An obscure self produced new wave pop oddity is on tap next. It’s saddled with four whacky fun filled songs that remind oneself of the likes of Devo and others that gave us playful, witty arrangements… There is no artwork to come by and there is absolutely no information to be found on the vinyl itself with exception of the song titles. A very mysterious DIY outing that sounds like it was produced in the early 80’s.
Side A
kangaroo
situation
Side B
banana rock
space trot
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I found an early version of Banana Rock (titled Banana) by Lampshades in Noise Fest (cas, ZG Music 5, 1981), which was an art and music event at White Columns NYC June 16-24 1981, organised by Thurston Moore. According to TM, Noise Fest was the first manifestation of the N.Y. noise/experimental scene, and included Sonic Youth, Borbetomagus, Don King, Blue Humans and Glenn Branca (not on tape), to name the more known artists.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the cover of this cassette Lampshades line-up was: Ken Kern, Jim Tucker, Al Butzbach, Gray (Gary?) Citro, Pete Fagiola.
The sound of the band had little in common with the EP you posted. I mean that the 'Banana' track is recognizable, but it's performed with an entirely different approach: noisy, fuzzy, heavily improvised.
A little search revealed that the songs of the ep were copyrighted in 1982 (you've guessed right!)
Thanks for the music you're sharing.
I was the keyboard player and one of the songwriters for this band. The EP was recorded in 1981, released in '82. The band lasted for 2 or three years after that, when we wrote our best stuff. Still, I make no excuses for the EP you digitized as I was 20 when we recorded it and I think it has some great moments. The White Columns gig in Soho you mention was memorable to me partly because John Belushi dropped by!
ReplyDeleteOur peak gig was at the Mudd Club about a year later. It really was a great band, but as the EP indicates, every song went in a different direction and we had no singular identifiable style. We were fans of progressive rock/experimental music at a time when new wave/punk was tearing that apart, and we tried to adapt and still be progressive with some degree of success. I welcome your opinions both positive and negative, I assure you there are both moments that make me cringe with embarassment and moments that make me proud in this recording.
Gary
Wow!! What a blast from the past! I was a Lampshade for about a year. The last year for the band. I invested a lot of sweat in learning Pete's parts from that EP. I got the drum chair after Pete left for school. We wrote some great compositions in the following period. Get Away from Me, Surfin', She's Tall, Imbalanced Checks are a few I could remember. Besides the Mudd Club, we had a great gig at Danceteria, a big venue in its day. I'd enjoy finding out what Gary, Kenny, Al, Tucker and Pete are up to.
ReplyDeleteGary S.
Here you go guys--It's me!!! Al B.--The Bass player-lead vocal's and all around nut case.
ReplyDeleteAlive and well--I will be working on a you tube video of one of our songs-sooner or later-I have alot of tapes that I am digitizing--we had some great music-it was always good fun, Gary C. parents and my parents put up with our practicing 2 to 3 nights a week, for years.
Can you believe it was over 30 years ago!
Gary S.--I still have the pictures with you wearing a lampshade-She's so DAMM Tall! Have not heard from Kenny, Tucker or Pete-But it's nice to know the music lives on!
Correction.
ReplyDeleteNoise Fest was definitely NOT the first manifestation of the N.Y. noise/experimental scene.
The Zu Manifestival organized by Giorgio Gomelski in October 1978 was 4 years earlier and packed with experimental bands, many of whom appeared at the 1981 White Columns show. And the Zu show was not the beginning either, just a great showcase of existing bands.
Thurston Moore has always had an unfortunate tendency to position himself as a guitar-noise pioneer when in fact he was rather late to that party.
I knew the Lampshades, didn't know they played the Mudd Club though. Ah those were the days.