BOC/HW: Tubilah Huh?

[Keith Henderson]

Jason doth ask...

>Trawling through the Troser Press website I found the follwing sentence
>under the Hawkwind entry:
>
> the Travellers Aid double LP, cut at various late-'80s free festivals
> in Great Britain, isn't a load of crap. Despite the billing, not much of
> it is Hawkwind, though: one and a half okay tracks, plus one great one by
> Agents of Chaos. Nik Turner brings up the rear with a crowd sing-along of
> "Silver Machine." In between is very promising punky hard-rock to a ska
> beat by Culture Shock, >>>>Tubilah Dogs   (Hawkwind-cum-Blue Öyster Cult >
> that kind of work)<<<<"
>!!! You can imagine my suprise at reading that snippet.
>
>Do any of you Hawkwinders out there feel this is an accurate statment? If
>not, what do they sound like?

Ahhhhh, of course, any Hawkwind fan should know that Jerry Richards (current
lead axeman for Hawkwind) co-founded Tubliah Dog (should be singular form,
as in the "palindrome" of Halibut God).  Though I never knew if JR appeared
on the two tracks on the T.A.T. album (the excellent! "Safe Zone" and the
not-so-bad-either "Making Love on the Telephone").  And I'm certain he
didn't appear on their lone LP/CD entitled 'In Search of Plaice' (a take-off
of ISoS, the fish joke continuing in that plaice is a fish similar to
flounder (I think)).  I have this CD (released in 1997 I think, at least 3
years after the original vinyl, released only by Vinyl Magic in Italy).
Must've been recorded somewhere between 1992-94.  I'll check my copy at home
for more info.

I have never determined who actually appears on that album (or the TAT
tracks), but I always have heard that one Steve Mills was supposedly the
band's leader (at least after Jerry left).  But his name doesn't actually
appear on ISoP.  A few so-called 'guests' are listed on other instruments
(than guitar), and I'm guessing it was a solo Steve Mills project with
others helping out (and drum machine from the way it sounds).  This album is
really hit-and-miss, and not very similar to the TAT tracks.  Wyrd Romance I
remember as being a really cool phased-psych guitar riff, and there was also
a neat Daevid Allen-like dreamy psych-folk tune.  But the albums is not too
great overall. BTW, I've seen copies of the CD in strange places...like in
mall-type stores here in the US, usually filed in some bizarre location.  I
can't remember what label issued it...some obscure UK label I think.

Some of the tracks (along with one track that didn't appear on ISoP) were
supposedly used for a 'e-novel' (web-published sci-fi multimedia story)
called "The War of the Fallen" (or something like that), which I managed to
find on the web, but it didn't seem like the music tracks were ever made
available like it said.  (Not that my computer is even wired for sound such
that I could hear them.)  But I think Wyrd Romance was one that was supposed
to be there...good choice. You might search for it now...perhaps it finally
has been put together.

As far as the TAT tracks go, I think "Safe Zone" is the highlight of that
album.  I wouldn't immediately think BÖC after listening to them, but it's
not a terrible comparison.  I love the guitar riffs and the vocalist...
whether it's the same person singing as on ISoP or not, I don't think the
vocals sound at all the same.  I wish there was a full-length album that
featured mid-80's Tubilah Dog.  Maybe Jerry's got some tapes??  Did anyone
here actually see them with JR???

Also of note:  The band Hippy Slags also appears on TAT, a four-piece
(all-female?) band that featured Bridgett Wishart (I believe she appears in
a photo in the album sleeve/CD insert) as well as Richard Chadwick's
significant other.  (BTW, is she still requiring regular dialysis
treatments??  I haven't heard anything about her condition...I hope that
means she's better now.)

The Ozrics also have a track on there, but I think it's one of the more
dismal OT tracks I can remember.  And that was my first exposure to
them...it was awhile before I took a chance on Afterswish, which I really liked.

The late 80's free-festy scene really produced a lot of great stuff, but I
think they oversaturated themselves in the end, as all those bands have
either split or turned into techno units.  (At least Omnia Opera, Ozrics/Eat
Static, Mandragora have all gone that route.)  I think Ship of Fools 'Close
your eyes...' is probably my favourite of that style, but I don't know
anything about those guys.  Other than they're now defunct...I'm trying to
get my hands on that CD with both albums combined.  Anyone know a good source?

That's all....Keith H. (FAA)

ObCD:  I.E.M. - I.E.M. (one of Steve Wilson's finest moments!)