November 20, 2009 Playlist

"Heavier Than A Death In The Family" by Les Rallizes Denudes (rec. 1977?)
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
Les Rallizes Denudes  "Heavier Than A Death In The Family"  rec. 1973-77 (Japan)
Les Rallizes Denudes is the heaviest, most underground band there ever was or ever will be.  Founded by the mysterious Japanese Francophile communist/anarchist badass Takashi Mizutani back in 1967, the group never strayed far from its founder's original inspirations, which were the grating garage noise of the Velvet Underground's first two albums and Blue Cheer guitarist Leigh Stephens' brain-basting high volume apocalypse.  Though Mizutani probably never wrote more than 20 songs in his life, various line-ups of Les Rallizes Denudes played the underground circuit in Japan for nearly 30 years, before the mysterious Mizutani vanished completely in the late 1990's (followers seem to think he might have moved to France, but nobody really knows.)  The group never released a legitimate record in their entire career, relying on fans to trade bootleg copies of their live shows.  Though various studio recordings have also come out of the grey market underground over the years (whether these are released with or without Mizutani's permission is also an open question -- due to his commie/radical roots, my guess is that he simply has never cared about "music business" stuff at all, ever -- signing contracts and recording in studios is just soooo bourgeois!)  It does seem to be generally agreed that this album is the ultimate collection of LRD classics.  It mostly consists of recordings from a 1977 concert, though one track was recorded in 1973.
Incredibly, video footage of this legendary underground band exists, and is not even that hard to find!  Here's Mizutani in all his black leather distortomatic glory -- the most notorious LRD tune is "Night Of Assassin", and this version is from one of the group's last appearances in 1994.  Their gigs usually ended with the ferocious monstrosity known simply as "The Last One".  And here's a shocker -- "Night of Assassin" live outdoors in 1976 (Mizutani spotted in the sunlight!)
 
(N) = New Release
(R) = Listener Request
   
Artist Song Album Year (label) Country
Babe Ruth Wells Fargo First Base 1973 UK
Graham Central Station Earthquake Now Do U Wanta Dance 1977 USA
The Temptations Plastic Man Masterpiece 1973 USA
Osibisa Rabiato Woyaya 1971 UK/Ghana
/Carribean
James Gang (R) Funk #48 Yer' Album 1969 USA
 
 
Monotonix Set Me Free Where Were You When It Happened (N) 2009 (Drag City) Israel
Wooden Shjips
 Motorbike Dos (N) 2009 (Holy Mountain) USA
Lullabye Arkestra
 Euroshima Threats / Worship (N) 2009 (Vice) Canada
Devil Eyes
 Freak Pocket Devil Eyes (N) 2009 (Signed By Force) Canada (Quebec)
Mission of Burma One Day We Will Live There The Sound The Speed The Light (N) 2009 (Matador) USA
The Flaming Lips See The Leaves Embyonic (N) 2009 (Warner Bros) USA
   
 
Peaking Lights Silver Tongues, Soft Whispers Imaginary Falcons (N - cassette) 2009 (Not Not Fun) USA
Absinthe Minds Untitled Track 5 The Song Of Returning Light (N - cassette) 2009 (Not Not Fun) USA
Silvester Anfang The Devil Always Shits In The Same Graves, part 2 Sylvester Anfang II (N) 2009 (Aurora Borealis) Belgium
   
 
Les Rallizes Denudes Strong Out Deeper Than The Night Heavier Than A Death In The Family
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		 rec. 1977 Japan
Les Rallizes Denudes The Night Collectors Heavier Than A Death In The Family
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK		 rec. 1977 Japan
Les Rallizes Denudes Otherwise My Conviction I Flightless Bird (Yado-Go A Go-Go) (compilation CD) rec. 1967 Japan
 
 
Kimio Mizutani Tell Me What You Saw A Path Through Haze 1970 Japan
John Coltrane (with Alice Coltrane & Charlie Haden) Leo (overdub version) Impulse Energy Essentials
(various artists compilation)		 rec. 1966, overdubs 1972 USA
Archie Shepp The Girl From Ipanema (A. C. Jobim) Fire Music 1965 USA
 
  
Sun Ra & His Solar Arkestra Spiral Galaxy Other Planes Of There 1964 USA
Edgard Varèse Ionisation Integrales / Density 21.5 / Ionisation / Octandre composed 1924, rel. 1950 France/USA
Charles Ives (Paul Zukofsky, Gilbert Kalish & The New York String Quartet) Largo Risoluto No. 1 -- Hallowe'en -- Largo Risolutio No. 2 Charles Ives Chamber Music composed circa 1907, rel. 1970 USA
             
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