Greetings beloved Children of the Revolution!
In some months, I pull out the crystal ball to predict the incredible events in GMR’s future, others we shine it up to peer into the dark forgotten past. This month shall be the latter. We go to 1987, which theoretical historian Joe Ross has referred to as the final year of GMR ‘86/’87 Mach I peak. By the end of ’87, Green Monkey had arrived at the “we have no money” state that Sub Pop would loudly trumpet on t-shirts four years later, though on a much smaller scale of course. The game was all about “how can we continue to give public life to delightful music on a micro budget,” not all that different from now, but with no internet, no Bandcamp, it was all about manufacture of physical goods.
No money to press records? Let’s go to Pip’s Real Time Duplication and we shall make cassettes! Cassettes, consigned to record stores in Seattle (and Olympia), were the cheapest road to public existence. You could send them out to get reviews in Backlash, The Rocket, Option and Sound Choice. The stage was now set for Glass Penguins.
The Glass Penguins was one pop master mind, Michael Cox a.k.a. producer Jock Scott. Not the greatest singer or player, but definitely the holder of a great notion of pop music. I read about his tapes in The Rocket and said send them here. He did and I thought Michael’s stuff was great. He had recorded some material on 8-track reel-to reel with Jon Auer of the Posies in B-town (I’m pretty sure this is prior to the release of The Posies’ Failure) that was pretty groovy, with future avantist Evan Schiller on drums. I summoned Michael to big ol’ Seattle where we recorded the rest of the album on 8 track at my TDS Productions Queen Anne basement studio, with a bevy of Green Pajamas, Young Fresh Fellows and Dynette Set members. A grand time was had by all. We released the dayglo pink covered cassette to minimal notice and carried on with life. Michael did not become a famous pop star – though he did become a regular writer for Dawn Anderson’s Backlash music rag.
Which brings us to 2021. The little clock in my head said it is time to bring this out of the vaults and I contacted Michael, who gave me a hearty, “Sure, why not?”, plus an additional five songs from the time, recorded by Michael, I think on four-track, and mixed and/or mastered in the modern Pro Tools environment. Dandy numbers they are and they are all on a pretty CDr as well as download ready for your deep appreciation. I know you will approve.
And now what? Is Michael ready to record his follow up album at last? I cannot say but my fingers are crossed.
Scroll down to read Michael’s extensive comments on the release!
Other stuff?
Boise-ites Cabeza have a groovy new single, “Check My Head” b/w “Snake Oils” with a sweet vid by Rosie for “Check.” Sez the band: We have been busy in the band room developing new musical treats for your ears. Our freshest releases are “Check My Head” and “Snake Oils”, two songs that reflect our struggles to stay on the constant hamster wheel of wake, do, sleep, repeat, and to the constant reminder that we are vulnerable to our own fears.
“Check My Head” is a song that was developed from the grind. The chores: I think I am losing my mind is like an eerie poem that seems to sneak into all of our heads these days. The song also pays tribute to the Late Adam Yauch (MCA) of the Beastie Boys. The Beastie Boys have been a strong influence for Craig and Ray and the lyrics were warped to express a more personal experience.
“Snake Oils” was largely inspired by the 2020 election. As a band we watched and cringed as people continued to argue over human rights issues. We were taken back from the political climate and we decided to put our perspectives on paper. Thus “Snake Oils” was brought to life.
In other areas of total excitement, the Green Pajamas are making red hot progress on their follow up to 1997’s Strung Behind The Sun. The theory is we will get it wrapped up and out for the fall. Jeff is also working on a History of The Green Pajamas album, but my crystal ball is less than clear on an ETA for this one. All of our vinyl copes of Box of Secrets: Northern Gothic 2 sold out in three days, but you can still get the remastered version with excellent bonus tracks on download or buy it direct from Sound-Effect Records Box Of Secrets: Northern Gothic 2 Vinyl | www.soundeffect-records.gr. They have some other PJ vinyl we are sold out on as well. The Green Pajamas Family Christmas Album has been mastered and sent to press, but alas and alack, the pressing plants cannot get it done for this year so it will move to 2022. Next up is the remastered for vinyl Indian Winter with sweet bonus tracks – sometime soon.
Next month (that’s June to you, sweetheart) we will be dipping into the way-back machine once again for James and the Giant Peach, a sweet and glorious what happened after The Life and before Jim McIver and The Boxes. Can’t wait!
This week, I received the latest masterpiece from the now-prolific Al Bloch which we will be releasing in July. If you have not yet purchased his latest, Live December 31, 1981, 66 Bell | The Deans | Green Monkey Records (bandcamp.com), you may do so now. Al is The Man!
Mr. Peter Barnes continues work on his mighty large I Helped album. ETA is currently unknown, but we are confident.
The Capping Day giant 2-release history project has begun to rumble along. Tapes are being baked.
The True Olympians continue to careen along on the path to the Olympia album. The first eleven songs are being mixed and the double-vaxed band is preparing to start rehearsing to record the last 20 or so songs. Mighty drummer Michael Stein is recovering nicely from shoulder surgery and it seems the Def Leopard drum kit will be unnecessary. In an odd turn of covid events, though Michael has been in the band since last spring and has played on 11 songs, he has yet to meet keyboard king Joe or thump buster bassist Gene. It is bound to happen eventually. We will be releasing a single or two from the album in the coming months to prime the pump. Whee!
That’s it for this month.
td 5-21
The Glass Penguins scoop from Mr. Cox:
(Glass Penguins Press Release, circa 1986)
What you have here is a little bit of fun that began with some kids in Bellingham, WA, who just wanted to play music and were happy just to be in a Real Recording Studio, and continued with some of Seattle’s most well-regarded indie musicians of the day…who just wanted to play music and were happy anytime they were in a recording studio.
They all came out to play with a kid who up to that point had been making no-fi tapes in his bedroom with a cheap guitar and Casio keyboard. (But the press releases were awesome.)
The largest of thanks to Mr. Tom Dyer, who followed up his comment on “the cheapest-sounding drum machine (he’d) heard in a long time” with an invitation to come play in Seattle. If it had been a phone call rather than a postal letter, all he’d have heard at the other end was the phone dropping and footsteps running in the distance.
This is guitar pop, loosely played, as if many beers were consumed during its making—of course it is, and of course there were—and the songs themselves tended to be about girls or fish. (To hear me move straight from there to my Revolver period, minus the acid but with more coffee, refer to the bonus tracks.)
If during your listening session you can derive even one molecule of the fun that was had during the making of raspberry, congratulations, you’ve now got an extra molecule of fun.
For a little more of the story (Which guest thought he’d totally messed up until I assured him otherwise?) go to https://greenmonkeyrecords.com/artist-glass-penguins/.
— Michael Cox, April 2021
PRODUCED BY TOM DYER AND JOCK SCOTT
Recorded at TDS Productions, Seattle, 1987, and NorSound Studios, Bellingham, 1986.
Engineered by Tom Dyer or Jon Auer.
Girl I’ve Never Met
Vocals, Guitar, Farfisa, Tambourine: Michael Cox
Guitar: Henry Szankiewicz
Bass: Nick Cash
Drums: Evan Schiller
Shadow of a Fish
Vocals, Guitars: Michael Cox
Bass: Scott McCaughey
Drums: Curt Anderson
Backing Vox: Christy McWilson, Riki Mafune, Tom Dyer
Your Time
Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Tambourine, Drum Programming: Michael Cox
Guitar: Steve Lawrence
Out of the Rain
Vocals, Guitar, Bass: Michael Cox
Guitar: Henry Szankiewicz
Lead Guitar: Kurt Bloch
Drums: Evan Schiller
Fine to Me
Vocals: Michael Cox
Guitar: Jon Auer
I’m Sure
Vocals, Guitars: Michael Cox
Bass: Scott McCaughey
Drums: Curt Anderson
Harmonica: Chuck Carroll
Number or Your Name
Vocals, Guitars: Michael Cox
Lead Guitar: Hugh Jones
Bass: Scott McCaughey
Drums: Curt Anderson
Backing Vox: Christy McWilson, Riki Mafune
She Moves Me
Vocals, Bass: Michael Cox
Guitars: Robert Roth
Drums: Evan Schiller
Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)
Vocals, Guitars, Farfisa: Michael Cox
Guitar: Tom Dyer
Bass: Scott McCaughey
Drums: Curt Anderson
Pull Yourself Together
Vocals, Guitars: Michael Cox
Lead Guitar: Jeff Kelly
Bass: Scott McCaughey
Drums: Curt Anderson
Never Too Late
Vocals, Guitar, Bongos: Michael Cox
Guitar: Henry Szankiewicz
Lead Guitar, Mock Cello: Jon Auer
BONUS TRACKS
Strange Thing
Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Farfisa, Drum Programming: Michael Cox
Lead Guitar: Unknown (I’m sorry)
Positive Youth
Vocals, All Instruments: Michael Cox
Identical Buildings
Vocals, All Instruments: Michael Cox
Accidents in the Home
Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Drums: Michael Cox
Lead Guitar: Dave Mortenson
It’s a Silly Christmas
Vocals, All Instruments: Michael Cox
Reissue Executive Producer: Howie Wahlen
All songs written by Michael Cox, published by Wall Of Bees Music (ASCAP) except Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow) by Neil Diamond; Number or Your Name by Doug Fieger and Berton Averre.
Shadow of a Fish, Your Time, I’m Sure, Your Number or Your Name, Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow), Pull Yourself Together, and Strange Thing recorded and mixed at TDS Productions, Seattle, WA. Engineered by Tom Dyer.
Girl I’ve Never Met, Fine To Me, She Moves Me, and Never Too Late recorded and mixed at NorSound Studio, Bellingham, WA. Engineered by Jon Auer.
Out of the Rain recorded at NorSound Studio, with additional recording at TDS Productions. Mixed at Reciprocal Recording, Seattle, WA. Engineered by Jon Auer and Tom Dyer.
Positive Youth, Identical Buildings, Accidents in the Home, and It’s a Silly Christmas recorded at home to four-track cassette; freshly mixed by Tom Dyer.
Songs 1-11 released on cassette in 1987 as GM022. Remastered by Tom Dyer in 2021.
Songs 12-16 are previously unreleased.
Photography by Hugh Jones.
Thanks to all who are good and kind.
The Glass Penguins exclusively use whatever they can get their hands on.
COFFEE is the official drink of the Glass Penguins: ”Coffee – to which only Jolt! Cola comes in a close second!”