Good fucking lord this actually happened.
Flashback twenty years to the mid 90s when we regularly caught these four O-Type freaks playing at Oakland's Stork Club, seemingly every few weeks at least (and occasionally on the same bill with their somewhat more rural twins, "The Gizzards").
 |
| Same DNA, different mutation ... |
The Christmas tree at The Stork was lit up all year (and still is, last time I checked) but it always seemed to be Halloween whenever O-Type was playing. In the audience there was dancing, some stumbling, and sometimes male vs. female wrestling matches. The bar was a somber scene of gold-lit geriatrus alcoholismus. Milvia Son was just a tiny glimmer in the back of a chromosome-filled mind's eye then.
O-Type released most of their records on cassette (via
Quadruped) and it was on cassette where we first discovered the warped 1988 masterpiece that is "Darling". Subsequently the idea of releasing "Darling" in the permanent vinyl format gnawed at us for years. And then one day it became clear: there is no reason to wait any longer.
We're hugely grateful to everyone in the band for the green light (and for making the music in the first place -- and continuing to make it). Special thanks to Dale Sophiea and also to audio guru Peter Conheim who worked with Dale to get the cassette master cleaned up and who also engineered the tracks for vinyl (PC, in fact, was instrumental in turning us onto the band back in those halycon days, as he had already released O-Type's "Mommy" on CD (back in 1994; it and other singularly deranged records may be found in the
Electro Motive Records catalog).
Here's a bit from the promo blurb: Founded in 1986 by core MX-80 members Bruce Anderson
(guitar, vocals) and Dale Sophiea (bass and drums), O-Type very quickly evolved
into a four piece with the addition of drummer Marc Weinstein and guitarist Jim
Hrabetin. Whereas MX-80 had been
blowing minds with its incongruently massive yet intricate compositions turning
corners on a dime, the power of “Darling” rose from the smoking dual guitar/
bass lines cruising over a seemingly kraut-inspired rhythm section that is
typically propulsive and occasionally pummeling. In several standout numbers, Anderson addresses
various social concerns from the perspective of the unfortunate pickers of
society’s shortest sticks: mentally-challenged asthmatics, autistic stalkers,
and naked, angry homeless people.
The evocations are realistic enough that we recommend putting a few
sheets of newspaper down on your living room before playing this record at
home.
We pressed up 300 copies for the world in red-on-black silk-screened
jackets (courtesy of Mr. Sherry) reproducing the original cassette cover art, and each copy comes with a numbered insert.
The LP is $12, postpaid. Ordering details can be found
here.
Or you can order from
Fusetron,
Revolver, or any decent record store ... while supplies last!
