Secret Chiefs 3

[zombywoof]

Finally sinking my teeth into this stuff after numerous recommendations and I'm loving it. I got the latest one first (Perichoresis) which I just loved from first hearing. Then I got Book M (which I finally got around to hearing a few days ago) and liked it so much I got Book of Souls: Folio A! I think my favorite might be Book M, but I love them all. Book of Souls seems the most diverse, but oddly the Ishraqiyun cuts are my favorites. That middle eastern meets techno thing is just so intoxicating.

So let's talk SC3! What are your favorites? How about the satellite bands? Any particular one catch your ear over the others?

[chalkpie]

Udester will chime in here....he loves this band.

[polmico]

How about the satellite bands?

Is Mr. Bungle a satellite band of SC3? If yes, then Mr. Bungle. If no, then still Mr. Bungle because Mr. Bungle.

I saw Trevor Dunn play with a harpist at the tiny Caledonia Lounge in Athens, GA about 10 years or so ago. Spell-binding stuff. I wonder why I never ordered the album? Oh well. Problem solved now. Here be linkage:
http://www.trevordunn.net/discography_leader.html

Dunn has played with SC3, Bungle, Fantomas, Melvins, Tomahawk, Zorn and has done it all very well.

[NogbadTheBad]

I love all the ones you mention. My personal favorite is Book Of Horizons but they're all good. Also recommended is Masada Book 2 - The Book Of Angels. I still need to explore the rest of the catalog. You really need to see them live to get the full vibe. The live DVD is similarly excellent and bears multiple plays.

[zombywoof]

I love all the ones you mention. My personal favorite is Book Of Horizons but they're all good. Also recommended is Masada Book 2 - The Book Of Angels. I still need to explore the rest of the catalog. You really need to see them live to get the full vibe. The live DVD is similarly excellent and bears multiple plays.

DVD? That sounds cool! I'll have to look into that.

[zombywoof]

Is Mr. Bungle a satellite band of SC3? If yes, then Mr. Bungle. If no, then still Mr. Bungle because Mr. Bungle.

I saw Trevor Dunn play with a harpist at the tiny Caledonia Lounge in Athens, GA about 10 years or so ago. Spell-binding stuff. I wonder why I never ordered the album? Oh well. Problem solved now. Here be linkage:
http://www.trevordunn.net/discography_leader.html
.
Dunn has played with SC3, Bungle, Fantomas, Melvins, Tomahawk, Zorn and has done it all very well.

Bungle were first. I believe SC3 were born from the ashes or began while Bungle were still happening. As a fan of both, I prefer SC3

[polmico]

Oh, I know Bungle were first. That was my favorite album for a few years around '92 or so. Neck and neck with Angel Dust. Still don't ask me to choose.

[zombywoof]

Oh, I know Bungle were first. That was my favorite album for a few years around '92 or so. Neck and neck with Angel Dust. Still don't ask me to choose.

Nice! I need to play Disco Volante again. BIG fan of the debut.

[Levgan]

One thing: do NOT miss their gig if they play within walking/driving distance. Their concert in Moscow last year was absolutely incredible.

Trey Spruance is also an extremely nice and very eloquent person. I conducted a big interview with him a few weeks prior to the show, and it was one of the most interesting conversations I ever had with anybody. His level of knowledge - not just musical, but cultural - is amazing; at one point I realized that we've been discussing ancient Greek modes for 15 minutes straight. The interview is online, but unfortunately, it's all in Russian.

[NogbadTheBad]

Trey speaks Russian?

[WHORG]

They have a very serious live presentation for sure - not to be missed.

[frinspar]

Another fan here. I got into them after 2nd Grand Constitution and Bylaws came out, and grabbed that and the first from Amazon.
Longtime fan of Bungle and all that comes with it as well.

[chalkpie]

Nice! I need to play Disco Volante again. BIG fan of the debut.

and California! Amazing album IMO.

[zombywoof]

and California! Amazing album IMO.

Yeah? Add it to the list! (You are actually keeping one ... Right?)

[SteveSly]

I have picked up a couple of their albums and although I like some individual tracks they did not really blow me away. Seeing the live however (opening for Goblin) was fantastic and I would go see them again in a heartbeat if they came around my area. I guess bottom line I liked them live better than the studio albums I have heard.

[Udi Koomran]

Udester will chime in here....he loves this band.

Yes I discovered them back in 98
Although there was a live album in 99 it was only after Book of Horizons Trey transformed it also into a living touring band
Transforming this music to stage is a daunting task for sure and based on that earlier live cd I was skeptical if its possible to pull this off in a convincing way
Having seen them twice and watching the superb dvd over and over I can say Trey did a phenomenal job with very little means.
I did some heavy lobbying chez RIO Fest and can't wait to see them for the third time

[Udi Koomran]

I feel a lot of folks overlook the 2nd album Second Grand Constitution And Bylaws
While its not as consistent as the later stuff nevertheless I find it essential

[Levgan]

Trey speaks Russian?

No, the conversation was in English, but the transcript was translated to Russian and published in the Afisha magazine.

In my years as a music journalist I have only encountered one Western rock star who spoke nearly perfect Russian, and it was Lou Edmonds of The Damned / Public Image Ltd.

[Udi Koomran]

Trey Spruance is also an extremely nice and very eloquent person. I conducted a big interview with him a few weeks prior to the show, and it was one of the most interesting conversations I ever had with anybody. His level of knowledge - not just musical, but cultural - is amazing; at one point I realized that we've been discussing ancient Greek modes for 15 minutes straight. .

So right
O have a little story
About 10 years ago I corresponded with him regarding a possible release of a band I was working with ( Kruzenshtern & Parohod) on Web Of Mimicry
Anyway he immediately wrote back and one of his first questions was about my family name.
He asked he if it related to Qumran (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qumran) and when I answered positively he wanted to know why I was using a different spelling
I told him hardly no one really knows about Qumran even here in the holy land he said something in the line of " what has the world come to when no ones knows about the secret society of Qumran
So to show his knowledge is very impressive

[Scrotum Scissor]

a band I was working with ( Kruzenshtern & Parohod)

Are they still together? Been ages since I listened to them, but I've got three of their releases - including the scorchingly great Songs, sporting one of the finest CD jackets I ever saw.

That Spruance/Qumran anecdote is priceless, btw.

[Udi Koomran]

Are they still together? Been ages since I listened to them, but I've got three of their releases - including the scorchingly great Songs, sporting one of the finest CD jackets I ever saw.
That Spruance/Qumran anecdote is priceless, btw.

Not meaning to hijack this thread
Amazing
I just bumped into Kruzenshtern's drummer last night at a local restaurant ( he said he hasn't seen me since 2006 )
He told me they abandoned the Klezmer styling and are "much much heavier these days" - running Roslan's clarinets through 2 marshall amps and sounding like a bulldozer

I told him that is cool but don't make it turn you into a Zu clone
Yes Songs was a great experience but eventually Trey did not release it and they are not happy with the way it sounds ( as I later discovered )
I did do another split album with them and Vialka which is more to their taste I guess

[Scrotum Scissor]

He told me they abandoned the Klezmer styling and are "much much heavier these days" - running Roslan's clarinets through 2 marshall amps and sounding like a bulldozer

I told him that is cool but don't make it turn you into a Zu clone
Yes Songs was a great experience but eventually Trey did not release it and they are not happy with the way it sounds ( as I later discovered )
I did do another split album with them and Vialka which is more to their taste I guess

Yup, I've got the Vialka split as well, and it's equally great. Couldn't agree more about the "Zu clone hazard" (although I love them!); there are too many Scorch Trio/Zu/Noxagt-wannabes out there already. Yet KIP's music was always more compositionally refined and structurally clear clut, so let's hope they stick to that no matter the instrumentation.

As for SC3 (to keep things in line ), did they ever gig around your parts?

[Levgan]

Excellent story, Udi, and yes, it's Trey in a nutshell.

Are they still together? Been ages since I listened to them, but I've got three of their releases - including the scorchingly great Songs, sporting one of the finest CD jackets I ever saw.

I second what Udi said - I was in touch with Igor Krutogolov recently and he told me K&P are still very much a band, though there's next to nothing left of klezmer there. He also has another side-project now, Fedorov & Kruzenshtern, where he teamed with Russian songwriter extraordinaire Leonid Fedorov from the band Auktyon. I still haven't seen them live (everytime they play in Moscow there's something else I have to do on that night), but the first album was pretty nice, though as a lifelong Auktyon fan I can't see them topping that band's glorious records such as "Ptiza".

[chalkpie]

Yeah? Add it to the list! (You are actually keeping one ... Right?)

Never heard it? Its wonderful. Gorgeous, velvety and syrupy sonics too, especially considering its release date. I still prefer the Bungle albums over the SC3 stuff for the most part. I guess its akin to preferring the Beatles over Wings

[Udi Koomran]

Never heard it? Its wonderful. Gorgeous, velvety and syrupy sonics too, especially considering its release date. I still prefer the Bungle albums over the SC3 stuff for the most part. I guess its akin to preferring the Beatles over Wings

apples and oranges