The Weirdest Mainstream LP Ever

After decades of listening (sans headphones until recently, alas), I think this title is deserved for the Grateful Dead's second record, Anthem of the Sun. Look for the words "Tear down the Fillmore, Gas the Avalon" in the song "Alligator" just after "hung up waitin for a windy day" (the Dead and others were promoting their own Carousel Ballroom at the time). Marvel at the inserted stuff. An amazing, ground-breaking record. only nobody at the time seems to have recognized the need for headphones, at least at the time,,,


update 11/04/7 - My first exposure to this music decades ago was on the WB lp WS-1749 RE, yellow background on cover. Good record but nothing eponymous or particularly distinguished. (thick air indeed) The next time I bought it was as WB cd 2-1749, again w/yellow background on cover. Sounded about the same as the lp although by this time I finally heard it on headphones and had seen the "making of" video, Anthem To Beauty. A bit more intriguing but still, nothing too out of the ordinary. The next time I bought it was as Rhino cd 73943, purchased primarily for the bonus tracks. (damn completists!) but also noticed that this time the cover had a dark purple background. Hmmm, I had also heard Garcia had remixed the album in '72 to make it "more normal" or something, plus occasionally had seen an lp version with that dark purple background as well. This version was a revelation! Swirling early Dead jamming resolving to drones or other strangeness that belonged more to a musique concrète performance then that of the Dead. Live pieces wildly speeding up, meshing and fusing with other live pieces. And last weekend, finally got to listen to the original W7A lp, WS-1749, the one with the dark purple background cover - Almost the same as the Rhino cd but again, a little bit different, looks like it's time for the headphones with the turntable once again.

So what's so different about a remix? Once again, Anthem of the Sun doesn't disappoint, unlike the "typical process of mixing an album in those days, Dan Healy, Jerry Garcia, and Phil Lesh mixed parts of this record as a live performance in and of itself, mixing together simultaneously live recordings from various venues with studio material, all the source tapes synced and running at once! Little wonder there are no "out takes" of this material as such, only the individual source tapes from whence this album was created.

Next on my list is the original mix of Aoxomoxoa...

update II 11/14/07 With a liitle creative Google searching, managed to find mp3s of a "needle drop" Aoxomoxoa original mix from the pre-1972 lp and yes, I found to be as relevatory as the original Anthem of the Sun. Pity those in charge (Garcia, Lesh) saw fit to redo the record but then again, it's their music and whatever version(s) out there should be the version(s) they wish to make available. What's Become of The Baby on the remixed lp is a muddy, boring, unlistenable mess (which I usually skip) while the original version has all sorts of sound effects in the quiet portions, maybe not true to the song per se but making the whole piece a very unusual psychedelic artifact. IMHO the song itself is pretty weak, I'm not aware that they ever played it live and for myself, the original version is great. Likewise, I really enjoyed the extra production on Dupree's Diamond Blues and on Doin' That Rag. The five-part harmony at the end was sorely missed.

Don Sn-Foil Chapeau

I thought in 2007 we would see the promised flying cars, not a twenty-three year late imposition of George Orwell's 1984 (it's supposed to be a warning, not an instruction manual, assholes). Nonetheless, here we are and here things be. It's really tough to look at the presidential candidates and make any kind of choice (although 1- I sent Dodd $25 for standing up to GW and the retroactive telco immunity & 2- Ghouliani is Bush-Cheney on steroids) as for the first time in my 51, I do not think there will an election in 2008, certainly not one that is either free or fair. (And writing this feels shocking in its own rite)

What I see today is Cheney ordering a nuclear attack on Iran late September-early October 2008, and unfortunately, enough young eager (stupid) evangelicals in high enough positions in the USAF to pull it off. Why do I say this?
1-"you do not introduce new product in August"
2-remember the Branch Davidian and Somalia "gifts" Bush I left for Mr. Clinton? (Bill is, to this day, still blamed for the Ruby Ridge incident that happened summer of 1992 under Bush I)
3-What better way to terrify the electorate into either electing Ghouliani or canceling the election entirely?

Please, I really hope that I am wrong, would love to be eating crow next fall. But do any of you non-existant hordes out there really think that I am wrong? And even if I am wrong, any doubt that the Iraq war will serve as the Timothy McVeigh finishing school for domestic terrorists? Heard anything about the gang graffiti that has appeared in Iraqi streets, the white supremacists and militia types that have entered our military for training purposes? The future is a scary place these days...

A Loss

Condolences to Genesis Breyer P-Orridge for the loss pf his partner Lady Jaye Breyer P-Orridge 9 October of this year. Genesis P-Orridge is a central figure in several bands I have listened to over the years, Throbbing Gristle & Psychic TV/PTV3. Not so much for the quality of their music per se as what they create is for the most part harsh & grating (especially Throbbing Gristle) but he/they have a fierce anti-corporate DIY philosophy I greatly respect and a stubborn determination to do things their way. Plus much of the Psychic TV material is surprisingly accessible, I highly recommend Godstar & Roman P. in any of their various permutations as a good entry point.

Genesis & Lady Jaye were involved in an androgyne project, one that would erase the distinctions between masculine & feminine and to instead create an other - not exactly my cuppa tea but something I find interesting, there's entirely too much macho bs in this world and I think we'd all be far better off without it. Follow the links for more info.

Why I Am Here

I've been reading "the blogs" for quite a few years now and a wild hair bit my butt on the drive home today: although I feel I have nothing to say that is not said better by others elsewhere, I guess I have a need to prove that supposition true and will prove it by showing the lameness of whatever I might have to say or, of course, the lack of lameness thereof - hah!. I will grant you, my non-existent reader, one bone I find the bane of blogger existence - I have a day job and will not use this blog to solicit funds. Dammit. So I will share my comments on my day-to- day and here is an easy one - go read what digby said today (Glen Beck Is Going To Hell), she's way better then I can ever be...

The First Post

My personal understanding of the term dysthymia as it relates to me is that I do not like the ways things are, realize that I am unable to change things to the way I wish they could be and am unwilling to accept things the way they are. Maybe you could call it just having a bad attitude, I certainly heard that enough times while growing up... I was diagnosed with cognitive dysthymia, complete with the inevitable Zoloft script some years back and discovered that their anti-depressant was only good for 1) sexual dysfunction & 2) splitting headaches as the dose was changed. Phooey! So much for better living through chemistry, at least that way.

So I just press on living day to day with a little forethought as to the future and what I can do today to ensure that what I do today doesn't make tomorrow any worse, at least the parts of tomorrow that I have any control over. In my struggles with the day-to-day I have learned that there are things I do have control over and use that power when I can. For example, I used to have a very abusive engineering job, one that almost killed me - I walked away and am still here. Similarly I was once married to a person with schizophrenia whose problems were more than I could deal with - I am no longer married to that person. The word, I guess, is survival and I am, I guess, a survivor, but why I survive I do not know, I guess, it seems to be the only door that is open. So I just survive. And most importantly, why? It is the only thing I know to do. Any other alternative involves too much effort or too much pain, plus there's an elephant in the room I'm not willing to discuss at present, that we can save for later. Enjoy the concept, you've got something to look forward to...