Category: The Voice Of Cheese

Another VOC, another gem! The sweet little ditty featured this week was written and performed by Rickard Steen (aka St Tan around these parts). Rickard says:

The name of the tune is Kvick which is the name of my daughters goldfish. A little instrumental ditty influenced by “The Way I see It” from Lumpy Gravy and “G-spot Tornado”. No band, just myself.

Have a listen:

[audio:021_Kvick_Rickard_Steen.mp3]

Like it? Download it!

VOC #20 comes to us from a One Man Band called Low Budget Orchestra. The track is called “Less Beautiful“. Mikko says:

Greetings from frosty Finland! The music is instrumental progressive rock/metal. Although it may not be overtly obvious, the music is very strongly influenced by Frank. Just dig those programmed drums. :) Thanks for listening.

Having had a listen, Dr Sharl recognized a definite post-Zappa Vai vibe. Check it out:

[audio:020_Less_Beautiful-Low_Budget_Orchestra.mp3]

Like it? Download it!

VOC #19! We’ve had loads of wonderful submissions so far — I honestly can’t say I’ve disliked any single one of them. It just goes to show that KUR readers are smart, creative people! What sets this entry apart though is the guitar/vocal-only approach. The track is called “Dragon Smile”, and I for one happen to like it a lot.

Murray says:

Goddam having a surname like Walters! I have been going through a tough period musically and your timely words were a good kick in the arse. The tune goes out to describe the restrictions and ‘prisons’ we create for ourselves through excessive behaviour or imbibance in certain… substances! I have always seen the smile of a dragon as one of full of wisdom and malice, where the dragon sits and waits for the certain mistake to come so that punishment can be dealt out.

Have a listen:

[audio:019_Dragon_Smile_Murray_Walters.mp3]

Like it? Download it!

VOC #18 has wiki-contributor Hermann Schindler (aka Propellerkuh) whipping it out. The track is called “You-Nique!”. Hermann says:

It’s a piece about stupidness of radio-listeners and Austrian radio-programmers, who always play music of Brian Adams, Bonny Tyler, D.J.Bobo, Cher, Celine Dion, Spice Girls, Rolling Stones, Joe Cocker, George Michael, Arrowsmith, Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, or other up-to-the minute-actualized white-list-item over and over again while they themselves and the local public is too dumb to check when they are beeping out “dick” or “fuck” when once in a year they play “Bobby Brown” but not understanding when Lou Reed sings “… she never lost her head even when she was giving head”. They probably misunderstand that for some kind of special tender stroking like one would treat his dog or cat…
Just another proof of cultural and social retardedness.

Have a listen:

[audio:018_You-Nique_Hermann_Schindler.mp3]

Like it? Download it!

VOC #17! The track: The Original Soup. Purpetrator Ezekiel Hubbard says:

It was recorded on a battered Tascam 488 8-track cassette deck, the bass & drum (myself and Clay Stricklin, respectively) tracks were recorded live, with the last 3rd of the performance being improvised. About a week later I composed and overdubbed the remaining instrumental parts, which consist of a few guitars and two alto saxophones. The title evolved – as these things do – from some dialog while establishing our recording plans, in which I declared something akin to “I just need to throw some soup at my sister and I’ll be right over”, which struck Clay as amusing for some reason.

The soup in question was spinach soup. Have a listen:

[audio:017_The_Original_Soup_Ezekiel_Hubbard.mp3]

Like it? Download it!

It’s time for VOC #16, and boy, here’s a fun track if ever I heard one! Tim Goode writes:

My boy’s Eldon & Max (5 & 6 years old at the time) wrote the lyrics. Whenever we drive around we sing and try to make up rhymes. This is the product of one of those sessions. Max was too shy to sing, but came up with my favorite line, “When I eat my lunch, I want some pop”. Eldon sings and I play the instruments. Not much a bridge but oh well. Since this recording Eldon, now 8, has become quite a guitar player and Max a real solid drummer.

The song’s called Rock’nRoll — have a listen:

[audio:016_RockNRoll_Tim_Goode.mp3]

Like it? Download it!

VOC #15! Heavy Pirate Metal! I’ll just let Andy MacMillan explain it to ya:

Sunken Chest is a pirate themed rock band from the Pacific Northwest United States… We dress up like pirates and drink lots of beer. Occasionally we battle ninjas. All our songs are about pirates, wenches, rum, stowaways, cannons, balls, and the like. But this one song is about none of those things. It’s about monkeys, and knives.

Monkey Knife Fight! Arrh, have a wee listen, why don’t you aye?

[audio:015_Sunken_Chest_Monkey_Knife_Fight.mp3]

Like it? Download it!

This week’s VOC was submitted by Dave Bown. Dave says:

This song, ‘Sure That I Could Fly’ was recorded several years ago for an album entitled Large Pink Bishop for EMI Germany by me and my band, (now defunct) Hunting Cows. It’s since been deleted and trodden over by the corporate cheese-heads but it encapsulates some of my finest fretwork.

Have a listen to that fine fretwork, why don’t you:

[audio:014_Dave_Bown_Sure_That_I_Could_Fly.mp3]

Like it? Download it.

A bit of history: I used to play in a band called Inflatable Henry. Concurrently, Jan Goddaer was making rather big waves with TranceJazzTical. Following one of their gigs, I boldly stepped up to Jan and asked if we might join up for a jam. He agreed. We’ve since been playing music together in some form or other (Virgil Venus! Moonbug!).

The track presented here is entitled “Henry Has Left The Building” which is kind of funny, seeing as how at the time we were both looking for a breath of fresh (musical) air. This tune comes from TranceJazzTical’s self-released album “Saterdaynightitis” [sic!], and I happen to think it rocks.

Have a listen:

[audio:013_Henry_Has_Left_The_Building_TranceJazzTical.mp3]

Like it? Download it!

VOC #12! Featuring James Davies! You may know James as he is a loyal KUR regular. James sent in a YouTube movie because he’s not all that much into mixing and late-night basement-four-track-recording and such. I converted the movie to an audio track, entitled “Neurodegenerative Shuffle”. James says:

This is straight up, lo-fi webcam-core — no remixing or digital jiggy-wiggy to stand in the way of my nominal skills. Condemned to a dank limbo of perpetual improv by my own snotty insistence on remaining musically illiterate — & loving every minute of it. Woosh!

There’s nothing quite like this. Have a listen:

[audio:012_Neurodegenerative_Shuffle_James_Davies.mp3]

Like it? Download it.

With a bandname like Giant Albino Penguin, what can go wrong, I ask! The track he sent in is called “Watch The Magic Pumpkin”. Sean says:

At the time, my guitar had no strings, so all the stuff that sounds like guitar (except the horrible wibbly noises at the start – a background to another song, xenowhatsit in action) is actually a bass. Vocals performed by one of those little gizmo’s that speak what you type into it and made sinister by messing about with it.
The name of the band (well, it’s just me but you see what I mean) is taken from ‘At the Mountains of Madness’ by H.P Lovecraft, and the song title is a line from the film ‘Halloween 3’.

When I told Dr Sharleena this one sort of reminded me of Marilyn Manson, she said the track made her think of Kraftwerk.
Yourself? Have a listen:

[audio:011_Watch_The_Magic_Pumpkin_Giant_Albino_Penguin.mp3]

Like it? Download it.

It is time for VOC #10, and joining its ranks today is KUR regular Jonny Butter. His short yet totally sweet contribution is entitled “Commercial For Nothing”. Jonny says:

Here’s the story: The Consumer steps into the gigantic shopping mall. S/he is immediately beset with enticements all around – flashing lights and colors, shiny goods: look at me; no, look at ME! A sea of exciting products lunging out for his/her attention. Our Consumer feels a somewhat vertiginous, woozy thrill. Eventually, the moment of Peak Experience comes: buying something. The pulse quickens; hands get clammy; eyeballs throb. Finally, the frenzy peaks and the purchase is consumated, whereupon Our Consumer finds themselves back in the parking lot, alone, and feeling strangely empty. There’s only one thing to do…

Have a listen:

[audio:010_Commercial_For_Nothing_Jonny_Butter.mp3]

Like it? Download it!

VOC #9! Suffice it to say a considerable amount of footwork was involved in obtaining Sterbus‘ contribution — but I think it was more than worth the hassle in the end. The track is entitled “My Pruyem’s Got A Life On Eez Own”. Sterbus says:

The song comes from my new five-tracks ep called “eva anger” and it features me on guitars and basses and Alessandro Palermo on drums and Tiziano Tarli on vocals from my power-rock band Sweepers. And if you’re asking what “prujem” means, just ask Balint the meaning of “Hazegenezen van”!

Nine Inch Nails with a touch of Foo Fighters and a hint of Rick Wakeman at the end — have a listen:

[audio:009_my_pruyems_got_a_life_on_eez_own_sterbus.mp3]

Like it? Download it.

It’s time for VOC #8! This one comes to us from KUR-reader HairFarmer whose contribution is entitled “Shiva Up My Spine”. HairFarmer says:

This piece was composed in 2000/2001. It’s built on a tabla rhythm, lifted wholesale (& then flanged to death) from “To See All” by Ross Rice. The Sitar was live recorded & tweaked but virtually everything else is sample based, (bought, found and/or personally lifted or recorded). Argh.

Dim the lights, put on some incense sticks, and have a listen:

[audio:008_Shiva_Up_My_Spine_HairFarmer.mp3]

Like it? Download it.

This week’s VOC (#7) features one Stanley J. Zappa, aka Carl’s nephew. The track he sent in is entitled Every King Of Cheese Needs His Queen. Stanley says:

Please enjoy this excerpt from a radio performance by the Leonard Skrowaczewski Zappa trio featuring Wyatt Doyle. Its release on the New Texture label is imminent.

On The Road meets Bird meets The Dangerous Kitchen — have a listen:

[audio:007_every_king_of_cheese_needs_his_queen_Stanley_J_Zappa.mp3]

Like it? Download it.