Comments from Phynqafis

    Although several posts are necessary to further explore and explain that which is Snufmeg, a recent discussion with Phynqafis, Himself, requires some attention. His overview of all matters Snufmeg is of the most curious and mysterious of phenomena, nonetheless occasional interchanges with his are enlightening.

   Most curious has been his comments upon the general reception of Snufmeg by the public at large. This covers productions as far from the core of the Sufmeg experience as the Raw Mommies to the inner core of Snufmeg, the Cheese Mites. How these comments in conversation came about was completely by chance. Excerpts follow:

   "The Spirit of Phynafis guides the body of work of all variants of Snufmeg. Can you give any further insight as to what that encompasses?"

   "The Spirit of which you speak can't directly be addressed, but, when examined in the various forms of worshipful expression, especially over time, the ideas become apparent."

   "You do understand how cryptic and possibly distancing such a sentiment can be, don't you?"

   "Well, of course! However, the Spirit is fully appreciated by dedication to the path of understanding. It has been made clear to me from many sources that when people come in contact with the expressions of Snufmeg, for example in the musical works of the Cheese Mites, people simply pass along and do not put the attention in to completely absorb the depth of the production. This is of considerable importance at any one point, and the fullness comes into view when done across all of the material."

   "Are you saying that any one piece of the greater body is as important as the entire body?"

   "In a way, yes! There are many who come to any aspect of Snufmeg and nibble, lack understanding, even intelligence, well, especially intelligence, and move along. Not only is it highly disrespectful, it is an eternal mark of stupidity and degradation to do so."

   "That could seem as an outlandish and arrogant statement to make."

   "Not at all. We have many who come, and spend a fraction of time, dismiss it. This is of no pain to us, mind you. It does, however, indicate incredible shallowness and, dare I say stupidity on the part of those who do so."

   "If I may, does that mean you are saying that a cursory dismissal of an surface esthetic is beyond a mere judgement call?"

   "Yes, exactly. We have people who out of hand dismiss. These are individuals who tread dearly in life of being considered beyond the outer limits of minimal value. By passing along, and not committing to investigation and acceptance, they have consigned themselves to a value of less than a virus or criminal."

   "That sounds harsh."

   "Not at all. If you take the time to give attention at all, you must dedicate to full attention, Only then can the full reward of the Spirit be granted. A chance perusal and subsequent dismissal essentially is a signature upon a warrant of terminal condemnation. I'm sorry, but that is the fact of the matter."

   "Couldn't the same be said for anyone else, though?"

   "Simply, no."

.​.​. and in the constellation Cheese Mite

   The mood is set at with "Overheard Discussion at a Cocktail Party, Part 1", and that mood is Snufmeg. This collection contains all the requisite elements for a Cheese Mites experience, and if you're a fan (and who wouldn't be?) then prepare to enjoy.

   After the drinks are served, the light banter fades and the lovely acoustic "It Can't Be Helped" breezes us in. It wouldn't be Cheese Mites without some good old Snufmeg cannibalization, and it happens with "Rockin'" which first emerged credited to Top o' the Mornin', on the "Graffiti Music" release, produced by Williwill. He remains at the controls for the haunting "A Different Lime Coloured Planet (w/Vocals)" followed by the smash hit "Vaguely Beatlesque."

   "Mutual Attraction", absorbed from Alternateen, makes another appearance, enshrining itself as a bone fide Snufmeg staple, in the tradition of "Vomit Your Senses", and "Pros Jam with Pros". A switch back to Williwill with the near Snufmeg Klassikal (oftentimes referred to as Cheese Mites Classical) style "Discovering the Hideout." Snufmeg Surf returns with the beautiful "Surfer's Breakup."

   True Snufmeg avant-gardeism is showcased with "March of the Flesh-Eating Ghouls" followed by the "The Dancing Bears' Theme", fully absorbed from the DBs. Snufmeg Klassikal takes a more deliberate turn with Johnny B Dub flexing the baton with "Etude in 3/4." The back and forth between Johnny and Williwill continues with the latter's "Is Rockabilly a Form of Microaggression?" in an experimental mood. We never do seem to get an answer to that age-old question!

   "Umbrella Man" mellows out the vibe, only to be shaken back to the Snufmeg Klassikal edge of "Spontaneous Boredom" with Williwill's characteristic production. The blurring of lines between classic Snufmeg avant-ism and Klassikal is further illustrated in "Cartooning", but takes an overt turn to the drawing-room crowd with "Aetood."

   The abrupt tonal change of the blistering "8 Pound Maul" shakes the listener from any notion that safe listening is how the album approaches it's end. A retreat to melancholy flows in with "Lost Surf." To close out the 40+ minute excursion, "It Can't Be Helped" returns with an instrumental version, in a style befitting a Vegas show!

Nice is Nice

    In keeping with the long standing tradition of releasing archival material, one album at a time, the installment "Nice is Nice" once again shows the Cheese Mites willingness to stylistically confound and amaze. This collection reflects one of the wider expanses of time from their now apparently and obviously prolific career, 1985-2015. This encompasses the tail end of American Snufmeg and, to date, nearly the entirety of the Universal Snufmeg eras.

   Notable are the two songs "My Bag Rock" and "Snufmeg Foam", both of which were dub treated and also included, and along with "Blood Beach" keep the Snufmeg Surf tradition alive. Filling out the toe-tapping enjoyment are Williwill's "The White House is Haunted" and "I Can't Leave You Alone", which thematically borrows heavily from his composition "Del Guidiche" (from "Songs for Fighting and Marching").

   The epic length (18+ minutes!) "Rap Symphony No. One in E Major", originally included on Graffiti Music, is included, and scattered throughout are "Clarity", "Darker Days Ahead", a remake of "My Existence in the Shrubbery of Phantoms", "June Duet", "7 Qs" and "Listen, I'm Talking" (which reprises the "Del Guidiche" motif) all upholding the Cheese Mites tradition in Snufmeg for experimentation and the avant-garde, though with a more accessible flair.

Raw Mommies

    It seems reasonable to devote this one post to the Raw Mommies above all other artists and entities, either directly or indirectly, in matters of Snufmeg. Officially begun during 1991, the Raw Mommies grew from several intersections of all the members, but from the perspective of Snufmeg, the collaboration between Johnny B Dub, Hinkney Gruesome and Scott. The (thankfully) brief career of DG&H solidified the relationship between Scott and Johnny, eventually slicing in Keith (Scott's brother) and fellow childhood friends Billy and Kevin.

   The career of the Mommies began with the release of "Raw Mommies" in 1993, although some sources dispute that placing it in '92 or even 1991. Regardless, the quickly developed into a somewhat regular combo in the New York City music scene during that era up to 1995-7. Before their eventual disbanding, Johnny had left, returned and left again, for undisclosed differences. Inertia seemed to be the only hindrance to further success, as the band couldn't seem to find traction for their seemingly niche style, playing to audiences rarely greater than 30 people, often to fewer than five.

   In 2013, the circumstances were presented to perform once again, and so did, to a crowd several times larger than all other performances combined! An oddity still due to the limit exposure of the one single album released on tape decades earlier. Although, excited by the event with discussion to capitalize on the perceived acceptance, no further forward motion was made.

Raw Mommies on Bandcamp

Raw Mommies Blog

Butterfly

    The Cheese Mites' album "Butterfly," released in 2016, is yet another in the ongoing list of productions which is comprised of archival material from the earliest "Universal Snufmeg" era (1989) to the very near present (2015). To date, it is one of the strongest collections in the post EIS era. Though not without experimentation and classic Snufmeg weirdness, the song craft in some instances is criminally overlooked by the public at large.

   To emphasize the song writing, however, will miss the Cheese Mites doing what they do best - confound. From the opening track to Williwill's brilliant "Color of Love" and "Mystery Girl", the Mites reveal that their compositional flair isn't merely accidental, as they were critiqued of earlier, but solidly building in deftness song by song. Willwill's production on both tunes reveals a mastery of both spatial appreciation and tasteful arrangement. "Mystery Girl"'s closing coda is reminiscent replication of the classic "Psychedelic Journey" updated but not demeaned by modern methodology.

   "A Nice Little Tea Room" and "Let's Have a Party Tonite" have been cannibalized into the Cheese Mites program, as referenced in other posts, but were originally credited to DJ Williwill on the 1986 (perhaps?) "Graffiti Music" compilation.

   Likewise, though originally attributed to the Dancing Bears, "Distinctive Sound", "Cricket" and "Anti-Shaving Protest Song" all bear unmistakable signature of classic Cheese Mites/Snufmeg fingerprints. Similarly, "Bop for the El" and "A Nice Home in the Country" were first presented as by the quickly and justifiably immolated Files Davis Quartet. Only "Que", "Black Sand Rock", "The Attic" and "Whirlwind" were penned under the flag of the Cheese Mites, with the second and last being recent additions to the Snufmeg Surf variety.

One Squirt

   Another diverse compendium from the Cheese Mites!

   One Squirt opens with a Snufmeg Surf instrumental, "The Epoxy Generation", which explores the surf mode which has been a relatively common style throughout the Cheese Mites' career. This was first explicitly explored in "Ridin' the Waves", also found in this collection. However, as any long-term fan of the 'Mites is aware, pigeonholing them as "surf" simply misses the wide extent of stylistic journeys to which they, and Snufmeg in a larger sense, are known. It is precisely that adept multiplicity of modes which signifies the spirit of Snufmeg.

   To that point, found here also are the avant-garde examinations such as the cleverly-named "Avant Garde Adventure", "Interlude" and "Carlisle", intermixed with the pop classic "Psychedelic Journey" and instrumentals like "Mist" and "Machine Eleven".
   Recorded at least two of the classic Snufmeg recording haunts, the Glen Mills House & Augsburg Central Studios from the mid-1990's through 2015.

 

A Cheese Mite Floats By

   The nineteen track "A Cheese Mite Floats By" compiles material recorded from 1995-2015, focusing exclusively on the Universal Snufmeg era and paradigm. Leading with "Another Day without You", the mode is set with a "throwback" lo-fi recording of haunting sparseness. Although details are sketchy, rumors indicate the song was recorded during the same session as "Is This Drum and Bass?" and "Five Dog Trail" (found on "A Snufmeg Fantasie in Broken Parts") at the Brooke Lane studios. 
   "Cyclone" is an early entry, from approximately 2012, in the Snufmeg Surf era, along with "Gorilla Me Timbers", captured at the Glen Mills House studio. "Monsta Bass" bass follows; another dance floor hit recorded at Augsburg Central, produced by DJ Williwill, wherein he deftly cuts in the signature motif of "Andalusian Holiday".
   "What Have I Done?" belies the 1995 liner notes start date. The overall style and sound are reminiscent of Lyle Studios sound. 

   "Singer", which provided the bridge for Raw Mommies "Cell Boy", "The Prevailing Mood and Tenor of Contemporary Thinkers" and "Corrugation Motif" all were from the same session at Glen Mills House studios. 

   Although Williwill's meticulous production of "Eight Arms to Hold You" and Johnny B Dub's rawer "My Girlfriend" achieved chart-topping attention, the stand-out hit is "Somewhat Like a Rolling Stone" led by Williwill's signature songwriting gift and production.

   Interspersed are Cheese Mites forays into quintessential avant-garde compositions such as "Clarinet Piano Generator" and "Etude in 6 Parts".

The Little Engine

    In the same manner that the Raw Mommies were only tangentially Snufmeg, Johnny B Dub's outside "project" (with Flip, who made an appearance with the Cheese Mites on "I Can Read About Any Book That Someone Gives Me") The Little Engine earned a place in the Snufmeg pantheon with this eponymously titled album from the late 1990's.

   Following the rise and fall of the Raw Mommies, Johnny B Dub continued with a more conventional musical approach, leading the Little Engine's songwriting credits with Snufmeg classics like "Far Away", "Pros Jam with Pros", "Smile, Baby, Smile", "Andalusian Holiday" and "Clarinet". Flip's contributions ("The Elixir" and "You've Given Up on Love") comfortably rounded out the collection. Guitar and voice were provided by the songwriters accordingly, confidently backed up on drums by the mysterious Z!

   Alas, the Little Engine enjoyed a brief career (under two years) with few performances captured. Sadder, still, whereas the Raw Mommies enjoyed a 2013 reunion, certain legal impediments have precluded Flip from enjoying a similar experience.