Monday, April 5, 2010

The O discography, part 3


Part three in my ongoing installment of this fine, and almost completely unheard, group's catalog. Check the other two posts for more of a backstory...

When I left off, Druggy G and Nepo had just returned the states after their debacle with UK giant Polydor Records and their aborted "Nightmerica" LP. Apparently, they never stopped recording--even when it was obvious they'd have to find another source of income, and these post-"Nightmerica" recordings would be finished in the states. This is sometime in 1999, when Mindless Self Indulgence lead-man James Euringer heard The O and decided to make them the first group signed to his Uppity Cracker label. Things were looking up, and the group was in negotiation with a US major label (I probably shouldn't say which one) for the release of their new full-length, appropriately titled "Mutant Home Demos."

However, shitty management and internal struggles (The group was becoming concerned with Druggy G's rap-preoccupation, which was the exact opposite direction managers/labels/etc. wanted them to take) ensured that MHD would NOT come out on any label. In fact, only a sample cassette was released through Uppity Cracker.

In all, MHD ended up being a 19-track kaleidoscopic view into the two musicians' drugged-out lifestyle, all recorded in various home studios in the UK and the US. They sold it themselves on burned CD's out of the basement of a tire factory--a long ways from the promise of major label backing. However, this DID allow for more rapping, and more clear-cut distinctions between Druggy G's and Nepo's songwriting styles. Check it, and the sample cassette, which has slightly different songs.
The O - 'Uppity Cracker Prostitutes...' EP
Description: Sampler cassette distributed through the Mindless Self Indulgence website around '99. Five tracks of The O's newly revamped sound. This tape included an alternate version of 'Let it All Hang Out,' which appears on MHD as well. This alternate version replaces the word 'nigga' with 'wigga' for obvious reasons...I can't find it, though, so you get the same version of both uploads.
Tracklist:

1. Anal Thermometer2. Let it All Hang Out
3. Ernie's Dead
4. The Way that We Feel
5. Destruction

DOWNLOAD

The O - 'Mutant Home Demos' LP
Description: The second O full-length...a collection of home-recorded tunes from the UK days and some newer stuff, too. More of an electronic bent than the 'Nightmerica' LP, and a LOT more rapping courtesy of Druggy G. Somebody said to me once that the video for 'Anal Thermometer' appeared on MTV2 a total of one times...but I dunno if I believe that. The best moments on this LP are very likely the best of the group's output altogether.
Tracklist:

1. 'Painful' Thermometer (title changed for legality issues)
2. Tha City
3. We Alwayz Knew
4. Square One
5. I Cum Apart
6. Lead to Fly
7. Outsiderz
8. White Man at the Ice Cube Show
9. Everybody
10. Touch
11. Not My Day
12. Click N Boom
13. Dream or Wake Up
14. Lettit All Hang Out (title changed for legality issues)
15. Ernie's Dead, Bert's Alone (title changed for legality issues)
16. Da Burbz
17. Born to Lose
18. Do It (Come On)

BUY

DOWNLOAD

...that's about half of it. More to come soon.

2 comments:

JustinDestroyer said...

I co-ran the-o.org back in the day. I still got an unopened "uppity cracker prostitutes" tape or two, hoping to sell it. Great band though.

Unknown said...

also a dead link :,(