Today Daiel kindly lent me a copy of a cd reissue by the prog/acid/folk band Comus, titled "first utterance," released in 1971. After the second song i wondered if I would be left permanently damaged - what is the deal with this record? I LOVE things like this - weird artifacts of taste and culture that are so fucked up it is hard to even believe that they exist. In this case five (I think) band members actually thought and agreed to record this album, to promote it and tour(opening for david bowie and t-rex). It is like the lamest Jethro Tull with druid/necrophilia/rape/rail against christianity lyrics and tons of rocking flute. no drums. the women sing in the highest register possible, the men sing like quivering frogs and grunt a bunch, plus the songs are all at least five minutes long in series of "acts" at times - super serious. So, yes, I recommend it if you can find it.
Antiquated form and style are so interesting - especially in music. Abominations like this. You cannot be prepared or comprehend how this series of decisions are made - at least from this historical place when listening now. Yes, the record is a bit of an "endurance test," as Daiel puts it, but it just keeps getting better. I think it is because i have heard very little like this. One cannot rely on 'taste' or notions of what is 'good', 'cool,' or 'critically relevant,' nothing, because this item exists frozen in time. it is free to be what it is as it is. it forces an open mind. that is part of what keeps me interested. when one listens to it it forces up all kinds of assumptions and parameters - how i am going to decode this fucked up, ridiculous music? - but there is also some glimmer of artistic integrity in there - something compelling as actual music too. it's weird. i am not listening to this music in a condescending way - like this is awful,dated stuff, ha ha. that is boring. it is like mining a discarded cultural vein, searching for the golden nuggets, the crazy bits that still shimmer in the moonlight.
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FB - I know an artist here who is organizing a show of plush art and I thought of your pillows. His name is Oura Sananikone, below is an excerpt from a short e-mail from him. I sent him a link to your pillows pictures post. If you want his e-mail let me know.
"my next opening is next month @ nonesuch. i am co-organizing a plush art/print show.
dec 2nd 7-10pm
i don't know if you knew
but i make "dolls" as well"
how cool is that FB? are you going to make contact?
fb, maybe you could make pillows for those "dolls..." a revolution is brewing, perhaps?
Comus sounds like it needs to be heard to be understood, I'm all over it will hunt it down where ever it be. Reminds me of a band I've bben meaning to blog about, Gentle Giant, Prog rock extrodinaire, flutes and massive drumm sets... and alots of renaissance style harmonizings..thanks for the low down.
This sounds insane. I want to hear it, also Gentle Giant as Corny has referred to it before. I need new exposures to my ears. I have been od-ing on talk radio. TIME FOR ESCAPE. I always depend on those more educated than me for advice on musical stylings.
Perhaps a trip to Other Music is in store.
FB, I keep thinking about your excellent questionings the other day..."where are you in relation to your work" - I am sure I am misquoting. I want to write about that but my linear thinking brain is currently lying dormant.
FB is king.
Martin, i will email you. thank you sooo much for thinking of me! hearts.
mm, i really enjoyed meeting krakow and the relics. i have been thinking of things too, but the mind is a slippery slope these days - too much basil.
Corny, the double cd reissue is normal price and available -- to just get the first record is like 50$ from japan import. also recommend aphrodite's child "666" - lyrical pagan freak out stomp also but more groovy.
Comus is one of those things that I find about once a year if I'm lucky that sounds like nothing ever, and that seems to bear no relation whatsoever to "regular" music in the traditional sense. I call this kind of music "Alien Transmissions," and I think I have heard maybe ten or so bands/artists in my entire life that qualify. These include the Shaggs, Il Balleto di Bronzo's "Ys" album, the first time I saw the Butthole Surfers, a few things by Sonic Youth, and "Eskimo" by the Residents, as well as the one album that they made that was conceived, written and performed on instruments purchased at Toys R Us.
I wouldn't include Gentle Giant, since I really, really fucking despise them, but there is actually some 70's prog rock that gets into this territory, most notably "Relayer" by Yes and "Starless and Bible Black" by the mighty King Crimson. Actually any 70's era live recordings of King Crimson tend to get pretty out there.
I forgot Diamanda Galas, by the way.
hi daiel!! fun to see you here! Just to clarify.... I fucking love early King Crimson. LOVE. I forgot about the Residents, maybe i will need to revisit although i probably only have a version on tape somewhere in the back of a closet.
need more alien transmissions are necessary. always.
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