FDF Volume 3 Issue 338 - Shuggie Otis - Inspiration Information

Album – Inspiration Information

Artist – Shuggie Otis

Key Players – Shuggie Otis – lead and backing vocals, guitar, bass, drums, organ, piano, vibraphone, percussion, drum machines. Jack Kelso – saxophone, flute. Jeff Martinez – french horn. Carol Robbins- harp. Doug Wintz and Jim Prindle – trombone. Curt Sleeten and Ron Robbins – trumpet. 

Produced By – Shuggie Otis

Release Date – October 1974

Overview - This is the third album released from, but his first seen as a solo “adult” artist. Shuggie, born Johnny Alexander Velitoes, Jr was born to musician and bandleader Johnny Otis, had his dads help on two prior releases. Shuggie would gravitate towards analog drums and electric sounds and fell in to the psychedelic soul genre. It took three years to complete and was a struggle for the label to support Shuggie. It was re-issues on compact disc in 2001 and had another re-issue in 2013. It is considered a cult classic. After this album was finally released Shuggie was approached to to open for the Rolling Stones on an upcoming tour. He refused.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – Otis is pretty much a one man band outside of the horns and strings you might here. The original record is just nine tracks long. Opening with the title track "Inspiration Information"    it has a smooth soul feel and you are quickly brought to attention. The organ stands out and Otis has a nice strong voice that mixes some falsetto with a nice tenor. The bass and guitar compliment the whole track. “Island Letter” is even more smooth, awash with the strings and a funky, yet laid back guitar. “Sparkle City” has a bit more on the bass and it finds a solid blend of that funk and soul, but it doesn't seem to really launch as your toes might like. Otis wants you to be with him, for the duration and its hard to turn away. “Aht Uh Mi Hed” (say it slow..Out of My Head) is a real sample of his abilities. He uses the horns and strings, but the overall feeling he has on the track is what pulls you in. The simple and soothing croon he has as it builds and the progression with it has been lifted a thousand times or more since. “Happy House” is a very short track, just 1:16 that has some fun play with the bass and keyboard. The melody is fun, but its a wonder why he didn't expand the fun feel he had here. “Rainy Day” is an instrumental track that showcases his light guitar playing, very smooth indeed. The analog drum machine comes in to play as “XL-30” starts up. The accent off the keyboards and fun running bass line grab you from the start. It too is an instrumental track. The same feel of the prior track starts up “Pling!” albeit a bit on the slower side, you can still find that sort of click/pop to the drum machine. It too is instrumental and you sort of want it to open up, or change direction or tempo. It feels a little plodding at times and not overly interesting. That changes on the closer “Not Available” which has a bit more of rocking feel, with Otis seeming to push himself out of the slower stuff. He is a great guitar player (as well as all the other instruments) its a great way to close it out as it takes off and it re-captures the “psychedelic soul” of the early part of the record.

Where are they now? Shuggie last toured in 2013 but his output has mostly been collections of previously unreleased material.

FDF Overall Take/Was it worth Dusting Off? - Its a very interesting listen. The whole story of the time it too him to complete it, how accomplished of a musician he is etc. It is easy to understand why, once heard, it gets that “why haven't I heard this before”. Very much worthy of seeking out, chances are good you'd only find expanded editions with even more tracks to find out about!

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Disclaimer – I am just a music fan. Feel free to comment about something that may be written incorrectly about the band/members etc. I strive to have a fun and enjoyable site. This site used to post mp3s but ran in to many issues. The audio clips provided are usually from YouTube. No copy write infringement is intended. Please alert me if something should be pulled. Finally, support the artist featured, or your favorite artist by purchasing their music, seeing their shows if possible and saying hi. They need your support.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 337 - Mogwai - Young Team

Album – Young Team

Artist - Mogwai

Key Players – Brendan O'Hare – piano, guitar. John Cummings – guitars. Martin Bulloch – drums. Dominic Aitchison – bass. Stuart Braithwaite -guitar, glockenspiel

Produced By – Paul Savage, Andy Miller

Release Date – October 21, 1997

Overview – This is the debut album from the Scottish post rock band Mogwai. Formed in 1994 (and named after the creatures in the movie “Gremlins”) in Glasgow Scotland the band became a favorite of influential radio host John Peel. They'd hone their skills and enter the studio and at the time of the recoding the band had only three songs finalized so finishing touches were done in the studio. The ten track largely instrumental record would sell well and go on to make a name for the band world wide.

The album would be re-issued in 2008.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – The 65 minute, 10 track album opens up with “Yes! I am a Long Way From Home”. All the listener hears is a muted conversation for the first minute and then finally after about a minute you hear the first ring of the bass and guitar. O'Hare is in no hurry on the drums as Cummings, Aitchison and Braithwaite ease in to things as well. The bass starts to get a bit more of a groove as the layers of guitars stack up. The tune slowly swells and about 3:40 in we get the overwhelming punch from the band that fans have grown to love and expect. It might be wailing feedback solos but you listen and Aitchison just keeps his bass in a locked down place, pushing it forward. Aitchison keeps the lead as "Like Herod" begins. Again the guitars slowly creep up and Bulloch gives it the occasional pounding on the drums, but the guitars are taking this one. The first time listener will make the mistake on this and turn it up because its getting “too quiet”, then..look out. Welcome to a mogwai song. For good measure they do it to you twice. The track is the second longest on the record at 11:41 to really shock your senses. “Katrien” opens with the bass up in the forefront, then drums join. This is another track that has hidden “vocals” but they are not lyrics in that sense, its hard to decipher spoken word as the band does their thing over it. Clocking in at 1:35 “Radar Maker” follows. On this track we have O'Hare playing a solo piano piece, with no accompaniment. “Summer (Priority Version)” has the quiet bass and guitar under the spoken vocal portion before growing in to a “pretty side” of Mogwai's sound. The bass and swirling guitars are there but Bulloch sets the pace and is in no hurry so the band is left to do their thing as a unit. The feel of the song is a nice change for the band so they don't come off as one trick ponies. Sticking with Aitchison taking the lead on the bass at the start, we get that again before the guitars join in. Its not a wall, but another prettier steadier growing track, and although its short for this record, the band does give us the old gut punch with getting nice and loud. “With Portfolio” is another track that is heavily lead by piano, until the guitars come up. The mix is wild with the guitars buzzing from right to left (on headphones particularly its almost disorienting). Aidan Moffat of the band Arab Strap handles the vocals on “R U Still In 2 It”. He speaks the lyrics more than “sings” them and the band falls in to that mode of a slower tempo track  “A Cheery Wave From Standard Youngsters” is a short track (just over two minutes) with drums and piano being the main two instruments. Not a lot grabs you it almost feels a bit like and interlude to the epic album closer  "Mogwai Fear Satan". A power house at 16:19 in run time you will be taken on a ride as the listener. The guitars run the same riff over and over, then a second guitar does the same as the bass and drums grow with it, then add in another guitar over all that, and repeat the riff...for a bit, but then buzz the crap out of one of the guitars, delay another a bit, all the while repeating your riffs and when you feel like you are going to burst, change direction and slow it down totally. Toss in some flute (Shona Brown), but leave the bass line still locked in its groove and the drummer finding heavy rumbles on the floor toms. Let that go on for a bit, then everyone get really loud all at once, and lock in to that sonic barrage. Bulloch is all over the kit, Braithwaite, O'Hare and Cummings seem to want to get the best of each other, but make it all all the louder and more punishing..and this is the first HALF of the song. The flute comes back and the guitars echo with e-bow and delay. There is a reason this track is still played live by the band.

Where are they now? - The band are still active both in studio and in the live setting. They released “Rave Tapes” in early 2014. The band has remained intact, only Brendan O'Hare was released from the band shortly after this album release.

FDF Overall Take/Was it worth Dusting Off? - Often times a bands debut hardly gains dust. Truth be told I went back to much of the Mogwai catalog in recent weeks as I had tickets for their Boston show. This is a perfect spring board, and one of the first three Mogwai records I'd suggest to anyone new to the band. Gives you a solid example of what they are like, and it is pretty awesome to play nice and loud.

Links, find out more, follow em and buy!

Official Site

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Disclaimer – I am just a music fan. Feel free to comment about something that may be written incorrectly about the band/members etc. I strive to have a fun and enjoyable site. This site used to post mp3s but ran in to many issues. The audio clips provided are usually from YouTube. No copy write infringement is intended. Please alert me if something should be pulled. Finally, support the artist featured, or your favorite artist by purchasing their music, seeing their shows if possible and saying hi. They need your support.

FDF Volume 3 Issue 336 - Jawbreaker - Live 4/30/96

Album – Live 4/30/96

Artist - Jawbreaker

Key Players – Adam Pfahler – drums. Chris Bauermeister – bass. Blake Schwarzenbach – vocals and guitar.

Produced By – Scott Bradley (live recorded) mastered by John Golden

Release Date – November 2, 1999

Overview - This is a live album released from the New York City (then California) based band Jawbreaker. Considered one of the biggest influential bands of the 90's emo scene the trio would gain a steady fan base and the band would find themselves opening for Nirvana in 1993. That tour had the band thrust in to the spotlight and they'd sign a major label deal. Fans didn't care for that move and the band, dealing with some internal issues would dissolve by 1996. This album was recorded (on the date) at the Warfield in San Francisco California.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – The live record opens with Blake telling the audience that “tomorrow is the first of the month and before you say anything else you are supposed to say Rabbit Rabbit”. I knew a woman at work who used to do this, so it was rather comical to hear this. They launch in to “Jinx Removing” after the quick count off from Pfahler and its off to the races. Bauermeister has a great bass sound and they chug along quickly. “Save your Generation” starts with Schwarzenbach singing just with his guitar for a verse before the band joins in. Pfahler rumble across the drum kit and Bauermeister attacks the bass line, the band is in fine form with a tight and clean sound.  "Ashtray Monument"   is dedicated “to your parents” and its another quick attack of bass guitar and drums. Schwarzenbach might not have the widest range vocally but for the bands sound it works just fine. The longest track on the record (over 6 minutes) comes in “Accident Prone” a much slower than usual track for the band. Bauermeister has a great ring to his bass and its fun to listen to with the clean line. It builds and swells and it takes the audience on a ride for sure. The band really shines on quick blasting songs like  "Boxcar". In under 2 minutes they drive a catch hook at you and get your whole body moving. A great mid set track for sure. They follow this up with “Gemini” is the lone “new” song on the album in that it was not on any of the other releases prior to this live collection. Blake says its dedicated to folks of the Gemini persuasion. It has the same driving back beat and chugging bass line that makes their sound both familiar and unique with this punchy bass.   "Parabola" is dedicated to “mean people” and after a short intro from Pfahler it becomes the Bauermeister show. The bass line on this track just slays me personally. The back breaks on the drum line keep this track interesting and with its steady groove. “For Esme” is the track that ends the show this was recorded from. It is a rowdy affair and a perfect track to close out the set. As noted “Shirt”, which closes out this album, was not recorded on the same night. The mix is a slight bit off and the drums sound a bit more tinny but it doesn't take away from the fact the band means business and they seem to fire off one another in this quick rolling track.

Where are they now?  Once the band broke up the band went on to various projects. Schwarzenbach toyed with DJ work as well as some freelance writing. He formed Jets to Brazil (97-03).

Bauermeister returned to retail work and then joined a Chicago band “Horace Pinker”

Pfahler worked in a video store and played in band J Church. More recently Schwarzenbach taught English, fronted the band “Thorns of Life” and now is in a new band the Forgetters. Bauermeister performs in the Mutoid Men. Pfahler still works at the video store and works on releases of the Jawbreaker catalog.

FDF Overall Take/Was it worth Dusting Off? - Yeah, its really pretty solid. I have to say I was late to the game with this band, although I did see them live. To read that fans turned their backs on them when they'd play the new stuff live is sort of odd. A good stepping offf point, the band is in fine form on this collection and gives you an idea of what you'd be in for if you decided to dive deeper in to their catalog.

Links, find out more, follow em and buy!

Facebook

Buy It

Disclaimer – I am just a music fan. Feel free to comment about something that may be written incorrectly about the band/members etc. I strive to have a fun and enjoyable site. This site used to post mp3s but ran in to many issues. The audio clips provided are usually from YouTube. No copy write infringement is intended. Please alert me if something should be pulled. Finally, support the artist featured, or your favorite artist by purchasing their music, seeing their shows if possible and saying hi. They need your support.