Missus Beastly ~ Germany ***REISSUED***

Dr. Aftershave and the Mixed Pickles. 1976 April
Spaceguerilla. 1978 Schneeball

*** Dr. Aftershave and the Mixed Pickles reissued by Garden of Delights, Jun 2011
*** Spaceguerilla reissued by Garden of Delights, Dec 2015

UMR review

Priority: 2

10/29/10 (new entry); 12/15/15 (complete)

News: Long Hair to release Missus Beastly 1974 archival SWF album!

Now this is the kind of announcement that gets my blood pumping! The always-great Long Hair label plans on issuing a new SWF album, this time by one of the CDRWL's all-time favorite bands: Missus Beastly! For over a decade, Long Hair has successfully mined the SWF archives and they've proven over and over what a treasure trove it is.  Let's just hope that one day they issue the brilliant Tortilla Flat SWF session, one of the most stunning recordings I've ever heard.

From my perspective, there is some cause for concern here. Why? Because Garden of Delights a few years back also released a 1974 live concert from Missus Beastly titled "Bremen 1974", with the added drool-factor of Eddy Marron (Dzyan, Vita Nova) on guitar. Unfortunately it ended up being way too improvisational for my tastes, and much of it was a snooze fest. I was extremely disappointed, especially given the premise (or promise).

My big hope here is that the SWF Sessions are generally more composed than a typical live setting, and it appears this is the same line-up as the sublime 1974 Nova label album. On the hype sheet (see below), it does refer to the "band's great talent for improvisations", so this could go either way. I'm going to be optimistic and hope this is a killer!

Label says: "Recorded early 1974 at the SWF-Studio in Baden-Baden, Germany by the same line-up, which recorded at the same time the 2nd Missus Beastly album. Improved versions of older titles and some new titles prove the bands great talent for improvisations. Brilliant sound of brilliant tunes played by refined musicians. This kind of instrumental krautjazzrock is timeless. The musical orientation of the new Missus Beastly rather followed afro-american than European music traditions, but influenced by that certain Krautrock feel. Great music by a great band. Digitally remastered from original master tape. Comes with informative booklet and rare photos (vinyl-version with insert). Also on vinyl. Don’t miss it."

Look for a November release.

News: Garden of Delights to reissue Sunbirds and Missus Beastly!!

What a great way to close the month. Top shelf reissue label Garden of Delights will release both the first Sunbirds album and Missus Beastly's "Dr. Aftershave and the Mixed Pickles" all with bonus tracks! These should be available very soon. And it sounds like "Space Guerilla" is right around the corner! It's not everyday we get a Priority 1 reissued (Sunbirds) and two Priority 2's (Missus Beastly). And I'm sure the second Sunbirds will follow soon as well.

It wasn't long ago that we discussed the Coming Soon list from Garden of Delights, and these were of course on there. We also have separate features for the Sunbirds and Missus Beastly.

Label says about the Sunbirds: "The fusion group Sunbirds was founded by the jazz musicians Klaus Weiss (drums) and Fritz Pauer (keyboards) in Munich in 1971, when the two of them had already made a name for themselves. They got Ferdinand Povel on flute, Jimmy Woode on bass and the world-famous guitarist Philip Catherine to join them. The band name Sunbirds was Fritz Pauer's idea, as well as the songs in E major and E minor, carrying titles including the word "sun". E is the sound representing the sun in esotericism. Due to their good connections, they could soon sign a contract with the then newly-founded BASF label. The LP was released in that same year of 1971, simply under the name of "Sunbirds" (BASF 2021110-2). The two as yet unreleased bonus tracks are from the same master tapes as the LP/CD tracks and were recorded at the same time. The second Sunbirds LP, "Zagara" is to follow on CD at a later point."

And they continue with Missus Beastly: ""Dr. Aftershave and the mixed-pickles" (April 00001) was Missus Beastly's third album, which once more presented some solid jazz rock, mostly instrumental. It was at the same time the first album to be released on April, the new self-distributing label run by Missus Beastly, Ton Steine Scherben, Embryo, and Sparifankal. The LP was recorded in the well-known Stuttgart Zuckerfabrik studio (a former sugar refinery) at the beginning of 1976. The two CD bonus tracks were recorded at the Vlotho festivals ("Umsonst und draußen" [outside and for free]) 1976 and 1977. At that time, they were presented on the annual festival LPs. "Dr. Aftershave" was actually planned to be released on CD years ago, but some unexpected obstacles caused a long delay. The fourth and last Missus Beastly LP, "Space Guerilla" from 1978, will soon be released on CD, again provided with bonus tracks." The delay is that the label Funfundvierzig was originally going to reissue these, but I don't think the label exists anymore.

I should mention that GoD's Thors Hammer label will also be issuing an archival release from the British folk band Fotheringay and the CD is entitled "Essen 1970".