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Early Jaffe & McGee
Tape #21 |
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Tape Specifics:
Scotch brand “LOW NOISE/HIGH DENSITY” C-60 cassette.
The words “VISCERA demo side one” were written by Debbie in black ink over white-out which covered up the original words written on the cassette label. There is a big black “X” to the left. The same on the second side, except that she wrote “side 2”. On both tape labels the words "60 Minutes" are scratched out.
The material on this tape, starting at about 00:41 on Side A, is apparently an early version of 60 Minutes Of Laughter. It is not so much a “Viscera demo” (as written on the cassette labels), but moreso an early/first alternative/practice/“demo” mix/edit/sequence of 60 MOL, no doubt compiled from numerous and various original source tapes. It seems that the sound quality of these versions is much better than what we have available on the extant 60 MOL master.
You can read about the 60 Minutes Of Laughter release here.
And an even more detailed history of 60 MOL here!
Scotch brand “LOW NOISE/HIGH DENSITY” C-60 cassette.
The words “VISCERA demo side one” were written by Debbie in black ink over white-out which covered up the original words written on the cassette label. There is a big black “X” to the left. The same on the second side, except that she wrote “side 2”. On both tape labels the words "60 Minutes" are scratched out.
The material on this tape, starting at about 00:41 on Side A, is apparently an early version of 60 Minutes Of Laughter. It is not so much a “Viscera demo” (as written on the cassette labels), but moreso an early/first alternative/practice/“demo” mix/edit/sequence of 60 MOL, no doubt compiled from numerous and various original source tapes. It seems that the sound quality of these versions is much better than what we have available on the extant 60 MOL master.
You can read about the 60 Minutes Of Laughter release here.
And an even more detailed history of 60 MOL here!
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Side A:
00:06 - We hear Debbie and Hal talking, then a bunch of bumping, distorted sounds, then we hear “Slipping Away” by Viscera faintly for a few seconds ----- 60 MOL demo starts here -- 00:41 - This material of Debbie and Hal simultaneously reading texts was used on “Red Houses, Blue Houses” on 60 Minutes Of Laughter. through about 1:42 -- I believe that this was used on 60 MOL. A split-second fragment of this was heard just before the part at 00:06 above. -- 03:26 - fragment of pre-recorded music -- 03:29 - “This is Beethoven’s Other Life As A Turnip or Lee Harvey Oswald’s other existence as a yellow duck that quacks at people with snot hanging out of their noses” - Hal spoken word -- 03:43 some kind of feedback sounds, with “Bird” chirping -- 04:00 some kind of cow mooing sounds 4:20 - 05:59 Viscera -- excerpt from “The Edge” -- This was used on 60 MOL but is uncredited on the release. 06:00 - Toby O’Brien (L. Extentensa) talking in the left channel, telling a very mundane story). at 06:23 Hal playing electric guitar starts in the right channel. at about 08:18 Toby’s voice fades out in the left channel. 09:13 - 10:18 stereo recording of percussion ensemble from a record 10:21 - 11:43 banging percussive sounds made by Hal or Deb -- probably Hal because I recognize my “sense of rhythm”, ahem. -- 11:44 through 11:59 “Black Water” -- Hal intoning these words with a thumping sound accompaniment: I can’t die I can’t sleep I am feeling like black water My hair is burning My eyes are rotting I don’t exactly feel at home -- 12:00 “Kurtz Kapers” section through 12:41 used on 60 Minutes Of Laughter. This is 18 seconds longer than the fragment used on 60 MOL. “Kurtz Kapers” comes from a recording of Debbie’s junior high school band in Des Moines Iowa, 1975. -- 12:59 laughter from sound effects record used on 60 MOL -- 13:29 Hal reading from Judges 3:12 in The Old Testament, again with the thumping percussion heard on “Black Water” above”: And the people of Israel again did what was evil in sight of the Lord And the lord strengthened Eglon, the king of Moab because they had done what was evil in the sight of the Lord He gathered to Himself the Ammonites and the Amalekites etc. --14:05 Breaking Glass from sound effects record -- 14:21 “Love In The Tropics” -- thunder, wind sounds from a sound effects record -- was on 60 MOL --14:29 “Starvation and Beating” - on 60 MOL but I think it’s a different edit than what was used. Hal intones these words while Debbie plays Casio VL-1: Always black and white pictures The rot! Lock in on starvation and beating Of course there’s not much you could do about it No one would believe it was happening They didn’t fight it It’s just a book I studied… (On 60 MOL Debbie repeated the last line. Here it is just heard once.) 15:07 -- “Floatin’ On The Waves” through 16:27 16:29 -- Trish & The Swishettes - “Love Is On My Side” Trish (a petite red-haired waitress we knew from The Jumping Beanery Mexican restaurant where I worked) screams, then Debbie, then Hal. And then it becomes an all-out scream-fest. 17:12 - phone ringing (as heard through the phone of the caller) from sound effects record, used on 60 MOL 17:32 -- Debbie’s voice saying “hello” 17:35 -- and then “Home” by Viscera through 19:16 Why do I live in this place? Mister Lincoln tomorrow’s figure Redeemer of the cloth sack What is this place? Broken eye Crumbling pacing bewildered eye Simple eye Straight like a rapid whole valley The colored locks of silk burnoose Every man knows the science like the back of his hand Every dog knows his master’s call Then why in hell’s name don’t I know why I live in this place? A brokedown wheel A bad poem I bed down for the night A shot of whiskey Wind whistling the telephone line 19:17 -- music from an unidentified record (not used on the final 60 MOL) “Composition” Composed and executed by Hal. Two programmed melodies on the Casio VL-Tone played simultaneously. 21:23 “Outraged Civilized World” by Viscera Cruelty in the pages A deep murky prison Outraged civilized world dying [???] Heartsick immediate dead effort I know it should make me want to cry but it doesn’t A few bloody days He refused to repair it The bottom fell out of the sack I saw bone through the skin Money taken Actual results Crucial little difference account What are those men’s names behind those bars? And these doors? And these windows? Frozen Rough A handle to speak less harshly for the public ear I know it should make me want to cry but it doesn’t 23:47 -- “Another Simon and Garfunkel Hit” on 60 MOL - a vinyl record being back and forth spun by hand with the turntable motor not engaged (Emergency/police vehicle siren can be heard in background) 24:19 -- “Seeing The Future” by Viscera [Hal intones the words while Debbie does little girl sing-song -- the contrast of an older world-weary man, full of disappointments with the carefree nature of youth] Suspense division rectification See the future dressed in rags See the women in a row Expectant money Dropping his hands He sees the long years He does not know Jumping light disc thrown Rug off the truck His sister on a rooftop Simple Contrite Simple wares He sees his whole life before him Behind him Remembering Lightning space stars dreams Grown tired of waiting for it to happen He takes hold of it with his own two hands No continuity Is it dying? Did he take hold too late? He has to strain his eyes He sees the things he wants to see Is it any wonder?, he asks himself He is moving He is seeing [?] He is the gray lightbulb lying down, down His eyes begin to hurt He turns away from the page [?] Light swimming in pools of still water 26:15 whispering 26:21 Airplanes And Engines (Are Beautiful) – Dancing Invisibles 28:58 (?) Pain Research – Trish & The Swishettes 29:38 “Wurlitzer Intermission” 31:21 music ends side of tape ends at about 31:30 |
Side B:
00:05 “Wurlitzer Intermission” continues “Collage/Gertrude Stein” much different mix than what was used on 60 MOL Gabble Ratchet jam with Deb reading from Gertrude Stein is more dominant. Tape collage (more in the background) is mixed together with GR jam instead of the two parts being split into separate channels. 06:04 “Dharma Proclivity/Butchered Calf – JK & MP” different mix element/edit on right? 8:24 birds from sound effects record used on 60 MOL 08:56 “Live At The Sanctuary” -- JK & MP 15:09 “Bird Is Dead” – HM & DJ longer version! 17: calliope/carnival/marching band sound used on 60 MOL 18:18 Repercussive Illusion – HM 18:30 Hal on electric guitar through 19:05 19:21 more Viscera, not used on 60 MOL? 19:38 “The Edge” fragment 19:53 tinkly piano fragment 19:58 Army Brats 22:57 - Rules and Regulations My Balls – LE - unknown material Public Lavatory, Blue Light – HM & DJ Negative Image “Everything And Nothing” – Viscera 26:22 Debbie’s voice: “you’re all probably wondering what this has to do with anything” unknown material 26:27 different/longer edit of “Freedom To Be Immoral” – The Conversations “Accepting Things As They Are” – Viscera |