These are some pics from a very fun and fortunate opportunity I had to go to Greece and play some solo shows. Of course, none of it would have been possible without the efforts and love of panagiotis spoulos and sofia zoitu, of the Athens noise duo Reverse Mouth. They have been instant and amazing friends ever since Heat Retention Records got connected with them earlier in the decade. They are part of our extended fragrant family and I love them.
Highlights of this tour include a great time exploring athens and playing a show at Vinyl Microstore in Athens, seeing my good friend Marina and her beautiful Exarchia apartment ("an evil den of anarchists and criminals living in a neighborhood that is beyond the law"), and a show in northern Greece (Macedonia?) in a small but beautiful town called Xanthi where I sold more merch and made more money playing a show than any where else in the world.
Thanksgiving 2008 we went up to the cabin in Independence to celebrate longer. Wood fires, dark nights, bourbon, long hikes, and deep sleeps prevailed.
The Hanes gave us a heritage turkey to take up there. I cooked it up the night before in the Werehouse. Got loaded, almost overcooked the bird, wrote this song. It appears on the upcoming Krankies Coffee Winter 2010 compilation which you should definitely get yr hands on.
This record means a lot to me personally. It encapsulates a big transition from Brooklyn life to a time on the road alone and in community at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY. At the time I was working as a tour guide at the Association for Research and Enlightenment in VA Beach and reading lots of Edgar Cayce and other esoteric works, thusly and ultimatically informing most of the sounds on this collection. It was also a very emotionally and psychically difficult time. The songs and recording sessions were an essential process/tool for navigating those straits. I always hoped they might likewise serve for some kindred out there.
Incidently this is the first use of the psychic tv-style spelling of the name: Cakes Ov Light. Of course, this spelling goes back much further. Those who say don't know, but I have the ponies ov darkness to thank for inspiration. And the 8-rayed sphere of chaos spraypainted 200 times was my introduction to life at the werehouse. It goes on and on and on and on and....
Recorded in the winter of 2007 in summer rental closet on the beach. Mostly solo but with the incredible help of a friend who prefers to remain unnamed. This was the start of the handmade limited edition era. Originally released on cassette with handpainted covers (pictured) and handpainted cassette labels, this album was later released as an LP on Heat Retention Records. Thanks to mcmillian and enochkane! for helping bring it to vinyl.
http://www.heatretentionrecords.com/
And for years (or very special nights) of support, enthusiasm, and all-around reinforcement of spirit: thanks to OTC, the werehouse, the glasslands gallery, bohemian national home, tom klepack, jonny corndawg, usaisamonster, ross compton, james saarsgarde, april wood, kemp stroble, the turduckin house, the night light, the yau house, twisted branch tea bazaar, junis beefmonth, and will dyer.
This is the second in our series of handcrafted limited run releases with Brion Gysin-influenced secret alphabet scroll. Still have some copies available, but wanted to make the songs it extra easy to hear and/or download.
This is a record that came out sneakily last year with most of the records getting snatched up when I went to Greece. Beautiful handcrafted sleeves from a classic stash of paper bags the bell brothers scored at K & G about ten years ago with one-of-a-kind watercolor inserts.
The tunes were crafted by Jay and Brian at Sprague Street. Eric holding space on many of the tracks. Homemade electronic drone sessions weave the tunes together making this one of the more space-y, deep cut records from CxOxLx.
Band of Brothers is one exception to the collection. Reclaimed from a session two years prior with Jay on guitar and vocals, Brian on bass and pedal steel, John Bryan on drums, Junis Beefmonth of guitar, and Haydee Thompson on loop pedal, it was one of the first tracks featuring the Winston-Salem team.
