I'm familiar with several of the artists on this compilation, including Coyne, Coxhill, Lemon Kittens, Virgin Prunes, Eyeless in Gaza and Matt Johnson. I certainly remember seeing the record in shops. We probably carried it at Singles Going Steady in Portland where I was the buyer for all the unusual records we got from Rough Trade Distribution. I can't remember if I actually heard it though. The record that comes to mind as having this sort of impact for me was released the previous year, and also distributed by Cherry Red, Morgan Fishers' Miniatures Compilation. I can't say it opened up huge new vistas for me as I was already familiar with most of its 51 artists, but it was a great summing up of what was interesting around that time. It includes Fripp, Coyne and Coxhill, along with Frith, David Bedford, Ivor Cutler, Gavin Bryars, Neil Innes (well really his five year old son), The Residents, Robert Wyatt, Ralph Steadman, etc. etc. Even my favorite band of the time, Etron Fou, though their contribution is not worthy of them. The artists new to me that had the most impact were Veryan Weston, whose band, Stinky WInkles, performed a Movement from a Webern string quartet, and George Melly who intoned part of the Ur Sonata which he'd once used to nonplus a gang of toughs he encountered outside a Manchester club. It was a superbly disorienting listen at the time, and holds up as one of the greatest of all compilation albums due to its sheer scope.
I'm familiar with several of the artists on this compilation, including Coyne, Coxhill, Lemon Kittens, Virgin Prunes, Eyeless in Gaza and Matt Johnson. I certainly remember seeing the record in shops. We probably carried it at Singles Going Steady in Portland where I was the buyer for all the unusual records we got from Rough Trade Distribution. I can't remember if I actually heard it though. The record that comes to mind as having this sort of impact for me was released the previous year, and also distributed by Cherry Red, Morgan Fishers' Miniatures Compilation. I can't say it opened up huge new vistas for me as I was already familiar with most of its 51 artists, but it was a great summing up of what was interesting around that time. It includes Fripp, Coyne and Coxhill, along with Frith, David Bedford, Ivor Cutler, Gavin Bryars, Neil Innes (well really his five year old son), The Residents, Robert Wyatt, Ralph Steadman, etc. etc. Even my favorite band of the time, Etron Fou, though their contribution is not worthy of them. The artists new to me that had the most impact were Veryan Weston, whose band, Stinky WInkles, performed a Movement from a Webern string quartet, and George Melly who intoned part of the Ur Sonata which he'd once used to nonplus a gang of toughs he encountered outside a Manchester club. It was a superbly disorienting listen at the time, and holds up as one of the greatest of all compilation albums due to its sheer scope.