Y.M.O.

7-26-10

Y.M.O. (Yellow Magic Orchestra)

I believe I was standing in the Kinokuniya bookstore in San Francisco’s Japantown Mall when I first heard Y.M.O. – circa ’80. I do not remember if I’d read about them yet or not. By ’81, I was working at an importer / exporter – and regularly ‘reading’; Japanese music magazines (notably “Music Life”, “Ongaku Senka” etc). Y.M.O. were already generating tons of releases, with their numerous solo albums. I think one time I toted up the number of YMO & YMO solo (& related) releases, and the total number was over 250!

I have many more collections, singles etc., but the ‘core’ of my Y.M.O. collection is:

LPx2 AFTER SERVICE YEN/ALFA JPN YLR-40001/2

1984 20 TRKS red vinyl, promo

CDx2 AFTER SERVICE ALFA JPN ALCA-5225/6

1984 19 TRKS ('98 issue) kami sleeve

LP BGM ALFA JPN ALR-28015

1981 10 TRKS insert

CD BGM ALFA JPN ALCA-5220

1981 10 TRKS '98 re-mastered; kami sleeve

CD LIVE AT BUDOKAN 1980 ALFA JPN ALCA-9051

1980 15 TRKS Live ('93 issue)

CD LIVE AT KINOKUNI-YA HALL 1978 ALFA JPN ALCA-9052

1978 9 TRKS Live ('93 issue)

LP NAUGHTY BOYS YEN/ALFA JPN YLR-28008

1983 10 TRKS insert

CD NAUGHTY BOYS ALFA JPN ALCA-5222

1983 10 TRKS '98 re-mastered; kami sleeve

LP NAUGHTY BOYS (Instrumental) YEN/ALFA JPN YLR-20002

1983 10 TRKS insert

CD NAUGHTY BOYS (Instrumental) ALFA JPN ALCA-5223

1983 10 TRKS '98 re-mastered; kami sleeve

CD PUBLIC PRESSURE ALFA JPN ALCA-5217

1980 9 TRKS '98 re-mastered; kami sleeve

LP PUBLIC PRESSURE clear vinyl promo ALFA JPN ALR-6033

1980 8 TRKS Live, insert; clear vinyl, promo

LPx4 SEALED (4LP boxed set) YEN/ALFA JPN YLR-80001-4

1984 35 TRK Collection, boxed set

LP SERVICE YEN/ALFA JPN YLR-28013

1983 14 TRKS Yellow vinyl promo, insert

CD SERVICE ALFA JPN ALCA-5224

1983 14 TRKS '98 re-mastered; kami sleeve

LP SOLID STATE SURVIVOR ALFA JPN ALR-6022

1979 8 TRKS insert

CD SOLID STATE SURVIVOR ALFA JPN ALCA-5216

1979 8 TRKS 1998 re-mastered; kami sleeve

LP TECHNODELIC ALFA JPN ALR-28030

1981 10 TRKS 1st cover, booklet

CD TECHNODELIC ALFA JPN ALCA-5221

1981 10 TRKS '98 re-master

CD TECHNODON EASTWORLD JPN TOCT-8010

1993 12 TRKS gimmix cover, original issue

10" X INFINITY MULTIPLIES (10" vers.) ALFA JPN YMO-1

1980 12 TRK EP; Snakeman Show

CD X INFINITY MULTIPLIES (10" vers.) ALFA JPN ALCA-5218

1980 12 TRKS '98 re-mastered; kami sleeve

LP YELLOW MAGIC ORCHESTRA ALFA JPN ALR-6012

1978 10 TRKS insert

CD YELLOW MAGIC ORCHESTRA ALFA JPN ALCA-5214

1978 10 TRKS '98 re-mastered; kami sleeve

LP YELLOW MAGIC ORCHESTRA (US vers.) A&M US SP-736

1979 9 TRKS Yellow vinyl, U.S. mix

CD YELLOW MAGIC ORCHESTRA (US vers.) ALFA JPN ALCA-5215

1979 9 TRKS '98 re-mastered; kami sleeve

Y.M.O. are Haruomi Hosono, Yukihiro Takahashi and Ryuichi Sakamoto. My favorite album is still “Technodelic”. I never had the opportunity to see them live. But I did buy plenty of live shows by them on legit videotape, laserdisc and DVD! And I am a huge fan of the Osaka comedy group Snakeman Show who grace a number of YMO releases. I even got to meet Moichi Kuwahara of Snakeman Show in Tokyo! (In fact, Moichi and I both have liner notes in the 2^nd Watermelon CD, “Out Of Body Experience”! Another story…)

These days, YMO sometimes get called “the Japanese Kraftwerk”, but I don’t think that’s 100% correct. And I hear they’re playing live again…as “Hasymo”.

Their solo works deserve their own pages, but I’m not going to write that now. My friend in NY, Nick, has a wonderful webpage about YMO:

http://artcontext.com/artskool/jem/ymo1.html

Paul McCartney

7-23-10

Paul McCartney – The 70’s

CD McCARTNEY CAPITOL US CDP 746611.2

1970 13 TRKS

LP McCARTNEY APPLE UK PCS 7102

1970 14 TRKS UK original issue

CD RAM TOSHIBA JPN TOCP-65501

1971 12 TRKS kami sleeve ('99 issue)

LP RAM APPLE UK PAS 10003

1971 12 TRKS UK original issue

CD WILD LIFE re EMI UK CDPMCOL 3

1971 14 TRKS 6 x bonus tracks, '93 re-master

LP WILD LIFE APPLE UK PCS 7142

1971 8 TRKS UK original issue

CDx2 BAND ON THE RUN - 25th ANNIVERSARY EDITION (2CD) CAPITOL US 99176.2

1973 10 TRKS ('99 issue) 25th Annv.; inserts, bonus disc etc.

LPx2 BAND ON THE RUN - 25th ANNIVERSARY EDITION CAPITOL US 99176.1

1973 10 TRKS 25th Annv.; inserts etc.

CD RED ROSE SPEEDWAY CAPITOL US CDM 752026.2

1973 12 TRKS 3 x bonus tracks

LP RED ROSE SPEEDWAY APPLE DE 1C062-05311 D

1973 9 TRKS booklet

LP VENUS AND MARS CAPITOL US SMAS-11419

1975 13 TRKS poster, stickers

CD VENUS AND MARS CAPITOL US CDP 746984.2

1975 16 TRKS 3 x bonus tracks (1st US CD issue)

LP AT THE SPEED OF SOUND CAPITOL US SW-11525

1976 11 TRKS

CD AT THE SPEED OF SOUND re CAPITOL CAN 789140.2

1976 14 TRKS ('93 issue) 3 x bonus tracks

CDx2 WINGS OVER AMERICA TOSHIBA JPN TOCP-5986/7

1976 28 TRKS Live ('90 issue)

LPx3 WINGS OVER AMERICA CAPITOL US SWCO-11593

1976 28 TRKS Live, poster

LP LONDON TOWN CAPITOL US SW-11777

1978 14 TRKS

CD LONDON TOWN re EMI NL 89265.2

1978 16 TRKS ('93 re-master, 2 x bonus tracks)

LP BACK TO THE EGG COLUMBIA US FC 36057

1979 14 TRKS

CD BACK TO THE EGG re EMI UK CDPMCOL 10

1979 17 TRKS 3 x bonus tracks, '93 re-master

I can pretty comfortable with the 1970’s works of Paul McCartney. I was a big Beatles’ fan – still am. Paul’s 70’s output is pop music. I didn’t go and see Wings play live, but I sure remember it like it was yesterday. My late sister was particularly fond of Paul’s guitarist, Jimmy McCulloch.

I think “Tomorrow” on “Wild Life” is as good as anything Paul ever did with The Beatles. “Band On The Run” is a very solid 1973 pop album – no bad tracks. I think the kettle was dry for “At The Speed Of Sound”, never particularly fond of “Silly Love Songs” – even if I did chase the picture sleeve of the 45!

I still paid attention to some of Paul’s 80’s work – “Tug Of War” wasn’t bad, and the stuff he did with Elvis Costello was fairly good work for either man. I still try Paul’s new stuff, but I expect a lot less these days. And it took Paul years to get around to experimental albums, unlike the rest of The Beatles (Harrison’s “Electronic Sound”, anyone?).

New Trolls

7-22-10

New Trolls

An Italian progressive band, the New Trolls formed towards the end of the 60’s and made their best stuff from ’72 – ’76.

CD ATOMIC SYSTEM ARCANGELO JPN ARC-7023

1973 7 TRKS ('96 issue) (kami sleeve) (Italy CD)

CD CONCERTO GROSSO NO. 2 NEXUS JPN K32Y-2116

1976 9 TRKS

LP CONCERTO GROSSO NO. 2 MAGMA IT MAL 02

1976 9 TRKS

CD CONCERTO GROSSO PER UNO NEXUS JPN K32Y-2056

1971 7 TRKS

LP CONCERTO GROSSO PER UNO CETRA IT LPX 8

1971 7 TRKS orange label

LP F.S. KING JPN K28P-214

1981 9 TRKS insert

LP L.I.V.E.N.T. KING JPN K22P-327

1976 10 TRKS Live, insert

LPx2 NEW TROLLS CETRA IT DPU 4

1975 21 TRK Collection

LPx2 SEARCHING FOR A LAND CETRA IT LPX 12/13

1972 11 TRKS

LP SENZA ORARIO SENZA BANDIERA CETRA IT LPX 3

1968 10 TRKS re-issue

LP TOUR CETRA IT LPX 141

1985 9 TRKS

CD U.T. NEXUS JPN K32Y-2118

1972 9 TRKS

LP U.T. KING JPN GXF 2050

1972 9 TRKS re-issue, insert

The first thing I ever heard was the opening cut of “Concerto Grosso Per Uno” on the FM radio – it sounded like Jethro Tull – but with an orchestra! Their best album is easily “Atomic System”, where they seemed to really gel. “U.T. has some (almost) heavy metal a la Black Sabbath on one track – totally heavy guitar, whereas “Atomic System” is undoubtedly a keyboard album. It’s always so hard to talk about Italian bands without comparing them to British bands – but in the case of the New Trolls..they were their own thing – but would definitely appeal to fans of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Genesis or King Crimson. Somewhat obviously, all of the singing is in Italian.

“Concerto Grosso No. 2” was their last album in the progressive rock style. By the early 80’s, they had become pretty much a pop band. I’ve kept all the Japanese CD’s I was able to find, but I haven’t really chased any of the post-Concerto No. 2 albums on CD. I should probably roll out “F.S. and “Live N.T.” and see if they’re worth th vinyl they’re pressed on.

There are other more impressive Italian 70’s progressive bands – Cervello, Il Ballettio Di Bronzo, Museo Rosenbach…but New Trolls were solid rock music at a time when solid rock music wasn’t past it’s sell-by date. The Concerto albums are for fans of “rock band with orchestra”, “U.T.” is for the hard rock fans – “Atomic System” is for anyone who can appreciate 70’s rock music, played by real people on real instruments.

Dance Exponents

7-21-10

Dance Exponents

I last wrote about Dance Exponents from New Zealand in my first year of blogging, in 2002. So, to redress that issue…

12" AIRWAY SPIES MUSHROOM NZ X 13097

1982 3 TRKS with pic sleeve

7" ALL I CAN DO / EMPTY BUNK IN THE BUNKHOUSE MUSHROOM NZ K 9044

1983 2 TRKS with pic sleeve

CD AMPLIFIER ZULU AUS ZCD 001

1986 11 TRKS (2 x bonus tracks)

LP AMPLIFIER ZULU NZ ZLP 001

1986 9 TRKS

7" BRAND NEW DOLL / ONE SAD RIVER ZULU NZ Z 007

1987 2 TRKS no pic sleeve

7" CAROLINE SKIES / HALCYON RAIN ZULU NZ Z 001

1986 2 TRKS with pic sleeve

12" CHRISTCHURCH MUSHROOM AUS X 14205

1985 3 TRKS with pic sleeve

CD EXPECTATIONS MUSHROOM NZ MUSH 33216.2

1985 14 TRKS ('99 issue) (3 x bonus tracks)

LP EXPECTATIONS MUSHROOM NZ RML 53163

1985 11 TRKS

7" I'LL SAY GOODBYE MUSHROOM NZ K 9051

1984 2 TRKS no pic sleeve

7" KNOW YOUR OWN HEART / JUST ME AND YOU MUSHROOM NZ K 9250

1983 2 TRKS no pic sleeve

LP LIVE AT MAINSTREET MUSHROOM NZ L 38017

1983 10 TRKS Live, split LP with The Legionnaires (Graham Brazier)

7" MY LOVE FOR YOU MUSHROOM NZ K 9711

1985 2 TRKS with pic sleeve, poster sleeve

CD PRAYERS BE ANSWERED MUSHROOM AUS D 19589

1983 12 TRKS ('92 issue)

LP PRAYERS BE ANSWERED MUSHROOM NZ L 38077

1983 12 TRKS Aussie & Kiwi versions of the LP had different songs

12" SEX AND AGRICULTURE MUSHROOM NZ X 14083

1984 3 TRKS with pic sleeve

CDx2 SEX AND AGRICULTURE: VERY BEST OF UNIVERSAL NZ 987542.2

2005 38 TRK Collection

12" VICTORIA MUSHROOM NZ X 13083

1982 2 TRKS with pic sleeve

7" YOUR BEST FRIEND LOVES ME TOO / AIRWAY SPIES MUSHROOM NZ K 9053

1984 3 TRKS no pic sleeve

I believe they were a rather young band, when signed to Mushroom NZ. I really love their debut LP “Prayers Be Answered”. My favorite single is easily “Sex & Agriculture”, even if it does sound a bit like “Big On Love by Models. After their first 3 albums, there was a hiatus, then they came back as merely “Exponents” – and had a great single with “One In A Lifetime” (’97). Kiwi pop music was really good in the early 80’s, and Dance Exponents were one of the better bands; I believe they were originally from Christchurch. They did pretty well in the digital age, as all three of their original LP’s made it to CD – are they still in print, I wonder? The recent 2CD “Best Of” is a fairly charming release, even has good sound!

Good thing this band didn’t go to England…

The Fugs

7-20-10

The Fugs

With the recent death of Tuli Kupferberg, I checked and saw that I have never properly written about The Fugs. Ed Sanders, Tuli Kupferberg and Ken Weaver. Yes, there are sidemen, but these are the important 3 members.

New York City, profanity, social consciousness, smut, irreverence…a wonderful combination of elements to make up this ‘comedy’ band. Happily, I think just about everything has made it to CD! (I wish I owned the British CD boxed set!)

Selected Fugs’ Discography:

LP BELLE OF AVENUE A, THE REPRISE US RS 6359

1969 10 TRKS US original

CDx3 ELECTROMAGNETIC STEAMBOAT RHINO HANDMADE RHM2 7759

2001 65 TRK Collection, Reprise 60's material

7" FRENZY / I WANT TO KNOW ESP DISK US 4507

1966 2 TRKS no pic sleeve

LP FUGS 4, ROUNDERS SCORE (Collection) ESP DISK US ESP 2018

1975 15 TRK Collection, US original

CD FUGS FINAL CD (Part 1) ARTEMIS US ATM-CD-51170

2003 18 TRKS

CD FUGS FIRST ALBUM, THE FUGS UK CDWIKD 119

1965 21 TRKS ('93 issue) (11 x bonus tracks)

LP FUGS FIRST ALBUM, THE ESP DISK US ESP 1018

1965 10 TRKS B&W or color cover

CD FUGS, THE FUGS UK CDWIKD 121

1966 15 TRKS ('93 issue) (5 x bonus tracks) (2nd Album)

LP FUGS, THE ESP DISK US ESP 1028

1966 10 TRKS US original (2nd Album)

LP GOLDEN FILTH (US) REPRISE US RS 6396

1970 9 TRKS LIVE, JUNE 1968, US original

LP IT CRAWLED INTO MY HAND, HONEST REPRISE US RS 6305

1968 21 TRKS US original

CD LIVE FROM THE 60's FUGS UK CDWIKD 125

1994 11 TRKS Live (60's recordings)

CD SONGS FROM A PORTABLE FOREST GAZELL US GPCD 2003

1990 12 TRK Collection ('84 - '89 recordings)

LP TENDERNESS JUNCTION REPRISE US RS 6280

1967 10 TRKS US original

LP VILLAGE FUGS SING...CONTEMPORARY PROTEST BROADSIDE 304

1965 10 TRKS US original, same as ESP 1018

CD VIRGIN FUGS ESP DISK US ESP 1038

1968? 11 TRKS ('05 issue)

LP VIRGIN FUGS ESP DISK US ESP 1038

1968? 11 TRKS US original, with flip book

There are also solo albums by both Ed Sanders and Tuli Kupferberg, but that subject almost seems like it deserves it’s own dedicated blog! Fortunately, “Electromagnetic Steamboat” collects on CD “Tenderness Junction”, “It Crawled Into My Hand, Honest”, “The Belle of Avenue A” and “Golden Filth”. The above titles are what I like best.

When I had the opportunity to meet Ed Sanders in the 80’s, I had him sign my ESP 45 – it’s the smallest, tiniest autograph in my entire collection! Support your local Fug!