hiss-out bliss-out

Les Rallizes Dénudés - Field of Artificial Flower (via ROOT BLOG)I love how the Internet works. I have been reading Julian Cope's riveting Japrocksampler, his high-spirited account of the evolution of Japanese psychedelia, particularly the chapter about Les Rallizes Dénudés, a reclusive, primitive troupe of noise stompers from 1973 who looked to dismantle the sonic and social fabric of uptight Japan: (from wiki)

In 1970, the original bass player Moriaki Wakabayashi was involved in the hijacking of Japan Airlines Flight 351 orchestrated by the Japanese Red Army. Singer Takashi Mizutani was allegedly offered a role in the hijacking but turned it down.

To the novice, this is a bunch of racket; hell, to the connoisseur, this is a bunch of racket, but what a delicious bunch! I particularly like "The Night of Assassin" which mixes noise and the pop treacle of the "Group Sounds" scene in the same way the Velvet Underground mixed up 50's pop with speedfreak line static.

I read about them last night thinking I should find some and post it, since that is all I ever do it seems, and boom, there it was in my RSS feed and here it is on YouTube, like Internet Jesus answered my idle prayers with the cool detachment of a bass-player-turned-terrorist in sunglasses rocking out atop a giant birdbath. I can't wait to let this malevolent hiss-out bliss-out coat my bus ride home like a bitter candy topping.



Here is Saint Julian going off about another of their albums, Flightless Bird.

Lou Reed - Lou Reed (listen) Have you ever listened to that terrible first Lou Reed solo record? The one a bunch of guys from Yes played on? Me either! And it's not all that bad, in fact it's kinda good, even when he blatantly rips off the Rolling Stones in a way that few have blatantly ripped off them before.

Walk and Talk It - Lou Reed

And listen to the old boy cheerfully croon as this early version of "Berlin" gets cooking. Makes you wanna go splash around in a city fountain or something.

Berlin - Lou Reed

You know what? Now that I have listened to this all the way through, I contend Lou Reed is actually a pretty good record, one I like better than the whole of Loaded. I know that is tantamount to heresy, but it's how I feel. It's how love makes me feel, OK?

Love Makes You Feel - Lou Reed