Scratchrock Volume VIII

Album #: 10

Recording Dates: 1993 – 1994

Release Date: 1999

Catalog: SMR08

ScratchNotes:

Sales of “Stop. I’m bleeding.” proved that the Hidden was truly an underground band.  The band and their art guru, “Saint” Allen Oaks, moved into a house on Chicago’s Northside that leaned excessively.  They set up shop in their cracked foundation style basement – neither mixed crowd reaction, nor poor album sales could deter them.

In-between bouts of drunken perversity, the Hidden prepared 17 new tracks to be recorded with Chuck Uchida under the guise of the “Brave New Failure” sessions.

Personally, I purchased a more professional 4-track and stepped up my experimental projects considerably.  After a successful weekend tour of the Midwest, the Hidden and staff began setting up a half-month trek across the United States.

Five Track Sampler

Track 02 – Covered With Blood and Twitching (The Hidden) – Starting out as a solo experiment on my 4-track, the Hidden beefed up and spaced out this ode to disillusionment for the “Brave New Failure” sessions. Recorded by Chuck Uchida.  [Scratch on Guitar]

Track 06 – Bizarre Keyboard Rock (MX Skroch) – A few tracks on Scratchrock Vol. VIII have me playing around with tape speed and Bizarre Keyboard rock is the most frenetic of the bunch. Prepare for takeoff… [Scratch on All Instruments]

Track 08 – I Wish I Had a Home (but I’ll Settle For a Quarter) (MX Skroch) – During this period I lived in the dirty city and like everyone else had the pleasure of being accosted by aggressive homeless persons on occasion. They were on my mind, so I named an instrumental after them. [Scratch on All Instruments and Samples]

Track 12 – The Blanket (The Hidden) – Free-range sax blurts and bleeps all over the Hidden’s angular rock stylings. A rare live performance featuring T.S. Henry Webb (formerly of The Flock) on tenor sax. [Scratch on Guitar]

Track 23 – Crusade (Instrumental) (MX Skroch) – Prior to the release of this track in its somber, full-blown lyrical version; I recorded this much more whimsical take. Jangling guitars and mellotron inspired keyboards put this version squarely in the ‘Pop’ category.  [Scratch on All Instruments]