Elephant9

[Zappathustra]

Just got both of these puppies on vinyl!

Good comments people. I also feel that the second disc is more of an Elephant9 + Fiske than an integral 4 persons band, and maybe I prefer the first disc overall which sounds tighter. But I will listen further now, RF's playing is certainly subtle and not too easy to appreciate straightaway.

[jkelman]

Ivar Grydeland would be an interesting option to consider. He is also a texture-oriented guitarist, but with edgier and rougher sound choices. Not sure whether he'd be at ease in such a prog/fusion style though.

Ivar would be great. I met him a few times back in my traveling days and, while it's definitely not his preferred wheelhouse, I got the impression he'd be just fine with E9.

We hear a lot of musicians on record, but the truth is that we rarely get to hear them in all the contexts of which they are capable, as a lot of them are involved in projects that never get recorded and/or released. I never realized how broad some of the musicians I love really were until I started traveling, and getting to see them in unexpected contexts.

That said, another potential guitarist for E9 might be Bushman's Revenge's Even Helte Hermansen, but I think the reason E9 continues to work with Reine is because...they like it. The scene in Norway is small enough (yeah, I know, Reine is Swedish) that most musicians who've attained a certain degree of exposure will have run into many of their colleagues, especially if in the same age group (though E9 keyboardist Ståle Storløkken is a little older than the rest). It's often what leads to new projects and new constellations.

That said, my comment about not realizing just how broad the musicians we think we know are unless we spend a lot of time where they are applies to Storløkken as well. I've heard him doing a pretty broad range of music, from noise improv with Supersilent to prog with Motorpsycho, fusion/prog with E9, choral/classical things with Trio Mediaeval, Arve Henriksen and Jan Bang (Molde, 2009 or '10)...even some surprisingly down-the-center jazz (not of the fusion variety) as a guest with the Norwegian band appropriately titled Made in Corea.

[Jay.Dee]

Just got both of these puppies on vinyl!

Did you buy the full 5LP box?

https://www.discogs.com/Elephant9-Ps...lease/13712511

I am curious about the box-exclusive third volume that features two extra numbers (of unspecified duration and lineup): "Psychedelic Backfire" and "Atlantis".

[jkelman]

Reine Fiske is the Landberk guitarist and is better known for setting atmosphere (melancholic or bucolic) rather than guitar-hero histrionics.

FTM, his presence in Paatos (along with Stefan Dimle also a Landberk dude) gave their debut the charm that none of the rest of the band's album have.

In some ways, maybe E9 deserved a more flamboyant guitarist than Fiske to "fight" their Emersonian-type of KBist.

Deserved from whose perspective? Certainly not ours. E9 is connected with the overall Norwegian scene, and I'm sure that if they wanted a more flamboyant guitarist they not only could have, but would have found one. That they continue to work with Fiske after seven years certainly suggests that, while we might prefer they choose someone else, they are clearly pretty darn happy working with Reine. And, in fact, for all the reasons you so astutely describe in the opening two paragraphs of your post.

[jkelman]

Thanks for sharing!

I suppose the whole event got recorded, so now you should talk the organizers and artists into releasing the tapes in the form of a nice CD box!

Honestly? While I enjoyed the experience curating, I've gotta tell you that the organization of the festival left a whole lot to be desired. So, I'm in Ireland with my wife, visiting her family after the festival, and I get a call from one of the artists asking, knowing that logistics and contracts were not my responsibility, if I could do something, as not only had they not been given a contract to sign (if I'd only known, man!), they'd not been paid - two weeks after the event.

I had signed agreements by all the musicians to allow me access to the recordings (more, at the time, for personal reasons...I'd never thought about releasing anything as I'm not at all functional in that space, though in retrospect I might have been well-served to have approached folks like Steve Feigenbaum or Leonardo Pavkovic, as I suspect one or both might have been interested.

But after spending six months trying to get someone to send me the files and getting nowhere, I finally gave up. Which, I suspect, is exactly what they were hoping for

While a couple of the shows were a little above average, most were truly specactular. Stian Westerhus and Sidsel Endresen, being on a double bill with Eivind Aarset and Thomas Strônen (one way I managed to shoehorn more artists I wanted to have in the series into a seven-show series!), gave a shorter than usual (45 minute) improvised set that built from angular extremes to a conclusion so absolutely beautiful that my friend from the BBC, Late Junction's Fiona Talkingtonk, cried her eyes out for 30 minutes after it was over...and every time she'd start to slow down and sniffle, I'd look at her and she'd start bawling again. It was, indeed, that emotional an experience. So was Per Jòrgensen's show. Last I spoked to him, the band had done some additional live dates, but no plans to record. And his set went from weird abstractions to near-'70s Miles Davis fusion (with Apeland's harmonium rather than a Yamaha electric organ!)...and a conclusion that, sung in Norwegian was so potent, so moving that I was moved to tears (though not for 30 minutes, I'm not a guy who normally gets driven to such an emotional response!).

Having instigated Per's project was truly a major high point in my life, as he had never led a band, and had refused whenever asked by Norwegians in the past to do so. So it was all the more meaningful to me that, when I called him up to tell him that I was curating a series and felt that he both had to be there and as the leader of a project, he asked for a day to think about it, and called me the next day to confirm that yes, he'd do it. Some of my Norwegian friends told me that there'd be some who would hate me for getting Per to do it (!), but I definitely took that as a compliment.

[Jay.Dee]

Ivar would be great. I met him a few times back in my traveling days and, while it's definitely not his preferred wheelhouse, I got the impression he'd be just fine with E9.

Yeah, in Huntsville he's displayed his capabilities of playing in a more "traditional" context I think.

We hear a lot of musicians on record, but the truth is that we rarely get to hear them in all the contexts of which they are capable, as a lot of them are involved in projects that never get recorded and/or released. I never realized how broad some of the musicians I love really were until I started traveling, and getting to see them in unexpected contexts.

Indeed, few could have guessed that Keith Rowe was capable of picking up a regular guitar and churning out some powerful bluesy riffs and solos, until Amalgam's 1979 tour recordings assembled on Wipeout got re-released in 2008.

That said, my comment about not realizing just how broad the musicians we think we know are unless we spend a lot of time where they are applies to Storløkken as well. I've heard him doing a pretty broad range of music, from noise improv with Supersilent to prog with Motorpsycho, fusion/prog with E9, choral/classical things with Trio Mediaeval, Arve Henriksen and Jan Bang (Molde, 2009 or '10)...even some surprisingly down-the-center jazz (not of the fusion variety) as a guest with the Norwegian band appropriately titled Made in Corea.

The first album I got that featured Storløkken was Mark O'Leary's St. Fin Barre's - a truly minimalist free-improv date with strong baroque influences. No way anyone familiar with this recording only could guess that the organist playing with such restraint there would be responsible for a relentless prog/fusion fest like Elephant9!

[Jay.Dee]

Honestly? While I enjoyed the experience curating, I've gotta tell you that the organization of the festival left a whole lot to be desired.

These are some truly fascinating recollections and insights, John.

I do hope that the best performances, like that of Stian Westerhus & Sidsel Endresen, won't get lost and will surface one day, preferably with your own liner notes.

[Scrotum Scissor]

I've heard him doing a pretty broad range of music, from noise improv with Supersilent to prog with Motorpsycho, fusion/prog with E9, choral/classical things with Trio Mediaeval, Arve Henriksen and Jan Bang (Molde, 2009 or '10)...even some surprisingly down-the-center jazz (not of the fusion variety) as a guest with the Norwegian band appropriately titled Made in Corea.

Made in Corea is a Chick-tribute ensemble formed by Ståle Storløkken's nephew, Jarle Storløkken (of Panzerpappa). Pappzi gave their recent releaseparty on a double bill with Elephant9 here in Oslo. Unfortunately it happened on a Monday night, so I didn't get to attend.

[jkelman]

Made in Corea is a Chick-tribute ensemble formed by Ståle Storløkken's nephew, Jarle Storløkken (of Panzerpappa). Pappzi gave their recent releaseparty on a double bill with Elephant9 here in Oslo. Unfortunately it happened on a Monday night, so I didn't get to attend.

Yeah...they sent me a DVD a few years back, with Ståle guesting. Really great stuff...and I wish I was still able to travel and see some of these bands...but, sadly, unless things change, it's not likely to happen

[jkelman]

These are some truly fascinating recollections and insights, John.

I do hope that the best performances, like that of Stian Westerhus & Sidsel Endresen, won't get lost and will surface one day, preferably with your own liner notes.

Thanks....and I'd love it, were it to happen, also...but I'd not hold my breath!!

[Trane]

Deserved from whose perspective? Certainly not ours. E9 is connected with the overall Norwegian scene, and I'm sure that if they wanted a more flamboyant guitarist they not only could have, but would have found one. That they continue to work with Fiske after seven years certainly suggests that, while we might prefer they choose someone else, they are clearly pretty darn happy working with Reine. And, in fact, for all the reasons you so astutely describe in the opening two paragraphs of your post.

my comment wasn't meant to offend...

When I first heard of Fiske coming in E9, I was as excited as anyone could be, hoping for the best - which happened.

But in some ways, it was also a bit of a let down (all things being relative) , because unconsciously, I guess I was probably expecting the guitarist to be as flamboyant as the KBdist

I don't remember hearing Fiske in last year's Show On Earth, though.

[Jay.Dee]

in some ways, it was also a bit of a let down (all things being relative) , because unconsciously, I guess I was probably expecting the guitarist to be as flamboyant as the KBdist

Who would you propose for the job?

[Marco]

I don't remember hearing Fiske in last year's Show On Earth, though.

That's a trio only album.

[jkelman]

my comment wasn't meant to offend...

I wasn't offended; I even commented positively on your observations in the first two paragraphs of your post. So no worries at all, man, truly.

But in some ways, it was also a bit of a let down (all things being relative) , because unconsciously, I guess I was probably expecting the guitarist to be as flamboyant as the KBdist

And, clearly, fair enough if that's what you were looking for. I've just been saying that E9 is clearly happy working with Fiske, since they've continued to do so, on and off (which is why he didn't appear on Show on Earth), for seven years.
Cheers!
John

[Marco]

But after spending six months trying to get someone to send me the files and getting nowhere, I finally gave up. Which, I suspect, is exactly what they were hoping for

That's awful. It'd be a real joy to hear their first live performance together.

[Zeuhlmate]

Made in Corea is a Chick-tribute ensemble formed by Ståle Storløkken's nephew, Jarle Storløkken (of Panzerpappa). Pappzi gave their recent releaseparty on a double bill with Elephant9 here in Oslo. Unfortunately it happened on a Monday night, so I didn't get to attend.

[Scrotum Scissor]

Jarle is such a badass guitarist; arguably one of few Nels Cline'ish characters up here - a guy who'd be theoretically able to learn and play the lot of it. Really nice chap as well, and always was.

[TCC]

NP:

Psychedelic Backfire II.

[TCC]

NP:

Psychedelic Backfire I.


Great stuff, both parts!!

[Trane]

Who would you propose for the job?

No-one in particular (Fiske is just fine), but someone who frayed a bit more in the "shredder territory", maybe - Satrian.-stylei, maybe

I wasn't offended; I even commented positively on your observations in the first two paragraphs of your post. So no worries at all, man, truly.


And, clearly, fair enough if that's what you were looking for. I've just been saying that E9 is clearly happy working with Fiske, since they've continued to do so, on and off (which is why he didn't appear on Show on Earth), for seven years.
Cheers!
John

Fair enough as well. Just relistened to Silver Mountains on my commute back to Brussels, and there are moments where Fiske shines like the sun.

[Zappathustra]

So, my vinyls of Psychedelic Backfire I and II are here and I listened twice, both times in one sitting. It makes for 8 times turning over the sides, but it's worth it. I just love these recordings, they possess the classic aroma of 70's live albums. Mr Storlokken is such an amazing player, I would love to watch this band live, sit right next to the hammond organ and allow the music to blow me away.

As for Reine Fiske's contribution it's a solid affair, but not truly essential in my humble opinion. You don't get from him the same reckless abandon of the other players, which is so important for the final result. His style works better in slow, atmospheric pieces like You Are The Sunshine Of My life - while on the more ferocious tracks he seems to withdraw in the background (maybe he's also down on the mix a bit). Anyway, to me it shows that he's a guest with the band and not a core member.

That of course does not belittle the final result not a bit. This is a killer record, one of my favorites for this year.

[Zappathustra]

Did you buy the full 5LP box?

https://www.discogs.com/Elephant9-Ps...lease/13712511

I am curious about the box-exclusive third volume that features two extra numbers (of unspecified duration and lineup): "Psychedelic Backfire" and "Atlantis".

just saw this: and the answer is no. I wasn't aware of its existence, but in any case I shopped this in the local store and it wasn't available there.

[Scrotum Scissor]

I'm seeing Reine Fiske with Dungen at Rockefeller here in Oslo tomorrow night; to honour 15 years since the release of Ta Det Lugnt they're performing the full f'n double album!

[Zappathustra]

I'm seeing Reine Fiske with Dungen at Rockefeller here in Oslo tomorrow night; to honour 15 years since the release of Ta Det Lugnt they're performing the full f'n double album!

always liked Dungen, never loved them. Maybe I haven't listened to the right album yet.

But if I had los nueve elefantos playing in my hometown, I would never, never miss them. (and Seven Impale of course)

[Marco]

Seven Impale are really really good. Their latest let me down just a little but I'd still love to hear a new album from those kids.