Saturday, January 13, 2007

BLITZOIDS-STEALING FROM HELPLESS CHILDREN + 10" FLEXI

 
This group existed mostly in the studio, although there were a few live gigs in and around their native turf of Chicago. The nucleus of the group was the De Chiara brothers, who would be joined by third member Jim Nickels for recording sessions that most likely prevented all of them from getting home for dinner on time, if at all. That the recording studio was in the backroom of the brothers' record store was more than ironic; selling copies of music they didn't like paid the bills, while the records they did appreciate served as influences for the actual music the group created. Looming largest of all as an influence would be the Residents , although also count in the entire Canterbury Scene, Frank Zappa ,Captain Beefheart , and, of course, free jazz. But more than the sum of its influences, this is music that represents a kind of high point in the manipulation of certain types of recording, equipment that was available to the interested consumer during this era, particularly for overdubbing. Namely, eight track reel to reel. With bouncing around, unorthodox mic'ing techniques, experimental genius, and the occasional slab of duct tape, there is no limit to what a musical deviant might come up with. A great deal of appeal is found in the guitar wizardry of Chris De Chiara ; he is fluent on the fretboard and also is able to alter the sound of the instrument in ways even Jimi Hendrix might approve of. The group's sense of humor acts as a glue holding all this lunacy and musical inspiration together. The final track's title, "Try and Stop Us," is misplaced bravado; there would be only one more album for this bunch. -- Eugene ChadbourneThe band was: Chris De Chiara, Steve De Chiara, and Jim Nickels

Card insert from the LP
Link for the comic insert of the LP:
Band site:

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