Unrest

A collection of first recordings I ever made... and eventually compiled as an album in 1993.
All the "xenospectre t.v. part __" tracks were originally part of a 90 minute on-air improvisational performance featuring myself and a friend (Eric Hall).  This was recorded to cassette from the on-air studio at KDHX on some Saturday night/Sunday morning between midnight and 5am in early to mid 1993.  I seriously do not recall the date, or even the month.  The full recording was later edited to extract the best parts as then used in the xenospectre t.v. cassette release on poorhouse recordings.

The remainder of the tracks used to flesh out the album and provide variety are various pieces recorded around that same time, under various odd circumstances.

The track "ignatius loyola donnelly" is the sound of the next track, "the antediluvian world" being rewound on DAT with the playback on.  We seemed to have been fascinated with this horrible sound for some reason, because we included it.

"the antediluvian world" was recorded one evening after I'd just got my Boss PS-3 pedal and a friend of Eric's loaned him a Dr. Rhythm DR110.  Those are the only things used in the entire track.

"equilibrial sludge" is the result of running the output of a fantastic rack-mount paragraphic EQ into the input of the same paragraphic EQ... and then fiddling with the knobs.  It's unbelievable just how much variation in sound I was able to squeeze out of thin air just by manipulating a bit of acoustic feedback.

"the zeta-reticulan colonization dance" is a recording of part of the only live phonophobia: concert.  We (Eric, Julie (ex) and I) played as the opener for a Psychedelic Christmas Party at an industrial dance club.  There was no other band, just that we sort of opened for the DJ (weird, right).  The club owner was a fan of my show and was really excited to have us weird people out... he even paid us pretty generously for the trouble.

"caduceus and the anti-auricular amnesiatic" is an embarrassment, but one I was willing to endure before I even started recording it.  In '91, a guy I knew that was recording music under the name "Kill Honky" brought his new sampler and some other gear to KDHX one night while I was on the air.  I wanted to play with it, so he made me a deal - I had 90 minutes to use it to record a song and then I had to play that on the air... and I had to use my own samples.  So, considering that... it's a little less awful to listen to... and very "my first sampler" sounding.  I couldn't tell you why I chose to put it on the album - I think I used to think it sounded pretty cool.

"tune in" was a goof-off in the studio with some fan of my radio show who I invited to come by.  He brought a shoebox full of cassettes with little samples he'd taken from TV.  I pulled out a few of my own and we just took turns splicing them together on the reel-to-reel.

"drop out" is a 23 second excerpt from another session with me on that paragraphic EQ to end it off.

There's a bonus track I included, hidden off in the blank space on the B-side of the cassette.  "Mr Dickinson" is me doing reel-to-reel tape splicing to form a bit of twisted humor from a 1950's sex instruction for parents record.
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So, there you have it.  This is what it is.  Even though I realize the tracks on xenospectre t.v. are poor quality, lack any sort of musical talent, and... well, I can't think of any reason anyone would ever choose to listen to it, I have probably played this tape for myself 100 times.  It is still the weirdest collection of recordings I've ever heard.  Some of it still makes me laugh every time.  Some of it still captures my imagination and leaves me zoned out and thinking.  I think that, regardless of how bad it is, there is something so beautiful about its naked and utter bizarreness.

Eh, give it a listen or two. What do you have to lose?

the zeta-reticulan colonization wardance (live)

I began composing this track in 1999 as a multitrack loop project used for live jams.  In 2018, I re-discovered the loop project and realized I had always meant to arrange it and create a 'finished' recording.

icy spirits

Dance track inspired by the music of Richard Kirk.

Impact

VooDoo (Demo)

stateless terminal

penumbra

This is a remix of Shadow Riser by Mark Walk and mastered by Ken Hiwatt Marshall.  Enjoy

the zeta-reticulan colonization wardance (live)

phonophobia:

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