Thursday, March 29, 2018

OLIVER SQUASH - "Wastecoat" (1992)

After a while, things changed and instead of me sending tapes to people I'd read about asking if they would be interested in exchanging tapes with me, people started writing me, and asking if I would be interested in a trade. It really was an interesting time.....

 So in 1992, after reading a review of one of our tapes in Ear Of Corn magazine (Straight outta Stow, Ohio), Oliver Squash from Barnesboro, PA sent me this tape asking me if I would be interested in a trade. I never refused an offer like that so now you can have a chance to hear what the Hell Mr.Oliver Squash was up to back then! From his tape release titled "Wastecoat," here's...
Oliver Squash - "Saturn"

Saturday, March 24, 2018

BIG JED - "Good Life" (1989)

 Todd aka Big Jed was a beyond amazing musician, one of those kind of people who was so talented that you never could figure out why they weren't a superstar! I only met him once or twice, and he sincerely seemed to like our music, which to me, was not even in the same realm of what he was doing! The opening act on this flyer was one of our pal Slim's band, 97 Tears.

 This flyer is so legit, it's got the band's set list written on the back! This is another incarnation of Slim's music as opening act called Rainmakers!

So when I met Jed, it was at the same time that I had decided to make a various artists compilation tape of all the cool and unusual indie music I had encountered, so I either asked or he offered to submit these tracks! On my compilation tape called "Refried Dreams" I used his song called "My Town First," so here's something else off of that tape! I lost contact with Todd after this, and I heard that he had passed away a couple of years ago. The background screamer on this song was a very good friend of mine who is also deceased, Suzanne Shelton! This tape was recorded in Todd's home studio, and you'll never know how lucky you are to hear it! The good life, right on! Turn it up!!!

Tuesday, March 20, 2018

ALVARO - "THE CHILEAN WITH THE SINGING NOSE" (1991)

Alvaro was of Chilean descent, but by the time I got this tape in 1991, he was living in Germany where he still resides! He is still active today I know, because I recently heard him on Lord Litter's radio show! 
 
 
It's "Alvaro Awareness Month," And to celebrate, here's a great song from the man who was once in a band with Joe Strummer, just don't expect any Punk Rock!
Here's also the link to Alvaro's website!
ALVARO - "Mariposa"
 

Saturday, March 17, 2018

HERMANOS GUZANOS - 3 Songs That Gary Likes

Besides being St. Patrick's Day, today is also Gary Wray's B-Day! Gary was the guitarist etc. for Hermanos Guzanos, and he thinks you need to hear these songs for some reason! He's also provided some new artwork to go along with each of them! 

 
First up is......"Mysterical Sights." This is a song from our first tape called "The Worm's Turn!" At one point in time I thought the guys who did the best golf song in the world, ART PHAG, were going to do a cover of this song, but I guess it never happened, because I never heard any more about it!
(Correction: 27 years and one month later, and I just found out that indeed ART PHAG did do a cover of "Mysterical Sights." Somebody put the whole album up on YouTube, so I snagged this cut. Now I need to buy the record, but it looks like the only ones available are in places like Norway!)  So here you go, at least they gave us credit for writing, here's the "Gods of Grunge" -
ART PHAG - "Mysterical Sights"

 "Passion In Their Punches" is another song off that first tape! We used to watch a lot of boxing on TV. I always thought, and still do, that boxing was the most difficult way to try and make a living! That's what this song is all about!

From our tape "Back In The Alley," we have...."Plutos On UFOs."
 I think the name speaks for itself!
"Get us the Hell on out of here!"

Friday, March 16, 2018

FOX - TREYFID - "Knots" (1989)

 I've been going through a box of old letters, so now I have more information about these tapes, which is a good thing since my addled old brain doesn't always function as good as it used to! I think I received this cassette from Mr. Treyfid probably because I read a review in "Option" and sent him a tape, and from his letter, it looks like this is what he sent in return, a tape he did with his friend George Fox. The liner notes read "Knots is a multimedia performance based on Thomas Coles Historic "Voyage of Life" painting. It was performed Live May 3, 1989 at the Corcoran Gallery Of Art in Washington D.C." The rest of the participants on this project are David Aub, Elizabeth Fry, Jim Newcombe, Yannis Mouhasiris, Russ Peticolas, Rozi Velasquez, and Beatrice Valdes! Here's the title tune!

Saturday, March 10, 2018

OTOONIES - "The Whale And The Wind" (aT) (1990)

Otoonies: "the whale and the wind" was a 1990 tape released on Carl Howard's 'audiofile Tapes' label or aT for short. I don't know much about Otoonies because this tape was sent to me by Carl, not the band. I think it was a thank-you for sending him old uncirculated three cent stamps he could paste all over a postcard, and piss off the post office! There were three songs on the first side, two new age psychedelic percussive instrumentals and then this out of control rock song! Hang on!!

I guess aT tapes doesn't exist anymore, but Carl is still involved with music and has a radio program called "Space Patrol!" that you should probably check out! 

Actually one of our tapes called "Back In The Alley" was released on Carl's label also in 1990, and to this day the royalty checks have never stopped coming in, but then they technically never started, and I'm pretty sure Carl has all the money in a Swiss bank account because I know for a fact that he must have sold at least three copies! I just also found out that this tape is listed on the Discogs website along with a bunch of other musicians like Pornolicious, Homer and Jethro, Dread Zeppelin, The Fugs, The Smothers Brothers, Frank Zappa, Humpsvakar and other amazing acts in the category of "Explore Parody!" I'm so freakin' honored!!
Hermanos Guzanos - "The Alley"

Tuesday, March 6, 2018

FRANKY AND THE SHADOW - "Howlin Dog" (1990)

And I quote.............."TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, Franky and the shadow is a collaboration of some of the Bay area's finest musical and poetic talents. The music has high-energy impact without sounding overbearing. The lyrics contain a vision that is necessary for the coming age. If you would like to hear our latest "HOWLIN DOG" we would be more than happy to send you one, THANK YOU, FRANKY" 

Friday, March 2, 2018

THE ID - "what id is" (1987)

 THE ID were from Florida, not the Forbidden Planet! If you wanted to say this band was cerebral, I wouldn't disagree with you! I'm pretty sure this is another tape I got because I read a review of their music somewhere, sent them one of our tapes, and they were kind enough to send something back! 
 
 The band was Ned Davis : Vocals, guitars, piano, DX7, percussion and bass on one song. John Kuge: Poly-61, Juno-60, and DX7 synthesizers, vocals, piano, electronic drums. Nabil Tamer: Guitars, vocals, bass. With Mike Malinin: Drums, Iver Thue and Paul Miller: Bass, and John Pszyk and Mike Crudele!
 
 This is a great tape, and these guys are all over the place. I have no idea what this song is about, but I like it!!