B.A.L.L. Hardball/B.A.L.L. Four 1990

 

Discogs

 

B.A.L.L. Biography

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

More infatuated with the image of pop music than its sound, B.A.L.L. set out to satirize bloated '70s rock in all of its glory. And it wasn't Dark Side of the Moon that was their target; it was George Harrison's Concert for Bangladesh, as well as T. Rex and Bob Dylan. The cover of their second album, Bird, lampooned the Beatles' "butcher cover" for Yesterday and Today.

Not surprisingly, B.A.L.L. featured two superstars of the American indie underground -- ex-Shockabilly guitarist Kramer, and former Half Japanese and Velvet Monkeys guitarist Don Fleming. Along with their two drummers, David Licht (also of Shockabilly) and Jay Spiegel (also of Half Japanese), the band cranked out four albums of driving guitars soaking in distortion with a relentless beat. After their final album in 1990, the group split with Kramer pursuing production work for his Shimmy Disc record label among other side projects like Bongwater; Fleming became a highly regarded record producer (Sonic Youth, the Posies, Alice Cooper) and formed another band, Gumball.

 

Tracklist

1		Hardball	3:57
2		She's Always Driving	3:33
3		Timmy The Toad, Man	4:15
4		Mary Jane	2:42
5		The Road To Heaven	6:04
6		Ball Four Prelude	2:41
7		Ball One	3:11
8		Ball Two	3:00
9		Ball Three	4:41
10		Ball Four	1:42
11		R.I.P.	5:31
12		Caveman	3:45
13		Bastard Baby Boy	1:49
14		Always	1:45
15		Billy And The Comets	1:46
16		Fuck The Law	1:57
17		The French	1:39
18		I Can Never Say	4:36
19		The Wildest Thing	1:12

VELVET MONKEYS Rake 1990

 

by request

Discogs

 

Velvet Monkeys Biography

by Kathleen C. Fennessy

Guitarist/producer Don Fleming and drummer Jay Spiegel formed the pop culture tribute band Velvet Monkeys in Washington, D.C., in the early '80s. Both were veterans of Jad Fair's long-running noise pop outfit Half Japanese, with whom they would continue to record throughout the 1980s (Fleming was also in the Stroke Band in the late '70s with Bruce Joyner of the Unknowns). Other members of their garage rock combo included Malcolm Riviera on guitar and keyboards, Elaine Barnes on keyboards and vocals, Charles Steck on bass, and numerous others (the lineup was fluid, to say the least). The group's first recorded appearance was on the 1981 compilation Connected (Limp Records). That same year, they released their first full-length, cassette-only Everything Is Right on their own Monkey Business label. It was followed by the similar-sounding garage-o-rama Future in 1983. In 1986, they split a cassette release, the avant-pop Big Big Sun, with old pals Half Japanese. The group then took a break, with Fleming and Spiegel moving to New York to join fellow musician/producer Kramer's pop-deconstruction unit B.A.L.L. During the sojourn, they issued a compilation of early material with Rotting Corpse Au-Go-Go (1989). Upon B.A.L.L.'s reportedly acrimonious demise, they re-formed Velvet Monkeys with guest musicians Thurston Moore, J Mascis, and Pussy Galore's Julia Cafritz for 1990's concept album -- and swan song -- Rake, a take-off on the exploitation soundtracks of the 1970s (like Curtis Mayfield's Superfly). Fleming and Spiegel returned the favor by subsequently playing on and/or producing recordings by Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., and Free Kitten. Velvet Monkeys also appeared on a number of compilations during the 1980s, including The Other, Sub Pop 9, Train to Disaster, Let's Sea, and Deadly Spawn. In addition, they released a single on Sub Pop (with the Beatles' "Why Don't We Do It in the Road" on the flip) and a double-single of early '80s demos (Better Living) on Moore's Ecstatic Peace label. In 1990, Fleming, Spiegel, and Riviera morphed, as it were, into a new group: Gumball. Two years later, Rake's "They Call It Rock" was included on the soundtrack to Alison Anders' Gas Food Lodging (along with tracks by J Mascis and others). Six years later, House Party, which was recorded for -- but never released by -- SST in 1985 with Workdogs' Rob Kennedy and Scott Jarvis (two other Half Japanese vets), was released by God Bless. The highlight was a ten-minute version of the Stooges' minimalist dirge "Little Doll." Although they had been gone from the scene for five years by that point, Velvet Monkeys hadn't been completely forgotten, even if Fleming and Spiegel have since become better-known for the other bands with which they've been associated.

 

Tracklist

  1. We Call It Rock
  2. She's Not A Girl
  3. The Ballad of "Rake"
  4. Something's In The Air
  5. Velvet Monkey Theme Song
  6. Rock The Night
  7. Harmonica Hell House
  8. Love To Give
  9. 7 Angels
10. Rock Party
11. Velvet Monkey Theme (Assassin Mix)

GOOBERS: A COLLECTION OF KID'S SONGS Various Artists 1993

 

Discogs

 

Compilation on the T.E.C. Tones and Elemental record labels

 

Tracklist

1	–D. Matinal Chan	Halelu Halelu	1:03
2	–The Stinky Puffs	Monsters	1:31
3	–Daniel Johnston	Pinny Pinny	1:36
4	–Fiction Friends	Jump Jump	2:31
5	–Penn Jillette	Great Green Gobs	1:31
6	–Space Negroes*	Vigor The Ice Man	4:18
7	–Half Japanese*	Inky And Winky	0:40
8	–Eric Feldman*	Worms	2:01
9	–The Tinklers	Mom Cooks Inside	1:11
10	–Foetus Inc*	See Dick Run	4:49
11	–Tiny Tim	The Chicken Dance	2:35
12	–Hank Von Schpa	Ma Ma Do	2:48
13	–Foo Foo Heads*	Just Be You	3:26
14	–Panther Burns*	Auto Sapien	2:48
15	–Genuine Diamelles	Underdog	0:51
16	–Peter Stamfel*	Werewolf	4:16
17	–The Pastels	Speeding Motorcycle	3:50
18	–Buzzard Bait (2)	Horsey Horsey	3:13
19	–Naofumi Ishimaru	Ku Kai Mani	0:58
20	–Anonymous	Animal Party	1:22
21	–Big Butter	People, Animals And Plants	2:53
22	–Unknown Artist	3-6-9	2:03
23	–Only A Mother	Lullabye	2:55
24	–Raymond Scott	Beautiful Little Butterfly	2:40
25	–Joshua Brody*	A Medley	5:20
26	–Three Kids*	Goobers	0:22

FIFTEEN MINUTES A Tribute To The Velvet Underground 1994

 

 

 

Discogs 

Tracklist

1	–Nirvana	Here She Comes Now	5:00
2	–Swervedriver	Jesus	4:18
3	–Lee Ranaldo	Stephanie Says (1.15.91)	3:02
4	–Buffalo Tom	All Tomorrows Parties	6:15
5	–New F.A.D.S.*	I'm Set Free	4:17
6	–Fatima Mansions*	Lady Godiva's Operation	4:55
7	–James	Sunday Morning	4:56
8	–Eleventh Dream Day	Ocean	6:22
9	–Echo And The Bunnymen*	Foggy Notion	5:07
10	–Screaming Trees	What Goes On	3:45
11	–The Wedding Present	She's My Best Friend	2:54
12	–Half Japanese*	I Heard Her Call My Name	5:35
13	–The Mock Turtles	Pale Blue Eyes	3:58
14	–Ride	European Son	3:46

HEAVEN & HELL VOLUME THREE (A Tribute To The Velvet Underground) Various Artists 1992

 

Discogs

Tracklist  

1	–Swervedriver	Jesus	4:19
2	–Eleventh Dream Day	Ocean	6:23
3	–Into Paradise	Beginning To See The Light	4:28
4	–Lee Ranaldo	Stephanie Says (1.15.91)	3:01
5	–Half Japanese*	I Heard Her Call My Name	5:36
6	–The Dylans	Who Loves The Sun	5:44
7	–The Original Sins	Head Held High	2:50
8	–New Fast Automatic Daffodils	I'm Set Free	4:19
9	–Jellyfish Kiss	I'm Sticking With You	2:54
10	–Badgeman*	Sister Ray	11:34

JAD FAIR Greater Expectations 1991

Discogs

Artist Biography by Mark Deming

There are plenty of performers who rock critics describe by using the label "primitive," but few if any can hold a candle to the greatest American rock primitive, Jad Fair. With his wildly influential band Half Japanese or as a solo performer, Fair has constructed a prolific and extremely interesting career. He writes and records songs that display an uncomplicated emotional directness, unselfconscious (almost hokey) charm and warmth, and a genial simplicity that is beyond words. Although Fair's later recordings are certainly more accessible -- in some ways resembling those of another great American primitive, Jonathan Richman -- his stock-in-trade is still the ability to compose and play music without conventional command of an instrument. Although he has "played" guitar since the mid-'70s, Fair, according to past and present members of Half Japanese, still can't name a chord, plays riffs almost by accident, never tunes his instrument, and wouldn't have it any other way.

Fair's career as a solo artist began in 1980, when his prolific output of songs was more than Half Japanese could handle. Early efforts such as Zombies of Mora-Tau and Everybody Knew...But Me were tentative and, in terms of the noise-versus-music factor, more noise than music, akin to early Half Japanese records. But by the mid- to late '80s, Fair's solo records were becoming more accessible as he began collaborating with mutual admirers such as Terry Adams of NRBQ, J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr., Don Fleming of Gumball, Kramer of Bongwater, Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth, and Maureen Tucker of the Velvet Underground; later on, Fair would cut full albums with Yo La Tengo (1998's Strange But True), Teenage Fanclub (2002's Words of Wisdom and Hope), the Pastels (1991's This Could Be the Night), and the Danielson Famile (2014's Solid Gold Heart). If the records got a little more polished, they certainly never lost a bit of Fair's childlike view of the world, nor his explosive, giddy belief in rock's liberating potential and endless possibilities. (Fair's more spontaneous and less refined impulses continued to make themselves heard on his work with fellow primitive songwriter Daniel Johnston, who briefly worked with Fair in a band called the Lucky Sperms).

Given Fair's prolific output as a solo artist, in collaboration with other musicians, and with Half Japanese, keeping track of his discography is a challenge, though 2011's Beautiful Songs: The Best of Jad Fair, a three-CD set compiled by Fair himself, is a thorough introduction to his body of work, and a testament to his idiosyncratic passion for life, love, and music. (Though it's worth noting that within a year of the collection's release, Fair had already released four more albums, and he'll write a song on the theme of your choice for a commission of $300.) In addition to his work as a musician, Fair is also a visual artist, who works in paint, digital graphics, and most notably paper cuttings; his art graces the cover of most of Half Japanese's albums and nearly all his solo efforts, and he's created artwork for recordings by Yo La Tengo, the Residents, Dorothy Wiggin, and the National Jazz Trio of Scotland. 

 

Tracklist  

1	Elephant	0:46
2	Hillibillies	2:30
3	Pajamas / Wild West / Me & The Boys	4:21
4	Vampire	1:17
5	Wise Old Owl / Radio	2:06
6	Romeo & Juliet	3:34
7	Shoe Strings / Mule	1:20
8	The Tracks Of My Tears / Weeeeeeeeeeee	1:50
9	All	0:51
10	Frankenstein Monster / Checkers	3:12
11	Horses / Dog / Whale	3:29
12	Speed Of Sound	0:55
13	Rocket Ship / Moon / A Great Big Tiger / Robot	3:51
14	Baseball / Lion	5:27
15	And	1:32
16	And Now I Can See / Snakes	3:25
17	Outlaw Blues	2:10
18	Hog Wild / Like A Bird	1:36
19	Shakespeare	1:40
20	And Then I Went / Hot Dog	2:32
21	Eiffel Tower	1:26
22	Cherry Pie / Linda Lou / A Big Bear	2:26
23	Water	2:17
24	Salt & Pepper	2:09
25	Cheese / Chairs	0:39
26	Cha-Cha	0:19
27	Thank You, Bye	0:32

 

HALF JAPANESE Hot 1995

 

Discogs

 

Biography

by Steve Huey

Few of punk rock's founding fathers could have anticipated the extreme to which Half Japanese took the music's do-it-yourself ethos. Founded by brothers Jad and David Fair, Half Japanese was quite probably the most amateurish rock band to make a record since the Shaggs, all but ignoring musical basics like chords, rhythms, and melody. However, the brothers made that approach into a guiding aesthetic, steadfastly refusing to progress in their primitive musicianship over a career that lasted decades. David Fair's article "How to Play Guitar" outlined the Half Japanese philosophy: … » Read more

 

Tracklist

1		Drum Straight
2		True Believers
3		Well
4		Dark Night
5		Part Of My Plan
6		Vampire
7		Lucky Ones
8		Vast Continent
9		Guess Again
10		Black Fruit
11		Sleep Talk
12		Smile
13		Lucky Town

 

SPIN Radio Network Fall 1994

Behold I have a CD rarity for you to peruse - SPIN Radio Network - a radio show that was sent out to college radio in the 1990's which featured rare versions of songs from a plethora of bands worthy of a permanent place our hearts. These old shows were part of college radio's glory days - when SUM41 and Panic! At The Disco were thankfully nonexistent and the word emo meant screaming along to your favorite Fugazi songs, not how you wore your hair. Step back in time and remember when there was no interwebs, no iPods and all you could do was record this on a cassette.

Sadly, this is the only copy of the program I have. I think I threw the others away many years ago. I know, that was a bad choice.
In any case, enjoy.

Morphine Shame


Strapping Fieldhands In The Pineys