string(3) "dev" John Fahey - Death Chants, Breakdowns & Military Waltzes - Ace Records

Death Chants, Breakdowns & Military Waltzes John Fahey

£11.50

Genre:
Folk
Label:
Takoma
Format:
CD
Catalogue Id:
CDTAK 8908

Dating from an original 1963 limited issue of 300 copies, this second album by John Fahey is presented here in both its initial form and its 1967 re-recorded form, with the latter being at least partially prompted by his constantly improving playing. This mirrors his first album, “The Legend Of Blind Joe Death” which was re-visited on two occasions and is available via Ace as Takoma CDTAK 1002. “Death Chants” proved to be the album that began the first real spread of his music when his friend Norman Pierce began to wholesale copies to US folk hotspots from his Berkeley record store. Fahey had re-located to Berkeley where he was majoring in Philosophy at UC, and he was happy for Pierce to become the main outlet for his tiny Takoma label issues. As with his first album, this second outing had spoof notes from Fahey under a pseudonym that set him apart from the then folk mainstream for which he had a healthy distaste. He saw the music being moulded to  middle class tastes by taking out the bite of the songs. Friend and producer ED Denson, also  disdainful of the commercial sentimentalisation of the folk world, described him as 'a breath of air from a different clime".

 

Fahey played finger-picking style on steel-stringed guitars, and was one of the earliest players to seek to properly promote the instrument. Between the time of his early 1959 first album recording and this one he had taken to playing with finger picks, which in part led to his playing sounding much more self-assured. By 1967, ED Denson was trying to upgrade the Takoma range and was instrumental in Fahey re-recording the album along with the earlier one to take advantage of his improved abilities. All but two tracks are included here, with only ‘The Downfall Of The Adelphi Rolling Grist Mill’ (where John was joined by flautist Nancy McLean) and ‘Dance Of The Inhabitants Of The Palace Of King Philip XIV’ not making it beyond their original form. The only track not written entirely by John was the beautifully lyrical ‘When The Springtime Comes Again’ (co-written by Pat Sullivan), which is extended in its second recording here. By contrast the tracks ‘America’ and ‘Stomping Tonight On The Pennsylvania/Alabama Border’ are shortened second time around.

The material included is very varied - from the intensely pretty, through subtle blues undertones, fine bottleneck work, hillbilly, ragtime and the sometimes eerie work on ‘John Henry Variations’. It was certainly a step beyond his first album in terms of breadth and the decision to re-record the work is justified in terms of the improved sonority, richness and maturity of playing and the comparison that it affords the listener. The re-recordings have been the ones that have been used for  most subsequent re-issues of the work.

Share

Track listing

Show

Side 1

Delivery & Returns

Show

We offer free P&P to UK addresses. For all other territories packaging is free and postage is charged on a weight basis.

We use Royal Mail First Class for UK deliveries and standard Air Mail for all other territories, very large orders will usually be sent via parcelforce. You may cancel your order at any time prior to your order being dispatched by emailing us at orders@acerecords.com ensuring that you quote your name, address and order reference number or by telephoning +44 (0) 208 453 1311 between 9am and 5pm GMT/BST, Monday to Friday. Please note: As music downloads are dispatched immediately after purchase, there is no possibility of cancelling these orders.

In the event that any products supplied to you by us are damaged or defective, we agree to replace or repair the damaged or defective products or refund the amount you paid for such goods (including postage & packaging) providing you notify us (either via post at or e-mail: orders@acerecords.com ) and return the goods within 28 days of purchase. Physical goods should be sent back to us in the same condition you received them to: “Returns” Bus Stop Mail Order Ltd, 42-50 Steele Road, London, NW10 7AS. Music downloads should be returned to us via the e-mail address above including a copy of your notification.

You have the right to cancel your order within seven days of purchase, or seven days of receipt of the goods (whichever is the longer). If you choose to cancel your order, full payment will be returned to you. Returned items should be sent to: “Returns” c/o Bus Stop Mail Order Ltd, 42-50 Steele Road, London, NW10 7AS. Music downloads should be returned to us via the email address: orders@acerecords.com including a copy of your notice of cancellation and order number.

Customer reviews

Show

Related products

Customers who bought this item also bought