Notes and credits for "My Bad"
a private CD release from The Trees
Created, remixed and reproduced by Junglebook in the Fall and Winter
of 2000
The Trees: Forst Haus, Johnny Loud, and Bojo Kungle
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1. Blue Eyes' Blue Skies Poetry
samples from "How To Improve Your Speaking Voice", from the original tapes.
Radio static, bouncy guitar and drum machine by the Trees, knives by Bojo,
intro riff by Forst. That long cool note in the middle is from "Maria"
from the original soundtrack LP for "West Side Story", that's from Johnny's
original 1984 cut-up. There's a weird voice-box sound that's from Godley
and Creme's 4-LP set "Consequences". "E-Yo-Ho" crowd chanting and
group percussion from "The Ten Minute Show" from Circle Arts, recorded
live at The 16th Note in San Francisco, 1984. And of course that
harmonic guitar lick is from "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd.
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2. My Oldest Friends LBJ quote
from "Six American Presidents Speak" LP. Samples also taken from
Dr. Edgar Kurk's "Real Virility" tape, some Human League song that Forst
sampled in '84, the narrator from the "Six Presidents" LP, Dr. Kurk himself,
101 Sound Effects, The Real Killer, Nixon from "Six Presidents", and an
audio book version of "The Great Gatsby", written by F. Scott Fitzgerald
and performed by Frank Miller.
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3. St. Barnabas HORSE (Turn That Snare Down)
'Organ' recorded in 2000 by Bojo. Guitar plinking by Forst.
Extremely crunchy bits sampled from "You Wanted The Best" from Psycho Circus
by KISS (1999) . Unknown radio talk show host and guest in background,
on tape containing original drum machine parts. Various new percussion
parts added by Bojo, old knives also by Bojo. Bouncy guitar by Johnny
or Bojo. Percussion and bottles from the Trees' limited-release "Jay's
Tape". Jim's comment, as well as interior sample from "Music in the World
of Islam: Volume I, The Human Voice" from "Cellophane Tape" by Red English.
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4. Forst Vs. Computer Zero Most
spoken samples and several sound effects taken from "Godzilla Versus Monster
Zero", Toho Studios, 1967. Bass by Forst Haus, reconstructed and
recombined by Jb. Guitar by Bojo, performed in 2000. "Hey" sample
from "Rock and Roll, Pt 2" by Gary Glitter . Interview excerpted
from the Geoff Metcalf Show from KSFO am radio, San Francisco. New
percussion constructed by Jb. Casio part and some old Korg drum machine
programming probably done by Forst.
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5. mOceanview Percussion
from a party tape at the Blue Movie house, perhaps featuring Rich Ferguson.
Jack and Jo, in Mickey Mouse mode, from "Kevin's Wedding" tape, also excerpts
from "How to Improve Your Speaking Voice", thanks to DJ Spooky for tape
rewind sound from "Riddim Warrior", Fast Rusty Biggs at a loss for
words, Dr. Kurk's narrator again, a punk count in from one of Forst's mixes
from '84, an excerpt from Peter Criss' drum solo from "100,000 Years" from
"KISS Alive!" , more excerpts from "Godzilla Vs. Monster Zero", another
quote from perhaps The Human League from Forst's old mix, and samples from
"How to Operate your CB Radio" and "How To Improve Your Speaking
Voice" by the same voice over guy, and Jack English again.
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6. In From the Cold Guitar by
Kungle, bass by Haus, vocals (listen closely!) by Loud. New percussion
added in 2000 by Bojo. From an improvisational recording based around
cut-ups from the paperback version of "The Spy Who Came In From the Cold".
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7. Jerry Skids Vocals by
Jerry Falwell, edited by Jb in 2000. Vocal recording from "Sexual
Perversity, Cultural Decline, and the Role of Television" cassette
by Jerry Falwell, circa 1981.
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8. Iced Tea Glass (unsweet) Afro-percussion
from "Duck Rock" by Malcolm McLaren, Korg drum machine, Casio keyboard
and knife solo from "Cellophane Tape" by Red English, cough vocals by Haus
and Kungle. Drums from "Close to the Edit" by Art of Noise. "Speed
of light for 200 years" and other vocals from unidentified radio personality,
1984.
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9. Jb's Game Based mainly on
"Jay's Game" by Run-DMC, this cut-up also features samples from "Hard Times",
"Wake Up", and "30 Days" from the same album. Mixed with Acid in
2000.
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10. I Will Get New Habits The
Forst Haus basslines cut up for this song were on the same tape as the
inspirational speaker and the confused men's choir, thus their parts are
linked together. The intro and outro voice is Frank Miller
again from "The Great Gatsby". Percussion added in 2000 by Jb.
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11. You Know What I Mean Sampled
voices include Jim "The Germ" Smith, Smelley Kelley, and the narrator from
"How to Operate Your CB Radio" LP. Car audio from 101 Sound Effects.
Also sampled are comments from Randy Travis from "Rockin' Around the Christmas
Tree", James Brown, Prince from "1999", another chunk of "Music in
the World of Islam", and an unknown radio preacher in San Francisco 1985.
"Ghostbusters" Casio programmed by Haus. Drum samples include "Sgt.
Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band, Reprise" by The Beatles and "Unity"
by Afrikaa Bambaataa and James Brown. Other percussion, drum programming,
knives, guitar and bass by The Trees. Final plink-plinks sampled
from Pantera's "Psychedelic Cowboys".
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12. Dr. Kurk's Message Dr. Edgar
Kurk's "Real Virility", as edited and resequenced by Jb in 2000.
Organ by Kungle.
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13. Mrs. Pinky's Cat This piece
is based on a six minute Red English jam session with Haus on bass and
Kungle on guitar. Only three edits were made in the basic performance:
a couple bars in the first minute, a couple bars in the last minute, and
about one minute out of the middle. In 2000, Jb uncovered, remastered,
and added the "lost" drum track as performed by Red English, The World's
Tastiest Drummer.
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14. If a Tree Falls Asleep, Does He Make a Sound?
Judging from this recording, it is very difficult to tell which
Tree is contributing the gentle, arhythmic vocal track, but it could have
been any one of them. Or maybe Tony, for that matter.
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15. Dog Song This Blue
Movie song (words and music by Blue Movie, Beat Not Beat Music, ASCAP,
1987) was performed by Jb at the Sacred Grounds on the same night Blue
Movie returned from their second US Tour and were playing a big welcome
home show at the Kennel Club. Vox and guitar by Jb.
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16. The Loneliest Thing
Words and music by Donaldson-McRae (Loud-Kungle), Featuring Johnny
Loud on bass, Bojo Kungle on guitar, and The Insatiable Andy Wonn on vocals
and drums, originially recorded in some guy's house in Indiana on a Christmas
break in 1981. Slightly edited and remixed for this Ynot2K Remix
by Jb.
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17. I Saw Footprints More
Red English [Haus - bass, Kungle - guitar] with new percussion added by
Jb in 2000.
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18. Street Sweeper This number
is constructed out of several songs recorded by The Streets at Soto Sound
Studios in Evanston, Illinois in 1980. The Streets were Johnny Loud
on drums, Bojo Kungle on guitar, and L. Sargent on bass. The Streets
songs used included "The Night Came Thundering Down", "Now or Never", "Almost
Gloria" and "Cynthia". Also features a few bars from "I Want You
Back" by The Jackson 5.
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19. Jerry Loves to Party Jim
Hoadley from a Blue Movie rehearsal tape. Excerpt from "Love to Love
You Baby" and various percussion from the Blue Movie house party tape.
More Jerry Falwell from the same source, Laurie Anderson from "Big Science",
and some highly stressed out piano from "Dream Come True" from the Streets
sessions. Bassline cut up from "Boogie Oogie Oogie" from A Taste
of Honey. Turntable manipulation of "Main Theme from Star Wars"
[written and conducted by John Williams] by DJ S.K.P. Also
with comments from Dr. Kurk himself, a couple voices from the old "Sales
Dynamics" tapes, live exchange between Ruderman and a guest from a Blue
Movie gig at SF's The Sound of Music circa 1985.
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20. tHE gLITTER cHORUS Featuring
the voices of Jim "The Germ" Smith, the Sales Dynamics lady, the narrator
of "Six American Presidents Speak". Also with samples from
"A Chorus Line" original cast recording, and "Rock and Roll, Part II" by
Gary Glitter, along with crowd percussion sounds from The 16th Note in
San Francisco. Korg drum machine, guitars, knives, static and bass
by The Trees.
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21. wewillneverplay@MarketSquare.com
Features Paul Stanley from "Barbarize", a bootleg live KISS recording from
Milwaukee, in 1985. Thunder from The Streets demo. Crowd sounds,
Johnny Loud and Dagen taken from Club Graffitti scenes from "1/2
of the Junglebook Hour" [High 20 Productions, 1984]. Dave Brian's
comments re: Fields Laughing and Howie Klein may be sarcastic, judging
from Jim's reaction. Also with a short sample from "A Chorus
Line". Thanks to Rich, Dave and Jim for use of their comments and
performances from various gig tapes without their knowledge. I promise
not to do it again. "Party" comments from REO Speedwagon's Live LP.
Odd electronic laugh from one of Forst's mixes from '84, perhaps from a
De Zwei sample. "My Way" excerpt by Ruderman.
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22. Better Luck Next Time Vocals
by Kungle and Loud, guitar by Kungle, bass by Haus. New percussion
from Jb in 2000. Added stomps and handclaps sampled from old tape
cut-up of "We Will Rock You" by Queen, cut up back in the day by DJ S.K.P.
Lyrics cut-up from "The Spy Who Came In From the Cold". Drum loop from
"Blow-Up" by Human Sexual Response.
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23. Adio, Casablanca Includes
comments from the audio book of "The Great Gatsby", a line from "Wake Up"
by Run-DMC, Eisenhower from "Six Presidents", your host Junglebook, Johnny
Loud from "Big Dipper" on "1/2 of the Junglebook Hour", a bit of "You Wanted
the Best" by KISS, more 1984 Super Bowl Coverage, The Real Killer,
that one voice guy, Joanne again, Fergie Beat in Cleveland, LBJ, big finish
notes from Blue Movie and The Streets, Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show from
"Cover of the Rolling Stone", JFK from "Six Presidents", and a spoken excerpt
from "Mars Needs Women". Hidden cut by Johnny Loud, from "Jay's Tape",
1984.
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Reproducer's note: I release these recordings not
to revive the sound of The Trees or to enhance interest in the group, but
rather to drive a stake through their heart. These tapes have been
following me through the decades and millenia, never releasing their dark
secrets, yet doggedly resisting being discarded. Perhaps now, having
been released through the technology finally available in the final
days of the year 2000, these sonic spirits may now rest and their vibrations
dissipate into the atmosphere as have the inspirations and perspirations
of those simpler days.
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Not all of these recordings actually feature the three prinicpal
Trees. Some were constructed in 2000 as a tribute to the anarchic yet non-random
cut-up and reconstruction methods of the "classic" 1984-85 Trees recordings.
Sort of a "What If" set of tunes in the style and hopefully in the spirit
of what The Trees might have done had they had computers and software
which did not exist in their time.
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Most of these songs were produced by sampling from cassette sources
using Sonic Foundry's Sound Forge software and then constructed in Sonic
Foundry's fine Acid Pro software. Production was performed
on a Dell computer with a SoundBlaster sound card. Some new virtual
organ and piano parts were recorded on Cakewalk software, also on the Dell.
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Please enjoy the disc at high volume, and as Dr.
Kurk says, not while driving a car, as you may become quite distracted.
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Junglebook
December 31, 2000
San Francisco
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Left to right: Kungle, Loud, Haus
BACK TO JUNGLEBOOK.ORG
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