Fat Plays For You (1988 Amok)
First words: If you liked Massacre's Killing Time, you will undoubtedly like Fat Plays For You.
Notes excerpted from the back cover (enclosed):
Looking back on our lives from a certain age,most of us recall our youthful enthusiasms with rueful amusement.How many grand designs have we lefr the the wayside,how many wild geese have we chased? Taking experience as a guide, we might be inclined to agree with Bishop Warburton's description of enthusiasm as "That temper of mind on which the imagination has got the better of judgement".
(...)
The relationship between the individual and the society is at the base of the ceremonies which we more commonly associate with foarmality. Indeed the very first ceremony most of us attend is designed to introduce us to knochling down to hard work or study when the first spurt of enthusiastic energy is over. Nothing could be mor natural. Youth is a process of sorting out preferences until one arrives at the elements of a permanent identity.
The trouble with some people is that they never do decide which enthusiasms to cultivate and which to eliminate. In the end their interests die like flowers in a garden full of weeds.
The ceremony makes an interesting illustration. The audience streams into the hall in all manner of dress,from mink stoles to tattered jeans.But when the orchestra takes the stage,the players are dressed uniformly-the men in black coats,the women in black evening gowns.The conductor walks to the posium in white tie and tails.On closer examination, children are in children's clothes and in that style of dress , they contain a pattern particular to them.Nearly all are next to water in some form or another - oceans,rivers,lakes.On a personal level,they can be very unpleasant companions.
(...)
At the same time, it is impossible to argue with Ralph Waldo Emerson's statement that "every great and commanding moment int the annals of the world is the triumph of some enthusiasm." So enthusiasm is a neutral source of energy that can be applied for good or ill.In some cases, it may seem to be applied for neither.Much of the energy it creates is simply dissipated to no particular end.However, the distance and difficulties of weather continue to make it amount the most expensive in the world.
(...)
Note:The front cover is pilfered directly from an ESP-Disk by Charles Tyler.
Biographical information from correspondence with Jeff Noble:
Fat was a No-wave group formed in Montreal, which recorded 7 albums, though only 4 were released (Plays For You, Hit, Automat Hi-life and Magnetizer). They recorded Plays for You in Montreal in 1988, then moved to Barcelona and recorded the others during their 4 year stay in Europe, though Hit was recorded in NYC in 1989. Most notably they spent just under a year in Morocco, where they rehearsed and recorded with a local group in the Souss Valley called Ahouad Mia - a father and son on ahouad (flute) and a father and son on bendir frame drums. They were also joined by Ben Lamouden -probably the best known rebab player in the country as well as other percussionists and singers.
Mr.Noble considers this later work to be the best music which Fat ever recorded, and he is currently working on the final mixing and mastering of this and the mastering of the other two unreleased records as well as the re-issue of the four previously released discs all in 2013.
I have also enclosed a magazine interview with Guitarist Eric Rosenzveig from just after the release of this album.

Eric Rosenzveig:Guitar
Jeff Noble:Bass
Phil Giborski:Drums
Fat-Plays For You (1988 Amok)
Side One:
a1-Rhino (2:53)
a2-Space Cowboy (4:33)
a3-Nu-Pa-Yip (6:11)
a4-A Man Is His Dog (6:57)
Side Two:
b1-Crank (1:50)
b2-Simplicity (2:11)
b3-Lampshade Of Fear (3:18)
b4-Generic (5:00)
b5-ESP (5:31)
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Thank you!
ReplyDeleteExcellent! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank You very much for this item. I would like to get in touch with Jeff Noble, I spend quite some time with FAT in Barcelona when I moved there from Berlin. Some time '87. I now life in Rennes, France still doing concerts and installation with DAS SYNTHETISCHE MISCHGEWEBE. Lost my FAT vinyls with all my moves. Would love to hear them again properly.
ReplyDeleteWish the best, succesfull contination ...
dsm.gdh(at)gmail.com
Doc thanks so much for this , Automat Highlife, was always a favourite in this genre ,and i've always wanted to hear this , its rich and rewarding indeed!
ReplyDeleteNice picture of Charles Tyler from his ESP album.
ReplyDelete