Badly Recorded Music

[hint]

If you're talking about messed-up performances, rather than recordings, I guess the Shaggs LP must be the ultimate example. It's an almighty pile-up from start to finish. when the studio engineer suggested that maybe the girls weren't quite ready to record yet, their dad said 'I want to get them while they're hot'. big-up Mr. Wiggins. the guy had vision...

The engineer also suggested that he tune the girls' guitars, but the dad said "No need - they're brand new from Sears. Those things are guaranteed!"

That's pretty much the benchmark for bad musicianship / recording right thurr... all of this "oh I left a bit of hiss on the guitar track because it's, like, so warm" business is just playing.

 

[Martin Dust]

and to think that we were this close (squeezes thumb and forefinger together for emphasis) to a Shaggs biopic produced by Tom Fucking Cruise!

That would have ace, they could have got the Magic Numbers in the play the Shaggs

 

[martin]

Desperate Bicycles were odd in that their most poorly recorded material on the five 7"s was pretty sensational, whereas when they finally made a polished-sounding LP, the group sounded dead. Listening to their recordings in chronological order is like witnessing an exquisite mermaid slowly drown.

The 'Weird Noise' 2x7" compilation EP is a kind of bible of poorly recorded music - the Danny and the Dressmakers tracks and The Sellouts' "Ballad of Fuck Off Records" prove that literally anyone can have a go and still make songs so awesome they'd make a seahorse weep.

Also, regardless of any (dis)interest in punk / Oi!, the Cockney Rejects' "Live and Loud!" (not to be confused with their "Greatest Hits Vol 3: Live And Loud") LP on Link Records is one of the worst recorded live albums ever, but is crucial. Get the vinyl version, as it's about 10 times louder than the CD, and is mayhem incarnate, splattered with feedback squeals and screeches, misplayed notes, a tanked up audience and some of the best vocal sonics ever. It makes their studio recordings - and most guitar bands - sound so tame in comparison.

 

[blunt]

The Moldy Peaches.

The bit towards the end of "Nothing Came Out" where the phone starts ringing in the background and they're stifling giggles is one of my favourite things of all time.

 

[Landfill Elektronikz]

The Moldy Peaches.

The bit towards the end of "Nothing Came Out" where the phone starts ringing in the background and they're stifling giggles is one of my favourite things of all time.

ah, 'giggling vocalists'...there's an area for exploration. remember Barney Sumner 'corpsing' on the opening verse of 'Every Little Counts'?

or how about stoned-out-of-his-gourd Elvis tackling 'Lonesome Tonight'?

 

[simon silverdollar]

ruff sqwad when they went through that period of recording the hi hats and cymbals way into the red. not sure if it was intentional or not, but it sounded great.

i'm a big fan of early demo's of bands i love- bad brains 'black dots' is probably my favourite recording of theirs, and that has a lot to do with the really brittle, almost tinny sound quality.

 

[henry s]

Gram Parsons on "Christine's Tune", when he coughs into the mike after one of the choruses, then quickly clears his throat...I've always loved that, like hey, he's human...Prince's combo cough/throat clear at the beginning of the "Raspberry Beret" video reminded me of that...

 

[mistersloane]

ruff sqwad when they went through that period of recording the hi hats and cymbals way into the red. not sure if it was intentional or not, but it sounded great.

i'm a big fan of early demo's of bands i love- bad brains 'black dots' is probably my favourite recording of theirs, and that has a lot to do with the really brittle, almost tinny sound quality.

Oh man that version of Pay To Cum is just genius, nice one, forgotten about that. Did you ever see footage of them early live? He dances like James Brown, it's the most perfect miscegenation of culture ever. Any other demos?

 

[Landfill Elektronikz]

Gram Parsons on "Christine's Tune", when he coughs into the mike after one of the choruses, then quickly clears his throat...I've always loved that, like hey, he's human...Prince's combo cough/throat clear at the beginning of the "Raspberry Beret" video reminded me of that...

something similer happens at the start of Soft Machine's second album - Robert Wyatt clearing his throat for a split second between tracks. oh, the artistry!

of course, Bill Drummond sampled his cough, and turned it into a rythm track for 'King Boy's Dream' on the second JAMMS LP ("I'm cooler than Cool J, Tougher than Tyson"), although starting to stray off the subject here. I'll be up the pub tonight if anyone wants to continue this line of thought...

 

[jd_]

Darkthrone and a lot of the early black metal stuff certainly deserves mention here.

 

[Freakaholic]

or sohuld this be in the coincidences thread....

i recently got back into my Leadbelly box set, and cant seem to shake the need to hear it.

theres something about this raw way of recording and how it complements the acoustic blues and the songs of loss, heartache, and generally just fucking up, that leaves me thinking, no feeling, like it couldnt be recorded any other way. it just wouldnt sound (feel) as good.

also, im not sure how much syndication this show gets:

http://www.wbez.org/programs/jazz_buckley/jz_buckley.asp

but i wake up to it a lot on Sundays. he plays so many lost recordings, live sets never released, and unmastered recordings of old jazz, swing, and big band songs. at first, one can get a bit irritated at the lack of quality in the sound, but it settles in and sounds really authentic and relaxing, for lack of a better word.


especially if your ears are still ringing from last nights Djs.

 

[henry s]

of course, Bill Drummond sampled his cough, and turned it into a rythm track for 'King Boy's Dream' on the second JAMMS LP ("I'm cooler than Cool J, Tougher than Tyson"), although starting to stray off the subject here. I'll be up the pub tonight if anyone wants to continue this line of thought...

a further stray, but a tangent worth taken: doesn't "Sweet Leaf" by Black Sabbath also feature a sampled/looped cough during the intro?

 

[bruno]

a further stray, but a tangent worth taken: doesn't "Sweet Leaf" by Black Sabbath also featured a sampled/looped cough during the intro?

that's tony iommi, i think.

 

[Buick6]

Was gonna say! Live '77 obviously stunning in it's hugely over saturated bleed through breakdown sound. That '73 version of 'People Can Choose' which crops up on the 'Heavier Than A Death...' CD is even more degraded and possibly the most thrilling 10 minutes of rock and roll ever almost captured on tape.

Also big up several of my old groups.

WERD! Explosive, brain melting psychadelic JAP ROCK!

And Jandek.

 

[Kate Mossad]

Metal Urbain's Paris Maquis single. Also I think Drunk On The Pope's Blood, a mini live album by the Birthday Party, was deliberately mixed to emphasise all the mistakes.