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Released in January, Spielgusher�s another project from bassist and former Minuteman Mike Watt (also known for playing with Firehose, Porno for Pyros, and the Stooges). He recently put out a dos full-length. There�s a Firehose reunion album coming out soon. And that�s just a mini-list of Watt�s recent and current activity. Damn, this cat has energy � and creativity -- to burn.
Spielgusher is his collaboration with journalist, novelist, poet musician, and songwriter (and a few more things � I�m getting a headache) Richard Meltzer. Watt, with Hirotaka �Shimmy� Shimizu/guitar and Yuko Araki/drums, pumped out some improvy, rather open-ended sounds to go with recordings of Meltzer�s words.
Spielgusher isn�t the word-and-sound explosion one might expect from the title. On the other hand, going into it blind (without reading or hearing anything about it), I found the project refreshing; kind of a throwback to the performance art and prankster readings I experienced (and, sometimes, was a part of) in the �80s, in NYC and Washington, D.C. I like projects that feel like they could go in any direction. While Spielgusher isn�t obviously Punk Rock, or even Rock, it�s cool and thought-provoking, with occasional chuckles. �Begins with S� is one of my favorites. Its stream of post-Beat, occasionally Punk-outrageous consciousness has moments of startling brilliance. Sounding like the cantankerous, aging fart he probably is, Meltzer blurts out lines including, �Radishes will begin with S�� �Days darker than your nights will begin with S�� �Fatal jack-off on the moon will begin with S��
And if sitting (or cleaning the house through/my recommendation) 63 (albeit often brief) spoken-word tracks sound burdensome, there are plenty of palate-cleansing, mind-expanding (Ah! The method in the madness!), completely instrumental interludes, including the free-jazzy �Enter My Thumb,� a trippy little track called �Topsy, Pt. 4,� and one that screams for Frank Zappa to come back from the dead and kick it into ever wackier gear, �A Nonfatal Jackoff on the Moon.�
Seriously, kids: From the late �70s (actually, from one of Patti Smith�s first public barking incidents, or the VU�s last) through the mid-�80s or so, Punk meant projects like this, along with strange and beautiful art exhibits, mind-expanding films, ridiculous, boring, and wonderful stuff called Performance Art, creative outfits, and the increasingly no-big-deal presence on the scene of interracial, gay, transgender, and even cross-generational folks and relationships. Catholic school kids with Mohawks and Dr. Martens on the subway. A brilliant bit of poetry scrawled on the wall of the subway. Oh, and kick-ass music. At least to me, it did � but I�m pretty sure I�m not alone.
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