Hebbardesque Records is proud to re-issue the genre-defying music of Steve Gore and Steve Kretzmer, plus special guests Fred Frith (Henry Cow), Tim Hodgkinson (Henry Cow), and Dave Newhouse (The Muffins)...........................SUBURBAN DETROIT, USA. DECEMBER, 1984--Another Rascal Reporters Album Leaks from BasementStudio; City Left Unscathed..... Steve Gore and Steve Kretzmer released 450 vinylcopies of RIDIN' ON A BUMMER, the Oak Park, Michiganduo's third full-length work. Good luck finding one today. That product of countless hours of composition and laborious home studio sessions quickly sold out,almost exclusively through mail-order; there was nosecond pressing. Detroit was safe again, until now. Here, for the first time, is the complete originalrelease-- remixed, re-edited, redesigned and remastered. Thirty minutes of previously unissued bonus material has been added: a retrospective collection from the RascalReporters studio archives, including"Paper Love," a long-lost song intended for the ill-fated double-LP version of RIDIN' ON A BUMMER!...................Acid Dragon Magazine (France) #42,Summer 2006, Phil Jackson:"...no-one could prepare you for the epic 16 minute flight of imaginationaptly entitled 'RIO'..., an intense creation...that recalls Dave Stewart'swork with Egg.""I would have sworn that Kretzmer's 'Without Passion or Peace' and'Bones Chorale' were early Zappa compositions."..............from Outsight Radio with Tom Schulte:"Rascal Reporters - Seeking new music and interviewing musicians is a constant journey of discovery for me. Along the way there is the rare and special joy of discovering a previously unknown gem in my own back yard, as it were. I was previously oblivious to the groundbreaking zaniness of The Rascal Reporters, operating since the '70s local to me. In this interview I discuss with Steve Gore about the group; would-be jesters of the RIO movement. This talk includes how working with Fred Frith, Tim Hodgkinson, and other came about. Of course we also discuss the release to CD of Ridin' On A Bummer: Twentieth Anniversary Edition of 'daring Avant-Prog in the tradition of Frank Zappa, Henry Cow, & The Residents.'"click the link on the left to hear the rest of this telephone interview! Thanks to Tom Schulte @Outsight Radio!.............An Abbreviated Rascal Reporters Discography: PURPLE ENTRAPMENT -CD (Wafer Face Records) 1995 HAPPY ACCIDENTS -CD (ZNR Records) 1996 WE'RE GOD -CD (Wafer Face Records) 1997 THE FOUL-TEMPERED CLAVIER -CD (Pleasant Green Records) 2001 RIDIN' ON A BUMMER -CD (Hebbardesque Records) 2005 THE MIND BOGGLES -download (Hebbardesque Records) 2008PSYCHLOPS (COMPLETE) -single download (Hebbardesque Records) 2012ELEGANT DECAY (LIVE AT OAK PARK HIGH 1976) -download (Hebbardesque) 2012NICE NOT TO BE HERE (BONUS TRACKS 1976-2008) -download (Hebbardesque) 2014..............Here, Steve Gore attempts to explain the bonus tracks onRIDIN' ON A BUMMER - 20th Anniversary Edition (please feel free to print this text and read along whilst listening to tracks 10 through 17 on the CD!):Track 10 -"Elements (original version)" (1981)This is an early, less 'busy' version of the song. I justfelt this version was too boring, so I added and subtracteda few sections to spice it up. There is an absolutelyridiculous arrangement of Glen Miller's"In The Mood" near the start of the piece that borders on worthlessstupidity (fuzz guitar replacing Glen's original clarinetdesignation). The ending of the piece is an edit of a tape with unknown session musicians playing Amy Fong's"I Never Promised You (That I Would Stay)," a track that was, in a different form, to be included on the unreleased double-lp version of RIDIN' ON A BUMMER. Amy's song caused more 'anger' amongst listeners of the 2-lp version than any of the other 'Pop' songs that were to be included on the double-lp version, which is why I love her song so much. One of our intents with the original double-lp version was, most certainly, to 'anger' the listener. Why this was, I don't know. Amy, who is the wife of on-again/off-again Reporter Paul Kretzmer, is an incredibly gifted singer/songwriter, and I always consider it an honor when I am able to work with her. Track 11 -"Bread And Buddha" (1985)This song was originally intended as the 'B' side of an aborted 45-rpm single project (the song"532-7632," a bonustrack on our 1997 WE'RE GOD CD, was slated as the 'A' side). This features a rare-for-the-Reporters improvised electric guitar solo played by me, and I knew not what I was doing. There are strong Ennio Morricone influenceshere, as well as"Uncle Meat"-era Mothers Of Invention. We always felt this piece was strong enough to be an album track, but we never quite had the room for it until now. I am playing all the instruments, with the exception of an 'attic door' sound effect generated by my wife, Shawn, at a house we rented in Detroit. The use of this sound was an idea copied from a Univers Zero album, though I can't recall which one at the moment.Track 12 -"Giraffe Evasion" (1981)A Steve Kretzmer piece nicely sung by Paul Kretzmer (Steve's older brother). Some of the 'atonal' vocal harmonies were Paul's creation. It took me about 10 years to realize the title of this song is a variation on the term"draft evasion" (which must have been a hot topic at the time). Some of the instrument tracks cannot be as clearly heard as they should be, due to the limitations of the 4-track recording, but this is as good as the song is going to sound. We were working with a tape deck that was badly 'stretching' tape at the time, and evidence of this can be heard near the end of the song (exagerated in one section to make it seem more 'intentional'). Steve Kretzmeris playing keyboards, I'm drumming, and Paul Kretzmer is singing, playing bass guitar and (a badly under-recorded) acoustic guitar.Track 13 -"Reggae On Out Of Here" (1977)An early piece that has always been one of my favorites, prominently featuring the Farfisa organ (still functioning at my brother Greg's house in California). I remember being completely confused by the rhythm of the middle section, and knew Kretzmer was onto something fresh and new with this piece. This was recorded prior to us switching over to 4-track reel-to-reel, and suffers sonically as aresult. If I recall, reggae music was big in the mainstream at the time (1977), which seemed to annoy Kretzmer greatly. Steve Kretzmer is playing all the instruments, with the exception of an augmenting vocal track that I added.Track 14 -"Virgin Rag" (live, 1976)This is one of our rare examples of performing live before an audience. We were 18-year-old seniors at Oak Park High School when this was recorded (April 14, 1976), and this concert confused the student body a great deal, who were not overly familiar with the Canterbury Rock band, Egg. We have only performed live a handful of times (in 1975, 1976, and 1985), and we're happy this tape still exists. This concert was wonderfully engineered by Paul Kretzmer, in stereo, and this was taken from Paul's first-generation master tape. We were operating at the time under the group name,"Pigling Bland" (named after the Mike Ratledge/Soft Machine song), and didn't switch over to the 'Rascal Reporter' moniker until 1978. We hope to eventually release this concert in full at a future date. Steve Kretzmer is playing Farfisa organ, Steve Gore is playing drums, and Rick Barenholtz is playing bass guitar.Track 15 -"Of Little Value" (1977)The sound quality is absolutely horrid on this piece (even though it is taken from the first-generation master tape), but we wanted to include it because it's so darn cute.I literally wore the tape down to a mirror-finish adding the cowbell track, making sure I was exactly in rhythm with Steve's keyboard track. This was probably the first time I realized that the group was capable of creating rhythms that 'didn't yet exist;' music that sounds random and improvised, but through enormous amounts of rehearsal and re-taking, actually is completely structured down to the last note. I remember feeling a great deal of pride that I belonged to this group right after hearing the finishedversion of this song. Track 16 -"Grasping At Straws" (2004)I wanted to include a brand-new song on the album, since our upcoming CD release THE MIND BOGGLES is taking much longer than we anticipated to complete. This song was actually originally from THE MIND BOGGLES, but I felt it didn't really fit in stylistically with the other pieces completed for that album. This was recorded 100% digitally, and I think it's interesting to note the difference in sound quality between this and the song preceeding it (1977's"Of Little Value"). I still am a firm believer in analog recording, and I'm not real fond of the 'sterile' feel this piece has (i.e., robots performing rather than human beings). This has a strong 'Hatfield And The North' (particularly Phil Miller) influence."Grasping" was generated using a Mac computer, Roland Sound Canvas sequencer, Peavey Ultraverb II digital effects unit, Cubase software, and a cheap Casio keyboard. This is midi'd and sequenced, and sadly, I must admit that I would not have been able to play this 'live' like in the old days (too many drugs taken in my youth have had a severely detrimental effect on my memory, I'm afraid). The Roland Sound Canvas sequencer has a nice 'random stereo panning' function that I am quite fond of, and this was used extensively in this song. I would like to thank my brother, Greg, who so generously back in 1994 supplied most of the equipment used in this song. We dislike 'drum machines' greatly, so I tried to avoid 'snare,' 'bass drum' and 'tom tom' sounds as often as I could here. The rhythm is carried mostly by a ride cymbal sound. If the means used to create this song is the future of music, we are in deep trouble.Track 17 -"Paper Love" (1981)This was one of the songs (originally part of the unreleased 2-LP version of RIDIN' ON A BUMMER) that convinced Recommended Records UK to pull out of releasing the album back in 1983. My influences here were"#9 Dream" by John Lennon, Stackridge, and"Mr. Blue Sky" by The Electric Light Orchestra. Actually, the 'vocal chorus' coda of the piece is an almost direct rip-off from"Mr. Blue Sky." There are a couple chord changes I like in thissong, but overall I'm not overly fond of this piece. Paul Kretzmer helped out greatly with bass guitar (doubling on top of a Moog bass part), and joined in on the chorus (alongwith Steve Kretzmer) at the close of the piece. I am playing all other the instruments. I remember thinking"this could be a big hit" right after I finished it, but on subsequent listens, realized some of the chord changes during the verses were just a little bit too left field. At the very end of the piece, I am yelling,"What?" at Steve Kretzmer, which was a common practice at the end of a lot of our songs, as Steve would always look at me like I had made some dreadful mistake during the take. I am proud of the lyric"There'll be a time for me someday" which is a credo I think everyone should genuinely believe in to help keep their life on track. ..............RIDIN' ON A BUMMER lyrics - print 'em up and sing along with your friends!Track 2 -"The Hills"Where'd you go when the rain stopped pouring?To a place you never let me seeThe sun is out, no more thunder roaringTime again to say goodbye to meOh, the hills will be there tomorrowShould the sky be like it is todayAnd I know that she'll leave me sorrowWhen she goes down to the hills to stayTrack 3 -"RIO"They say our time is nearly overThe world will never start brand newDays and hours mark the endingOf life for me and you Perhaps it's not my place to argueBut what they say is just not trueIn your eyes reflect the powerTo change a grey sky to blueTrack 7 -"Bones Chorale"Automatically we're put to cheeseAnd left to face the draughtEnharmonically we sing this little dittyWhile we rotWhat a way to spend our timeAmongst the rubble and the stonesSomebody has gone and written outthis song for Singing BonesDo you have the time to listen inAnd tell us what is wrong?Why do we persist in earnest wasting music with this song?Track 9 -"Excerpt From 'Psychlops'"Once the martyr, headline story in a diaryRags to riches, good investments is what swallowed meGreed corrupted, money wroughtNow I realize humanity and love are the jewels never boughtLike a caterpillar trapped and bound to an old cocoonShifting wasn't easy, couldn't make the room to moveNow's the day and sleeping's doneThere is much to do; contentment with the past is a wayOf living fastTrack 10 -"Elements (original version)"You'd like to only take a part of my lifeI need my freedom, you need a wifeWhen we're together, it's like fire in the rainThough the feeling's warm, the water kills the flameTrack 12 -"Giraffe Evasion"Giraffe evasion, giraffe evasionWhy do they persist in their refusal to see?Giraffe evasion, giraffe evasionHow'm I gonna run when they keep following me?Look what they've done to me nowLook what they'll do anyhowTry to stay awake in the night of the dayOnly quest to make it aloneParasitic monsters, will they never see?It's time to make it aloneMust keep them out of my headThere's no sleep, only dreadLook what they've done to me nowLook what they'll do anyhowGiraffe evasion, Giraffe evasionHow'm I gonna run when they keep following me?Look what they've done to me nowLook what they'll do anyhowHoping to escape in the heat of the dayIt's time to make it aloneMustn't let these animals suffocate meGot to make it aloneMust keep them out of my headThere's no sleep, only dreadLook what they've done to me nowLook what they'll do anyhowTrack 13 -"Reggae On Out Of Here"There goes Old Man CopperWith a penny in his handSays he swore allegianceTo a military bandI think he may just be couthThere's a hungry tailor With nothing but a drumSays he'll be forever But a military crumbI think he may just fool us yetTrack 15 -"Of Little Value"Did anybody know?There was ketchup rotting awayIn the pantry, fresh as the lark Who seems to strayBy the matchmaker's graveDoes anybody thrive?On corrosive nutrition awayIn the pantry, not like the milkAnd healthy spudsAt the grocer's todayTrack 17 -"Paper Love"Dream, dream your wayThat's all I want from life todayThought I'd have much more to sayI'm a stream, come see me flowI'm a field the wind may blowGet up, get out of bedAnd pour yourself a cup of tea for meMy world is spinnin' 'round and 'roundI hope today that I will see a little sunshineIt's gonna rain, it's gonna rainLook up into the skyJust see those grey clouds spittin' rain at meMy world is spinnin' 'round and 'roundI thought I saw a tiny teardrop on your faceIt's gonna change, it's gonna changeRun home, the day is doneSidestep that streetcar splashin' mud at meMy head is spinnin' 'round and 'roundI wish that I could see some laughter in your eyesWhen will you see? Just you and me?Turn, turn awayI saw your photograph turn greyLike a kite that's flown astrayIn a world where no one diesWish I knew the reason whyLong, long awayThere'll be a time for me somedayAnother time, another playForm a line, this way insideFind a seat, sit down, and cryGet up, get out of bedAnd pour yourself a cup of tea for meMy world is spinnin' 'round' and 'roundI hope today that I will see a little sunshineIt's gonna rain, it's gonna rainLook up, into the skyJust see those grey clouds spittin' rain at meMy world is spinnin' 'round and 'roundI thought I saw a tiny teardrop on your faceIt's gonna change, it's gonna change..............Here's an excerpt of an interview with Steve Gore of the Rascal Reporters (thanks to Pleasant Green Records):PGR: Describe your tape by mail recording process SG: This idea was first suggested to us by Fred Frith, and first used on our 1984 RIDIN' ON A BUMMER LP. It's not a practical process, since the"mail order musician" has to have access to the same recording formats that we use. We don't know how to read or write music out on paper, and almost all the"mail order musicians" we've worked with are"manuscript fluent" so we send them the tracks we have finished on our end, and add an organ line that represents the melody or part(s) we would like the musician to play, then throw the whole shebang onto cassette and mail that out with the actual master tape (the master tape is usually reel-to-reel recorded on a TEAC 2340 4-track, with our parts on tracks #2 and #4, with #1 and #3 left blank for the guest artist to fill in). We then pray the master tape won't be lost by the postal service. We can't afford premium mailing services, so we just cross our fingers. We've never had a tape lost or damaged yet in the 17 years of using this procedure. Depending on the musician, they will either play what we've asked them to play, or come up with their own parts. If the musician is fairly well known, we just ask them to add what they think will work. I was told by Fred Frith that the 'tape-by-mail' process was fairly new at the time, in 1984. I understand it is fairly common now in the digital era................