THE SCIENTIFIC AMERICANS

Scientific Americans is one more nearly forgotten band of the post-punk era. Hailed from Massachusetts, they were developed musically next to the no-wave situation, influenced as well by bands as Suicide, Devo... After the first punkish recordings,''Beyond Rational Thought"(7'', 1979), their sound went more electronic, minimal pop and dub, without loosing its initial primitive, homemade, underground heart. Their "Load And Go!" cassette was released in 1983 on the legendary ROIR label. Other works of theirs, the one-sided flexi "Beyond Fiscal Distress" (Tekno Tunes,1980), a split flexi-disc with Graig Anderton (a release of Op Magazine), another cassette called "Some Dumb F**ks" (circa 1981)... Lots of unreleased and never performed live material has been also created before or after the end of the band by Sean Elias and Graig O'Donnell,  who (along with Jim Whittemore) were the long-run members of Scientific Americans.

More about Sc Ams, told by the members themselves, at: www.thecheappages.com/n_the/sci/sciams

Load And Go!
Beyond Fiscal Distress

Producing The Future: Adrian Sherwood & his On-U Sound label

 Adrian Sherwood

 On-U artists circa 1993 [photo from skysaw site]

 Adrian Sherwood's On-U Sound is one of the most influential labels in the field where the mixing and producing technologies meet music. Sherwood's productions, marked by the heavy use of dub techniques (echo sounding, samples, effects) have created since 1981 (and especially for the first 10-15 years) a unique space of pioneering flavours backgrounded in post-punk, reggae, industrial, funk, dance, spoken word, experimental music. The huge influence of On-U can be detected in many music scenes and movements in previous decades, even in contemporary genres ranging from ambient, hip hop, house and dubstep to electronic jazz and world music.

Joining the celebration for the 30th Anniversary of On-U Sound label (1981-2011), LaFolieDuJour selects essential On-U productions:

01 African Head Charge Free chant (1990)
02 Noah House Of Dread Wicked Kingdom (1982)
03 New Age Steppers Animal space (1981)
04 Judy Nylon Room without a view (1982)
05 Mothmen factory/teapoint/factory (1981)
06 Revolutionary Dub Warriors creation (1996)
07 Annie Anxiety sad shadows (1984, corpus christi)
08 African Head Charge healing father (1990)
09 London Underground Animosity (1983)
10 Headley Bennett little dove (1982)
11 Dub Syndicate haunting ground (1986)
12 2 Badcard rock to sleep (1995)
13 Little Annie le manger hereux (1994)
14 Bim Sherman can i be free from crying (1996)
15 Singers and Players revolution (1982)
16 Creation Rebel space movement section 2 (orig.1980, 1981 on-u)


On-U Sound

compiled by semilunio + paramo

LONDON UNDERGROUND "Watching West Indians In The Cold" (UK, 1982)

 

London Underground has been connected with the beginning of On-U Sound label. Their "Learn A Language" track was the B-side of On-U's debut release, a split 7'' single with New Age Steppers ("Fade Away" / "Learn  A Language"). The band, active the first half of the decade, developed a kind of white reggae-dub sound with influences from the avant-funk and alternative-dance air of post-punk era. Constant members were Martin Frederix (bass, guitar, vocals), Dan Sheals(drums), Kendall Ernest (bass) and On-U cofounder Pete Holdsworth (vocals), who later involved with reggae labels 'Pressure Sounds' and 'Green Tea'.

Following their second single "Train Of Thought" (1981), the three-track 10'' EP "Watching West Indians In The Cold", (fourth in the "On-U Disco Plates" series) is the step forward for the band ,as well the predecessor of their 1983 releases, "At Home With London Underground" (LP) , "Current Affairs Session" (mini-LP) and "Between The Lines" (7" single), which consist the main works of London Underground and also the last, as the band finished soon after.

Watching West Indians

DEADLY HEADLEY "35 Years From Alpha" (UK, 1982)

This On-U Sound release is an Adrian Sherwood's  tribute to Jamaican understated saxophonist Headley Bennett -a.k.a. Deadly Headly- who although had been involved since 50's in  the making of a great number of important reggae, ska, etc. recordings, had always remained a 'tiny-letter' session musician with nearly no records at all credited to him. In early eighties when Headley was touring in England with Prince Far I's band and also involving with UK reggae acts Creation Rebel, Adrian Sherwood got the opportunity to make this "35 Years From Alpha" album which is based on Headley's material recorded in England and Jamaica, and also includes Bim Sherman's songs and contributions from Creation Rebel members and other constant On-U Sound associates. Album title refers to Alpha School in Kingston, Jamaica, where Headley had been studying up to the age of fifteen.

Headley Bennett - Two From Alpha

Alan Jenkins and The Creams

 The Creams

(photo taken from Cordelia Records site)

The Creams represent the main chapter of Alan Jenkins music activities in nineties. Deep Freeze Mice have split up in 1989, and Jenkins collaboration with Terry Burrows (a.k.a. Yukio Yung) under moniker The Crysanthemums, becomes as well history in 1991, after five very creative years. In the meanwhile Alan participates to short-lived band Ruth's Refrigerator (1990-91) and makes with them two very good albums. Afterwards Alan together with future -and now ex- wife Blodwyn P. Teabag form THE CREAMS (initially Jody And The Creams). Soon they become a six-piece, then a three-piece and later a four-piece, and these two-six-three-four pieces Creams record overall no less than 8 works, plus two really very limited live CDs which are given to no more than 8 people so let's say -Alan says so- that these latter two don't count.

The Creams:

Alan Jenkins: guitars, singing - Blodwyn P. Teabag: keys, accordion etc. - Robyn Gibson: drums, etc. - Alison Mackinder: violin, singing - Vladimir Zajkoweicz: bass - Peter Pengwyn: keys, singing - Howard Fairey: bass, singing

Works:

Jody And The Creams - A Big Dog.N

Jody And The Creams - Lords Of The Gromet Canning Factory

Alan Jenkins and Creams - ie

The Creams - Creams and Nico

The Creams - Pluto

The Creams - Malcolm

The Creams - Are you real or just some sort of disgusting fridge magnet (live)

The Creams - The all night bookman 

"The Creams And Nico"(1994)

"Pluto" (1996)

AVANT Label: In the Constellation Of John Zorn

Japanese AVANT label was formed by John Zorn and Kazunori Sugiyama in 1992 as a home for music created by Zorn, his colleagues and yet plenty other avant-gardists, jazzmen and related artists. Part of the broad and ambitious Zorn's music plan, AVANT label reflects a spirit similar as its founder's, innovative, adventurous and subversive. Apart from labelman, composer and performer John Zorn has been involved himself in many other artists releases as a producer and although his music visions has been served since 1995, mainly by his own TZADIK label, AVANT continued offering up to the middle of the next decade exciting episodes of contemporary open-minded art, counting overall about 80 releases.

A selection of essential AVANT moments compiled by LaFolieDuJour:

WAYNE HORVITZ - FOUR PLUS ONE ENSEMBLE crispin and lisa's duet

("From A Window", 2001)

ANTHONY COLEMAN trend man

("Disco By Night", 1992)
DIM SUM CLIP JOB jive stalking
("Harmolodic Jeopardy", 1995)
JOE MANERI why don't you go away
("Paniots Nine", 1998)
SLOWPOKE sixth sense
(V.A. "In His Own Sweet Way", 2000)
CYRO BAPTISTA dansa do indio branco
("Vira-Loucos / Villa-Lobos", 1997)
IKUE MORI, MARC RIBOT, ROBERT QUINE mojave
("Painted Desert", 1995)
WAYNE HORVITZ - FOUR PLUS ONE ENSEMBLE willy's music
("From A Window", 2001)
DRAGON BLUE fragments realm
("Hades Park", 1998)
VIVIAN SISTERS a gift from france
("Vivian Sisters", 2001)
DAVE SOLDIER graffiti from a ninth century manuscript
("Smut", 1994)
HARRIET TUBMAN chief of police
("The Prototype", 2000)
JENNY SCHEINMAN QUARTET 25 at 2525
("Live At Yoshi's", 2000)
MARK FELDMAN, SYLVIE COURVOISIER gugging

("Music For Violin and piano", 1999)

Avant Label Compilation

ANTHONY COLEMAN

Pianist, multi-instrumentalist and composer Anthony Coleman (born 1955) is a notable artist in New York Downtown avant-jazz scene as well as a pioneering figure of the Jewish traditional and modern jazz. Active since late 70s, Anthony Coleman has contributed on 80s albums such as "The Big Gundown", "Spillane" and other classic works which established John Zorn as an avant-garde super star. In early nineties Coleman created his first major solo work "Disco By Night" (1992). He also extended the circle of his collaborations, he wrote commissioned music and did many live appearances in free-jazz, klezmer or improvised music festivals all over US and Europe.

Among many collaborations and projects we note Coleman's work with Krakauer Trio, Glenn Branca, the duos with Roy Nathanson, his contributions on soundtrack "Camp Stories"and his own groups Sephardic Tinge, Selfhaters...The main body of his music can be found on labels Avant, Knitting Factory, Tzadik...

An introduction to Anthony Coleman:

01 Anthony Coleman, Roy Nathanson Bird-jews
("The Coming Great Millenium...", 1992)
02 Anthony Coleman Trend man 
("Disco By Night", 1992) 
03 Anthony Coleman Quando el rey nimrod
("Sephardic Tinge", 1995)
04 Sephardic Tinge Ghetto (ich bin ein marrano)
("Morenica", 1998)
05 Professionales takah
("Voices From The Wilderness", various artists, 2003) 
06 Camp Stories Camp stories opening credits
("Camp Stories", o.s.t., 1996)
07 Sephardic Tinge La cantiga del fuego 
("Morenica", 1998) 
08 Anthony Coleman Belz
("Sephardic Tinge", 1995)
09 Anthony Coleman, Roy Nathanson Sheik of avenue B
("The Coming Great Millenium...", 1992)
10 Sephardic Tinge Morenica
("Morenica", 1998)
11 Selfhaters A house is not a home
("Great Jewish Music: B. Bacharach", various artists, 1997)
12 Sephardic Tinge Youkali
("Our Beautiful Garden Is Open", 2002)
13 Camp Stories Camp Stories closing credits 
("Camp Stories", o.s.t., 1996)

compiled by LaFolieDuJour

Anthony Coleman Collection (approx. 1 hour)

V.A. He Didn't Even Draw A Fish On My Shower Curtain (GER,1992)

Limited Mermaid Records (Germany) CD compilation with a A5 size booklet. 22 small bands carrying the amateurism spirit in early nineties. Indie popers, psych popers, lo-fi janglers, humorists, obscurities armed  with tiny melodies and innocense continue the never ending (for them) story of sixties and early eighties.Television Personalities and Deep Freeze Mice are main influences here.

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