- Format: MP3
Personnel:
MORGAN CHAPMAN A
RON COLLINS A
KAREN DARBY A
JR NICHOLS A
PHIL PEARLMAN A B
BILL PHILLIPS A
SHERRY PHILLIPS A
JOE SIDORE A B
WENDELL KEESEE III B
RICK MANDELBAUM B
TONI SARTORIO B
BILL YOUNGER B
ALBUMS:
1(A) THE BEAT OF THE EARTH (Radish AS 0001) 1967 R4
2(B) THE ELECTRONIC HOLE (Radish AS 0002) 1969 R4
3(A) OUR STANDARD THREE MINUTE TUNE (Radish AS 0001½) 1994 SC
NB: (1) had a pressing of 500. (2) was for demo use only and had a pressing of about 150 copies. (3) had a pressing of 500 and is a collection of unreleased recordings from 1967 - not a reissue of (1) as often advertised.
Beat Of The Earth was assembled by Phil Pearlman, who had earlier released a surf/hot rod 45 Chrome Reversed Rails (shown as by Phil and The Flakes, on the Fink label). One of the earliest known electric experimental bands, The Beat Of The Earth sound very similar to their East-coast counterparts The Velvet Underground on albums (1) and (3) listed above. These two records were recorded live in the studio during the summer of 1967 and consist of long, unstructured jams using a myriad of acoustic and electric instruments. This early incarnation of the band is the one most familiar to collectors and copies of the first album have been changing hands for hundred of dollars since the mid-80s. The music the band produced during this period is not for everybody (compare to the long tracks on the first two Velvet Underground albums), but their debut remains an unusual and rare item of significance from the California rock scene.
During 1968-9 the line-up of the band was in constant flux and Beat Of The Earth made no known "proper" recordings, but Pearlman continued to add to his own collection of demos using local studios in off-hours via his friendship with the engineer Joe Sidore. At the end of 1969, Pearlman assembled The Electronic Hole strictly for personal use - specifically, to draft musicians for his new band. Several names are listed on the sleeve but I believe this is actually very close to being a Phil Pearlman solo project. The album is entirely different stylistically from the earlier one in that it abandons the freeform improvisational approach in favour of 'compositions' including a wild cover of Zappa's Trouble Every Day. None of the tracks are given titles on the album which complicates singling any out for commentary, but there are real highlights and the raw, unpolished feel only serves to make it utterly magical. Pearlman plays sitar on one track to great effect, and another has the thickest wall of fuzz guitars imaginable - an effect he achieved by running his Fender amplifier of a child's chord organ ("sounded great for about two weeks, then it blew up!"). There are few albums I known of that have such an eclectic yet appealing sound. Had the story ended here it would have been a real tragedy, as Pearlman's finest hour was yet to come. Six years later (with who knows what in between), recording commenced on the majestic Relatively Clean Rivers album with an entirely new band and musical vision.
The Beat Of The Earth - 'The Beat Of The Earth' from 1967 Rel: 070504 £9.99
"Phil Pearlman, whose Relatively Clean Rivers album has received universal acclaim, assembled Beat Of The Earth in 1967 with this, their first, eponymous album, appearing on the Radish label (AS0001) in the same year. BOTE is often compared with their illustrious East coast counterparts, The Velvet Underground, an apt comparison given the Velvet's penchant for long, unstructured jams using a myriad assortment of acoustic and electronic instruments. This is the earliest incarnation of the band, and the one that is most familiar to collectors fortunate enough to own a copy of this incredibly rare album. The album consists of a single track per side, and this, the band's recording debut, is considered an unusual and singular item of significance from the California '60s alternative rock scene. Although guitarist Pearlman managed to keep Beat Of The Earth together for much of the remainder of the '60s, it is fair to say that no more "proper" recordings were made, although Pearlman continued to add to his personal collection of studio recordings, drafting in new musicians for impromptu after-hours recording sessions arranged at short notice. Another fascinating psych album from a true musical innovator.
Tracks:
1. This Is An Artistic Statement 1,
2. This Is An Artistic Statement 2
Personnel:
MORGAN CHAPMAN A
RON COLLINS A
KAREN DARBY A
JR NICHOLS A
PHIL PEARLMAN A B
BILL PHILLIPS A
SHERRY PHILLIPS A
JOE SIDORE A B
WENDELL KEESEE III B
RICK MANDELBAUM B
TONI SARTORIO B
BILL YOUNGER B
ALBUMS:
1(A) THE BEAT OF THE EARTH (Radish AS 0001) 1967 R4
2(B) THE ELECTRONIC HOLE (Radish AS 0002) 1969 R4
3(A) OUR STANDARD THREE MINUTE TUNE (Radish AS 0001½) 1994 SC
NB: (1) had a pressing of 500. (2) was for demo use only and had a pressing of about 150 copies. (3) had a pressing of 500 and is a collection of unreleased recordings from 1967 - not a reissue of (1) as often advertised.
Beat Of The Earth was assembled by Phil Pearlman, who had earlier released a surf/hot rod 45 Chrome Reversed Rails (shown as by Phil and The Flakes, on the Fink label). One of the earliest known electric experimental bands, The Beat Of The Earth sound very similar to their East-coast counterparts The Velvet Underground on albums (1) and (3) listed above. These two records were recorded live in the studio during the summer of 1967 and consist of long, unstructured jams using a myriad of acoustic and electric instruments. This early incarnation of the band is the one most familiar to collectors and copies of the first album have been changing hands for hundred of dollars since the mid-80s. The music the band produced during this period is not for everybody (compare to the long tracks on the first two Velvet Underground albums), but their debut remains an unusual and rare item of significance from the California rock scene.
During 1968-9 the line-up of the band was in constant flux and Beat Of The Earth made no known "proper" recordings, but Pearlman continued to add to his own collection of demos using local studios in off-hours via his friendship with the engineer Joe Sidore. At the end of 1969, Pearlman assembled The Electronic Hole strictly for personal use - specifically, to draft musicians for his new band. Several names are listed on the sleeve but I believe this is actually very close to being a Phil Pearlman solo project. The album is entirely different stylistically from the earlier one in that it abandons the freeform improvisational approach in favour of 'compositions' including a wild cover of Zappa's Trouble Every Day. None of the tracks are given titles on the album which complicates singling any out for commentary, but there are real highlights and the raw, unpolished feel only serves to make it utterly magical. Pearlman plays sitar on one track to great effect, and another has the thickest wall of fuzz guitars imaginable - an effect he achieved by running his Fender amplifier of a child's chord organ ("sounded great for about two weeks, then it blew up!"). There are few albums I known of that have such an eclectic yet appealing sound. Had the story ended here it would have been a real tragedy, as Pearlman's finest hour was yet to come. Six years later (with who knows what in between), recording commenced on the majestic Relatively Clean Rivers album with an entirely new band and musical vision.
The Beat Of The Earth - 'The Beat Of The Earth' from 1967 Rel: 070504 £9.99
"Phil Pearlman, whose Relatively Clean Rivers album has received universal acclaim, assembled Beat Of The Earth in 1967 with this, their first, eponymous album, appearing on the Radish label (AS0001) in the same year. BOTE is often compared with their illustrious East coast counterparts, The Velvet Underground, an apt comparison given the Velvet's penchant for long, unstructured jams using a myriad assortment of acoustic and electronic instruments. This is the earliest incarnation of the band, and the one that is most familiar to collectors fortunate enough to own a copy of this incredibly rare album. The album consists of a single track per side, and this, the band's recording debut, is considered an unusual and singular item of significance from the California '60s alternative rock scene. Although guitarist Pearlman managed to keep Beat Of The Earth together for much of the remainder of the '60s, it is fair to say that no more "proper" recordings were made, although Pearlman continued to add to his personal collection of studio recordings, drafting in new musicians for impromptu after-hours recording sessions arranged at short notice. Another fascinating psych album from a true musical innovator.