Hey all –
Here’s a track that probably very few of you have or ever heard. It’s on a Beefheart tribute album called Fast & Bulbous that came out in ’88 (holy sh*t that sounds like a long time ago). It’s interesting for a number of reasons. First, it was recorded around the time of End of the Millenium, so we’re still messing around with samples and dance rhythms. Listen closely at the end, and you’ll hear the Ohio Players. That’s right, the Ohio Players. And it’s perfectly in tempo, and in the right key!
Then there’s also a “Big Flame-esque” section that we added to the song. It’s interesting as a historical artifact – it sounds a bit glued-in to my ears now – but taken on its own, it does sound “Beefheartian.” (I remember John O’Neill saying this about Circusville at our second or third gig at the Mean Fiddler in 1986) And it just goes to show the vast spectrum of music we were absorbing at the time – from Curtis Mayfield to Big Flame, Beefheart to Bambatta. It’s no wonder we encountered a few growing pains.
Anyhow, enjoy. I’m not sure whether to put this up as a podcast or a download – I guess for now I’ll put it up as an in-page player, and also as a link to download.
Oh – freakin’ far out. The PodPress plugin does it all automatically for you. Thanks, PodPress!
Excellent, always loved that one, remember taping it off John Peel when the album came out and being chuffed when it turned up on the Cellophane 12″.
If this is going to become a regular feature of the site Steve, can I suggest Everybody’s Goin’ Triple Bad Acid Yeah next? The only proper version I’ve got is on vinyl.
Yeah ! I’m with Gareth on this one ! May I suggest that you put “Keen” and your version of Can’s “Mother Sky”, which i have on vinyl but you have perhaps a better one than I have ?
Greets,
Francois.
Thanks for sharing that – I hadn’t heard it before. Back in ’88 I was a student on limited means, so tended to just buy albums rather than singles. Unfortunate really, as unlike a lot of bands you guys put out some cracking B-sides.
Yeah Jason’s right. And speaking of B-sides, the original version of “Chemicrazy” on the flip of the “Groove Check” 10″ was a scorcher, as is “Fat Mouth Creed” (w/ “Abandon”). Also of good shape are “Little Big Man” (“Catch A Fire” EP), “Party Games” (“Genius Move” 12″) and… well, too many to mention. A comp anytime ?
Greets,
Francois.
Agree about the PETROLS b sIDES NOT JUST BEING THROWAWAY SONGS LIKE SOME BANDS. “Everybodys gone…” helped Raymond finish off “Last of the true believers” as they virtually had to write “Everybody” because the Membranes version is a bit chaotic and in doing so inspired him on to finnish off “believers”. I think the Membranes “Big Decision ” is awful, but what would I know! I love “Deadbeat” and “Mine” and “Jesus Says” oh the list goes on……
I’ve posted all of those mentione on my Petrols page during the last two years… but hopefully Steve and the lads got some better sounding version than the cassette/vinyl rips I’ve posted…
And also traded out a compilation with all the b-sides compiled, with some extra stuff on… info on my petrols bootleg page…
I had ‘Fast and bulbous’ – i think it was on Imaginary (great label) and they did a whole host of these tribute albums… The Kinks, Hendrix, Syd Barrett… had em all 🙂
We need more labels like Imaginary – I remember reading an interview with the guy who ran it. He said he named it thus so he could chuckle at kids going to their parents to say ‘I’m going to buy an imaginary album’ ! LOL!