Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Regressive tendencies?

Uncovering the obscure is exciting. Carter was elated in the valley of the kings, Stein recognised that recognition was recognition when she allowed herself to believe she'd discovered Picasso. Colmbus was draming of metaphorical sugarplums when he discovered what Leif Erikson had been relieved to land upon 500 years earlier (and what Siberians were probably nonplussed to find 15,000-20,000 years ago, since there was probably no real distiction from the steppes of northern "Russia" to an isthmus of indeterminate "american-ness").
We like discovering stuff. Sometimes people make a big deal out of it, like when the press discovered that the American military (and, by default, the CIA) had no scruples,videlicet Abu Ghraib.

I try not to make a big deal out of "discovering" bands that other people have known about for years, but that doesn't make me any less excited about doing so.
I am currently excited, scilicet about Mark Szabo.
Mark Szabo, you say? Isn't he a coach at Shoreline Community College? To which I would answer, sure, sine qua non Google as ultimate reference material. Thankfully, I read this, which brought me elucidation.
I had never heard of Mark until I read this, but now I have the album in question, a copy of "Alone With Mark" thoughtfully provided to me by an extremely astute Brooklynite, and a zipfile of the cassette "Regressing" generously provided here.
Since I can't (in any way) top what has already been written here, or in the liner notes of this by Franklin Bruno, so I think you should follow the links already (jeez) and get on the bus, bitches.

4 comments:

Dan Simpson said...

Haven't heard 'Alone with Mark', but the other two are great. Do you have 'Chocolate Covered Bad Things'? If you don't, it's well worth it (and it's still in print!! from Catsup plate ). It's another perfect album (although it's harder work than The Szabo Songbook).

Anonymous said...

Matt,

I beg of you to please help me out and let me get a copy of the regressing cassette. I've looked everywhere to find anything by Mark Szabo but the man is a ghost. I look forward to hearing from you. Bazomp@yahoo.com or preferably use the email linked to this account.

Lou

matt said...

sorry, i don't do that. anybody else out there: don't ask.

the excellent album by szabo cohorts the heartbreak scene is available from fayettenam records here:
http://fayettenamrecords.com/releases.php
and szabo and marcy emery do a long radio show available for download here:
http://phoningitin.net/shows/305-Heartbreak-Scene

matt said...

also, i believe the link above posted by dan is still active. i bought it, and it's v good.