Live at the Kulturkeller in Würzburg, Germany, October 1982
Cassette released by Rec Rec Music, Zürich, 1984
Tracklist:
1. Side A (21:42)
2. Side B (20:19)
Musicians:
Fred Frith: guitar, violin, keyboards, bass drum, hi-hat, tapes, voice
Tom Cora: cello, bass guitar, homemade drums, vocals
Dave Newhouse: saxophone, drum kit
The show is actually a succession of short tracks with Skeleton Crew performing unparalleled and unequaled complex instrumental songs, disrupting common songwriting schemes whatsoever and particularly normal live performance configuration. Dave Newhouse of The Muffins is joining on saxophone and additional drums, though the
core duo of Frith+Cora was able to perform on several instruments at the same time as evidenced on their innumerable other live recordings. The musical irony in Skeleton Crew is comparable only to Negativland’s first LPs of the same period. For instance, at 6:30 in side A, a John Philip Sousa symphonic march is played as ironic background noise and at 18:00, Ronald Reagan is heard backward reading his famous quote: ‘We’re still free in America’. Additionaly, the trio is able to find its way through various musical genres, passages in this live recording verging on the experimental, noise or concrète music, while elsewhere the music is blues, avant rock or system music. Occasionaly, a song from their first 1984 LP ‘Learn to Talk’ is played in a more or less recognizable form. There is a possibility this cassette was issued as a parallel release with their first album to gather them more tour dates especially in Europe. These guys were undubitably great showmen. Cora died 1998. Thanks to HC Earwicker for the music. (continuo.wordpress)
core duo of Frith+Cora was able to perform on several instruments at the same time as evidenced on their innumerable other live recordings. The musical irony in Skeleton Crew is comparable only to Negativland’s first LPs of the same period. For instance, at 6:30 in side A, a John Philip Sousa symphonic march is played as ironic background noise and at 18:00, Ronald Reagan is heard backward reading his famous quote: ‘We’re still free in America’. Additionaly, the trio is able to find its way through various musical genres, passages in this live recording verging on the experimental, noise or concrète music, while elsewhere the music is blues, avant rock or system music. Occasionaly, a song from their first 1984 LP ‘Learn to Talk’ is played in a more or less recognizable form. There is a possibility this cassette was issued as a parallel release with their first album to gather them more tour dates especially in Europe. These guys were undubitably great showmen. Cora died 1998. Thanks to HC Earwicker for the music. (continuo.wordpress)
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