FEATURED CD : Sleepytime Gorilla Museum : Grand Opening And Closing

[karel hupjé]

This album had an enormous impact on my musical taste, comparable to the day I was introduced to the music of Magma. I never was into heavy metal, I thought I disliked that genre and cookie monster vocals . Grand Opening And Closing was the first time I really listened to cookie monster vocals, and found out it wasn't as bad as I perviously thought. Soon afterwards I started exploring the heavy metal music.

After more than 30 years of listening mostly to prog and avant music heavy metal is a fantastic addition to my musical taste. I like Neurosis, Jesu, Year Of No Light, Isis and lots more.

I still listen SGM a lot. Hopefully the announced postume album, live DVD and movie will see the light to day.

[Scrotum Scissor]

Sure, it's sometimes bordering on growlervox - as one of many faccets to Frykdahl's vocal technique and application. But the context, motive and incentive is mostly very different from that found in "metal" (although this was definitely one of numerous genre-influences on SGM's eclectic approach to identity); after all, one usually wouldn't point to Howlin' Wolf or Don Van Vliet's voices as "cookie monster".

Believe it or not, but much which is referred to as "cookie monster voice" by the uninitiated is actually not considered such by those in the know/enjoy. Jens Kidman's in Meshuggah, for instance.

[Baribrotzer]

Believe it or not, but much which is referred to as "cookie monster voice" by the uninitiated is actually not considered such by those in the know/enjoy.

From what I understand, "cookie monster voice" is closest to a form of throat-singing technique. however, what you hear from Nils is a deep, gravelly bass, more like Tom Waits singing really aggressively.

[zombywoof]

I don't care for the growl. Its essentially tuneless, so I'm glad Sleepytime don't use it very often.

[Just Eric]

I'll also never forget the long drive back to LA from San Francisco following their final performance. "This shining world is all that it seems..."

I resemble that remark, except my drive was back to San Rafael, shorter time reminisce, but still one of the most memorable shows I've seen.

[boilk]

Huge fan here. The live show I saw by them in Toronto to a small, but very enthusiastic crowd, in 2003, was one of me favourite concert experiences ever. I got to stand right in front of Nils, like 2 feet away, and the level of immersion was amazing! Nils' low, gutteral voice (not cookie monster style at all, to these ears), is very distinctive and incredibly effective. An awesome live band, and here's hoping that final album and live DVD get done.

neil

[Scrotum Scissor]

what you hear from Nils is a deep, gravelly bass, more like Tom Waits singing really aggressively.

John, what's the new post-SGM band all about? Have you heard/seen them, i.e. is there more of a gap between SGM and this one than there was between Idiot F. and SGM? Thx...

BTW, I really wish the Idiot Flesh albums were made available somehow. I've only got a CD-R comp, 50 mins. worth.

[Baribrotzer]

John, what's the new post-SGM band all about?

I don't know. I haven't seen them, and I'm not sure anybody outside the band themselves has. However, from the band's name - which derives from the SGM mythology - and the line-up, in which four out of five members are formerly of SGM, I suspect there might be quite a bit of stylistic continuity. Although the new guitarist (I don't know his name) is apparently a very skilled and well-trained composer, so there'll be a certain amount of stylistic change, as well. One remark that Nils did let drop is that both he and Michael will probably be playing less guitar and more other instruments.

[Haruspex Carnage]

[QUOTE= Believe it or not, but much which is referred to as "cookie monster voice" by the uninitiated is actually not considered such by those in the know/enjoy. Jens Kidman's in Meshuggah, for instance.[/QUOTE]

What's it called then, the pretend i'm a scary macho braindead looking monster getting electric shocks voice?

[100423]

What's it called then, the pretend i'm a scary macho braindead looking monster getting electric shocks voice?

Attempting to discuss these forms of 'extreme' vocals are always an exercise in futility...

[Scrotum Scissor]

What's it called then, the pretend i'm a scary macho braindead looking monster getting electric shocks voice?

Yes.

[boilk]

Ha, you should hear how some metal fans describe Jon Anderson's voice....

neil

[Scrotum Scissor]

Ha, you should hear how some metal fans describe Jon Anderson's voice....

You mean dat smurfy hobbit rrreddy-to-partt'hey with that Teakbois fella? Going completely wild with Dionysean transcendence and extatic flair?

[boilk]

Haha. Yeah, something like that, once one replaces a lot of the colourful language and nicens it up a degree...or two!

neil

[Baribrotzer]

You mean dat smurfy hobbit rrreddy-to-partt'hey with that Teakbois fella? Going completely wild with Dionysean transcendence and extatic flair?

Wallace? Is that you? I thought they'd kicked you off again.

[simon moon]

Love this CD!

I was lucky enough to see them several times in small clubs in the LA area. They played here fairly often.

Even though they were different than what I was mostly listening to at the time, they weren't that much of a shock or life changing to me. They seemed to be a natural evolution of the direction progressive music was heading for me.

[boilk]

I remember seeing them at NEARfest 2003. What a crazy way to start a Sunday morning and how appropriate that they opened their set with Sleep Is Wrong! They made a lot of fans that day and I was definitely one of them.

neil

[Scrotum Scissor]

Wallace? Is that you?

I always wished I was Henry A. Wallace, running for president for the Progressive Party. I believe he was coffined some 47+ years ago, though. Wait... You're telling me there's some other Wallace? Not me. My real name is Mack the Ballsack-Jackknife.

[zombywoof]

Ha, you should hear how some metal fans describe Jon Anderson's voice....

neil

I'm no metal fan, but Jon Anderson is what keeps me from enjoying most Yes music...

[trurl]

You'd think I'd know more about these guys seeing as we played right after them at NEARfest. And most people probably assume we'd not be into them because we're stylistically so different. But I honestly think they're pretty damn fantastic. They can really play, they're interesting and they're tight. And I don't see any reason at all why the world isn't big enough for the both of us- we're happy and comfortable doing our symph-weenie thing *lol* but it's good there are bands like SGM in the world. Being edgy and innovative is for the young There are times I think I'd love to be in a project like this but I'd probably never do it as well as someone who has it in their DNA. I'd actually love to be in a avant band as a percussionist

[Baribrotzer]

Wait... You're telling me there's some other Wallace? Not me.

The guy I'm speaking of is named Walter, he's from Toronto, and he apparently possesses a collection of legendary size and has a legendary fund of knowledge about it. Although he comes up rather short on the avant end of things - I was surprised to find out that I knew more about that sub-genre than he did. Most recently, he used the name Jymbot. But it was the same person who used the name "Wallace" few years ago - he's got a somewhat odd and intentionally annoying sense of humor, and apparently the moderators had had enough of him for the second time.

[zombywoof]

You'd think I'd know more about these guys seeing as we played right after them at NEARfest. And most people probably assume we'd not be into them because we're stylistically so different. But I honestly think they're pretty damn fantastic. They can really play, they're interesting and they're tight. And I don't see any reason at all why the world isn't big enough for the both of us- we're happy and comfortable doing our symph-weenie thing *lol* but it's good there are bands like SGM in the world. Being edgy and innovative is for the young There are times I think I'd love to be in a project like this but I'd probably never do it as well as someone who has it in their DNA. I'd actually love to be in a avant band as a percussionist

Which band are you in, trurl?

[trurl]

Which band are you in, trurl?

Oh sorry- Glass Hammer.

[Baribrotzer]

Oh, yes, I saw that show. In fact, I was backstage beforehand, sitting at a table with Matthias Bossi (who was Carla's boyfriend at the time but not yet SGM's drummer), putting together CD packages because SGM had run out of merch, and watching the Glass Hammer guys desperately trying to fix a set of Taurus pedals. Those two bands struck me as a really odd pairing, and apparently Rob & Chad had done it on purpose.

What did you play with them? Were you the guy on acoustic guitar and occasional bass?

[trurl]

Oh, yes, I saw that show. In fact, I was backstage beforehand, sitting at a table with Matthias Bossi (who was Carla's boyfriend at the time but not yet SGM's drummer), putting together CD packages because SGM had run out of merch, and watching the Glass Hammer guys desperately trying to fix a set of Taurus pedals. Those two bands struck me as a really odd pairing, and apparently Rob & Chad had done it on purpose.

What did you play with them? Were you the guy on acoustic guitar and occasional bass?

No, I'm Fred the keyboard player. Chad and Rob definitely did it as a good vs. evil thing *lol* Anglegard trashed our pedals btw. Technically that gig was a horror- I never meant to play the B3, my organ rig fried and I had to... the sound check was cut short, yada yada... but it was a great gig!