[hirsute_biped]

Originally Posted by krastian

^Did anybody buy that box? I'm not tryin' to pay 80 for it.

Yeah, since I have everything else he put out, I kinda had to get it. A lot of $, but glad I did it. Not every track is one you will want to hear over and over again. He does vocal imitations of elderly country blues singers, which are difficult to listen to. He does some pranks by incorporating lyrics about existential philosophers into country blues song. He does several flute duets, which are not my favorite. He does some vocal duets with someone who sounds like an amatuer church singer. Intermingled with all these are solo guitar instrumentals of increasing solidity, ingenuity, and grace. He started these recordings before he was 20 years old, they are chronological, and end in the mid sixties. You hear his style and influences develop over those years. There are many tracks on here that are early, alternate versions of tracks which would later end up on his classic Takoma LPs. In several instances a song will evolve over several recording sessions, adding and losing parts; such as Night Train to Valhalla, Portland Cement Factory at Monolith, CA, & The Trancendental Waterfall. If you know his catalog, these songs are highly distinctive, and their development is sure to fascinate. By discs 4 & 5 he has generally dropped the singing and pranks, is really streching out and defining his style, and getting experimental. These discs contain previosly unreleased compositions worthy of inclusion on his classic Takoma LPs. Much of it was originally slated for inclusion in the ledgendary, labyrinthine, apocryphal Voice of the Turtle album(s), which was/were at one point planned to be a double LP. There are a few tracks that incorporate backwards vina, which are awesome. The book contains exhaustive information on the sessions, breaks down and analyses each track, lots of new photos, essays, a previously unpublished interview, and a nice poem by Byron Coley. I love this kind of set. However, I could see myself making a playlist of the songs I wanted to hear repeatedly, and not revisit the others very often. Such a playlist would still be pretty long.

My set, ordered from Dust to Digital, included a Fonotone Records bottle opener.

This set would not be a good introduction to Fahey, there are several best-of collections that would be infinitely better for that. This is for the hardcore Fahey fans, and for those fans this set is a long time coming and is essential. I was expecting it to cost more, and would have bought it anyway.

[krastian]

Awesome, thanks for writing. It sounds like it's well worth the price with some good unheard stuff and nice packaging.

Hopefully it'll drop to $60 or $70...might be something good to have Santa bring.

[fugazifan]

Bootleg of a great Fahey show in 1973
http://delta-slider.blogspot.com/201...ashington.html
and a 176 page book of Fahey tabs
http://delta-slider.blogspot.com/201...uitar-tab.html

[E. Noisefield]

Originally Posted by hirsute_biped

Yeah, since I have everything else he put out, I kinda had to get it. A lot of $, but glad I did it. Not every track is one you will want to hear over and over again. He does vocal imitations of elderly country blues singers, which are difficult to listen to. He does some pranks by incorporating lyrics about existential philosophers into country blues song. He does several flute duets, which are not my favorite. He does some vocal duets with someone who sounds like an amatuer church singer. Intermingled with all these are solo guitar instrumentals of increasing solidity, ingenuity, and grace. He started these recordings before he was 20 years old, they are chronological, and end in the mid sixties. You hear his style and influences develop over those years. There are many tracks on here that are early, alternate versions of tracks which would later end up on his classic Takoma LPs. In several instances a song will evolve over several recording sessions, adding and losing parts; such as Night Train to Valhalla, Portland Cement Factory at Monolith, CA, & The Trancendental Waterfall. If you know his catalog, these songs are highly distinctive, and their development is sure to fascinate. By discs 4 & 5 he has generally dropped the singing and pranks, is really streching out and defining his style, and getting experimental. These discs contain previosly unreleased compositions worthy of inclusion on his classic Takoma LPs. Much of it was originally slated for inclusion in the ledgendary, labyrinthine, apocryphal Voice of the Turtle album(s), which was/were at one point planned to be a double LP. There are a few tracks that incorporate backwards vina, which are awesome. The book contains exhaustive information on the sessions, breaks down and analyses each track, lots of new photos, essays, a previously unpublished interview, and a nice poem by Byron Coley. I love this kind of set. However, I could see myself making a playlist of the songs I wanted to hear repeatedly, and not revisit the others very often. Such a playlist would still be pretty long.

My set, ordered from Dust to Digital, included a Fonotone Records bottle opener.

This set would not be a good introduction to Fahey, there are several best-of collections that would be infinitely better for that. This is for the hardcore Fahey fans, and for those fans this set is a long time coming and is essential. I was expecting it to cost more, and would have bought it anyway.

I bought it too. At first I just downloaded it but the packaging looked way too enticing to pass up so I bought it. I just had to! Definitely one of my favorite reissues of the year 2011 and worth every penny.

[Dr. Eugene Felikson]

Just had a long talk with my audio editor who is apparently a big Fahey nut. Now I'll admit, I've never heard a single thing the man's done (or at least i think I haven't) and only know of him through the existence of this thread.

I'm totally in the mood to check him out now. Any solid recommendations for a first-timer - or somethingt that might appeal to a musical dunce lik eme?

[Murmer99]

I've always thought Transfiguration of Blind Joe Death is a perfect introduction to Fahey.

[atari 2600]

downloaded the same show from the same site recently too, fugazifan...

[fugazifan]

its a great show. i should listen to it again one of these days.

and i agree, transfiguration of blind joe death is a great introduction and a beautiful album. i would also recommend days have gone by since it has both his beautiful songs as well as some experimental ones.