We're Late For Class: #51 Dark Side Of The Shrooms

#51 Dark Side Of The Shrooms

Journal, dated 6/13: The Kings of Monotony. Diminishing Returns. Drug specific sessions are interesting. A few strangers on this one. Why is everyone chuckling so much? Justification. Notice time. Here's what we did with ours. This sounds like a soundtrack to an East Berlin spaghetti western. Guess we've lost our charm. #50 only had one comment... and it was an ad. First one here will probably be a complaint. Time to go commercial? Start sucking up and playing the game? How about a faux gatefold cover, instead? Download for free or just give a listen. Recorded live.

Listen

The Air In Another Country (Soundtrack To An East Berlin Spaghetti Western) (11:00)
Swimming With Sharks (5:12)
Him Tome (4:32)

Free 320
LOSSLESS
Big thanks to Capo (aka OmletteDaggle) for the cool vid & kind words.

27 comments:

NØ4:07 PM
I think that many people are still seething about the "Not to bore you with any details, but we got side-tracked by a project we started at the beginning of the year that kind of got out of hand. It turned into something we didn't expect and took more time than we imagined. It's now posted (elsewhere), but we're not telling what, or where, it is." remark you made on The Latest post. We thought we were friends.
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JW6:05 PM
Only one comment? That sucks - but I know how it goes with blog posts. I'm sure I've written something brilliant and I only get spam *sigh* It's the nature of the beast. But I love all your stuff - I have it all downloaded and think you guys are terrific. Don't ruin it by going commercial....
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We're Late For Class6:11 PM
@NØ...
Would it help if we said we made it all up? Or, that this project IS that other project? We'll say it if it will mend fences.

@JW
Thanks for listening. This is about as commercial as we get.
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Anonymous11:13 PM
A few observations:

1) Lost your touch? Not hardly.

2) Only one comment for THEM!. Yeah, that was released around the time Blogger/Google's comments sections were throwing error msgs. at everyone. Had to send mine directly to you via e-mail (thx for replying back).

3) About 'The Latest'... The easiest way to find something you're looking for is to STOP LOOKING! You'll come across it when you least expect it.

The best thing about you guys is that I don't know what to expect with each release, that's what makes it so great. But if you feel the need to go commercial, why not try a mash-up of Eagles material, it seems you get the most responses when you work with someone else's stuff, and it'll prove just how good the drugs were that day!

P.S. Love the gatefold too. Pink Floyd meets Yes???
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We're Late For Class11:55 PM
Hey... a multi-layered observation! And positive, too. Thanks!

To be honest, we're not bitching about comments. We already know how all that works and, besides, we've had more than our fair share anyway. Yeah, we added the 'complaint' line, so what?
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viNomadic12:12 AM
I gotta second that Eagles mash-up suggestion. Only thing I might be able to get stoned by again without going Messiah-Apocalyptic. See, I'm a very unhappy 56-year-old camper...
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wackystuff1:08 AM
The Whole Thing Started With Rock And Roll Now It's Out of Control. Shine On!
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NØ11:24 PM
See how well that worked!
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Anonymous1:48 PM
I enjoy all your stuff, some reposts for those of us who may have missed a few releases would be great!
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We're Late For Class1:55 PM
Thanks for commenting. All our stuff is still available. Just click the titles to the right, or scroll through all the posts. We re-upped everything not too long ago, but if anything is down, just let us know.
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Radio Free Wohlman1:33 PM
Might I suggest a song by song cover set of Foreigner 4(?).

WLFC needs a mangager - please contact me for my fee schedule.

Another classic - thanks to you all - we love you at Radio Free Wohlman!

Dave RFW
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We're Late For Class8:28 AM
Thanks a million Dave.
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mb404:43 AM
man u know we love all u guys put out. on the road to #100 !!!!

c ya, Yvan
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Anonymous8:56 AM
Hi, ain't been here since #47 but I can tell ya that #51's 'The Air In Another Country' is what The Orb featuring Dave Gilmour album wishes it was. Fantastic! Cheers! Ian of Cornwall
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We're Late For Class9:44 AM
Great. Thanks for listening.
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Radio Free Wohlman12:39 PM
"Swiming With Sharks" is featured on T8111 of RFW - Floyd The Barber would be so proud!
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We're Late For Class12:51 PM
Thanks RFW. Can't believe someone made it that deep into the Shrooms. You've beat us to the punch on our Floyd The Barber opera, about a deaf, dumb and blind barber and the mischief (and murder) that ensues. "Ooo, Ooo... Annndyy."
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Anonymous9:09 AM
Thanks for the music
Just found your blog from NGOOTB blog.
Weve got the first sun of the year here so just sitting out with a jug of Cuba Libre and a little somethin :-) chillin.
Perfect soundtrack
Thanks again will check out the rest of the blog later in the week
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We're Late For Class9:43 AM
Glad you made it. We're great if you can't get out of the chair and can only press a play button. Bottoms up.
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Anonymous6:05 PM
Hola Earthlings, I have stolen and mashed another short film and adhered it to another of your splendid creations, this time my victim was "Him Tome", a much loved and greatly appreciated piece. I merged it with another track by a French musician simply called M because I felt the two tracks gelled very well indeed. As always let me know if it's not to your liking and I will obliterate it immediately.Here is the path http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiBQpszqU_E.
Kind Regards, Over & out, Omlette.
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We're Late For Class12:41 PM
Fantastico Omlette. Thanks a plenty and the M track rules. We've already spread it around the site. You're the best!
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Capo1:07 PM
Ahhh!! Him Tome, so chilled. Your music has become like an old friend. Once again here it is,in all it's glory coupled with some strange imagery. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgs7v4MjZOg
I promise I'm not a robot.
Slaps & Hugs
Capo (aka Omlettedaggle)
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We're Late For Class10:36 AM
You're the best Capo/Omlette. Thanks again for thinking of us and re-posting all our stuff at YouTube. The check's in the mail.
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Stu2:30 PM
WOW O WOW !....many thanks for this it is very much appreciated.....stay safe and healthy my friends...Stu
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We're Late For Class2:34 PM
Thanks for listening, Stu.
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Gill10:55 AM
I'd like to post the foretold complaint! Why the fusk didn't you make yourselves known to me before? Was I not worthy? "Enquiring" minds want to know. (Be Well) ;-)
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We're Late For Class12:27 PM
Glad you found us. But, we're kinda like a deity in that respect... we can't force ourselves on you, you have to see the light on your own. Cheers.
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PRESS THANKS...

Thanks to the late, great Fred Dellar at MOJO Magazine for mentioning Art Jackson's Atrocity AND We're Late For Class in two separate "Ask Fred" columns, where he called the Atrocity's Gout a "fine, percussion-fuelled, invigorating free-for-all," and also saying, "we at Ask Fred are glad WLFC exist." Thanks Fred!

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Many thanks to Jeff Fitzgerald over at Psychedelic Waves for including Art Jackson's Atrocity in his list of Top 30 Albums of 2019, calling Tribute To Sun Ra... "Some great, exploratory, tripped out Sun Ra inspired free jazz," and "a terrific album." Needless to say, we're shocked. Since we never sent the guy a dime. Thanks Jeff.

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Thanks to Roz Milner for the two interview/articles posted at Bearded Gentlemen Music, "Solving the Mystery of Art Jackson Atrocity’s Gout," and the most recent, "With His Back To The Crowd: Art Jackson’s Atrocity’s Live In Europe - Lost Live Jazz Recording."

We collectively appreciate the creative interest and the well-groomed ink.

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Thanks to It's Psychedelic Baby Magazine for the article, "Maybe It’s Time To Take Art Jackson’s Atrocity Seriously." Maybe.

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AN ACTUAL RECORD REVIEW...

ART JACKSON'S ATROCITY

Gout

(Unreleased 1974 Promo On Columbia Records)

Reviewed by Joe Kenney @

Julian Cope Presents Head Heritage

If, like me, your favorite era of Miles Davis is his electric era, specifically the 1973-1975 years in which Pete Cosey was his guitarist, then you’ve probably wondered why that super-fantastic lineup of his never cut an album together, after Miles decided to retire in late 1975. I mean, they were the greatest group in history, with Pete Cosey’s phenomenal, psychedelic guitar (the man was beyond Hendrix, that’s all there is to it), Reggie Lucas’ wah-wah’d grounding rhythm guitar, Michael Henderson’s dub-like basslines…hell, I can’t go through all of them, but if you know them, you love them. But if you’ve ever wondered what an album by this super group sans Miles would sound like, well my friends, I give you Gout, by Art Jackson’s Atrocity.

Only thing is, you’ll have to hunt the blogs for it. Recorded in 1974, the album was cut as a promo by Columbia, who then went on to drop both the group and the album, which is unreleased to this day. “The horror…the horror…” No one’s sure why (info is slim to none on this group and album), but most rumors have to do with Art Jackson’s drug abuse. In any case, the album has perfect sound quality – the only source is the promo LP, of course, and it sounds phenomenal.

The Miles connection surfaces again: Art Jackson was a twenty year-old guitarist whom Miles Davis himself recommended to Columbia records. Apparently Davis even funded the recording of the album. The Atrocity was put together around Jackson, an 11-member collective of hard-rockin’, psychedelia-lovin’, jazz-playin’ motherfuckers (two saxophonists, four drummers, two keyboardists, a guy on reeds, a guy on bass, a guy on “effects”), none of whom I’ve ever heard of (much like Art Jackson himself).

The five long tracks on Gout center around Jackson’s guitar, and the kid is Pete Cosey reborn; the stuff on here sounds almost identical to what Cosey was performing on the Agharta and Pangaea albums. That same sort of fucked-up, psychedelic distortion which goes from raging and chaotic one moment to spaced-out drones the next, the strange tunings, the works. Only thing is, unlike Cosey, Jackson’s not above playing a power chord or three, so the album packs a definite metal-rock punch. I mean, it’s fantastic, the whole thing.

The superbly-named “Shaft In Afghanistan” opens the album. Jackson’s guitar is on super-fucked mode, sounding like a cyclic tone. The rhythm section lays down a menacing, throbbing track, which Jackson and the sax & reeds proceed to riff over. Jackson soon leaves the actual “song” to the others, instead riffing and roaring with all manner of guitar sounds across the track. He’s everywhere, from wah-wah to thick distortion to cosmic fuzz. Things cool down three minutes in, but it’s only a fake-out; the track comes right back in. Jackson funks it up on wah-wah, with studio-tricked handclaps providing additional percussion. There's all sorts of electronic gimmickry on the album; this isn’t just some quickly recorded demo. This eventually calms down again into a sort of funky ambience – but it’s just another fake-out! The track rips right back up, the drums so superbly recorded (and no doubt closely-miked) that they seem to pound within the caverns of your skull.

“Arabian Fabian” (another great title!) comes in with total menace, until a faux-lite jazz tune pops up. Funky, proto-drum’n’bass drum kit and sax. But this soon becomes something altogether un-lite. Echoed murk creeps across the track, eerie wails, treated reeds, and dubbed-out sax bleats. Those close-up drums kick in and we’re in an altogether heavier, funkier groove. The first half of the track belongs to the Atrocity, with Jackson throwing in brief fills and licks on his mutated guitar. Things collapse into psychedelic ambience at the five-minute mark; free jazz with plinking guitar and tapped cymbal. But ominous guitar fuzz hovers in the distance, a starving wolf preparing to attack. John Carpenter keyboards arise and give the track even more of a horror-movie feel. But it’s a ruse; the piano takes over, playing a melancholy melody as the other instruments recede into the murk. This doesn’t last. Those ultra-loud drums kick the shit out of you again, jumping out of nowhere, and suddenly we’re into the strangest of strange: ambient free jazz with heavy metal drums. The track eventually wears itself out, descending back into the murk from whence it came.

“Available Bush” sounds like some early ‘90s industrial mash, with in-your-face drums and ripping and roaring Ministry-esque guitar. The track throbs on an off-kilter funk grove, Jackson heading the proceedings with the twists and turns of his guitar. The sax plays a faux-Middle Eastern counter-melody to his blasts and blares. The bassist throws in a few snake-like fills of his own, but his instrument sounds anemic compared to Jackson’s acidic distortion. This one humps along for seven minutes which quickly pass by, never establishing anything beyond that off-kilter groove, but never suffering for it.

“Tomato Reign” is the epic of the album, 16+ minutes of cosmic echo and free jazz. It crawls out of the murk in the opening moments, ethereal and disjointed fills from the assembled players. Things continue in this dubbed-out vein for a few minutes; nothing on the level of the Taj Mahal Travelers, but close…along the lines of the last half of Miles’ 1975 shows, when Cosey et al would let it all hang out in improvisatory bouts of experimental noise and abstraction. Pounding, tribal drums which pop out and then disappear. Bleated sax fills which float across the sound spectrum. Even animalistic grunts, growls, and screams from the group. This culminates in ultra-fucked guitar from Jackson, sounding again like some cyclic tone from hell, and then someone (a group member? a sample from some obscure film?) states in the calmest tones, “Fuck her. Let her rot.” A few more minutes of banging, echoed drums and bleating, mournful fills from the sax, and that’s it: the freest noise-skronk ever comes to a close.

“Let’s go!,” someone yells, and we’re straight into the pounding, pissed-off proto-metal of the title track, “Gout.” This is the rock version of the preceding track, another rhythmless excursion into all things free, only packing a wallop in the guitar distortion and overall menace. It pounds and snarls for six minutes, never finding a groove, preferring to live in its own sonic hellhole of chaotic din. Finally it builds to a climax of sorts, with a few final bashes on the drum kit, and the record’s over.

To be fair, you can see why Columbia refused to release this. Gout is the type of album you’d only find on some free jazz label or, if it was recorded today, some ultra-hip indie label. But Columbia in the mid-1970s? Releasing this groundless swell of jazz-metal ambience? Hard to believe. But those master tapes are out there, somewhere, as is the full story of what exactly happened to Art Jackson and his Atrocity. In the meantime, we can only listen to their one recorded album, and wonder.