Incredibly Strange Music, Vol. One

by V. Vale, Andrea Juno (Editor)

Music. Cultural Studies. In the new INCREDIBLY STRANGE MUSIC, VOL. 1, the editors push way beyond the cheesy TV-celebs-do-pop-faves LP's beloved by garden-variety music cultists. Less a practical guide than a treatise on the philosophical underpinnings of such ephemeria. -- Rolling Stone.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Reference, Punk, Cultural, Art, History

193 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1993

About the author

Japanese-American writer and publisher. He also played keyboards for the later famous power trio Blue Cheer.

In 1977 he started to publish the punk fanzine "Search and destroy" In 1980, he began publication of RE/Search, a tabloid format zine focusing on various counterculture and underground topics.

RE/Search later became always a format for books, of which Vale is a regular contributor.

Reviews

[Tosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

One the ultimate and first geek record/music collecting books on Exotica recordings. For a lot of people this was probably the first step to be exposed to artists like Martin Denny, Les Baxter, etc.

The book for me was interesting due that it introduced me to a new world of 'new' music - even though most of this stuff was recorded in the 50's - and at the time of the book's publication, mostly unknown.

Sort of Ground Zero for the Lounge Core movement, but in reality Re/Search treated this type of music as serious compositons that were criminally overlooked. Also probably the first publication to look at record covers as a lost art form. Fascinating stories, fascinating history and just plain fascinating listening.

[Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

What made this book so much fun was building a play list while I read. I used Spotify and found just about everything listed. Full of wacky people who like peculiar sights and sounds. I'm wacky too! So, hooray!

[Artie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up because of its cover. It's more about people who collect strange music than it is about the music itself. It came out in the early 90s just before the Internet changed music acquisition. Once upon a time people had to scour flea markets and used record stores for gems that are now readily accessible online. I can't decide if this new development is good or bad but I love the new/old music recommendations included in this.

[Djll · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book opened up new worlds for me. A lot of it is just junk, of course, but it's junk that teaches us.

[Adam Bregman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This came out in 1993, when some of the records mentioned could still be sighted in thrift stores. The first interview with The Cramps is barely about the band, rather mostly their obsessive record collecting. They met in Sacramento, California and later moved to Akron, Ohio. Lux and Ivy were serious collectors of the obscure, particularly rockabilly, at a time when that was an affordable hobby. I adored the interview with Martin Denny, who was in his eighties when this came out. This book covers much of what I am currently bonkers for: Moog, exotica, and music I haven't explored: whistling records, 1950s and '60s obscurities. I bought the accompanying CD too and I look forward to the second volume.

[Stephanie Soltes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Music made when record labels were more experimental about music and recording acts with unusual talent. Music not popular in the top 40 type charts,fringe music and culture. Some of the most interesting music made that you just don’t know about. This is a start to learn about obscure music,and the time periods it was released. They could re-write this book and perhaps add hundreds more bands and records released that fit the name. Great reproduction of album covers,that make you want to search them out and buy them and listen to them. The covers just make you want to buy them. They’re odd,beautiful,crazy,and cool. I dare you to listen to this music!

[Rian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly Strange Music surveys the territory of neglected "garage sale" records (mostly from the '50s-'70s), spotlighting genres, artists and one-of-a-kind gems that will delight and surprise. Genres examined include: "easy listening," "exotica," and "celebrity" (massive categories in themselves) as well as more recordings by (singing) cops and (polka playing) priests, undertakers, religious ventriloquists, astronauts, opera-singing parrots, beatnik and hippie records, and gospel by blind teenage girls with bouffant hairdos. Virtually every musical/lyrical boundary in the history of recorded sound has been breached; every sacred cow upturned.

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

A mishmash of interviews with various musicians or peripheral figures, who talk about records they like. While it's sporadically interesting, and often entertaining, the actual info supplied on the records themselves is pretty sketchy, and tends to be a list of album titles, rattled off by the interviewee. "Well I like this one and that one and that one", often without much real, in-depth description of the music itself. Despite its frustrating aspect, I enjoyed it somewhat, probably because I'm a music freak, but not enough to bother with its sequel.

[Alohatiki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not sure what took me so long to read this. Includes an interview with Mickey McGowen who is encyclopedia of knowledge on music. The interview with the Cramps was interesting as well. The book is from 1994 when CD's were coming into the market and supplanting vinyl. Well now in 2018, funny how no one cares about CD's anymore!

[Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

a must have for any record collector, or lover of kitsch.

[W Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all time favourites. As a jumping off point into the bargain bin of musical pop culture this is the go-to book.

[Dian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this before we thought we could see EVERYTHING virtually, on the internet. It's still fun to have around. It's analog. You can hold it in your hand.

[J.B. Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

An indispensable reference guide to a lot of great, unjustly forgotten music. The first chapter is a lengthy interview with Lux Interior and Poison Ivy of The Cramps. Their knowledge of the history of rock 'n' roll is inspiring. Chapter 2 features record collector Gil Ray and is as entertaining as it is informative. This book is great fun. I've read it before (and stupidly got rid of it) and once again I have made a list of records I need to track down and artists I should investigate. Volume 2 is nearly as good. Highly recommended to record collectors and lovers of music. P.S. Two similarly-titled (and long out-of-print) CDs offer selections from the recordings mentioned in the books and are worth seeking out.

[Miguel Arsénio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't finish it, but there's plenty of info about obscure records here.

[chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

blog

[Burt Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Collection of interviews and articles. When this series came out in the 90s, it provided a unique insight into worlds one never suspected.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much more substance, as well as variety (the Cramps share space with Eartha Kitt), than any similar titles I've seen in this sub-genre.

[John Paulson]

re-reading now for nostalgia. i love that they include eartha kitt.