Six scratchy pop-filled 33 1/3 rpm records (to accompany a filmstrip or slides?) from the National Safety Council (in collaboration with the United States Department of Labor on 5 of the discs) from well over 50 years ago.

Open for Infection - Part 1 (8:24)
Open for Infection - Part 2 (7:31)
Image: Open for Infection

Follow The Leader - Part 1 (9:14)
Follow The Leader - Part 2 (9:34)
Image: Follow The Leader

Right Dress - Part 1 (10:23)
Right Dress - Part 2 (10:28)
Image: Right Dress

Principles and Interest - Part 1 (10:03)
Principles and Interest - Part 2 (8:53)
Image: Principles and Interest

Stop, Look and Listen - Part 1 (8:29)
Stop, Look and Listen - Part 2 (7:54)
Image: Stop, Look and Listen

Production with Safety - Part 1 (8:50)
Production with Safety - Part 2 (7:53)
Image: Production with Safety

Picked up the lot at a second hand furniture store in Oakland, California in 2005. The shopkeeper pointed to me a corner of broken down tables and chairs and cabinets that were free and on the way out the door. I took a look figuring I could always use something (or possibly restore something). It was all trash, but... looking inside a small side table cabinet I saw a box in the far back. I pulled it out and dusted it off and looked inside and there they were, these 6 records. No paper sleeves, just the vinyl and layers of dust about them. I asked the store owner how much and (bless her heart) she let me have them for free. So here they are. For two years they have been collecting dust at my home so it's about time they got shared, for everyone's safety.

- Contributed by: Otis Fodder

We need to "dialogue" with these people.

You go first.

Tmx played at radio Trio. Cool electro - nu-rave stuff with some of Tmx's splendid bootlegs and a few oldskool tracks just for fun. Let's R.A.V.E. ! - Source Site:http://www.myspace.com/kollektiva

The first in a series of netlabel only mixes. A blend of chilled tunes from ambient to minimal to acoustic with lots of stops inbetween. Seek out the label sites for more free goodness. Tracks: 1. WrexSoul – Orust Cottage [Earstroke EAR010], 2. Das Kraftfuttermischwerk – Shadows on Wooden Beaches [Thinner THN097], 3. Fieldtriqp – Old Haunts [Earstroke EAR026], 4. Koordinates of Wonder – Living Line B [Please Do Something PLS010], 5. Orange Dust – Witches Hat [Earstroke EAR025], 6. Brian Robinson - Signs Forever [Acroplane ACP007], 7. Allegretto con moto remix - Brasswork Agency [Auxprocess AXP008], 8. T-polar - Abelmelan [Electrotoxic ETX04], 9. Audiokonstrukte - Deciding in Space [1 bit wonder 1bit025], 10. Dan lo.fi – New Heights [Auxprocess AXP005], 11. Deluge – The Crush [Thinner THN100], 12. Brian Ellis – Flim [Earstroke EAR021], 13. Brian Robinson - Passing [Acroplane ACP007], 14. Barrys Electric Workshop – Dark Wheeze 2 [Acroplane ACP004]. 57:19 78.7Mb 192kbps MP3 Mix created under Creative Commons License 3.0 - Source Site:http://gingersteve.co.uk

The racket made by a fuzztone guitar has been described as the sound of two bees fighting inside of a tin can. 

Ask your friends to give you an example of this crazy menacing sound and they're likely to name Satisfaction by the Rolling Stones.  Or maybe they'll refer you to Jimi Hendrix, The Yardbirds, or even Davie Allan & The Arrows, who recorded tons of fuzzy guitar instrumentals for biker movie soundtracks.  Given the rock and roll reputation of the fuzztone sound, those are all pretty understandable responses. 

I'm here today, though, to share with you some fine examples of country music fuzz.  While that might sound counter-intuitive it actually makes perfect sense given the fact that the fuzztone sound was created by the legendary Nashville session picker Grady Martin.  Martin's immense talent was used to great effect on thousands of recordings, probably none of which were more influential than the rock and roll sides he cut with Johnny Burnette Trio in Nashville in 1956.  On songs like Honey Hush and Train Kept A Rollin' (MP3), record buyers heard Martin cut loose with astonishing levels of distortion that hinted at the fuzztone sound he accidentally created a few short years later.

It happened in the summer of 1960, when Grady was hired to work on a Marty Robbins recording session in Nashville.  While recording the tune Don't Worry, a malfunctioning channel on the mixing board caused Martin's six string bass to be recorded with an insane amount of distortion, a sound that would come to be called fuzztone.  Despite the jarring sound, the record was released as it was originally recorded, fuzztone and all, which turned out to be a successful gamble.  The record bolted to the #1 position on the Billboard country charts and #3 on the pop charts. With results like that, it's really no surprise that other country artists soon started experimenting with fuzztone sounds on their own records.

Glen Snoddy, the session engineer, saved the malfunctioning channel on the mixing board and brought it out upon request.  Grady used the effect on several other records including one of his own, The  Fuzz by Grady Martin & The Slew Foot Five.  Soon enough, Snoddy saw the commercial potential for a device that would produce the fuzztone effect on command and sold the idea to the Gibson Guitar Corporation, who marketed the Maestro Fuzz Tone in 1962, the first commercially available fuzz-type unit.

Oddly enough, the Maestro Fuzz Tone was originally pitched as a device that would allow a guitar to replicate the sounds of brass or woodwind instruments like the saxophone, tuba or violin.  For an example of using the fuzztone effect to ape the sound of a saxophone, check out Phil Baugh's One Man Band, below.  Despite Gibson's marketing strategy, thrill-hungry teens had other plans for the fuzztone sound and eventually it was a garage band staple.  Throughout the 1960's, the effect was used on a surprisingly large number of country records, most of which came from Nashville, although some trickled out of Bakersfield as well.  Because most people don't associate the fuzztone sound with country music, these are precisely the fuzz records that I find most intriguing.

No doubt I've overlooked many fine country fuzztone records in the rundown below but what the hell. It's a pretty good starter kit, I think.

MP3s:

• Marty Robbins - Don't Worry (1960) Columbia.  Here it is, the first recording that can be described as having fuzztone on it.
• Carl Butler - Wonder Drug (1962) Columbia.  This great fuzz-based tune comes from a guy far better known for his straight-ahead honky tonkers.  Image #1,  Image #2
• Claude Gray - Stone Heart (1962) Mercury
• Darrell McCall - Got My Baby On My Mind (1963) Philips.  McCall was the front man for Faron Young's band and also served time as one of Ray Price's Cherokee Cowboys.  Here he cuts loose with one of the fuzziest country records ever.  The tune was written by Harlan Howard.  Image
• Glen Garrison - City Of Sin (1964) Kapp
• Ferlin Husky - I'll Sail My Ship Alone (1966) Capitol
• Willis Brothers - Ruby Ann (1966) Starday.   The Willis Brothers dip their boots into the fuzztone pool with this track, originally recorded by Marty Robbins appropriately enough.
• Willis Brothers - Soft Shoulders, Dangerous Curves (1966) Starday.  The first few seconds of this record sound exactly like a scorching garage punk combo at work.  Then the Willis Brothers start singing and it gets even better.   Image
• Wanda Jackson - This Gun Don't Care Who It Shoots (1966) Capitol  Image 
• Jimmie Rodgers - Rhumba Boogie (1966) Dot.  Great fuzzed up version of Hank Snow's 1951 smash by the guy who hit it big with Honeycomb in 1957.  Image
• Skeeter Davis - If I Had Wheels (1966) RCA.  There's no other way to put it...this is a very annoying song.  It sounds like something Roger Miller passed on during the abrasive novelty stage of his career.
• Kay Adams - Little Pink Mack (1966) Tower.  This LP was reissued a few years ago on the Sundazed label and is well worth snagging if you're fan of the Bakersfield sound.  Image
• Kay Adams - Big Mac (1966) Tower
• Phil Baugh - One Man Band (1966) Longhorn.  Cool song in which Baugh makes his guitar sound like the banjo, steel guitar, stand-up bass and sax.  The regrettably brief fuzztone comes when he imitates the sax.
• Charlie Louvin - Cash On The Barrelhead (1967) Capitol.  This one comes from an LP Charlie released 2 years after his brother Ira's death.  It's comprised solely of songs they recorded during their long career as a brother act.  Image
• Jean Shepard - My Mama Didn't Raise No Fools (1967) Capitol.
• Johnny Darrell - Mental Revenge (1967) United Artists.  Nice version of a song written by Mel Tillis, who actually hit the charts with his own version in 1976.  From Darrell's second LP, which also features a fine version of Porter Wagoner's Cold Hard Facts Of Life.  Image
• Chesley Carroll - Hippie From Mississippi (1968) Minaret.  Very little fuzz in this one until the end when the abused hippie packs his bags and heads for San Francisco.  Good clean hippie-bashing fun.
• Waylon Jennings - Six Strings Away (1968) RCA
• Wayne, Pat & Keith - I'm Tired Of You Satan (196?) Country Happy-Tones.  It's records like this that make me proud to call Atlanta home. Stay with it until the end to enjoy the sound of the reverb tank getting a good swift kick.  Image
• David Lamar - Service Station Man (196?) Marlin.  Yep, a tune about the challenges of working at a service station.
• Hank Locklin - Hot Pepper Doll (1968) RCA.  This goofball number features Hank bragging about his bride to be and her culinary talents.  Food/sex metaphors fly as he describes her hot cooking.
• Buck Owens - Who's Gonna Mow Your Grass? (1969) Capitol.  Many of Buck's fans were hardcore traditionalists, but he wasn't necessarily averse to throwing them a curve ball every once in a while.
• The Buckaroos - Anywhere USA (1969) Capitol.  Another one out of Bakersfield.  Lead vocals here are handled by Don Rich, Buck Owens' lead guitar player and right hand man.
• Webb Pierce - The Good Lord Giveth And Uncle Sam Taketh Away (1975) Plantation.  Right off-hand, I can't think of any other country fuzz tax protest numbers cut by Country Music Hall of Fame members.
• Merle Haggard - The Runnin' Kind (1977) Capitol.  Merle's guitarist Roy Nichols is heard here playing fuzzy notes through the tiny Radio Shack amplifier he used for practice in the band's tour bus.
• Charlie Walker - T For Texas (1978) Plantation.  This is a pretty cool update of an old favorite, but the synthesizer keyboards are a little out of place.
• Grady Martin - The Fuzz (1961) Decca.  This audio tour concludes with a 1961 single by the creator of the fuzztone guitar sound.  This one's not really country, but it's a cool follow up to Don't Worry from the man who got the ball rolling.

Since I'm somewhat of a musical ignoramus, I'd like to thank guitar players Deke Dickerson and Chad Proctor for lending me their expertise as I wrote this article.

In 1989 Brian Wilson began recording "Sweet Insanity", an album that was due for release in 1991 but was rejected by Sire. The album was made during one of Wilson's supposedly troubled periods when he was under the influence of psychologist Eugene Landy (who was listed as a co-producer) and included guest performances by both Bob Dylan and Weird Al Yankovic. The album has long been available as a bootleg and four of the songs were subsequently released on later albums.

"Smart Girls" was produced by Matt Dike, the co-founder of Delicious Vinyl who was also part of the production team behind hits by Tone Loc and Young MC. By varying accounts Dike was at one time a member of the Dust Brothers and responsible for a some of the production on The Beastie Boy's "Paul's Boutique" which was recorded in 1989 (roughly the same time as Wilson's album). You can actually hear some vague links as "Smart Girls" employs a similar cut-and-paste sample aesthetic (to far worse effect) as bits of past Beach Boy hits are chopped up and sprinkled throughout the song. "Smart Girls" was supposedly released as a promo to radio stations and Wilson played the song on the air during an interview on Dr. Demento's show in 1992. The LA Weekly dug up this "Brains and Genius" J-Card at a used record shop which may be the radio promo or something else entirely.

Brian Wilson - Smart Girls

Previously posted: The Murry Wilson Tapes
Audio originally found in the depths of RSHB

It has recently come to my attention that the Audio Kitchen, the late, great  found sound program hosted by the Professor on WFMU, has found a new home. You can find it over at theaudiokitchen.net along with the radio kitchen, a sister blog about shortwave radio.

During his four years at the station, the Professor sifted through countless hours of cassettes and tape reels found at garage sales, discarded demos, answering machine  messages and a wide assortment of random sonic detritus submitted to him by many, many people to weave a collection of extremely personal and engaging audio resplendent with many wtf moments.

The professor dubbed his curated stream of audio diaries, taped phone conversations and recordings of people at parties as "amateur radio". When I go to the Audio Kitchen archive page, pick any random show and then select a clip I am often struck by the feeling that if I ever heard any of the dialog recorded here in a film or written in a book I would have a hard time believing it was true. You couldn't make lots of this stuff up.

I became involved with the station in 1999 around the time the Professor started his show and a few memories stick out. I remember when Napster hit and the professor discovered that by searching for some variation of "mic in line" that you could find recordings of people singing into their computers. I also remember that during September 11, he had the presence of mind to turn on several of his radios to AM stations and record what the lay men were saying on all of the local call-in talk radio shows. While I've never heard these recordings I would imagine that they are quite likely to be a compelling anthropological relic of the time and far more interesting to listen to than say, what CNN or NPR were broadcasting at the time.

Here are a few additional links for you to peruse:

- The Professor's "Sing Along with the Music" Marathon Premium as posted to the blog by Ken
- The Professor's posts to this blog on DX scanning.
- Audio Kitchen archive

Here are two powerviolence videos of equal quality from bands of unequal quality.

The first clip's from Siege, performing on public access TV in 1984.  I'll go ahead and call them the first and best powerviolence band (anybody know of a band that played faster earlier?).  The song is starvation, from their demo tape.  Their energy is pretty incredible, but it just doesn't feel right to see them flipping out in a big, empty room in front of reasonably high quality equipment.  Wrong outlet I guess.

On the other hand, damned if I don't prefer this disgustingly low-fi footage of Man Is The Bastard, performing at So-Cal's legendary Gilman Street at 1993's legendary Fiesta Grande festival (selections from which you can find on record on the legendary Fiesta Comes Alive! compilation, released by Chris Dodge's legendary Slap-A-Ham records).  Man Is The Bastard doesn't add anything musically to Siege and their stage performance isn't as impressive...strange they should find more success than Siege.  A few more of these trashcan quality clips can be found on Gloom666's youtube channel, which also features tons of classic and current hardcore.

A little more evidence for my case that hardcore second wavers can't rely on music alone, Man Is The Bastard is most notable for their radical leftist politics.  When George Bush wasn't sodomizing Saddam Hussein on their album covers, they were were releasing a split with Mumia Abu-Jamal.  Supposedly a documentary is in the works, but I think they got too high to remember to finish it.

In conclusion, I'd like to remark that society is fucking disgusting and that I hate marketing.