HOMEMADE LOFI PSYCH --- WHERE TO START?





"There is so much great music here..." WHERE TO START???

I recommend to
start with the HLFP-Samplers (especially HLFP 04).
Here you will come to know many of the bands/musicians featured in this blog. If you like what you hear, you may check out more of their music later on.
(You may also click on the picture on the sidebar and you will find the original post with download links.)

There is also a "FOCUS ON..." section. Here you will find albums that imo are absolutely great (***** = "five-stars-recordings") and that are essential listening and strongly recommended for download.


I TRY to RE-UP some stuff that has been down from time to

time, but I still don't have enough time to

listen to/post much new stuff.

Sorry!

IMPRESSUM: see here!

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Grass Monkey - 4 Track EP, December 2003 (UK)

Here we go: part three of our little upload series of GRASS MONKEY Madness!!!

GRASS MONKEY - 4 Track EP, December 2003
(mp3 zip, 4 tracks, 85,6 MB, 38 min)
Get it here or here!

Probably their finest recordings so far. Strongly recommended! Enjoy!
More stuff by Demis CousCous will follow later.

Grass Monkey - 79.59 minutes of Grass Monkey 11th January 2003 (UK)

The second post with free form freak-out music by GRASS MONKEY.
Enjoy!

GRASS MONKEY - 79.59 minutes of Grass Monkey 11th January 2003
(mp3 zip, 9 tracks, 183,1 MB, 80 min)
Get it here (megaupload) or here and here in 2 parts (easyshare)!

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Grass Monkey - 5.6.7.00 (UK, corrected date: 2002 or 2003)


Demis CousCous kindly sent me an email with some links and some info about his various musical projects.
I'm starting today with his "freeform krauty space-rock" band GRASS MONKEY. Quite a good description, I think, because those 3 guys were on the same trip as, let's say, early GURU GURU (in their UFO period).

"...there's a vast wealth of material from an old band of mine called GRASS MONKEY who were a freeform krauty space-rock three-piece. There's quite literally 100 hours of that stuff in the vault as we pretty much recorded everything we ever did, no matter how bad it was :) ...
GRASS MONKEY operated between early 2000 and late 2004 regularly recording jam sessions and occasionally overdubbing nonsense over them.
Line up was. Pidge Pidgeon: drums; Demis CousCous: bass guitar; Divad Bryan: electric guitar.
The GRASS MONKEY sound was largely derived from Pidge's drums, which served as a lead instrument in terms of direction each session would take, and Divad's guitar pedals which were all homemade modifications of classic pedals and strange new sounds.

GRASS MONKEY rarely performed live, but when they did it was always a unique event. Usually the performance would be a non stop 30-45 minute piece of music with no encore. Audience reaction varied from bemusement, indifference and that one guy who would stand at the front banging his head energetically... The works available for download are unedited transfers from some of the original cds..."

GRASS MONKEY - 5.6.7.00
(mp3-zip, 4 tracks, 67 min, 148,5 MB)
Get it here (megaupload) or in two parts here 'n' here (easyshare)

More weird GRASS MONKEY stuff to come...
Enjoy!

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Dreamcolour - Telescope (EP)/Third Eye (EP, 2008)

Two more recordings by our old friends DREAMCOLOUR from California, USA - again offering mostly improvised instrumental freak-out music that I'd like to term US-krautrock, this time with an even greater touch of mind blowing krauty Free Jazz, not too dissimilar to ANNEXUS QUAM.
They also have one track entitled "Dreamshow" on the 2nd homemade-lofi-psych sampler HLFP 02 "EMBRYO THOUGHTS"
As usual: great stuff! Enjoy!

DREAMCOLOUR - Telescope (EP 2008)
(mp3 zip, 3 tracks, 22,6 MB)
1. Telescope 1 (Inner Space) - 3.25
2. Telescope 2 (Primordial Soup) - 2.39
3. Telescope 3 (Cosmic Freak Out) - 17.21
Get it here or here!
DREAMCOLOUR - Third Eye (EP 2008)
(mp3 zip, 3 tracks, 20 MB)
1. Third Eye 1 (Of The Human) - 4.32
2. Third Eye 2 (Of The Universe) - 9.17
3. Third Eye 3 (Of Society) -7.23
Get it here or here!

More DREAMCOLOUR still available for download here (megaupload):
- DREAMCOLOUR - Dreamdemo (2008)
- DREAMCOLOUR - Listen To Colour (2008)

Jimmy Carl Black (Mothers Of Invention) (1938-2008) R.I.P.

Just read at the Captain Beefheart blog that Jimmy Carl Black, drummer, occasional singer and Indian of the group in ZAPPA's MOTHERS OF INVENTION passed away November 1st, 2008, aged 70.
Black played in the M.O.I. from 1964 - 1969 and he also appeared in ZAPPA's movie "200 Motels", singing as one of the highlights of that weird semi-psychedelic movie "Lonesome Cowboy Burt". In the seventies Black toured with CAPTAIN BEEFHEART & THE MAGIC BAND and later was involved with various band projects, like the GRANDMOTHERS (a bunch of ex-Zappa musicians) or the MUFFIN MEN.

Rangers - Homemade Cassette Collages (USA)

Don't know much about MYSPACE: RANGERZZ, maybe even the name is wrong? IT IS! THE CORRECT NAME IS: RANGERS (READ THE COMMENT SECTION! m-f)
Anyway: There is that guy out there somewhere, who is offering this strange beautiful stuff for free download on several blogs (including homemade-lofi-psych) in the comment section:

"Here is an hour+ of my homemade cassette collages.."

No more info given. No artwork, no city name, no year, no musical background... just the music itself:

Rangers
(band/project name corrected! m-f):
homemade cassette collages
1. street smell - 21.58
2. europe on TV - 26.10
3. volvo jungle mist - 33.16
(mp3-zip, 3 tracks, 73,3 MB)
Get it here
(New links Febr. 2012, still working in Dec. 2014)

So why not give him a chance to get heard. The musical flow that is presented here makes quite cool late night or early morning listening. Don't expect any hifi here. The sound is somewhat quite... well, muffled. This is indeed lofi, just as I like it!
Seems like a mixture of samples/found audio stuff and added/overdubbed instruments like percussion, treated guitars and so on. Strange, but beautiful and quite trippy in places.
Enjoy!

(If you are the musician and see this post, give us some more info about your musical project(s), please do so in the comment section - and thanks for sharing!)

--> THAT'S WHAT HE DID! READ THE COMMENT SECTION, PLEASE!

Friday, November 21, 2008

Lucas Nathan - A (USA, 2008)

Here's another great homemade psych recording by a guy named LUCAS NATHAN.
LUCAS is originally from Los Angeles, CA, but has just moved to New York. He plays guitar, keyboard, a dislocated drum set, bass and percussion, and he's been making music for quite a while, though he performs live very rarely (admitting to be a bit of a hermit), but he's meaning to get out more.

"I record using a few tape recorders I just picked up at radioshack, sometimes plugging one into an amp and recording it again through another tape recorder to get a different sound. Then I'll record into the computer, basically just by holding the mic to the recorder 'cause I'm a bit too lazy to find another way to put it in there..." (L. N.)

So this is really homemade lofi psych, folks! The music is instrumental, though voices are sometimes used to a good effect ("Encouragement"), and very atmospheric.
If you want to contact LUCAS, you may find his email address in the info. (Please don't spam and please support the artist!) Enjoy!

LUCAS NATHAN - A (USA 2008)
(mp3 zip, 8 tracks, 35 min, 63,2 MB, front cover artwork and info incl.)
Get it here or here or here!
(new links July 2012)

Thursday, November 20, 2008

This Love Is Deadly supporting Miumi in Berlin


Two interesting bands from Wiesbaden, Germany, will give their BERLIN debut tomorrow evening (Nov. 21.) at Antje Øklesund, Rigaer Straße 71: MIUMI will be supported by THIS LOVE IS DEADLY (blog readers will recognize the later one – this is one of their absolutely rare live gigs!) – recommended to fans of MOGWAI, SIGUR ROS and/or MY BLOODY VALENTINE and PJ HARVEY. So if you visit or live in BERLIN you surely shouldn't miss that.

Traummaschine @ C. P. San Jose de Calasanz

Luis & Paco from the Spanish Neo-Kraut band TRAUMMASCHINE sent me this flyer and some info (in Spanish). Alas, I don't speak spanish, but I think it's all about a performance of the band accompanied by an action painter by the name of Alberto Castello on Nov., 11.
So maybe some of the Spanish blog readers will check this one out.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Orange - ... And Then There Were Three (GER. 1996/97)


Probably the final (demo) recordings by ORANGE, the German psychedelic grunge band from Frankfurt a. M., after original bass player and founder member Mike S. was kicked out of the band and before ORANGE finally broke up.
By this time the songs were less psychedelic than earlier compositions (e.g. "Sleep My Love", "Idiot in Bed", "Neil's Elevator"), but more in a grunge style ("Heaven, Silky-Green", "Distant Smile", "Bear" or "Soft Paws" (the last two not featured here, will be posted later)) with the guitar very much to the fore, before ORANGE drifted into some post rock style based on monotonous repetition ("Sheltering Hair", "Sex Bus", "Sea Stoned"), earlier already explored live with songs like "Rockwork Orange".

"Deadland" was one of the earliest songs by ORANGE and a live favourite, but never recorded before and "Love In The Suffer Room" was a re-recording from the track from the second demo "In the Garden Of The Demon King".
The most interesting song is "Plane" – it's by far the most psychedelic one.
The fuzz-drenched heavy guitar style of guitar player Maxim Engl (aka POET ZERO) gives a clear foretaste of the direction Maxim would later follow with his succeeding bands PAN AMP and EPHEMEROL.

ORANGE - ...And Then There Were Three (After ORANGE) (1996/97)
(mp3-zip, 12 tracks, 68 min, 93,5 MB, art incl.)
01. Sheltering Hair - 7.58
02. Heaven, Silky-Green - 3.39
03. Plane - 11.40
04. Birds - 5.10
05. Distant Smile - 5.40
06. Deadland - 3.24
07. Love In The Suffer Room - 2.27
08. Believe - 4.13
09. Instr. - 2.19
10. Sea Stoned - 12.07
11. Sex Bus - 5.59
12. Nameless Creatures in The Laundry - 3.19

Get it here!

Other recordings by ORANGE still available for download:
- ORANGE - Demo 1993
- ORANGE - In The Garden Of The Demon King (2nd demo 1995)
- ORANGE - Flörsheim Open Air 1995 (live)
- ORANGE (FAMILY TREE) - "Magic Spell"-Variations

"One of the sadest things for me getting kicked out from ORANGE was the fact, that I never had the opportunity to play "PLANE" live on stage..." (Mike S. 2008)

Friday, November 14, 2008

Mitch Mitchell (Jimi Hendrix Experience) R.I.P.

Former JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE drummer MITCH MITCHELL died on Wednesday, November 12th, in the age of 61.

Mitchell's pre-Experience bands included THE PRETTY THINGS, THE RIOT SQUAD (together with JON LORD) and GEORGE FAME AND HIS BLUE FLAMES.
He was only 19 years old, when he joined the JH EXPERIENCE and played in the HENDRIX trio (together with bass player NOEL REDDING) from October 1966 to mid-1969. Mitchell was also a member of HENDRIX' Woodstock band GYPSY SUN AND RAINBOWS and also backed musicians like JOHN LENNON, MUDDY WATERS and JEFF BECK.
Mitchell came from a jazz background and was strongly influenced by the style of JOHN COLTRANE drummer ELVIN JONES among other jazzers.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Barnyard - Some Barnyard Music/song collection (US)


Jeff Daily from BARNYARD sent me a collection of homemade music to share with you.

"... the basic story is three brothers in north TX discover music, record at home, and write tons of tunes. Eventually it becomes a duo, then two solo musicians. All the while still working together. The story is on the site. These tracks are just a sorta cross section of the myriad of sounds we produce." (J. D.)

1. America (2.46)
2. Chris v Smile (1.31)
3. Fish Sticks (4.13)
4. One Nation Under a Pancho (2.04)
5. The Gales Have Come in (2.38)

(mp3-zip, 5 tracks, 13 min, 12,7 MB)
Get it here or here!

If you want to know more about the musicians behind that beautiful weird music I'd recommend you check out the whole story at their site http://barnyardmusic.blogspot.com, where you can also listen to/download/buy (from amazon or iTunes) lots of very interesting music for your enjoyment. PLEASE SUPPORT THE ARTISTS, IF YOU LIKE WHAT YOU HEAR!
Those brothers for sure have a great sense of humor! But there are also some great psych rockers to be found (e.g. "gang o buma") ...

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Damo Suzuki & The Whole - Live

STOLLE and MEMBER (= THE WHOLE) just announced their next gig with DAMO SUZUKI (ex THE CAN singer) on their blog. It will be in Offenbach (near Frankfurt a. M.). So if you happen to live or stay in Germany in the Rhein-Main-Area in December you know what to do!

Monday, November 10, 2008

Tapio Oksa - Kalevala (FINL. 2008)

   
Music written and performed by TAPIO OKSA for the play Kalevala, based on the national epic of Finland.
   
The show took place at Kankaanpää Art School 10-10-2008. It was part of 'Light and Joy – the week of Arts in the Satakunta'-happening. The play was directed by Marko Saario. The roles were played by a group of art students.
Instruments played include: moog modular, didgeridoo, tibetan bowls, kantele, finger cymbals, cowbells...
Enjoy and also check out this site
TAPIO OKSA - Kalevala (2008)
(mp3-zip, 9 tracks, 20 min, 35,8 MB, artwork incl.)
Get it here or here!

Friday, November 7, 2008

Leonel Garcia - Slavery Ends With Art (2008 Puerto Rico)

The latest album by LEONEL GARCIA.
Again a very competent neo-psych record with tight playing and very good compositions. The track "Neurogenesis (First Thoughts)" was first recorded by Leonel for the 2nd homemade-lofi-psych sampler "EMBRYO THOUGHTS"; so now here included it is no longer exclusicely to be found there. It's a great song with interesting lyrics. 
I hear some traces of late KING-CRIMSON-ROBERT-FRIPP-guitar playing on some tracks (e. g. beginning of "Geometric Lapses Of Unconscious Landscapes" – one of my favourite tracks) and hints of TALKING-HEADS rhythmical weirdness ("Walk the Land", "Lost Your Bubbles in An Half Empty Glass of Champagne"), but the real surprise is the song "Winter Time" that comes along as a bossanova!

Great cover art, by the way.

Leonel's site with more recordings to download.
If you like LEONEL GARCIA's music you should really do him the favour and write some comment here or on his site. Enjoy!

LEONEL GARCIA - Slavery Ends With Art (2008)
(mp3-zip, 110,6 MB, 12 tracks, 48 min, artwork incl.)
Get it here or here!

Other stuff by LEONEL GARCIA still available:

and

Monday, November 3, 2008

Stolle & Member - When The Machines Rock (GER 2008)


If STOLLE & MEMBER would have recorded in the 70s, they surely would now be cult heroes of the krautrock scene...
These sessions here were recorded in July and are the same ones that the track "Wellen" on the 2nd Homemade-Lofi-Psych Sampler HLFP 02 "EMBRYO THOUGHTS" (which you probably all will know by now) is culled from. (If you haven't heard "EMBRYO THOUGHTS" yet, you should quickly download it NOW and should dive deeply into those far out soundscapes of inner and outer psych! ... Well, a little self-promo from time to time just has to be...). 
The 4 tracks here are mostly in instrumental, improvised droning style (including some sound collages) and in a rather dark ambient mood. Reminds me of some late CLUSTER works. Enjoy!

STOLLE & MEMBER - When The Machines Rock (2008)
(mp3-zip, 4 tracks, 94,6 MB, 48 min)
1. Embryonic Machine - 10.32
2. Birth Of The Machine - 9.11
3. Wake Of The Machine (mixed & edited) - 12.59
4. When The Machines Rock (mixed & edited) - 15.20
Get it here or here

Check out their site and find more neo-krautrock recordings to enjoy!