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.

More on "Cultural Influences"

    By all accounts, the leveling critique that Snufmeg in general, and the Cheese Mites in particular lacked "cultural influences" would have been an arrow of existential ruination to those of lesser ability. However, the opposite proved true, as exemplified by the collection known as "The Sweet 17" by DJ Johnny B Dub.

   Operating in solo capacity from the Cheese Mites, DJ Johnny B Dub compiled original compositions and one unique interpretation of an iconic example of "classic rock" in Snufmeg style. Completed in the early 2000's, Johnny elaborated upon the stylistic adventure of the earlier compilation "Persuasion".

   The track list begins with the puzzling and curiously titled, "KDS". Often found off-putting, listeners who lack the requisite sense of adventure dismiss the entire collection based on this enigmatic compositional lead. Intended as an intentional object of deception into a world of atonal randomness, the title is code for "Kraftwerk Drum Solo", a joke lost on the casual listener. With that in mind, one is prepared for what follows in the technological foundation for the intersection of Snufmeg and the world of electronic dance music. Snufmeg triumphs in ways unimagined by the multitude of the blind wanderers of the EDM genre.

   DJ Johnny B Dub departs from the initial prank to deftly execute 15 more exquisitely crafted dance smashes, including the pounding "Down for the Day", an eight-minute orgasm of megged out butt-shaking ecstasy. The collection closes with a prank of classical Snugmegian form, the brief "Bye-ee", which ends before the ears have time to comprehend what has happened.

   By no means the end or even definitive collection of Snufmeg's championing of "cultural influences" (one can not overlook the typical mode of Snufmeg style as found in MCST & DJWW aka Snufmeg Kru), "The Sweet 17" displays the deft and brilliance expected from the Snufmeg family.

Bulb

The release of "Bulbs and Whistles" by Bulb (1990), is often overlooked for it's importance in the "Universal Snufmeg" era. Though a brief compilation of songs, it is both a forward and read-view-mirror nexus of artistic elements and personalities, like few other artificats in the Snufmeg catalog. The material iteself is comprised from some staples of the Snufmeg index: "The Truth Comes Out," "Pros Jam with Pros" and "Clarinet," all find new interpretions (and not the last time they are rendered), plus "Barriers." Notable, however, is the arangement of Johnny B Dub and Scott D, who later appear in the Raw Mommies. A special provocative guest appearance is made by DJ Williwill on "Pros Jam with Pros" with a vocal message of chastisement.

For further information on the Raw Mommies see https://rawmommies.blogspot.com/

Doug B

The early days of the post-1985 "Universal Snufmeg" era saw an expanse in the names of collaborators in the Snufmeg experience. From approximately 1990, Johnny B Dub briefly worked with Doug B to produce the "Charity" EP. An accomplished songwriter and musician, Doug contributed three songs for treatment in Snufmeg style, as exemplified in this collection. Recorded over several sessions, Doug's gifted creativity proved to be flexible enough for the forward/retro exploration which was becoming ever more developed in the growth of the Snufmeg environment.

Snufmeg in the Second Half of the 1980's

Snufmegology often references the totality of Snufmeg production in regards to two periods: those of the pre-1985 "American Snufmeg" and post-1985 "Universal Snufmeg" eras. The "American" period saw the origination of Snufmeg and the Cheese Mites, specifically, the "Universal Era" saw an expansion of not only the names of creators in and associated with Snufmeg, but a broadening of the aesthetic of what it means to be Snufmeg. While experts wrestle over the precise qualities which saitsfy to define it, the community of those who passed through the Snufmeg milieu grew as a result of the "Universal" experience. In this post, two wildly divergent examples of post-1985 Snufmeg production are presented. First, the one-off "reunion" of Sin for a re-working of the Snufmeg repertory classic "Vomit Your Senses." Second, is the Johnny B Dub production of Baritone's (the late Dwayne Francis) "Brownskin Girls" demo, which continues the trajectory established in the "Persuasion" collection in the previous post. Both recordings were undated, but most circumstantial evidence places them between 1987-1989.

Now Let's Have a Chat About "Cultural Influences"

   The marginalization of Snufmeg was, and continues to be, a worldwide conspiracy. From the onset, agents have sought to undermine and alienate the public at large from the near salvific creations under the banner of Snufmeg.
   At some point during 1983, a campaign was launched against the community in the form of psychological warfare. A concerted effort was made to destabilize and atomize the members. One such attack came in the form of casual dismissal of Snufmeg, but the Cheese Mites in particular, for failing to embrace "Cultural Influences." This became hotly debated and served to initiate severances amongst interested parties. It was eventually determined by Phynqafis Himself, after a prolonged forum of cogitation over Snuff and Nutmeg, he pronounced the best practice was to use such elements against the enemies of Snufmeg. The community soon enthusiastically accepted.
   What, however, was intended by "cultural influences"? The agents in the matter never revealed. But, by the guidance of Phynqafis a plan was concocted. What follows are examples from as early as 1983.
   This collection created and compiled by Johnny B. Dub, with the title "DJ" preceding his name, introduces the use of computers and synthesizers into musical mix. The results are generally taut and enjoyable in a way which differs from the traditional modes produced in Snufmeg.
   Of special note is the rendition of "Mutual Attraction." Like the selections included in "Themes, Motifs and Snufmeg," this song found itself covered by several Snufmeg related artists. Originally composed in (or around) 1985, the song has been found to be malleable enough to fit several stylistic interpretations.

Themes, Motifs and Snufmeg

   Culled from a thirty-seven year span of the Snufmeg Library, the album "Themes, Motifs and Snufmeg" explores the flowering of cogent and structured expression which lurked beneath the chaotic and harsh innovations from which Snufmeg, in general, and the Cheese Mites, in particular, sprang. Absent here are the loops and feedback. Echoes remain, but, then old habits die hard. The overall thread throughout is the presentation of versions of standards and others over the span of time.
   Opening the collection is "Echo Song." This version captures the 'Mites at the crucial time where customary song forms were phasing out the riotous tone poems. The thematic phrasing of this song was dominant in the early "freak-out" performances, archived in as yet undisclosed versions. For tracks 11 and 14, these renditions, from as late as 2005 (although other sources date it in 2015), showcase the depth and deftness exclusively of Williwill's guidance, as he recreates "Echo Song" with brilliance and beauty only hinted at in the original. Track 6 is listed as "Untitled," which was the working title until "Echo Song" simply sufficed. This version is orchestrated by Johnny B. Dub. What we encounter is a comparison of the unique voices or sensibilities when juxtaposing the version by Johnny versus those by Williwill. They serve to establish how the two approaches work together, as well as the identifiable idiosyncrasies, in creating the broad methods and conceptualizations of the music of the Cheese Mites and much of the Snufmeg catalog.
   The mono and stereo versions of "The Monkey's Gonna Get You," seek to pay respect in an homage to the "swinging Sixties." With an open, spacious production, the classic sound of early 60's hits is recreated, yet with Cheese Mites absurdity in a lyrical tale of alarm fitting for "Planet of the Apes."
   Occupying tracks 3, 7, 10 & 12, "Out in the Sun" was one of the first major structured works by the Cheese Mites, and penned by Williwill. Track 3 is ambitious in its production esthetic, incorporating echoed guitars and French Horns. Conversely, track 7, is a simpler, two guitar version, with an almost rockabilly modality to it. While track 10 most likely predates the "official" recording (track 3), it nonetheless stands as a valid version, revealing a looser feel, probably due to the development of the song's themes. Williwill commands the production on track 12, featuring a tighter rhythm section, snappier up-tempo beat, and cleaner production than the lads had to endure in the old days.
   Like "Out in the Sun," Williwill led the charge in professionally crafted pop masterpieces, and "Speak" was no exception. It contributed considerably in changing the course in Snufmeg, and for the Cheese Mites. Two versions are included here; track 4 from 1982, and a Johnny B. Dub produced remake (track 8) from around 2005. Though the latter version is cleaner, it does not possess the mood of the former.
   Finally, we have two versions (tracks 5 & 9) of "Pros Jam with Pros." Intended as a mock of "musicians wanted" ads, the song experienced iterations outside of the Cheese Mites, notably by Bulb, and The Little Engine (both to be examined in upcoming posts).

(She's My All Night) Penis Garage

   Probably the most vexing song in the Cheese Mites catalog, "(She's My All Night) Penis Garage" (PG), this requires attention of its own.
   Recorded most likely in 1990, it first appeared in the collection "Calling Doctor Death." It belongs in that pantheon of "early" Cheese Mites songs, along side "Vomit Your Senses" and "I Want to be Happy," though clearly dating outside of the "American Snufmeg Era," which closed in 1985.
   It is as musically traditional a toe-tapping "hit from the Sixties" could be, with a light peppy beat, tuneful transitions, hummable melody all chugging away with a basic rock and roll band augmented by a chirpy Farfisa organ keyboard. The disarmingly catchy nature of the music, however, is seemingly at variance with lyrics, which continue to provoke responses of those incapable of laboring to scrutinize the underlying moral message.
   Naturally, the title and refrain are unrepentantly repellent in their provocation, which to the lazy and casual observer see it as nothing more than merely lasciviously tantalizing and offensive. However, knowing the historical use of humor and agitation (for it's own sake) as Johnny & Williwill have established throughout their career, even to this point, allows, for those with stronger intellectual prowess, one to see the song and lyrics for what it is: fun and funny. Humor, as is often held, is a chief component in the expression of higher mental functions. Insults intended.

     They call him the dark lord of the Underworld
     But, he is my pal.
     I've learned all the tricks of Anton Levay
     And they got me my gal.

     She's my all night penis garage
     She makes things so very convenient for me.

     She's my all night penis garage
     She makes things so very convenient for me.

     She used to be so shy

     Now all that has changed

     With the devil's helping hand

     Her mind's been rearranged.

     She's my all night penis garage
     She makes things so very convenient for me.

     She's my all night penis garage
     She makes things so very convenient for me.

     I am Lucifer's desciple

     She is Satan's slave

     Our love will last forever

     Way beyond the grave

     She's my all night penis garage
     She makes things so very convenient for me.

   And yet, some people take that seriously and are offended!
   For those who require hand-holding - come along. We are presented with a tale of a "Mister Lonely," an In-cel, of sorts, desperate for human contact in the manner which dates back ages, to wit: the hand of a girl. So at a disadvantage in life is he, that he will go to any lengths to catch the attention of his desire, even if it means dabbling in the "dark arts."
   At the chorus we hear that all of his wants, especially those of a carnal nature have, indeed, been satisfied. So, we press on. The girl, it seems, was of a reserved and reluctant nature. Her will to resist, however, was no match for his chosen machinations of the most diabolical sort, and she has succumbed. Perhaps, Mister Lonely doesn't deserve her affection? It was for that reason he resorted to the most underhanded of methods.
   The message thus far is, contrary to the gasping reaction of the prudes and Puritans of our age, that it is precisely the walled thinking of such prudes and Puritans, who deceive themselves with their artificial tolerances, which must be overcome. The power of love is beyond the grasp of such people, though, the substance here is presented in the manner of a fun-house mirror. We find, at the bridge, that our lovers have embraced each other, and their emotional bond transcends the coarse judgement and phony moralism of our cultural mandarins.
   This song is, in its own very peculiar and idiosyncratic manner, a protest for Love. And that just wrangles some people.

Calling Doctor Death

   This collection has the distinction of presenting material from both the "American" and "Global" Snufmeg eras, particularly for the Cheese Mites. The details of which will follow. Contained here is evidence of an increasingly varied approach to styles and arrangements, hinted at previously. From loop and feedback mayhem to tone poems and traditional songs, the Cheese Mites flex here curiously with their most standard, if you will, modes as well as ventures into new territories.
   Opening with "Rarities and Friends," we are confronted with a stilted, jagged mock of song structure, but complete with the Cheese Mites sensibilities of chaos and humor, with their signature inattention to detail and charming shoddiness. Clarinet accents add a funky flavor to the herby-jerky rhythms.
   "Calling Doctor Death" steps the 'Mites back from their traditional instrumentation. A purely vocal piece, it mixes loops with live vocals, all saturated with echos and reverb. Less a song than an audio experience in mania, it has odd musical moments.
   "Quiet Loud Song," dated from approximately 1983, is a nearly serious attempt at tone poem form. Unironically, the song starts gently and quietly, building in slightly over two minutes to a screeching, pounding climax!
   What follows is the 1990 recording of "(She's My All Night) Penis Garage." Recorded from possibly the same sessions as "Rarities and Friends" and "Calling Doctor Death," although some sources place those two pieces at an earlier time, possibly 1988. Though from such a late date, it is not to be misunderstood that they waited so long to attempt another traditionally structured song. Surely, other similar attempts were made, in fact many were, but this particular song is of special note. As it was created after 1986, when the 'Mites split up, merely geographically. Throughout the "Global Snufmeg Era," Johnny and Williwill continued to collaborate, but only via virtual and long-distance modes. These three recordings were of that limited body of in-place collaboration, as will be illustrated in later posts. Additionally, this particular song will require it's own analysis and commentary in another post.
   From 1981, "I Can't Stand My Artistic Mind" stands out as possibly the companion long-form tone poem to "Music" from "Experiment in Stupidity." These two compositions, separated by a few years, establish the attributes (loops, feedback, echos) which defined much of the Cheese Mites early body of work,

Your Overlords Want You to Hate the Cheese Mites

   The collection, "Your Overlords Want You to Hate the Cheese Mites," continues the development of the Cheese Mites. Recorded over the years 1982 to 1985, but probably more accurately 1983, the 'Mites maintain their basis of their sonic palette of feedback and loops, but with increasing maturity. "Oriental Mysticism" is a swirling mix of haunting vocals and rattling percussion, with muted fuzz tones randomized punctuations. In contrast, "Can I have My Slippers?" is four minutes of throbbing loops, graced with cascading arpeggios and buzzing tones.
   What follows is the absurdly brief blast of tremulousness - "The Alignment Signal" - and then, back to staccato motifs looped under the name "There is No Good Rocking This Evening." While loops are the theme in this album, "Last Words" finds Johnny & Williwill in a echo-drenched duet, where one guitar taunts the other, as two stumbling drunks would sloppily maul and berate one another.
   Repetition by way of digitized loops, however, returns in the colossally epic, 18+ minute long "The Calculus of Sentimentality." Here we find as complete a departure in sound, yet with virtually all of the same elements. Based upon a coda of gentle, lilting strings, and Johnny's echo-soaked voice seems to be disclosing closely-held secrets in a dreamy fog, yet intelligibility remains foreer cloaked, while Williwill weaves patterns of melancholy on a nakedly unprocessed guitar.
   There is growth in this collection, over the frenzied lunacy of earlier recordings. True, traditional song structure has only been dabbled in elsewhere, yet the evolving sense of "tone poems" continues to be revealed in the sophistication of execution.

I Can Read About Any Book That Someone Gives Me

   The eight song collection, probably from 1984, entitled "I Can Read About Any Book That Someone Gives Me", finds the Cheese Mites in two configurations. The first of these, Johnny B Dub & DJ Williwill, provides the four songs "The Rock Slide Rap," "Row Your Book," "Mega Funk," and "Jungle Fiasco." Building upon the frantic primitivism of "Experiment in Stupidity," the Cheese Mites recede from overt song craft, and regroup around improvisational oriented compositions. "The Rock Slide Rap" pays lyrical homage to the song "Rock Slide," originally recored by Sin, but also recorded by other forms of the 'Mites. The relentless tape looped drum beat both hypnotizes and drills into the psyche, providing an unsettling and pulsating figure over which echoes, vocals and a proto-funk bass line collude in twelve minutes of irritation, a trademark of much of the 'Mites recorded output. "Row Your Book" continues twelve more minutes of the motifs established by "The Rock Slide Rap." At this stage in their career, they were hellbent on daring the listener to stay.
   The mercy of songs half the length in time as the previous two is little detected in "Mega Funk" and "Jungle Fiasco." A study of the production technique indicates the possibility of these two songs stemming from a separate session from the former two. Feedback washes, echoes, loops and unforgiving repetition, however, the hallmark of early Cheese Mites recordings, is not discarded with these recordings.
   The second configuration in this collection is manifest in the four songs closing the tracklist. Joined by Flip (later to be in the Snufmeg related project, The Little Engine), the Cheese Mites sound more like a live band, than other, more recordings of a layered quality. For "Amen," "Are We Their Yet?" and "Ja Only Knows," Flip guests as drummer, competently providing a rhythmic foundation which Williwill tonally completes on bass. Unchecked by concern for melody or structure, Johnny's feedback and echo laden guitar provide harsh counter-balance. For "Funk You" Johnny and Flip switch roles, the result of which is the most traditional and tuneful piece in the entire collection.

I Want to be Happy

   While debates rage on about the date of "I Want to be Happy" authorship, what is not debated is the unquestionable craft which is evidence in this song. Released as a vocal A-side/ instrumental B-side in 1981, this song signals an undoubted maturation in song-craft and woefully overlooked genius in recording/production execution.
   Captured at the legendary Liberty Road Studios, IWtbH crackles with wit and mayhem, swirled together in a lyrical paean of authenticity, a bare dive into the absolute bliss of unfettered existence. Mastering overdubbing techniques, instrumental tracks are layered up from Williwill's sinewy bass & Johnny's frenetic drum battery, to the guitar battle between Johnny's roaring rhythm versus Williwill's solo of ferocity, and capped with another battle where Johnny's raw-throated wail vies for attention against Williwill's time-keeping tambourine. A tale of hilarity from the session goes: Williwill's furious tambourine skills proved so loud during recording that he had to be sequestered and stifled in a closet.
   The blaze of energy crackles slightly over two minutes. A forgotten gem, to be sure.

Experiment in Stupidity (Part 2)

   As with all focal points in history, those in artistic endeavors also invite debates. The inclusion of the "back four" songs in any Cheese Mites compilation referred to as "Experiment in Stupidity" arouses vehement and heated exchange. The songs "The Bad Fish," "We Two Three," "The Big Ocean," and "A Pond of Our Own," all from a session with Edmund as special guest on percussion and vocals from 1981, have been at the center of many discussions amongst Snufmeg aficionados. Nonetheless, they have been included in, at the very least, the online version of "Experiment in Stupidity" (see link at Sources).
   Their inclusion was carefully considered on the merits of the first song (number 6, on EiS). "The Bad Fish," though instrumental, is significant for several reasons. The quasi-polyrthmic interplay of the guitar work of Johnny B Dub and Williwill eschews the noise and abandon of the "true four" ("Love", "Sex", "War" and "Music") and investigates a cerebral approach to the Mites creativity at this early stage. Likewise, Edmund's drumming performs as accent rather than traditional time-keeping. However, the choice for naming the song "The Bad Fish" invites the listener to explore the Cheese Mites in non-musical revelation.
   From this time period, Johnny and Williwill had been assembling an ensemble for limited venture called The Bad Fish. More theater than music, this group was to provide the more accessible face of Snufmeg creativity. The perilously short-lived ensemble consisted of Johnny performing as "Electric Bass," Williwill as "Timmy Sardine," and collaborators Joe L, as "Marine Boy" and Edmund as "Fish Sticks." Tensions quickly surfaced. From the mundane complaints of Joe L at having to be called "Marine Boy" (though he did finish he duties), to Edmund's inability to accept variance of creative modes - a defining characteristic of Snufmeg in general and the Cheese Mites in particular - the enterprise was doomed. Beegs provided last minute rescue to Edmund's ousting as "Fish Sticks 2," though also to great complaint. The entire episode eluded capture for posterity, and nowhere in the song "The Bad Fish" is any of this alluded to, as it preceded the above incidents, it serves as a cosmic foretelling in musical form.

Experiment in Stupidity (Part 1)

   The exact date of this debut compilation is hotly disputed amongst the faithful in Snufmeg. Ambitious chroniclers place it in 1979. Those with a more conservative view of events date it no later than 1981. Regardless of the precise date, this collection marked the beginning of the "American" era of the Cheese Mites, lasting until 1985.
  The true collection, in cassette format, consisted of the songs: "Love", "Sex", "War" and "Music". These were created all within the same session. A later, modified collection included "Hey, Saul". The collection assembled for the Bandcamp website consists of the first four songs, the first official Cheese Mites recording of "Vomit Your Senses", and the regrettably low fidelity recordings, even by Snufmeg standards, of four more songs by the Cheese Mites with special guest Edmund (aka Fish Sticks), on percussion and voice.
   It is upon the "true four," however, that Experiment in Stupidity earns it's merit. "Love" is a primal, reverb-soaked voice and drums assault with few comparatives in the Snufmeg canon. The lyrics are cloaked in effect, shrieked and croaked. Few words are comprehensible, save fleeting descriptions of decay and misery, when finally Johnny B Dub screams "And where is love?" One hardly gets the impression he is serious in his quest; not that he is mocking it, more like he has just given up. Propelling the song to it's merciful end at 1:33, Williwill pounds a jerky, untimed beat, accenting occasionally with a moan of mockery.
   The ambience continues to drip with reverb, echoes and noise. A more subdued vocal performance follows with "Sex", although no sensual sensitivity caresses the ears of the listener. Echoed guitar, spastic drumming and squeals of feedback, the apparent hallmarks of EiS, complete the arrangement. The lyrics are a juvenile stab at a psuedo-poetic stream of veiled sexual innuendos, outright offensive imagery and a childish, backwards view of intimacy. Though free of obscenity, the redeeming value found here is that it was a cathartic exercise on a topic the participants had little to no business in examining.
   Suddenly, the tone shifts. The quasi-martial introduction to "War" oozes in mockery. An apparent musical sense was adopted for this song, although shortly after establishing on one theme, another is selected. The lyrics are, again, virtually undecipherable, yet, there sounds as if there is an urgency underlying the vocalization. Then, for no apparent reason, the song ends softly, with a jazz inflection.
   The fourth song, ironically titled "Music", is an epic length (17:25) excursion with guitars, drums, feedback squeals, tape loops, echoes, and reverb. For all of the "experimentation" and dissonance, "Music" never truly repels or alienates the listener, so long as one puts aside an expectation of traditional harmony and melody - of which there is none. There is a continues sense that something is going to happen, a quarter hour of foreplay.
   Departing from the "true four" of the EiS collection, but continuing as directed by digital compilations, is the Snufmeg standard "Vomit Your Senses."  Although, often erroneously credited as a Cheese Mites original, this song found its first iteration on the "Live at the Lyle Garage" collection by Sin from 1978. As often was the case for the Cheese Mites, restatement and repurposing became a mode of creation, and it was first established with this cover of VYS. Where the Sin original intended to establish a rock type song with traditional style and credibility, though falling well short, the Mites version built upon the mode of the EiS true-four with noise and chaos, and paired it with (questionably) traditional song structure. The inclusion of VYS in this early collection broadens the scope of what the Cheese Mites were to later venture into. From a free/noise structureless base, they now pointed to standard song form.
   The final four (the back-four) songs of the digitized collection were originally from an unnamed compilation. Culled from a session with special guest Edmund, these incredibly poorly recorded songs showed the Mites in a less frantic mood. There was still a loose, free-form manner. The pretense of poly-rhythms make the continuing thread throughout "The Bad Fish," "We Two Three," "The Big Ocean," and "A Pond of Our Own."
   This will be continued in the next installment.

Sources:
https://thecheesemites.bandcamp.com/album/experiment-in-stupidity

Snufmeg and the Year 1978

   The year 1978 marked the beginning of a phase of creativity for Snufmeg, and the Cheese Mites, in which the scope was to broaden considerably in setting the foundation for future endeavors. WK built upon the discoveries made in previous years, and Johnny B Dub established a presence by creating material which would define major aspects of the Snufmeg craft. Although known to one another, this period finds them converging from separate paths, pursuing a vision which became the bedrock of Snufmeg.
   While 1978 holds remarkable importance, there still is doubt regarding the creation date of some of the material. "Cartoon Music," a cassette single released by Williwill, in all likelihood was created prior to 1978, and certainly not later. This piece is a short study of sounds and motifs meant to accompany the visual representation of animated behavior. Culled from pre-existing sources, Williwill champions techniques and modes later crassly aped by others for the mere purpose of remunerative exploitation. However, as in all things Snufmeg, the framework for development transcends that of general commercial technique.
   Lesser known was the composition "Radio Noise," found on the WK "Rarities and Friends" compilation. It was mysteriously uncredited and undated, although some experts have concluded that it was an early electronic experiment by Johnny B Dub from around the 1978 era. It is a brief development of a chord from electronic generators, which turn wildly into a menage of atonality.
   In Snufmeg lore, if "Cartoon Music" is a pinnacle of 1978, it's sister peak is found in "Vomit Your Senses." Written in February of that year, "Vomit Your Senses" (also know simply as "VYS") takes the raw simplicity of a rock music motif and combines it with a lyrical exploration of decay and cultural crapulence. It quickly became a standard in the community, as an expression of frustration at the most primal level. The earliest recorded version of VYS was in the collection "Live from the Lyle Garage" by Sin. This recording reflects Sin in its most primitive condition, Johnny B Dub and JP, sharing duties on vocals and various guitars. Included alongside VYS are an unfortunately edited version of "Rock Slide," full length versions of "Please Wait," "Black Suger,"(sic) and the near-epic length "She's All Alone." With the exception of "Black Suger," all pieces from this collection have found comfortable inclusion as Snufmeg traditionals.
   There was no shortage of material from 1978 to be found in the classic "History of WK" compilation. In addition for the previously noted "Backwards Tape" and "Delay," the year found such gems as "Blues Progression," "Backwards Trumpet," "Psychedelic Song," and two different songs entitled "R&B/Hard Rock." Also from that year was "Backwards Bells," "Avant Garde Drum Solo," "Avant Garde Bells Solo," "Guitar Solo," "Avant Garde Drumming," and the "Backwards Bells Variations," all found on the WK compilation "Rarities and Friends." Other selections are found in various authorized compilations.
   The groundwork was being set. The two greatest members of the community, WK and Johnny B Dub, were preparing the creative paths which soon would find them in a collaboration spanning decades, musical styles, philosophies and disciplines - the Cheese Mites.

Sources:
https://snufmeg.bandcamp.com/album/pros-jam-with-pros-the-snufmeg-scene-compilation-featuring-the-cheese-mites
https://snufmeg.bandcamp.com/album/cartoon-music
https://snufmeg.bandcamp.com/album/rarities
https://snufmeg.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-the-lyle-garage

Exploration of "WK - The Early Years" Part III

   The urge to post an entry per song, great though it may be, must be managed for the sake of coherence. Certainly, some compositions will require more particular and in-depth analysis, but others can be quickly grouped for convenience sake. This is not to say that a piece, such as "Backwards Tape 1977" can't withstand a singular dissection. Rather, some works speak better when grouped with similar sounding, or when similar constraints and conditions apply.

   This is best illustrated, following the singular assessment of "Piano Duet," in the following works, all from "The History of WK":

   Guitar and Drums (1975)

     

   Speeded up Stuff (1976) (also known as "Weird SFX")

   Weird Audio Collage (1976)

   Avant Garde (1977)

   Backwards Tape (1978)

   Delay (1978)

   Each of these six unique compositions expanded upon the technique of recording and manipulation established in the "Piano Duet" remix, and foresaw the role technical expertise and experimentation in recording and production were to play, in addition to classically traditional musical instrumentation finesse, in the palette of Snufmeg related music. From one to the next, a considerable honing of mysterious craft is developing, wherein the germ of creativity is gaining density like mass for a big bang. Missing from these works is the talentless nihilism of so many experimenters, the shallow and transparent craving for attention without voice, story or abstract concept. WK occupied a space where the traditional and non-traditional were never at odds. Rather, they propelled each other in a state of constant forward motion, free of the fetish of the concept of progress; a voice to ring and harmonize the mysterious frequency of the universe, the unknown. The middle section of "Weird Audio Collage" exemplifies such harmoniousness. The piece is introduced with wistful sweeps of tone, an exalting breath is manifest in pause, and what follows is a brief cadence of violin, drums and guitar, rhythmically celebrating the firmament, only to be overtaken by the churning anguish of an unsettled unknown. Likewise, "Avant Garde" (1977) is a prayer of harmonious exploration, modal and tonal. It is easy to overlook these transcendent yearnings impressed in recorded medium when one is bombarded by mercantilism. It is crucial to bear in mind the purity of purpose, the truly precious and sanguine nature of these compositions as artifacts of a culture and community, Snufmeg.

   The theme of Snufmeg recurs throughout the body of work of its adherents, WK, the Cheese Mites, to name a few. At the time of these early recordings, however, Snufmeg was not revealed, although its acolytes were converging, called by a voice they could not hear, much less know how to call it. The Spirit of Phynqafis filled all, yet hidden he was. The time for Phynqafis was still years to be. The groundwork set by WK was prophetic.
   Of special note, however, is "Delay." This piece marks a shift in creative channels. An overt influence of blues is noted, which has a profound effect on the basis of much of the Snufmeg catalog. The melding of blues with experimentalism forms the backbone for compositions for years to come, some swaying one way, and conversely.
   Additionally, "Delay" is significant not only for its content but the context of its creation. This year (1978) finds Snufmeg creativity launching into a new era. WK continues to create and record, as does Johnny B Dub with the unabashedly post-sixties rock influenced ensemble, Sin.

https://youtu.be/WQIK40WJ85c
https://youtu.be/lBH6yY9oWy4
https://youtu.be/oq1MXWkTDIs
https://youtu.be/jDPlmxWLkVM
https://youtu.be/mx5-nJZjcWE
https://youtu.be/ZbNPZzZ5sQ4

Thoughtful Entry for 13 May 2017

Snufmeg is.

It is a tent, so to speak.

The biggest pole holding up that tent is the Cheese Mites.

Phynqafis fills all.

Snufmeg was before Snufmeg became, and the Cheese Mites were of Snufmeg before they were the Cheese Mites and before Snufmeg was. Phynqafis was before Phynqafis was, and before all, because Phynqafis was before all, and yet one day long after Phynqafis was, Phynqafis became Phynqafis, as Snufmeg became after Snufmeg was.

As you follow this twisted road, you will find a warp in time where things and entities were before they became. That is in the Spirit of Phynqafis, and that is the nature of Snufmeg.

The shining light in Snufmeg, and in the Spirit of Phynqafis, is the Cheese Mites. They are, chiefly, Williwill and Johnny B Dub.

For the sake of those who lack an ability to grasp that which is ungraspable, we shall mark and peg the moment (approximately) in 1964, with the physical birth of Williwill, and the Johnny B Dub. There also is a beginning in 1975, as found in "The History of WK." Also a beginning is found in "Live at the Lyle Garage" by Sin from 1978. These dates, however confuse matters.

"The History of WK" lists 1975 as the year farthest back, although scholars believe 1974 is a more realistic date. Nonetheless, taking 1975 as the earliest recording of note, the trajectory of the Cheese Mites and Snufmeg, in the as yet unnamed Spirit of Phynqafis, was set. No recording holds the germs for life as strongly as held in the "Piano Duet" recordings.

Musicologists will debate the unquestionable importance in the canon of late Twentieth Century music, its simple motifs, the profound influence of the technologically enhanced variations. In it, quite simply, all music flows, as if a prismatic filter bending the rays of abstraction into pressurized variabilities savored by the auditory sense. Certainly all music afterwards, particularly by those in the shadow of Snufmeg, owes deference to the "Piano Duet" recordings.

Sources:
https://youtu.be/9L4Vr09zzHk
https://youtu.be/4KaDt7hVrd8
https://snufmeg.bandcamp.com/album/the-history-of-wk-1975-to-1982-part-1-the-early-years