#esp records

[bestfrozentreats2]

The Fugs - Nothing

“4 minutes and 17 seconds of absolute nothing...”

[dj-immaterial]

[bysumex]

esp records in Cafe 1001 London

ESP-Disk, also known as ESP Records, is an American independent record label that was founded in 1964 by Bernard Stollman. The label is known for releasing avant-garde and experimental music from a variety of genres, including free jazz, psychedelic rock, and folk music. Some of the artists that have recorded for ESP-Disk include Albert Ayler, Sun Ra, The Fugs, Pearls Before Swine, and many others. The label has had a significant influence on the development of underground and alternative music, and its legacy continues to inspire musicians and music fans today.

[12inchesallday]

[bietjes]

from YENOM LP OUT NOW

[boohooray]

[wowagirldj]

Format #1 // Solid Session

Vinyl, 1991. ESP Records, Orlando Voorn, ESP9109-1

[the13thtrack]

Ed Askew's For The World Mix

Ed Askew is a painter and singer-songwriter who lives in New York City. Born in Stamford Connecticut, he moved to New Haven to study painting at Yale Art School. In 1963 he took up residence there. Around 1987 Ed moved to New York City, where he continues to write and record songs, and occasionally perform. Ed recently released a captivating new collection of songs on U.K. imprint Tin Angel Records titled For The World. The music is a mysterious melange of folky psychedelia. His voice and lyrics exude the world weariness which catalog the life and reminiscences of a soul well travelled. The music is reminiscent of such contemporaries as Bill Fay and Tom Rapp. Ed’s first LP was released by groundbreaking avant folk and jazz label ESP back in 1968 and has since released albums on such labels as DeStijl and Drag City in addition to self releases via bandcamp. We at the 13th Track thought it would be interesting if we asked Mr. Askew if he could share with us some of his musical influences; those both early and also those which helped inform his latest work. This is what we received back.

Mix and words by Ed Askew. Stream it here.

"I grew up in the 1950s. 10 to 19. The music I heard was early Rock and Doo Wop. I remember Frankie Lymon, Fats Domino, various teen groups who had one hit, Elvis Presley, and Bill Haley and the Comets; which was the first Rock and Roll I ever heard. I was a boy who kept to himself, but i listened to all the top songs, and could identify every new model of car from 1950 to 1956. Everybody could.

When I was in High School I was in 3 choirs, and sang a lot of hymns, High School Choir stuff, and Negro Spirituals. I also started playing pop songs on my first tiple, and learned some piano. I suppose all this had an influence, somehow. Mostly it meant that I was involved in music.

One early influence was Hoagy Carmichael, whom I heard on tv when I was in Jr High maybe. It was the first time I realized there were singer-songwriters who played there own songs, and who did music that wasn’t on the HIT PARADE. And H G was just fun to watch and listen to.

When I entered Yale Art School in 1963, it had been four years since I had heard just about any popular music. Since after H S I had been listening to modern classical like Bela Bartok. Also Charles Ives, John Cage, Eric Satie, and the Threepenny Opera. It’s interesting that, except for Cage, all of the just mentioned composers used popular and/or folk music in their work. I think this mixing of types of music has always interested me.

It was my friends at Yale who drew me back into pop. The Beatles and Stones, and Bob Dylan of course. Later, when I was teaching art, and writing my own first songs, I would become aware of all the people who would soon play at Woodstock; like Hendrix and the Doors.

As for early so called indie music, such as the ESP line up. I did not know any of these people and only heard music like the Fugs a few times. And except for Delta and Chicago Blues and some of the stuff on the anthology of American Folk Music; folk music never attracted me.

Anyway, here is my play list; some stuff I am currently listening to.

1. Paperback Bible by Lambchop from Damaged. This is a ramble through a shop that sells second hand stuff, as far as I can figure out. I like this sort of factual, prosaic, un-artful trip. And I like the comment on guns embedded in the sequence of coincidence.

It reminds me of Joni Mitchell’s delivery on some songs. Which is almost more like talking than singing. So the words move over the chords with some independence.

2. Getting out the Ribs by Zoo Kid / King Krule. This is an early version of the same song on King Krule’s new album. Rougher and more direct, maybe. I first heard him on MySpace, when it was our space. I was quite amazed at the originality and confidence of his music at that time.

3. Voce E Voce is from Gilberto Gil’s Gil Luminoso. Old guy like me. He has been a huge star in Brazil since his youth. Never a disappointment. This is a collection of his songs: voice and guitar only.

4. This is It is the title song from the Strokes debut album 2001. A very well put together group of songs. About ordinary problems love and life.

5. The wonderful James Blake’s sparse and lovely use of the piano and the beat on Our Love Comes Back on his new album, Overgrown.

A nice mix of forward motion and hesitation.

6. Riding for the Feeling is one of my favorite Bill Callahan songs. from Apocalypse. I got addicted to Bill’s music after opening for him in five shows a few years ago. I never got tired of it.

7. Be at Peace With Yourself from Bill Fay’s Life is People is one of my favorite songs. I usually don’t care for religious oriented music. But, like Dylan, Bill Fay only tells you how he feels. He is not trying to convert you.

8. Spiral Dawn from Big Blood’s Dead Songs. Big Blood is from Portland, Maine, a small city with a lot of music. I met them a few years ago when I was touring with Joshua Burkett. They were on the bill, and put us up for the night.”

Ed Askew

NYC

2013-11-9