Embryo, Dave Davies gets hit upon, random notes and poetry

Embryo: Opal (1970) Not Rated (1st listen!)

This is more jazz oriented than a lot of the krautrock I've heard, but so what? It still has that sound, and experimentation is there in abundance. It's the openness and spaciness that makes krautrock so alluring to me. I also dig the violin and sax playing. The 26 minute long "Laufte" (a bonus cut) is pretty insane. Almost Krautrane! hahaha.

"You Don't Know What's Happening"
"Soul is Dead, lure her into the hall," from "End of Soul"

Not many lyrics on this mainly instrumental album, but what's there (as you can tell) is deep! This is new stuff to me, but it's very exciting, and considering they're still making albums and touring, there appears a LOT to catch up on!

As a side note: Christian Burchard, Embryo's leader, was an early member of Amon Duul II. Embryo's official web site - obviously a lot of it is in German. Photo is taken from Klaus Unland's Music Pages. Includes lots of info on Embryo and other great bands (Can, Zappa)...mainly in German!! Ah well...
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Random Notes


Did you know that Dave Davies of The Kinks was hit upon by John Wayne Gacy in 1965! Gacy actually promoted a Kinks show in 1965 at a high school in Springfield, Illinois and he took them back to his place afterwards and made the moves on Dave, who was getting under the influence, until the remaining Kinks felt something didn't "taste right", and got the hell out of there!! [source: MOJO March 2006, p. 74]

Bands to explore: Kaleidoscope (60s psychedelia), Vashti Bunyan, Television Personalities.

I'm really enjoying Spirit: The Mercury Years (1997) **** coming through my headphones and into my pineal gland right now. Great covers of "Like a Rolling Stone" and (especially) "Hey Joe". Disc 1 is Spirit of 76 (1975) and the 2nd disc includes selections from Son of Spirit (1975), Farther Along (1976) and Future Games (1977). We all need a little bit of Spirit in our lives. And Dr. Demento writes the liner notes!

I finally got my taxes done!!!

Recent Acquisitions: Embryo ("Opal" (1970)- reviewed above), Porcupine Tree's "Deadwing" (2005), Best of The Bonzos (1970) and Barclay James Harvest ("Everyone is Everybody Else" (1974)). I'm really excited about the Embryo. Gotta love the freaky Germans!
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It's a hard road...a long road
trying to discover who you are

sort through memories
recall
actions and reactions

looking for the road
that leads to inner peace
but directions
are not my strength

and I feel lost
and alone
in an u g l y world

trying to make sense
of a shitload of nonsense!!
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A question for anyone out there who suffers from depression. How does your musical taste change when you enter the "dark zone"?

I find myself feeling numb and immobile and too tired to put anything on. The "dark zone" can take away enjoyment of our most precious things, and the things we enjoy the most.

It's FUCKED...
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Albert Ayler is a Holy Ghost, the most Holy-O of Ghosts, and Archie Shepp and Frank Zappa???!!!

Albert Ayler: Holy Ghost - Rare and Unissued Recordings 1962-1970 (2004) *****

Albert Ayler is going absolutely insane on my stereo...listening to disc 3 of the 9 (fucking 9!!!!) cd set from Revenant Records, the record label founded by John Fahey. This is the same label that released Captain Beefheart: Grow Fins 1965-1982 (1999) 5 cd box set.

This is awesome, jaw-dropping stuff from an incredible innovator.

No more needs to be said. Except maybe about how cool his fu-manchu was! Albert Ayler web site.
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actually...maybe more does need to be said!!!!!!!!
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A L B E R T
A Y L E R

CAPSULE BIO

1936: Born Cleveland, OH

1951: Joined his first group, Lloyd Pearson and his Counts of Rhythm.

1956: Due to lack of money, he left college and joined the army

1962-1963: After his discharge spent time in Sweden and Denmark. First recordings.
1963: Worked with Cecil Taylor in New York.

1964: He still relied on his parents and John Coltrane for financial support!?
1964-1967: Considered his peak. Really?? Maybe.

1964: "Spiritual Unity" is released. Considered his breakthrough album.

1965: "Spirits Rejoice" released. Harvey Dog has a strong desire to purchase this album.

1968: "New Grass" released. His sell-out album. I love it!

1970: Died New York, NY drowned in mysterious circumstances. Um...White America?

2004: "Holy Ghost: Rare and Unissued Recordings 1962-1970" 9 cd set released.
2006: Harvey Dog is now freaking out on disc 4 of "Holy Ghost".

SIMILAR ARTISTS

I would place Albert in the same musical category as John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, Sun Ra, Pharoah Sanders, Archie Shepp. Fucking geniuses one and all.

[aside: ever heard Shepp play with Frank Zappa?
It happened.
It's awesome.
It's on Frank Zappa: You Can't Do That on Stage, Vol. 4. (1991) ****
The song: "Let's Move to Cleveland Solos (1984)"
The year was 1984 in the month of November.
Location: Fine Arts Center Concert Hall in Amherst, Massachusetts
Best songs on album: "Let's Move to Cleveland Solos (1984)" "The Torture Never Stops Original Version"]

[2nd aside: Albert Ayler is absolutely freaking me out. This music is incredible!!! "Untitled" disc 4 song 6 is
causing my mind to
do...

weird things.]

[3rd aside: Poobah doesn't seem to like it
when I use her bone
as a microphone.]

MORE LINKS

Albert Ayler: His Life and Music - by Jeff Schwartz This is a book. Seriously. I only started surfing for Albert Ayler sites, um...today, and I need to find the energy to read this. [aside: fucking depression]

Albert Ayler Discography Project: Exactly what it says it is. Nothing fancy, but loads of discographical info.

Albert Ayler: Holy Ghost: Page from Revenant describing the box.

There's actually a documentary on Albert Ayler! My Name is Albert Ayler. I have to get this on dvd!!!

FAMOUS QUOTE

"Trane was the Father...Pharoah was the son...I am the Holy Ghost."
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Soul Jazz rock my world, funny band names, Willard Grant Conspiracy, and depression takes a punch to the jaw!

I am listening to Soul Jazz's "New Thing!" 1970-1985 (2004) and I am completely digging it! The Soul Jazz collections I've heard have all been great. Here's the Soul Jazz web site. This is a great way to discover even M O R E amazing music!!

My fav SoulJazz collections so far: [no particular order]

1. New Orleans Funk 1960-1975
2. Saturday Night Fish Fry 1960-1975
3. New York Noise 1978-1982
4. Philadelphia Roots 1965-1973
5. The Sexual Life of Savages: Post-Punk from Sao Paulo, Brazil 1982-1988
6. Chicago Soul 1963-1969

I have to check out some Alice Coltrane!!!
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Check out these band names: Haystacks Balboa...Mother Tucker's Yellow Duck...Juicy Lucy...Ozric Tentacles...Tucky Buzzard

Some of my recent acquisitions from my friend's music store.

Haystacks Balboa: Haystacks Balboa. This band name cracks me up. Obviously some combination of Haystacks Calhoun and Rocky Balboa...wrong!!! This came out in 1970 and features Leslie West's younger brother Larry West and was produced by Shadow Morton. So, who knows where the Balboa name came from. It's in my listening pile, but sounds like it won't be too far from his older brother's band Mountain. That's a fine thing.

Mother Tucker's Yellow Duck: Home Grown Stuff (1969) Canadian psychedelia!!! This features Don MacDougall who later joined The Guess Who (and wrote one of my fav Guess Who songs: "Samantha's Living Room" from Artificial Paradise (1973). This one has definitely dated, but who cares? It's a fun listen.

Juicy Lucy: Get a Whiff of This (1971) They cover Spirit's "Mr. Skin" and they rock along pretty good. Ridiculous cover.

Ozric Tentacles: Erpsongs (1984) I was quite surprised by this. I've only had a chance to listen to it once, and it sounded great! Definitely a space-rock influence. That's a great thing! Gotta look into these guys more. Ozric Tentacles web site.

Tucky Buzzard: Allright in the Night (1973) Produced by Bill Wyman when he was in the world's most over-rated rock band ever. Listened to some of it and it sounds like your basic early 70s hard rock. Nothing wrong with that.

M O R E weird fucked-up
band names
yet to be discovered...and when the name is actually a reflection of the music...
gotta love the motherfuckers!
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Willard Grant Conspiracy are definitely a band worth checking out. I love the sound of their new album, Let It Roll (2006) and their version of "Ballad of a Thin Man" is one of my fav Dylan covers ever. Great great great music!!!

Willard Grant Conspiracy's official web site.
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I'm listening to Andromeda: Andromeda (1969) and I'm really enjoying picking up these obscure psychedelic rock kind of albums. This one features John Du Cann who later joined Atomic Rooster...another band I've been exploring.

so much so many
bands and music
to listen hear absorb
probe fondle explore
research and most
importantly...

fucking ENJOY.
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Personally, as I mentioned in my last blog, I sunk back into my depression. It's hard to describe how shitty you feel. It's NOT a "yeh, I'm a little down today. We all get a little down," kind of depression, but it's a motherfucker that gets right into you physically so that you actually feel immobile. Everything seems numb and dumb and wrong...and it doesn't last for a day...it's been a fucking month. BUT. This is the 2nd day I'm feeling a bit better, so if I WORK at it, maybe I'll fight it back.

This has nothing to do with music...I just want to give a shout out to anyone suffering from this bastard disease, and to send positive thoughts your way. Here's a stupid link that may make you smile. Lawrence Welk meets The Velvet Underground.
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Depressed? Bummed out? Disgusted with the world? MORE MUSIC PLEASE!!!!

I was hoping it would never come back...but the bastard has.

The BIG D

fucking depression
feeling like shit
hating yourself
lethargic and immobile

I quiver with fear
at...nothing
I fear...everything

gotta get to work
gotta get to work
beat back the demon
beat back the demon
breathe in and out
in and out
beat the demon
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by acquiring LOTS of music. The collection has increased substantially since my last blog. Here's a quick sampling with comments.

The Kinks: Slum Kids, Live in London 1974. A boot. I LOVE The Kinks, and have purchased all their albums, so I'm just left to explore the decadent world of boots.

Ray Davies: Other People's Lives (2006) Sounded really solid on first listen. Nice to have him back!

Bob Dylan: Down in the Groove (1988) "The Prophet & the Clown: Snack Benefit 1975". The first is the last "legit" Dylan I needed. I thought it sounded pretty good, and don't understand the critical beatdowns it always seems to get. The boot is from a show with Neil Young, and since you can't hear Bob all that well, it's more like a Neil concert with a drunken Bob stumbling on once in awhile.

Eric Burdon Declares War (1970). I love over-the-top Eric and there's lots of that here! It's funky too!!!

John Cale: Black Acetate (2005) Sounds more "rocking" than Hobosapiens (2003). I really liked Hobosapiens and the new one seems great too!

Nurse With Wound: Chance Meeting on a Dissecting Table (1979) Nice cover aside, this is my 2nd Nurse with Wound, and I'm sure it'll be great. Or at least...FUCKED-UP!!

Acid Mothers Temple: Electric Heavyland (2002) I love the title, and I love the 1st 2 acid mothers I got from amazonian dot com...New Geocentric World (2001) and Mantra of Love (2004) so this should be a great one.

Captain Beefheart: London 1974 (1994) Hoboism (2000) Finally...I get London 1974!! I know it won't be "classic" but I don't hate that period...it's just not the Captain's best. Hoboism was awesome. As to be expected.
Willard Grant Conspiracy: Regard the End (2003) Let It Roll (2006) I've listened to both, and I love 'em. I think that they make truly beautiful music.

Hawkwind: Space Ritual (1973) HAWKWIND FUCKING RULES!!!!

Can: Soon Over Babaluma (1974) Landed (1975) My Can collection continues to grow and the Lord is praised and wheat is sown
and the children are grown
and my parents are coming
my parents are coming....stop
beat the demon
beat the demon
Think of the brilliant music out there...like Can. Yes. Like Can.

Ash Ra: Blackouts (1977) I am listening to this music as I'm typing this
it's been a beautiful trip
excellent music while writing...I love Ash Ra. I love Can. I love the Guru. I love the Bah. love is in the air and....

The Tiger Lillies: Two Penny Opera (2001) is heard and love would not be the first word I would think of when discussing The Tiger Lillies. Perverted. Sacrilege. Hilarity. Pathos. Fucked. NOT love. I guess I love these guys cause I'm perverted?

Filled out my Warren Zevon (Warren Zevon 1976) Lou Reed (Lou Reed 1972) Bryan Ferry (Bete Noire 1987) and Joe Walsh (Barnstorm 1972 So What 1975) collections.

Parliament: Live P-Funk Earth Tour (1977) Gloryhallastoopid (1979) Finally got the live Parliament. Of course...awesome.
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3 cheers for 2 musicians offering AMAZING free downloads on their web sites.

Steve Coleman's M-Base web site. I downloaded 12!!! cds worth of music from his site. This music is fantastic. Mad Phat (1993) really hit me. Loved it.

Greg Osby's official web site, offers 13!!! complete concerts from 1997 to 2004 for free download. I got this site from Steve Coleman's page. Check these guys out for sure...
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Insipid conversations and statements caused by The Beatles, Frank Zappa and Mott the Hoople get raves

Conversation between Guru T-Lu and Harvey Dog while listening to The Beatles "In My Life" (one of the sappiest songs I've ever heard...never a fan) from Ozzy Osbourne's crazy album of covers "Under Cover". He does "Sympathy for the Devil"!!

Guru T-Lu: "What song is this again?"
Harvey Dog: "The Beatles. 'In My Life'. Johnny Cash covered it as well."
Guru T-Lu: "They both do it so much better than The Beatles."

...a minute or so later

Harvey Dog: "I went through my Beatles phase in grade school. Still listened to them in high school, but as the years pass I don't listen to them much anymore."
Guru T-Lu: "Your tastes have matured."

As you can ascertain the Guru is NOT a Beatles fan.
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A ridiculous statement made by Harvey Dog approximately 1 week ago.

Harvey Dog: "If Courtney Love didn't kill Kurt Cobain, then I feel somewhat sorry for her. A little bit, not much, but a little bit. However...if Courtney Love did kill Kurt Cobain then I don't feel sorry for her at all."

Sometimes I worry about my mind.
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Sleazy Goodness: Queens of the Stone Ages "Auto Pilot" from Rated R (2000). I love this song...I love that sound...pure fucking rock'n'roll.
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Frank Zappa: Hot Rats (1969) *****

I've loved this album for a couple of decades now. It sounds tamer than it did to my ears when I was in high school. After all the weird shit I’ve been exposed to, this is incredibly tight and melodic.

• "Peaches En Regalia" is always catchy and enjoyable...in all of its incarnations.
• The beginning of "Willie the Pimp" is one of my all-time fav openings in rock music. Captain Beefheart sounds awesome singing Zappa’s lyrics with a real sleaziness and edge. Easily in my top 5 fav Zappa songs of all time. [aside: There’s a list to work on. Top 10 fav zappa songs] Sugar Cane Harris’ violin is also one of my ears favorite sounds!!
• "Son of Mr. Green Genes" rolls along with some great guitar playing by the Z man.
  Every song is enjoyable.
• I enjoy "Gumbo Variations" more as the years roll on.
• "It Must Be a Camel" and "Little Umbrellas" are both strong melodic (there's that fucking word again!) songs.
  

In some ways...you could make an argument that this is the last classic Zappa album. If you take out One Size Fits All (1975) and You Are What You Is (1981) and you could be right, rabbit, you could be right.

Official Zappa web site.
Cool St. Alphonzo's Pancake Homepage for Zappa fans.
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Mott the Hoople: “A Tale of Two Cities” 1971-1972 (2000) This is a fantastic collection!! Mott were fucking animals live.
they rocked hard
intense
focused
even the ballads
had an edge to them.

Bowie was pretty stoned and egotistical introducing them, and then Mott came on and just cranked it up. Hearing this cd just reminds me how much of a Mott the Hoople fan I am. I used to have "Mott", the "Rock and Roll Queen" compilation and "Ian Hunter" all on fucking 8 track! That's how long I've been a fan!!

It's always nice to get a reminder of an old fav!

Mott the Hoople and Ian Hunter web site.
The Mott Archive.
Official Ian Hunter web site.
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Ash Ra Tempel, Hawkwind, and Moondog inspire poetry, rambling, rambling poetry, release and...who said anything about drugs?!

Ash Ra Tempel: Schwingungen (1972) *****

"Look At Your Sun"
is beautiful...something that hit me just right today...beautiful guitar playing, beautiful vocals...
"we are all one...we are all one" is comforting.
To be part of a worthwhile whole
not an outside egg
with shell cracked and seeping
ready for birth...or death?
the sun shines
the music brings forth light
the egg is free
the egg is free!

"Flowers Must Die"
brings in the darkness
the ominous underbelly
of the light now appears,
beautiful still...but dark
yes yes yes
the flowers MUST die!!
there is no choice
face the inevitable...
the voice strangulated
in the face
of this inevitable death
"I want to be a stone"
the flowers scream
but there is no changing fate
fate is sealed
fate is done
fate is NOW!

"Suche and Liebe"
peace
peace
peace
is there peace after death?

Ash Ra Tempel - this is their second album. Ash Ra and Can have become 2 of my all-time favorite bands in the past few months.
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Arctic Monkeys

A person wrote into this blog a couple of months ago and provided a link to an Arctic Monkeys web site. There were no comments in the note about the Arctic Monkeys, just a nice comment about the blog. I checked out the site, listened to the music on the site and thought the Arctic Monkeys rocked really hard in the classic New York Dolls / Stooges vein. In other words...awesome stuff. This was the first I had heard about them. I assumed it was the webmaster of the site, or else a massive fan!

Today...a couple of months have passed and 2 of my fav mags "MOJO" and "Uncut" have started raving about them. I've heard about 4 songs now and saw a live clip of them, and feel that purchasing their cd is a must do! Check out an Arctic Monkeys web site, and my friend's(?) Arctic Monkeys web site.
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Poem Written while listening to
Hawkwind's "Doremi Fasol Latido"

"Hawkwind were pretty fucking great!" shouted a man at the bus stop
lighting a cigarette disguised
as a joint

the mainmen have all departed
to parts unknown as

junkies lay in gutters
waiting for savior's...

and the knock upon the door
is not the knock
you were waiting for

you can change your lock
lay on the floor

yet you're

still living in the dark
living in the dark

the winds of the hawk
blow outside your window
clutched to the bosom
of the mother
the mind of the child
is a fragile thing

...the child in me
is screaming
the voices I hear
are trembling
the turmoil
in my soul
is stirring...

following leaders to war
death is all around

...there are no leaders
all your questions
will go unanswered

there are no answers

time we left this world today
time we left this world today

or else it's time to blow it away!!!
blow this fucker away!!!!!
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"Time We Left This World Today" by Hawkwind is my favorite Hawkwind song of all time. Hawkwind: "Doremi Fasol Latido" (1972) ***** One fucking powerful album.

"Urban Guerilla" is like "Search & Destroy" before "Search & Destroy" (by The Stooges) was released. Starfarer's Hawkwind Page. Hawkwind's Official Web Site.
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I'm listening to Moondog: More Moondog / The Story of Moondog (1956, 1957) **** and it's pretty great. I'm not sure why, but I like shit like this. It conveys to me a feeling of searching, a feeling of exploration. There's sincerity in it. Official Moondog web site

Arthur Doyle is another explorer of music that I find interesting. This is an area of music I'm only beginning to tread. More music to explore...

motherfucker!
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