Tuesday, November 30, 2021
Moby Grape and Jerry Miller...
Monday, November 29, 2021
Simply Can't Resist A Spoof: One Day in 2018...
Hot off the press... Birdman Sound 
Well, it happened. There you were, strolling through the aspirationally wealthy and problematically gentrified neighbourhood in which you sometimes brunch, a few minutes early to meet a friend and shop for vinyl LPs. Having already purchased a coffee and made an Instagram story of some $25. burger combo you just swallowed across the street. You popped into a little shop called Birdman Sound, just to browse, just to pass the time. You’re an employed human of moderate means; surely you deserved a little look around. The holidays are coming, for one thing, and anyway you are still figuring out what to do about the precocious little fucker that belongs to your sister and it’s always useful to do some reconnaissance regarding buying a gift.
From the outside, the store looks really strange, not like the one’s in your own neighbourhood, from which you might purchase a Bruce Springsteen or Adele record and before the door was shut, you could tell something was off. The air smelled like Nag Champa incense and stale beer. There were too few items on the shelves, that you had ever heard of, if any! By the time you’d touched the first LP by some weird band called Spacemen 3, you knew : This is a too-expensive shop.
What should you do now? The first thing is not to panic. It’s an understandable error: Weird people stuff looks a lot like regular stuff these days; it just feels infinitely better to the touch and doesn’t break right away. Take a few steps inside, focusing intensely on whatever items are in front of you. Best not to look directly at the shop owner. His persona seems wild and scary and he will be named after some slang term for weed, and the whole thing will only make you feel bad.
Quickly scan the wall for the most colourful LP, then sort of pick it up and flash it in the direction of the shop owner, like there is some form of recognition. There is a small chance “Feck” might say something about it. No matter what the response, say, “I used to have an original of this, I got it in Paris.” (They have records in Paris, it’s fine.) A simpler option is to gesture to the wall and say, “Sorry I’m such dummy, just been living with my head up my ass for decades”. Do not describe what kind of enlightenment you’ve been deprived of or why that was the case.
Next, walk around, touching things with an insouciant air, such as one might have if you could confidently define the word “insouciant.” Do not look at price stickers; you are not the kind of person who cares if an LP is — $60. ?!?!? Do not break into a sweat or wipe it away with anything that looks like used tissue.
If it seems as if “Feck” is going to engage with you about an album, apologetically answer your phone and then say something along the lines of: “We just installed a kiln on the big boat; it’s been a nightmare.” This indicates that you are in possession of a) a regular ceramics practice and b) some kind of smaller, secondary boat. It also makes you sound exhausted by an elective construction project, which is the resting emotional state of the rich.
Casually flip through a stack of wax as if you appear to be partially amused and know it all, like that Jack Black motherfucker in Hi-Fidelity. It’s time to take the power back. Grab a record at random and — boldly — keep it in your hands. Now grab another one. Start a loose pile in your arms, as if this incense-scented cavern of $50 records is like no big deal. When “Feck” looks over, ask him to start spinning the albums for you. His already furrowed eyebrow will arch even more; do not lose your resolve. Grab whatever is closest, look him dead in the eyes and ask, “Do you have this on splatter?” “Maybe,” he’ll say, tilting his head in irritation. “I’ll have a look in the back.”
He will be looking for a moment or so. Now is the time to run.
Friday, November 26, 2021
Priceless...
Well written on the state of the industry...as a full time participant in many aspects of the business, since the 70's this all rings far too true and is pretty fucking accurate! Stupidly fucking sad as well! Did make me laugh mind you, as what else can ya do? Well worth a read despite the fact, ya' may have heard all this before! I've been whining on about this shit show for years now...👽
Thursday, November 25, 2021
Busting the Bins @ Birdman: New Arrivals 11/25/2021
Insane amount of new arrivals in the shop just today !!!
Walter Bishop Jr,
Ben
Circle with richard Dawson
KVB
Vis A Vis
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Pharoah Sanders
Daptone Live Anniv. Triple Set
Idris Ackamoor & The Pyramids
Gun Club
Tav Falco
Miles Davis
Mankunku Quartet
Os Brazoes
Soft Machine
Tickets For Doomsday (Now-Again comp)
Hailu Mergia & The Wailas
The Band Whose Name Is A Symbol
Mienakunaru
White Manna
Chris Joynes
Nudity
Witches Broom
Zone Six
There Is Nothing Like An Enduring Record : Strobe-"Maya" 1992
Every so often a record comes along and it's just like "holy fucking shit" ! In 1993, I got a promo CD from distro by UK band Strobe; a group I'd not been familiar with. I had no expectations, as promos in them dayz flowed fast and furious. I was 60 seconds into "Nameless Day 1" and was in LOVE! Some dark, lopey, psychedelic underworld emanations were flowing through the speakers which more than tickled the fancies regarding all what I love about music! A challenging ebb and flow of sounds with some influences that you could not really pin down precisely...progressive, free, easy, psych, a shard of ominous Gothic darkness, Krautrock early 80's UK alternative, and just fucking a solid original take on the whole combination thereof ! I of course wore the CD to a frazzle, spinning on trips in the car, ghetto blaster, at home, portable disc man, in the shop etc. This album is multi-genre/non-genre specific and re-defining, much in the same way as Cosmic Invention's (another super "woody" sported for Batoh and company💕), 90's foray into the yester-world and the day after tomorrow in the 1990's and beyond ! Records like this do not happen often...bands like this don't come along everyday either! Strobe's LP is right there for me alongside, the aforementioned Cosmic Invention, Flipper's 1st and 2nd LP's, Chrome (in general), Saccharine Trust, CAN (all), Miles Davis's 70's acid jazz period, Beefheart and The Stooges... as an addendum, a few years ago I posted about Strobe's "Maya" on social media and a number of weeks later by way of the mail, received 5 or 6 more subsequent CD releases by the band from either the groups manager of label owner! ALL KILLER as well! More recently(2017), Dave Schmidt (aka Sula Bassana/ Sulatron Records, Germany) issued a wicked 1st time LP/CD entitled "Bunker Sessions", which is GODLIKE as well...go investigate this band...you will not be disappointed...👽
"Vicious Circle" https://youtu.be/S1nhB4rKu4M
"Nameless Day 1" https://youtu.be/NVtgSzPT90w
Sunday, November 21, 2021
Pre-Christ-mess Multi Dealer Birdman Pop Up !
People LOVE to get GREAT music on special occasions! This coming Sunday, our aim is to present the very best, most interesting and hardest to find records in our hub! Generally that's pretty easy, cuz at Birdman Sound, we don't care about anything other than the very best tunes that traverse many genres and decades ! Expertly curated, it's never not thrilling! It's the last weekend of the month which is when we invite other music geeks (hence: "multi-dealer"), to bring out the wax, so the selection is EXTRA crazy! 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. down in the Glebe here in Ottawa, right beside where the old Birdman shop was located. Get some KILLER vinyl for yourself and impress your friends and loved ones with the gift of actual wicked music... Christmas (if that's a thing?) is just a few weeks away! Hope to see you next SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY...! 👽
Saturday, November 20, 2021
Friday Afternoon Cartunes: November 19h On Youtube
Dr. Space's Alien Trip Vol. 5 - Run For Your Life (Tonzonen)
Automat - THF (Bureau B)
The Band Whose Name Is A Symbol - Live Improvisation Sept. 25th 2021(excerpt) (Video Premier)
Witch Egg - Greener Pools / City Maggot (Rock Is Hell)
Crooked Hook - Captain (Safety Meeting)
Dr. Joy - Signed The Body Electric (Idee Fixe)
Luck Of Eden Hall - Super Fantastic Heroine (Fruits De Mers)
Roy - As Long As Your Feeling (Idee Fixe)
Sidewalk Society - Strange Roads (Fruits De Mers)
Tau - E Spiral (Fuzz Club)
Psychic Paramount - Intro / SP (No Quarter)
Endless Boogie - The Offender (No Quarter)
Thursday, November 18, 2021
New Arrivals @ Birdman Sound...
2021 : A Dozen Awesome Vinyl Excursions From Canada's Underground
Back in a previous life when I first start flogging records and pushing the best underground debut Canadian records by the likes of DOA, The Subhumans, Pointed Sticks, Teenage Head etc. I was so impressed and thrilled by how much stellar shit was coming out of the second largest country in the world, populated by so few humans. Sure, Canada was and still is highly regarded for musical talent globally, however, the majority of that is mainstream oriented hogwash (to each their own)! 2021 (as with every year) has seen so many wicked LP's released by us Canucks! The dozen listed here from yours truly represent some of the top recorded moments in 2021. Of course this does pertain to my interest in a small chunk of our musical world. I figure after 40 + years of being a music retailer, musician , promoter, writer and radio programmer, whether you agree, disagree or otherwise, that have some say in what's good, bad or indifferent, so there's my excuse for all of this! There are no reviews here from me on any of them as I do not feel the need to pontificate. Suffice to say, inclusion is based on the vessel and music contained therein and at the end of it all the proof is always in the listening, end of. For me always with records, it's about being moved, hearing musical ingenuity and with certain genres, catching historical aspects of influences within execution. Everything comes from somewhere! The folks involved in these projects / offerings (yes, some are friends😎), floor me with their depth and talent. Check 'em all out as I feel you will hear some of the best on offer in 2021. Yes of course there’s more, and I do admit, a shitload unbeknownst to me...always is, year in, year out, but that just means exciting discoveries are just down the road... Cheers and OH CANA-DUH ! 💓👽
Anunnaki : https://anunnakibc.bandcamp.com/track/the-golden-gate-of-the-sun
Comet Control : https://cometcontrol.bandcamp.com/track/keep-on-spinnin
Badge Epoque : https://badgeepoque.bandcamp.com/track/egyptian-licorice
Bob Bryden & Long Day Journey : https://bobbryden.bandcamp.com/track/attack-of-the-strawberry-catapult-men
Dark Bird : https://darkbirdsounds.bandcamp.com/track/down-with-love
Dr. Joy : https://dr-joy.bandcamp.com/track/no-deal
Monobrow : https://monobrowmanband.bandcamp.com/track/argument-w-2
Possum : https://possumyyz.bandcamp.com/track/heywood-floyd
Polite Society : https://politesocietytoronto.bandcamp.com/track/a-life-lived-before-2
Roy : https://thesoundofroy.bandcamp.com/track/universal-truth
Rick White : https://rickwhitearchive.bandcamp.com/track/underneath
Wasted Cathedral : https://wastedcathedrallove.bandcamp.com/track/alan-parson-stairway
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
Top Sounds From Africa @ Birdman Sound...
We've sold tons of wicked sounds from Africa over the decades! Sadly many essential titles over this period of time are now unavailable due to the limited nature of ltd. pressings. There's also the nature of some labels coming and going...such is the beast of life. At one point when we were in our original physical location we boasted some 100 titles at times from the 60's and 70's...Fucking amazing! Our angle with regard to Afrobeat/Rock was based on the same thing as the artists original inspirations...traditional African rhythms couple with the well known then influences of Hendrix and James Brown! I know personally, aside from Osibisa, Assagai, Demon Fuzz, Fela Kuti and a few others, I was overwhelmed and high on the amount of KILLER stuff that was done years ago by tons of young folks on a continent far away that were stoked on many of the same root aspects of music that I was! Totally jaw dropping, the learning experience and I am a better soul for it in every sense! Releases still come and go these dayz and I am always on the watch and hunt for new stuff that fits the aforementioned parameters. What follows are some killer releases that are in and out of the shoop the last while and this is only a few...we do what we can as far as access go but it is a main area of interest and our regular customers are well invested in the sounds of Africa...
Redefining The Old... Get Folked In A New Style...
Outsider, weird folk, acoustic/electric drone, american primitive or whatever other tag you want, there's some awesome new music out there! Drawing on the influences of Fahey, Basho and other old school masters to one degree or another the amount of talent that has come to the front of the bus in the last little while is rather crazy. I do not profess to be an expert on the genre (or mixes thereof), but do fully dig what I have discovered! At 61 years of age and having bought sold records for a meagre living since my teenage years, trust me I know a little! Here's a few gems all relatively current that tickle my fancy and maybe they will yours...
Matthew J. R
Distels
Great North Star
Rob Noyes & Joseph Allred
Joseph Allred
Marisa Anderson & William Tyler
CHECK ALL OUT HERE IN SAME ORDER AS ABOVE LEFT TOP TO BOTTOM RIGHT...👽
https://worriedsongs.bandcamp.com/album/matthew-j-rolin
https://almosthalloweentimerecords.bandcamp.com/album/distels
https://greatnorthstar.bandcamp.com/album/great-north-star
https://feedingtuberecords.bandcamp.com/album/avoidance-language
https://poorfaulkner.bandcamp.com/
https://marisaanderson.bandcamp.com/album/lost-futures
Monday, November 15, 2021
Thursday, November 11, 2021
New Arrivals @ The Shop
Some wicked stuff just in...Marissa Nadler, Embryo, Hailu Mergia & the Walias, The Oscillation, Endless Boogie, Don Cherry, Scientists, Carlton Meleton (Top 20 for 2021), Amyl & The Sniffers....👽
Tuesday, November 9, 2021
Sunday, November 7, 2021
Killer LP Collection Just In The Shop....
A shitload of near mint: 1-2 plays, LPs (previously loved) in the shop...these kinds of records are not traded in often. Many out of print and new, cost a ton more! This is 18 of over 500 LPs in this recent collection in the shop....👽
Kill West, Central Stodet/Myrrors, Marmalade Knives, Sundays & Cybele, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, Bitchin' Bajas, New Alchemy, Madness, Anthroprophh...
Weird Owl, Our Solar System, Holy Mount, Farflung/3 A.M., Korb, Eat Lights Become Lights, Tales Of Murder and Dust, Cosmic Dead/Pigs x7, Vibravoid...
Saturday, November 6, 2021
Friday Afternoon Cartunes : 11/5/2021- Play Sheet and Youtube Link
Forbidden Dimension - Martian Death Saucer / Ghosts Run Wild (Wasted Wax)
Janitors - Trojan Ghost (Cardinal Fuzz)
Adam Stone Dead Sea Apes Black Tempest - Skull Pilot (Misophonia)
Pallbearer Industry - Astral Pollution (Misophonia)
Droids - Shanti Dance Pt. 1 (Because)
Expo 70 - Solar Barque Voyage (Sonic Meditations / Burial / Unseen Creatures)
Sienna Root - Trippin' (Nasoni)
Al Hombre Al Agua - Jungle Dread (Fuzzed Up/Astromoon)
Trip Hill - Reflexion (Psych Out)
Telstar Sound Drone - Drugs Help (Bad Afro)
Brick Road - Dronesong For the Master Donald Eugene Cherry (Saw-Whet)
Juju - Not This Time (Weird Beard)
Zendik Communal Arts - Superman Is Paralyzed (Nasoni)
Wednesday, November 3, 2021
The Band Whose Name Is A Symbol: Forthcoming Releases...
Plans are afoot for a series of Sam Giles LP replica sleeved cdr's on the venerable Cardinal Fuzz label in the UK. 4 albums will be included in this venture with a 5th stand alone of newly recorded material by March of 2022.
This will be a double release entitled "464 Days Later". The album will include a dvd of the bands first improv session recording live outdoors in September this year which marked the first time the group played since June 27th, 2020! The second disc will be a full audio version of the evening. Interestingly enough, Wayne Coulis was behind the session and capture in similar capacity to his great work as evidenced on the "Shedding The Albatross"(recorded at Birdman Sound in 2020) release earlier this year.
In the first quarter of 2022, albums "4 Minds, 4 Winds", Live At The Clocktower 2011", "Of Unknown Origin" and " Live At The Dominion Tavern 2010" will get the Cardinal Fuzz/Sam Giles physical treatment. "464 Days Later" will shortly follow these!
Here's a few things below to check out, if you are inclined...enjoy! 👽
https://thebandwhosenameisasymbol.bandcamp.com/
Monday, November 1, 2021
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