really an amazing bit of work, since it all makes sense in a twisted kind of way. Jon Davis
[www.voiceprint.com]

Pip Pyle - "Pip Pyle’s Equip Out"

 (Voiceprint, VP213CD, 1999, CD)

Pip Pyle’s first album as a leader has long been out of print in France, so it remains in Voiceprint’s interest to resurrect the album from the dungeons of musical obscurity. Pip himself only composes one track, the opener on the disc, “Foetal Fandango” (which was re-arranged for “Seven Year Itch”. This version however, contains an excellent fuzz bass interlude from Hugh Hopper, which is to die to for! The remainder of the compositions is split between Hopper and Sophia Domancich. Hopper’s tracks, “Hannello” feature an Elton Dean utilized to his best soloing extent within a busy rhythm section with nimble piano backing, while “Midnight Judo” is a mellow ballad with dueting woodwinds carrying the lead lines. Didier Malherbe takes a subtle flute solo in the piece, which works well atop Hopper’s walking bass line. Of Domancich’s three pieces, “Jocelyn” and “Porc Epic”, the latter has the most upbeat tempo. Elton Dean’s sole contribution, “Janna” is a moody track, which harkens back to his days with Phil Miller’s In Cahoots. Domancich’s “(extrait de) Reve de Singe” closes out the disc where Dean implores the listener with a sad sax line befitting the best moments from Alan Gowen’s National Health songs on “D.S. Al Coda” with a few free improvs thrown. Overall, I’d state that this disc has been rescued from near complete obscurity to now find its proper Canterbury based audience. It also makes one wonder if there isn’t some good live recording hiding in wait of a profitable outlet - Jeff Melton

Anthony Moore - "Reed, Whistle and Sticks"

 (Blueprint BP281CD, 1972/1998, CD)

Anthony Moore - "Out"

(Voiceprint VP165CD, 1977/1997, CD)

Anthony Moore - "Flying Doesn’t Help"

(Blueprint BP177CD, 1979/1994, CD)

Before hooking up with Peter Blegvad and Dagmar Krause to form Slapp Happy, Anthony Moore was experimenting with some very innovative musical techniques. Reed, Whistle and Sticks is one of the results of that experimentation. He utilized the now common technique of “looping” – recording a series of sounds, then repeating those sounds. Of course, in 1972, the recording was done on tape, not digitally as it is today. He recorded the dropping of bamboo sticks onto the floor, then looped and layered the recordings, producing irregular repetitions of random events. There are occasional shouts and whistle noises punctuating the clicking of the sticks. For no reason I can fathom (maybe to encourage shuffle play, thus increasing the randomness), on CD the 36-minute piece is divided into 99 untitled tracks ranging from 4 seconds to 1:19 in length. Listening to the sounds (I hesitate to call it music) is a very strange sensation, a little disorienting, both natural and impossible in nature. Moore left Slapp Happy after their first collaboration with Henry Cow (the excellent Desperate Straights – though he appears on some of In Praise of Learning) and Virgin signed him as a solo artist, evidently hoping for a hit single. He produced the charming 1977 collection of slightly warped pop called Out, resulting in no hits and a lost contract. Instrumental help came courtesy of Andy Summers (pre-Police), Peter Blegvad, Kevin Ayres, Amanda Persons, and others. Musically I’m reminded of Eno’s Warm Jets or Tiger Mountain and Robert Wyatt’s vocal tunes – a kind of loose, light-hearted pop, a little too cerebral for the mainstream. Two years later, Moore produced a second solo album along the same general lines for the Do-It label. Both pop albums have a number of highlights, though if I had to pick one, I’d give the slight edge to Out; the experimental album I would recommend only to the truly adventurous. All of these (as well as two more obscure Do-It solo albums dating from 1981 and 1984) are now available on Voiceprint or its Blueprint subsidiary, an illuminating sidebar to the incredible Henry Cow/Slapp Happy catalog. - Jon Davis
[www.voiceprint.co.uk]

Outer Limits - "The Scene of Pale Blue"

 (Musea FGBG4290 AR 1999 CD)

This is the fourth album by Outer Limits and ranks up there with Misty Moon. If you missed this the first time all I can say is buy it. What will strike you first is the outstanding playing on this album; these guys are total pros. Second is the level of composition, this is symphonic Prog at it’s best. This album starts out with an alt. version of Marionette’s Lament taken from a 12” EP, but is not much different. The band is a six-piece of g/b/d/k/violin and vocals. It’s the vocals one must accept; I am sure Tomoki Ueno can’t speak a work of English. His English is so bad it is mostly unrecognizable as such. It isn’t until the end of Anti Podean when the lonely violin meets the Mellotron than he actually seems to be singing in English, however with this in mind I still consider the vocals quite good. These guys are a trip; visually reminding me of Roxy Music (lots of make-up), the music is highly original at times and then a strong King Crimson influence will appear. What makes this band really work for me is the violin of Takashi Kawaguchi; he is similar in sound to David Cross however he is also a much better player. The albums showcase is the 20 minute title track; some nasty guitarwork, classical violin and loads of keyboards (yes! more Mellotron! and are those Taurus bass pedals? Aural ecstasy.) Takashi Aramaki’s guitar work isn’t quite as “angular” as Fripp, his style moves easily from precision to heavy. And as a treat you get a track from 1990 called Pteridophyte, an instrumental. Musea has kindly included the lyrics so you can follow along; you wouldn’t have a chance without them. - Dane Carlson