Pure Punk Picks
Navvy – Pere Ubu
It seems “experimental” became a music term in the sixties to describe music that “used unorthodox means or expanded beyond the accepted musical boundaries.”
Avant-garde music, which means “advanced guard” in French was originally a military term meaning soldiers that sought out new territory, and would appear to be more aligned with visual art. But also, it seems experimental music was first used as a term in the classical field.
Now, I note that in modern music when something that I would describe as experimental or avant-garde- the accepted term is now “noise”.
But I must state, that in the early eighties when Andy Bang and I were frequenting the local punk clubs, when we encountered bands that played experimental/avant-garde/noise, that we referred to them as playing “koo-koo music”.
There was a great local band we followed called The Dark that were like this. They even had a song where at the end of each line a band member chirped “Koo-Koo.” And yes, they were experimental.
Anyways, my preferred term for this style of music is still “koo-koo.” And also, my favorite koo-koo band then and of all time is Pere Ubu.
They were from Cleveland and grew out of a band called Rocket From The Tombs, while the other half formed The Dead Boys. While maybe not a profitable business decision, on both halves, it was artistically divine.
Pere Ubu is a great example of the many bands that weren’t actually punk in the early days, so much as they didn’t fit in with the rock establishment, but fell into the open arms of the punk scene, as they were so obviously against the grain of society as much as any punk band.
And I feel they were one of the best and most underrated bands from this era.
“I’ve got these arms and legs that flip flop, flip flop (3x)
I have desire- Freedom!
I have desire- Somewhere to go
Boy, that sounds swell
Boy, that sounds swell
Boy, that sounds swell”
This song jaunts merrily along with buoyant energy and weirdness shooting out at you like flames.
David Thomas is the very, eccentric singer of this band. I considered him, in the early days, as the vocal brother with David Byrne. And listening now, I’d say that Frank Black of The Pixies might just be their ill-begotten nephew.
I love how this song just bristles with energy. I love the descending bass line in the musical interlude, that sounds like a parachutist falling out of a plane.
I love the sixties keyboards along with the synthesizer that sounds like sounds waves chiming in from Saturn.
I love the wild and frantic lead vocals answered with the lethargic backup ones chanting, “Bah-duh.”
And I love koo-koo music though, I know, that in soceity that obviously means crazy and is thought of as a derogatory term.
But they like to blame it on the artists for merely being different, creative and adventuresome.
While I think society, the government, life itself, is truly “koo-koo” and not in the creative, exploratory way as it is in the arts.
The music and art I love is weird and wild and crazy. I feel that any expressive art should effect you in this way.
And though I feel, life and society is crazy in a totally, negative and destructive way that makes me question- Why does society think artists are harmful and against the world?
While the people in charge- the politicians, the pillars of society are not only acting crazy but acting blatantly psychopathic?
This song makes me feel like my brain is on fire while my heart is dancing with hula hoops bouncing around it, as my soul is running over scorching, hot coals.
Oh boy, that sounds swell.
This song sounds swell.
And this band sounds swell.
(Slimedog)
