Showing posts with label cassette culture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cassette culture. Show all posts

Friday, July 12, 2013

Top 13 (Of The Week)


Sure,you know what's cool. But do you know what's really fuckin' FAR OUT? That's where Advanced Demonology takes over. Every week, (K)en and (S)wilson trudge through the murky waters of the pop culture hellscape, dredging up sparkly morsels of wonder. These are the result of our latest foray into the world of the weird, our wildest, wiggest-out picks of the week. Call it our 13 Point Program.

13. Ron Wood - I've Got My Own Album to Do
A lost classic. In alot of ways a lost Stones record.  It convinced Mick and Keith who we're already doing drugs with Ronnie that he might be also be able to join the band because of his playing too. The cast of characters is awesome: Mick and Keith, Mick Taylor, David Bowie, Rod Stewart and a host of cool classic rock session men. Party time! (S)



12. Sex in films
This amazing website catalogs instances of sex/nudity in film starting from the beginning. I mean, seriously, the very beginning of filmmaking. Like in the silent era. Pre 1920's. Wanna see the world's FIRST porno? Now you can. You might regret it, though. That's somebody's great-great grandmother, you know. Anyway, goodtimes. Thanks, Sex in Films! (K)



11. Firefall 
I've only got the 1st LP and it's way groovy. If your in the mood for some smooth Fleetwood Mac or Steely Dan type 70's mellow this is for you. Hot summer night music. (S)



10. Cassette documentary
You knew this would have to happen eventually. Hot on the heels of the 8 Track doc and the VHS doc, here's a bunch of folks waxing nostalgic about, probably, the worst goddamn medium of all time. Fuck, remember having to fix these things with a goddamn pencil? Paying 11 dollars or whatever for the new Pussy Galore cassette for your Walkman, and the tape fucking snaps on the second listen? Fuck cassettes, man. But I'm totally gonna watch this anyway. (K)



9. Roland Kirk - We Free Kings (1961)
He's got a massive discography, hard to navigate. This is one of his early efforts. Strutting through post Charlie Parker bop and soul. Added bonus: Flutes!!! (S)



8. The Sleaze - Smokin' Fuckin' Cigs
Bunch of apes in a go-nowhere garage band from nowhere singing about how there's nothing to do but sit around and smoke smokes and stare at each other. So beautiful it makes me wanna cry. (K)



7. John Mayall - Blues From Laurel Canyon
John has been overlooked by many. He is remembered most for the seminal british blues record that launched Eric Clapton further into super start 'em. Peter Green pre-Fleetwood Mac and Pre-Stones Mick Taylor. Largely thought to be just a traditional blues guy and rarely revisited by 21st century acid heads and freaks.The truth of matter, he was a 60's freakster freek just like all the rest, banging out garage stomp classics like Witch Doctor and jazzed up work outs like Room to Move. Blues from Laurel Canyon brings us awesome fuzzed-up long hair music  along side heavy lidded folk tinged drones. Blues inspired yes but something all it's own and completely demonological. Get hip. (S)



6. Yes is the Answer
So, this book contains essays and short fiction (!) about prog rock. This book will either make you love prog rock more than you ever did, or hate it even more passionately. I haven't even read it yet, but the watercolor cover makes me love AND hate prog more than ever. Prog will not be denied, brothers and sisters. It's inside us all. (K)



5. Heavy Metal Archaeological Discoveries 
Here is a list of some severely grim and totally fucking metal archaeological discoveries.  Mass Viking beheadings, human sacrifice, giant bird claws, vampires killed with bricks, ancient chemical warfare, skulls stuffed with skulls, impossible stone statues, armies of clay soldiers, proto computers, scrolls and batteries from ancient Babylon. Any one thinking of forming a band should get a pad and paper out now! (S)



4. God's Cartoonist 
Awesome doc about Jack Chick, the religious fanatic who messed with kids' heads for decades with his sick little born-again weirdo comics. He's probably the reason Swilson and I are advanced demonologists today. He mighta invented black metal, who knows? Check it out. (K)



3. Da Captain Trips - Anechoic Chamber Outcomes I 
They can get the acid in Italy too. Somewhere between surf music and Ash ra kraut. Made for driving down a desert highway late at night. But I live in Jersey so I substituted the 10 freeway for the Garden State Parkway. Worked just fine. (S)



2. Outdoor Thai psych jam
I hate parties but I wanna be at this party. (K)



1. Lantern - Rock N' Roll Rorschach 
It's out now on Sophomore Lounge  and it' pretty much the best thing happening. Every song a super hit!  Certainly the album of the year for Swilson.  It's straight no chaser rock music with just the right amount of mystery, magick, sex appeal and weirdness that we all love and crave here at Advanced Demonology.  I've been a big fan of  Lantern's lo-fi recordings, but I've longed to hear them in a proper studio. I always felt the hiss and fuzz ascetic fogged stellar songwriting, killer riffs and undeniable swagger.  Too bad the time machine is broken because the next record deserves to be record at Electric Lady Land with Eddie Kramer, released on Atlantic and managed by Peter Grant. (S)

Friday, September 7, 2012

Top 13 (Of The Week)





Sure,you know what's cool. But do you know what's really fuckin' FAR OUT? That's where Advanced Demonology takes over. Every week, (K)en and (S)wilson trudge through the murky waters of the pop culture hellscape, dredging up sparkly morsels of wonder. These are the result of our latest foray into the world of the weird, our wildest, wiggest-out picks of the week. Call it our 13 Point Program.



13. Sure Fire
In 1990 Jon Jost released this slow burn of a little movie starring america's most underrated actor (maybe not rated at all) Tom Blair. It's a film about self absorbed myopia, real estate scams, fatherhood, narcissism, and alienation all set in beautiful Utah. Slow burning art film drama at it's best. (S)





12. Noise Arch Blog
This blog obsessively collects weird/noise/experimental cassettes from the 80's. Back then, cassettes were the weapon of choice for out-there sonic explorers. Anchored by the long-lost magazine Sound Choice, "Cassette culture" spawned the first bedroom composers. Most of 'em were staunchly underground and offered no commercial potential. Imagine, no Pro-tools, no garage band, just sweat and noise and cassettes. Ear battering fun for everyone! (K)





11. Gamma - Gamma 1 (1979)

By 1977 the band Montrose had run it's course. Ronnie put out a pretty good solo record called Open Fire in 1978. in 1979 he formed Gamma. It's more of an 80's AOR type band with lot's of keyboards, kind of like if Night Ranger ( another bay area band, with whom Gamma's keyboard player, Alan Fitzgerald would later join) was actually listenable.  Even though the keys dilute, it still has Ronnie's signature "bring the fire" guitar playing. This is as about as far into this stuff as I can handle. (S)





10. Sonic Jesus
Italian psych freakout kings get real, real gone on the tripped-out track complete with 80's public access video collage visuals to keep things woozy. I dig these dudes, they're underground in a world where nothing really is anymore. Debut album coming soon. It's gonna be a monster! (K)







9. Sapphire Thinkers - From Within (1969)
Sunshine pop backed by a biker band like Steppenwolf or Black Pearl?  Sounds like it. This is a widely circulated gem on the inter-web pick it up at your local psych-blog. All anybody knows is that they are maybe from California. (S)







8. Warm Speakers 
As we've mentioned on the show more than once, Swilson and I are up for anything "wave". Same thing for "fi". Warm Speakers, from NYC, are practitioners of "Glo-fi". What the is that? From what I can tell, it's psyche-y shoegaze-y Nyquil jams for neon maniacs. And I dig it. Glow on! (K)





7. Jack Wrangler : Anatomy of an Icon
This documentary, put out by  tla releasing, a former video store that yours truly worked at for a few years in Philadelphia, is really hilarious.  It chronicles his life from gay porn Icon, to straight porn Icon (!), to his  success in "legitimate" theater. Also he married songbird Margaret Whiting who was twenty years his senior and he was gay! A Totally interesting and charming character, well worth the watch. (S)






6. Creepy Calvin Klein ads from the 90's
They based these on, what? Porn auditions? White slavery auctions? Apparently these ran, briefly, on TV in the 90's. They'll make you feel real dirty.  (K)





5. King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard - 12 Bar Bruise (2012)
The record is out today! It's got everything you'd expect from these Aussie freak flaggers. Lot's oh drivin' drums and oohs and aaahs and oh no's in all the party places, distorted vocals, non-distorted vocals, twanging, banging, droning guitars like surfing' bird and cut your hair mashed up by….well…. Australians, drunk Australians, if you know what i'm talkin' about. You hear me talkin'?  Get it! (S)






4. The Strange Sound Phenomenon
All over the world, people are experiencing weird, disturbing sounds. Basically, they sound like the Earth itself, groaning in pain. That's probably what it is. Why not? (K)



3. All Saved Freak Band - For Christians, Elves and Lovers (1976)
Maybe the most exciting Jesus Rock band of all time. Born out of an ohio commune with a history that crosses paths with heavy hitting rock bands like James Gang and It's A Beautiful Day, the culturally significant milestones of Kent State, kidnapping, brainwashing, deprograming, industrial accidents and the loss limbs. The All Saved Freak Band breaks most musical boundaries in it's attempt to save the souls of the Rock 'N Roll generation, whirling psychedelic ballroom blitz, beautiful chamber folk, down and dirty beard boogie, all praise to the most high. I could only get my sinful digital hands on For Christens, Elves and Lovers a record that owes as much to the Lord Of The Rings as it does the bible. (S)




2. Get Well Soon - Roland , I Feel You
Wow. I will tell you from the onset that I am thoroughly confused by what's going on, but I'm into it, nonetheless. Get Well Soon is a one-man band(?) who composes soundtrack music for crazy, hallucinogenic movies that don't exist. Except, well, since there's a video for Roland, I Feel You, they sorta do. It's from Get Well Soon's upcoming Giallo-inspired album, The Scarlet Beast O'Seven Heads. Confusing, but awesome. (K)






1. Liespotting: Proven Techniques To Detect Deception by Pamela Mayer
Deception and lies are a part of life. We all lie all day about all kinds of things. "yeah I like your new shirt", "it's really no problem", "i'll be back in ten minutes". Lies help smooth things over and keep society moving. We are hard wired to deceive. Babies learn to fake a cry to get attention, birds, fish and plants use all kinds of trickery in mating selection and food acquisition. Those are "white lies" but when people lie about the big stuff, in business dealings and relationships. That's where it hurts.  Since most people are statistically more likely to lie at work, this book by former entertainment executive Pamela Meyer is geared up to help make the difficult  decision of weather or not to trust someone in the work place easier.  Mostly it's an amazing book about the nature of human communication. How words only make up a small percentage of actual communication. How to read body language, eye movement and even smells when dealing with someone else. Since I live in Los Angeles where lies grown on palm trees and deception is in the water I thought It might come in handy (S)