A fabulous discovery

OK, first off, when is anything we claim to be a discovery actually a discovery? unless you're the person who discovered electricity or teletext (which, as we all know, has no rational explanation and wasn't invented but discovered).

Not wishing to piss on my own bonfire further, I shall continue.

Today, in Oxfam on Western Road, I 'discovered' a gem of a record. Its by David Byrne and Brian Eno and is called My Life in the Bush of Ghosts. (see here.)

Its from 1981 and is a funky, experimental album of bass, percussion, guitars and found sounds. Eg, TV evangelists, radio chat shows and people praying. Nothing original by todays standards, then, but this record is quarter of a century old, remember.

Upon getting home, I did some internet research (ensuring I'd listened attentively all the way through at least once and made up my own mind so as not to be swayed by any reviews I came accross - I always read reviews after listening to something because I am a thoroughbred geek). It turns out that its something of a cult classic, influencing everyone from Moby to Public Enemy. Its a bit of a die cast for subsequent sample based music.

And it happens to have just been reissued for its 25th anniversary with extra tracks and a rather nice opportunity for producers. They've made some of the original tapes available, assigned an open source copyright thingy, and said anyone can have a go at remixing/reappropriating/cutting it up/etc as they see fit! Good on them - its a nod to the essence of the music that they give it 'back'. After all, a lot of what it consists of is found sound anyway. (website of samples here)

It seemed somewhat serendipitous, much like the way such music is constructed, that I should stumble across this record at this time. But that brings me back to my original point about how discoveries aren't really discoveries. Someone probably got the reissue, gave the old vinyl to Oxfam who promptly put it in their 'collectable albums' section, where I found it.