Conference cookie::notes$archive:cd_v1

    Well, the MOB disc plays fine on my player (a Pioneer CLD-1010),
    and it's just a hair over 80 minutes long. I'd love to know how
    they did it. Maybe now, Warners can re-release Fleetwood Mac's
    TUSK with the full version of "Sara". :-)
    
    I wasn't quite as taken with the music. Cutting edge (for the
    early 80's, anyways) of new wave. Reminiscent of Bauhaus, but
    a *lot* tamer. I think I'll like them better after a few more
    listens, but unless you like "indie" music, or are specifically
    fans of MOB, I can't wholeheartedly recommend this disc.
    
    It seems definitely strange for MOB to have been the progenitor
    of Birdsongs of the Mesozoic. The latter is almost totally
    instrumental avant garde. They almost defy categorization. I
    really like this disc, and I think it's one that will get played
    a lot. If you like just plain strange stuff (I mentioned their
    cover of "The Theme from Rocky and Bullwinkle" in the previous
    note; they also do an interesting electronic version of excerpts
    from "Rites of Spring"), I recommend this one highly.
    
    --- jerry

    For those who are wondering what's on these CD's:
    
    "Mission of Burma" contains all the music from "Signals, Calls, and
    Marches", all the music from "Vs.", two songs from singles ("Academy
    Fight Song" and "OK/No Way"), two songs from "The Horrible Truth About
    Burma", and two previously unreleased songs.  So if you get this CD and
    the live "Horrible" LP, you have all of the Burma recorded on Ace of
    Hearts with very little duplication, unless I'm missing a B-side or
    two.
    
    By the way, the Taang! label has a five-song Mission of Burma EP out
    now, with a CD promised for later this year.
    
    The "Sonic Geology" Birdsongs compilation combines music from
    both EP's and their LP, but cuts at least one tune from each vinyl
    recording.  They also add a couple of previously unreleased songs.
    
    I've listened to a few tracks from these - can't wait to get to
    the whole thing.
    
    Now for Roger Miller's Maximum Electric Piano music on CD...

    re .2:
    Michael, tell us about this "Maximum Electric Piano" business. 
    It sounds interesting.  Mine is sort of a minimal electric piano...
    but I like EP timbres.
    
    	Eirikur
    

    "Maximum Electric Piano" is how Roger Miller bills his solo gigs.
    Roger is one of the main creative forces behind Mission of Burma
    and Birdsongs of the Mesozoic.  He quit Mission and formed Birdsongs
    because of tinnitus (ringing of the ears), though Birdsongs began
    before Mission finally broke up.  Now he has quit Birdsongs so that he
    can perform more frequently and devote more attention to his solo
    material.
    
    In Maximum Electric Piano he tries to get a full rock sound as a
    soloist, without using tapes.  According to the record jackets, he does
    this by using digital delays, loops, prepared piano techniques, etc.
    Unlike Birdsongs, he does sing on some of the tunes.
    
    Roger Miller performs fairly frequently in the Boston area and I
    imagine he tours to other parts of the country as well.  Often he plays
    at places associated with performance art.  He has two solo LP's out on
    Ace of Hearts: "No Man is Hurting Me" and "The Big Industry".  Neither
    are yet on CD, hence my wish in .2 since Rykodisc has offered other
    Roger Miller music recorded on Ace of Hearts.
    
    He is not related to the guy who did "King of the Road", but he does
    cover it on the "No Man is Hurting Me" LP.

    There's an interview with Miller in this month's _Keyboard_ magazine.
    And yes, he does most of his manipulation with DDL's and prepared
    pianos.
    

    I saw the Keyboard article the day after my housemate lent me the
    Birdsongs CD.   ***They were playing that kind of music out around here
    and I didn't go!!!???***   Must remedy this if Miller has any dates
    coming up.
    
    	Eirikur