Tag: hmr

Holy Modal Rounders – Live 1965

Someone helpfully posted Holy Modal Rounders – Live 1965 as MP3s. Both Pete and Steve are clearly out of their heads when they played, but it’s a diamond in the rough of the freak folk scene.

The recording has a chequered history. Recorded on June 5th 1965 (no-one knows or remembers where) by WDTM Detroit, the tape belonged to Peter Stampfel’s mother. It was found after she passed away, and mastered to CD for release in 2002. According to Peter, Steve borrowed a CD-R copy, and released it through an acquaintance. Much to Steve’s dismay, the acquaintance claimed that all the money from the release disappeared as expenses. It is now out of print, and seemingly any release could trigger legal action from either party.

Whatever the history, it’s a great record of the time.

happy easter, with apologies to Irving Berlin

In Your Easter Vomit
by Peter Stampfel & Antonia, circa 1970s

in your easter vomit with all the flies upon it
you’ll be the drunkest wino in the easter parade
you’ll be all hung over and when they roll you over
you’ll be the rankest wino in the easter parade

on the avenue tenth avenue the
photographer will snap us and he’ll say that
you’re like a pile of manure

fifty pounds of comet
could not remove the vomit
and all the flies you’re wearing
to the easter parade

Happy Easter … and remember, don’t eat the little “eggs” the bunny leaves on the lawn.

no more rounders

I heard last night that Steve Weber has announced his retirement, and thus the chances of new releases and shows by The Holy Modal Rounders are slim to none. Let’s hope that Steve enjoys his retirement, but I can’t exactly see him on the golf course.

tunes I must learn (eventually)

Not all of these could be classed as banjo tunes, but I’d want to try, anyway:

  • The Coo-Coo Bird (it’s not optional)
  • The Old Plank Road (Uncle Dave’s delivery, which was more demented than the Rounders)
  • Hot Corn, Cold Corn (like HMR; just how does one spell moo’m moo’m moo’m de boo’m boo’m de boo’m?)
  • I’m Going In A Field (Nic Jones style)
  • Bridges & Balloons (Joanna’s song’s just crying out to be covered with a broad Glasgow accent)
  • Needle of Death (too many banjo tunes are too happy)
  • Ghost (the Neutral Milk Hotel one)
  • something by Sufjan (even if Peter Stampfel says he plays banjo kind of boringly)
  • I Love How You Love Me (like Mangum, not Spector)

Chance encounters on the Ivor Cutler list

I joined ivor-list during the week. In this short time, I’ve met on the list:

Steve Weber abides

Judith & Steve called me again. Steve treated me to a great version of ‘Skin Game’ (from Too Much Fun!) over the phone. I think having one of the elder statesmen of psych-folk play a personal concert for me while I waited for the Bathurst streetcar to take me to the CNE must be one of the weirder episodes in my life.

Messages from Steve

Got two messages from the taller Holy Modal Rounder, Steve Weber,
tonight. He was jamming away, and recorded a great song for me, Blue Navigator.