Showing posts with label susumu yokota. Show all posts
Showing posts with label susumu yokota. Show all posts

Sunday, 20 May 2018

Log #86 - The Incredible Incredible String Band

Eddy Bamyasi

Got a real "marmite" record in the player this week. The incredible Incredible String Band record is frankly amazing. It's just very different. It's fairly indescribable. The closest description would be a sort of folk, sometimes termed psychedelic folk:
In their amateurish mish-mash of world music styles, epic poetic traditions and copious psychedelics they stumbled upon a style of music all their own.

However you like to describe it, it polarises listeners - many love it, many hate it. It has enjoyed much reverence from musicians and critics. Paul McCartney, Dylan and John Peel were fans. McCartney selected the album as his favourite of 1968. Led Zeppelin were apparently heavily influenced by it, particularly around the time of producing their III album. It frequently features in "greatest albums of all time" lists. 

Yet many find it unlistenable:

"Plas man" on amazon describes it as "amateurs playing various instruments, and different tunes, all at the same time." Another amazon customer was even less charitable describing it as "by far the worst album I ever bought. What the hell were they thinking or indeed smoking. Utter and complete garbage."

In her amusing review Alt Rock Chick writes: "What I find incredible about this group is that they were ever allowed in the studio in the first place. They have all the talent of third-rate buskers, the kind of street performers whose sound makes you dash to the opposite side of the street as you approach the spot from which their horrible noise emanates." She goes on to damn the music as "the most repulsive music I have ever heard."

To many western ears it sounds out of tune and Alt Rock Chick describes the singing as beyond any notes found on any scale known to humankind! Fantastic stuff. I don't know about you but anything that elicits such extreme views has got to be worth a listen.

The ISB at their infamous Woodstock appearance, songwriters Mike Heron and Robin Williamson, backed by girlfriends

In the style of a good court room drama I'm pleased to take the role of the defending barrister putting the case for the defence of this album. I will present three pieces of evidence which I will show prove beyond reasonable doubt that The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter is in fact an amazing record. In fact I can do this by an examination of the first three tracks only.

Exhibit A

I first present the opening song Koeeoaddi There as Exhibit A. There are enough ideas in this 5 minute piece for a whole career let alone a single album or song. The structure of the song, like a lot of Incredible String Band songs is all over the place but in my opinion it holds together and works. It's actually a masterpiece!

The lyrics present a description of childhood to which many of us can relate, particularly the "shadowy fingers on the curtains at night":

Born in a house where the doors shut tight
Shadowy fingers on the curtains at night
Cherry tree blossom head high snow
A busy main road where I wasn't to go
I used to sit on the garden wall
Say hello to people going by so tall
Hallo to the postman's stubbly skin
Hallo to the baker's stubbly grin

There is also a mention of Mike Heron's enigmatic girlfriend* Licorice in a Dr. Seuss inspired verse:

But me and Licorice saw the last of them one misty twisty day
Across the mournful morning, moor motoring away
Singing ladybird, ladybird what is your wish
Your wish is not granted unless it’s a fish
Your wish is not granted unless it’s a dish
A fish on a dish is that what you wish

There is even a sort of chorus which is the catchiest part of the song:

Earth water fire and air
Met together in a garden fair
Put in a basket bound with skin
If you answer this riddle
If you answer this riddle, you’ll never begin

The girls in the band are an interesting case. They were Christina "Licorice" McKechnie and Rose Simpson. I'm not sure whether they were more important as musicians or girlfriends - certainly it appears they were the latter before the former. Licorice was partnered with Robin Williamson and left the band in 1972 after their romantic relationship ended. Rose was Mike Heron's partner and allegedly was invited to join the band only because Licorice had been invited too. By all accounts there was a fair bit of rivalry between Williamson and Heron personally and professionally. The girls didn't get on either!

[*Hang on a minute - you said Licorice was Mike's girlfriend, but then was with Robin. Which was it? Ed.
Actually it was probably both - you know, the swinging sixties, and just look at that cover! Or was that Rose?..
In the middle of the night she (Rose) left Robin's sleeping bag, crawled in with Mike, and stayed with him for the next three years.
Joe Boyd 

... actually my error, Koeeoaddi There was written by Robin so it was him, apologies. Glad we've cleared that up.]

Mike Heron, Rose Simpson, Licorice and Robin Williamson

Exhibit B

Exhibit B is The Minotaur Song which is an enjoyable call and response marching song. It features Richard Thompson and Judy Dyble from Fairport Convention. Roll up your sleeves and sing-a-long:

Straight from the shoulder
I think like a soldier
I know what's right and what's wrong
He knows what's right and what's wrong!

I'm the original discriminating buffalo man
And I'll do what's wrong as long as I can
He'll do what's wrong as long as he can!

I live in a labyrinth under the sea
Down in the dark as dark as can be
I like the dark as dark as can be
He likes the dark as dark as can be!

Heron and Williamson - never great friends

Exhibit C

Exhibit C is the thirteen minute epic A Very Cellular Song, a kind of circular suite that opens with a wavering organ riff and harpsichord refrain which ebbs and flows, and leaves and returns throughout.

The lyrics are out of this world, literally:

Nebulous nearnesses cry to me
At this timeless moment someone dear to me
Wants me near, makes me high
I can hear vibrations fly

Through mangoes, pomegranates and planes
All the same
When it reaches me and teaches me
To sigh

Who would mouse and who would lion
Or who would be the tamer?
And who would hear directions clear
From the unnameable namer?

Who would skip and who would plot
Or who would lie quite stilly?
And who would ride backwards on a giraffe?
Stopping every so often to laugh

Amoebas are very small
Oh ah ee oo
There's absolutely no strife
Living the timeless life, I don't need a wife
Living the timeless life

If I need a friend I just give a wriggle
Split right down the middle
And when I look there's two of me
Both as handsome as can be

Oh, here we go slithering, here we go
Slithering and squelching on
Oh, here we go slithering, here we go
Slithering and squelching on

Oh ah ee oo
There's absolutely no strife
Living the timeless life

Black hair, brown hair feather and scale
Seed and stamen and all unnamed lives that live
Turn your quivering nerves in my direction
Turn your quivering nerves in my direction

Feel the energy projection of my cells wishes you well

May the long time sun shine upon you
All love surround you
And the pure light within you
Guide you all the way on

I have heard the last verse before as a yoga mantra. I had assumed this was a traditional mantra but apparently the mantra was lifted from this original ISB song.

Apparently the spiritual leader of Kundalini Yoga, Yogi Bhajan, once came into a room where a group of yoga students were singing the ISB song. Yogi asked them to keep it up, and from then on requested them to sing it after his classes. It quickly became a tradition that continues today at the end of every Kundalini Yoga class taught throughout the world.

When the Incredible String Band toured the States in the late 60s May the Long Time Sun was always the closing song at their gigs.




They were invited to play Woodstock but didn't make the edit for the original film. Originally scheduled to play the more acoustic Friday evening as one of the headliners they were bumped to the heavy rock Saturday due to the famous rain and didn't go down so well. An opportunity lost.

The Woodstock setlist:
Invocation
The Letter
Gather Round
This Moment
Come With Me
When You Find Out Who You Are

Oddly no songs from "Hangman".

Closing Remarks

It is time to rest my case, your honour. I hope I have made a case strong enough for listeners to investigate, or reappraise, this most unusual and fascinating album.

After Hangman the band fell within the clutches of Scientology and despite some decent later albums and continuing good sales (much of the proceeds they invested in the Church) they gradually lost their edge:
Soon the new compositions began to lose their wild melodic beauty. In the studio, there were fewer moments of surprise and inspiration.
Joe Boyd 

The band broke up in 1974, both leading members going on to take up solo careers with the occasional short lived reunion. The enigmatic Licorice, like one of her front teeth, sadly went missing in the late 80s, presumed dead.


The full log this week:

~

1. Neil Young - On The Beach
2. Deep Purple - Machine Head
3. Cocteau Twins - Four Calendar Cafe
4. Sigur Ros - Agaetis Byrjun
5. Susumu Yokota - Sakura
6. The Incredible String Band -  The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter

~

To read more about the Incredible String Band, along with all the other artists Joe Boyd managed and produced in the late 60s - Fairport Convention, John Martyn, Nick Drake, early Pink Floyd etc. I highly recommend his brilliant and very readable White Bicycles memoir.





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Monday, 14 November 2016

Log #7 - From Joy to Sadness

Eddy Bamyasi
Lots more Afro Celt Sound System this week and a return of an old favourite remembered in the wake of Leonard Cohen's passing - John Cale, exVelvet Underground and responsible for one of the best cover versions of Cohen's Hallelujah. Was it the one used in the film Shrek? I'm not sure - the internet is divided on the subject. The cover album is from little known Japanese electronica artist Susumo Yokota.

1. Crowded House - Recurring Dream
2. John Cale - Paris 1919
3. Susumu Yokota - Sakura
4. Afro Celt Sound System - Seed
5. Afro Celt Sound System - Anatomic
6. Afro Celt Sound System - The Source

It's all been about the ACSS this week with a storming gig at our local Concorde2 venue here in Brighton. About half way through (actually unusually there was no support, and two sets, with an interval) I realised that from my vantage point standing about a dozen rows back everyone in front of me was relatively short and I had one of the best views ever at a gig. Then the band thanked a school teacher at the front for bringing his class along "to their first gig". They also explained how one of their songs Release had made it on to the official Music GCSE exam syllabus. I hope the school kids appreciated that with the band's vigorous world beats and stirring melodies this was a better gig than usual - the band were really having a good time and this was infectious for the crowd who danced as one. With all those different influences and instruments (there must have been a dozen musicians on the tiny stage) it could have been a right mess but it works.

Take a bow - ACSS on stage, Brigton, 13/11/16
I was moved to buy the new album The Source afterwards and reinserted a couple of previous CDs into the changer for a reassessment (it is lovely rediscovering music you've had on the shelf for years). The Source is excellent - a little more mellow than some of their previous releases but still covering all the celtic and afro bases. Seed and Anatomic are also superb - both a bit more song based than their earlier albums with mesmerising Irish vocals from lead singer Iarla O'Lionaird (now departed but replaced by the equally talented and equally fantastically moniked Griogair Labhruidh). All three albums are jam packed with perfectly produced epics but try Mojave from Anatomic and Where Two Rivers Meet the standout from the new album.

...and jolly nice chaps happy to meet the fans afterwards!
One final thought on bands these days. They are mostly jolly nice don't we think? They enjoy what they do and appreciate the fans. They aren't afraid to show their intellect and skill. Think of Radiohead and Coldplay, not my favourite bands but obviously educated and talented. Many years ago wasn't it all about angst and aggression? It was cool to be destructive, anti-establishment and edgy. The Rolling Stones probably started it. The attitude continued through the 70s and 80s and for a while into the early 90s too with Nirvana. But by the time Oasis came along the public had grown tired of all that rock star posturing that had been done so much better before and just thought the Gallagher brothers were prats.

I know very little about the Japanese cover artist this week – Susumo Yokota – and from a quick google search it seems very few people did. I also learn that he sadly passed away last year at the age of 54. Like the attached article says the album Sakura was a word of mouth success and I must have read about it somewhere. It is indeed a gorgeous ambient instrumental record from the Brian Eno or Aphex Twin (Selected Ambient Works series) school with Japanese flavouring and one that people always comment upon if I ever have it playing in the background. Sakura means Cherry Blossom and is also the title of an amazing classical guitar piece I used to attempt which is sadly neglected somewhat in the concert repertoire although I have heard local artist Richard Durrant play it. I couldn’t find any details on the artist behind the beautiful traditional cover art.

Sadly there were a couple more musician deaths last week – Leonard Cohen and Leon Russell. I don’t (yet) have any music by either artist although the latter particularly has been on my list since hearing him on the player in Wax Factor Records and thinking what is this cross between Dylan/Dr.John/Exile on Main Street era Stones?  Cohen’s death brought forth many replays of Hallelujah covers (a song that has become slightly overplayed like Stairway to Heaven or Imagine, but is still a great song nonetheless). One of the greatest versions is by John Cale and this made me reach for his classic Paris 1919 album which doesn't contain said song but has in the past made it into those Top 100 Albums of all time lists. Just the title engenders strong emotions of time and place, in addition to the cover showing him sitting nonchalantly in front of a sunlit window in his white suit. Evocative. Great songwriting – “You’re having tea, with Grahame Greene,” delivered in his Welsh tones (most singers lose their speaking accent when singing but not Cale). Incidentally the final track on the album Antarctica Starts Here does remind me of John Lennon's Imagine.

John Cale in Paris 1919 obviously

Lastly, albeit in slot 1, we have Crowded House. I used to play this in the car a lot. It’s feel good pop music. Not much more, nothing less. Great songwriting again and 25 years earlier they could have been The Beatles.







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