Out of stock
LP
SMEGMA
“Infringements”
Alga Marghen's third installment of Smegma's original "Suburban Primitive Avant-folk music" period (1973-1975) based in Pasadena, featuring three previously unreleased tracks from the deep vault of their home recordings. In the beginning, the band Smegma had only one rule. No musicians. Starting from scratch, they took the road much less traveled. They were inspired by outsider musical artists of the time such as John Cage, Sun Ra, Captain Beefheart, Wild Man Fisher, Art Ensemble Of Chicago, etc. and they recorded every experiment with youthful enthusiasm. Mostly they only succeeded in tormenting their own friends and neighbors (except for the few who joined the band) but somehow, they never chose imitation, but stumbles on a path that allowed past (shamanistic) and future (space) sounds to lead the way. The titled track gently pulls you in and carries you off with a way-out inner-mind group jamming/not-jamming trip, featuring prepared piano, modular synthesizer, human mouth sounds, pan pipes, tabla, and electric bass guitar. "Rainy Day Mushroom Pillow" (defiantly not the 1960s pop hit) rips you straight into a high energy New Years Eve Party jam, in a romping free jazz style with stream of consciousness vocals and exuberant alto sax solos. Side B starts with Beatnik finger popping and wild dogs barking from a record player, while breathless flute playing leads you down the rabbit hole of mysterious group vocalizing, including imitating the cry of the wild tropical parrots that lived in the palm trees in the front yard of the house in Pasadena that they had lived in. Always out of sync with their own time, 49 years later these tracks still throb and pulsate Beautifully with their own inner logic. Edition of 230.
21,50€
In stock
LP
SMEGMA
“Abacus Incognito”
New primitive-suburban-folk music from Temple City and Pasadena, CA, circa 1973-4.
This new edition is culled from the original unissued Smegma tape vaults of Ju Suk Reet Meate and represents the most pure expression of the insular sound-world that was spontaneously discovered as a group.
Unlike last years’ “Look’n For Ya” no song forms are ever used, instead fearless group improvisational vocals take you on a strange shape-shifting journey thru operatic show tunes, spirit visions and visits to a delirium motel room.
The only exception is the title track “Abacus Incognito” that features poetry by Dennis Duck (also, Human Hands, Dream Syndicate, LAFMS...) with accompaniment by the family stereo console record player/Radio unit and utilizing conventional instruments creating a strangely unique non-jamming sound.
Except for the first track, all sounds were recorded casually in various band-members parents’ houses while they were away… they would have been horrified!
The final track is possibly one of the strangest concepts ever recorded, inspired by both the Lord Dunsany story “The Three Infernal Jokes” and the most popular record of 100 years ago “The O.K. Laughing Record” we have - The Smegma “Laughing to Death Record”.
Edition limited to 200 numbered copies.
20,00€
In stock
LP
SMEGMA
“Look’n for Ya”
In 1973 when Smegma (The Band) was born they had only one rule… NO MUSICIANS! That way they could re-invent the musical wheel with a new Primitive, suburban, anti-hippie approach. 44 years later perhaps the world is ready for their previously unpublished first full LP of original and uncompromising sounds.
At the time we they thought they were on a solitary journey, but shortly after these recordings it was discovered that there was another local group, the Los Angeles Free Music Society, that we shared that we shortly became a part of to this day.
Originally recorded in 1973-75 at the house in Pasadena they all lived in by Ju Suk Reet Meate and Dr. Id. These previously unreleased tracks feature vocals of a different kind with no overdubs or mixing. Including the 1960’s L.A. Freak and street singer Wild Man Fischer reprising his dance tune “The Taster”, a straightforward Memphis/rockabilly slow dance ballad “Red Cadillac and a Black Moustache” and examples of their unique “Group-singing-style” that has to be heard to be believed. Opening and closing their first LP are vocals by someone they had never met, a local C.B. Radio operator who’s handle was Turkey Mon who had such a hi power transmitter that his signal was picked-up by the Tape-head as they recorded!
On this record Smegma is: Ace Farren Ford, Ju Suk Reet Meate, Cheez-it-Ritz, Chuck-O-Fats (D.K.), Amazon Bambi, Dennis Duck, the Rev. Toad-Eater, Paul Rioux, Cheezbro, Reed Burns, Binky Brown, Craig, Jason, Peter, Bev, Turkey Mon, and few others…
Smegma as you never heard them before!
White silkscreened sleeve on black cardboard paper reproducing the original artwork from 1973. This previously unpublished Smegma first LP classic is available now in an edition of 200 numbered copies!
At the time we they thought they were on a solitary journey, but shortly after these recordings it was discovered that there was another local group, the Los Angeles Free Music Society, that we shared that we shortly became a part of to this day.
Originally recorded in 1973-75 at the house in Pasadena they all lived in by Ju Suk Reet Meate and Dr. Id. These previously unreleased tracks feature vocals of a different kind with no overdubs or mixing. Including the 1960’s L.A. Freak and street singer Wild Man Fischer reprising his dance tune “The Taster”, a straightforward Memphis/rockabilly slow dance ballad “Red Cadillac and a Black Moustache” and examples of their unique “Group-singing-style” that has to be heard to be believed. Opening and closing their first LP are vocals by someone they had never met, a local C.B. Radio operator who’s handle was Turkey Mon who had such a hi power transmitter that his signal was picked-up by the Tape-head as they recorded!
On this record Smegma is: Ace Farren Ford, Ju Suk Reet Meate, Cheez-it-Ritz, Chuck-O-Fats (D.K.), Amazon Bambi, Dennis Duck, the Rev. Toad-Eater, Paul Rioux, Cheezbro, Reed Burns, Binky Brown, Craig, Jason, Peter, Bev, Turkey Mon, and few others…
Smegma as you never heard them before!
White silkscreened sleeve on black cardboard paper reproducing the original artwork from 1973. This previously unpublished Smegma first LP classic is available now in an edition of 200 numbered copies!
23,00€