THE CIRCUS MIND OF ROCKFOUR
I was listening again recently to Rockfour's 2003 'For Fans Only!' CD, originally brought to my attention by Ray from Kool Kat not long after its release. It's a rough and ready collection of live performances, studio tracks and demos 1997 to 2001, compiled by Eli Hayon of Third Ear who released the disc. I've not known a collection blast out of the speakers from the get-go quite like this one. Witness the first few tracks, absolutely blistering live performances of 'Prelude' (Millennium) – 'How Does It Feel To Feel' (Creation) – 'Eight Miles High' (Byrds) – Pop Song 89 (R.E.M.) - 'Tomorrow Never Knows' & 'Strawberry Fields' (Beatles) – 'Astronomie Domine' (Pink Floyd) – 'Pinball Wizard'>'See Me Feel Me' (Who) – 'Immigrant Song' (Led Zeppelin), a sequence amazing to listen to, it really takes your breath away, phew! Until this collection I'd never heard what the band sounded like live, never mind know of them to 'cover' other bands too. It was quite a surprise. I was on familiar ground once I'd got to the studio tracks of their own compositions, but then again, I'd not heard many of them in this way either. 'For Fans Only' is an excellent collection throughout, finally coming to a close with yet another live track - their version of 'Rain' by The Beates. All of this brings back to me memories of hearing the band for the first time in the late 90s, but not as Rockfour. This caused a bit of confusion for me a little later.
I was working for a music importer in London, and some time in about 1998, Eli from Third Ear popped in on a buying and promotional trip. Before leaving he gave me a 7 track CDR by a band called The Circus Mind. I've always had a weakness for that Beatles/Dukes Of Stratosphear psych-pop sound and Circus Mind had it mastered. I looked forward to perhaps hearing a finished release on Third Ear, but alas nothing, until a short time later when Heyday was up and running and stocking a release by the band Rockfour called 'Supermarket'. This would be in 2000. 'Supermarket' had a couple of songs that had me wondering where I'd heard them before, namely 'Forest Woods' and 'Oranges'. For quite a while afterwards I was getting quite annoyed with myself until eventually I got around to listening once again to my Circus Mind disc. Ah! Sometimes you can hear too much music for your own good can't you? It becomes very easy to forget the odd band name, song title, album title...you know that they're in your collection somewhere...but, WHERE? Honestly, the relief when you finally remember, PHEW! After Rockfour were picked up by the excellent Rainbow Quartz label and the 2001 collection 'Another Beginning' released, it almost happened to me again with some tracks, but this time I was prepared, remembering my note to self : Rockfour = Circus Mind! The band obviously had a change in name along the way, but I never have found any reference to Rockfour being originally called The Circus Mind.
I have lost touch with all things Rockfour since the early 00s (sorry!), but there appears to be a couple of tracks on the Circus Mind CDR I've not found on any subsequent Rockfour releases – and I'm willing to be corrected - namely 'Time Machine (Un) Ltd' and 'Blinding Lights', two more superb slices of 60s influenced psych-pop. I treasure this CDR, grateful it's still holding up after all these years. Isn't it annoying when CDRs deteriorate? I've lost some great music because of this that I may never hear again, but as the great poet John Cooper Clarke says 'you can't have everything, where would you put it?'
SIDETRACKED BY SOUNDTRACKS
A few years ago my son introduced me to 'The Hired Hand', the Peter Fonda film from 1971. Not only was I impressed with some of the slightly surreal visual images, but I was very moved by the music performed by guitarist Bruce Langhorne, a feature of the early 60s New York folk scene. Rumoured to be the inspiration for Dylan's 'Mr. Tambourine Man', Langhorne appeared on some other tracks on the 'Bringing It All Back Home' album too. I had to have a copy of the soundtrack, my son again helping me out there!
I've returned to it again recently now Autumn colours are fading and the nights are drawing in. The music is reflective listening. Gentle slide and acoustic guitar, banjo and violin sounds just drift across the room. This is some of the most beautiful American roots music I've heard, but it's over all too soon, so it's either press repeat...
...or maybe follow it with Ry Cooder's mid 80s 'Paris Texas' soundtrack, music not too far removed from the sparseness of 'The Hired Hand'. What a partnership Ry Cooder, David Lindley and Jim Dickinson made. The music again gently draws the listener in and you're just waiting on that next musical moment. It's almost about listening to what's between the notes as well as to the notes themselves. The album closes with Cooder's haunting solo slide guitar performance of Blind Willie Johnson's 'Dark Was The Night'. How do you follow that? Exquisite.
Time perhaps for something to keep the rootsy feel, but ease my reverie back to the 'day to day'. How about Ron Wood & Ronnie Lane's soundtrack to the film 'Mahoney's Last Stand' released in 1976? I've never seen this film, not many people have apparently, but being a Stones and Small Faces/Faces fan, once I knew it was out there I wanted to hear this music. Check out the cast – Pete Townshend, Ian Stewart, Bobby Keys, Jim Price, Billy Nicholls, Kenney Jones, Bruce Rowlands, Rick Grech, Micky Waller and production by Glyn Johns. It was recorded at Olympic Studios in Barnes. It features some of Woody's best slide playing, and the heartfelt vocals of Ronnie Lane. Makes you wonder how it remained largely hard to find for many years, but thank you Real Gone for the 2017 CD reissue. A nice rural sounding set of tunes to kick back on the porch to, or rock along with! At times, perhaps a stark contrast to 'The Hired Hand' and 'Paris, Texas', but I think it brings this particular reflective listening session to a close nicely. OK Winter, I'm ready for you!
MURMURS OF IRMA
In the 1980s, Blenheim Crescent just off the Potobello Road in London, was the home of Plastic Passion, a record shop run by Bill Allerton and Bill Forsyth. It was the place to visit for all my R.E.M. and Church rarities, plus those 'Paisley Underground' related releases featured in Bucket Full Of Brains and Ptolemaic Terrascope magazines, the latest issues of which you could also pick up there. It was open just two days a week, Friday and Saturday, and would be crammed with buyers not just from London, but other parts of the UK, overseas visitors too. There I'd be, flicking through the racks, eavesdropping on many conversations about music way above my meagre understanding, but I was always willing to learn! By the 90s the shop had split into two – Bill Allerton headed Stand Out on the right hand side as you entered, and Bill Forsyth led Minus Zero situated on the left hand side. Now there were two 'shops' for my needs, and I'd visit as often as I could, which was maybe not as often as I should, but I (literally) couldn't afford to. Too much temptation, too little cash! Both men offered sound advice (again literally) regarding many bands and artists. I remember Bill Allerton suggested to me, in his inimitable way, that I should listen to the then recent reissues of Merrell Fankhauser & H.M.S. Bounty 'Things' and 'Would You Believe' by Billy Nicholls. Duly noted and thank you Bill, rest in peace sir. Bill Forsyth brought to my attention the early U.S. power pop album by Flying Color (before any reissue) plus Cotton Mather, Chris Von Sneidern, The Grays, Scott Miller's post-Game Theory band The Loud Family, Greenberry Woods and many more. I'd now like to offer my thanks to you as well Bill.
It was during one visit in 1999, while browsing the Minus Zero racks, Bill Forsyth put in front of me a vinyl EP, mentioning that it was probably something I'd be interested in, a new UK band, psychy-pop sounding – 'oh, ok Bill, put it with my stash there...' - simple as that, sold! The EP was 'Super Vacillation Day' by Murmurs Of Irma. I enjoyed what I heard on the Super Vacillation Day EP, there were some interesting and varied ideas on it. A short time later I came across the band's debut EP, from 1997 'Coloured Ice' at a record fair. This featured their version of Tintern Abbey's 'Vacuum Cleaner'. Both releases showed a band with an obvious leaning to UK pop psych, catchy arrangements and a unique vocalist with 'imaginative' lyrics - a hark back to childhood, not unlike Syd and early Floyd. Further information on the band was scarce, but they'd already made an impression on me.
I was just starting out with Heyday at this time and one customer, Tony Laming, would keep in touch via email. That was a perk of Heyday, a lot of customers became friends. Happy times spent chatting music either on the phone or by email. It was during one email conversation with Tony that he mentioned he was in a band, based in Portsmouth, who were working on an album. Maybe I'd be interested in Heyday carrying it? Sure, no problem. The band, he said, were Murmurs Of Irma and they'd already released a couple of things. Oh really? Heyday was then carrying the two EPs and eagerly awaiting further updates on the album.
The band would occasionally pop up to London for a gig and the first time I saw them was at the Hope & Anchor pub in Islington. That was a strange evening. I swear I'm not imagining this, but the band members were wearing what looked like rubber shirts covered with conical protrusions! It was like a band of aliens had invaded the London gig scene. The range of musical styles and lyrical ideas were overwhelming in just a short live set. They were like an English version of Gorky's Zygotic Mynci. I saw them again at The Half Moon in Putney a short while later, and even got to record them on minidisc that night in order to believe what I was hearing. No rubber shirts that time, but plenty more onstage zaniness!
Sometime during the summer of 2002, Tony drove up to where I lived in London and dropped off a box of 'Cloudwatch HQ' on CD – the album had finally arrived! I don't need to go into what it sounded like, I think you can work it out by now. The tracks are probably still available to stream/download as I write. I'll mention some of the titles though – 'Jellyfish Brain', 'Millipede Lover', 'Lava Lamp', Peachy Shoestring', 'English Tea Ceremony', 'Marjorie's Nose' and the rather wonderful 'Balancing Stars'. British eccentricity from a band still quite young and just right for the customers of Heyday! Tony was also generous in sending to me CDRs of demos and rehearsals, some inscribed with – 'All short trouser stuff here! Cheers, Tony' or 'Golden Oldies'. The scope of the songs, both musically and lyrically was wide – 'Professor Bleakley's Solar Re-activator', 'David Niven's House', 'Breakers', 'Love Dance Of The Saroos' and 'Elastic Sided Spaceship'. Endless entertainment, but it couldn't have been easy keeping a band as creative as this together. Despite a recently released album, things were beginning to come apart and shortly afterwards they did. A year later, Tony contacted me to let me know he was compiling a posthumous release entitled 'What The F**k Happened To The Murmurs Of Irma'. A CDR was sent to me with artwork, but nothing went any further as to finalising the release. It's another curious collection – 'Odd Billy', live favourite 'Captain Black' and 'Peaches & Pears' among other tracks - that's if a physical copy can be found. No doubt some will be out there somewhere...
I'm not sure what 'happened' to the other band members after Murmurs, but Tony kept in touch and was always busy with various musical projects. I appreciated being kept informed. In 2014 he sent me a CDR of a new psych band he was playing in called Shinkiro. The 'Ceremonial Ride' collection released in 2015 has some interesting psych moments, and is worth hearing. Last year he was sending me links to hear a project he'd formed with old friends under the name of Pantomime Horses. They've since released an album titled 'Forever Polyester' - well worth checking out as well if you like intelligent and concise XTC style pop.
Good to be able to have this chance to reminisce about Murmurs Of Irma. They were an interesting band and along with Mellow Drunk and dora flood, one I was happy to get behind in the early days of Heyday - hopefully carrying on that spirit of messrs Bill Allerton and Bill Forsyth, a big influence on the way I ran it.
postscript...Tony Laming from the band got in touch after reading Nick's piece and kindly sent me this photo of Murmurs Of Irma - from a gig in 2002 where they supported The Monkees! (spot Davy Jones)
...or maybe follow it with Ry Cooder's mid 80s 'Paris Texas' soundtrack, music not too far removed from the sparseness of 'The Hired Hand'. What a partnership Ry Cooder, David Lindley and Jim Dickinson made. The music again gently draws the listener in and you're just waiting on that next musical moment. It's almost about listening to what's between the notes as well as to the notes themselves. The album closes with Cooder's haunting solo slide guitar performance of Blind Willie Johnson's 'Dark Was The Night'. How do you follow that? Exquisite.
Time perhaps for something to keep the rootsy feel, but ease my reverie back to the 'day to day'. How about Ron Wood & Ronnie Lane's soundtrack to the film 'Mahoney's Last Stand' released in 1976? I've never seen this film, not many people have apparently, but being a Stones and Small Faces/Faces fan, once I knew it was out there I wanted to hear this music. Check out the cast – Pete Townshend, Ian Stewart, Bobby Keys, Jim Price, Billy Nicholls, Kenney Jones, Bruce Rowlands, Rick Grech, Micky Waller and production by Glyn Johns. It was recorded at Olympic Studios in Barnes. It features some of Woody's best slide playing, and the heartfelt vocals of Ronnie Lane. Makes you wonder how it remained largely hard to find for many years, but thank you Real Gone for the 2017 CD reissue. A nice rural sounding set of tunes to kick back on the porch to, or rock along with! At times, perhaps a stark contrast to 'The Hired Hand' and 'Paris, Texas', but I think it brings this particular reflective listening session to a close nicely. OK Winter, I'm ready for you!
It was during one visit in 1999, while browsing the Minus Zero racks, Bill Forsyth put in front of me a vinyl EP, mentioning that it was probably something I'd be interested in, a new UK band, psychy-pop sounding – 'oh, ok Bill, put it with my stash there...' - simple as that, sold! The EP was 'Super Vacillation Day' by Murmurs Of Irma. I enjoyed what I heard on the Super Vacillation Day EP, there were some interesting and varied ideas on it. A short time later I came across the band's debut EP, from 1997 'Coloured Ice' at a record fair. This featured their version of Tintern Abbey's 'Vacuum Cleaner'. Both releases showed a band with an obvious leaning to UK pop psych, catchy arrangements and a unique vocalist with 'imaginative' lyrics - a hark back to childhood, not unlike Syd and early Floyd. Further information on the band was scarce, but they'd already made an impression on me.
I was just starting out with Heyday at this time and one customer, Tony Laming, would keep in touch via email. That was a perk of Heyday, a lot of customers became friends. Happy times spent chatting music either on the phone or by email. It was during one email conversation with Tony that he mentioned he was in a band, based in Portsmouth, who were working on an album. Maybe I'd be interested in Heyday carrying it? Sure, no problem. The band, he said, were Murmurs Of Irma and they'd already released a couple of things. Oh really? Heyday was then carrying the two EPs and eagerly awaiting further updates on the album.
The band would occasionally pop up to London for a gig and the first time I saw them was at the Hope & Anchor pub in Islington. That was a strange evening. I swear I'm not imagining this, but the band members were wearing what looked like rubber shirts covered with conical protrusions! It was like a band of aliens had invaded the London gig scene. The range of musical styles and lyrical ideas were overwhelming in just a short live set. They were like an English version of Gorky's Zygotic Mynci. I saw them again at The Half Moon in Putney a short while later, and even got to record them on minidisc that night in order to believe what I was hearing. No rubber shirts that time, but plenty more onstage zaniness!
Sometime during the summer of 2002, Tony drove up to where I lived in London and dropped off a box of 'Cloudwatch HQ' on CD – the album had finally arrived! I don't need to go into what it sounded like, I think you can work it out by now. The tracks are probably still available to stream/download as I write. I'll mention some of the titles though – 'Jellyfish Brain', 'Millipede Lover', 'Lava Lamp', Peachy Shoestring', 'English Tea Ceremony', 'Marjorie's Nose' and the rather wonderful 'Balancing Stars'. British eccentricity from a band still quite young and just right for the customers of Heyday! Tony was also generous in sending to me CDRs of demos and rehearsals, some inscribed with – 'All short trouser stuff here! Cheers, Tony' or 'Golden Oldies'. The scope of the songs, both musically and lyrically was wide – 'Professor Bleakley's Solar Re-activator', 'David Niven's House', 'Breakers', 'Love Dance Of The Saroos' and 'Elastic Sided Spaceship'. Endless entertainment, but it couldn't have been easy keeping a band as creative as this together. Despite a recently released album, things were beginning to come apart and shortly afterwards they did. A year later, Tony contacted me to let me know he was compiling a posthumous release entitled 'What The F**k Happened To The Murmurs Of Irma'. A CDR was sent to me with artwork, but nothing went any further as to finalising the release. It's another curious collection – 'Odd Billy', live favourite 'Captain Black' and 'Peaches & Pears' among other tracks - that's if a physical copy can be found. No doubt some will be out there somewhere...
I'm not sure what 'happened' to the other band members after Murmurs, but Tony kept in touch and was always busy with various musical projects. I appreciated being kept informed. In 2014 he sent me a CDR of a new psych band he was playing in called Shinkiro. The 'Ceremonial Ride' collection released in 2015 has some interesting psych moments, and is worth hearing. Last year he was sending me links to hear a project he'd formed with old friends under the name of Pantomime Horses. They've since released an album titled 'Forever Polyester' - well worth checking out as well if you like intelligent and concise XTC style pop.
Good to be able to have this chance to reminisce about Murmurs Of Irma. They were an interesting band and along with Mellow Drunk and dora flood, one I was happy to get behind in the early days of Heyday - hopefully carrying on that spirit of messrs Bill Allerton and Bill Forsyth, a big influence on the way I ran it. postscript...Tony Laming from the band got in touch after reading Nick's piece and kindly sent me this photo of Murmurs Of Irma - from a gig in 2002 where they supported The Monkees! (spot Davy Jones)