Back in 1979 in crappy little towns south of LA such as Torrance and Hawthorne a cassette-trading, noise-embracing, non-musician-friendly band was formed and the darned thing still exists today under the same name, after going through over 100 members in its 30 years of operation. Indeed, BCO celebrates this milestone in January 2010 in San Francisco, so look into that if you're in town. In the meantime, let's celebrate with two blogs featuring rare and unavailable audio material by the venerated group.
This being part one of two, we present this week a couple of Beatlerape rarities and an unrelated Shatner-centric cut.
There Will Come Soft Rains is an old cassette-only track of theirs which was featured on several unique radio shows as well, it features Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner on main vocals (from two different sources) and of course the Fab Ones on backing.
The cut Beatlerape Stars on 45 is a recently-made rehash of Beatlerape fragments which come from an unreleased 10th Anniversary Beatlerape cd, and it sports some moments which were not on the original cd at all, as well as completely new mixes of the bits featured in it. Merely some throwaway candy. A bit of stocking-stuffing as it were.
And our third chunk this week is the soundtrack music (tastefully re-edited) from an old Christmas BCO show where "William Shatner" appeared and treated the audience to an interpretive dance based on his life story, and also a rendition of Hugo Ball's Karawane, with Bill leading them through the poem. The music later appeared (in VERY limited release) as Post No Bills, on the cd of the same name.
I'll meet you here on January 23rd at this same time for an even bigger and better haul of BCO goodies.
There Will Come Soft Rains Beatlerape Stars on 45 Post No Bills
SO awesome, great job posting this here, Mindwrecker and see you at the "big show" end of the month!!!
Posted by: Ninah Pixie | January 11, 2010 at 04:02 PM
The Beach Boys are from Hawthorne you fuck face, which makes it WAY NOT a crappy town.
Idiot.
Posted by: AllMyFriends | January 11, 2010 at 05:08 PM
TOrrance is crappy? people from freakin' New Jersey should watch which towns they call crappy. Just sayin'...
Posted by: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1152378956 | January 11, 2010 at 11:17 PM
So Sensitive ! Indeed- my "crappy little towns" comment was only partly serious---those of us who DID live around there felt that way about the area (and much worse), but hey- I wouln't change a thing about 'em- so cool down locals. By the way- the people and robots who blog on WFMU hail from all over the planet, as well as from way crappier planets.
Posted by: Mindwrecker | January 12, 2010 at 12:00 PM
Touchy touchy! I can speak from personal experience that the South Bay is a nice, clean, safe, great-place-to-raise-the-kids kinda place that is utterly bland and dull, devoid of culture (does the Del Amo mall count?). The Beach Boys/Wilson family house could have been a museum or something, but they bulldozed it to make way for the Century freeway. No wonder so much punk rock, e.g. the SST Records crew, erupted from the area. It is close to the beach, tho.
ANYWAY, always fascinated to hear any pre-internet/mashup-era sound collage stuff from the cassette days, so keep it coming, 'wrecker. "Beatlerape" was particularly lovely, reminds me of the Tape Beatles.
Posted by: Mr Fab | January 12, 2010 at 01:12 PM
"So cool down locals" (Mindwrecker)
Your "so cool down locals" retort is almost as offensive as your original "crappy little towns" comment.
Obviously your mom didn't teach you to think before you type.
PS - are you sure the Big City Orchestra has been around 30 years?
I've lived in the South Bay (San Pedro) all my life and have never heard of them.
I guess you're the completist and you would know
Posted by: AllMyFriends | January 12, 2010 at 03:52 PM
San Pedro. Say no more.
Posted by: Mindwrecker | January 12, 2010 at 05:15 PM
Good one, dude
Meet me at the top of the Vincent Thomas Bridge
and we'll sort this out like adults
Posted by: AllMyFriends | January 13, 2010 at 03:56 PM
San Pedro, home of the Minutemen. Makes it one fine town in my book.
Posted by: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1152378956 | January 15, 2010 at 10:05 PM
incidently, not that I like rap or anything, but Straight Outta Compton is considered the premier hiphop album, pretty much defining the movement and it was recorded in... Torrance.
Posted by: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1152378956 | January 15, 2010 at 10:09 PM
I jus tmentioned that cause you rattle headed twenty-somethings with your colege rock sensibilities (?) seem to revere that shit.
Posted by: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1152378956 | January 15, 2010 at 10:10 PM
actually Hawthorne IS A CRAPPY TOWN
Posted by: mister caz | January 19, 2010 at 02:50 AM
Only on WFMU can a WFMU blogger seriously bash an entire vicinity ("crappy little towns south of LA")
and get more responses concerning his bashing and no responses regarding his actual music post.
How humiliating!
Posted by: Sid Bucks | January 20, 2010 at 02:50 AM