John Thill

On this past Memorial Day I felt it was appropriate to memorialize forgotten tape labels of time immemorial. Y por eso, I had a moment of silence for Shrimper who has since passed into the digital age, releasing CDs. Dennis Callaci says its cuz he’s a family man now. He’s gotta keep them kids healthy with In N Out Burgers. Grand product is still birthed by the Shrimper namesake, but no longer are the wares analog in nature. Unread, the label responsible for communicating the genius of Charlie McAllister to the world still holds a candle for the swirls of tape in your comfy deck. But I’ll speak of Chris and his rural Pennsylvania empire at a later date– I hear he’s sending me a package. This glorious June, which in California has been serene and near perfect in foliage and temperature, I shall speak of the grand edifice of Lonely Whistle. Don Campau deserves the title if for no other reason than the invincible tape comp he released in the year of Our Lord 1989. In this time of change when the Wall came down and the trident of America was raised high over Soviet ruins. This is when the incredible USA Goes Pop Tape Comp took its first breath. Thankfully, it still breathes, and quite freshly at that, as a testament to underground pop music in a time before vacant drone and that one hair cut, you know which one I’m talking about. Don Campau compiled some of the illest pop songs you’ve never heard. And thankfully he managed to keep this compendium in print through the wide stretches between 89 and this post millennial landscape of drudgery when all I find appealing is radio hip hop. Hot Dollar had the top place in the Ipod of my mind with his “Two Steppin,’” until that is I heard the veritable buffet of lofi genius on the USA Goes Pop tape. Yes, a time when underground music was actually interesting and I didn’t have to listen to top 40 Radio for innovation(?). Seriously, whatever new Ciara track is bumping usually gets me thinking more about composition than whatever indie pap that Rough Trade or K Records is pushing.

Back in time, its 1989, we’re in the California tape underground. Perhaps the main reason this tape remains in print is due to the fact that a young Daniel Johnston contributes a perfect gem in the form of “A Man Obsessed,” The Testament of Time? Yes, it stands up to it. Bears fruit. Clearly, any self respecting underground aficionado knows the hallowed tale of the soda pop king. But who knows the origins of such obscured figures as Robin O’Brien, who provides a bizarre afro-indie romp called “Looking for Daniel.” The interweb merely understates the force of her contribution. Dear Reader, she’s not even on the Myspace. It’s like archaeology, uncovering something gorgeous and totally Egyptian. Amy Denio, on the other hand, I was able to serve her a friend request, so I can feel affinity with her Reagan era squeals of sax and poli-sci furor. I’m her friend, doggy. Internet rumor has it that she reaps a paycheck from Muzak. But heaven only really appears in the glint of the sky when I hear the heart wrenching and comic voice of Dino DiMuro. I didn’t know this man could exist. His track, “She’s A Climber” ventures from canned slowjazz beats to emotionally stark xeriscapes. Maybe its cuz he’s from Califas, and I can understand him, maybe its cuz he could thrash Ariel Pink’s ass in a high-as-fuck Tascam four track duel, but regardless, one feels the presence of unsung genius in the ether. Sabes?

Thankfully I was provided with a subsequent Dino DiMuro release titled “Gower St.” You know that street in Hollywood by the Denver Dome? While Dino DiMuro could never have predicted a future where Kyle Mabson plays ironic funk bass in a porno set where people I know actually live, nonetheless, apparently there was a time when Jesus shone on that apartment slime that is the three blocks between Gower and Vine: The guts of Hollyhood, aka tranny Shangri-la. Japanese camera flash can’t deaden the broad strokes of DiMuro. He’s huffing a little King’s Quest courtesy of the Sierra Corp., a little Sled Zepplin, a little Chief Gates era LAPD, a little Trout Mask Replica, and a little straight up song craft. In the back of your head it’s the LA Riots, in the front its some carefree riffage stuffed with poison arrow. Feel it. I know his name sounds like an Italian mobster but, serio holmes, he has a sensitive side. Nominated love king in 1989.

Don Campau also included some of his music in the package. Vintage 1985 and still in print, the tape is called Variety Show. It’s an apt description. This tape is all over the place from guitar shredding, organ solos, to flea market musique concrete. First time through it’s something of a blur, but if I actually pay attention to what’s going on using the novel device called the track listing I can decipher and even partially decode the happenings. There’s something tongue in cheek and there’s something Windham Hill about the experience. This is the record you wanted Shadowfax to make with their dope name, but instead they were only good for passive haircut advice. Not all of the tape is perfect. There is something of an idea lull that stretches through the middle of the first side, when things get a little jammy and over the top. Luckily side two makes up for lost time, bringing down clumsy honky skronk and some weird ambient stuff that wouldn’t be out of place on some obscure Finnish band’s one sided tape. Good feelings and a great package from Don Campau’s Lonely Whistle. Well worth the hard earned dollars in your pocket.
 

BONUS ARTICLE!!!!
THRIFT STORE ARCHIVE

STORE #1: TOWNE THRIFT (Towne Ave. & Arrow Hwy., Pomona, CA)

Let’s kick off the first installment of this column about thrift store cassette hunting with something close to home. Towne Thrift is the venerable home of all kinds of dusty garbage, more than can reasonably fit on the shelves. You’ll find lots of men’s shoes, cheap clothes, especially compared to Goodwill up the street and a huge selection of tapes in complete disarray. Seven big racks are devoted to tapes at this store and the vast majority of them retail for 25 cents apiece. A great deal, even for cast off cultural relics. But the cheap tag means nothing if there aren’t interesting finds. Yes, a wide variety of praise music and modern country are available for the deranged retard so in love with Jesus it makes them drool on their American flag bibs, but this particular store also packs in the indecipherable Vietnamese cassettes, balada and folk sounds en espanol, spoken word tapes, and tons of good classical. Here’s what was found…

SUPER DRIVER April 1995: The Original Truckers Tape Magazine
Ever wonder about trucker culture, that mysterious world inhabited by redneck uncles and know methamphetamine addicts. This is probably the best audio introduction to their cross country world. Found here are an interview with Tommy Lasorda, trucking news, new equipment reviews, regulation updates, truck stop reviews. Plus the tape comes with truck stop coupons for places like AC&T Fuel Center in Hagerstown, MD. Highlights include the Super Driver theme song, which recalls such great themes as the “Stater Bros.” Great overamped country bellowing, so earnest as to be humorous, it describes the manner in which truckers are the heroes of America from sea to shining sea – classic! We also get an audio history of the Moon Pie, from Chatanooga to Japan.

HAROLD BUDD / BRIAN ENO – The Pearl (Jem Records)
Before there were drone-doggies there was Harold Budd, lots of shimmering piano and weird insect calls. It was a pretty alright time. Winds blew, rivers flowed. This is an awesome slow moving earthy soundtrack that might appeal to dudes who smoke music like Quilts and Robedoor. Subtle, dark, pretty and, yeah, a little new age – but in the best kinda way.

NONOY ZUÑIGA – Ako Ay Ikaw Rin (Jem Records)
Are you into new age orchestras, sexy guitar riffage and Philipino torch songs? Really who isn’t? This record has a coked out seventies feel, but also recalls weird fake tropical records from the fifties.

E. E. CUMMINGS – Collected Poetry 1920-1940 & Prose (Caedmon)
Read by the poet these recordings bring to life the weird cadences of Cummings’ poetry. He reads quite a few classics such as “next to of course god america i” and “in Just.” Culled from a number of live readings, high quality recordings.

NGƠI KHEN – Th Phư ng Volume 1: 1-33
Apparently a collection of Vietnamese Christian music. Keyboard, piano, and accordion make up the instrumentation. There’ some seriously smooth wave stuff going down like the Beach Boys huffing muzak infused Freon out of an office building. Its all about track 4, which combines evil echo, kumbaya sounds and weird keyboard thrash. If canned country, accordion solos, and weird Hawaiian and jazz infusions don’t make you a believer, serio holmes, nothing will.

SLIM WHITMAN – Country Classics by Slim Whitman
Classics is right. Not only can Slim Whitman yodel up a storm, he sings great songs too. “Send Me the Pillow You Dream On” is one of the best recorded love songs. For anyone who hasn’t heard Whitman’s steel pedal and signature vocal slides, where he slips up an entire octave in an instant, you should get on it. Featured in scores on infomercials, considered seriously hokey, but he’s still the number one choice of your honky grandma.

Send $2 to John Thill for a Towne Thrift tape compilation with free truck stop coupons. Or email presidenthappiness@yahoo.com

John Thill
851 Scripps Dr.
Claremont, CA 91711