rps@apollo.uucp (Robert Stanzel) (01/05/85)
A while ago someone requested information on the Obscure label...
Most of the music on Obscure was written between 1972 and 1976. The label was
founded by Brian Eno, who produced most of the releases. They were originally
available only in Britain, then some were released in the US by Antilles, and
now a few more are available on EG. [GTaylor@Cornell: any word on the rest?]
The fairly useless one-line comments were culled from a catalogue of small labels;
I've provided longer comments for the ones I have. Note the interesting cast of
characters who appear throughout.
1 Gavin Bryars : The Sinking of the Titanic
w/Michael Nyman, Derek Bailey
"...in the vein of Erik Satie and John Cage..."
2 Christopher Hobbs / John Adams / Gavin Bryars : Ensemble Pieces
w/Derek Bailey, Cornelius Cardew, John White
Adams is the guy "Time" lumped with Glass and Reich a few years back in their
article on American Minimalism. His piece ("American Standard") is sort of Ivesian.
Hobbs' "Aran" is a wonderful little piece for percussion ensemble (toy pianos,
bells, triangles, &c) and "MacCrimmon Will Never Return" is for reed organ (in the
style of bagpipe music). Bryars' "1, 2, 1-2-3-4" is best described as mutant cabaret.
3 Brian Eno : Discreet Music
This has been reissued on Editions EG. The title piece is a tape-loop work which
is shows the beginnings of Eno's interest in ambient sounds. (Furthermore,
the technique used is that which Robert Fripp refined into Frippertronics.)
The flip is "Three Variations on Pachelbel's Canon in D" -- lush, romantic takeoffs.
4 David Toop / Max Eastley : New and Rediscovered Musical Instruments
w/Eno
"Toop's compositions are geared towards the voice; like Harry Partch, Eastley
makes use of a tremendous variety of obscure instruments."
5 Jan Steele / John Cage : Voices and Instruments
w/Fred Frith, Robert Wyatt, Carla Bley
The liner notes say Steele writes quiet, repetitive, improvisational rock-based music.
The Cage pieces are from his early period (ie reflective, not cacophonic [no flames]).
I'd say the highlights are "Experiences #1" and "In a Landscape" -- worth buying the
album for alone -- and should be heard by anyone who has the stereotypical view of Cage.
6 Michael Nyman : Decay Music
This is an album of hardcore process music. "1-100" is a pleasant ambient piece;
"Bell Set No. 1" is not. Interestingly, these are not at all like Nyman's current work.
7 Penguin Cafe Orchestra : Music from the Penguin Cafe
directed by Simon Jeffes
PCO is a chamber ensemble whose sound wanders between rock, jazz, and
"classical-chamber-music". Their newest album "Penguin Cafe Orchestra"
is on EG and is easier to find. Did anyone hear them at BAM this season?
8 John White / Gavin Bryars : Machine Music
w/Hobbs, Nyman, Bailey, Fred Frith, Eno
"White plays piano, bottle, tuba, jew's harp, and composes."
9 Tom Phillips / Gavin Bryars : Irma
w/White, Nyman, Roy Babbington
"Phillips composed, Bryars conducted this fascinating experimental opera."
10 Harold Budd : The Pavilion of Dreams
w/Bryars, Nyman, White, Eno
Reissued on Editions EG. You've all probably heard Budd; he's made it big with
his collaboration on Ambient #2 ("Plateaux of Mirror") with Eno. "Pavilion" is
similar, but doesn't sound as studio-processed.
--
"Satellites are out tonight"
Rob Stanzel ARPA: Rps%MIT-OZ@MIT-MC
Apollo Computer UUCP: ...{yale,uw-beaver,decvax!wanginst}!apollo!rpsgtaylor@lasspvax.UUCP (Greg Taylor) (01/07/85)
In article <> rps@apollo.uucp (Robert Stanzel) writes: >A while ago someone requested information on the Obscure label... > >Most of the music on Obscure was written between 1972 and 1976. The label was >founded by Brian Eno, who produced most of the releases. They were originally >available only in Britain, then some were released in the US by Antilles, and >now a few more are available on EG. [GTaylor@Cornell: any word on the rest?] > Hello from CornHell: More poop on the Obscure. As of last November or so, the Brit press started talking about the entire early catalog being re-issued on EG in Britain. However, the people who usually are extremely faithful at ferretting out stuff for me CANNOT get an importer to bring it in. This would seem to indicate that EG America is thinking seriously about re-releasing the stuff in the states (as a catalog, it's quite a reasonable cross section of the British avant-garde for the period, with the exception of Cornelius Cardew's exclusion, which was done on his part....he was a hardcore Maoist at the time, and the recording industry "Furthered Imperialism" in his words.). They often make it very hard to get stuff like that when an American release either at present or in the near future would compete with the local product (as Bruce Cockburn fans have up until recently complained). I'm not taking any chances, though, so I have asked a friend to locate some copies of Nyman and Bryars for me on their trip to the Crown..... Question for the knowledgeable: Is Gavin Bryars' "Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet" one of the pieces on the Obscures? Curious, Greg
sherouse@unc.UUCP (George W. Sherouse) (01/10/85)
>They often >make it very hard to get stuff like that when an American release either at >present or in the near future would compete with the local product (as Bruce >Cockburn fans have up until recently complained). I was a Cockburn fan until recently. Ain't that always the way. >Question for the knowledgeable: Is Gavin Bryars' "Jesus' Blood Never Failed >Me Yet" one of the pieces on the Obscures? I think you're thinking of The Sinking of the Titanic which uses the above-named hymn as one of its several root melodies. Recommended. Good tunes to you, George W. Sherouse <decvax!mcnc!unc!godot!sherouse> "...giving you away like motel matches..."
bermes@ihu1m.UUCP (Terry Bermes) (01/14/85)
"Jesus Blood Never Failed Me Yet" is on the other side of
the "Sinking of the Titanic".
Terry Bermes