Daniel A. Foss – Counter Aesthetic

Album #: 48

Recording Dates: 1994-1995

Release Date: 2002

Catalog: SMR21

ScratchNotes:

Years before I became affiliated with the Sheep Fiends the band was joined for a period by Daniel A. Foss, Phd. Dr. Foss was much older than the 20-whatevers that largely populated the band at that time. Dan worked as a sociologist for most of his career, and gained major cred by publishing the book Freak Culture: Life Style and Politics in 1972 – back when the freakiest thing about the Sheep Fiends were their diapers. Daniel Foss did not lead an easy life, suffering a range of family and health crises.

Dan would add commentary about cultures, wars, and the rise and fall of civilizations to instrumental Sheep Fiend jams. Many pure conversations where recorded with Dr. Foss at this time, and Brian C. conducted a full autobiographical interview with Foss that appears here in several segments. I was given the challenge of taking 6 or 8 tapes of raw material and creating an album that captures the experience of Dan Foss. How successful I was in this endeavor is for others to determine, but immersing myself in the world of Foss for a few months was certainly a unique time for me.

Sadly Dan passed away in 2014 – but he lives on in our memories…and on the Internet. He has a Wikipedia entry here. And you can read Dan’s unique take on his days with the Sheep Fiends here.

Three perplexing samples of this release can be accessed below.

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Three Track Sampler

Track 05 – A Drunken Wall (Daniel A. Foss) – Drinking is the topic. And minorities. And New Zealand. [Scratch on Production]

Track 16 – N2O (Sheep Fiends with Daniel A. Foss) – This ridiculously psychedelic sonic cornucopia was presented to me somewhat pre-produced. Some of the effects I added but most of this was recorded in real time…somehow! A bit of rearranging was really all it needed. [Scratch on Production]

Track 22 – The Possibility of Daniel A. Foss (Daniel A. Foss) – Dan ponders those who ponder him. [Scratch on Production]

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