Toshi Bando's Productions: Kisetsu-Fu, Flap, Silver Lake

There are really no other equivalents to these three albums brought to the world by Toshi Bando. Perhaps some private press albums recorded in Japan (e.g., Enough, Deep End, Memorial Art, Actors & Pilotis) and maybe recordings by the somewhat popular Japanese band Woodpecker could be the closest comparison points. Surprisingly, all three albums are included in the Wonder Ground Record Guide -a Japanese reference work on Japanese private press records. What makes these albums sung in Japanese truly stand apart is that they were recorded by Japanese-Americans in Los Angeles during the late ‘70s, but with an overall out-of-time sound much closer to the ‘60s. 

While the music is front and center, their backstory still remains pretty much a complete mystery. The quest to know more of the historical context and what lies behind the curtains are certainly impelling factors. These vast unknowns may heighten the allure and intrigue, but by and large the reality is always different from the imagined with attendant stories that frequently exceed expectations. It would be an honor to present the perspectives of the participants, but I try to proceed with caution as I wish to respect people's privacy in this current distraction culture where privacy and solitude are given little to no consideration.  Sometimes the best (and only) approach may be to “Fly into the Mystery” like the great Modern Lovers song and just write your own perspectives in the larger and continual search for understanding.

Toshi Bando was the prime mover and unifying factor behind these three records under three different group names: Kisetsu-Fu, Flap and Silver Lake. Not only did he compose, play (guitar & blues harp), and sing on these albums, he also produced them as well. Each release featured rotating personnel and the musicians listed on Discogs apparently only ever appeared on these three albums. Meanwhile, I can only fathom which basements or garages in Monterey Park his bands practiced in. Maybe there were other rehearsal places in perhaps Alhambra or Eagle Rock that certainly shifted with the circumstances of the times and individual situations. On a similar note, I can only speculate where they played and what types of venues. Where were the performance stages in Monterey Park, San Gabriel, Little Tokyo or Gardena?  Was there any type of Japanese-American music circuit in the late ‘70s? Did they perhaps venture into Madame Wong's in old Chinatown and open for Japanese new wave bands like the Plastics (who did play at Madame Wong's as briefly spotted in this PBS Artbound documentary).  Many mysteries abound, but we can be certain that these once buried records can now be heard thanks to enthusiasts transferring their rare vinyl and uploading them to YouTube. The time has come to further explore the sounds of what could be best described as Transpacific folk-rock psych.

Flap: Drums-Toru Nishino, Bass Guitar-Steve Sera, Guitars & Vocals-Toshi Bando
Vocals-Kikuko Murakami

All three of Bando’s albums offer highly melodic original songs embodied with Japanese musical inflections and sensibilities. The music converges both Western and Eastern influences to express Bando’s singular vision along with a larger Nisei and Shōwa-era outlook. These most welcomed consistencies flow through all three of these albums that each have their own distinctive aspects. The common thread is these records sound way more ‘60s than the decade they were actually made in, while the music is refreshingly countervailing to the hegemonic arena rock that dominated America during the late ‘70s. To be more specific, Bando enhances his folk framework built upon the bedrock foundation of the Beatles with some well chosen ‘50s & ‘60s rock & pop and blues elements.

1977’s Kisetsu-Fu – Seasonal Wind=季節風 was released only four years after Yellow Pearl (which is considered one of the earliest Asian-American records along with Dakila’s 1972’s self-titled album released on Epic Records and sung in Tagalog). The illuminating record, with a stunning label design, is most indebted to the Beatles and their solo projects, while also reflecting attractive influences ranging from American golden oldies to Japanese campus folk and perhaps traces of Okinawan folk.

Seasonal Wind  was recorded & mixed at Dirk Dalton Recording Studio A, in Santa Monica. 土佐の海 (“Sea of Tosa”) is possibly referring to the Tosa Province of Shikoku, which is the smallest of the four main islands of Japan. The song is delivered in John Lennon/George Harrison fashion and augmented with a Dylan-esque harmonica. A downcast enka-like song tinged with the blues and flute follows under the apt title 悲しい顔は似合わない (“Sad Face”) and is moody in a good way. そこを行くのは (“Hey is that You?”) rocks out in that Beatles mode when they were trying to go back to basics with “Back in the USSR.”  Ken Miyoshi (who would later appear on the Silver Lake record) drives the saxophone before Toshi Bando soon merges on the musical freeway with harmonica playing that catches up to the saxophone-making this sound like a Fleshtones song.  雨が降る (“Rain”) provides more of that solo George Harrison sound filtered through a Japanese sensibility, while the minor keyed and impassioned plea of  福?草が咲いたら(“Pheasant's Eye”) recalls “Now or Never” from Approximately Infinite Universe by Yoko Ono.

Side two starts with yang energy. 君さえいれば (“As Long as You Are Here”) hits hard with its bluesy edges and evokes the Japanese GS (Group Sounds) bands when they started going heavy. Synthesizer and electric guitar player Yutaka Uda comes to the fore with some copious wah-wah.  春はもうすぐ (“Spring Will Come Soon”) is top-tier first-rate pop that takes off on a dash driven by a chanking rhythm guitar and Beatles-esque harmonica fills. Next, 秋は淋しい(“Lonely is the Autumn”) is a yearning campus folk number at its foundation, embellished with blues runs and topped with a lovely flute solo. There is a real Eiichi Ohtaki/Niagara slant to 砂に書いたイニシャル (“Initials Written in the Sand”)-a lovely ‘50s styled song complete with triplets that would sound perfect coming from Sony pocket transistor radio. The album closes with  誕生日 (“Birthday”) that has Bando channeling his inner-John Lennon and some subdued blues guitar playing before Ken Miyoshi adds the exclamation marks of xylophone and recorder. 

Flap (1978) is a much more succinct and spartan affair presented with a much clearer production. In fact, the fidelity soars above the somewhat submerged sounding Seasonal Wind. On an interesting sidetrack, Flap was recorded at Ascot Recording Studios in Hollywood by Jim Rayton, which was where Instant Orange also recorded two of their EPs with the same engineer. (Instant Orange were an exceptional yet unsung folk-rock band from San Bernardino, California, who were influenced by the Byrds and Love!) The studio appears to still be active today in Burbank with Jim Rayton remaining at the helm. The group had truly come into its own to offer a truly distinctive sound on Flap (TBP-02).

The biggest difference is the inclusion of female vocals with the arrival of Kikuko Murakami who brought in an entirely new dimension to their sound. Murakami’s lead vocals are like the sun shining through the marine layer on their poppier songs and also lend a dreamy quality and otherworldly feel on the slower building numbers. From the limited information I could gather, her previous singing experience was with the Alhambra High School choir. She transitions well to the pop-rock idiom and proves competent singing in a variety of styles. The album starts strong and only gets better with its mostly sunny, bright and catchy melodic songs. Murakami’s vocals grace the lovely “Summer Day” that blends well with the ‘50s percolating guitar. From this number, it does sound like Bando was definitely familiar with the legendary Eiichi Ohtaki and Niagara (f)all stars. Yoko Ono and her greatest album Approximately Infinite Universe are evoked once again in the song “Letter” with its stark arrangement and strident tone. “We Can’t Go Back” brings the fuzz in a way that deserves to be heard by musician, author and Japanophile Julian Cope. The instrumental innovations of Eleki, Takeshi Terauchi and the Ventures also figure into their guitar tones and sounds. “Blue Sky” is a lovely strummy instrumental that seems to draw from the hushed third Velvet Underground album emerging from the Shadows.

Arriving like the first brisk winds of autumn, “Red Umbrella” is probably their poppiest number and falls somewhere along the folk-pop parade as the We Five, the Seekers, the Red Birds. “Love Song” showcases Murakami’s vocals before giving way to a “Pale Blue Eyes”-like epic guitar solo that lingers on like the sun setting over the Pacific. Coincidentally the album ends with a spiraling song titled “Sunset.” It’s an epic closer that reflects the indelible impact of “House of the Rising Sun” with intertwined guitars that crunch, bend and sting. Flap is my favorite of Bando’s three albums for the arrival of Murakami, the austere production and spare, but sweeping folk-pop-rock songs. Overall, it’s an attractive display of Bando’s ultra-melodic sensibilities with the ‘50s pop & rock and early ‘60s folk and instrumental elements coming to the fore.

Silver Lake-Affection (TBP-03)

The first aspect that jumps out is one of the most striking and intriguing color covers ever. Could it be emblematic of the band feeling displaced and marginalized in the transient culture of Los Angeles? Appropriately, the album was recorded at 302 Recording Studio, in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles from February to December 1979 and released in 1980. Interspersed are atmospheric sounds (e.g., crashing thunder to start the album, seagulls & surf, winter winds) lending a mysterious undercurrent that there may be a seasonal concept and/or a thematic statement on the cycles of life coursing throught the record. The songs alternate between male and female vocals that would later be employed on Double Fantasy. The musician line-up is reconfigured (except for the vocalists and the drumming & keyboard work of Ken Miyoshi, who also contributed to the Kisetsu Fu album). The songs are presented with an overall thickened and murkier sound (in comparison to the sparkling clear production of Flap) with the vocals for the most part engulfed and subsumed by the music. Overall, the album casts a more solemn and melancholy tone than the two previous albums. “Mou Hikitomerarenai” is a vehicle for Kikuko Murakami with fuzz runs that rival the biker instrumentals of Davie Allan & the Arrows or the aforementioned Takeshi Terauchi. Songs like “Shashin” (Picture) are delivered with overall blusier hues and smokier tones that seemingly indicate that the group had moved on from coffee cafes and Obon festivals to cabarets and nightclubs. Murakami’s smoldering vocals lean more towards blues rocking Maki Asakawa than poppy Seiko Matsuda, while demonstrating her adeptness with singing in a variety of styles. On one of their rare duets “Dakedo Emily,” Bando and Murakami achieve a stirring vocal blend that commands attention. “Aoi Kaze” is an acoustic driven number with baroque acoustical runs that seem inspired by “Classical Gas.”  The pronounced fuzz returns on the dashing “Owari Soshite” along with the appearance of trumpet. Jazzy chord changes, blues bends and heartfelt singing from Bando of “Kigatsukeba Itsumo Ashita” brings the album to a strong finish.  Message in a C.C. Lemon Bottle

With their deep ‘60s influences and somewhat mysterious origins, these records live up to their private press designation, current reputation and stratospheric prices. Fittingly, Toshi Bando remains an enigmatic figure who remains busy with his gardening. It is fortunate that the records can be easily accessed on YouTube, as now more people can hear them than ever before. Still, many questions abound that could help fill in gaps. I would love to hear first-person primary accounts and recollections from any of the participants to clear up some major blind spots on the history of the groups and gain an overall better understanding of the context of the times. Keeping the mystery intact does heighten the allure, intrigue and perhaps the prices of these three obscure records, which were limited to begin with in their initial press runs. 

Nonetheless, the music speaks for itself and close listening will reveal Bando’s attempts to reconcile and express both the melancholic and the glorious aspects of life as well as the chasms between. On a larger level, Bando was able to sonically connect the Far East with the Far West on these three groundbreaking records. The recordings do represent a significant achievement as Bando and the musicians helped usher in a new era of music for Los Angeles and Japanese-Americans. Whether Bando receives belated historical recognition is still to be determined, however he definitely made waves as these could even be considered the most remarkable Japanese-American records ever recorded between the mountains, freeways and the vast Pacific.

Beachwood Sparks-Across The River Of Stars

Beachwood Sparks have always been on their own trajectory, while also considering the past and future surrounding the elusive eternal now. They were quite the lightning strike in the late ‘90s. The Clarks Wallabees-wearing band were sure exciting to read about in zines like Vendetta during the late ‘90s as they were doing something radically different, but attuned to the times. Some of its members were also said to be DJs (and maybe college students) who played “Lemonade Rock” during the mid-mornings on Loyola Marymount’s KXLU. As with so many other past forward musical movements, Greg Shaw was ahead of the curve and was able to sign them to his Bomp label in 1998.  

BAM Magazine-1999

Getting off the Ground

Their self-titled debut album delivered the (Southern Californian) goods, even if it and its Sub Pop imprimatur befuddled many reviewers outside of the Mountain West & the Pacific Coast. The band slighty drifted from their regional rustic canyon good vibrations with the more dense and experimental Once We Were Trees. They completely lost me by the late time of Make the Cowboy Robots Cry. Perhaps they wandered off the trail or reached an impasse on where to take the sound?  Although they seemed like the perfect band to be signed next by Warner Records, heading into the direction of the Flaming Lips didn’t do it for me.

At this point, the members splintered off into different projects with varying degrees of success. Farmer Dave and Jimi Hey went on to form the band All Night Radio and released the spectacularly ambitious album Spirit Stereo Frequency. I was fortunate to be able to see them live at Solar Culture on a starlit November night in Tucson. Additionaly, the Tyde always seemed like the natural companion band of Beachwood Sparks until the besotted Darren 4. However, the Tyde has risen again to release Season 5 this year, which could be their best album. Nonetheless, it’s the one that stands out the most for me with its successful attempt at evoking Florida's all-encompassing tropical (healing) vibes and Panama Jack-stylings.

Mountain, Ocean Sun They cover some varied terrain on Across the River of Stars with each song emerging somewhat stylistically distinct upon multiple plays. Their albums have generally been front-loaded and this one is no exception. They actually excel at the mid-tempo, but fall somewhat flat when they slow things down as their laconic can becomes a bit lethargic.  

Defining Moment Occupying the fitting 4th song position in the lineup, “Gentle Samurai” is a should-be smash hit and perhaps the band’s most captivating song of their career. It’s an unifying statement stacked with harmonies, ‘60s bubblegum pop embellishments and ringing guitars. While still blazing their own trail, the song clearly cross paths with Teenage Fanclub (e.g. “Baby Lee,” "I Don't Want Control of You"), the Quarter After and the Resonars. “Gentle Samurai” is testament to their promise and delivery as a band and this is what I imagined them to sound like before hearing any of their official releases.

As with all their albums, there are some missteps like the incongruous shrill guitar tones of “Gem” and boring “Desert Center'' stretches found under “High Noon." Still, when they do connect they make the summer hits and rolling rock country like “Dophin Dance” for a now mostly vanished world. On a sidenote: When I lived in the Los Angeles area, I would see the Beachwood Drive exit sign along the 101 and imagine the band living in a house up the hill like the Grateful Dead with the Byrds (or Primal Scream) playing non-stop, while I was stuck in work-a-day traffic. Their parting shot, “Wild Swans” brings out a New Order/Peter Hook bass line. By the way, a New Order influence also surfaces on the Tyde’s “Use Them." Across the River of Stars may be a bit of a rough ride and it may be their Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde, but it’s who they are. However uneven, it’s encouraging to hear their further sonic explorations along the shifting edges that lead to the vast expanses of the West.

The Scimitars-Desert Tales

 

Recently, I was on the nearby Gila Indian Reservation and glanced out to the vast expanse of the desert and re-realized all its majestic glory and its stretch out to the sea. In a similar way, Desert Tales is able to encapsulate and evoke the expansive mystique of the desert and connect it to the coast with its churning surf and Middle Eastern instrumental sounds. The Scimitars achieve takeoff by negotiating these cross-currents and finding the tricky balance between surf music’s guitar-driven melodic song-orientation and the fluid and open-ended nature of Middle Eastern music.

Electric Bağlama/Saz

The key differentiator in their sound is the electric Bağlama Saz played by Ran Mosessco, who also composed and arranged all the songs. The songs display Mosessco’s versatility with a variety of instruments along with alluring pull of his songcraft. Jonpaul Balak’s bass forms the backbone of their sound and provides a thick low-end rumble, while the Darbuka hand drums and the Sarangi accent the mesmerizing and intricate fretboard framework. 

The record was mastered by grunge-meister Jack Endino, but this particular stack of fierce and searing sounds lean more towards Link Wray than any Seattle sludge. The opener “Port Saiedy” arrives like a whirling helicopter with its pulsating percussion and blade-like guitars slicing the air. Seemingly inspired by Morricone, “Damascus Steel” melds the Middle Eastern to the Spaghetti Western with bass lines that go “8 Miles High.” As the song title indicates, “Marquis de Saz” prominently features the electric saz. A more resonant tone is instantly achieved with the switch to the Turkish national instrument. “Taverna” is a surging and striking Greek-inspired number that combines dashing hand drums and a serpentine melody. While their wide array of instruments are played mostly in a straight-ahead traditional manner, “Into the Catacombs” departs into a more experimental direction with its dissonance. Where will this adventurous group head next? 

2023 single

Desert Tales covers the spectrum from immediately captivating numbers to more slow-burning atmospheric affairs. Further, the Scimitars achieve an all-encompassing sound that washes over listeners, while also transporting them from disenchantment to enchantment. With these overlapping sounds, the Scimitars have extended the range of surf music out to the lands of the shifting sands. 

The Scimitars-David Berner (Guitar, Sarangi), Ran Mosessco (Electric Saz, Guitar)
 Jonpaul Balak (Bass) Pablo Baza (Drums) Rogelio Corcolis (Darbuka Hand Drums)

Various - Demoler! Demoler! Demoler!: The Story of Rebeca Llave and Disperu, Home to Los Saicos

It’s time to cross the equator once again and continue to explore a panorama of Peruvian sounds. This is a land where music seems to permeate and swirl in the semi-tropical air. When it comes to hearing Peruvian music, this century has been a high-tide for both domestic and international listeners. The magnetic pull of Peruvian music continues with each Munster and Vampisoul reissue.  Munster’s latest is a compilation focusing on the Disperú label, which was the “first independent record label in Peru and South America that was founded and run by a woman.”

Owned & Operated

Rebeca Llave single-handedly established and ran Disperú, while simultaneously working for the Peruvian record company Dispesa. The Peruvian music industry was going through major changes in the wake of the Beatles. At that time, young rock ‘n’ roll combos were looking for recording opportunities only to be turned away by the old guard who owned and operated Peru’s established labels. On her own time and initiative, Llave covered the requisite recording, accounting, and design along with the other countless duties required to run a successful record company. She even designed the Disperú logo and the label’s red & white colorways are the colors of Peru. In short, she made it happen for many from 1963 to 1968.

Count Five – "Psychotic Reaction" on Disperú 

Llave created a conducive and encouraging atmosphere that matched the energy and enthusiasm of the young bands that were emerging in the mid-‘60s. Disperú became the go-to label for the bands from the neighborhoods and districts of Lima with dreams of recording. Not only did the label feature local Lima acts, but she also had the foresight to sign bands from inland Peru and outside the Peruvian borders. Overall, she acted as a conduit for disseminating the vibrant new sounds that were part of the groundswell that surged through South America during the ‘60s.

Sound Spectrum Disperú is most known for being the home label of Los Saicos, however the label spanned a large range of musical styles. The variety of sounds featured on Disperú could also be attributed to Llave’s diverse sensibilities, which shine through, while also reflecting the stylistic diversity and musical overlapping that has always been characteristic of Peruvian music. 

Rebeca Llave

Vernacular Vanguard The label did indeed showcase the jazz, lounge, pop, beat, cumbia, boogaloo and soul sounds that were flourishing and converging along the coast and in the capital city of Lima. Disperú also made forays into Andean music and astutely recorded Peruvian traditional and folkloric music from El Indio Mayta and Los Grauinos. These ventures expanded the label’s audience beyond Lima as well as providing the label a unique inland Peruvian flavor. Llave, who was only a teen, struck a fine balance between professionalism and enthusiasm as she opened the doors and gave opportunities to many musicians regardless of her own musical taste. The stylistic diversity and Llave’s commendable management approach are what makes the label special today.

The World Famous Los Saicos

The Big Bang The record begins with the label’s big bang “Demolición” by Los Saicos before barely ceding to Jean Paul El Troglodita (The Caveman) and his serviceable cover of “Secret Agent Man.” Next up is “Pobre Adán,” which is a perfect little 2 minute early ‘60s gem with a nice hop by Gloria Travesi y sus Hijos Cantan.  Little is known at this time about this singer and the singing children.

“Vuelve A Mi Barquita” by Los 4 Brillantes reminds me of the American Four featuring Arthur Lee with its floor moving R&B soul. They also affix the “Boys” outro lifted from the Shirelles and the Beatles that is perfectly fitting for a Beatles-inspired quartet with a female lead singer. By the way, Los 4 Brillantes were actually Uruguayan. Like Los Shakers, the combo started in Montevideo, Uruguay, but had an entirely different experience in their efforts to cross over to neighboring Argentina and its capital city Buenos Aires.  Los Shakers received their greatest acclaim and largest audiences in Argentina, while Los 4 Brillantes in contrast were met with resistance in Buenos Aires for not being Argentine.

Los 4 Brillantes – Shaker Latino

Beat Bonanza Los 4 Brillantes continued undeterred and eventually found their first breakthrough success via a television appearance in Peru. They were subsequently signed by Llave and her fledgling Disperú label. Sales of their debut album resulted in a windfall that allowed Llave to buy a green fastback Mustang that appeared on a cover of the debut album by Jean Paul El Troglodita.  

El Troglodita in Llave's Fastback Mustang

Featuring the lead vocals of Ivonne Amorin, Los 4 Brillantes’ sound on songs like “Dame Proto La Oportunidad” is somewhere in the vicinity between the Beatles and the Seekers with a touch of the Honeycombs. They incorporated some total Beatles moves with a twist. Instead of a harmonica as heard in those early Beatles hits (e.g. “Please Please Me”) they prominently featured the melodica in many of their songs.

Notice the melodica held by the musican second from left

The Big Leagues The combo would later go on to Mexico where they were sponsored by the Max Factor cosmetic company and were picked up by the giant Discos CBS (aka Columbia Records). They even appeared on a CBS collection that featured the Byrds, Chad & Jeremy and several Mexican groups that recorded for the label. Later, they were poised to make it in America and even received some interest from the Latin-leaning A&M Records. Lead vocalist Ivonne Amorin would later release an adult contemporary solo album under the name Yvonne Maria. Presentando La Sublime was issued by Columbia in 1969. None of this would have been unlikely to happen if Rebeca Llave had not given them the initial opportunity to record in Peru.

1966 CBS-Mexico collection featuring Los 4 Brillantes,
the Byrds, and Chad Y Jeremy

Peruvian Home to the Count Five Next, Los Saicos’ “Te Amo” surprisingly appears on the comp sans vocals.  The mid-tempo instrumental reveals their versatility, while showcasing Francisco "Pancho" Guevara’s drumming. On a sidenote, some random, but totally aesthetically fitting singles from North America did appear on the label including the Count Five’s “Psychotic Reaction” and Señor Soul’s “Pata Pata.” One of label’s later singles was the topical “Don’t Cry Soldier” by Miami soul singer Edie Walker from 1968. Miami would later go on to have major significance in Llave’s life.  

Toño y Sus Sicodélicos-Mister Boogaloo

Jet-Set Latin Soul The comp hits its stride with the dynamic and bold Latin soul instrumentals from Toño y Sus Sicodélicos. Their explosive cumbias are layered with tropical, coastal and overseas influences. Their opening shot “Mr. Boogaloo” vibrantly blends the melodies of “La Bamba” and “Hang on Sloopy.” Toño Reyes was a Peruvian saxophonist who arranged 1968's Mister Boogaloo. Llave was highly conversant with what was going on in New York and Los Angeles due to her travels for Dispesa. Her jet-setting can be heard in the cross-pollinating of the music. In addition, the psychedelic cover art seems to foreshadow Tito Puente’s "The King” famously rendered by artist Charlie Rosario. While many of the songs were contributed by Mexican percussionist Leo Acosta, “Borinquen Bella” is a cover of the TNT Band, a Nuyorican outfit, who were part of “jala-jala” scene in New York. It's the only song besides “No Te Boté” on the album to feature vocals. “Es La Lluvia Que Cae” is a cover of Bob Lind’s “Remember the Rain” that translates well. They would include a vocal version on their next and last self-titled album that appeared in 1971.  In some odd way the melody reminds me of that Plain White T’s song that was so ubiquitous at one point. The punchy “Chin Chin" seems to possibly incorporate those  Ray Manzarek/Doors’ styled organ riffs that were already tinged with Latin undercurrents. There is also a joyous cover of the poptastic  "Las Hojas Secas," from the Mexican combo Los Zignos, The song was so popular that it was even covered by Peruvian rock groups such as Los Steivos and Los 007.

The Start of Saicomania Rebeca Llave caught the excitement and music that was in the air and helped Peruvian music reach new heights in the mid-60s While previously best known for signing and releasing the records of Los Saicos, now heard around the world in part because of the Saicomania 1964-1966 documentary released in 2011, other aspects of her vision are now emerging to the surface. Just the fact she gave the first opportunity to those beat punks and their musical impact is still being felt around the world are testaments to her foresight.

From Lima to the World

This compilation provides a wider and deeper view of the Peruvian music scene of the mid-sixties. Llave’s Disperú label straddled jazz, pop, boogaloo and soul and beat, while also encapsulating the distinctive, yet elusive Peruvian ethos in groups that were as resolute and determined as herself.  Most of all, Llave exemplified what became known as the independent or DIY spirit when she self-started and ran her own label which evolved into a vibrant hub for a variety of Peruvian and South American music. Overall, Llave was a catalyst at the epicenter of Peruvian music and she helped reshape her country’s sound, while also setting the stage for the next wave of groups like Los York’s and Los Destellos. At the end of the 60s, Llave closed down her label in order to take on the new challenge of moving to the United States to attend the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida where she studied English, art and photography. Thanks to the Madrid-based Vampisoul & Munster Records, the Disperú label is being rediscovered and the sounds can be heard not only in Peru and South America, but also far beyond and in many cases for the first time ever.

 Photo from El Comercio Perú

Program-It's A Sign

No major blocks of text this time around, but I just wished to highlight one of the better new records I have heard this year from this Melbourne band as we approach the midway mark of year 24. Overall their sound jumps right out of the speakers somewhere between the Chills, the Clean, the Apples in Stereo, EZTV and early Teenage Fanclub. My favorites are where they pick up the pace and cut down the meanderings and go into a sort of Ramones-mode. “Precious Things” follows Joey back to the “7-11” and the riveting “Live Without” is top level stripped-down rock‘n’roll excellence somewhere between Hunx and His Punx and the Lifeforms.  “Everything & Co.” stomps like the Troggs (on their album with R.E.M.), while flowing along like my favorite current Italian band Hakan.

I did listen to their previous record, 2019’s Show Me and It’s a Sign is meters/miles ahead in production, execution and delivery. I hope they will continue to make every song as propulsive, poppy and catchy as the aforementioned and keep leaning towards the Ramones and step off the Pavement. However, I understand their need for contrast and appeal somewhat to the ‘90s revival. Time will tell where they will go next. For now, they have some standout songs that coincide with my favorite cover art of the year.

Yea-Ming and the Rumours-I Can't Have it All (Review & Interviews with Eóin Galvin & Yea-Ming Chen)

Yea-Ming and the Rumours
Photo by Tiger Lily-JetLag RocknRoll

Musical trends come and go and sometimes return, but Yea-Ming and the Rumours have been playing the long-game and it can be heard with their immediate, yet enduring country & folk-tinged Pacific Coast pop. Their sounds evoke universal moods and feelings usually regulated to the night, fleeting moments and the half-remembered halcyon days of yore. While being mostly unsung, they just keep playing here and there and attracting more listeners and attention with each show they play and record they release. They approach music with an enthusiasm that acknowledges there is a first time for everything and everyone, while addressing life’s continually changing circumstances within a timeless sound.

Besides Yea-Ming's remarkable vocals (which are in high demand among groups recording in the San Francisco Bay Area) the other distinguishing aspects are the befitting lap steel guitar playing of Eóin Galvin along with their intertwined Fender Stratocasters. When it comes to instantly appealing and lasting pop they could be the West Coast equivalent to Cut Worms. Additionally, the economical and catchy nature of the songs seem to parallel the work of fellow Bay Area musician Tony Molina. In fact, a majority of the album was mixed by Jasper Leach, who has played extensively on Tony Molina recordings. Matt Bullimore (the Mantles) once again provided the mastering. 

 

L to R: Luke Robbins (drums), Eóin Galvin (lead guitar, lap steel), Jen Weisberg (bass)
Yea-Ming Chen (vocals, guitar) Photo by Corey Poluk

Spanning the Globe

One could say that Yea-Ming has developed quite the compelling stylistic approach, but it seems like she has always inherently had it.  Most significant is her ability to distill things down to the elements in order to express the essence and in turn create her own world. On their third album, they bring their sound to new hushed and intimate places, while maintaining the overall continuity with the sounds and themes of their two previous albums. Sonically, they retain their overall sunny and ringing sound that contrasts and complements the shrouded, murky and amorphous art-pop cassette sounds of Cindy, Flowertown and Tony Jay. While the Bay Area pop scene is currently thriving (some call it a pop renaissance) with many cross-currents and collaborations, it could be stated that Yea-Ming and the Rumours are still in a realm by themselves somewhat like the Aislers Set were 25 years ago. This approach connects them to ardent listeners both within the Byzantine Bay Area and to lands far beyond.

 

Artwork by Yea-Ming
Layout by Chris Appelgren

The spare “Pretending” starts things off in a Velvet Underground “Sunday Morning” way. While the title track “I Can’t Have it All” is said to be directly inspired by Yo La Tengo’s cover of George McCrae’s “You Can Have it All,” I can also hear a nod to the Jesus and Mary Chain’s Darklands, which seems to be an underlying, if somewhat subliminal influence throughout the album. The uptempo and cheery “Ruby” is definitely not the Kenny Rogers and the First Edition song with its graceful descending melody that belies its very pointed lyrics. Eóin Galvin’s lap steel playing and stellar solo takes center stage on the standout country shuffle “I Tried to Hide.” Thunder rumbles off in the mountainous distance as the percussion summons the forces of nature. The high lonesome number also features effortless backing vocals cascading down by bass player (and visual artist) Jen Weisberg.   

Their familiar blanketing sound expands out to include some new subtle shifts and inflection points. Pastoral and lovely lyrics of canyons and trees adorn the stirring “Big Blue Sea.” Yea-Ming’s transporting vocals float over churning layers of strummy jangle still resonating from Softies records. Underneath the sun-lit melodies and the rolling waves of percussion is an appeal for the human obligation to help and assist those crying out to us in myriad ways.

The big production number “Can We Meet in the Middle” brings to mind the Shangri-Las, the Gentle Waves and the aforementioned Darklands-era Jesus and Mary Chain. The incorporation of strings also recall those lavishly orchestrated Marianne Faithfull mid-60s albums like Faithfull Forever. The rustic, yet snappy “Before I Make It Home” is a hidden gem buried midway through side 2 of the album. The twangy guitar and organ embellishments evoke those searing September & October days when summer refuses to fade away in California. Luke Robbins' rollicking drumming kicks up the fallen leaves along with literal and figurative notions of home. The forlorn protagonist is at a significant crossroads, (aka out to sea or the wilderness years) in a Lady Bird-like movie of the mind.

Regeneration Their current live set closer “Somebody’s Daughter” is one of their thickest sounding-recordings, however it does not relinquish any of the exquisite charm that imbues their sound. The song rides the rails of the pedal steel guitar towards a big ending of buoyant backing vocals worthy of Stereolab combined with the famous rhythmic pattern that announce the arrival of “Be My Baby.” It’s a strong arrangement led by irresistible melodies calling to return to the world anew with an open heart. This approach may require reapproaching life with fewer expectations, many less assumptions and appreciating things along the way. Connecting the prosaic to the otherworldly, “Alice Sings” contains a languid guitar solo reminiscent of “Pale Blue Eyes”-era Velvet Underground, while the lyrics gently remind of the calm that may descend when pursuing the arts. “Pretending Reprise” echoes the ethereal side of the Velvet Underground once again. This time around the tune is played acoustically and the tempo is slowed to a “I’m Sticking With You” rate. Delicate Dance With the reprise of "Pretending," Yea-Ming has reached the other shore. Her music speaks to the present moment, while also courageouly seeking understanding. Between the musical layers are lyrics expressing the continual reconciliation of competing priorities as well as acknowledging disillusionment in order to avoid being overtaken by seemingly Sisyphean tasks. Accordingly, these experiences may provide the perspective and fortitude to approach oncoming challenges with finesse, wisdom and equanimity. While getting from here to there does not happen overnight, these reckonings have spurred their most cohesive album of heartfelt songs about heartbreak. I Can't Have It All is the captivating and human-scaled soundtrack to these ongoing efforts.

Interviews

Reaching Out to Eóin Galvin (Lead Guitar, Lap Steel Guitar)

Eóin Galvin
Photo by Tiger Lily - JetLag RocknRoll

What make and model of lap steel guitar do you play? I play a Teisco H-8S (backwards in a made-up tuning). It's a Japanese 8-string lap steel from the 1960s. It is strung right-handed but played left-handed (that is, left hand plucks, right hand holds the steel bar with lower pitched strings farther away, higher pitched strings nearer). The tuning is (low to high) E - B - C# - E - G# - B - E - G. As far as I know, I am the only one who uses this particular tuning. I wanted to have two different major and minor triads without slanting the bar. (That said, I immediately started slanting the bar, having no one to teach me otherwise.) The slide I use is a Shubb-Pearse SP-1 steel (double-cut, semi-bullet tip, pre-2011 chromed brass) It's a bit longer than other steels, to cover all 8 strings. I do not use finger picks. It’s hard to tell from live video recordings, but it appears that you don’t plug in your lap steel and/or it does not have an output. I take it that the overhead mic is sufficient to amplify the sound in a clattering live setting? Any elaboration on your set-up would be appreciated. I will take that as a compliment about the tone sounding natural and dynamic! Since I play a right-handed instrument left-handed, the output may be hard to see beneath my left hand. These days I play directly (i.e., - no pedals or other effects) through a Fender Blues Deluxe, though for many years I played through a Roland KC-100 keyboard amp. I have the amp set pretty cleanly with a bit of reverb to allow for dynamics and tone in the playing to come through. For years I have debated adding a volume pedal, but have so far resisted. Local pedal steel player Jacob Aranda advised me against a volume pedal, saying it was a crutch I didn't need. When did you start playing the lap steel guitar? It also appears that you might also have a jazz guitar and/or classical guitar background. Is there any validity to this assumption? AllMusic (Mark Deming) stated that you played with the B-Sides along with Readyville (who Yea-Ming cited in our 2020 interview).

I started playing lap steel around 2002 in the band Readyville. My friend and longtime collaborator Nick Palatucci had been writing songs and I was helping arrange them. The idea was that country music had a tradition of complex, clever, emotional lyrics that might be out of place in other genres. I found my lap steel in a used music store in Berkeley, CA for $200. I was not able to find anyone giving lessons (and YouTube was some years away) so I made up a tuning and started playing. As a duo, there was no room to hide, so the choices had to be thoughtful, definite, and fit the song. I felt comfortable on lap steel very quickly - I was writing parts and performing within the first two months. More broadly, I am from a large, musical family and grew up with piano lessons and singing in the school choir. For my 12th birthday, I begged for a guitar and took weekly lessons, starting with Nirvana's Unplugged in New York. In high school, I started playing in the school's excellent jazz band and in a series of very short-lived indie and punk bands with friends. The highpoints of my guitar "background", such as it is, were high school summers at the Stanford Jazz Workshop. It was the kind of place that shows you exactly where you are as a musician. I had a good ear, solid music theory, and decidedly less virtuosity than, say, the second best guitar player from Danville (who was excellent). Among all that talent, commitment, and drive, I got a glimpse of what it would really take to play jazz at a professional level and saw that I was not sufficiently passionate about jazz to continue on to a music school. This also freed me from an unconscious, nebulous standard of what a "real" musician is. I started to trust my own taste and not worry about demonstrating some imagined required prowess.

With apologies to Mark Deming, I was NOT in the B-sides. I suspect the confusion comes from my overlap with other bands and musicians. In high school, my friends and I started a pop-punk band - the Kablamies. Two of the Kablamies, Nick Palatucci and Tim "Tym" Barber, played in the B-Sides, though I did not. Later, Nick and I played as a duo called Readyville. My best guess is that Nick and my prior bands were conflated at some point.

For what it's worth, the main timeline for my bands*:

~1997 - 1999 -- The Kablamies (vocals, harmony vocals, guitar)

~2001 - 2006 -- Readyville (harmony vocals, guitar, organaire, lap steel, bass)

~2009 - present -- Hoxton Mob (vocals, harmony vocals, guitar, organaire)

~2013 - present -- Yea-Ming and the Rumours (harmony vocals, guitar, lap steel)

*more than 10x performances, recordings released in some format

I started performing with Yea-Ming as a duo under her name for a year or two before a full band was added and the name became "Yea-Ming and the Rumours." I consider myself the first Rumour. I would like to mention that all the Rumours, past and present, have led their own bands. Besides the quality of the musicians, I think players leading their own projects, counter-intuitively, contributes to the unified sound Yea-Ming achieves. Having other outlets allows our work in the Rumours to better focus on Yea-Ming's intentions. As song-writers and band leaders, Yea-Ming chose musicians who all play to the song rather than themselves. The real trick Yea-Ming has mastered is managing a band of strongly opinionated musicians with clarity and grace. For more than a decade she has balanced collaboration with clear authority while remaining a joy to work with.

Advice and/or beginners tips to those who are interested in learning the steel guitar?

Just start. Don't worry about gear, just get your hands on something with strings and a smooth object to slide along them. If a lap steel is not an option, a regular guitar can be converted with an extension nut for a few dollars. These days there are tons of videos and materials for common tunings, if that is how you learn. If not, feel free to make up a tuning that works for you. For me, a working understanding of basic music theory is immensely helpful. Knowing how intervals and chords work will save you time and trouble.

Do you also play pedal steel?

I wish! As a left handed guitar player, pedal steel would require either switching my hands for rhythm and pitch or a custom made guitar. The pedals and levers are on the wrong side for me and can not easily be reversed. That said, I appreciate the limits of a lap steel and would not trade my experience so far.

Who are your favorite lap steel guitar players (both current and past)?
(They can also be pedal steel players:)

If I'm honest, I have only very basic knowledge of steel players in general - please forgive anyone I am overlooking. For greats of the past, the first few I heard (and loved) were probably the same ones everyone has heard, whether they realize it or not.

Jerry Byrd (lap and pedal steel giant in both country and Hawaiian music)
Don Helms (Hank Williams' pedal steel player)
Frank Ferera (Hawaiian/jazz guitar legend I found through his work with Annette Hanshaw)
Ralph Mooney (the "Bakersfield Sound" innovator who played with everyone in California from Buck Owens through Merle Haggard).
Alvino Ray (the inventor and jazz/experimental pedal steel player I found through his work with Esquivel!)

Sadly, I am especially bad at keeping up with current music.The three that come to mind are Melvin Duffy (pedal steel player for First Aid Kit), Junior Brown (the only 8-string lap steel player on these lists), local players Jacob Aranda and Vic Wong. Among non-steel guitar players, I most admire David Rawling (Gillian Welch's guitar player).

What are some of your favorite recordings that feature the lap steel as lead and/or accompaniment?

Another tricky question. Here are some examples to start:
"Nobody's Fool But Yours" by Buck Owens (Ralph Mooney on steel)
"Emmylou" by First Aid Kit (Melvin Duffy on steel)
"Wailana Waltz" by Frank Ferera
"April in Paris" covered by Vic Wong
Checking in with Yea-Ming Chen (Guitar, Vocals, Keys)

Yea-Ming Chen
Photo by: Tiger Lily -  JetLag RocknRoll

Congratulations on your third full-length record and more than 10 years together as a band. Approximately what month/season and year did the Rumours begin in your estimation? Thank you, Ted! Haha! I hate thinking about how long something has lasted but since you ask, according to my Gmail account, I started playing with Eóin Galvin in March of 2013 when I decided to “go solo” and was looking for an outlet to play some of my quieter folkier songs. But as my brain works, that need to play only quiet songs never lasts long, and a full band was formed quickly after that to help play the faster songs. Can you briefly introduce your new rhythm section? Yes! Jen Weisberg is our current bass player for the live band and has a beautiful, unique and extremely special voice and I just love singing with her. Her memory for melody is insane. She fronts a band called Hits and is an amazing songwriter herself. She also happens to be my favorite visual artist/painter. I am very moved by all the work that she does. Luke Robbins is a great songwriter and fast learning multi-instrumentalist playing in a bunch of local bands like R.E. Seraphin, Latitude, Aerosols as well as one of my new projects called RYLI. He is currently playing drums for the Rumours’ live line-up but first showed up in the Rumours right after Jen was recruited to be the new bass player but was unavailable for the next show. Luke stepped in to play bass for that show which is also when I wrote “Pretending” and I loved what he was doing so much, I asked him to play bass on “Pretending” and “Pretending Reprise” on the new record. I liked playing with him so much that when our original drummer Sonia moved to Sacramento, it only made sense to ask him how he felt about playing drums. He shows up on the record as a drummer on “I Tried To Hide” (featuring Jen’s beautiful vocals) and “Before I Make It Home” and nails them both, but I especially love the energy he brings to the latter. The track sequencing is especially effective on the new album. Is this something you decide individually or collectively as a group? Thank you so much! I’m so glad you appreciate it. Honestly, I usually let someone else do it for me, but on this one, I worked it out obsessively on my own which might have taken way too many days. However, I did ask Luke to take a listen to the sequence and confirm on whether or not it was okay. When he approved it was when I felt 100% sure it was correct. Did you have an aha moment and/or turning point in the making of this album? Yes! My aha moment was when I wrote “Pretending.” Though short, that song describes the turning point in my mental state, a sudden understanding of my unhealthy habits, and how I want to live my life going forward. Was this past January (2024) the band’s first time playing at Gilman Street? Yes! It was not the first time I played Gilman but the first time the band played at Gilman. Unfortunately, Eóin was on a camping trip and Bobby who runs Dandy Boy Records (the show was a Dandy Boy Records showcase) insisted we play anyway as a trio. It was super fun, but there definitely felt like an essential element was missing because Eóin wasn’t there. I vow never to be that “naked” on stage again.

At Gilman Street
Photo by: Tiger Lily - JetLag RocknRoll

Any words of wisdom/advice/encouragement that you would like to offer younger musicians just getting started? Don’t let perfectionism (and the negativity that comes with it) get in the way of putting your stuff out there. I feel like I spent a lot of my former years not giving myself permission because I wasn’t SOMETHING enough. F*CK THAT. Surround yourself with supportive people and gracefully ignore the ones that don’t. In a recent podcast interview you mentioned Teenage Fanclub, What is your favorite Teenage Fanclub song? My favorite TFC song is "Baby Lee" off of Shadows which I think may or may not be a “deep cut.” I just love the simplicity of the song and the desperateness and purity in the line: “They had me in mind when they designed you.” That line kills me every time! What are some of the other groups/albums/songs that directly or indirectly influenced this album (besides Yo La Tengo and Camera Obscura listed in press materials)? Hmmm there is so much and I generally gravitate to really great songwriting, but the bands/artists that have probably most influenced my songwriting are:

Velvet Underground (always), all of Greg Cartwright’s projects (Compulsive Gamblers/Reigning Sound), Belle and Sebastian, Camera Obscura’s side project TracyAnne and Danny, Broadcast, Guided By Voices, Jeff Tweedy and Wilco, Bill Callahan, all of David Berman’s projects, Cate Le Bon, Kevin Morby, Cass McCombs, Tony Molina, Big Thief and Mitski. Also, I’m not too snobby to stay that I still love The Beatles and go back to my love for them and their individual solo projects ALL THE TIME.

What has been inspiring you outside of music? I’m still obsessed with the anti-heroine story that is rarely told in fiction. I ravage those stories. I’m currently obsessed with Sally Rooney’s writing and books and can’t wait for her new book to arrive on my bookshelf. A lot of people hate shows like Girls because they “can’t stand the characters.” But I feel like society has been obsessed with bad/imperfect men forever, and the “bad female” character story is never told except as auxiliary characters. There is something sexist about that, I’m not sure what it is. I think we want our women to fit in a neat polite box or a neat sexy box, etc and men are constantly being adored for being shitty in stories (e.g., Don Draper in Mad Men). I think being shitty happens and is human and part of a lot of people’s journeys. I’m not saying we should be unkind people (we should certainly be kind)… but if we are going into the depths of someone’s character, can we do it everywhere? Some people hate Sally Rooney’s stories for the same reasons as the above, but I adore them and am willing to admit to being inspired by them. I love a human story of imperfections; probably because I live with so much regret. Any aspirations or goals to play in Taiwan/Japan/South Korea/Philippines since these countries are only an airline flight away from San Francisco? I would love to play in Taiwan/Japan/South Korea/Phillipines but especially Taiwan since that is where my family is from. It’s definitely a dream of mine, but financially it’s not something I’m sure I can do and feels very far off. If the perfect opportunity ever arises tho, I would not hesitate to take it.

Yea-Ming Chen & Jen Weisberg

Photo by Tiger Lily - JetLag RocknRoll