Rare proto-punk megapost

While doing my proto-punk, punk and post-punk radio show, I often came across some fairly rare releases (not PHYSICAL, but y'know). Some of these took weeks of searching to dig up. Now, I'm dropping a bunch of 'em on you. This post is for the proto-punk stuff, obviously, which would be from the early 60's to the mid-70's.

Heavy Goods Vehicle - 'Keeper of the Sands'

Loud, super-stoned and super-slowed blues rock, in the tradition of Black Sabbath and Pentagram. Maybe a little bluesier than either of those bands, but just as noisy. This album totally sounds like garbage, probably demo recordings of some kind, but it's pretty great because it sounds like they're breaking the tape deck with their volume. Includes a completely incomprehensible cover of 'Wild Thing' that somehow manages to be sloppier than the original. Maybe more proto-doom-metal than proto-punk, but it's got the spirit.

NOTE: The only proper tracklist for this I could find was COMPLETELY different from what I have, so I'm just listing the tracks alphabetically.

Tracklist:

1. 1976
2. Capitalist Blues
3. Feed Back (1976)
4. Heavy Goods Vehicle
5. Heavy Music
6. I'm a Man
7. July Morning
8. Keeper of the Sands (Intro)
9. Lucifer
10. Race with the Devil
11. Time to Cry
12. Wild Thing

DL

Pi Corp - 'Lost in the Cosmic Void'

Early artifact from the same Ohio scene that produced Rocket From The Tombs, Vertical Slit, Pere Ubu and the electric eels. It's fairly dissimilar from those releases, being more like early Pink Floyd I guess. But, the experimentation and gleefully noisy interludes definitely get it an inclusion in the proto-punk 'genre.' Plus, I think a few members went on to be in 'real' punk bands, so yeah. It sounds like a live recording, and honestly it isn't too great, but it's historical. My favorite tracks are 'Together,' which kinda sounds like a simplified Black Sabbath jam with weird echoed-out yelling over it, and 'Shiiit,' which is a psych-rock jam filtered through basement recording.

Tracklist:

1. Introid
2. The Dirge
3. Drumola
4. Together
5. Devil Weed
6. Just Another Song
7. LSD 1
8. Space War
9. Shiiit
10. Telarama Boogie
11. Organ Over Easy

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Doug Snyder and Bob Thompson - 'Daily Dance'

This one's pretty amazing. Supposedly, these guys went home after an early Iggy and the Stooges show and started writing these noisy, semi-structured jams. They were also from Ohio, although a more rural part. The 'songs' contain no vocals, just super blown-out heavy guitar and equally distorted, frenzied drumming. It actually has a feel not unlike the band Sleep, but obviously less structured. The two guys also regrouped in the late 90's to cut another LP, but I've never heard it. This one was independently released in '73, in a 500-copy run.

Tracklist:

1. Daily Dance
2. Living with the Crocodiles
3. Time Overlaps Itself
4. Soul and Universe
5. Hit and Run
6. Truth is a Pathless Land
7. Teenage Emergency

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Gudibrallan - 'II'

Swedish bang that DEFINITELY sounds a little closer to the punk era, and this goes way back to '71. Although usually listed as prog-rock, don't think it's gonna be a bunch of flutes and weird time signatures. It's actually more like the early Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart style of prog-rock, where it's just fucked up sounding. I guess there are elements of Swedish folk music here, but I don't know that stuff well enough to pick it out. There is definitely some wild saxophone and lots of yelling though. Somehow, this is the band's second album, too.

Tracklist:

1. T-Doja
2. Sosse
3. Terjes Klagan
4. Sprutan
5. Sommar Uti Hagen
6. John Boy
7. Berusa Er
8. Hispan
9. Visa Om Jungfrun

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This Heat - 'Live at Krefeld'

More hard-to-find shit for ya. I was pretty surprised to find that this release (from 1980) isn't up anywhere else at the moment. People are finally starting to discover this band, so I figured that an actually good-quality live recording of them would be more popular, but I guess not.

First of all, I'm not the type of person who really gives a shit about live recordings usually. I don't listen to them, unless there's not an alternative (like the Wire 'Document and Eyewitness' recordings.) I'd rather hear studio creations, and if I give a shit enough to hear the songs performed live, I will go to a show (which doesn't happen too often.)

This release isn't really any different for me...I'd probably listen to 'Deceit' over this any day, BUT on the flip side, it's really cool to hear how accurately these guys could recreate those recordings in a live setting. It couldn't have been easy, considering all the crazy shit going on. And, I don't think it was a large band, either...just three or four guys?

If you're big into these dudes, you will probably like this...there's a track called 'Unreleased Title,' and I can't really tell if it's an unreleased track or not, because it's been so long since I've put their studio albums on. But, it probably is? Because, this recording seems to have a pretty good representation of their short career, which tracks from both studio full lengths, and 'Health and Efficiency' from the EP of the same name.

Probably only essential for completists, but y'know...

This Heat - 'Live at Krefeld'

Tracklist:

1. Paper Hats
2. The Fall of Saigon/Testcard
3. S.P.Q.R.
4. Makeshift Swahili
5. Unreleased Title
6. Music Like Escaping Gas
7. A New Kind of Water
8. Twilight Furniture
9. Health and Efficiency

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Rustic Hinge - 'Replicas'

Going back into the vaults today...Tried looking this album up, and only found it on one page (possibly Russian?) and the link seemed to be dead. So, once again, it turns up here so it doesn't get lost in time.

This is a remnant of my proto-punk, punk and post-punk radio program. I probably downloaded it because it's Captain Beefheart-influenced instrumental avant-garde shit, which is a surefire way to piss off radio listeners. Looking back now, the group apparently had members of The Crazy World of Arthur Brown and High Tide, both bands I used to be a pretty big fan of, so I don't know why I never found that out before. But oh well.

Basically, that brief description is all I have to say about the release...if you (like me) enjoy some of Captain Beefheart's music, but are fairly annoyed by his vocals, this is something you might dig. The music is fairly similar, and there aren't any vocals...one review credits Arthur Brown with vocals somewhere, but I couldn't find it. 

So, it's very complex, jazz-based math-rock type stuff (before there was such a thing) played with a basic guitar/drums/bass lineup. Some of it actually reminds me of a less-heavy Gore for some reason, and the later tracks veer into Sun City Girls world-music-on-western-instruments territory (which is pretty cool.)

Despite the image all this may conjure up, it's not an unpleasant listen by any means, and some of it (not the concrete noise stuff) could be good background music. Anyhow. Check it out, if ya want. Also, apparently, the whole first side is parts of a movement? Dunno.

Rustic Hinge - 'Replicas'

Tracklist:

1. T on the Lawn for 3

    a. Excitation Wavelength

    b. Litmus Transformation

    c. Opus Pocus

    d. Crystallized Petard

    e. Kinesis

    f. But That Was Then That Was But

    g. ---

2. Last Time

3. High Tide Play Rustic Hinge

4. Rumanian Folk Dance No. 1

5. Macedonia

6. Radio Kabul

7. Rumanian Folk Dance No. 2

8. Mastadon

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Little Stevie McCabe - 'Sweat it Out'

Been a bit. So, here's some more music from the darkest depths of my collection...

I really don't know too much about this one, other than it's fairly bizarre. The download I snagged was from the long-gone (but awesome) Decrepit Tapes blog, and that link is no longer functioning. It apparently comes from 1986. This guy (Little Stevie) has some connection to the lo-fi scene in New Zealand (groups like The Dead C and The 3Ds) and played/plays(??) in a group called Axemen, which is described as 'Half Japanese attempting to play Chrome.'

I haven't heard them, so I can't comment on that, but this album kinda reminds me of Renaldo and the Loaf maybe mixed with a little Half Japanese. Or Ween? I don't know. It's very weird, but not in a 'let's be weird' way...this guy just seems genuinely strange. Some of the songs are pretty catchy, and have an 'old-timey' vibe to them...like maybe he listened to a lot of old swing, jazz and blues while writing this stuff? It also comes off as maybe the home recordings of a teenager, which might be why he adopted the name 'Little Stevie McCabe' for the release (he just goes by Steve McCabe in Axemen.)

Whatever the case, it's some very strange stuff, and it's clearly ALL him...there are no drums for the most part, just out of tune guitars and shaky vocals. I can see similarities between this and some of the weirder New Zealand stuff, like the Tall Dwarfs, but this goes way way way into outsider music territory.

There are a whole shit-ton of songs, too, and most of them are too short to get sick of. Give it a listen if you want to hear something playfully demented.

Little Stevie McCabe - 'Sweat it Out'

Tracklist:

1. Love Feel
2. A Seeker Peeped Into Space
3. Sweat it Out
4. The Place
5. Sea Spray Gets in Your Eyes
6. More
7. Ulterior Locomotive
8. Sparing Partner
9. Take the E-Train
10. Sounds Like...A Drunken Party
11. Your Little Chevrolet
12. Chip On My Shoulder
13. Spring Song
14. Aunty-Anti
15. Clues to a Dream
16. Dirt in the Blood
17. Crazy
18. Life Doesn't Go On
19. We Love Louis
20. Terminal of Love
21. The Call of the Forbidden Sea
22. Noise Must Go On
23. That's Why You're a Human Being
24. Welcome to the Province of Nausea
25. The Way I Walk

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Pine Hill - 'Isolation Album'

Here's another album from the lost days of the Obscuro! radio program.

It seems to only be up a couple places now, so I'm posting it here. Not one of my favorites, but someone will enjoy it I'm sure.

It's very low-key folk-rock with some psychedelic influences, and a very homemade quality to the whole thing. But, it's more like a Guided By Voices record, where the whole thing is cohesive even though it's clearly home demos. The band does come up with some unique studio tricks along the way, like pitch shifted guitars and weirdo percussion.

Some of the tracks are catchy, but most fit the album title, 'Isolation.' It's a very downer album on the whole. I also have no idea what country it comes from, as it does have a lot of British rock influences, but it also feels like it could've been made in the 60's when the release date is '77. A couple of the songs even veer into definite weirdo territory, like 'Insane,' and 'Old Soldiers Never Die.'

Basically, it's perfect for a pleasant drive in the country, somewhere that you can truly experience isolation. I'd be willing to bet these guys holed up in some weird country house to write and record this album. No idea if they did anything afterwards under a different name, either.

Pine Hill - 'Isolation Album'

Tracklist:

1. Apertif
2. Clockwork Apology
3. Priscilla
4. ...Sometimes
5. Roundabout Rosie
6. A Sense of Union
7. Work
8. Hero
9. Personnel
10. Old Soldiers Never Die
11. Beecher Street
12. Insane
13. The Cook's Story
14. Letter From Fiddler's Green

DL

Robo Arigo - 'Sexy Thing'

I haven't gotten into a whole lot of Afro-funk yet, but this album is pretty damn good. To be sure, it has some elements I've heard in stuff like Fela Kuti...the hypnotic, repetitive grooves and chant-like vocals, but then there's the influence of what seems to be early Prince and Parliament. The sound is very lean (kind of lo-fi, but not overly so) and stripped down, and the vocal melodies are really catchy, especially in 'Them Crazy' and 'Sexy Thing.' The only track that abandons the funk groove is the last one, which I didn't care for too much.

As to what instrument Arigo is playing here, I have no idea, but everything is completely on point. The interplay between guitar and bass is especially great...the guitar could almost have been pulled from some mid-period Meat Puppets recordings. The basslines are similar to some of Rick James' early stuff, too, especially on 'Sexy Thing' which is as great as anything off James' 'Street Songs' album.

The album is also unfortunately very rare, and I couldn't find it on a single music blog, so here ya go. It's not exceptionally weird, although it is very hypnotic...just really good funk music. Oh yeah, it also has a kinda weird Bob Marley cover...

Robo Arigo - 'Sexy Thing'

Tracklist:

1. Konastone Ponk
2. Girls Reservation
3. Get Up, Stand Up
4. Them Crazy
5. I Want You
6. Sexy Thing
7. I'm Gonna Love You

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Bobby Brown - Discography

No, not THAT Bobby Brown...

This is a bizarro one-man-band from Hawaii who recorded during the mid-seventies. I don't know why this guy's stuff is slowly disappearing from the internet, because it is quite exceptional. It kind of bridges the (albeit large) gap between spaced-out new age drone and psych-folk, with a lot of laid-back Hawaiian influence as well.

The story goes that this loner surfer-type guy built this giant....instrument?? I guess?? out of whatever he had laying around. So he literally plays all the sounds you're hearing at once, at least on most of the tracks. You can kind of see his gadget on the cover of his first LP, 'The Enlightening Beam of Axonda,' and it looks basically fucked. He and his dog would travel around in an old van wherever the surfing was good, giving impromptu performances of these strange, mellow songs. I've read his voice described as similar to Tim Buckley, which I guess is kind of true.

The first album is very odd, sounding kind of like a gamelan orchestra playing 70's folk rock. The second album, 'Bobby Brown Live,' is not quite so strange, but the story behind it is definitely weird. Supposedly, he was picked to open for Fleetwood Mac (which, to me, sounds like a big deal) and recorded the performance for this album. Brown, however, was unsatisfied with the crowd sounds(!), feeling they distracted from the music, and re-recorded the entire thing in his van AFTER the show. Whatever the case, it doesn't really sound like a 'live' record or anything.

A few years later, he did a much more pop-oriented album called 'Prayers of a One Man Band.' Well...it's HIS interpretation of pop music, which is still pretty odd. It's got a lot of vintage synths and drum machines, and a lot of people seem to feel it's his best release. I dunno about that, but it is very good. The songs are also MUCH shorter, which might appeal to some listeners.

Anyhow, here are all three albums for ya to check out:

Bobby Brown - 'The Enlightening Beam of Axonda'

Tracklist:

1. I Must Be Born
2. My Hawaiian Home
3. Oneness with the Forest
4. Tiny Wind of Shandl

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Bobby Brown - 'Bobby Brown Live'

Tracklist:

1. Hawaii
2. In Search of a Dream
3. Let Me on Board
4. My Dog is Every Bit as Good as Me
5. The Waterfall of Love
6. Lonely Boy No More
7. Mother Nature We're Guilty/I Don't Wanna Be No Macho Joe
8. Motherless Child

DOWNLOAD

Bobby Brown - 'Prayers of a One Man Band'

Tracklist:

1. The Boy a Sailor
2. Steamboat Mama
3. Sail On
4. Lady Tennessee
5. Jungle Cowboy
6. Hawaii Nei I'll Miss You
7. The Peaceful Ko 'Olaus
8. My Dog the Outlaw
9. If the Angels Cry
10. Sweet Clean Air
11. I'm Bolieve
12. The Cry of the Wild

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Konrad - 'Evil'

For some reason, this damn album seems to follow me wherever I go! When I was still doing the Obscuro! radio program, a few people would CONSTANTLY request the track 'My Girl,' and now I've got a request for the full album to be posted, so I must oblige. It is a great record, I won't deny it. Somewhere between the DIY minimal synth stuff of the 80's and sci-fi acid casualty, Konrad is a one-man-band who cranks out some of the catchiest tunes you'll ever hear about binary code, matrices, and music scientists (whatever those are.) There is also a spot-on parody of The Police that's about...police.

Also, the guy behind this project is QUITE a character. He claims to have both created the idea behind 'The Matrix' films, and to have sold speakers to Celine Dion. I'm not sure if either is true, but here's hoping.

Konrad - 'Evil'

Tracklist:

1. It's Only a Matrix
2. Music Scientist
3. Don't Want No Police
4. Alien
5. Working Man
6. Keep On Playing That Jazz
7. My Girl Likes to Buy
8. The Man of Mystery
9. Blue Sunrise
10. One Way Motorcycle Ride
11. Seems Like One of Those Days
12. DMZ Bolero
13. People

***LINK REMOVED BY REQUEST***
Preorder the re-release here.

Rockin' Rollin' Blues Band - 'Wild and Untamed'

Here's another one of those random private press LP's that seems to have disappeared from the web. From what I can tell, I got it off the Cosmic Hearse blog a while back, which unfortunately looks like it's dead. Shame, cuz that guy posted some insane stuff.

This record isn't 'insane' per se, but it's pretty strange. Probably, it's a snapshot of a local band recorded in some friend's studio, but it still puts the listener into an interesting moment in time. For one thing, this band seems very 'out of touch' with what was going on (it was apparently released in '73.) In an era dominated by hard rock, these guys/gals were cranking out 50's rockabilly-influenced bar jams. But, a few of the members (specifically the guitarist) are clearly influenced by the hard rock/heavy metal of, say, Deep Purple. So, it's an unusual mix. I might go so far as to call a couple of these cuts 'proto-punk.'

Then there are the vocals. To say that they 'aren't very good' doesn't really do them justice. Sure, they aren't 'technically' good, but they are interesting at the very least. There is a guy and girl, who sometimes sing together, but often take different sections of songs. The girl's voice almost has an operatic quality sometimes, and the guy is a little gruff but mostly smooth. Neither sounds like they give too much of a shit. Judging by the cut-up pictures that serve as the album cover, I'd say these are probably some drugged-out bikers.

I'm also factoring the lyrics into this judgement, because they have this kinda backwoods vibe to them...not like they intentionally wanted to conjure this up but that they couldn't help but pull it into their music.

So, maybe that makes this album a little more 'authentic' blues than a lot of other 70's stuff? I dunno. But, if you like sloppy, trashy blues rock like Janis when she was with Big Brother, then you will probably dig this. The guitarist is really good at least, and a couple of their songs are pretty catchy.

No track names, sorry, apparently they were lost in time.

Rockin' Rollin' Blues Band - 'Wild and Untamed'

DL

Lewis - 'L'Amour'

This is one of those private press LP's that mostly got re-discovered because of its silly cover. But, that cover, coupled with the strange music within, makes this guy seem almost like a David Lynch character.

The music is fairly subdued...mostly acoustic guitars and odd synthesizers, with Lewis' deep voice overlaid. Someone on RateYourMusic has described it as 'Jandek covering the 'Twin Peaks' theme,' which isn't far off the mark. It's very mellow, but also kind of creepy...slightly amateurish, but also fully realized, which is unique for a vanity release.

I don't really know much else to say about it...it's not entirely 'my thing,' but it's also very unique and interesting to my ears. Maybe you will like it.

Lewis - 'L'Amour'

Tracklist:

1. I Thought the World of You
2. Cool Night in Paris
3. My Whole Life
4. Even Rainbows Turn Blue
5. Like to See You Again
6. Things Just Happen That Way
7. Summer's Moon
8. Let's Fall in Love Tonight
9. Love Showered Me
10. Romance for You

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Dennis Weise - 'Valhalla'

Here's another album that seems to have disappeared from the face of the internet. I think I probably got it off the Mutant Sounds blog back in the day (credit where credit's due) but obviously that link is long-gone. So, here ya go.

This is really fucking strange stuff. The first time I heard it, I assumed it was some obscure library release, because it's pretty heavy on the analog synths and soundtrack vibes. But, it's apparently not that...it's a private press release that is intended to be an 'album.' More or less, it's almost like an outsider music version of Faust or something. This guy clearly digs krautrock but the musicianship is amateurish. Songs go nowhere, and often do about-faces for no particular reason.

When it's good, though (as on 'Alien Rock') it is VERY good. A must hear for all fans of 70's private press weirdness, the Residents, or library music. Also, the track subtitled '93rd Current' would seem to indicate that Weise is either a fan of Aleister Crowley, or he has some connection to the group Current 93 (who weren't formed til '82...about 4 years after this record came out)

Dennis Weise - 'Valhalla'

Tracklist:

1. Machine Time Ship
2. Y M Alim-Kader
3. Breathe the Form
4. Alien Rock
5. Hedonic Rapture
6. The Big Apple Mystery
7. The Return of the Akpallus Mutants (Part A)
8. The Return of the Akpallus Mutants (Part B) - 93rd Current
9. Valhalla

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Starship Commander Wooooo Wooooo - 'Mastership'

Wow, so many posts today! Here's some insane synth-funk. You might've heard this guy on the awesome 'Personal Space' compilation put out a couple years back by Chocolate Industries. Basically, it's a collection of private press outsider-funk made on old school synths. Most of the artists only put out a single or two, but Mr. Commander had a whole album of this stuff. Don't even remember where I found this one, otherwise I'd pay respect, but suffice to say I can't seem to locate a link to it anywhere. Reminds me of Prince a bit, but if you took all of Prince's most wacked-out tracks and put them on one disc. Or something.

Starship Commander Wooooo Wooooo - 'Mastership'

Tracklist:

1. Get Funky
2. Laugh and Dance
3. Master Ship
4. Hello Hollywood
5. Angie
6. Visions of You
7. Jam on Today

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Outsider music mega-post

Hey yallllll,

So, I stumbled upon a treasure-trove of outsider music and private press albums I've been trying to find for quite some time. The only problem is, it's on Youtube. So, instead of gradually converting the videos into mp3's and posting albums here, I'm going to let YOU sort through this collection and find what you like. I have no idea who this guy is, but these all claim to be ripped directly from original vinyl, which means homeboy has A LOT of expendable cash. Some of these things go for like 2 grand or something. You've probably heard stuff like Lucia Pamela and Jerry Rayson, but the fact that this guy HAS these records is pretty ridiculous. But, there's also stuff you can't find anywhere else (as far as I know) like Justen O'Brien and Jake, Steve Drake Band, Mistress Mary, and a whole slew of oddball religious albums. Anyhow, enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/user/9711886/videos

Obscuro! podcasts for all you podcats

A few more of these for your listening pleasure...

Episode 75 - 7-16-10

Obscuro 7-16-10 by Bizarrojerry on Mixcloud

Tracklist:

People Band - '1968' Part II
Sun City Girls - Dreamland
Tom Wilson - Lesbian Seagull
Silver Apples - Water
The Fuckin' Flyin' A-Heads - Swiss Cheese Back
Hot Poop - My Baby's Dead
Grant Moros - Death be the Penalty
Michael Yonkers - Goodby Sunball
Rockin' Rollin' Blues Band - Untitled Track 2
Withuser and Westrupp - Nimm Doch Einen Joint, Mein Freund
Kim Fowley, Jr. - Bad News from the Underworld
Vertical Slit - Fair Exchange
Blacklight Braille - Side 1 (Excerpt)
Mike Rep and the Quotas - H.M. My Mind
Scissor Shock - Bring Back the Guillotine
Former Fetus - I'm a Mom
Tool Shed - Variations on Cannabis
Sensational - Hi-Tech Issue
Eddie Callahan - Judge Me
Peter Grudzien - Holding Court
Secret Metal - The Cop
Jim Shepard - A Streetcar Named Depression

Episode 76 - 7-23-10 1980's KID METAL

Obscuro 7-23-10 1980's Kid Metal by Bizarrojerry on Mixcloud

Tracklist:

Bob Thompson and Doug Snyder - Teenage Emergency
Pink Babycats - The Hunting
Mix Music - Let's Go
Boyhunters - Boys
Galaxy - se pa mig
Tom Nehls - Clean Air, the Underwater Symphony
South Side Senior High School Choir - Happy Mother's Day
Vertical Slit - New Thrill
Dane Sturgeon - Ghost of Bardley Road
These Trails - Garden Botanum
C.A. Quintet - Trip thru Hell (Part I)
Jimi LaLumia and the Psychotic Frogs - You'll Never Walk Again
Megatrip - Megatrip Outro
Bobby Brown - Jungle Cowboy
Chandra - Kate
Gene Marshall - Richard Nixon in '76
Jim Shepard - Untitled Track 4
Wicked Witch - Electric War (Vocal Version)
Joe Peace - Reflections I See
MC Trachiotomy - Ma Baby
Palmer Rockey - Smile Pretty Baby
John Ashcroft - Let the Eagle Soar
Mark Tucker - Everywhere with Sally (Ride)
Master Wilburn Burchette - Godhead
Noah - Brain Suck/Goodbye Earth

Episode 77 - 7-30-10

Obscuro 7-30-10 by Bizarrojerry on Mixcloud

Tracklist:

Drunks with Guns - I Got the Gun
Georgie Leonard - The Clown
Sun City Girls - Burial in the Sky
Konrad - My Girl
Cincinnati Joe and Mad Lydia - Jesus is Our Color Man
Cincinnati Joe and Mad Lydia - Love Spider
Vyto B - Tanya
The Godz - Permanent Green Light
Happy Dragon Band - Disco American
Red Krayola - Pink Stainless Tail
Old Lady Drivers - Bathrooms Rule
Vertical Slit - The Starlight Investor
Michael Hurley - Werewolf Song
Arcesia - White Panther
Essra Mohawk - I Have Been Here Before
Pat Morris - We're Diabetic
Chico Magnetic Band - Explosion
Comus - The Prisoner
Kenneth Higney - Rock Star
The Kids of Widney High - New Car
Michael James - You Don't Walk on My Street
Silver Apples - You and Me
Mij - Planet of a Flower
Residents - The Shoe Salesman
Christian Yoga Church - Untitled Track 5

More classic Obscuro! podcasts...

Okay, I'm gonna try to power through these so I don't have to think about it anymore, because I am extremely OCD. The good news is, I'm in the final stretch of Obscuro! podcasts. Although that might be bad news for you. The bad news for ME is that, then I have to download and archive all the Forte episodes I did. Maybe. Probably not. We'll see. Anyhow...

Episode 71 - 6-11-10 LONG JAMS

Obscuro 6-11-10 Long Jams by Bizarrojerry on Mixcloud

Tracklist:

James Ferraro - My Parents Think I'm Turning into a Cockroach
The New Creation - Wind
Megatrip - Song for Syd
Robbie the Werewolf - Drums and Guns
Lula Cortes - Calming Ballad
Vertical Slit - Canyon Girl
Jerry Rayson - Yo Soy de Mi Patria
Edgar Broughton Band - The Moth
Slava Ranko - No Brain
Bill Bissett and the Mandan Massacre - Files in th Tempul
Joseph - I Ain't Fattenin' No More Frogs for Snakes
Rustic Hinge - Mastodon
The Oracle - The Awakening
Sexton Ming - You Can't Polish a Turd
Otto Muehl - Klavierkonzert K
Siloah - Krishna's Golden Dope Shop
Mind Pollution - Litterboxmind
Sound Ceremony - Virgins Do
Robert Martin - Long Goodbye
Pine Hill - Insane

Episode 72 - 6-18-10 WACKOS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS

Obscuro 6-18-10 Wackos Speak Louder Than Words by Bizarrojerry on Mixcloud

Tracklist:

Harvester - Kristallen den Fina
Jandek - Lavender
Fred Frith - What a Dilemma
Emil Richards and the Microtonal Blues Band - Maharimba
Ya Ho Wa 13 - Ho
Dennis Weise - The Return of the Akpallus Mutants (Pt. B) - 93rd Current
Joe Meek and the Blue Men - Orbit Around the Moon
Zu - Axion
Slava Ranko - Twin God Babies
Unknown Thai Orchestra - Unknown #8
Partli Cloudi - Tantum
Sun City Girls - Sangkala Suite
Alan Watts - Metamatic Ritual
Aphex Twin - Windowlicker
Bob Bell - Necropolis (Part 4)
Stu Phillips - Biker Ballet
Vermonster - Stoned Guitar (Section)
Henry Flynt - Leather High in E
Lucifer - Incubus

NOTE: As the title indicates, this podcast features all instrumental weirdness.

Episode 73 - 7-2-10 THIS IS MY PRIVATE LIFE PT. II

Obscuro 7-9-10 This is My Private Life Pt. II by Bizarrojerry on Mixcloud

Tracklist:

Stephen David Heitkotter - I Don't Mind
Gary Wilson - Cindy
Eddy Detroit - Beelzebub
Robert Gilligan - In a Dark Room
Touchstone - Feel You in My Bones
Circuit Rider - Forever Angel's Proud
Countryside Unitarian Fellowship - Goin' to Bethlehem
Nicodemus and Matchez - I Am Not Happy
The Patron Saints - Do You Think About Me?
Dave Bixby - Drug Song
Ray Harlowe and Gyp Fox - Be Away
Little Howlin' Wolf - Stranger Mon
Mark Tucker - Sideways Love Forever
Vermonster - Rainbow Sound for Humans
Virgin Insanity - In the Eyes
Bobb Trimble - Paralyzed
Cosmic Michael - Cosmic Michael Theme
Bobby Brown - Let Me on Board
Bob Harrison - What's Wrong with You
Vyto B - Rocket Park
Twilight Nuages - Find My Dream Come True
Jerry Solomon - Yob Elttil a Mi
Simon Finn - Jerusalem
Abner Jay - The Backbone of America is a Mule and Cotton

NOTE: A sequel to the first collection of private press gems.

Episode 74 - 7-9-10 THE WOMEN OF OBSCURO

Obscuro 7-9-10 The Women of Obscuro by Bizarrojerry on Mixcloud

Tracklist:

Pain Teens - Tar Pit
The Sun Also Rises - Taste of Jesamine and Suicide
Trangela Tricoli - Jet Lady
Edie and the Eggs - Big Girls Don't Cry
Coven - Coven in Charing Cross
Lucia Pamela - Blue Wind
Destroy All Monsters - You're Gonna Die
Joy Allan-Wisher - Nut Pumpkin
Thorr's Hammer - Norge
Sandy Hurvitz - Arch Godliness of Purplefull Magic
Jandek (ft. Unknown Female Vocalist) - Go to Bed
The Space Lady - Major Tom
Thrash Queen - God Save the Queen
Erica Pomerance - Koanisphere
The Shaggs - That Little Sports Car
Yma Sumac - Chuncho
Dandelions - The Children of Sunshine
Rita Lee - Sucesso, aqui vou eu
Jan Terri - Keep on Knockin'
Ruth White - The Litanies of Satan
Art Bears - Three Figures
Leona Anderson - Habanera from 'Carmen'
Silmaril - Song of the Apocalypse
The Android Sisters - Ray-Dee-Oh
Katie Lee - Shrinker Man
ESG - Come Away

NOTE: Proving that women can be just as weird as men, here's an all-female edition of the show. Or at least, all-female vocalists...although a good number of the bands are female-only.

Faz - 'Homebrew'

This one took some time to find.

The initial description I read said something like 'late night piano rock with a homemade feel,' and it piqued my interest. I dunno, a few of the tracks are pretty good, but it's not really doin' it for me. Kind of cool for mixtapes maybe, but perhaps you all will like it more than me. Regardless, it's a hard one to find, and it's weird, so I'm putting it up here. It's even got the taped-on picture for an album cover!

Faz - 'Homebrew'

Tracklist:

1. Soap Opera Wife
2. I Will Be There
3. Mama Loves Me
4. Take Me Back
5. Sky Blue, In Love with You
6. Dance, Dancing Baby
7. Everlasting Love
8. Bird of Prey

DOWNLOAD

Castin' away...

Three more Obscuros for you to pass the time with.

Episode 46 - 12-4-09 THIS IS MY PRIVATE LIFE

Obscuro 12-4-09 This is My Private Life by Bizarrojerry on Mixcloud

Tracklist:

Wicked Lady - Sin City
Eddie Callahan - Where Will We Be Tomorrow
Kenneth Higney - Rock Star
Oliver - Tok Tic
Sound Ceremony - Motor
Bob Bell - Necropolis Pt. 1
Kaplan Brothers - Listen to the Falling Rain
Tommy Jay - Village Idiot
Christopher Montgomery - The Beat in the Jungle
Alien City - Get Away
Virgin Insanity - The Ballad of Clifton T.
JW Farquhar - The Want-Machine Pt. 1
The Afflicted Man - Get Stoned EZY
Roger Rubin and Rotfree Anderson - Masters of Society
YaHoWa 13 - Fire in the Sky
Randy Rice - Mrs. Bitch
Mike Rep and the Quotas - I Resign
Tool Shed - Court Roger
Jandek - You're the Best One
Raven - Raven Mad Jam
Tim Curry - Brontasaurus
Debris - Tricia
Madrigal - B.B.'s Finale
Boots - Up
Arcesia - Reachin'
Y. Bhekhirst - Dalmar

NOTE: If you couldn't glean it from the title, this episode focuses on private press LP's...i.e. independently released stuff before there was an 'independent' scene.

Episode 47 - 12-11-09 BUMMER IN THE WINTER

Obscuro 12-11-09 Bummer in the Winter by Bizarrojerry on Mixcloud

Tracklist:

Jim Shepard - Pull the Switch, Henry
electric eels - Anxiety
Buddy Knox - I Think I'm Gonna Kill Myself
Randy Holden - Fruit and Iceburgs
Jandek - Stopped
Jandek - Cave in On You
The Monks - I Hate You
Armand Schaubroeck Steals - Scene 12: Mental Breakdown in Solitary Confinement, "Fading Out"
Dave Bixby - Drug Song
Former Fetus - After the Rapture
Gary Wilson - Loneliness
This Heat - Makeshift Swahili
Little Stevie McCabe - Life Doesn't Go On
Smoke - Curtains
Edgar Broughton Band - Why Can't Somebody Love Me?
Stephen David Heitkotter - Fly Over the Moon
Terry - Clown Clouds
Mark Melanson - Pieces in the Sand
Paternoster - Blind Children
Tolerance - I Wanna Be a Homicide
Meat Puppets - Aurora Borealis
Jandek - You Painted Your Teeth
Hopkins and Bradley - Final Bow
Michael Yonkers Band - Kill the Enemy
Louis Innis - Suicide
Mike Rep and the Quotas - Nightwalker
Bob Desper - Lonely Man

Episode 48 - 12-18-09 NWW LIST

Obscuro 12-18-09 NWW List by Bizarrojerry on Mixcloud

Tracklist:

Smegma - Half a Billion
This Heat - The Fall of Saigon
Hairy Chapter - It Must Be an Officer's Daughter
The Pop Group - Don't Call Me Plain
Red Krayola - Hurricane Fighter Plane
Debris - One Way Spit
Art Bears - Rats and Monkeys
Magma - Aina
John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band - Well, Well, Well
Deep Freeze Mice - Brain Dead Baby
Night Sun - Plastic Shotgun
Cromagnon - Caledonia
Walter Franco - Piramides
Mahogany Brain - Diamond Voices of Stars
Comus - Song to Comus
Poison Girls - Crisis
Anal Magic and the Reverend Dwight Frizzell - Nocturnal
Dedalus - Brilla
Patrick Vian - Tunnel 4, Red Noise
Companyia Electria Dharma - Euforia
Chrome - You've Been Duplicated
Brainticket - Places of Light
Mars - Puerto Rican Ghost
Hampton Grease Band - Maria
Dies Irae - Lucifer
Residents - Nice Old Man
Harvester - Everybody (Needs Somebody to Love)

NOTE: This is the Nurse With Wound List. It might seem like kind of a pretentious thing...okay, it IS kind of a pretentious thing...basically some arty noise-mongers put a 'mysterious' list of artists in the liner notes of their first album and it's 'unknown' why they did it...I'm gonna go out on a limb and say it's so they could prove how much cooler and knowledgeable of underground music they are than you. Regardless, if you want to hear some challenging things, it's worth checking out. A lot of good post-punk and private-press weirdness is included.

More podcasts

More Obscuro! classics to liven up your afternoon...

Episode 42 - 11-6-09 INCREDIBLY STRANGE METAL, BASEMENT FUNK AND HARD ROCK ODDITIES

Obscuro 11-6-09 Incredibly Strange Metal, Basement Funk and Hard Rock Oddities by Bizarrojerry on Mixcloud

Tracklist:

Dwarr - Electric Shock
Dwarr - That Deadly Night
Dwarr - Evil Lures
Dwarr - Chocolate Mescaline
Killer Fox - Running Blade
Killer Fox - The Sign
Killer Fox - Killer Fox
Legion - Hold On
Black Hole - All My Evil
Black Hole - Land of Mystery
Damien Storm - Raven in the Courtyard
Faxed Head - Teachers
Gore - Back Home
Oblachnyj Kraj - Sazhaj Korneplody, Vyrschlvaj Luk!
Wicked Witch - Vera's Back
Rick Mason and Rare Feelings - Rare Feelings
Konrad - My Girl
Jr. and His Soulettes - Pimp
Gary Wilson - 6.4 = Make Out
Smokin' Willie - Hot Blooded Mama
Hot Poop - Let Me Loose
Edgar Broughton Band - Crying
Hampton Grease Band - Hey Old Lady/Bert's Song
High Tide - Futilist's Lament
YaHoWa 13 - Man the Messiah

NOTE: The first of a brief run of 'theme' shows I did...each focusing on a specific genre covered on the program. I think I came back to these maybe half a year later? We'll see eventually...

Episode 43 - 11-13-09 ELECTRONIC PIONEERS

Obscuro 11-13-09 Electronic Pioneers by Bizarrojerry on Mixcloud

Tracklist:

Silver Apples - I Have Known Love
This Heat - Paper Hats
Gal Costa - Pulsars E Quasars
Cromagnon - Caledonia
Clara Rockmore - Requiebros
Nightshadow - The Hot Dog Man
White Noise - Love Without Sound
Debris - Witness
Perrey-Kingsley - The Mexican Cactus
Gong - Perfect Mistery
Residents - Blue Rosebuds
Fifty Foot Hose - Rose
United States of America - I Wouldn't Leave My Wooden Wife for You Sugar
Chrome - Half Machine Lip Moves
Pekka Airaksinen - Suvarnabhasagarbha
King Crimson - Dig Me
Joe Meek and the Blue Men - Magnetic Field
Cardiacs - Arnald
Bruce Haack - Motorcycle Ride
Pere Ubu - Caligari's Mirror
Lucifer - The Ride of Aida (Voodoo)
Silver Apples - Anasazi Noodle
The Screamers - Punished or Be Damned

Episode 44 - 11-20-09 THE LOST YEARS OF ALEX CHILTON AND RELIGIOUS CURIOSITIES

Obscuro 11-20-09 The Lost Years of Alex Chilton and Religious Curiosities by Bizarrojerry on Mixcloud

Tracklist:

Big Star - Kizza Me
Big Star - Kanga Roo
Alex Chilton - All of the Time
Alex Chilton - I'm So Tired (Parts 1 and 2)
Alex Chilton - Bangkok
Alex Chilton - Walking Dead
Alex Chilton - Riding Through the Reich
Alex Chilton - The Lion Sleeps Tonight
Alex Chilton - My Rival
Alex Chilton - Alligator Man
Alex Chilton - Like Flies on Sherbert
Alex Chilton - Hey! Little Child
Alex Chilton - September Gurls (Live)
Alex Chilton - The Letter (Live)
Alex Chilton - Thank You John
Alex Chilton - Lost My Job
Alex Chilton - Volare
Alex Chilton - Under Class
Liberal Religious Youth - Nuns of Carmelite
The New Beginning - Jesus Never was a Sinner
The New Beginning - Hey
Countryside Unitarian Fellowship - No Room for You
The New Creation - Sodom and Gomorrah
The New Creation - Status Quo Song
Dave Bixby - 666
Concrete Rubber Band - Passover
Captain Hook and His Crew - Phone Call/Stowaway
Sons of Thunder - Carpenter Man
Dandelions - It's a Long Way to Heaven
For Heaven's Sake! - For Heaven's Sake!
Little Marcy - A Talk with the Animals
Countryside Unitarian Fellowship - Goin' to Bethlehem
His Kids - It's Contagious/What's God Look Like?
Concrete Rubber Band - Christian

Episode 45 - 11-27-09 LONG SONGS

Obscuro 11-27-09 Long Songs by Bizarrojerry on Mixcloud

Tracklist:

Hampton Grease Band - Hendon
Jandek - When the Telephone Melts
Mr. Bungle - Dead Goon
Armand Schaubroeck Steals - The Queen Hitter
Emmanuel Dilhac - Un Piege
Jim O'Rourke - Untitled 2
Residents - Hitler was a Vegetarian
Vermonster - Children of the Sun

Playlist for 7-2-10, "This is My Private Life Pt. II"

If you know my program, then you know that I've always got some weird gimmick going on each week. A while back, I did a few 'theme' shows, which focused on a particular sub-category that I play frequently. There was 'Incredibly Strange Metal,' 'Electronic Pioneers,' and 'This is My Private Life'--a collection of private-pressing (aka vanity pressing) LP's from the 60's-80's.

Here's the spiel: Basically, prior to indie labels and independent rock, bands/musicians had to fund their albums by themselves. This also gets rid of any filter there would be (i.e. a label rep or a producer) and leaves the group open to pretty much whatever they want to do as long as they can pay for studio time and the actual pressing of the records.

Now, I present 'This is My Private Life Pt. II,' even MORE of these odd albums and artists.

DOWNLOAD THE PODCAST AND FREAK OUT

Playlist:

Jul 02 - 1:59 AM	Abner Jay	The Backbone of America is a Mule and Cotton	The Backbone of America is a Mule and Cotton		No		e/d
Jul 02 - 1:52 AM	Simon Finn	Jerusalem	Pass the Distance		No		e/d
Jul 02 - 1:49 AM	Jerry Solomon	Yob Elttil a Mi	Through the Woods/Yob Elttil a Mi		No		e/d
Jul 02 - 1:46 AM	Twilight Nuages	Find My Dream Come True	S/T		No	Bizarro Jerry	e/d
Jul 02 - 1:40 AM	Vyto B	Rocket Park	Tricentennial 2076		No		e/d
Jul 02 - 1:39 AM	Vyto				No		e/d
Jul 02 - 1:36 AM	Bob Harrison	What's Wrong with You	Yellow Moon		No		e/d
Jul 02 - 1:34 AM	Bobby Brown	Let Me on Board	Live		No		e/d
Jul 02 - 1:30 AM	Cosmic Michael	Cosmic Michael Theme	S/T		No	Bizarro Jerry	e/d
Jul 02 - 1:21 AM	Bobb Trimble	Paralyzed	Harvest of Dreams		No		e/d
Jul 02 - 1:16 AM	Virgin Insanity	In the Eyes	Toad Frog and Fish Friends		No		e/d
Jul 02 - 1:08 AM	Vermonster	Rainbow Sound for Humans	The Holy Sound of American Pipe		No		e/d
Jul 02 - 1:06 AM	Mark Tucker	Sideways Love Forever	Batstew		No		e/d
Jul 02 - 12:58 AM	Little Howlin' Wolf	Stranger Mon	Singles Vol. 1		No	Bizarro Jerry	e/d
Jul 02 - 12:51 AM	Ray Harlowe and Gyp Fox	Be Away	First Rays		No		e/d
Jul 02 - 12:48 AM	Dave Bixby	Drug Song	Ode to Quetzacoatl		No		e/d
Jul 02 - 12:45 AM	The Patron Saints	Do You Think About Me?	Fohhoh Bohob		No		e/d
Jul 02 - 12:42 AM	Nicodemus and Matchez	I Am Not Happy	Better Art Music		No		e/d
Jul 02 - 12:38 AM	Countryside Unitarian Fellowship	Goin' to Bethlehem	Hey Jesus Christ Welcome to This World		No	Bizarro Jerry	e/d
Jul 02 - 12:33 AM	Circuit Rider	Forever Angel's Proud	S/T		No		e/d
Jul 02 - 12:25 AM	Touchstone	Feel You in My Bones	Music from Pandora's Box		No		e/d
Jul 02 - 12:21 AM	Robert Gilligan	In a Dark Room	Dark Rooms		No		e/d
Jul 02 - 12:19 AM	Eddy Detroit	Beelzebub	Immortal Gods		No		e/d
Jul 02 - 12:16 AM	Gary Wilson	Cindy	You Think You Really Know Me		No	Bizarro Jerry	e/d
Jul 02 - 12:02 AM	Stephen David Heitkotter	I Don't Mind	Heitkotter		No	Bizarro Jerry	e/d

I'll continue my Kutout Bin Klassics in a few days, so check back f'dat shit.

Also, vote for me at Songfight.org. I've never entered a songwriting contest like this before, and I thought it sounded fun. Basically, these guys give you a title for your song and you have to write it and post it within a week, then people vote on it. This week's title is 'Hard Landing,' and I wrote about what else but fat ladies falling down. My alias is MC Sharks in the Swimming Pool.

Playlist for 12-4-09, "This is My Private Life"

One of the major components of the show was featured this past week: Private-press LP's from the 60's, 70's and 80's (a few from the 90's, but whatever.) These are independently-released albums, and that means individually released as opposed to a small indie label. There weren't even really smaller labels at the time, so any home-musician who wanted his/her stuff heard had to pony up and get it pressed themselves. Obviously, in this situation there's not such a thing as 'quality control,' so often things that would have been 'too weird' for audiences back then are still floating around.

These albums can be fun to listen to because they range from the delightful pioneering of Debris' "Static Disposal" to the warped psychedelic lounge of the Kaplan Brothers' "Nightbird." I filled the entire show with various songs from my favorite private-press albums, and you can hear the whole thing right here. The playlist is below:

Dec 04 - 1:57 AM	Y. Bhekhirst	Dalmar	Hot in the Airport		No		e/d
Dec 04 - 1:54 AM	Arcesia	Reachin'	Reachin'		No		e/d
Dec 04 - 1:50 AM	Boots	Up	S/T		No		e/d
Dec 04 - 1:47 AM	Madrigal	B.B.'s Finale	S/T		No		e/d
Dec 04 - 1:45 AM	Debris	Tricia	Static Disposal		No		e/d
Dec 04 - 1:39 AM	Tim Curry	Brontasaurus	Read My Lips	requestical	Yes	Bizarro Jerry	e/d
Dec 04 - 1:31 AM	Raven	Raven Mad Jam	Back to Ohio Blues		No		e/d
Dec 04 - 1:26 AM	Jandek	You're the Best One	Six and Six		No		e/d
Dec 04 - 1:24 AM	Tool Shed	Court Roger	S/T		No		e/d
Dec 04 - 1:21 AM	Mike Rep and the Quotas	I Resign	Stupor Hiatus		No		e/d
Dec 04 - 1:15 AM	Randy Rice	Mrs. Bitch	To Anyone Who's Ever Laughed at Someone Else		No	Bizarro Jerry	e/d
Dec 04 - 1:10 AM	YaHoWa 13	Fire in the Sky	Savage Sons of YaHoWa 13		No		e/d
Dec 04 - 1:08 AM	Roger Rubin and Rotfree Anderson	Masters of Society	Atlanta Underground: Freek Music		No		e/d
Dec 04 - 1:02 AM	The Afflicted Man	Get Stoned EZY	Get Stoned EZY		No		e/d
Dec 04 - 12:58 AM	JW Farquhar	The Want-Machine Pt. 1	The Formal Female		No		e/d
Dec 04 - 12:52 AM	Virgin Insanity	The Ballad of Clifton T.	Toad Frog and Fish Friends		No	Bizarro Jerry	e/d
Dec 04 - 12:47 AM	Alien City	Get Away	S/T		No		e/d
Dec 04 - 12:40 AM	Christopher Montgomery	The Beast in the Jungle	Connecticut Elegy		No		e/d
Dec 04 - 12:38 AM	Tommy Jay	Village Idiot	Tall Tales of Trauma		No		e/d
Dec 04 - 12:34 AM	Kaplan Brothers	Listen to the Falling Rain	Nightbird		No		e/d
Dec 04 - 12:27 AM	Bob Bell	Necropolis Pt. 1	Necropolis		No	Bizarro Jerry	e/d
Dec 04 - 12:23 AM	Sound Ceremony	Motor	S/T		No		e/d
Dec 04 - 12:17 AM	Oliver	Tok Tic	Standing Stone		No		e/d
Dec 04 - 12:11 AM	Kenneth Higney	Rock Star	Attic Demonstration		No		e/d
Dec 04 - 12:08 AM	Eddie Callahan	Where Will We Be Tomorrow	False Ego		No		e/d

Dec 03 - 11:59 PM

Wicked Lady

SinCity

Psychotic Overkill

No

Bizarro Jerry

e/d