Friday, March 25, 2005
Notes for "TIL THE WHEEL COMES OFF...", my latest mix for the MetaFilter swap:
"Here is an apology..." This is from Alexei Sayle's Stuff, an oldish sketch show starring Mr. Balovski from The Young Ones. Always begin with an apology, it sets the proper tone.
Piano Rag Music Igor Stravinsky: Stravinksy wrote this piece after someone explained to him what ragtime music was, but without having heard any. That's the anecdote that goes with it anyway, and it's interesting to contemplate the music as a personal picture of ragtime, rather than a variation on the actual thing. From this recording.
Scoring BOA: I'm a little embarrassed to like this song and band, but there it is. BOA is best known in some circles for the tune Duvet which was the theme song for Serial Experiments Lain. From the album Twilight.
Activity Risks The Howling Hex: I think we can all agree that the breakup of Royal Trux in 2000 was the last great musical tragedy of the second millennium (or the first of the third, depending on how you count it). The Howling Hex is front man Neil Michael Haggerty's new band, and oh are they good. All Night Fox is the album and it's the best one of 2005 thus far, to my mind.
Super Mario Bros. Medley The Mario and Zelda Big Band: If you are of a certain age and a certain temperament this will make you laugh and/or cry. If not, I hope you still find it nice and cheery. I haven't heard the full album, I'm afraid.
The Vivian Girls Snakefinger w/The Residents: Snakefinger was a brilliant guitar player and a bit of a weirdo who frequently collaborated with The Residents. This particular song also has something to do with the work of Henry Darger. From the album Chewing Hides the Sound, which is jam packed with treasure.
Flight of the Bumblebee Lord of the Yum-Yum: This guy. He's a genius. Spend some time on his site.
Cutey Honey Koda Kumi: A cover of the theme song for this anime series that was in turn used as the theme for a live action movie and a new anime based on said series. The lyrics are sorta racy apparently, so don't play this around any reserved Japanese speakers you might know.
Rustle Kow Otani: From the soundtrack to Haibane Ranmei, a lovely little anime, with gorgeous music. Yeah, I guess I do watch a lot of anime.
One More Chance The Real Tuesday Weld: The Real Tuesday Weld is probably best known for providing the music part of the wonderful Bathtime in Clerkenwell animation. At least, that's how I first encountered him. From the album I, Lucifer, which is sort of soundtrack for this novel (which I'm afraid I haven't read).
"Good evening, Krun!": A brief extract from an episode of The Goon Show, specifically one called The House of Teeth. Dr Longdongle is played by Valentine Dyall, possessor of one of the five greatest voices of all time.
No Snakes Alive King Geedorah/Jet Jaguar/Rodan: I think this pretty much speaks for itself. King Geedorah (yeah that's how he spells it, not Ghidorah) is perhaps better known as MF Doom. From the album Take Me to Your Leader.
Kamo (Dark Stripe) Arto Lindsay: Where I work, there are often opportunities to pick up free CDs, usually of musicians I've never heard of. Lindsay's Salt was one of these random picks, and boy is it good.
Sonata#5 John Cage: From the Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano, probably Cage's best known work after the silent piece and certainly one of his most "musical". This performance is from the Joshua Pierce recording.
"I am the president's man...": A lovely poem about loyalty from The Firesign Theatre. From an old radio show they did called Let's Eat!.
The Patriotic Flag-Waver Dr. John: It's the kids that really sell this one, though Dr. John's voice is iconic (if you're my age, you grew up hearing him sing in every other commercial on tv). From the album Babylon.
Mary The Billy Nayer Show: A bunch of weirdos who make odd music and odd films. This is from the soundtrack to The Ketchup and Mustard Man.
The Raven Buddy Morrow and His Orchestra: What I love about this is that it starts out sounding camp and ridiculous but becomes genuinely chilling by the end. Culled from Oddio Overplay's Ghouls With Attitude 2004compilation, which you really should have downloaded when you had the chance.
Movement 19 G.I. Gurdjieff & Thomas De Hartmann: Gurdjieff is best known as a rather unorthodox philosopher but he also co-wrote some lovely music with Thomas de Hartmann, who is best known for working with Gurdjieff. From the Cecil Lytle recording. It's totally a coincidence that this happens to be track 19, by the way.
Straight Street The Fiery Furnaces: A song about desperately trying to make a profit in a country where you're not exactly wanted. From Blueberry Boat, my favorite alum of 2004.
Keeping You in Mind Mary Margaret O'Hara: A beautiful song from the beautiful and criminally out of print Miss America, which was her only full length album for decades because of some kind of stupid label dispute. Fun fact: Mary Margaret is Catherine's sister.
Sarabande No.1 Erik Satie: I became obsessed with the Sarabandes late last year, and had to restrain myself from putting all three on this disc. De Leeuw plays Satie in this lovely elongated way that struck my as odd at first, but I really enjoy his interpretations now. From this recording.
Thanks for listening. Hope you enjoyed it!
"Here is an apology..." This is from Alexei Sayle's Stuff, an oldish sketch show starring Mr. Balovski from The Young Ones. Always begin with an apology, it sets the proper tone.
Piano Rag Music Igor Stravinsky: Stravinksy wrote this piece after someone explained to him what ragtime music was, but without having heard any. That's the anecdote that goes with it anyway, and it's interesting to contemplate the music as a personal picture of ragtime, rather than a variation on the actual thing. From this recording.
Scoring BOA: I'm a little embarrassed to like this song and band, but there it is. BOA is best known in some circles for the tune Duvet which was the theme song for Serial Experiments Lain. From the album Twilight.
Activity Risks The Howling Hex: I think we can all agree that the breakup of Royal Trux in 2000 was the last great musical tragedy of the second millennium (or the first of the third, depending on how you count it). The Howling Hex is front man Neil Michael Haggerty's new band, and oh are they good. All Night Fox is the album and it's the best one of 2005 thus far, to my mind.
Super Mario Bros. Medley The Mario and Zelda Big Band: If you are of a certain age and a certain temperament this will make you laugh and/or cry. If not, I hope you still find it nice and cheery. I haven't heard the full album, I'm afraid.
The Vivian Girls Snakefinger w/The Residents: Snakefinger was a brilliant guitar player and a bit of a weirdo who frequently collaborated with The Residents. This particular song also has something to do with the work of Henry Darger. From the album Chewing Hides the Sound, which is jam packed with treasure.
Flight of the Bumblebee Lord of the Yum-Yum: This guy. He's a genius. Spend some time on his site.
Cutey Honey Koda Kumi: A cover of the theme song for this anime series that was in turn used as the theme for a live action movie and a new anime based on said series. The lyrics are sorta racy apparently, so don't play this around any reserved Japanese speakers you might know.
Rustle Kow Otani: From the soundtrack to Haibane Ranmei, a lovely little anime, with gorgeous music. Yeah, I guess I do watch a lot of anime.
One More Chance The Real Tuesday Weld: The Real Tuesday Weld is probably best known for providing the music part of the wonderful Bathtime in Clerkenwell animation. At least, that's how I first encountered him. From the album I, Lucifer, which is sort of soundtrack for this novel (which I'm afraid I haven't read).
"Good evening, Krun!": A brief extract from an episode of The Goon Show, specifically one called The House of Teeth. Dr Longdongle is played by Valentine Dyall, possessor of one of the five greatest voices of all time.
No Snakes Alive King Geedorah/Jet Jaguar/Rodan: I think this pretty much speaks for itself. King Geedorah (yeah that's how he spells it, not Ghidorah) is perhaps better known as MF Doom. From the album Take Me to Your Leader.
Kamo (Dark Stripe) Arto Lindsay: Where I work, there are often opportunities to pick up free CDs, usually of musicians I've never heard of. Lindsay's Salt was one of these random picks, and boy is it good.
Sonata#5 John Cage: From the Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano, probably Cage's best known work after the silent piece and certainly one of his most "musical". This performance is from the Joshua Pierce recording.
"I am the president's man...": A lovely poem about loyalty from The Firesign Theatre. From an old radio show they did called Let's Eat!.
The Patriotic Flag-Waver Dr. John: It's the kids that really sell this one, though Dr. John's voice is iconic (if you're my age, you grew up hearing him sing in every other commercial on tv). From the album Babylon.
Mary The Billy Nayer Show: A bunch of weirdos who make odd music and odd films. This is from the soundtrack to The Ketchup and Mustard Man.
The Raven Buddy Morrow and His Orchestra: What I love about this is that it starts out sounding camp and ridiculous but becomes genuinely chilling by the end. Culled from Oddio Overplay's Ghouls With Attitude 2004compilation, which you really should have downloaded when you had the chance.
Movement 19 G.I. Gurdjieff & Thomas De Hartmann: Gurdjieff is best known as a rather unorthodox philosopher but he also co-wrote some lovely music with Thomas de Hartmann, who is best known for working with Gurdjieff. From the Cecil Lytle recording. It's totally a coincidence that this happens to be track 19, by the way.
Straight Street The Fiery Furnaces: A song about desperately trying to make a profit in a country where you're not exactly wanted. From Blueberry Boat, my favorite alum of 2004.
Keeping You in Mind Mary Margaret O'Hara: A beautiful song from the beautiful and criminally out of print Miss America, which was her only full length album for decades because of some kind of stupid label dispute. Fun fact: Mary Margaret is Catherine's sister.
Sarabande No.1 Erik Satie: I became obsessed with the Sarabandes late last year, and had to restrain myself from putting all three on this disc. De Leeuw plays Satie in this lovely elongated way that struck my as odd at first, but I really enjoy his interpretations now. From this recording.
Thanks for listening. Hope you enjoyed it!
