The Scratchrock

Album #: 57

Recording Dates: 1994

Release Date: 2006

Catalog: SMR23

ScratchNotes:

In the Summer of 1994 the members of the Hidden booked Flat Iron Studios in Chicago to begin work on the follow-up to their “Stop. I’m bleeding.” CD. Once again Chuck U. ran the board but this time not in his own studio. We recorded for several days and mixed down close to 20 songs. We were dubbing cassettes of the master tapes over several days to listen to music on other systems. Somehow the band never got a hold of the master tapes (or even a digital copy of mixdowns) of these sessions and broke up in late 1994.

I worked hard to find the best version available when I began work in 2002 on finally releasing this album. I had four different cassettes that contained most of the recordings so I could identify the best source material (arg…from cassettes) to create the album. There was tape fuzz to deal with; some tapes had little glitches on some songs but not others, plus the songs had never been mastered so a round of equalization was needed.

A dozen songs made the album’s final running order. Looking at it 23 years later (arg…I was 24 when we recorded this!) it’s kind of an odd album – which makes it fit perfectly into this discography!

Below are three tracks that I hope get across the many moods of this record.

Three Track Sampler

Track 03 – Salamander (The Hidden) – Here’s a blast of distorted heft leading into purgatorial torment. From heavy to haunting in a split second the band shows a more complex style than on early recordings, and displays a wide dynamic range on this metallic track.  [Scratch on Guitar]

Track 07 – Pink Snow (The Hidden) – Pink Snow was a live favorite and its relentless plodding still captivates all these years later. It’s got a stop-start intro, a slow groove bass, a frightening vocal performance and that simmering buildup to the ending with the bonus drum jam. This is one of the Hidden’s better constructed songs.  [Scratch on Guitar]

Track 09 – Suicide King (The Hidden) – Set the manic to 11 as Brian M. unleashes a violent sermon on another dark track. I’m quite fond of how my guitar came out on this recording.  [Scratch on Guitar]

Album #: 56

Recording Dates: 04/22/2006

Release Date: 2006

Catalog: SF

ScratchNotes:

Another crazed Rumpus Room gathering from 2006. This is certainly more challenging than many CDs by the band (and that’s saying something) as the mixes for large group performances are pretty disappointing… but art never promised to be pretty…

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Two Track Sampler

Track 01 – Going Backwards (The Sheep Fiends) – The mixes on this CD can get a bit harsh, but sometimes the strangeness of it all works – like the unplanned bass solo freakout this song dissolves into for a minute.  [Scratch on Bass]

Track 07– Nature of Insurgency (The Sheep Fiends) – Just Brian M. on improvised rhythm guitar/vocals and myself trying to put the urgency in insurgency on lead guitar.  [Scratch on Guitar]

Album #: 55

Recording Dates: 2005

Release Date: 2005

Catalog: SF

ScratchNotes:

For quite a while an acoustic sub-grouping of the Sheep Fiends had been playing Americana standards and the odd cover track. Mark A, Matt C, and Matty formed this nexus of this more traditional style band. I joined in for a few jams at Mark’s apartment that we happened to record (two tracks from which are featured below). This was great time, and created a very distinct vibe from the sounds of the larger more eclectic Sheep Fiends.

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Two Track Sampler

Track 03 – St. James Infirmary (The Poker Night String Band) – Mandolin anchors this bouncy track made famous by Louis Armstrong. Rather than the typical straight improvisation of a Sheep Fiends performance we were following some chords. But having never heard the song in my life I think my background electric guitar works on this.  [Scratch on Guitar]

Track 16– Just What I Needed (The Poker Night String Band) – Deep in Appalachia one can hear the righteous gospel of our divine Ric Ocasek and his handpicked family The Cars. Presenting a spirited acoustic rendition of this classic rock track.  [Scratch on Vocals]

Album #: 54

Recording Dates: 11/15/1998 & 10/16/2005

Release Date: 2005

Catalog: SF

ScratchNotes:

The Rumpus Room became our new home base around this time. This was Brian M’s posh basement gathering spot with wood as far as the eye could see. While this space would see dramatic change a few years later; during this era we only had access to 2-track straight to tape recording – meaning the mixes on these CDs are as varied as the genres are…

This CD also contains a bonus 20 minute guitar freakout from 1998. You can listen to that one over at sheepfiends.com if the mood strikes ya.

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Two Track Sampler

Track 01 – A Friend Like You (The Sheep Fiends) – Some slide guitar over a rumbling shuffle lays the groundwork for Matt C. to speak his mind and take the role of emcee. If you love off-kilter this is another one for you!  [Scratch on Guitar]

Track 07– Levi’s Gonna Break (The Sheep Fiends) – Sometimes the Sheep Fiends get topical, such as during this bizarre musical reaction to Hurricane Katrina. Robot voices and a Big Black guitar. Tones from the cosmos. Then it somehow devolves into some dumb blues. Then the singers riff on the theme of natural disasters. So it’s definitely the Sheep Fiends!  [Scratch on Vocals]